55+ Active Adult Homes for Sale in Mesa, AZ

Most 55+ homes in Mesa are in east Mesa, in older age-restricted communities near the US 60 and Loop 202 freeways such as Leisure World, Sunland Village, Sunland Village East, Fountain of the Sun, Apache Wells and Sunland Springs Village. Choices run from golf course homes and patio homes to condos, manufactured homes and newer single-level builds at Encore at Eastmark.

I'm Terry Day with DeLex Realty. Mesa has one of the longest histories of active adult living in Arizona, and the communities here are very different from each other in age, layout, home type and how they are run. Below is how the main ones compare, what the 55+ rules mean in plain words, and what I check before a client writes an offer.

See Mesa 55+ homes for sale Call Terry: 602-483-4665

Where 55+ homes are in Mesa

Mesa covers about 138 square miles and is the second largest city in Maricopa County. Its active adult communities are grouped on the east side, roughly from the Main Street corridor out to Ellsworth Road and south toward the Loop 202 and Eastmark. Falcon Field, the city's general aviation airport, sits in northeast Mesa, and Superstition Springs Center anchors shopping near Power Road and US 60.

Here is a quick tour of the communities buyers ask me about most:

• Leisure World: a gated community with guarded entry on Power Road, built mostly in the 1970s and 1980s. It has two 18-hole courses (Coyote Run and the executive Heron Lakes), pickleball and tennis courts, an aquatic center, a woodshop and a long list of clubs. It sits on a county island surrounded by Mesa, so the association handles many things a city would.
• Sunland Village: off Dolphin Avenue in 85206, with single-family homes, townhomes and villas, and condos. Its executive golf course opened in 1975, and the community has several pools plus pickleball and tennis.
• Sunland Village East: near Baseline and Sossaman Roads, built from the mid 1980s to the mid 1990s, with attached and detached homes, an 18-hole course, two clubhouses, pools and lighted tennis courts.
• Sunland Springs Village: a Farnsworth community on Springwood Boulevard in 85209 with single-family homes, townhomes and condos, 27 holes of executive golf over three nines, and a large auditorium.
• Fountain of the Sun: a gated community northwest of where US 60 and Loop 202 meet, built from 1975 to 1987, with single-family, attached and manufactured homes and a private country club course.
• Apache Wells: northeast Mesa, built from 1960 into the 1980s, with single-family homes, attached homes and condos and the semi-private Apache Wells Country Club course.
• Dreamland Villa: one of the oldest, started by the Farnsworths in 1958 near Main Street and Higley Road. It has a Mesa mailing address but county zoning, with two halls and pools.
• Encore at Eastmark: the newer choice, a Taylor Morrison 55+ section of Eastmark in 85212 with single-story plans and its own club with a pool and fitness center.

Mesa also has 55+ RV and manufactured home resorts such as ViewPoint on University Drive, Towerpoint and Venture Out on Main Street, and Las Palmas Grand on Ellsworth Road. Many of these sell sites, park models or homes on leased land, which works differently from a regular home purchase, so ask me how the land is held before you fall in love with one.

The homes

Because most of Mesa's 55+ communities were built from the late 1950s to the 1990s, the typical home is single-level with a carport or one- or two-car garage, block construction and mature trees. Many have been updated, and some still have original kitchens and baths, which is where buyers find room to make a home their own. Golf course lots, lake or greenbelt views and homes with a golf cart garage are the features people search for most. If you want a pool of your own, see our East Valley 55+ homes with pools; for a single-level search across the area, see single-level East Valley 55+ homes.

Encore at Eastmark is the main option for a newer home, with single-story floor plans built in the last several years.

How the 55+ rules work

Age-restricted communities are legal under the federal Housing for Older Persons Act. Under HUD rules, at least 80 percent of occupied homes must have at least one resident who is 55 or older, the community must publish and follow policies that show it operates as 55+ housing, and it must verify ages. Arizona has a matching state law. Each community writes its own rules within that, so the details on younger spouses, live-in caregivers, visiting family and how long guests can stay vary. I always get the current rules from the association before you make an offer.

What I check before you buy

• The age and occupancy rules: who must be 55 or older, and what paperwork the association needs at closing.
• What the HOA covers: some communities include exterior care, roofs or landscaping on attached homes, and some have separate rec center or club fees. Golf memberships are often separate.
• Rental rules: many communities limit leases or set minimum terms, which matters if you plan to rent the home part of the year.
• Land ownership: in resort and manufactured home communities, confirm whether the lot is owned or leased.
• Age of systems: roof, air conditioning, water heater, plumbing and electrical in older homes. A good inspection pays for itself here.
• Golf course homes: stray balls, course ownership and any plans for the course.

Looking at more than one city? Compare 55+ communities in Mesa and Gilbert, or start with our Arizona 55+ homes guide. For the city overall, read Moving to Mesa, AZ.

Selling a 55+ home in Mesa

Sellers here compete on condition, location within the community and what is included. I price from recent sales inside the same community, not the ZIP code, because two homes a mile apart can be in very different associations. See how to price your Arizona home to sell.

Questions buyers ask

What is the largest 55+ community in Mesa?
Leisure World, Sunland Village and Sunland Village East each have well over 2,000 homes, so they are among the largest. Leisure World is the one with guarded gates and two 18-hole courses.

Can someone under 55 live in a Mesa 55+ community?
Often yes, within limits, because federal rules require only 80 percent of homes to have one resident 55 or older. Each association decides how it uses that room, so the rules for a younger spouse or family member differ. Get them in writing from the association.

Are there new 55+ homes in Mesa?
Yes, Encore at Eastmark is the main newer 55+ neighborhood in Mesa, with single-story homes and its own club. Most other Mesa 55+ communities are resale only.

Are all Mesa 55+ communities gated?
No, only some are gated. Leisure World and Fountain of the Sun are gated, while Apache Wells and Sunland Village East are not, so ask me about any community you are considering.

Community details are from association, builder, City of Mesa, HUD and state sources checked November 2026 and can change. Confirm age rules, amenities and fees with each association. Listings are based on MLS subdivision data.