Homes For Sale in Desert Cedars

Desert Cedars in Maricopa, AZ: Homes, HOA, Schools, and the Copper Sky Location

An established, built-out community of roughly 400 single-family homes in 85138, built mainly from 2005 to 2007 by Lennar and other production builders, directly across John Wayne Parkway from the Copper Sky Recreation Complex. Homes range from about 1,450 to 3,500 square feet and have three to five bedrooms, with a strong share of larger plans.

Desert Cedars at a glance

• Roughly 400 detached single-family homes, one- and two-story, about 1,450 to 3,500 square feet, three to five bedrooms. See home types.
• Built mainly between 2005 and 2007 by Lennar and other production builders, these homes are fully built out, so every home for sale here is a resale with mature landscaping.
• Directly across John Wayne Parkway from Copper Sky, the city's recreation complex with a gym, pools, a splash pad, and sports fields. See amenities.
• No community pool; a standard single-family HOA billed quarterly. See how the HOA works.
• Maricopa Unified School District, generally Maricopa Elementary or Saddleback Elementary, Maricopa Wells Middle, and Maricopa High, with new boundaries effective 2026-2027. See schools and commute.

Desert Cedars is a smaller, built-out community in south Maricopa, in 85138 and Pinal County, off John Wayne Parkway near Honeycutt Road and Desert Cedars Drive, just over the railroad tracks from central Maricopa. It sits directly across the parkway from Copper Sky, with Santa Rosa Crossing tucked in behind it. The sections below cover the homes, the HOA and amenities, the schools and commute, and how homes here get priced and sold, using closed-sale data rather than estimates.

How are homes in Desert Cedars priced and sold?

Desert Cedars is built out, so every transaction is a resale, and the comp set is the community's own recent closings. Two things drive price here, and both are specific to this neighborhood: the larger four- and five-bedroom floor plans, which buyers chase and that don't always sell, and the Copper Sky location across the parkway, a real differentiator from interior lots in other communities. A Desert Cedars home is priced against recent Desert Cedars sales, not a citywide number. For context, Maricopa's citywide median sold price was $345,715 over the trailing twelve months as of July 2026, per ARMLS. We can pull current Desert Cedars closings for any address on request, and every Maricopa community's numbers sit side by side in the Maricopa market snapshot.

What amenities does Desert Cedars offer?

Inside the community, the amenities are simple and well-kept: a main park with a playground, greenbelts and grassy areas, shaded seating, and walking paths. There is no community pool, and the trade is intentional: Copper Sky's pools, gym, splash pad, and sports fields sit directly across John Wayne Parkway, so residents rely on city recreation rather than paying for a private pool through their dues. Newer retail and dining line the nearby 347 corridor.

What types of homes are in Desert Cedars?

Detached single-family homes, one- and two-story, from about 1,450 to 3,500 square feet with three to five bedrooms. Because Lennar and other production builders built it between 2005 and 2007, it offers a range of plans rather than a single template, with a strong share of larger four- and five-bedroom homes, a practical option for buyers who need more room than newer entry-level communities offer. The neighborhood is established, so mature landscaping is the norm. Current inventory is in the listings at the top of this page.

How does the Desert Cedars HOA work?

Desert Cedars has a community HOA billed quarterly, and it runs like a standard single-family HOA rather than a resort-level amenity association, covering the park, greenbelts, and common areas. Get the current amount directly from the association. Like every Maricopa HOA, it operates under CC&Rs and design guidelines that cover exterior changes, landscaping, and parking, and Arizona law requires an HOA disclosure package at resale, with the disclosure and document fee capped by Arizona statute. Verify current dues, transfer fees, and any special assessments with the HOA during escrow.

What about schools and the commute?

Desert Cedars is in the Maricopa Unified School District and is generally served by Maricopa Elementary or Saddleback Elementary, Maricopa Wells Middle School, and Maricopa High School. The Governing Board approved new attendance boundaries on December 10, 2025, effective for the 2026-2027 school year, so the assignment depends on the specific street; confirm any home against the current MUSD boundary map. For commuting, John Wayne Parkway is right there, and most residents take SR 347 north toward the I-10 corridor, typically 35 to 45 minutes to Phoenix and East Valley job centers, with rush hour and incidents extending that. Testing your exact route at your actual commute hours before writing an offer is the advice we give every buyer.

How do you sell a home in Desert Cedars?

Selling here is about positioning the two things buyers actually pay for: the larger floor plans and the Copper Sky location across the street. Our listing approach includes pricing based on recent Desert Cedars closings, professional photography, community and drone video that makes the recreation complex proximity obvious, targeted digital and social advertising, MEGA Open Houses, and private buyer previews. James Sanson has been a licensed Arizona REALTOR since 2002, a Maricopa specialist since 2004, with 1,300+ closings and 267 five-star reviews on Zillow. Start with a free home value report, see how our selling process works, or call 520-838-8037.

How does Desert Cedars compare to nearby communities?

Santa Rosa Crossing is the neighbor directly behind it and the clearest contrast: 351 Centex homes built 2021 to 2023, three to four bedrooms at about 1,552 to 2,357 square feet, with a monthly HOA, against Desert Cedars' mid-2000s build, larger plans, and quarterly HOA. For established 85138 neighborhoods, buyers also compare Senita, Glennwilde, and Rancho El Dorado. Homestead, at about 2,400 lots, is another common comparison.

Frequently asked questions

Does Desert Cedars have a community pool?

No. Its internal amenities are a main park with a playground, greenbelts and grass areas, shaded seating, and walking paths. For a pool, gym, splash pad, and sports fields, Copper Sky sits directly across John Wayne Parkway.

When was Desert Cedars built, and who built it?

Mainly between 2005 and 2007, by Lennar and other production builders. It is fully built out, so homes trade on the resale market rather than through a builder.

What are the HOA fees in Desert Cedars?

The HOA bills quarterly and runs as a standard single-family association covering the park and common areas. Get the current amount, transfer fees, and any special assessments directly from the HOA before closing, because dues change over time.

What schools serve Desert Cedars?

Maricopa Unified School District: generally Maricopa Elementary or Saddleback Elementary, Maricopa Wells Middle School, and Maricopa High School. New attendance boundaries take effect for 2026-2027, so confirm the exact street against the current MUSD boundary map.

How is Desert Cedars different from Santa Rosa Crossing next door?

Age, size, and HOA cadence. Desert Cedars is mid-2000s construction with plans up to about 3,500 square feet and a quarterly HOA; Santa Rosa Crossing is 2021 to 2023 Centex construction with plans up to about 2,357 square feet and a monthly HOA. Both sit at Copper Sky, and neither has its own pool.

How can I research safety and crime data for Desert Cedars?

Review current public crime statistics from official sources and visit the community at different times of day. We provide links to the data rather than characterizing any area, and a firsthand visit tells you the most.

See Desert Cedars for yourself

Browse the current listings above, run payment scenarios on the Maricopa mortgage calculator, or connect with our Maricopa real estate agents for a same-day or same-week tour. Call 520-838-8037 (calls only).

James Sanson - Real Broker LLC | Licensed in Arizona
Equal Housing Opportunity.