The town's original guard-gated hillside enclave: acreage, rebuild rules, and how the gate changes the math.
Clearwater Hills (Updated Q4 2026)
By Clayton Wolfe, Partner at The Agency · Published November 2, 2026 · Last updated November 2, 2026
I'm Clayton Wolfe, Partner at The Agency in Scottsdale. Clearwater Hills is the oldest guard-gated community in Paradise Valley, and buying here is as much about the gate and the slope as it is about the house.
The published neighborhood median is about $3.5 million, but that figure spans small original homes and large rebuilds. Larger parcels with view pads trade far higher.
Lots run large, often well past an acre, and much of the enclave sits on real slope. That means Hillside review applies to most new work.
The gate buys privacy and controlled access. It also adds a private architectural layer on top of the Town's process.
Recent higher-end recorded sales inside Clearwater Hills. The dataset in hand captures the upper band; for the full enclave median see the prices page.
Close date | Price | Living sq ft | $/sq ft | Lot acres | Builder |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jun 2024 | $11,750,000 | 9,094 | $1,292 | 5.01 |
Source: ARMLS closed records cross-checked to the Maricopa County Recorder, Clearwater Hills. Published neighborhood median $3.5 million; see the Paradise Valley home prices by neighborhood page. Compiled by Clayton Wolfe. As of November 2, 2026.
Boundaries and the Assessor map. Clearwater Hills occupies the hillside between Tatum Boulevard and the eastern flank of the town, with its own private road network behind a staffed gate. On the Assessor viewer, look for the Clearwater Hills plats and the metes-and-bounds hillside parcels. Read these lots by pad location and access grade; a steep driveway and a high pad change build cost more than lot size does.
Lot sizes and typical acreage. Parcels commonly run one to five acres; recent high-end activity has included five-acre holdings. The published typical lot is around 45,000 square feet, but the larger hillside parcels push well beyond that. As on the mountains, acreage overstates buildable area.
Hillside and height rules. Much of Clearwater Hills sits inside the Hillside Development Area, so sites with 10 percent or greater slope go through Article XXII and the Hillside Building Committee. Height is capped at 24 feet from natural grade and 40 feet overall from the lowest disturbed grade. On top of the Town process, the community's own architectural review applies.
HOA and the gate. Clearwater Hills has a homeowners association that staffs the gate and runs architectural review. That review governs rebuilds, materials, and heights within the community. Dues fund the gate, the private roads, and common areas; budget for them as a carrying cost.
View corridors and orientation. The draw is elevation and privacy, with western and southern views toward Camelback and the city from the higher pads. Lower parcels inside the gate trade privacy for easier building. A high west pad buys the sunset and the afternoon load together.
What is being built now. New construction inside the gate is slower than in the flat pockets because of the Hillside process and the community review. When homes do go up, they tend to be large hillside custom builds. Permit-derived activity is on the Paradise Valley new-construction pipeline.
How to search current inventory. Behind-the-gate inventory is limited and often sells quietly. For a current list and access, use my Paradise Valley search and reach out.
For how these homes price across the town, see the Paradise Valley home prices by neighborhood page and the Paradise Valley $10M+ sales tracker.
Short answers to the questions I hear most. Each one is covered in more depth above.
Yes, it is Paradise Valley's original guard-gated enclave, with its own private roads and staffed gate.
Because the figure blends small original homes with large rebuilds. Larger hillside parcels with view pads trade far higher.
Longer than on a flat lot. You clear both the Town's Hillside process and the community's architectural review.
Commonly one to five acres. Recent high-end activity included a five-acre parcel.
The staffed gate, the private road network, and common areas. Treat them as a carrying cost in your budget.
Clayton Wolfe, Partner at The Agency, Scottsdale. Luxury real estate specialist for Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, and Arcadia, with a niche in airpark and hangar-home properties. $100M+ in closed sales. RealTrends Verified #59 in Arizona by sales volume. Member of REALM. Founding member of the American Real Estate Association. Commercially rated pilot, 2,000+ hours.
More about Clayton. Thinking about buying or selling here? Start the conversation.