Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch Homes with a Casita or Guest Suite

Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch is Del Webb's 55+ community in Florence, and the current Del Webb plans offer guest suites, dens and courtyard layouts rather than anything called a casita. On resales, "casita" can mean several things, so read the remarks, match the plan and check the association's guest rules before you buy.

See Casita and Guest Suite Listings Call Terry: 602-483-4665

The button shows age-restricted Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch listings whose descriptions mention a casita or guest suite; confirm the space on a showing.

I am Terry Day with DeLex Realty, and when buyers ask me for a casita in Sun City Anthem, my first question is simple: do your guests need a bedroom down the hall, or a space of their own? The answer changes which homes we look at, and it changes how we compare prices.

Where Sun City Anthem fits inside Anthem at Merrill Ranch

Anthem at Merrill Ranch in Florence has two sides: Anthem Parkside, which is open to all ages, and Sun City Anthem, the Del Webb 55+ side. Florence is the county seat of Pinal County, and the community sits inside the Town of Florence. If you want the bigger picture, including the all-ages side, start with my Anthem at Merrill Ranch homes for sale page. This page stays on the 55+ side and on one question: guest space.

Del Webb describes the amenities as a large recreation center with indoor and outdoor pools, a fitness center, pickleball and tennis courts, the Poston Butte Golf Course and walking paths. That matters for guest space too, because guest use of amenities is handled by the association, not by the size of your guest room.

Casita, guest suite or courtyard: what the plans actually show

The Del Webb community page currently groups its plans into three series: Prelude (Audrey, Traverse, Bergamot), Retreat (Sanctuary, Haven, Tifton Walk, Hideaway, Refuge) and Encore (Journey, Endeavor, Stardom, Renown). Here is what I found in the plan descriptions:

• Journey: a single-level Encore plan. One Journey home is described with a "Guest Suite with Living Room," and the plan photos show a secondary bedroom set up for overnight guests.
• Sanctuary and Stardom: some homes on these plans are listed with an added guest suite, so the guest layout depends on the options chosen for that home.
• Haven: a single-level Retreat plan built around an interior courtyard, with a den next to the courtyard.
• Endeavor and Journey: described with courtyard entries.

What I did not find on those pages is the word "casita," or a detached guest house. So when a resale in Sun City Anthem says "casita," it could mean a guest suite inside the main house, a den used as a guest room, or a courtyard layout where a room sits apart from the main living area. Each one lives differently. The only way to know is to match the model name to the plan and then walk the home.

Plans change over time, and older resales may be on plans that are no longer offered. If a listing names a model I do not recognize, I ask the listing agent for the plan sheet before we write an offer.

Guest stay and rental rules

This is where buyers get surprised, so I want to be careful. Del Webb's HOA page for Sun City Anthem says a formal guest policy is in place along with written rules and regulations, and it recommends reviewing those documents. The association's own website, oursuncityamr.net, has a resource center that lists the Declaration of CC&Rs, the bylaws, the residential design guidelines and a board resolution on guest fees and additional activity cards.

I could not read the guest policy or any leasing rules from public pages this time, so I am not going to guess at night limits, age rules for guests or rental terms. Here is what I tell my buyers:

• A guest suite gives your visitors a comfortable place to stay. How long they can stay, and how they use the amenities, is set by the association, not by the floor plan.
• Do not assume a guest suite or casita can be rented out on its own. Whether any leasing is allowed, and on what terms, is a question for the CC&Rs and rules. Get the current documents and read them before you buy for that use.
• Age-restriction rules for who may live in the home are in the recorded documents. Ask the association or its management company, Associated Asset Management, if anything is unclear.

Prices right now

Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch (age-restricted listings only), ARMLS closed sales Aug 10 to Nov 6, 2026: 23 closed sales, median sold price $385,000, median $206 per sq ft. On Nov 7, 2026 there were 69 active listings, listed from $304,990 to $649,900.

Listings that mention a casita, guest suite or guest quarters: only 4 closed in 6 months (May 22 to Sep 10, 2026), a small sample, so no median is shown. 3 were active on Nov 7, 2026, listed from $359,990 to $530,700.

Source: ARMLS data compiled by Terry Day, DeLex Realty. ARMLS® COPYRIGHT 2026. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Homes with a true guest suite tend to be on the larger plans, so compare them with homes of similar size and condition, not with the whole community. I pull those comps for you before we decide on an offer.

What to check before you buy

1. Read the remarks closely. Open the listings button above and note whether each listing means a guest suite, a den or a courtyard room.
2. Match the model name to the plan. Compare it with the Del Webb plan pages or a plan sheet from the listing agent.
3. Read the guest policy, CC&Rs and rules. Ask for the current versions during your review period.
4. Check architectural approval. If the guest space looks added after the home was built, ask whether the association approved it under the design guidelines.
5. Check permits. The Town of Florence's Community Development department handles building permits, so ask the seller for permit records on any conversion or addition.
6. Walk it with your guests in mind. Look at the bath location, the door between the guest space and your bedroom, and how much privacy each side gets.

Local insight: when Florence buyers tell me "casita," most of the time the home that works for them is a single-level plan with a guest suite on the opposite side of the house from the owner's suite. Settling that early saves weekends of showings.

More Sun City Anthem searches

• New listings at Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch
• Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch homes with a pool
• Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch golf course homes
• Homes with a casita across the Phoenix area
• Arizona 55+ communities

Questions buyers ask

Do Del Webb homes in Sun City Anthem come with a casita?
Not by that name. The current Del Webb plan pages describe guest suites, dens and courtyard layouts. "Casita" mostly appears in resale listing remarks, so confirm what the seller means.

Which plans have a guest suite?
Del Webb lists a Journey home with a "Guest Suite with Living Room," and some Sanctuary and Stardom homes with an added guest suite. Options vary by home, so check the specific listing.

Where do I find the guest rules?
Del Webb says a formal guest policy and written rules are in place. The association's resource center at oursuncityamr.net lists the CC&Rs and related documents; registered members can sign in for more.

Can I rent out the guest suite separately?
Do not count on it. Leasing is governed by the CC&Rs and rules, so read the current documents and ask the association before you buy with that plan.

Is Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch age-restricted?
Yes. Del Webb describes it as a 55+ community, and the occupancy rules are in the association's recorded documents.