What Is It Actually Like To Live In Anthem West?

Anthem West is the part of Anthem where the lot often matters as much as the house. Valerie Moe, a real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty Sonoran Living in Anthem, Arizona, hears about it most from buyers who want room around their home: space for a pool, a garden, a workshop, or simply more distance from the next roofline.

• Where: the side of Anthem west of I-17.
• Zip codes: 85087 across much of the western and northern part, near 43rd Avenue and Circle Mountain Road, and 85086 closer to the freeway.
• Neighborhoods: several, including Circle Mountain Ranch and Sendero Crossing.
• Known for: larger lots than Anthem Parkside.
• Price range: about $525,000 to $1.4 million, based on Valerie's recent market review. That shifts over time.
• Schools: Deer Valley Unified School District.

Anthem West is the side of Anthem west of I-17. It isn't one subdivision. It's a group of neighborhoods, including Circle Mountain Ranch and Sendero Crossing.

Anthem West falls in two zip codes. Much of its western and northern part, around 43rd Avenue and Circle Mountain Road, is 85087. Homes closer to I-17 are 85086, the same zip as most of Anthem east of the freeway. The zip line doesn't follow neighborhood names, so check it for any address you're considering. Anthem itself was begun by Del Webb in 1998 and sits about 30 miles north of downtown Phoenix along I-17. That freeway is how most residents get to the rest of the Valley.

A map won't tell you what a drive feels like. If you'll commute to work, to Sky Harbor or to family, make that drive once at the hour you'd really make it. Valerie builds that into tours for buyers coming from out of the area.

Lot size is the short answer. Lots in Anthem West generally run larger than in Anthem Parkside. In Anthem West, the yard, the setting and what you can do with the space carry real value. Two homes with the same square footage can be priced far apart because one sits on a much bigger lot.

The setting is the other half of it. Valerie's photo above was taken at one of Anthem West's desert edges: native brush and a saguaro in front, homes in the middle, and ridgelines behind. On a bigger lot, what you look out at becomes part of what you're buying.

Based on Valerie's recent market review, homes in the 85087 zip have been holding value more firmly than those in 85086. Markets move, so treat that as a snapshot, not a promise.

Based on Valerie's recent market review, Anthem West homes run from about $525,000 to $1.4 million. That range shifts over time, so use it as a starting point, not a quote.

Because lots vary so much here, comparing price per square foot alone can mislead you. Valerie compares homes on both the house and the land, then looks at condition, upgrades and the view.

Before you tour, ask to see what your budget buys in sold prices, not asking prices. Then add the costs a listing doesn't show: HOA dues and what they cover, property taxes, insurance and closing costs. The mortgage calculator is a quick way to test a monthly payment first.

A bigger lot gives you more options, and it also gives you more to verify. On a tour or during the inspection period, these are the five things worth checking:

1. Where the lot lines really are. A wall or a row of shrubs isn't always the property line. The title documents and a survey settle it.
2. What the HOA allows. Pools, casitas, RV parking, fences and outdoor structures can all need approval. Read the rules before you plan around them.
3. Landscaping and irrigation. More yard means more upkeep and more water. Ask how the landscaping is watered and what it costs to maintain.
4. Drainage. Desert lots handle monsoon rain in their own way. Look at where the water goes, and ask your inspector to look too.
5. What could change the view. Ask what sits behind the home today and whether that land could be built on later.

Those answers shape both how you'll enjoy the home and what it's worth when you sell.

Anthem sits at about 1,860 feet, a little higher than central Phoenix. Summer is still hot, with July highs averaging a little over 100 degrees. Winters are mild. Most people spend summer mornings and evenings outside, and whole days outdoors from late fall through early spring.

Anthem Community Park, with its ball fields and fishing lake, is the gathering place for the wider community. It's also home to events like Autumnfest each November. For a fuller picture of the area, read what it's like to live in Anthem.

Before you write an offer, read the HOA documents and confirm the current dues and what they cover. Valerie goes through them with her buyers during the inspection period.

Anthem West is in Deer Valley Unified School District. Canyon Springs and New River Elementary are among the schools serving the 85087 zip. Boundaries can change and can split a neighborhood, so confirm the assigned schools with the district by address before you make an offer.

Anthem West takes in several neighborhoods on the west side of I-17. Two of them have their own pages on this site:

• Circle Mountain Ranch: newer homes built through 2020, with several multi-generational floor plans. Read what it's like to live in Circle Mountain Ranch.
• Sendero Crossing: a newer neighborhood built by Mattamy Homes near Circle Mountain Road and 43rd Avenue, now resale only.

Each neighborhood has its own builder, floor plans and lot sizes, so homes are best compared inside the same one first.

How Does Anthem West Differ From The East Side Of I-17?

I-17 splits Anthem in two, and the two sides are served differently. Areas of Anthem west of I-17 are within the City of Phoenix for police and fire service. On the east side, police service comes from the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and fire service from the Daisy Mountain Fire Department. Confirm the details for any specific address.

The east side is also home to Anthem Country Club: gated, with two 18-hole golf courses and all single-story homes, at about $525,000 to $1.775 million based on Valerie's recent market review. The right side of the freeway depends on what you need most: the land, a gate, golf, a newer build or a particular floor plan.

If you're buying, start with buying a home in Anthem West. If you own here and are thinking about a move, see selling a home in Anthem West, or find out what your Anthem home is worth. Moving from out of state? Read about relocating to Anthem West.

When you'd like to talk it through, contact Valerie. You'll leave the first conversation with a clear list of what to do next.

Q: What is Anthem West? The side of Anthem, Arizona west of I-17. It includes several neighborhoods, among them Circle Mountain Ranch and Sendero Crossing.

Q: What do homes in Anthem West cost? About $525,000 to $1.4 million, based on Valerie Moe's recent market review. The range shifts over time.

Q: Who provides police and fire service in Anthem West? Areas of Anthem west of I-17 are within the City of Phoenix for police and fire service. East of I-17, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and the Daisy Mountain Fire Department serve the area. Confirm it for any specific address.

Q: What zip code is Anthem West in? Two: 85087 across much of the western and northern part, near 43rd Avenue and Circle Mountain Road, and 85086 closer to I-17. Check the zip for any specific address.

Q: Which school district serves Anthem West? Deer Valley Unified. Canyon Springs and New River Elementary are among the schools serving 85087. Confirm the assigned schools by address with the district.