North of Phoenix, with six community guides.
Median sale prices across Anthem, Cave Creek, Carefree and New River, month by month, from Redfin's published data.
Comparing communities? Get a free Area Match →
Straightforward answers to the questions I hear most from buyers and sellers looking north of the Loop 101.
The North Valley is the northern edge of the Phoenix metro, and this guide covers six communities: Desert Ridge, Deer Valley and Norterra, Anthem, Moon Valley, Cave Creek, and New River with Tramonto. They range from busy shopping and dining areas near the Loop 101 to mountain-view acreage and Old West towns farther north. Each community has its own guide with maps, local places and market data. If you are not sure which one fits, I can compare them for you, and I will ask about your budget, lot size and commute before I suggest any.
Prices vary a lot by community, lot size and age of the home, so there is no single North Valley price. The numbers near the top of this page show recent median sale price, price per square foot and days on market for Anthem, Cave Creek, Carefree and New River, from Redfin. The chart below them shows how median prices have moved month by month. Each community guide has its own market numbers. For a specific street or neighborhood, I can pull recent sales so you are looking at real comparisons.
Desert Ridge, Norterra in Deer Valley, and Anthem are master-planned communities. Master-planned means the neighborhoods were laid out together, usually with shared parks, trails and sometimes community centers. Many of them have homeowners associations, which means monthly or quarterly dues and rules on things like exterior paint and landscaping. Moon Valley, Cave Creek and New River are mostly a mix of individual subdivisions, custom homes and acreage. Ask me for the HOA details on any home you like, because dues and rules differ from one community to the next.
Most North Valley commutes run on two roads: Interstate 17 and the Loop 101. Desert Ridge, Deer Valley and Anthem sit close to one or both, while Cave Creek and New River are farther out and rely on longer highway drives to get south. Your actual drive depends on where you work and when you leave, so test the route at the hour you would really drive it. If you tell me where you work, I can focus on communities that make that drive reasonable.
Several public school districts serve the North Valley, and the one for a home depends on its address. Boundaries can change from street to street, and districts sometimes update them, so confirm the assigned schools directly with the district before you make an offer. Charter and private schools are also options across the area. I can point you to public sources for schools, and I am happy to help you narrow down communities once you know what matters most to your family.
