Tour and Dragoons

A couple of days ago, we were given a tour of the SKP Saguaro Co-Op by Chet.

Chet and Dwayne in the SKP Saguaro touring golf cart

We learned some interesting things (these are what I remember, check the website for correct information: http://skpsaguaro.org/index.html):

• Leaseholders (members) own the leases on each lot in the park. Holding a lease means that you pay an up-front cost (which you will get back when you leave/give up your lease), and that you have use of a specific lot in the park.
• The lot we are on is a pretty empty lot (it has one plant on it). I think that if it became available to acquire, its cost would be the base cost of about $11K. 
• Once you are a leaseholder, you can make improvements to your lot subject to approval by the board (elected from the members).
• If you make improvements to your lot (for example, build a casita), the plans need to be approved, and then the cost that you pay for the improvement adds to the value of the lot. When you give up your leasehold, the person purchasing it will pay the base cost + any improvements you have made (so you get those $s back once the leasehold changes hands).
• There is a "hot list" of those who want to acquire a leasehold. I think that there are currently 250+ folks on the hot list. Unlike what I understood at KOFA Co-Op, though, anyone on the hot list has the option to purchase any lot that comes available. So, if you are #252 on the hot list, and a lot (say lot 145) comes available with a price of $21K (the basic lot plus a $10,000 casita built on it), you can indicate that you want that lot. If no one in front of you on the list has indicated that they want it, you get it. There is no bidding higher or paying less - the price is the price. You can't sell your membership/leasehold outside the Co-op process.
• The current leaseholders have first option to lots entering the list. So, at least some folks take whatever they can get of what is offered on the hot list, and then look for more what they want as other lots come available. If you do this, you have to pay the buy-in price of the new lot, and then you will get your previous lot's buy-in back once it sells to someone else.
• As a leaseholder, you pay an annual maintenance and operations (M&O) fee (I think $700/year). You also pay for your own electric usage on your lot.
• You can put your lot into the rental pool (the lot we are staying on is in the rental pool). If your lot is in the rental pool for at least 16 days out of the month, you will get rental pool credit for that month. All of the monies collected from renters (like, from us) goes into a rental pool, and 75% of those funds are distributed out to the leaseholders whose lots were in the rental pool that month to go against their next year's M&O fee. In this way, you may end up not having to pay any M&O fee.
• Each leaseholder also has a parking space in the Storage area. So, for example, if someone wanted to rent out their lot but weren't taking their RV with them to go somewhere, they could park it in the storage area and their lot could then be rented out. If you tow a trailer behind your motorhome, it could be parked there.
• Each lot can have a casita built on it (I think I remember the size limit as 288 square feet max). The casita is not intended to be a living quarters - the leaseholder(s) should live in the RV or park model on their lot. It appears that casitas tend to be used as a guest room, an additional bathroom (especially with a tub - ladies seem to like that - I personally don't understand the draw), a laundry room, maybe just additional living space. Our next door lot's casite has a half-bath, partial kitchen, and living area in which they are setting up a computer space. Each one is different and unique.
• The RV or park model has to be continuously maintained as a licensed/registered vehicle. (I am not sure how this is done - maybe Arizona doesn't have state inspection required for vehicle registration?)
• The common areas like the outside pavilion, kitchen in the clubhouse, maybe even the clubhouse itself, can be reserved and used by the members. One thing that would be nice is that if your refrigerator goes out (seems to be relatively common with the RV refrigerators) you can use some of the refrigerator space in the clubhouse while you are getting yours fixed. There is also a nice library of books and of DVDs, exercise room, and "Neiman Marcus" table (discards that you can make a reasonable donation and take) in the club house. 
• Everyone is encouraged to, and almost everyone (except those unable to by age/disability) volunteers for jobs around the park. People help out in the office, library, kitchen, maintenance. I think Chet told us that there were only 3.5 paid staff in the park.

It is a very interesting arrangement. Maybe we'll get on the hot list at some point!

The Dragoons - mountains to the east of us - while we were on the tour on Wednesday.

Miss Doozie and the Jee-rage with the hidden Dragoons behind yesterday. We had had rain almost all day, and just as the sun was about to go down, the sun partially came out, and the clouds lifted just a little. The Dragoons are beautiful all the time, but particularly at sunrise and sunset. You can also see the casita of the lot next to us (to the right of Miss Doozie).