How Much Does It Cost to Own a Home in Scottsdale Each Year?

How much it costs to own a home in Scottsdale each year depends on the house, because the yearly cost is a group of separate bills and every one of them is tied to that address. Beyond the mortgage payment, the list is property tax, association dues, homeowners insurance, electric, water, sewer and trash, and the upkeep on the pool, the yard and the irrigation, plus a solar lease payment if the home has one. Each of those numbers can be found for a specific house before you make an offer, and that is a much better answer than an average.

I'm Jen Keene, a REALTOR® with eXp Luxury in Scottsdale, AZ, and I'm the agent people call at every stage of their life. When buyers ask me about the cost of living in Scottsdale, they usually start with the price of the house. This is about the cost of keeping the home once it's yours, and where to find each number for the house you're looking at. For your own tax and insurance figures, talk to your CPA and your insurance agent.

Property tax on a Scottsdale home is set from the Maricopa County Assessor's Limited Property Value, and that value can go up each year. Under A.R.S. 42-13301, the Limited Property Value can rise by no more than 5% a year and can never be higher than the Full Cash Value, and the Assessor's own page explains the same rule. The tax rates come from several districts, so one combined bill comes from the county. Here's my guide to looking up a Scottsdale property tax bill, with the city's current rate and the due dates.

A smaller line can show up on that same bill. According to the CAGRD, the groundwater replenishment district, its assessment appears on the property tax bills of member properties. Look at the detailed statement for the parcel, not only the total.

If your lender collects taxes and insurance through escrow, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says property taxes and insurance premiums can change from year to year and your monthly payment changes with them. So the payment you start with is not the payment you keep forever.

HOA dues in Scottsdale vary from one community to the next, so the number has to come from the association for that address. Arizona law gives you a way to get it. Under A.R.S. 33-1806, in a planned community with 50 or more homes, the association has to deliver its disclosure within ten days after it receives written notice of a pending purchase offer, and that disclosure includes the amount and payment schedule of the regular assessment, any special assessment that has been approved, the most recent income and expense statement, and the most recent reserve study if there is one.

The same statute limits what the association can charge the seller for the resale disclosure and the other transfer services to an aggregate of $400, plus a rush fee of up to $100 if the work has to be done within 72 hours and an update fee of up to $50 if an update is requested 30 days or more after the original, and those fees are collected no earlier than the close of escrow. Ask the association whether any other charges come due when the home sells. If a home is in more than one association, ask for the dues from each one and add them together. Here's my guide to Scottsdale gated communities and their HOAs.

Homeowners insurance in Scottsdale is priced for the specific house, so the only reliable number is a quote from an insurance agent for that address. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners says most mortgage lenders require homeowners coverage, and that the lower your deductible, the higher your premium. Ask the seller early about any past insurance claims on the house, and share what you learn with your insurance agent.

The gap to plan for is water from outside. The Flood Control District of Maricopa County says flood damage is not typically covered by a homeowners policy, and the NAIC describes flood coverage as a separate policy. Both the Flood Control District and FEMA say there is typically a 30-day wait between buying a flood policy and when it takes effect. The Flood Control District also says you can buy flood coverage even outside a flood zone, and that 1 in 4 flood insurance claims come from outside a floodplain. Here's more on homeowners insurance in DC Ranch, and the same questions apply across Scottsdale.

The electric bill in a Scottsdale summer depends on the house, its cooling system, and which plan it's on, so the best guide is the last twelve months of bills from the seller. Maricopa County says electric service in the county comes from SRP or APS, depending on location, so start by asking which company serves the address.

The two companies set their seasons differently. According to SRP, its summer prices apply in May, June, September and October, and its summer peak prices apply in July and August. According to APS, its time-of-use plans have separate summer rates on May through October bills, and on-peak hours are 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays. Plans and prices change, so check the plan the house is on today and compare it on the company's own site (checked November 3, 2026).

A full year of bills tells you what July and August cost, which is the number that matters. If the seller can't provide them, ask whether they can print the usage history from their online account.

For a home on City of Scottsdale water, water, sewer and trash come on one city bill, and the amount depends on how much water the home uses. According to Scottsdale Water, the water charge is a monthly base fee set by the size of the meter plus a usage charge, and the price per gallon goes up as you use more, which mostly affects homes with a lot of outdoor watering. Sewer is figured from 90% of the home's average water use in the prior December, January and February. The city's bill guide defines water, sewer, solid waste, stormwater and tax lines on the statement.

Not every home in the area is on city water, so ask the seller who provides the water and for a year of bills.

Scottsdale Water also offers rebates. Its residential rebate page lists up to $250 for a WaterSense smart irrigation controller and up to $1,500 for pool removal, both through April 30, 2027, and says the grass removal rebate closed October 31, 2026 and will reopen next season. The city says to get any required approval before you start a project (checked November 3, 2026).

Pool care, yard care, irrigation and pest control in Scottsdale vary with the home, so start with the seller's service invoices. Ask who services the pool, the yard and the pest control, how often they come, and what each one costs per month. If a service is on a contract, ask whether it ends at closing or carries over.

The pool. Ask your home inspector whether the inspection covers the pool and spa, and if it doesn't, hire a pool company to look at it. A pool adds to the electric bill for the pump and to the water bill when you top it off, and both show up in the seller's twelve months of statements. Here's my guide to buying a Scottsdale home with a pool.

The irrigation. Drip lines and controllers need regular checks. Ask when the system was last checked, and look at the summer water bills for a jump that doesn't match the season.

Pest control. Ask whether the home is on a pest or termite plan, what it costs, and whether it transfers to you at closing.

If the Scottsdale home has leased solar, the lease payment is one more monthly bill to add, and the electric bills you see from the seller already reflect the panels. So you need both numbers, the solar payment and the electric bills, to know what power costs in that house. Ask the seller for the lease agreement early. Here's what happens when you buy a home with leased solar in Arizona.

1. Look up the property tax. Find the parcel at treasurer.maricopa.gov and read the detailed statement for every line, including any CAGRD assessment.
2. Get the HOA disclosure. Ask for the regular assessment, any special assessment, and any charges due at sale, from every association the home is in.
3. Get an insurance quote for the address. Ask the seller about past claims on the house, and ask your agent about flood coverage and the 30-day wait.
4. Ask for twelve months of electric statements. Note whether it's SRP or APS and which plan the house is on, and look at July and August.
5. Ask for a year of water statements. Confirm who provides the water, and check the sewer charge, which in the city is based on winter use.
6. Collect the service invoices. Pool, yard, irrigation and pest control, with how often each one comes.
7. Add any solar lease payment. Then add everything up for the year and divide by twelve.

Most of this can be requested during your inspection period, and here's how the inspection period works in Arizona.

Using a winter electric bill. A November bill tells you very little about July. Ask for the full year.

Using last year's tax bill as this year's. The Limited Property Value can go up as much as 5% a year and the districts can change their rates, so look up the current bill.

Counting only one association. If the home has a master association and a sub-association, there are two sets of dues to add.

Assuming homeowners insurance covers water coming in from a storm. According to the Flood Control District of Maricopa County, a standard policy typically does not cover flood damage, and new coverage usually has a 30-day wait.

Reading only the total on the tax statement. A CAGRD assessment appears on the bill for member properties, so read the detailed statement line by line.

Starting a yard project before the rebate approval. Scottsdale Water says to get any required approval first.

If you're looking at a home in Scottsdale, I'll help you request every one of these numbers for that house before you write an offer, so you know what it costs to own as well as what it costs to buy.

Get in touch or call me at (480) 203-6605, and send me the homes you're considering.