How is Desert Hills different from Anthem?

Anthem is master-planned with an HOA, community amenities, and homes on standard subdivision lots. Desert Hills is mostly unincorporated acreage with few HOAs, custom homes, and room for horses, RVs, and outbuildings. If you want amenities and uniformity, Anthem fits. If you want space and fewer rules, Desert Hills fits.

Do most Desert Hills homes have a well and septic?

Many do. A large share of Desert Hills parcels run on a private well or a shared well plus a septic system rather than city water and sewer. Before writing an offer, confirm the water source, well share agreement if any, and septic condition, and budget for the inspections those require. I walk every buyer through exactly what to verify.

Can I keep horses and park an RV here?

On most non-HOA Desert Hills acreage, yes, subject to the specific county zoning on that parcel. Allowable animal counts and structures depend on the lot's zoning designation, so verify the exact zoning and any deed restrictions before you count on it.

What are homes selling for in Desert Hills right now?

It moves with the parcel: lot size, whether the home is custom or manufactured, well versus shared water, and views all swing the number. For a current read against your budget and a specific street, call Jon at (623) 826-0888.

Does Desert Hills have lower long-term ownership costs than Anthem?

It depends on the trade. Desert Hills skips Anthem's monthly HOA dues, but you take on well and septic upkeep, propane in some areas, and more road and land maintenance. For some buyers the net is lower; for others the acreage upkeep evens it out. I will run the real numbers on a specific home before you assume either way.

Neighborhood guide

Desert Hills, AZ Real Estate: Acreage, No-HOA, Well & Septic (85086)

Name: Jon Hegreness , Howe Realty
Address: 9059 W Lake Pleasant Pkwy, B-200, Peoria, AZ, 85382, US
Telephone: (623) 826-0888
Price range: $$$

The short version

Desert Hills is the acreage answer to master-planned Anthem next door: larger lots, mostly no HOA, custom homes, and the practical realities of well and septic ownership. After years working this pocket of the North Valley, my job is to tell you straight whether that trade is right for you before you fall for the lot size.

At a glance

Setting: Unincorporated Maricopa County
Typical lot size: 1 to 2.5+ acres
Water / sewer: Private well + septic common
School district: Deer Valley Unified (verify by parcel)

What Desert Hills actually is

Desert Hills is an unincorporated area of Maricopa County in the 85086 zip code, sitting north of Phoenix and just west and north of Anthem, around the Carefree Highway (SR 74) and Interstate 17 corridor. There is no city hall and no town council. Zoning and permitting run through Maricopa County, and most of the area is large-lot, low-density custom-home development on one acre and up.

The draw is space. Lots are big, the night sky is dark, and many properties have room for horses, a shop, an RV gate, and a casita. The trade is self-reliance: a lot of Desert Hills runs on a private or shared well and a septic system rather than municipal water and sewer, and that changes how you buy, inspect, and own.

The practical realities of acreage ownership

Water. Confirm whether the home is on a private well, a shared well with a written agreement, or a water-hauling setup. Each carries different costs and responsibilities, and a shared-well agreement is a document you want reviewed before you commit.

Septic. A septic inspection and transfer are standard here. Build the timeline and cost into your offer.

Access and utilities. Some parcels sit on dirt roads or rely on easements for access and power. Verify legal access, road maintenance responsibility, and utility connections for the specific parcel.

Location and the commute

Desert Hills trades walkability for quiet. Day-to-day shopping is a short drive south to Anthem, and Interstate 17 puts central Phoenix and the airport within a manageable commute. If you need retail and restaurants out your front door, this is not that. If you want acreage with the freeway close enough to make it work, Desert Hills earns a look.

Who it fits, and who it does not

Desert Hills fits the buyer who wants real space, the option to keep animals or build a shop, and fewer rules over how the property is used. It does not fit the buyer who wants amenities, an HOA keeping everything uniform, or city water and sewer. For that profile, Anthem next door is the better starting point, and I am happy to show you both so the contrast is obvious.

My honest take

The lot size sells Desert Hills before I say a word. My job is to make sure the well, the septic, the access, and the zoning all check out so the dream lot does not become a surprise after closing. Send me the address and I will tell you what to verify before you get attached.

Sources

Maricopa County Assessor and Planning and Development zoning records; Arizona Department of Water Resources well registry guidance; Arizona Department of Environmental Quality septic transfer requirements; Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) area records.

Common questions

How is Desert Hills different from Anthem?: Anthem is master-planned with an HOA, community amenities, and homes on standard subdivision lots. Desert Hills is mostly unincorporated acreage with few HOAs, custom homes, and room for horses, RVs, and outbuildings. If you want amenities and uniformity, Anthem fits. If you want space and fewer rules, Desert Hills fits.
Do most Desert Hills homes have a well and septic?: Many do. A large share of Desert Hills parcels run on a private well or a shared well plus a septic system rather than city water and sewer. Before writing an offer, confirm the water source, well share agreement if any, and septic condition, and budget for the inspections those require. I walk every buyer through exactly what to verify.
Can I keep horses and park an RV here?: On most non-HOA Desert Hills acreage, yes, subject to the specific county zoning on that parcel. Allowable animal counts and structures depend on the lot's zoning designation, so verify the exact zoning and any deed restrictions before you count on it.
What are homes selling for in Desert Hills right now?: It moves with the parcel: lot size, whether the home is custom or manufactured, well versus shared water, and views all swing the number. For a current read against your budget and a specific street, call Jon at (623) 826-0888.
Does Desert Hills have lower long-term ownership costs than Anthem?: It depends on the trade. Desert Hills skips Anthem's monthly HOA dues, but you take on well and septic upkeep, propane in some areas, and more road and land maintenance. For some buyers the net is lower; for others the acreage upkeep evens it out. I will run the real numbers on a specific home before you assume either way.

What to do next

The first call is a real opinion, not a sales pitch

If this is the right fit, the next move is a short conversation about your timeline, budget, and the life you are building toward. If it is not the right fit, I will tell you that too.

Call or text (623) 826-0888 Get in touch

Meet Jon Hegreness

Jon Hegreness

REALTOR / Associate Broker · Howe Realty

AZ License BR540940000

Full-time Phoenix North Valley REALTOR and Associate Broker with 24 years in Arizona residential real estate. A negotiator and problem solver who works the way you would want a friend in the business to work: direct, on your side, and steady through the parts that get complicated.

Call (623) 826-0888 Get in touch