Fountain Hills HOA: Which Communities Have One, and Which Don't

No. FireRock, Adero Canyon and Eagle Mountain have associations, and some single-family streets in Fountain Hills have none. Many townhomes, patio homes and condominiums do have one. Whether a specific address is in an association, and which one, is something I look up before you write an offer.

I'm Jen Keene, a REALTOR® with eXp Realty Luxury in Scottsdale, AZ, and I'm the agent people call at every stage of their life. Fountain Hills is its own town, incorporated in 1989, separate from Scottsdale, and what you pay and who you pay it to can differ from one address to the next.

FireRock is built around a private country club. According to golf directories and the town's tourism site, FireRock is a private club with a course designed by Gary Panks. Joining the club is separate from buying a home there.

Eagle Mountain is in the southwest corner of town, off Shea Boulevard. The listings I've read describe it as a guard-gated golf community with a Scott Miller course. It has a homeowners association. Fountain Hills also has a separate Eagle Mountain Community Facilities District, which is a taxing district with its own charge. Ask the HOA and the Town what each one pays for, and ask whether a golf membership comes with the house.

Adero Canyon has a community association, and Toll Brothers builds homes there. The Town of Fountain Hills runs the Adero Canyon Trailhead at 14800 N. Eagle Ridge Drive, which opens onto the Fountain Hills McDowell Mountain Preserve. That's a town preserve, separate from Scottsdale's McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

Eagles Nest, on the north side of town, is described in listings as a guard-gated community of large custom homesites. I haven't confirmed who runs its association or what the dues cover, so I pull the documents for the specific home before you write an offer.

Some single-family streets in Fountain Hills have no association. Many townhomes, patio homes and condominiums do, because Arizona condominiums have a recorded declaration and an association. I check each address instead of going by the neighborhood name.

Arizona has two HOA laws. A condominium is covered by the Condominium Act, Title 33, Chapter 9 of the Arizona Revised Statutes. A planned community of single-family homes is covered by the Planned Communities Act, Title 33, Chapter 16. Which one applies depends on how the association was set up, so ask for the declaration for your address. I'm not an attorney and this isn't legal advice. Here's what each law covers and what to ask for before you buy.

No. The Fountain Hills Sanitary District is its own district, separate from the town, and it bills for sewer service separately from any HOA dues. Ask the district for its current rate. According to the district's website, the district owns the sewer main in the street, and the line crossing your own property is the owner's responsibility.

Yes. Fountain Hills was designated an International Dark Sky Community in January 2018, and the Town's zoning code regulates outdoor lighting. If you're planning new exterior or landscape lighting, check Chapter 8 of the Town's zoning ordinance first, whether or not your address is in an HOA.

Ask for the governing documents and the most recent reserve study, if the association has one, before you write an offer. Ask for the current dues from the association, since the figures change. HOA costs are part of the budget conversation I have with buyers before we tour, and here's how that works. The documents get reviewed inside the ten-day inspection period once you're under contract, and here's what that covers.

If you're buying, here's how I walk buyers through Fountain Hills, including the association question on every address. If you're selling, here's how I prepare a Fountain Hills listing, including the paperwork I ask for up front.

Call me at (480) 203-6605 or get in touch, tell me the address or the community, and I'll tell you whether it's in an HOA, which one, and what to ask for.