SUN CITY – More than 14 years after it was started, and more than four years later than planned, the Sun City build-out is nearly complete. All of the community’s home sites now have homes on them, but three of them remained to be sold, as of Dec. 10.
Two of the unsold home sites are located in Neighborhood 35 (across Sun City Boulevard from the Millgrove Woodshop) and the other is the model home on Farm Hill Road and Brookside Court that has been used as the Pulte Homes sales center for the past two years. According to the Pulte sales staff, inquiries and visits by prospective home buyers continue to take place regularly. Both of the N.35 lots have new homes built on them.
With only two homes remaining, the build-out is on verge of completion. (Photo by Mason Souza/Sun Day)
Pulte officials have not indicated that a public announcement or event upon build-out completion is planned. They will likely quietly close out their sales operation and depart, to concentrate on other home building projects throughout the nation. The completion of sales also will have no impact on Sun City residents or groups, because the transition from developer to residents for activities was completed a few years ago.
One Pulte employee did tell the Sun Day last week that it planned to vacate the Farm Hill sales center on Dec. 21, but this information was not confirmed by Pulte officials as of Dec. 10.
“Karen Palmer [the last remaining sales associate] will continue to sell until all the homes are sold,” Valerie Dolenga, a Pulte spokesperson, said late last week.
Dolenga added that Palmer will work out of the Buckingham model on Farm Hill until it is sold.
“We currently have three homes and lots left to sell, and we continue to actively market and sell to home shoppers,” Dolenga said. “Karen will remain at the community and continue to sell the remaining homes. While it is bittersweet nearing the completion of Sun City Huntley, we are extremely proud of this community.”
Del Webb opened Sun City Huntley to the public in late 1998, and the first closings took place in April, 1999. Today, more than 9,500 residents live in the community, swelling Huntley’s population to more than 24,000.
Del Webb and Pulte Homes merged in 2005, bringing Pulte’s financial resources together with Del Webb’s popular and well established active adult lifestyle and activities. Today, Sun City residents participate in activities and amenities sponsored by 45 charter groups, about 35 neighborhood groups, dozens of special interest organizations, and entertainment events sponsored by the Sun City Community Association.
Pulte’s build-out was originally scheduled to be completed in 2008, 10 years after Sun City opened. But the 2008 housing market downturn, banking crisis, and recession changed all that. Pulte’s departure has been extended by more than four years. Three years ago, when sales slowed dramatically, Pulte vacated its sales center in Prairie Lodge and moved scaled-down sales activities to a model home on Farm Hill Road.
