Story by Melissa Larsen
When it comes to making a home in the Valley, there is no time like the present as the area is booming with brand-new high-end housing options. From exciting new residential communities to additions to long-loved master plans, here’s what’s new in Valley living. Plus: A look at local luxury rentals that are becoming the area’s hottest properties.
Latest and Greatest: The Valley’s Newest Neighborhoods
Sierra Reserve
From Scottsdale-based The Lyle Anderson Companies, a luxury homebuilder that has been responsible for some of the Valley’s most well-known communities of the last 30 years (think Desert Highlands, Desert Mountain and Superstition Mountain), comes Sierra Reserve. Located in North Scottsdale and backing up to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, the community has planned for 250 units in a variety of architectural styles and 19 floor plans. With his newest project, Anderson aims to take out 80 percent of the usual homebuilding hassles, leaving homebuyers stress-free and with energy to pick out the fun stuff, like finishes and fixtures. Life at Sierra Reserve promises to be just as luxe as the residences with The Villa. The hub of Sierra Reserve, The Villa will host pools, a casual cantina, workout facilities, an event lawn, an à la carte concierge and more. Pricing: $1.5 million to $2.5 million. www.sierrareserve.com
33 Campbell Place
Located in the cherished Arcadia area, 33 Campbell Place (33rd Street and Campbell Avenue) is the newest development from Scottsdale’s award-winning Rosewood Homes. (33 Campbell Place is also one of the only new single-family neighborhoods to open in the Arcadia/Biltmore area in 30-plus years.) The 18-home gated enclave, which was unveiled in April, features innovative floor plans and eye-pleasing designs that meld beautifully with the Phoenix neighborhood, including Craftsman, Ranch Hacienda, Spanish Colonial, Spanish Mission and Traditional Manor—with real brick. Plus, the family-friendly neighborhood is adjacent to Biltmore Preparatory Academy, making it safe and easy for the little ones to walk to school with convenient direct gate access. Pricing: $490,000’s to $600,000’s (as of press time, 12 of the 18 homes have been sold). www.rosewoodhomes.com.
Eastmark
Measuring in at five square miles, Mesa’s new Eastmark promises to be the “heart and hub” of the East Valley, even though it just opened in June. In its first phase, Eastmark hosts homes from seven of the Valley’s top homebuilders—Maracay Homes, Mattamy, Meritage, Ryland Homes, Standard Pacific Homes, Taylor Morrison and Woodside—with designs that will be suitable for the desert environment but will fit homebuyers with modern or historic aesthetic taste. Though the residences are a large draw to the property, life at Eastmark has many perks, even outside of the home. Residents will have access to “100 Parks, Piazzas and Plazas,” the 100-acre Eastmark Great Park, tree-lined streets as well as proximity to the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, three major freeways, numerous businesses and healthcare providers, and educational institutions. A kid favorite, Eastmark’s popular splash pad features a dozen water sprays, lighting effects and comfy seating for Mom and Dad. Pricing: starting in the $200,000’s. www.eastmark.com.
Encanterra Country Club and Trilogy at Encanterra
This spectacular resort community in the Southeast Valley (complete with views of the San Tan and Superstition Mountains) recently opened a 55-plus Trilogy enclave within its super-luxe country club. All members enjoy A-plus amenities at their fingertips, with the community only getting better as membership grows. Encanterra’s Tom Lehman-designed 18-hole golf course is one of the area’s most notable spots to get swingin’ while the high-end resort-style indoor and outdoor swimming pools and gym offer the perfect spots to focus on fitness. When it’s time to relax, primping and pampering at Alvea Spa is the way to go, whether you’re enjoying a mani/pedi before a date night or a soothing full-body massage. Encanterra’s La Casa clubhouse also dishes out amazing on-site dining at four unique venues; grab a seat outdoors or at the Chef’s Table in the kitchen at Bistro 1528 for a truly unique way to dine. (Various other dining outposts are available at Encanterra, too, from a wine bar to a casual bar and grill.) Also contributing to the laidback, luxurious lifestyle at Encanterra is its plethora of on-site member clubs, including book club, cycling club and water volleyball, to name a few. Three home collections from Shea Homes are available, with square footage starting at 1,314 and going up to 3,764. Price: starting in the high $100,000’s (for a limited time, that pricing includes SheaXero). www.trilogylife.com.
Vistancia
Within the last six months, the longtime luxury master planned community of Vistancia in Peoria has announced the arrival of three new homebuilders to its upscale housing lineup: Gehan Homes, Mattamy Homes and Woodside Homes. The Vista Pointe neighborhood by Gehan Homes in The Village at Vistancia features 51 homesites offering a selection of six floor plans; Mattamy Homes opened Westland Heights in The Village at Vistancia during Labor Day weekend, offering architectural designs of Craftsman, Territorial Ranch and Spanish; and Woodside Homes has plans for 51 single- and two-story homes this fall in The Village at Vistancia in Spanish Mission, Hacienda and Territorial Ranch styles. In the spring, T.W. Lewis by David Weekley Homes launched the Links at Blackstone, featuring half-acre homesites with views of the fairways, desert and mountainous terrain. With the ownership of these—or any—Vistancia homes, residents will gain exclusive access to clubhouse amenities, the 3.5-mile Discovery Trail, some of the Valley’s prettiest panoramas and much more. Pricing: starting in the mid $200,000’s for the aforementioned builders. www.vistancia.com.
