Del Webb is one of the largest active adult community builders in the country. With over 120 55+ communities, and more on the way, it is no surprise that Del Webb has made quite a name for themselves, But what makes Del Webb a trusted home builder?
Active adult homebuyers across the country can expect excellence from every Del Webb community and there are many reasons for this. Del Webb provides homebuyers with world-class amenities, thoughtfully designed modern homes, a low-maintenance lifestyle, and ideal locations across the country.
If you’re ready to learn more about Del Webb, keep reading to find out more about this renowned 55+ homebuilder.
The History of Del Webb
Del Webb has set the standard for active adult communities when Del E. Webb built the very first active adult community, Sun City, in 1960. Since then, they have gone on to create a massive network of 55+ communities that can be found in Florida, Nevada, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Connecticut, Indiana, Michigan, Tennessee, New Jersey, New Mexico, and Arizona.
Not only has Del Webb been awarded our own 50 Best-Selling Active Adult Communities and the 100 Most Popular Communities, but they have also received several awards from the Best of 55+ Housing Awards sponsored by The National Association of Homebuilders. Del Webb was also recently honored by Where to Retire magazine for Del Webb Wilmington.
Del Webb was founded by Delbert E. Webb in 1928. Known as Del Webb, the company’s founder learned carpentry as a hobby when he was young. After completing his freshman year of high school he left permanently to help support his family.
Throughout the 1920s, Webb was a carpenter and semi-pro baseball player. In 1945, Webb was able to live both his passions simultaneously as he became the co-owner of the New York Yankees. During his time with the team, they won a total of 10 World Series championships.
Webb did not only build active adult communities with the Del Webb Corporation, but also went on to develop the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Madison Square Garden, Las Vegas’ Flamingo Hotel, and much more. Webb was inspired to create affordable living for retirees as retirement had typically been seen as something only the wealthy portion of the population could afford.
On January 1, 1960, Del Webb’s Sun City in Arizona opened their doors to the public. This was not only the first active adult community that Del Webb built or the first one in Arizona but the first one in the county.
Years of anticipation for the opening of the community led to 100,000 visitors who toured the property in the first weekend. Del Webb went on to sell 400 homes in the first month and 2,000 in the first year, making it one of the most popular neighborhoods in Arizona.
Between 1960 and 1978, Del Webb continued to build communities that catered to the retirement lifestyles of thousands of active adult homebuyers. By the time it was built out, Sun City became home to 46,000 residents in 26,000 homes.
The Sun City brand of communities continued to fill what is known as the Sun Belt, including Arizona, Nevada, Florida, New Mexico, and California. Del Webb continued to push the boundaries of the active adult lifestyle when they opened the first community outside the Sun Belt, which would lead to many more communities across the Midwest and East Coast. The popular Sun City Huntley in Illinois opened in 1998.
By 2000, Del Webb had opened 13 active adult communities under the Sun City brand, consisting more than 80,000 homes. In 2001, Del Webb was bought by Pulte Homes, creating the nation’s largest homebuilding company. Under Pulte Homes, Del Webb has worked to build over 100 communities nationwide. Del Webb has continued to develop even more outside the Sun City brand, building new communities every year in nearly every region across the country.
Del Webb’s Amenities
Del Webb communities range from mid-sized to master planned but never lack amenities. Del Webb is known to provide an amenity-rich lifestyle that helps homeowners stay active in every community. Some of the standard amenities one will find at a Del Webb community include resort-style clubhouses complete with state-of-the-art fitness centers, pools and patios, as well as outdoor amenities such as tennis, pickleball, bocce, and shuffleboard courts.
The building of Sun City focused on amenities like a thoughtfully designed clubhouse with ample space for residents to lounge and play shuffleboard, but as Del Webb has grown, so have the amenities they offer.
Del Webb not only curates a classic line-up of amenities in their communities, but many are home to unique features such as championship golf courses, woodworking shops, continuing education centers, and yoga studios.
Del Webb communities often offer many everyday necessities and luxuries, communities such as Sun City Mesquite has its own coffee shops and libraries. Del Webb Ponte Vedra offers residents a coffee shop, a catering kitchen, and day spa. Del Webb Sweetgrass provides residents with an internet coffee bar, a wellness center, and a continuing education center.
Del Webb communities such as Sun City West have four amenity and recreation centers as well as an on-site hospital, softball field, mini-golf course, and a greenhouse. Sun City West is part of a long list of Del Webb communities that have golf courses, including Del Webb Orlando, Del Webb Naples, Sun City Summerlin, and Sun City Lincoln Hills.
Del Webb Lifestyle
Most Del Webb communities also have a full-time activity director who helps to organize events and social gatherings for community residents. Book, photography, horticulture, and bridge clubs are just some of the regular social gatherings homeowners can join.
Del Webb also offers a variety of fitness classes including Pilates, yoga, golf, dance, and tennis. Del Webb aims to create a community where residents can explore their individual interests as well as form relationships with their neighbors and fellow residents.
With so many amenities available, lifestyle directors are there to help homeowners navigate all the facilities that each community has to offer. Homeowners in Del Webb communities can expect a full social calendar packed with activities such as day trips, parties, community barbecues, and much more.
Del Webb lifestyle directors are there to hear the feedback that residents have and work with them on what opportunities they would like to see in their community. This unique relationship with the community’s lifestyle director fosters an environment that is unique to each Del Webb community.
Del Webb Communities
Every Del Webb community across the country has been designed and developed with active adult homebuyers in mind, but each region and community has something unique to offer its residents. Check out what individual Del Webb communities have to offer 55+ homebuyers. Keep in mind, this is just a sampling of the Del Webb communities across the country.
Arizona
As the birthplace of Del Webb, Arizona has some of the most coveted Del Webb communities within its borders. Arizona is the home to the majority of the Sun City brand communities, making it the place where active adults can experience the history of Sun City communities.
Arizona is home to not only the original Sun City but to four other Sun City communities, giving residents plenty of opportunities to live the Sun City lifestyle. Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch offers residents the chance to live in a community home to the renowned Poston Butte Golf Club, which is made up of 18 holes and 7,300 yards of lush landscaping.
The desirable Sun City West features four recreation centers, including The R.H. Johnson Center, which is spread across 48 acres and has six activity areas with 118,000 square feet of amenities under one roof. Homeowners can also enjoy any of the community’s nine golf courses and nine restaurants.
Spanning over 1,000 acres, Sun City Oro Valley provides residents with a laid-back lifestyle in a tranquil setting while still maintaining a close proximity to Tuscon. Residents at Sun City Oro Valley have access to the community’s very own 18-hole golf course designed by Greg Nash.
Del Webb has more than just Sun City communities in Arizona, communities such as Del Webb at Rancho Del Lago and Del Webb at Dove Mountain provide residents with classic amenities such as expansive clubhouses, outdoor pools & patios, and a variety of sport courts to help residents stay active.
Florida
Florida is home to several Del Webb communities that active adult homebuyers have come to know and love. The Del Webb communities of Florida ensure that retirees have plenty of opportunities to enjoy the lifestyle of their dreams.
Del Webb Naples is a 55+ enclave within the larger Ave Maria master-planned community. The community features The Oasis Club, which is a 12,000-square-foot amenity center. It gives residents access to a state-of-the-art fitness center, movement studio, steam room, sauna, and locker rooms.
Located just 20 miles from the sought-after city of Jacksonville, Del Webb Ponte Vedra offers residents a prime location as well as a unique set of amenities. That includes a 37,800 square-foot clubhouse complete with its own cafe, movement studio, day spa, and much more.
Del Webb Lakewood Ranch offers residents resort-style amenities such as an outdoor pool with a spacious patio. There’s also a barefoot bar where residents can easily spend their Florida summer days. Closer to Tampa is the new Del Webb Bexley, which is already attracting huge interest.
Texas
Texas has Del Webb communities all over, giving residents the chance to pick and choose where they would like to spend their retirement. Will you lean toward a smaller Texas town or one of the biggest cities in the state?
Sun City Texas in Georgetown offers active adult homebuyers a rich assortment of amenities. The Village Center is the central hub of the community with a total of 86,000 square feet dedicated to indoor amenities such as the 20,000 square-foot state-of-the-art fitness center.
Located in the growing master-planned The Woodlands, Del Webb The Woodlands is home to tennis, pickleball, and bocce courts as well as a coffee bar, fitness center, and arts & crafts studio.
California
The West Coast is no stranger to Del Webb communities, as Southern California is home to nine alone. The Del Webb communities found in SoCal offer residents a lifestyle unique to the region while never losing the classic features Del Webb is known to provide.
Sun City Palm Desert is the largest active adult community in the area. Here, homeowners enjoy a total of three clubhouses which offer a variety of amenities such as Olympic-sized pools, restaurants, various sports courts, and much more. Del Webb Rancho Mirage is also nearby.
Located in the laid back setting of Apple Valley, Sun City Apple Valley offers residents an ideal location as well as a rich set of amenities. Residents here enjoy the community’s 27-hole golf course and two putting greens. Popular Northern California Del Webb communities include Sun City Lincoln Hills and Sun City Roseville.
South Carolina
Del Webb communities in South and North Carolina offer active adult homebuyers charming Southern architecture and laid-back living while maintaining close proximity to local attractions and everyday necessities.
Sun City Hilton Head is the largest active adult community in the state and one of the best-known Del Webb communities in the country. The center of the community is composed of a 45-acre amenity complex that gives residents access to various hobby studios, sports courts, and fitness & dance centers.
Located in one of the nation’s most popular vacation spots, Del Webb Myrtle Beach is just minutes from the famed beach as well as the community’s resort-style pool and patio, and much more.
North Carolina
North Carolina is home to several Del Webb communities that put residents within easy reach of the surrounding area while maintaining a close-knit feel. A location in the Research Triangle means residents are always close to great health care.
Carolina Arbors in Durham offers residents a wide variety of home models as well as resort-style amenities, including an outdoor pool and spa, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a botanical garden, and more.
Found in Wake Forest, Del Webb at Traditions features an 18,000-square-foot clubhouse complete with a coffee bar, fitness room, dance studio, and arts and crafts studio. Homeowners here enjoy a prime location just a few miles from Raleigh.
Nevada
Nevada has developed into a big retirement state in recent years, which is in good part because of the Del Webb communities there. It also has the popular southwestern climate, is affordable compared to its neighboring states, and allows active adults to live near the fun of Las Vegas.
There are four Del Webb communities here. Sun City Anthem and the established Sun City MacDonald Ranch call Henderson home. In North Las Vegas there is Sun City Aliante, which has a wide range of amenities and over 2,000 homes. Then there is Sun City Summerlin, the largest community and located in the popular and ever-expanding Summerlin master-planned community.
Midwest
Del Webb communities aren’t just for warm-weather states, though. One of the largest and most popular in the country is Sun City Huntley in suburban Chicago. It features several amenity centers, an 18-hole golf course, and over 100 clubs.
Other Midwest communities include Britton Falls and Vandlia by Del Webb in Indiana, Pioneer Ridge in Ohio, and Bellwether by Del Webb in Minnesota.
Southeast
Both Tennessee and Georgia have become popular among retirees recently, and both have several Del Webb communities. Del Webb Lake Providence is a hit among Tennessee active adults, while the newer Del Webb Southern Springs is sure to be fill up soon.
In Georgia, there’s the large Sun City Peachtree in Griffin. It has over 3,000 homes and a 45,000-square-foot clubhouse. There’s also Del Webb at Lake Oconee and Del Webb Chateau Elan, which began construction in 2018.
Northeast
New Jersey is one of the most popular states for 55+ communities. It’s also home to several Del Webb communities, including the newly announced Del Webb Florham Park. It will have 249 homes and a 13,000-square-foot clubhouse upon completion.
More established Garden State communities include Hunterdon Creekside, River Pointe, Somerset Run, Wanaque Reserve, and Centennial Mill. Del Webb communities are represented in New England with the newly-announced Del Webb Chauncy Lake and Great Island in Massachusetts.
Heading farther south into the Mid-Atlantic there are Del Webb communities like Celebrate, The Atrium at MetroWest, Falls Run, Chesapeake, and the upcoming Carter’s Mill.
