Retirees call Del Webb’s Sun City Mesquite home

During the 27 years they lived in Las Vegas, John and Nancy Dury knew that someday they wanted to move to a place that offered more of a small-town feel than the Las Vegas area.

In anticipation of John Dury's upcoming retirement, they began looking seriously at a number of areas in the Southwest and ultimately found just what they wanted at Del Webb's Sun City Mesquite community in Mesquite.

The age-qualified community offers 14 single-story home designs ranging from 1,200 to 3,100 square feet with two- or three-car garages. Prices start in the low $190,000s.

"We had made several trips to Mesquite over the past 20 years for enjoyable weekend getaways," said Nancy Dury, a licensed real estate professional. "We always loved the intimate size of this town and the relaxed and easy lifestyle here.

"Then, about two years ago, I was surfing the Internet and researching home builders when I saw that Del Webb was introducing the Sun City Mesquite community," she said. "John did not know I was doing the research, but shortly after, he came home one day and said, 'We are putting our house up for sale, now.' I then told him what I had discovered on the Internet and we immediately listed our home in Las Vegas and got our names on the interest list for Sun City Mesquite."

From that day forward, the Durys received correspondence from Del Webb, including regular development updates and invitations to attend informative seminars regarding Sun City Mesquite.

"We attended two of the seminars and the more we learned, the more we fell in love with this community," Nancy Dury said. "As a real estate professional, I was familiar with Del Webb's excellent reputation for building quality homes and communities. Once we saw the plans for Sun City Mesquite, we knew it was really going to be something special. It was everything we had been hoping to find, including the small-town ambience of Mesquite, the beautiful plans for Sun City Mesquite and pricing that was exceptionally competitive, considering the quality of the homes, the included features and all of the wonderful on-site amenities. We felt very comfortable about buying a home here; in fact, the hardest decision for us was selecting our favorite floor plan design."

Her husband agreed.

"It was so refreshing to find a place like Sun City Mesquite," said John Dury, who is employed by the U.S. Department of Defense and anticipates retiring at the end of this year. "We loved living in Las Vegas for many years, but eventually grew tired of dealing with all of the traffic and construction throughout the valley. Here at Mesquite, it is absolutely wonderful -- it's a great retirement destination. There's a real sense of serenity here, a very peaceful environment with none of the hustle-and-bustle or crowds.

"And the people here or so friendly," he said. "When you go to a store or a bank or wherever, people greet you in a very gracious manner, with a smile and a genuine interest in how you are doing. It's reminiscent of what you would have experienced in small town America years ago."

The Durys chose the Lilac home design, which features two bedrooms, a den and two baths in 1,390 square feet.

Residents of Sun City Mesquite have private access to a 30,000-square-foot community recreation center, which features a heated swimming pool, which can be used for activities such as lap swimming and water aerobics classes. Other indoor features include a heated spa, two-story fitness center with an upper-level walking track (offering panoramic views across the nearby mesa), kitchen, central hall, lounge with a plasma screen television and computer kiosks.

A highlight of the outdoor area is an 18-hole putting green designed by award-winning golf-course architect Gary Panks, of Scottsdale Ariz. Other outdoor features include a heated swimming pool designed for recreation and surrounded by lounge chairs and shaded areas.

To visit, take Interstate 15 north from Las Vegas to exit 120 and make a sharp left turn onto Falcon Ridge. Follow Falcon Ridge past Mesa View Hospital and Hardy Way. Turn right on Flat Top Mesa and continue to the model village.

Additional information also can be obtained at suncitymesquite.com.