What Is The Difference Between South Scottsdale, Old Town, Central And North Scottsdale?

Scottsdale, Arizona, covers 184.5 square miles and runs 31 miles from north to south, so which part you pick shapes your daily life as much as which home you pick. Valerie Moe, a real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty Sonoran Living in Scottsdale, Arizona, can help you start with the way the city is usually split: South Scottsdale, Old Town, Central Scottsdale and North Scottsdale.

The lines are loose. Nobody will stop you at a border, and two sources may draw them a little differently. They are still a useful way to start narrowing a search. For the weather, things to do and the airport, read what it's actually like to live in Scottsdale.

Scottsdale grew from south to north. The city was incorporated in 1951 and covered about 5 square miles in 1959. It kept expanding north, annexing the east Shea section in 1975 and adding nearly 80 more square miles between 1981 and 1984.

That history is still visible. Generally, the farther north you go, the newer the homes. Each area below is a different era of building as much as a different location.

South Scottsdale generally means the stretch from McKellips Road north to Thomas Road. Many of the homes here are older and single-level, and resale prices generally run lower than in North Scottsdale.

Two things stand out on the map. The Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt, which the city describes as 11 miles of parks, lakes, paths and golf courses, runs through the middle of Scottsdale with more than 24 grade-separated crossings, so you can travel it without stopping for major streets. It began as a flood control project. South Scottsdale is also home to ASU's SkySong research center.

Buying an older home? Plan your inspection around its age. Roof, plumbing, electrical and cooling systems are the first questions to ask, and the guide to due diligence in Arizona walks through how much time you get.

Old Town is the city's downtown. The city counts more than 90 restaurants, 320 retail shops and more than 80 art galleries here, and it's the area you'll want to look at if walking to dinner matters to you.

The Thursday ArtWalk runs from 7 to 9 p.m. and is free. The San Francisco Giants have played spring training at Scottsdale Stadium since 1984. Scottsdale Fashion Square is here too. This month, Canal Convergence brings free light art to the Scottsdale Waterfront from November 6 to 15.

Homes close to Old Town tend to be older. Before you buy, spend one evening there on a weekend and one on a weeknight, so you know how activity and parking look from the street you're considering.

Central Scottsdale runs from about Camelback Road north to Shea Boulevard, which is why you'll also hear it called the Shea Corridor. Homes in this area were generally built during the 1970s, and master-planned communities followed, including Scottsdale Ranch in 1978 and Gainey Ranch in 1980.

Gainey Ranch shows what that era of planning looks like: a gated community with 24-hour security and 19 neighborhoods, 12 of single-family homes and 7 of condominiums. McCormick Ranch is another well-known name in this part of the city.

This is the middle of the city. Old Town is a short drive south, and Shea Boulevard gets you east and west across the city. Test that drive at the hour you'd actually make it.

North Scottsdale was historically the least built-up part of the city, and it's now the most actively developed. It's home to the Scottsdale Airpark and to most of the city's newer master-planned and golf communities, with Desert Mountain beginning in 1986, McDowell Mountain Ranch in 1992 and DC Ranch in the 1990s.

It's also the part of the city closest to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, with more than 30,500 acres and over 230 miles of trails. Trade-off: the drive to Old Town is longer. Sky Harbor is roughly 15 to 42 minutes depending on where in Scottsdale you start, and rush hour can add 10 to 20, so the northern end sits toward the long side of that range.

Here are general ranges from Valerie's community guides. They shift over time and aren't a quote for any home:

1. DC Ranch. Most villages outside Silverleaf run roughly $800,000 to $4 million, with condos and townhomes from about $465,000.
2. Grayhawk. Roughly $900,000 to $3.5 million.
3. McDowell Mountain Ranch. Roughly $1 million to $5 million.
4. Desert Mountain. Roughly $1.1 million to $18 million or more.
5. Silverleaf. Roughly $3 million to $30 million or more.

Golf club membership and HOA dues are usually separate costs. Ask what each one is today, and what it covers, before you write an offer.

The four areas don't line up with school districts. Scottsdale Unified serves most of the city. Paradise Valley Unified serves other parts, including Grayhawk. Cave Creek Unified serves the northern portion, including some Desert Mountain villages.

Two homes a few miles apart can sit in different districts, and boundaries can change. Confirm the assigned schools with the district by exact address before you write an offer.

No area is better than another. They suit different days. Five questions will narrow it quickly:

1. Age of home. Would you rather update an older home, or pay for a newer one?
2. Your weekly drive. Where do you go most often? Test that route at the real time of day.
3. Walking or driving. Do you want dinner a few blocks away, or a trailhead close by?
4. HOA and club costs. How much structure do you want, and how much will you pay for it each month?
5. Budget. Which areas does your price range open up today?

Then tour two or three areas back to back in one trip. Streets and traffic look different in person than they do in listings.

Start with buying a home in Scottsdale. Moving from out of state? Read about relocating to Scottsdale. If you already own here, see selling a home in Scottsdale or find out what your Scottsdale home is worth. Tell Valerie which of the four areas you're leaning toward, and she'll line up homes across them so you can compare.

Q: Where does North Scottsdale start? There's no official line, and sources draw it differently. Central Scottsdale is usually described as running north to Shea Boulevard, and North Scottsdale is what lies beyond it.

Q: Is Old Town the same as downtown Scottsdale? Yes. Old Town is the name most people use for the city's downtown.

Q: Which part of Scottsdale has the newest homes? Generally North Scottsdale. It's the most actively developed part of the city.

Q: Are all four areas in the same school district? No. Scottsdale Unified serves most of the city, with Paradise Valley Unified and Cave Creek Unified serving other parts. Confirm the district for the exact address.