Snowbird Homes in Phoenix and Scottsdale: A Winter Home Buyer's Guide

A snowbird home in Phoenix or Scottsdale is usually a condo, townhome, patio home or small single-family home that is easy to lock up and leave for the summer. Winter days at Phoenix Sky Harbor average a high near 68 degrees in January. Most out-of-state buyers can close without flying in, thanks to Arizona's remote online notary law.

I'm Terry Day with DeLex Realty. I help a lot of out-of-state buyers find a winter place in the Valley, and the questions are almost always the same: what kind of home is easy to leave, what the HOA allows, how to close from home, and how to keep the place safe from June to September. This guide walks through each of those.

Snowbird homes at a glance

Area covered: Phoenix and Scottsdale, plus nearby 55+ communities
Winter weather: January normal high about 68°F, low about 46°F at Sky Harbor (NWS 1991–2020 normals)
Summer: July normal high about 106°F; monsoon season runs June 15 to September 30
Common home types: condos, townhomes, patio homes, twin homes and smaller single-family homes
Closing from out of state: Arizona allows remote online notarization
Renting it out: Phoenix and Scottsdale both require a short-term rental permit or license for stays under 30 days

See condos and townhomes in Phoenix and Scottsdale Call Terry: 602-483-4665

Why winter buyers look at Phoenix and Scottsdale

The draw is the weather from about November through April. National Weather Service normals for Phoenix Sky Harbor put the average January high at 67.6 degrees and the average low at 46 degrees. That is golf, hiking and patio weather when much of the country is shoveling snow. The tradeoff is summer. The July normal high at Sky Harbor is 106.5 degrees, and the monsoon season, which the National Weather Service sets as June 15 through September 30, brings dust storms, wind and heavy rain. A good snowbird home is one that handles those months well while you are gone.

Lock-and-leave homes: what to look for

"Lock-and-leave" is not a legal term. It just means a home you can close up for months without much worry. In practice that usually means one of these:

Condos. Exterior, roof and grounds are usually handled by the association. Many are in gated or secured buildings.
Townhomes and twin homes. More space than a condo, often a private garage, and the HOA may cover exterior upkeep. Check exactly what it covers.
Patio homes. Single-level homes on small lots with little or no yard to water or mow.
Smaller single-family homes with desert landscaping on a drip system, which is easier to leave than grass.

Some features matter more for a part-time home than a full-time one: a garage for a car you leave behind, a smart thermostat you can check from your phone, an automatic shutoff valve or leak sensors, and a newer AC system. I always suggest a full home inspection with the AC unit and roof looked at closely, since those take the hardest hits in summer.

Where condos and townhomes cluster

In Scottsdale, Old Town has a lot of condo and townhome buildings within walking distance of restaurants and galleries, and the city guides growth there through its Old Town Character Area Plan. Farther north, the Kierland area has condo towers, including Optima Kierland, which opened in 2020. See my Scottsdale condos and townhomes page for more.

In Phoenix, the Camelback Corridor around the Biltmore area has condo towers and smaller complexes close to shopping, and the Arizona Biltmore golf communities have townhomes and villas around the courses. Downtown Phoenix has added a lot of high-rise housing lately, but most of it is rental apartments, so for-sale choices there are more limited. My Phoenix condos and townhomes page covers more of the city.

55+ communities near Phoenix and Scottsdale

Many winter buyers look at age-restricted communities. Under the federal Housing for Older Persons Act, a 55+ community must have at least 80 percent of its occupied homes with at least one resident 55 or older, must publish policies showing it operates as 55+ housing, and must verify ages. HUD's rules also say a home that is empty for part of the year can still count as occupied when the resident has lived there within the past year and plans to return. Each community sets its own rules on guests and younger residents, so read the CC&Rs.

Most of the large 55+ communities are outside Phoenix and Scottsdale city limits. Sun City is an unincorporated community northwest of Phoenix, and Sun City West is next to it. Sun Lakes is unincorporated and borders Chandler. Others include PebbleCreek in Goodyear and Leisure World in Mesa. My 55+ homes in Arizona page compares more of them. Some communities with "55+" in their marketing are actually open to all ages, so I confirm each one's status with the HOA before you make an offer.

HOA rules on renting your home while you are away

Many owners want to rent their place for part of the year. Start with the HOA. Arizona law (A.R.S. 33-1806.01) lets an owner rent unless the community's declaration prohibits it, and the declaration can also set minimum rental periods. Some communities ban short-term rentals, some require 30 days or more, and some cap the number of rentals. Ask for the CC&Rs and rules before you write an offer, not after.

The cities have their own rules too. Phoenix requires a short-term rental permit for stays under 30 days, and Scottsdale requires a yearly short-term rental license for each property rented for less than 30 days. Both expect a state transaction privilege tax license from the Arizona Department of Revenue for those stays. Longer residential rentals follow different state rules. I can point you to the right city pages, but a tax professional should answer the tax side.

One more item for second homes: the Maricopa County Assessor classifies a home that is your one main residence differently (Legal Class 3) from a vacation home or rental (Class 4). A winter home is usually Class 4. The Assessor's website explains the classes and how to update them.

Buying and closing from out of state

You do not have to be in Arizona to close. The Arizona Secretary of State commissions remote online notaries, and the signer can be anywhere while the notary is in Arizona. Many title companies offer remote signing. Plan for these steps:

See homes in person on a winter trip, or tour by live video with me.
Order an inspection and review it by video and report.
Sign documents electronically, then sign the notarized pieces online or with a mobile notary near you.
Never trust wire instructions sent by email. The Arizona Department of Real Estate warns about wire fraud. Call your escrow officer at a number you found yourself before sending money.

The Department of Real Estate also offers a free Early Real Estate Sales Alert that notifies a registered owner when an escrow is opened on their property. That is worth signing up for when you are away much of the year. If you plan to use an assumable FHA or VA loan, see my assumable mortgage homes page.

Caring for the home while you are gone

Air conditioning: Do not turn it off. APS has suggested setting the AC between 85 and 90 degrees when you are away, and SRP has advised no higher than 85, because heat and monsoon humidity can damage a closed-up home. Ask your utility what it recommends.
Water: Know where your main shutoff valve is. The City of Phoenix says to use the valve where the line enters the home, not the city meter.
Pests: University of Arizona Extension suggests weatherstripping doors, sealing gaps around pipes and screening weep holes to keep bark scorpions out.
Monsoon: Tie down or store patio furniture before you leave, and have someone check the home after big storms.
A home watch service or a trusted neighbor can check the home on a set schedule and report back.

Questions buyers ask

What is a lock-and-leave home?
A lock-and-leave home is one you can close up for months with little upkeep, usually a condo, townhome or patio home where the HOA handles the exterior and landscaping. Check what the HOA covers before you buy.

Can I buy a winter home in Arizona without flying in to close?
Yes. Arizona allows remote online notarization, so you can sign closing documents online from another state. Your title company will tell you which documents it can sign remotely.

Can I rent my snowbird home when I'm not using it?
It depends first on your HOA's CC&Rs, which can ban or limit rentals. Phoenix and Scottsdale also require a short-term rental permit or license for stays under 30 days.

Are there 55+ communities in Phoenix and Scottsdale?
Most large 55+ communities in the area, such as Sun City and Sun Lakes, are just outside those city limits. I confirm each community's age rules with its HOA before you make an offer.

More guides

Moving to Phoenix guide · Moving to Scottsdale guide · 55+ homes in Arizona · Scottsdale condos · Phoenix condos · First steps to buying a home in Arizona

Looking for a winter home in the Valley?
I can send you condos, townhomes and 55+ homes that fit your list, check HOA rental rules before you make an offer, and set up video tours if you are still up north. Call or text Terry Day, REALTOR®, DeLex Realty: 602-483-4665.

Weather, rental and tax rules come from public sources and can change. Confirm HOA rules, city permits and tax questions with the HOA, the city and a tax professional before you buy.

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