Del Webb Launches New Series of Active Adult Lifestyle Communities.

Business Editors

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 8, 2002

Del Webb Corporation, the nation's leading builder of lifestyle communities, has launched a new series of smaller active adult communities in Virginia and Arizona that will be introduced in markets nationwide and will allow Del Webb to achieve significant incremental sales.

The two new communities recently launched are Falls Run by Del Webb near historic Fredericksburg, Va., and Solera by Del Webb in Chandler, Ariz. These smaller enclaves will feature targeted amenities that are consistent with a given geographic location and reflect the distinctive Del Webb lifestyle that has become the hallmark for active adult living worldwide.

Falls Run, Del Webb's first Mid-Atlantic community, recently began pre-sales. Situated on 185 wooded acres amid rolling hills, the gated community is just 50 miles south of Washington, D.C. and will feature 576 single-family homes. Models, which will be priced from the $130,000s to the $250,000s, are scheduled to open in Summer 2002.

The community will offer a 16,000-square-foot recreation center with a fitness facility, year-round pool, ballroom and dance floor, fireside library/lounge and a billiards/game room. The center is scheduled to open in Spring 2003. Outdoor amenities within Falls Run will include tennis courts, bocce ball and walking trails that will wind around meadows and woodlands.

The region, with a temperate four-season climate, serves as an international tourist destination with easy access to a variety of cultural venues including theaters, music festivals and historic re-enactments plus sports and recreational activities.

Solera, originally developed as an active adult community by Pulte Homes, is a 606-acre gated community and Del Webb's first active adult venture in the East Valley of metro Phoenix. Situated at the base of the scenic San Tan Mountains, Solera will offer just 1,159 homes. Nine models are priced from $124,900 to $217,900.

Amenities include Solvista Pavilion, a recently-opened activity center featuring an expansive fitness facility, two pools, a variety of aerobic and fitness classes, a Wall Street library and a computer center. In addition, Lone Tree Golf Course offers 18 holes of championship play.

Both communities are experiencing strong early sales.

Additional smaller active adult communities are planned for Las Vegas and Northern California and other sites are actively being considered across the country.

By offering a second type of active adult community, Webb now provides more options for America's 76 million baby boomers, the oldest of which have turned 55, the official age "seniors" are welcomed into retirement communities, said Anne Mariucci, president of Phoenix-based Del Webb Corporation.

"Falls Run and Solera are exciting additions to our existing family of communities. They will help Del Webb better understand the unique lifestyle characteristics that appeal to buyers seeking a smaller, more intimate active adult community," she added.

In Summer 2001, Del Webb merged with Pulte Homes. With Pulte's presence in more than 44 markets across the country, Webb plans to take advantage of this expanded base by introducing the smaller communities to buyers in new and existing Webb markets.

In addition, the smaller communities will facilitate growth and expansion for Del Webb by creating more land acquisition opportunities in new markets while reducing the financial risk and generating revenue faster throughout a shortened development life cycle, Mariucci added.

The new communities join Webb's three existing community concepts: Sun City, Anthem and Unique Country Club communities. By further segmenting the housing market, Webb will enhance its ability to attract more homebuyers.

The Sun City brand will continue to offer an unsurpassed social and physical infrastructure featuring its trademark active adult lifestyle. Del Webb pioneered America's retirement communities with the first Sun City which opened near Phoenix in 1960.

Today, with seven Sun City locations in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Chicago, Palm Desert and Northern California, Hilton Head, S.C. and Austin, Texas, this brand remains a best-seller and very popular in each of its markets.

"The Sun Cities brand has been very successful in attracting retirees who desire to make a cross-country relocation," said Mariucci. "Falls Run, Solera and other communities like them will be well-positioned to capture an even larger number of active adults who want to remain closer to home." She added that currently, Solera residents in the Phoenix area are attracted to the smaller, more intimate lifestyle and a geographic preference to be close to family and friends.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than one-half of the 1.6 million individuals, ages 55-64, who moved between March 1999 and 2000, relocated within the same county with 76 percent relocating within the same state. These homebuyers are more likely to be drawn to a smaller community concept, said Mariucci.

Del Webb has also established a presence in Florida with its Spruce Creek active adult community.

Another Del Webb brand is Anthem, a multi-generational master planned community that features grand scale amenities, a diverse array of home selections and prices and the signature Del Webb lifestyle.

Appealing to families of all ages, the Anthem communities have been tremendously successful in Phoenix where nearly 3,000 homes have been sold in less than three years, and in Las Vegas where sales continue to outpace projections.

Dave Schreiner, vice president of marketing at Del Webb, said, "Families have overwhelmingly endorsed Webb's multi-generational concept. These communities, with their `live, work and play' design, are definitely hitting the mark."

Del Webb's Unique Country Club brand features an exclusive, intimate community with a focus on luxury lifestyle. These private, membership-oriented communities may stand alone or be situated within another Del Webb community similar to Anthem Country Club in Las Vegas.

"By delivering a first-class club setting in these communities, we have introduced the Del Webb lifestyle to a whole new segment of buyer," said Schreiner. "Each of these communities has a distinctive personality unto itself."

"With more product offerings and our recent merger with Pulte Homes, Del Webb is truly positioned to aggressively capture more homeowners in new markets across the country," said Mariucci. "The future is ripe for new opportunities."