Pros and Cons of Living in Sun City Grand

Every community has trade offs, and Sun City Grand is no exception. We would rather show you both sides than sell you on it, because a buyer who knows the rules before moving in is a happier neighbor later. Here is an honest look at what people tend to love about The Grand and what they should know first. The facts below come from the community's published information and governing documents.

The pros of living in Sun City Grand

Recreation you can use every day

The community has four 18 hole championship golf courses, Cimarron, Desert Springs, Granite Falls North and Granite Falls South, and eight golf clubs. There are two fitness centers with pools, one with an indoor pool, two outdoor pools and an indoor walking track, and the other with an outdoor lap pool, a leisure pool and a sauna. Add 22 pickleball courts, tennis and bocce courts, a softball field, a lawn bowling green, fishing lakes, a pet park and walking and biking trails. The annual assessment includes two Activity Cards per home, and golf play and club memberships are arranged separately.

A social life that is already built in

There are dozens of chartered clubs, including art, bridge, dance, hiking, pickleball, tennis, woodcrafters, computers and drama and comedy. The community also has craft rooms, a wood shop, a library and meeting rooms. If you are moving from out of state and do not know anyone, the clubs give you somewhere to start.

Smaller and easier to get around

The community describes itself as smaller and more intimate than Sun City or Sun City West, with the full range of recreation you would expect from a Sun City community. It is a golf cart community, so carts that are street legal, insured and tagged can use streets that are all 25 or 35 miles per hour. It is not a gated community.

Dining and care close by

There are three places to eat inside the community, The Grand Cafe, Angela's Kitchen and Maple and Rye. Banner Health Del Webb Memorial Hospital sits just outside the community perimeter, and the Sun City West medical offices are nearby.

A range of homes and prices

Homes run from 1,096 to 3,388 square feet, with condos from 427 to 1,021 square feet, and there are 49 floor plan names in five families. On October 21, 2026, 66 percent of the active homes were listed under $500,000, and the median list price was $441,900 in ZIP 85374. See the Sun City Grand housing market numbers for the full picture and the Sun City Grand floor plans to compare models.

Rules that keep the costs in check

The CC&Rs limit how fast the base assessment can rise. The Board cannot raise it more than 15 percent over the prior year without a vote of the owners, except in an emergency, and a special assessment above 5 percent of the budgeted common expenses also needs a vote. Read the plain English summary of the Sun City Grand CC&Rs.

The cons of living in Sun City Grand

The costs are real

The annual assessment is $1,976 for July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, about $165 a month, and it changes each year. Buyers also pay $5,400 in one time fees at closing, which includes a $5,000 CARE fee. Courtyard and Garden Villa homes pay extra for maintained property, $777 and $721 a year. Golf is not included. Our guide to the HOA fees for Sun City Grand lists every fee, and the cost of living in Sun City Grand adds up a monthly budget.

The age rules limit who can live there

At least 85 percent of homes must be occupied by someone 55 or older, and up to 15 percent may be occupied by people ages 45 to 54. No one under 19 may live in the community, and no one under 19 may stay overnight for more than 90 days in any 365 days. Anyone can own a home, but an owner under 45 cannot live there unless a 55 plus occupant lives in the home. If you want grandchildren to visit often or a younger family member to move in, check the rules first. See the average age in Sun City Grand for how the rules work.

Renting and pets have limits

Leasing requires a minimum of 30 days for the whole home, and at least one tenant must be 45 or older, with no children under 19. Owners must tell the Association within 10 days of signing a lease and give the tenant the governing documents. Casitas cannot be rented separately and short term transient rentals are not allowed. For pets, the rules allow three cats and dogs in total, plus a reasonable number of other usual pets. Pets must be on a leash or on the lot, and there are limits on bird feeders, with a maximum of three hummingbird feeders and no other bird feeders or birdhouses.

Changes to your home need approval

Interior remodels need no approval, but exterior changes do need approval from the Architectural Review Committee. The rules also cover things many owners take for granted, such as no clotheslines, no detached garages and no visible sheds, garage doors kept closed except when you are going in or out, and trash in in ground containers that is not put out before 6 pm the day before pickup. RVs, boats and trailers cannot be parked on a lot or street except for 72 hours in any 30 days for loading and cleaning. Garage and estate sales are not allowed.

Golf course living comes with noise and risk

If your home backs onto a fairway, the CC&Rs ask owners to accept some trade offs. Owners assume the risk of course maintenance noise, which often happens at sunrise or sunset, golfer noise and chemicals, and golf balls that may land on the lot. A view over the course is also not guaranteed.

It is not a gated community

The Grand has no gate or guard. Streets are owned and maintained by the City of Surprise. Decide whether that suits you.

Who it tends to suit, and who it may not

The Grand tends to suit people who want an active, social retirement with golf, pickleball, fitness and clubs close at hand, and who are comfortable living by a clear set of community rules. It may suit you less if you need flexibility to rent your home for short stays, want young family members to live with you, have more than three cats and dogs, or want a free hand with exterior changes.

How to decide

1. 1

   Visit twice

   Go once on a weekday morning and again on a weekend. Walk past the courses and the fitness centers and notice how busy they are.

2. 2

   Read the rules before you fall in love with a home

   The CC&Rs and the Rules and Regulations decide what you can do with a home. Start with the plain English summaries of the CC&Rs and the Rules and Regulations.

3. 3

   Add up the full cost

   Combine the assessment, the one time fees, your loan payment and the costs the community does not set, such as golf, taxes and insurance. See the cost of living in Sun City Grand.

4. 4

   Ask for the resale packet

   Before you make an offer, ask for the resale disclosure packet for the home. It shows the current fees and the community's rules for that property.

5. 5

   Talk to the people who live there

   Ask residents what they like and what they would change. A local agent who lives in the community can answer what the booklets leave out.

Sources, the community's published buyer information, the CC&Rs recorded April 14, 2020 and the Rules and Regulations approved November 14, 2024, as summarized on our community resource pages. Fees are the amounts The Grand listed on October 18, 2026 and change every July.

Thinking about a move? Talk with a Sun City Grand Realtor who lives in the community and can walk you through the rules and the numbers before you decide.

Frequently asked questions