Relocating to Scottsdale, Cave Creek or Anthem
How to compare the areas, buy from a distance, and arrive to a home that fits the way you live.
Buying in a market you don’t know yet
Relocating means making one of the biggest purchases of your life in a place you can’t drive around on a Saturday. You don’t know which streets back up at rush hour, which communities have the HOA rules you’d hate, or what a fair price looks like a few miles over. You don’t know these streets yet. I do.
This guide covers how Scottsdale, Cave Creek and Anthem differ, what to budget for beyond the price, and how we can find the right home with video previews and one focused visit instead of a dozen flights.
Let’s talk before you visit
Three areas, three different ways to live
Scottsdale runs from older neighborhoods near Old Town to newer golf and desert communities in the north. Loop 101 is the main north–south freeway, with Scottsdale Road and Pima Road as the main surface roads. The McDowell Sonoran Preserve trail system sits along its eastern edge. Three school districts serve different parts of the city: Scottsdale Unified, Paradise Valley Unified and Cave Creek Unified.
Cave Creek is a small town with ranching and mining roots, where downtown runs along Cave Creek Road. You’ll find acreage, horse properties and golf communities, plus the Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area, about 2,154 acres of desert with trails along Cave Creek. Cave Creek Unified serves the town, and Cactus Shadows is its one high school.
Anthem is a master-planned community built by Del Webb beginning in 1998, about 30 miles north of downtown Phoenix along I-17, with about 10,000 homes. Anthem Community Park has ball fields and a fishing lake. Deer Valley Unified serves Anthem.
For any address, confirm the assigned schools with the district before you buy. Boundaries can split neighborhoods.
What different budgets look like
What your budget buys can change a great deal from one community to the next. Based on my recent market review, some approximate ranges:
- Anthem: Anthem West about $525,000 to $1.4 million, Anthem Country Club about $525,000 to $1.775 million, Circle Mountain Ranch about $595,000 to $1.1 million.
- Cave Creek: Dove Valley Ranch about $550,000 to $1.6 million, Tatum Ranch about $650,000 to $1.5 million, Rancho Mañana about $675,000 to $2.2 million, Sonoran Trails about $1.45 million to $2.6 million.
- Scottsdale: DC Ranch condos and townhomes from about $465,000 and most villages outside Silverleaf up to about $4 million, Grayhawk about $900,000 to $3.5 million, and gated communities well above that.
These figures shift over time. Before you tour, I walk you through what your range looks like in the places you’re considering, using sold prices, not asking prices.
The costs that don’t show up in a listing photo
- HOA dues and what they cover. Some include landscaping or amenities. Some communities have more than one association.
- Club membership, where it exists, is often a separate decision and a separate cost.
- Property taxes and insurance. Ask your lender and insurance agent for estimates on the specific home.
- The home’s condition, and what may need attention in the next few years.
- Closing costs, so the cash you need at closing isn’t a surprise.
- Your drive. Time is a cost. We time the drives you’ll make most before you choose.
How buying from a distance works
Before you visit. Your financing and a buyer broker agreement are in place, so you can act when the right home appears. We talk through your must-haves and narrow the areas. I preview homes in person and send video, so you see the layout, the condition and the view from the backyard, not only the listing photos.
The visit. One focused trip around a short list. We drive the routes you’ll take most and see the communities at the times of day that matter to you.
After you leave. If we write an offer, I handle the inspection period, usually 10 days, the appraisal and the lender’s milestones, and I confirm each promise directly with the person doing the work. You hear from me before you have to ask. Closing is handled through the title company. See how buying works with me.
If you’re also selling where you live now
Selling one home and buying another across state lines needs one plan for both sides. We decide whether to sell first, buy first, or line up both closings, based on your financing and your comfort with risk. My guide to selling and buying at the same time walks through the options.
Your next step
Let’s talk before you book a flight. One conversation about how you live and what you need usually narrows three areas to two or three communities. Contact me, read my relocation approach, or return to the home page.
This guide describes my general process and is for information only. It is not legal, tax, financial or lending advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I buy a home in Scottsdale, Cave Creek or Anthem without visiting many times?
Yes. I preview homes and send video first, so one focused visit is often enough to choose.
Which school districts serve these areas?
Scottsdale has Scottsdale Unified, Paradise Valley Unified and Cave Creek Unified. Cave Creek Unified serves Cave Creek, and Deer Valley Unified serves Anthem. Confirm by address.
How far is Anthem from downtown Phoenix?
About 30 miles north, along I-17.
Keep exploring
Ready to make your move with Valerie Moe?