What Is It Actually Like To Live In Circle Mountain Ranch, Anthem?

Circle Mountain Ranch is one of the newer neighborhoods at the north end of Anthem, toward New River and close to I-17. Valerie Moe, a real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty Sonoran Living in Anthem, Arizona, hears about it most from buyers who want a newer home, or a floor plan with room for a second household under one roof.

• Where: near Anthem, toward New River, close to I-17.
• Homes: the newest build-out in the area, finished through 2020.
• Known for: several multi-generational floor plans.
• Price range: about $595,000 to $1.1 million, based on Valerie's recent market review. That shifts over time.

Circle Mountain Ranch sits near Anthem, on the side toward New River, with I-17 close by. Anthem itself is about 30 miles north of downtown Phoenix along I-17, so that freeway is how most people here get anywhere else in the Valley.

Distance on a map tells you little about a drive. If you'd be driving to work, to an airport or to family, make that drive once at the hour you'd really make it, before you choose a home. Valerie does this with buyers as part of a tour.

Anthem was begun by Del Webb in 1998. Circle Mountain Ranch came later. It was the newest build-out in the area through 2020, so its homes are newer than much of Anthem.

Newer changes how a home is valued. In a community like this, resale homes are compared with each other and with what buyers remember paying new. The upgrades and features a seller added matter, and they need to be documented, not just mentioned. Valerie walks through a home before she talks about value for that reason.

Newer doesn't mean skipping the inspection. A home a few years old still gets a full inspection during the inspection period, the same as any other.

Based on Valerie's recent market review, Circle Mountain Ranch homes run from about $595,000 to $1.1 million. That range shifts over time, so treat it as a starting point, not a quote.

Floor plan matters a great deal here. A multi-generational layout and a standard plan of the same size are not compared the same way. The price of the home next door may tell you less than you'd expect.

Before touring, Valerie shows buyers what their budget looks like in sold prices, not asking prices. Then add what a listing doesn't show: HOA dues and what they cover, property taxes, insurance and closing costs.

Several floor plans in Circle Mountain Ranch were designed for multi-generational living, with separate suites or living areas inside the main home. For buyers who need that layout, it's a short list worth knowing about.

Not every plan works the same way. Some have a full suite with its own entrance, kitchenette and living area. Others have a bedroom and bath on the main level, away from the primary suite. The difference matters for privacy, for daily routines, and later for resale.

On a tour, these are the five things to check:

1. The entrance. Does the suite have its own door to the outside, or only through the main home?
2. Sound. How well are the two living spaces separated from each other?
3. The bathroom. Is the layout practical for the person who'll use it every day?
4. Parking. Is there room for everyone's cars without shuffling them?
5. The connection. How does the suite join the rest of the home?

Those details decide whether a plan fits how you'll live in it.

Circle Mountain Ranch is part of Anthem's homeowners association. 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 Community Park, with its ball fields and fishing lake, is the gathering place for the wider community. It's also where events like Autumnfest are held each November.

Closer to home, the neighborhood has walking trails lined with desert trees and shrubs. The photos in this post are Valerie's own, taken on a street and a trail in Circle Mountain Ranch.

Anthem is served by Deer Valley Unified School District. School boundaries can change, and they can split a neighborhood. For any home you're considering, confirm the assigned schools with the district by address before you make an offer.

Here are the facts side by side, from Valerie's recent market review. Price ranges shift over time.

• Circle Mountain Ranch: about $595,000 to $1.1 million. Newer homes built through 2020, with several multi-generational floor plans.
• Anthem West: about $525,000 to $1.4 million. The west side of Anthem, west of I-17, in the 85086 and 85087 zips, with larger lots. Circle Mountain Ranch and Sendero Crossing are part of it.
• Anthem Country Club: about $525,000 to $1.775 million. Gated, with two 18-hole golf courses and all single-story homes.
• Sendero Crossing: about $500,000 to $1.1 million. A newer community nearby, now resale only.

Which one fits depends on what you need from the home: the layout, the lot, a gate, golf, or how new it is.

If you're buying, start with buying a home in Circle Mountain Ranch. If you own here and are thinking about a move, see selling a home in Circle Mountain Ranch. Moving from out of state? Read about relocating to the area.

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: Where is Circle Mountain Ranch? Near Anthem, Arizona, toward New River and close to I-17.

Q: How new are the homes in Circle Mountain Ranch? It was the newest build-out in the area through 2020, so homes are newer than much of Anthem.

Q: Does Circle Mountain Ranch have multi-generational floor plans? Yes. Several of its floor plans were designed for multi-generational living, with separate suites or living areas inside the main home.

Q: What do homes in Circle Mountain Ranch cost? About $595,000 to $1.1 million, based on Valerie Moe's recent market review. The range shifts over time.