The best lowest-priced communities in Northwest Phoenix are usually found in the larger communities, like the various Sun City resorts. With a bigger turnover in homes and a larger range of models, prices for smaller homes remain competitive.
If you’re looking at homes for sale in Arizona, then Northwest Phoenix has a lot to offer. No neighborhood in this region is too far from the center of the city if you want to explore its museums, restaurants, historic buildings, and other attractions. This area is also a little further north, closer to Northern Arizona, which makes for easy access to popular spots like Prescott, Jerome, Flagstaff, Sedona, and even the Grand Canyon.
Sun City, the USA’s very first active adult community, is in Northwest Phoenix, and Del Webb naturally did a lot of research before settling on this area as the ideal retirement location. Other communities followed, both from Del Webb and other builders, and Northwest Phoenix was established as a prime spot for snowbirds seeking winter homes, and active adults looking for a permanent Arizona retirement.
Here are some of the best lowest-priced communities in Northwest Phoenix. They all have homes for sale below $200K, with some even below $100K.
1. Sun City – Sun City, AZ
Below $100K – High $800s
Sun City was founded in 1960 and set the standard for all active adult communities. It has 27,492 homes for the 55+ active adult, and as a large community, it offers all the facilities of a small town. It’s less than a 30-minute drive away from Downtown Phoenix, ten minutes from the popular Desert Diamond Casino, and less than thirty minutes from several outdoor recreation areas such as the 9,600-acre Sonoran Preserve.
Its amenities include eleven golf courses, a performing arts theater, two fishing lakes, two libraries, a hospital, 31 places of worship, and 19 shopping areas. Sports and fitness fans can enjoy lawn bowling, softball, tennis, pickleball, mini golf, racquetball, two bowling alleys, and seven fitness centers. There are nine indoor and outdoor pools, numerous arts and crafts facilities, and countless clubs, classes, groups, and activities to join.
Its models start with attached homes of a compact 635 square feet, offering studio living with one bathroom and a one-car garage. There are several models that are all under 1,000 square feet and prices start well below $100K. If you want an active adult community with countless facilities and affordable homes, Sun City is one of the best choices.
2. Sun City West – Sun City West, AZ
Low $100s – High $600s
Sun City West is a few miles northwest of Sun City, so a little further from Downtown Phoenix. It’s also about a 30-minute drive from the Peoria Regional Preserve, which provides mountain hiking trails and desert landscapes. Sun City West is a 55+ active adult community of 16,900 attached and single-family homes.
Its many amenities include a hospital, 18 places of worship, nine golf courses, nine restaurants, RV storage, shops, banks, grocery stores, and pharmacies. For keeping fit and active, there are five indoor and outdoor pools, three fitness centers, 18 pickleball courts, and courts for tennis, basketball, bocce ball, racquetball, and shuffleboard.
The most affordable homes here start at 761 square feet, and these have one bedroom, one bathroom, and a one-and-a-half-car garage. There are several other models available at under 1,000 square feet, and home prices start in the low $100s.
3. Sun Village – Surprise, AZ
Below $100K – High $200s
Sun Village is a gated community of 1,382 attached and single-family homes for the 55+ active adult. It’s located just a few minutes from Sun City West in the city of Surprise, and it’s a 50-minute drive from Downtown Phoenix. Also, the outdoor recreational activities in the 30,000-acre White Tank Mountain Regional Park are a 20-minute drive away.
Social happenings center around the 47,000-square-foot community center. Amenities include a ballroom, a library, an arts and crafts studios, a fitness center, a church, an outdoor pool and spa, and courts for shuffleboard, pickleball, and tennis. Residents also benefit from low rates at the 18-hole public Sun Village Golf Course.
The smallest models are the townhomes, which start at 634 square feet with one bedroom, one bathroom, and a one-car garage. There are four other townhome models, all under 1,000 square feet, and these homes are priced at under $100K.
4. Ventana Lakes – Peoria, AZ
High $100s – Mid $300s
Ventana Lakes is in the Phoenix suburb of Peoria, about an hour’s drive northwest of Downtown Phoenix. It’s only a 15-minute drive from the Peoria West Wing Mountain Preserve, with its hiking trails and picturesque Arizona desert landscape. This is a 55+ active adult community with 1,701 attached and single-family homes.
Amenities include a clubhouse, a ballroom, a fitness center, four outdoor pools, four spas, nine scenic lakes, and facilities for a large number of sports including tennis, pickleball, bocce ball, handball, basketball, and volleyball.
The smallest and most affordable models are just under 1,000 square feet, offering two bedrooms, a den, two bathrooms, and a two-car garage. When available, these homes sell for under $200K, but they’re not always available, so be sure to register your interest with a trusted realtor.
