AriZona Real Estate insider!

Desert Mountain Club has quietly rolled out a policy shift that could have a meaningful impact on luxury inventory, builder activity, and buyer demand in one of Arizona’s most exclusive communities. The new Home Builder/Renovator Golf Membership Wait List Program aims to remove a long‑standing friction point for investors and renovators—while still protecting the integrity of the Club’s coveted Full Golf Membership Wait List.

For anyone tracking the intersection of luxury real estate and membership‑driven communities, this is a notable development.

✅ The Problem Desert Mountain Is Solving

For years, builders and renovators faced a major hurdle: If they purchased a home that included a Full Golf Membership, they were required to buy the membership themselves, paying the initiation fee and ongoing dues with no guarantee of when the renovated home would sell.

That financial burden discouraged renovation activity and limited the refresh cycle of older inventory.

✅ The New Model: A More Efficient Path for Builders — And Buyers

Under the new program, if a property includes a Full Golf Membership:

• The seller resigns the membership at closing.
• The Club immediately offers that membership to the next person on the existing Wait List.
• The builder steps into that person’s Wait List position, effectively reserving a strong spot for their future buyer.

This creates a win‑win:

• A Wait List participant gets a membership sooner.
• The eventual buyer of the renovated home inherits a premium Wait List position.
• Builders avoid carrying a costly membership during the renovation timeline.

✅ Requirements & Guardrails

To maintain fairness and protect the Club’s long‑term strategy, Desert Mountain has set clear guidelines:

• Renovation costs must equal at least 15% of the home’s purchase price.
• Builders and renovators must be vetted and approved.
• Participants can remain on the Wait List up to two years after reaching the top before removal/refund policies apply.
• Priority on the Wait List still favors:
  • Existing Desert Mountain homeowners
  • Lot owners with valid building permits
  • Members upgrading/downgrading
  • Qualified builders/renovators — all based on the date they complete requirements.

✅ Transferring the Wait List Position to the Buyer

When the renovated home sells:

• A formal Transfer Request is required.
• The buyer must apply and be approved by the Board of Directors.
• The builder’s deposit becomes a nonrefundable transfer fee.
• The buyer’s deposit is applied toward their initiation fee.

This ensures the Club maintains full oversight of membership standards.

✅ Why This Matters for Arizona’s Luxury Market

This program signals a strategic shift: Desert Mountain wants to encourage thoughtful renovation, modernize aging inventory, and support long‑term community vitality — without compromising membership fairness or financial sustainability.

For investors and renovators, it removes a major barrier to entry. For buyers, it creates a clearer path to securing a coveted golf membership position. For the market, it could accelerate the refresh cycle of older homes and support higher‑quality product hitting the MLS.