When you buy a home at Hideaway Golf Club, which document tells you whether the seller's membership still owes money for the renovation?
The question matters now because the work is done. The club says construction began in May 2024 and the last areas opened to members in January 2026. The project covered new greens on both the Pete Dye and Clive Clark courses, a new Spa & Fitness Center, a Main Bar, The Key poolside restaurant with bocce courts, and more pickleball and tennis courts. A buyer touring this season sees the finished product. The member FAQ shows the cost was handled on a different timeline and in a different set of documents.
The packet California requires, and what it covers
California's resale disclosure rule is Civil Code §4525. Senate Bill 410 amended it, and the change took effect January 1, 2026. Under the statute, the seller gives the buyer the governing documents and a written statement from an authorized representative of the association. That statement lists current regular and special assessments, any unpaid assessments and fines, and any charges that could become a lien. The packet also has to show any board-approved assessment changes that are not yet due. The association's annual budget report, which travels with the packet, has to say whether the board expects special assessments for major repairs or reserves. When it does, the report gives the estimated amount, the start date and the duration.
Each of those duties falls on the association. Civil Code §4080 defines it as the nonprofit corporation or unincorporated association created to manage a common interest development. Hideaway's golf club describes itself as an equity membership club. It is capped at 450 members, or 225 for each 18-hole course, and it became member-owned in June 2021. The renovation money was raised by that club. An assessment charged by a separately organized club does not automatically show up in the HOA's §4525 statement. Whether it appears depends on how the club and the association are legally and contractually tied together.
| Document set | Who produces it | What it reports | What it may not show |
|---|---|---|---|
| HOA resale packet under §4525 | The homeowners association | HOA dues, HOA special assessments, unpaid HOA charges, board-approved HOA changes | Club assessments, club loan balances, club transfer terms |
| HOA budget report under §5300 | The homeowners association | Anticipated HOA special assessments, with amount and timing | Club capital plans |
| Club membership account and documents | The equity club | Dues, club assessments, any financed balance, transfer and resignation rules | Nothing on HOA matters |
California also controls how the HOA documents are priced. Under Civil Code §4530, the association's fee has to be reasonable and based on its actual cost. The fees have to be itemized and billed separately from other transaction charges, and the seller pays the provider. The law does not set a standard format for the club side, so it arrives in whatever form the club uses.
Why a member-owned club had so much to assess
The reason Hideaway's assessments were so large goes back to the turnover. In a public FAQ the board posted on the members' renovation site, it said the developer, Discovery Land Company, transferred no reserve funds to the club at turnover. At one point the club reported $4 million to $5 million in cash, including its capital reserve investments. In the same Q&A the board said it had considered having Discovery manage the club. The offer went from free to a $500,000 annual fee, and the club chose to manage itself. The board also mentioned an ongoing dispute with the developer, with a mediation date on the calendar. The research turned up no public report of how that dispute ended.
The FAQ is undated. From its references to the April 2023 annual meeting and the 2024 budget cycle, it appears to have been written over 2023 and early 2025. It is best read as what the board told members at the time, and it should not be treated as current club terms.
How the assessments stacked up
Because the club started without reserves, the work was funded in rounds:
- An earlier $5,000 member assessment. It paid for part of the remediation work after the turnover. Operating funds covered the rest.
- A $4.2 million split-out assessment. It covered a $3 million kitchen expansion, which the club paid for upfront and planned to recover by assessment, and $1.2 million for the club's share of a new irrigation pump station. Spread over 430 members, that comes to about $9,800 each. The board split these items out because the pump station became urgent and spending the cash on hand would have left the club tight.
- The major facility assessment. This was the vote on the renovation itself. When a member asked about a $70,000 estimate, the board replied that it did not yet know the final figure.
The Desert Sun reported in February 2024 that 96 percent of members voted and more than two-thirds approved a $46 million project, with $6 million of it for course work. That work included miniverde grass on all 36 greens. The paper quoted Thor Damerval, the club's general manager and COO, on how he weighed the spending:
"If you want to help retain your membership and focus on satisfaction, put money into the golf course."
The club now calls the finished project "nearly $50 million" and names Lusardi Construction Company as project lead. The research found no public figure for the final per-member assessment.
The loan option and the line about selling
The third round is where a buyer's paperwork comes in. The ballot proposed letting the club borrow on a "dollar for dollar" basis, only for members who chose to finance their share. The board expected that borrowing to come to about $10 million, with a cap of $15 million. The research found no public record of how much was actually borrowed. Members who financed would sign a note and repay it on a separate line of their dues statement. Members who paid in full would see no change in dues. The FAQ then states the provision that matters at resale: "any remaining assessment debt owed at the time a membership is sold is required to be paid upon the sale of the membership."
Under that structure, the balance belongs to the club account and sits outside the HOA ledger. It falls due when the membership is sold, which may or may not happen on the same day the house closes. In a separate answer, the board said assessments to repay club-originated debt are owed by whoever is a member at the time, and that includes members on the resign list. Members also asked whether assessments they had paid would be credited when they sold their membership. The board said it was still evaluating ways for exiting members to recover part of the assessment.
None of this is unusual for an equity club. A 2023 industry article by the club consultancy ClubMark describes resignation lists, delayed equity refunds, and transfer fees as policy choices that vary from club to club. It also notes that departing members often keep paying dues until a replacement joins. What sets Hideaway apart is how recent its capital calls were and the optional financing layered on top of them. For a buyer, the questions are concrete:
- Does the seller's club account show an unpaid financed assessment, and how will it be settled before or at closing?
- Is the seller on a resign list, and what does that mean for the timing of the membership transfer?
- What transfer fee or equity terms apply to the membership being conveyed?
- Has the club board approved any capital assessment that is not yet billed?
- Is membership tied to the home, and what does the HOA's own budget report say about expected special assessments?
The club's website does not publish membership pricing, dues, or transfer terms. It refers inquiries to the Membership Director.
The parcel across 52nd Avenue
One more item could add to the club's capital plans. The same FAQ describes a proposal for the club to buy the Price's Nursery site across 52nd Avenue from the back gate. The site is 5.5 acres, priced at $2.75 million, and the club held an option on it through April 3. Racquet sports were listed as the first priority, but the board said zoning requires at least four housing units per acre unless a waiver is granted. Buyers of those homes would become club members, and the cap would stay at 450, possibly with a waiting list. Options for getting members across 52nd Avenue included a crosswalk, a bridge, or a tunnel, depending on cost and city approval. The board said it did not expect an assessment for the land purchase itself. An all-member meeting was set for March 23, 2025, with voting through April 1. The research found no public record of the outcome and no city filing tied to the parcel. Ask the club for its current status, and treat the answer as the source of record.
FAQ
Does Hideaway publish its membership costs? Not on its public site. The membership page describes the equity structure and the 450-member cap and directs applicants to the Membership Director.
How many homes are at Hideaway? The club's residences page lists 434 properties and a few remaining custom homesites.
Can the HOA charge whatever it wants for resale documents? No. Under §4530, fees have to be reasonable and based on actual cost, itemized, and billed separately, and the seller pays the provider.
At a club like Hideaway, the HOA packet and the club account are two separate sets of records, and both need to be read before an offer is final. Kimberly Oleson brings attorney-level contract review to club transactions in La Quinta, including the club documents that sit outside the standard disclosure packet. If you're weighing a Hideaway home, Work with Kimberly to get those questions answered in writing before you commit.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
