Homes on 1+ Acre for Sale in Mesa, AZ

Homes on an acre or more in Mesa are found mostly in a few older rural pockets: the Lehi area in northwest Mesa near the Salt River, the Citrus area around Val Vista Drive in northeast Mesa, and larger desert lots in parts of the Desert Uplands. Expect RS-43 or RS-35 zoning, room for animals or a shop, and utilities that vary lot by lot.

I'm Terry Day with DeLex Realty. Mesa is a big city of mostly standard-size lots, so a true acre stands out when it comes up. What surprises many buyers is how different two large lots can be. One may have city sewer and flood irrigation from a neighborhood ditch, while the one down the road runs on a septic system, or sits on county land with county zoning. Here is how I look at acreage in Mesa before anyone makes an offer.

See Mesa homes on 1+ acre Call Terry: 602-483-4665

Where the acre lots are in Mesa

Lehi. Lehi is Mesa's best-known rural area, roughly between McDowell and McKellips roads and Country Club Drive and Lindsay Road, just south of the Salt River. The City's 2006 Lehi Sub-Area Plan found that most of the land there was zoned for one-acre minimum lots, with more in agricultural zoning, and it describes an equestrian, rural residential way of life the plan aims to keep. Open irrigation canals, horse corrals and long driveways are part of the look. The new Mesa 2050 General Plan uses Lehi as its example of the Rural Residential placetype.

The Citrus area. In northeast Mesa, the City's Citrus Sub-Area Plan covers about three square miles from 32nd Street east to the RWCD canal, between Thomas Road and Adobe Road, with Val Vista Drive running through the middle. The plan describes it as rural and large-lot, says many homes sit on more than one acre, and notes the old citrus groves that are still flood irrigated. It also notes a pocket of unincorporated county land west of Val Vista, so this is an area where checking jurisdiction matters.

The Desert Uplands. Farther east, Mesa's Desert Uplands area has its own development standards for lower-density lots. On many of those lots, building is limited to a set "envelope" and at least half of the lot stays undisturbed desert with native plants, and grass lawns are discouraged. The look is very different from Lehi: desert landscaping and mountain views instead of green pasture. Not every Desert Uplands lot is an acre, so I check the lot size on each listing. Nearby neighborhoods such as Las Sendas and Red Mountain Ranch have their own HOA rules worth reading.

Outside these areas, acre lots show up one at a time: an older ranch home on a big parcel, or a lot that was never subdivided. The search above pulls in every Mesa home listed on an acre or more, wherever it is.

How Mesa zones large lots

Mesa's zoning ordinance has several single-residence districts for big lots. RS-90 calls for at least 90,000 square feet (about two acres), RS-43 for 43,560 square feet (one acre) and RS-35 for 35,000 square feet, a little over three-quarters of an acre. The AG agricultural district needs much more land. Each district has its own rules for lot width, setbacks, height and how much of the lot can be covered by buildings, so a shop, a barn or a second structure has to fit those numbers.

The Mesa 2050 General Plan, adopted by the City Council in May 2024, groups these districts under a "Rural Residential" placetype: large-lot homes, agriculture, barns and stables, and streets that may not have sidewalks, with a growth strategy of keeping these areas much as they are. That matters if you are buying for the rural feel, because it signals the City's intent for the area around you, not just your own lot.

Horses and other animals

Mesa's Animal Control rules require at least 35,000 square feet of land to keep livestock, and that includes horses. How many animals a lot can hold is set by a point system in the Mesa City Code, so I always look up the limit for the exact lot. Horses may be ridden on streets and designated trails following traffic laws. For fowl, lots under half an acre are limited to 10 birds and rabbits combined. HOA rules can be stricter than the City's, and some large-lot subdivisions do not allow livestock at all, so the CC&Rs come first.

For riding, Usery Mountain Regional Park in east Mesa covers 3,648 acres next to Tonto National Forest, with more than 34 miles of shared trails and a horse staging area, according to Maricopa County Parks. Inside the city, the east side of Red Mountain Park is the only city park with designated bridle paths. If horses are your main reason for buying land, see my Arizona horse property guide too.

County islands and county zoning

Some large lots with Mesa mailing addresses are not inside Mesa at all. They are unincorporated Maricopa County land surrounded by the city, often called county islands. There, Maricopa County sets the zoning and the Sheriff provides police service, and owners may arrange their own water, trash and fire service. County Rural-43 zoning also calls for one acre, but its lot width and setbacks are different from Mesa's RS-43. Before an offer, I check whether the parcel is in the city or the county, because it changes who you call for permits, what you can build and who serves the home.

Utilities on Mesa acreage

Sewer or septic. Many large-lot areas have city sewer, but not all. If the home has a septic system, Arizona rules require the seller to have it inspected by a qualified inspector within six months before the sale, and the buyer must file a Notice of Transfer within 15 days after closing. In Maricopa County that goes to Maricopa County Environmental Services.

Wells. If a property has a private well, the well registration with the Arizona Department of Water Resources should be updated to the new owner with its change-of-information form. ADWR keeps the registry; it does not certify who owns the water.

Flood irrigation. In Lehi and the Citrus area, many lots get irrigation water from SRP or the Roosevelt Water Conservation District. With SRP flood irrigation, water reaches each lot through ditches or pipes the neighborhood owns, on a set schedule. Ask the seller who serves the property, what the schedule is and who maintains the ditch and gates.

Gas and electric. Mesa provides natural gas in much of the city, and electric service depends on the address. The City publishes electric and gas service-area maps, and I check them for any home we look at.

Lot splits and guest units

Mesa has a Land Split process for parcels of 2.5 acres or less. It allows up to two lots where the boundaries come from a recorded plat, or up to three where they do not, and the new lots still have to meet the zoning minimums. Larger divisions go through the City's land division and plat process. The City also allows accessory dwelling units: one attached and one detached on a lot with a single home, and on lots over one acre a second detached unit if at least one unit is restricted as affordable. Each unit is limited to 1,000 square feet or 75% of the main home, whichever is less, and it cannot be sold separately. HOA rules may still limit them.

Buying and selling acreage in Mesa

When I help buyers with land in Mesa, I pull the zoning and jurisdiction, ask for septic, well and irrigation records early, and look at any barns, arenas or casitas against the permit history. Sellers do best with those records gathered before listing, because acreage buyers ask for them right away. On some homes you may be able to take over the seller's FHA or VA loan; see my assumable mortgage guide. For more on the city, read my Mesa city guide, and compare acre homes in Gilbert and Queen Creek.

Questions buyers ask

Where can I find one-acre lots in Mesa?
The largest concentrations are in Lehi in northwest Mesa and the Citrus area around Val Vista Drive in northeast Mesa, with more large desert lots in parts of the Desert Uplands. Single acre lots also come up elsewhere in the city.

Can I keep a horse on my Mesa property?
Often yes, if the lot has at least 35,000 square feet, which is Mesa's minimum for livestock. The number of animals follows a point system in the city code, and HOA rules can be stricter.

Does every Mesa acre lot have city sewer?
No. Some large lots use septic systems, and Arizona requires a septic inspection before the sale and a Notice of Transfer filed by the buyer after closing.

Can I build a guest house on a Mesa acre lot?
Usually you can add an accessory dwelling unit, and Mesa allows one attached and one detached unit, with a second detached unit on lots over an acre if one is restricted as affordable. Size limits and HOA rules apply.

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Zoning, animal and utility details come from City of Mesa, Maricopa County, ADEQ, ADWR and SRP sources and can change. Confirm zoning, jurisdiction and HOA rules for a specific property. Listing information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.