6445 W Vineyard Road, Laveen
(602) 483-4665
DeLex Realty
Most one-acre-plus homes in Laveen are older horse and farm properties scattered between the newer subdivisions of this Phoenix urban village south of the Salt River, with more of them toward South Mountain and in the county islands. Expect custom homes, corrals and arenas, irrigation rights on some parcels and, on many lots, septic instead of city sewer.
I'm Terry Day with DeLex Realty. Laveen grew from dairies and farms into one of the faster-changing parts of Phoenix, so an acre here can sit next to a new subdivision or a working field. Below is what I verified from City of Phoenix and Maricopa County documents, state agencies and local news, plus the checklist I use with buyers looking at land in Laveen.
See Laveen homes on 1+ acre Call Terry: 602-483-4665
The City of Phoenix calls Laveen's character a "rural, equestrian and agricultural lifestyle" in its Laveen Village Character Plan, and that plan's land-use map still includes categories of 0 to 1 and 1 to 2 homes per acre. The older Southwest Growth Study for Laveen, approved by the City Council in 1998, says large-lot homes with horse privileges are scattered throughout the area, with concentrations near the planned town center around 51st Avenue and Dobbins Road and in a neighborhood along 67th Avenue between Southern Avenue and Baseline Road. It also notes that many residents keep horses.
The same study set aside a Rural Development Area south of Baseline Road and east of the South Mountain Freeway alignment, where keeping livestock was to be encouraged, and it called for low densities near the Carver Foothills and South Mountain Park. The Character Plan names Laveen Estates as a neighborhood to keep its native vegetation. In practice, acre lots are spread out in pockets rather than gathered in one large rural subdivision, so I search parcel by parcel.
Laveen is a patchwork. Most of it is inside Phoenix, but the Character Plan counts about 5,778 acres that are still unincorporated Maricopa County. The rules, permits and even who answers a flood question change depending on which side of that line a parcel sits.
Because of RE-35, a Laveen listing called a "horse property" may not be a full acre. My feed below only shows homes whose lot is listed at 43,560 square feet or more, and it pulls listings that use Laveen as the city. Some acre homes in the village list "Phoenix" as the city, so I also check those by hand.
Phoenix City Code treats keeping animals other than small household pets on a lot under 10,000 square feet as a nuisance, and it defines livestock to include horses, mules, goats, sheep and swine. Stables and pens with horses must have manure removed at least twice a week, and swine are not allowed except for a few miniature pigs. I did not find a city rule that sets a fixed number of horses per acre, so ask about the specific parcel, its zoning and any CC&Rs. In the county islands, Maricopa County's agricultural and equestrian rules apply, and its dust rule (Rule 310.01) covers corrals, pens and arenas at homes.
Many Laveen acre homes are on City of Phoenix water, but not all. Phoenix's water policy generally requires a county parcel to annex, or to sign an agreement supporting annexation, before the city extends a main to it, and that promise can bind later owners. Other parcels use a private well. Under state law an exempt well pumps no more than 35 gallons per minute, a notice of intent must be filed with the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) before drilling, and new exempt wells generally can't be drilled within 100 feet of a qualifying city water system. After closing, the buyer files ADWR Form 55-71A to change the well's ownership record.
Laveen is also SRP flood irrigation country. SRP runs the canals and laterals in south Phoenix and Laveen, and water reaches homes through private neighborhood systems that the residents own. Not every parcel has irrigation rights, so I ask the seller and SRP (602-236-3333) to confirm for the exact address.
City sewer reached rural Laveen through the 51st Avenue trunk line, but many older acre homes still have septic systems. Maricopa County Environmental Services permits septic systems, even inside cities. When a home with septic sells, the system must be inspected by a qualified inspector within six months before the transfer, the seller gives the buyer the inspection report, and the buyer files a Notice of Transfer with the county within 15 days after closing.
Parts of Laveen flood in big storms. The Flood Control District of Maricopa County's 2016 response plan describes the 5.8-mile Laveen Area Conveyance Channel that carries storm water to the Salt River and recalls the summer 2014 storms that flooded streets and homes. In October 2026, ABC15 reported that Phoenix approved an agreement for a broader Laveen flood mitigation plan. Phoenix runs floodplain management inside the city and the Flood Control District handles county land, so check the district's Floodplain Viewer or request a free flood hazard report for any parcel you like.
Inside Phoenix, a lot split is reviewed by the city and new deeds are recorded after approval; splits that create three or more lots go through the subdivision plat process, and each new lot must meet the zoning minimums. In the county islands, dividing into five or fewer parcels is a minor lot split that the county treats as a civil matter, while more than five is a subdivision. Either way, an acre in RE-43 or Rural-43 usually can't be split into smaller lots without a rezoning.
Phoenix says its trails are open to horses, and South Mountain Park/Preserve has an equestrian area. The city's growth study planned multi-use trails, including equestrian use, connecting Laveen to South Mountain at 27th Avenue, 35th Avenue and Estrella Drive, and the Character Plan asks new projects to avoid blocking equestrian travel.
The Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway opened on December 21, 2019, with interchanges at Southern Avenue, Baseline Road, Dobbins Road and Elliot Road in Laveen. Since then many fields and dairies have turned into subdivisions, and in 2024 the City Council approved Gila Foothills, a project of nearly 300 acres next to South Mountain Park. If you want space, look at what is planned around a parcel, not just what is there today.
Yes, most of Laveen is a Phoenix urban village, though some land is still unincorporated Maricopa County. Which one a parcel is in changes the zoning, permits and some utility options, so I check it first.
Often yes, because many acre lots in Laveen carry horse privileges. Phoenix code bans animals other than small pets on lots under 10,000 square feet and sets manure and inspection rules, and county islands follow county equestrian rules, so confirm the zoning and any HOA rules for the property.
Some do and some don't. Many are on Phoenix water, others use private wells, and many older homes have septic systems, so ask for the water source and septic paperwork early.
No. A lot of Laveen's large-lot zoning is RE-35, which is a bit under an acre, so check the actual lot size in county records rather than relying on the listing headline.
More to read: Laveen guide | Rogers Ranch homes | Laveen pool homes | Arizona horse property | Rainbow Valley homes and acreage | Buckeye acreage | Phoenix guide | Assumable mortgages | DeLex listings in Laveen | All Laveen listings
Details come from City of Phoenix and Maricopa County documents, Arizona state agencies, SRP and news reports and can change. Verify lot size, zoning, water source, septic condition, irrigation rights, flood zone and school assignment for a specific property before you buy.
Copyright 2026 Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service, All rights reserved. The data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. All properties are subject to prior sale, change or withdrawal. Neither listing broker(s) nor Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service shall be responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, misprints and shall be held totally harmless.
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