What should buyers know about living in Scottsdale, AZ?

Scottsdale is one name covering very different places to live. A home near Old Town and a home in the far northern foothills can feel like two different cities, with different home ages, rules and costs. The right fit starts with knowing which part of Scottsdale matches how you want to live.

The city runs long from south to north, which is why the drive, the homes and the scenery all change as you go. Here's how I'd walk you through it.

South, central and north Scottsdale

Part of Scottsdale	What you'll usually find
South Scottsdale	Many homes from the 1950s through the 1970s, smaller lots, often no HOA
Central Scottsdale	Old Town, resorts, golf communities and established neighborhoods
North Scottsdale	Newer master planned communities, custom homes and desert lots, often with HOAs

South Scottsdale is close to Tempe and the Loop 202, and it's where you'll find a lot of mid century homes. Many have been remodeled, and some still have original systems. Central Scottsdale includes Old Town, with its dining, galleries and events, plus a wide mix of golf and resort communities. North Scottsdale is where the desert opens up, with larger lots, mountain views and newer construction.

The McDowell Sonoran Preserve

One of the biggest draws in north Scottsdale is the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. The City of Scottsdale describes it as more than 30,500 acres with over 230 miles of trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding, as you can see on the city's Preserve page. The McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, which helps care for it, calls it the largest urban preserve in the country.

If you'll use the trails, look at which trailheads you could reach from the home. Distance to the preserve shows up in price, and it shows up in how you'll actually spend your mornings.

Building rules in the desert

Much of north Scottsdale falls under the city's rules for environmentally sensitive lands, which shape what you can build and where on a lot. Natural desert areas may need to stay undisturbed, and grading, walls, pools and additions can have extra requirements. If you're buying a lot or planning a big project, talk with the City of Scottsdale's planning staff before you write an offer, not after.

Many northern communities also have design review through their HOA. Paint colors, landscaping, lighting and even the color of a block wall can need approval. Read the CC&Rs and the design guidelines together.

HOAs, old and new

Older neighborhoods in south Scottsdale often have no HOA, which means no dues and fewer rules, and also nobody enforcing them next door. Central and north Scottsdale communities usually have an HOA, and some gated or golf communities have more than one association. For each one, ask for the dues, the budget, the reserve study and recent meeting minutes. More on that in Understanding your Chandler HOA before you buy, which applies anywhere in the Valley.

Short term rentals nearby

Scottsdale is a popular place for vacation rentals, and the city requires short term rentals to be licensed. If you're buying a home to live in, it's worth knowing whether any homes on the street are rented by the night, because that can mean changing neighbors and more cars on weekends. If you're buying with renting in mind, read the HOA rules first, since many communities limit rentals. See Short term rental rules in Chandler, AZ for the state rules that apply across Arizona.

Utilities and services

Electric service in Scottsdale comes from APS or SRP depending on the address, so ask the seller for twelve months of bills. Water and trash generally come from the City of Scottsdale, though some homes on the edges of the city or in county areas nearby may be served differently. Not every Scottsdale mailing address is inside the city limits, so check the Maricopa County Assessor's parcel record if it matters for permits or services. More in SRP vs APS for home buyers.

Schools

More than one school district serves Scottsdale, so the city name alone doesn't tell you which schools a home is assigned to. Confirm the boundary for the exact address with the district, and if schools are part of your decision, look up each school's state A through F letter grade on the Arizona School Report Cards site.

Getting around

The Loop 101 runs through Scottsdale and connects you to the rest of the Valley, and the Loop 202 is close to the south end. Scottsdale Airport serves private and business aviation, and homes near it can hear aircraft, so check the Arizona Department of Real Estate's airport maps if you're looking nearby. From the far north, the drive to central Phoenix or the East Valley is longer than people expect, so test it at the hours you'd actually drive.

What to check before you buy

1 - Which part of Scottsdale fits your daily life, and the drive from there.

2 - Every HOA the home belongs to, plus design rules if it's in the north.

3 - The age of the roof, AC, plumbing and electrical on older homes.

4 - APS or SRP, and twelve months of bills.

5 - The school district boundary for the exact address.

6 - Any short term rentals on the street.

The bottom line

Scottsdale has a home for a lot of different lives, from a remodeled ranch near Old Town to a desert home by the trails. Let's narrow down which part of the city fits yours.

Let's take the confusion out of this decision, schedule your clarity call today.