Setting the Stage
What do you think of when the words “paradise” and “valley” are put together? You’re likely thinking of a sprawling meadow, lush with green grass and plants. Maybe a clear creek runs through it, giving life to everything around. Pine-covered mountains surround this Edenic land, capped with residual snow. The temperature is cool, with a slight breeze keeping the air at peak freshness. Lazy clouds roll through the sky as you walk over the rich earth.
Great, right? Now I want you to envision THIS Paradise Valley when it was first settled. Craggy, barren mountains surround you on all sides, the only source of reliable shade. Palo Verde trees dot the landscape, none more than ten feet tall due to seasonal monsoons that rip apart any trees that dare grow taller. Saguaro cacti thrust upwards from the earth like angry green spears.
Low, half-dead shrubs fill in some of the gaps between the tree stands, looking more like they were sentenced to be here than choosing to do so. The only sign of any water having ever existed here are the dry, sandy washes. The sun beats down on you without a single cloud in the sky for respite. The breeze, which is usually a reliable friend, blasts you with even hotter air from what you presume is the gates of Hell itself. Now THAT is what I call a paradise.
Early History
Apparently, that’s what the original land surveyors thought when they laid eyes on the space that would eventually become one of the most expensive zip codes in the United States. Natives had brought in some water from the Salt River via robust canal systems, creating the only source of year-round water in the area. Inspired by this and apparently seeing something nobody else could, the Rio Verde Canal Company formed. Their plan was to bring in water from the Verde River and create an irrigated farmland utopia in the desert.
This company’s story is brief though, as their zeal for terraforming was met with a financial collapse in the 1890s. The company went under without realizing any part of their ambitious irrigation program. To add insult to injury, the successor company lost all water rights in 1910 in favor of the Roosevelt Dam and Salt River Project, both of which are still around and providing benefit to locals.
With the help of the two successful water management projects above, Paradise Valley still managed to attract settlers. For decades, the land was cultivated as rural residential area, primarily used for agriculture. As an agricultural area, the lots were kept large, usually 1-5 acres. That’ll play an important part later, though the homes originally on those lots were modest in all forms. Again, this was an aggressively rural area at the time.
A Reality Check
And then the area basically just existed for 60 years. Phoenix and Scottsdale (also recently incorporated) began seeing increased traffic through the 1950s, to the point that they began rapidly expanding northward. Not wanting to lose their rural lifestyle to either suburban sprawl, the residents formed the eloquently named “Citizens Committee for the Incorporation of the Town of Paradise Valley.” In 1961 their wishes were granted by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, granting incorporation as the Town of Paradise Valley.
At that point the population of PV was approximately 2,000 people. Scottsdale was a booming city with a whopping 10,000 people. Phoenix was already genuinely large, boasting over 400,000 residents, quadrupling the population in just the previous decade. Little did its neighbors know, Paradise Valley would soon become the most coveted diamond in the area.
The New Normal
Quietly and with great dignity, Paradise Valley became the ultra-luxury destination of Arizona. The first $10 Million home in Paradise Valley was sold in 2000, the second in the metro area, only beaten out by a 225-acre sale in Cave Creek earlier that year. The town now accounts for 150 of the 236 homes sold in metro Phoenix above that price point. What’s more, Paradise Valley made history again this year with the new highest residential home purchase in Arizona at just over $40 Million.
So… what makes this town so desirable? Not surprisingly, there are a few things.
The Multi-Million Dollar Draw
Remember how PV was populated with lots varying from 1-5 acres in size? Well, they had the foresight to keep them that way. You cannot find lots under 1 acre in the whole town, outside of one specific gated community. That translates to great opportunities to build larger homes with ample yard space. That also translates to excellent opportunities for privacy. Whether you want to avoid the public eye or just enjoy having your own sanctuary, it’s no secret that the more space you have between you and your neighbor the better.
Another strong plus is the location, in a few ways. One is that PV properties land on three of the four main mountains in metro Phoenix, providing the most stunning views in the Valley. That obviously creates a premium price when those excellent views come with at least an acre of building space. Additionally, PV is within a 15-minute drive of a highway on all four sides. Yet because of the mountains that surround it, you’d never guess that looking out the window.
PV also lies comfortably close to the airport. Most residents don’t have to leave surface streets and can get to the airport within 20 minutes. With that, you’re also an easy drive from at least ten golf courses, many of which are world-class. Finally, the incredibly central location also puts the town in between the culinary, shopping, and social scenes in Scottsdale, the Biltmore, and Uptown Phoenix. None of those scenes are close enough to risk sound pollution, but they’re still close enough to make for entertaining weekends with ease.
Finally, a key component to PV’s lucrative status is the town’s determination to avoid mixed development. Any business operating there is using a Special Use Permit, specially obtained from the city itself. How that looks on the ground is you have a smattering of golf courses, a few churches, and a school or two operating in the incorporated part of the town. And that’s it. No strip malls, no chain restaurants, no mega marts. Just single-family housing and low-density estates.
Conclusion
Of course there are other reasons PV has become the crème de la crème of Metro Phoenix (like an incredibly attentive police force and the snowball effect of wealthy attracting wealth) but the above reasons are the real heavy hitters. If you’re in the area, I suggest you take a relaxed drive through some of the accessible neighborhoods. You’ll be amazed at the breadth and depth of homes on display.
Also, there really is an astonishing amount of beauty in the Arizona desert. I love it, as do many people, evidenced by the booming population growth here. Circling back to the name, it just feels like a bit of a stretch to call anywhere in this low desert a “paradise,” no matter the season. Unless you’re coming from somewhere that’s somehow even more barren.