Real Estate in Anthem, AZ | Anthem Arizona Homes

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Real Estate in Anthem, AZ is highly valued compared to surrounding communities and always has been, largely because of the family-oriented community's beautiful setting and plentiful amenities, including golf, swimming, arts & entertainment, youth activities and the excellent Anthem schools, including a higher concentration of charter and private schools than anywhere else in the district.

Anthem is a planned community of about 25,000 people at the north edge of Phoenix, straddling the recently widened I-17. It is a reliable 30-minute commute to downtown Phoenix.

(See below for more about the town, its amenities, schools, climate and more.)

Residential real estate sales and Anthem real estate listings are robust, despite the housing slump. There have been many foreclosures and short sales, but prices in both the Anthem Parkside and Anthem Country Club sections in recent months have leveled off and even risen modestly for homes with desirable features and upgrades, including expansive desert and mountain views, swimming pools, oversize garages, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, and casitas.

Anthem Real Estate Today

As of May, 2011, Anthem home prices averaged $79 per square foot in Parkside and $113 in Country Club. Homes in Anthem range from modest 2-bedroom houses to large 6-bedroom homes in Parkside and the gated Country Club section. Parkside homes range from 1,122 square feet to two-story, 4,338 square-foot models with libraries, courtyards and 4-car garages.

Many houses in Anthem have swimming pools, and many have room to park boats and RVs.

The Anthem real estate market is depicted weekly in a graphic in the print version of In&Out magazine. The snapshot shows Anthem real estate listings figures, number of homes sold, and Anthem home prices. The news magazine is mailed to all residents of Anthem and is also distributed through local businesses. Several Anthem realtors advertise in In&Out, which residents call their No. 1 local news & information source*.

Anthem Real Estate History

Anthem homes were originally sold exclusively by Del Webb, starting in 1999. Resales became brisk as homeowners traded up in the booming housing market.

The market got feverish in 2004 as prices rose rapidly, supply tightened, and homes were frequently on the market for less than a day.

As with most of the North Valley and greater Phoenix area, Anthem real estate sales activity peaked in 2005, along with prices. A steady downward trend in housing prices ensued, then finally settled in recent months.

More About Anthem, Arizona

Anthem, AZ covers nearly 10 square miles of desert foothills about 5 miles north of the Carefree Highway. There are about 12,000 homes in Anthem.

The town is nestled along the slope of Daisy Mountain — a roughly 1-hour hike to the top for those in shape (wildflowers bloom on the mountain in spring, left). The town has a stunning view of the sharp-edged Gavilan Peak to the North and views of the North Valley to the south.

Saguaro and other cacti, along with ample shade trees and acres of open, grassy fields and parks dominate the town's well-maintained landscape. The surrounding desert is wild, open and gorgeous.

Thirty-six percent of the town is devoted to open space, with several miles of trails and walkways, plus open arroyos and wide-open, endless desert views and mountain scenes.

Anthem is anchored by a large Community Center and an adjacent 63-acre Community Park. The basic facilities are available daily for free use by residents, though special programs and events often carry a fee.

Among the facilities and amenities that help improve Anthem home values:

• Full-size outdoor swimming pool and waterpark with slides.
• Gymnasium for basketball, weightlifting, aerobics and more.
• Rock wall for climbing.
• Tennis courts.
• Fields for baseball, soccer and flag football.
• Lake for catch-and-release fishing.
• Small-gauge train that young children love.
• Skate park.

The Community Center also offers fee-based childcare, youth and adult sports programs and lessons, and a summer camp.

Various events and festivals take advantage of the Community Park to draw regional musicians and artists, including the annual Anthem Days fair and carnival, an annual Independence Day fireworks show, the an annual Veterans Day Parade and Picnic (largest in the state), and each May, free concerts are held on Friday nights.

The gated Country Club section has two private golf courses.

Schools in Anthem

Compared with the greater Phoenix area and Arizona in general, Anthem schools shine.

There are more private and tuition-free charter schools in Anthem (five total) than any other area within Deer Valley Unified School District (DVUSD). Some are among the highest-scoring schools in the state on standardized tests, with curricula ranging widely beyond standard state methods.

• Charter schools: Anthem Preparatory Academy & Archway Classical (Elementary & High School); Caurus Academy (Elementary); Westwind Academy (High School)
• Private schools: North Valley Christian Academy; the Caepe School .

In addition, four DVUSD K-8 schools (Anthem School, Canyon Springs, Diamond Canyon, Gavilan Peak) feed into Boulder Creek High School. There are also multiple commercially operated daycare/childcare facilities in Anthem.

Anthem Clubs, Arts and Religious Organizations

Anthem is a vibrant business and arts community with a Chamber of Commerce, several business groups, theater and arts groups. See a full listing here.

There are more than a dozen Anthem churches and other sites of worship in the town. See a full listing here.

Anthem has three HOA's, governing Parkside, Country Club and the gated are of Anthem condos called the Village at Anthem. There is also a broader Community Council that oversees common facilities such as the Community Center and Community Park. There is a separate, privately owned area of Anthem apartments along I-17.

The west side of Anthem is in Phoenix and all Anthem homes east of I-17 are in Maricopa County. See also a complete Anthem Directory and more about more about Anthem's governance and the town.

To find out what's going on this week in Anthem, see In&Out's Calendar of Anthem Events.

Anthem Climate & Weather

Because of its slightly higher altitude and proximity to mountains, the Anthem climate is different than central Phoenix.
Summer daytime highs are about 4-5 degrees cooler than in the city, and Anthem cools down more quickly at night because there is more open space, meaning less pavement and fewer rooftops to trap heat.

Winter lows can also be a bit colder, and at least twice in the past decade Anthem residents have seen snow fall, though it didn't stick. See today's Anthem weather forecast.

About In&Out Magazine

Locally owned and operated, In&Out magazine was founded in 2005.

In&Out covers the Anthem real estate market with a weekly snapshot of activity, plus news and features as the real estate market changes.

Many current advertisers say their classified and display ads in the magazine are the most effective way to reach every person in Anthem and nearby communities (In&Out serves zip codes 85085, 85086, 85087).

Click to learn about advertising in In&Out .

*In an independent survey commissioned by the Anthem Community Council, 70 percent of respondents named In&Out the No. 1 source of local information. The closest competitor was rated below 35 percent.