Arizona Land: Buying & Selling Information

Interested in buying, selling or investing in Arizona Land? Join the crowd!  Real estate transactions involving Arizona land are increasing daily. As the old saying goes, "they don’t make any more land". Land is a finite resource. Granted there is a LOT of it, and Arizona still has some wide open spaces. But land in or around the Phoenix, Tucson and Flagstaff areas is getting grabbed up quickly by individuals, investors and developers.

On this page we’ll attempt the provide you with everything you need to know to make wise decisions about real estate transactions involving land. Whether your already own Arizona land, or hope to purchase some, this page is for you.

Hot Areas for Land Around Phoenix

To understand the hot areas for land transactions around Phoenix, it’s helpful to understand the local topography and other factors that dictate the growth pattern of the Phoenix metro area.

Phoenix is located in a valley, which by it’s very definition means there are mountains around the area. Phoenix’s growth is restricted toward the east by the Superstition Mountains. Growth to the south and north is restricted by Native American Reservations. This leaves the west and northwest as the predominant direction for growth. Hence land to the west and northwest of Phoenix is quite active.

Due west of Phoenix lies Tonopah, AZ, which is an active hotspot for land and development. To the northwest lies Wittmann and the still (for now) undeveloped area of Whispering Ranch. Both of these areas are seeing a remarkable level of activity as speculators and investors see future development right around the corner. 

There are some areas to the south and southeast of the Phoenix metro area that are still relatively sparsely populated. This areas includes the town of Maricopa. To the south-southeast the Casa Grand area is also quite active.

Understanding Land Transactions and Terms

Purchasing (or selling) land is different than buying or selling a home. Most people know what to look for in a home. And while it may seem obvious what to look for in land, understanding some terminology and having a working knowledge of land properties and conditions is critical in making an educated land purchase.

"Desert land" (which is what the Phoenix area is) has some characteristics which need to be understood.  Some of these are:

Water: This is a desert–it doesn’t rain much and water is scarce. The valley Phoenix is located in sits on a large underground aquifer, which is where Phoenix and the surrounding towns get a significant portion of their water. Since the water is located deep underground, there’s only one way to reach it–drilling a well. This isn’t as simple as digging a hole and lowering a bucket to retrieve water. Depending on the level of the water table, it may take a well 1,000 feet deep to reach the water. Then the water has to be pumped out. Sounds expensive, doesn’t it? It can be. Drilling a private well can cost thousands of dollars. This is the reason that "Shared Wells" are so prominent. With a shared well, 2 to 25 people combine resources to drill a well and distribute the water.

Washes: It doesn’t rain much in the desert, but when it does it rains a lot. Usually more than the ground can absorb. The water has to go somewhere, and over time "washes" develop that are basically dry creek beds. Dry that is until the next rain. Washes on land are both good and bad. Desert vegetation tends to grow and develop along washes, and most people enjoy having some vegetation on their land. Washes also break up flat terrain, making the land more "interesting" and pleasing to the eye.  However, for obvious reasons, you don’t want to build a home in a wash, and if washes criss-cross a parcel, finding enough room for a home site may be difficult.

Flood Plains: Most people struggle with the notion of flooding in the desert. But as stated above, it DOES rain here, and where washes can’t handle the run-off, or where the run-off doesn’t occur frequently enough for washes to develop, then the rain water pools in flood plains. These aren’t the massive floods you see on the news with water depth measured in feet. The depth is usually in inches, but it can stand on the ground for many days. You CAN build in a flood plain, but it requires special foundations and results in increased insurance expenses. It’s best to avoid building in a flood plain, and for this reason, lots that are partially or completely in a designated flood plain are usually priced significantly lower than lots outside a flood plain. Flood plain maps are available from the county and it’s critical to understand a parcel’s flood plain status before purchase (or sale).

Percolation test (or "Perc Test"): Outlying desert land isn’t connected to a municipal sewer system.  So septic tanks have to be installed to handle waste-water and "stuff".  Critical to a standard septic tanks functioning is the ability of the ground to absorb water, or for the water to "percolate" through the ground. There is some desert land that can’t support a standard septic system, in which case one of several "alternative" septic systems will be needed. There is a "septic system for everyone", and a perc test will help determine what type of septic system is needed. Unless you know exactly where you plan to install a septic system, getting the perc test done before you actually plan to build is probably a waste of time and money. It’s best to wait until a site plan is being developed. At that time a perc test is good at determining the type and size of septic system needed.

Survey: Some of the land around Phoenix was surveyed and subdivided decades ago. As such, many of the original survey markers are buried or gone. Some land buyers insist on having a parcel surveyed, some don’t seem to care. Whether the buyer or seller pays for the survey ($1000 - $1500) is negotiable.

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