After more than 28 years of working with horse owners and horse properties across Arizona, I’ve seen how the North Valley (Desert Hills, New River, and North Phoenix) continues to appeal to buyers who want space, trails, and a mix of mountainous and flat terrain. June 2026 showed some clear shifts worth paying attention to.
***** In order to be considered a horse property, the horse property listing must have at least one horse feature: Arena, Auto Waterer, barn, corral, stall, tack-room,hotwalker etc…
Active Horse Properties: 39 https://www.flexmls.com/share/ECKcF/Selected
Median Square Foot: 2,389
Median Original Price: $898,000
Median Current list Price $849,999
Median Active PPSF: $347.00
13 Horse Properties Include Arenas https://www.flexmls.com/share/ECKda/Selected
16 Horse Properties Closed last 60 days https://www.flexmls.com/share/ECKf8/Selected
Median Sold Square Foot: 2,086.5
Median Sold Price: $612,500
Median Sold PPSF $340.00
This month everything trended lower across the board in the North Valley. Active horse properties dropped noticeably, along with median square footage and several key pricing metrics. Even though there are currently 39 active horse properties, only 13 of them include arenas. Prices start around $419,899 for an arena-equipped property and $360,000 for non-arena properties.
There are 20 active horse properties in the Desert Hills area, 13 in New River, and the remainder in Black Canyon City. Flood irrigation is limited but present — 4 properties in Waddell and others scattered. This far North Phoenix corridor offers a good mix of mountainous areas, flat terrain, and plenty of trails within riding distance of most properties. It remains a very horse-friendly area with freeway access and convenient amenities, plus a variety of water options including well water, hauled water, and city water.
Whether you’re buying or selling in the North Valley, this is a corridor worth considering. For buyers, there are more options than in tighter markets. For sellers, proper preparation and realistic pricing remain essential in the current environment.
Outside the Arena
Local Real Estate Overview
Desert Hills (Phoenix 85086) Desert Hills had 5.02 months of inventory in May, with inventory down 3% month-over-month. There were 85 new listings at a median price of $815,000, while 296 active listings carried a median of $794,000. Pending listings averaged 61 days on market, and homes sold at a median price of $597,500 with a sold-to-list ratio of 97.39%. The market offered reasonable selection with stable pricing.
New River New River showed 5.92 months of inventory, up 7% month-over-month. There were 24 new listings at a median price of $699,450, while active listings carried a median of $575,000. New pending listings averaged 58 days on market, and homes sold at a median price of $575,000 (down 8% from the prior month). The area continues to appeal to buyers seeking a more rural setting with good trail access.
Compare and Contrast Both areas are experiencing relatively balanced but slower-moving conditions. Desert Hills offers more overall inventory and higher median price points, giving buyers more selection while requiring sellers to be competitive on price. New River has slightly tighter inventory and more affordable entry points, which may appeal to buyers looking for value in a quieter, more rural setting. Across both areas, homes are taking longer to sell than in previous years, and realistic pricing remains key to successful transactions.
Beyond the Paddock
According to the Cromford Report, contract counts (listings under contract) have remained ahead of both 2025 and 2024 for most of 2026, with the exception of one week in mid-January. As of June 13, 2026, we still see a 5.3% advantage over 2025. While numbers are not high by historical standards, it is encouraging to be on an increasing trend year-over-year as we head into the slower summer months.
On the pricing side, trends over the last 3.5 years vary significantly by price segment:
- Under $500,000: The 12-month moving average price per square foot has declined by about 7% since January 2023.
- $500,000–$1,000,000: A slight decline of about 1.5%.
- $1,000,000–$3,000,000: A modest increase of about 4%.
- Over $3,000,000: A significant increase of about 17%.
These differences highlight how the market is behaving very differently depending on price point.
Ready to Talk Horse Property?
If you’re thinking about buying or selling in the North Valley — or anywhere across Arizona — I’d be happy to have a straightforward conversation about what the current market means for you.
Disclosure:
- System Links automatically expire after 30 days
- The definition of “Median is often considered a more accurate reflection of the typical property because it better represents the center value in a dataset by excluding the high and low values of the outliers.
- Not all listings are with West USA Realty brokerage.
- Full supporter of the Fair Housing Act.
- This blog includes the North Valley Horse Property Market (e.g., North Phoenix, Desert Hills, New River)85085, 85086, 85087, 85324
Author Ron Bykerk
Ron Bykerk is a seasoned entrepreneur and Arizona horse property specialist with over 30 years of experience in the equestrian industry. As a REALTOR® with West USA Realty, he combines his deep knowledge of equine properties, land use, and the unique needs of horse owners to help buyers and sellers navigate the Arizona horse property market. Having visited thousands of equestrian properties across the state, Ron offers unparalleled expertise and a centralized platform—Arizona Horse Property Resource—to ensure maximum exposure, expert guidance, and seamless transactions. His long-standing relationships with horse owners, trainers, and equestrian professionals reflect his commitment to serving the Arizona horse community with integrity and passion.
📞 Call or text: [480-221-1280]
📧 Email: ron@azpropertyresource.com
🌐 Learn more: arizonahorsepropertyresource.com
West USA Realty
2355 W Utopia Rd Ste #100, Phoenix, AZ 85027