Desert Highlands Homes for Sale in Scottsdale, AZ 85255

Desert Highlands is a walled, guard-gated golf community on the southern slope of Pinnacle Peak in north Scottsdale. It opened in 1983, its Jack Nicklaus course hosted the very first Skins Game that same year, and it helped set off the wave of desert golf communities that followed across north Scottsdale. Today it is a quiet neighborhood of custom homes with about half of its land left as natural desert.

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Where Desert Highlands is

Desert Highlands sits at the base of Pinnacle Peak, near Pima Road and Happy Valley Road, with the club's address on East Happy Valley Road. Pinnacle Peak Park, a City of Scottsdale park with a popular summit trail, is right next door. Pima Road leads south toward Loop 101, and Scottsdale Airport is about 20 minutes away, with Phoenix Sky Harbor about 45 minutes. Shopping, dining and offices along Pima Road, Scottsdale Road and the Scottsdale Airpark are all within a reasonable drive. For the bigger picture, see my Moving to Scottsdale guide.

A little history

In the early 1980s, developer Lyle Anderson brought in Jack Nicklaus, working with senior designer Bob Cupp, to build a course around a new residential community below Pinnacle Peak. Desert Highlands opened in 1983 and hosted the first Skins Game that year, with Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Tom Watson, and it hosted the event again in 1984. The televised matches showed off desert golf to a national audience and helped spark the golf course building boom in Scottsdale. Anderson went on to develop Desert Mountain a few years later.

The homes

Desert Highlands was built mainly as a custom home community, and homebuilding began in the mid-1980s. Most homes are custom estates designed for their own lot, so no two look alike. There are also two semi-custom areas, The Heights and Hillside Villa Estates, which give buyers a somewhat smaller home and lot inside the same gates. Some custom construction continues today, and a few vacant homesites are still available for buyers who want to build. Views vary a great deal: some lots face Pinnacle Peak, some look over the fairways and others look out across the desert toward the city.

Things to do

Life here revolves around the club. Desert Highlands Golf Club has the Nicklaus course, the 18-hole putting course, 13 tennis courts with several surface types, a clubhouse with dining, a 7,000-square-foot fitness center and a pool. Membership is tied to owning a home in the community. Outside the gates, Pinnacle Peak Park's trail is a short walk or drive for many residents, and the trails, restaurants and shops of the Pinnacle Peak and Troon area are close by.

Schools

Desert Highlands is in the Cave Creek Unified School District. The assigned schools are Desert Sun Academy, Sonoran Trails Middle School and Cactus Shadows High School. Boundaries can change, so please confirm the assigned schools for a specific address with the district.

HOA basics

Desert Highlands is fully walled with a staffed guard gate, and the community association handles the gates, security patrols, common areas and architectural review for changes to homes and lots. The golf club is a separate organization, though membership is connected to homeownership here. Before you make an offer, I gather the association and club documents for that specific home so you understand the rules and costs up front.

Buying in Desert Highlands

Since most homes are one-of-a-kind customs, comparing them takes more than price per square foot. I look at the lot size and slope, the view, the age of the home and its systems, and any updates. If you are thinking about building, we will review the design guidelines and the homesite before you buy. My first steps to buying a home in Arizona is a good place to start, and if the seller has a low-rate loan, my assumable mortgage guide explains how assuming it could work.

Selling your Desert Highlands home

Desert Highlands buyers often tour Estancia, Troon, Silverleaf and Desert Mountain too, so your home has to compete across north Scottsdale. The view, lot, updates and how the home shows all carry weight. Read how to price your Arizona home to sell and my north Scottsdale home values seller guide, then call me for a pricing review.

Questions buyers ask about Desert Highlands

Is Desert Highlands gated?
Yes. The community is walled with a guard-gated entry and security patrols.

When was Desert Highlands built?
It opened in 1983, homebuilding started in the mid-1980s, and some custom homes are still being built today.

Can I build a custom home there?
A few vacant homesites remain. Plans go through the community’s architectural review, and I can help you look at lots and guidelines before you buy.

What school district serves Desert Highlands?
Cave Creek Unified. The assigned schools are Desert Sun Academy, Sonoran Trails Middle School and Cactus Shadows High School. Confirm with the district for any address.

Nearby communities to compare

Estancia · Troon · Desert Mountain · Silverleaf · DC Ranch · DeLex Realty listings in Scottsdale · All Scottsdale homes for sale

Community details come from public sources and can change. Confirm HOA, school, club and builder information for a specific home before you buy.