Your Guide to Anthem HOA Communities: What Buyers Need to Know

If you're considering a move to Anthem, one of the very first questions I get from buyers is: "Which HOA am I actually going to be paying, and what am I getting for it?" It's a fair question — Anthem's HOA structure isn't quite like anywhere else in the Valley, and getting it right matters for your monthly budget and your lifestyle.

I've lived in Anthem since 2012, when my family relocated here from the Midwest, and I've helped buyers and sellers navigate these exact decisions for years. So before we get into the numbers, let me tell you why I never left.

Why I Love Anthem

When we first drove into Anthem, it felt like we'd found a small town tucked into the desert — except we were still less than 40 minutes from everything Phoenix has to offer. That combination is rare, and it's the reason Anthem has held my heart for over a decade.

Here's what keeps me here:

• The small-town feel. Anthem has that "we look out for one another" energy, even though it's a full-scale master-planned community with over 20,000 residents.
• The quiet. Evenings here are calm. No matter how busy my day is, coming home to Anthem feels comforting.
• The abundance of amenities. Parks, pools, trails, a community center, pickleball courts — there's genuinely something for every age and every interest.
• The desert scenery. Gavilan Peak and Daisy Mountain frame the community, and the sunsets out here are the kind you stop and watch.
• The location. We're close enough to anywhere we want to go in the Valley, but far enough to feel like our own little world. And when we want a change of scenery, Sedona, Prescott, and Flagstaff are all easy day trips — red rocks, pines, and cooler mountain air, all within about two hours.

Now, let's get into what buyers actually need to know before writing an offer.

Understanding Anthem's HOA Structure

Anthem is a master-planned community, and it's organized in layers. Every homeowner in Anthem — no matter which neighborhood — pays into the Anthem Community Council (ACC), the master entity that owns and maintains community-wide amenities like the Community Center, the Community Park, the trail system, and the Anthem Veterans Memorial.

On top of that master assessment, you'll also pay dues to your neighborhood's specific sub-association. The two most common — and the two I get asked about most — are:

• Anthem Parkside Community Association (APCA) — non-gated (with the exception of a  couple gated pockets)
• Anthem Country Club Community Association (ACCCA) — guard-gated

One more thing I always tell my buyers: HOA fees are billed quarterly and subject to change, so while the numbers below reflect current published rates, I'll always pull the most up-to-date assessment schedule for you before you write an offer.

Anthem Parkside: Non-Gated, Family-Friendly, and Budget-Friendly

Parkside is Anthem's original and largest neighborhood, developed by Del Webb starting in 1999. It's home to thousands of families spread across a wide mix of home styles, price points, and lot sizes, set against the foothills of Gavilan Peak.

Gated or not? For the most part, Parkside is non-gated and open access — easy to come and go, with no guard checkpoint slowing down your day. There are a couple of exceptions: The Landings has an unmanned gated entry, and pockets like Paseo have additional "benefitted" landscaping assessments.

Monthly Costs (combined APCA + ACC), per the current ACC fee schedule:

• Standard Parkside: $103.47/month ($310.41/quarter)
• The Landing neighborhood (benefited): $128.23/month ($384.69/quarter)
• Paseo neighborhood (benefited): $167.23/month ($501.69/quarter)

Amenities Parkside Residents Enjoy:

• Full access to the Anthem Community Center — indoor courts, a fitness center, a rock climbing wall, aquatics features, a 14-court pickleball complex, and youth programs
• A 63-acre Community Park
• 32 neighborhood "pocket parks" scattered throughout the community
• A community water park
• Miles of trails and pathways connecting neighborhoods
• Arroyo Grande, part of Parkside, allows RV storage behind the gate and permits detached garages — a nice option if you need extra storage or workshop space

Lifestyle: Parkside is where you'll find the most active, family-oriented day-to-day energy in Anthem — kids riding bikes to the pocket park, dog walkers on the trails, weekend soccer games. It's approachable, it's social, and it comes with the lowest HOA cost of entry into the Anthem lifestyle.

Anthem Country Club: Guard-Gated Luxury and Golf Course Living

Anthem Country Club sits within its own guard-gated perimeter, built around two championship golf courses. It's a different pace and a different price point than Parkside — and for a lot of my buyers, that privacy and exclusivity is exactly what they're looking for.

Gated or not? Yes — guard-gated, with staffed security checking every vehicle in and out.

Monthly Costs (combined ACCCA + ACC), per the current ACC fee schedule:

• $208.82/month ($626.46/quarter) for HOA assessments

Here's the part that catches buyers off guard: HOA dues do not include club membership, and club membership isn't optional here. Under Anthem's governing documents, every Anthem Country Club homeowner is required to be a social member of Anthem Golf & Country Club (AGCC), a separate, privately owned company (ClubCorp) that owns and operates the golf courses and club amenities. That mandatory social membership currently runs $345/month, billed directly by AGCC, effective November 1, 2025. There's also a $500 non-refundable AGCC initiation fee due at purchase. Golf membership, if you want to actually play the courses, is a further add-on.

So the real all-in monthly cost for a Country Club home is roughly $550+/month once you combine HOA dues and the mandatory social membership — before any golf fees. I always walk my Country Club buyers through this full combined picture up front so there are no surprises after closing.

There's also a one-time Lifestyle Enhancement Fee unique to Country Club properties — an additional quarter-percent (0.25%) of the sale price, on top of the community-wide Enhancement Fee (also 0.25% of sale price) that applies to every Anthem sale. Both are collected at close of escrow.

Amenities Anthem Country Club Residents Enjoy:

• Two championship golf courses
• A full-service clubhouse with dining and social events
• Fitness facilities and spa services through the club
• Guard-gated security and controlled access
• All of the same Community Center and ACC amenities that every Anthem resident enjoys (parks, trails, pickleball, etc.)

Lifestyle: Country Club living is quieter and more private, with a resort feel baked into everyday life. If golf, club social events, and guard-gated privacy are priorities for you, the added cost buys a genuinely different day-to-day experience.

Don't Forget the One-Time Closing Costs

Beyond your ongoing HOA dues, every Anthem sale carries a few one-time fees collected at close of escrow that are worth budgeting for:

• Community Enhancement Fee: 0.25% of the gross selling price, on every residential sale in Anthem
• Lifestyle Enhancement Fee: an additional 0.25% of the gross selling price, but only on Anthem Country Club properties
• Prepaid assessments: one full calendar quarter of HOA dues, collected upfront at closing
• Resale Disclosure Package: a $400 flat fee for the required governing document package
• Resale Assessment Fee: a $300 flat fee per resale/transfer
• AGCC Initiation Fee: $500, Country Club properties only

None of these are dealbreakers, but they do add up — and I build them into every net sheet I prepare so my buyers and sellers know their true bottom line before we ever get to the closing table.

Gated vs. Non-Gated: What It Really Means for Buyers

This is one of the most common questions I get, so let's simplify it:

Neither one is "better" — it truly comes down to your budget and the lifestyle you're picturing for yourself. I've helped first-time buyers find their perfect starter home in Parkside, and I've helped empty-nesters relocating from out of state settle into their dream golf course property in Country Club. Both paths lead to the same great community — they just get there differently.

Which Anthem Neighborhood Is Right for You?

If you're weighing your options, here are the questions I ask every buyer:

1. Is a guard gate and added privacy worth the extra cost to you, or would you rather put that money toward your mortgage?
2. Do you golf, or want access to a country club social scene?
3. Do you need RV storage, a larger lot, or a detached garage? (Arroyo Grande in Parkside may be your answer.)
4. Are you relocating from out of state and want boots-on-the-ground guidance on top of the numbers?

I've walked this exact path myself — relocating to Anthem from the Midwest back in 2012 — so I know firsthand what it feels like to compare communities from a distance and want someone who can give you the real picture, not just the listing sheet.

Let's Find Your Anthem

Whether Parkside's family-friendly value or Country Club's guard-gated golf lifestyle is calling your name, I'd love to walk you through current listings, pull the most up-to-date HOA assessment schedule, and help you figure out exactly what your monthly costs will look like before you ever write an offer.

Love where you live! Let me help get you there.

Jennifer Haugebak Phoenix Living · Real Broker Jennifer@PhoenixLivingRE.com · (602) 529-5107 · @phoenixlivingaz