Last updated: 2025-11-23

Are Homestead Maricopa AZ Homes for Sale a Good Buy?

Questions about Homestead? Call (520) 838-8037 or text (602) 617-3017 to talk with a local Maricopa real estate agent and schedule a Homestead home tour.

Key Takeaways

• Homestead offers a lake, parks and sports courts with no community pool.
• Homes range from 1,100 to 4,500 square feet with prices in the $300,000s to $500,000s.
• HOA fees are often reported in the high $40s to around $100 monthly.
• Commute to Phoenix typically takes 35 to 45 minutes via SR 347.

Homestead in Maricopa AZ is a strong fit if you want a lake and parks, newer homes priced below Phoenix and you accept a longer SR 347 commute for more space. Buyers choose it for family friendly streets, walkable amenities and solid value.

What is the Homestead neighborhood in Maricopa AZ like?

Homestead is a master planned neighborhood in Maricopa with a central lake, walking paths, several parks and a mix of open and gated streets. It sits along Smith Enke and Porter Road, keeping you close to shopping, Copper Sky and town without feeling crowded. The subdivision runs from Smith Enke north down toward Porter Road, with entrances off Porter, Smith Enke, White and Parker.

Homes are mostly single family, built from the early 2000s through recent years by D.R. Horton, Meritage, Lennar, Richmond American and Brightland Homes. The community park and lake are the hub: you get walking and biking paths, children's playgrounds, BBQ areas, volleyball and basketball courts and a full sized soccer field. A fire station sits inside the subdivision, which many buyers appreciate for safety.

In our experience helping buyers in Homestead, mornings and evenings show the real character: kids at the tot lots, people walking dogs around the water and pickup games at the courts once the sun eases off. Big picture, Homestead feels like a typical Maricopa neighborhood in the best way: clean, planned, social and close to everyday services, with the lake giving it extra character.

What types of homes are for sale in Homestead Maricopa AZ?

Homestead offers mostly three to five bedroom single family homes, from efficient starter plans to larger two story properties with three or four car garages. Sizes run roughly 1,100 to more than 4,500 square feet, so inventory exists for first time buyers and move up buyers. Floor plans lean toward open concept great rooms, usable kitchens and covered patios, which work well for entertaining and desert living.

• Smaller homes: Around 1,100 to 1,600 square feet, often three bedrooms and two baths, ideal as first purchases or lock and leave.
• Mid sized homes: Around 1,700 to 2,300 square feet, usually four bedrooms with two or three baths and two or three car garages.
• Larger homes: Up to roughly 3,000 to 4,500 square feet in some gated sections, with bigger lots and more parking.

Homes are built on post tension slabs common in newer Arizona construction, designed to handle local soil conditions when maintained correctly. Many resale homes already have backyard landscaping, extended patios and sunscreens in place, which can save you money compared with a dirt backyard in a brand new build.

Local insight from helping Homestead buyers: If you care about driveway space, Homestead is worth a close look. You see plenty of wider lots, three car garages and longer driveways compared with some tighter Phoenix subdivisions.

To compare before committing, also look at The Villages at Rancho El Dorado, The Lakes at Rancho El Dorado and Cobblestone Farms for different amenity and price mixes.

How much do Homestead homes in Maricopa usually cost?

Recent listing data shows many Homestead homes priced in the low to mid $300,000s, with smaller homes occasionally dipping below that and larger gated homes reaching into the $400,000s and $500,000s. Actual pricing depends heavily on size, upgrades, lot and recent market shifts. One recent snapshot showed an average Homestead list price in the upper $300,000s, with homes ranging from about 1,000 to more than 4,500 square feet and with many homeowners seeing annual property tax bills around or below $2,000.

HOA fees in Homestead are often reported in the high $40s to around $100 monthly, but this can vary by section and is subject to change. The gated section that locals call Homestead South typically sits toward the higher end of that range, in part because it maintains private streets and gates. When you add everything together, Homestead usually prices below similar age homes in places like Gilbert or Queen Creek on a price per square foot basis, which pulls many Phoenix buyers south to Maricopa.

Pro tip: Before you fall in love with a specific house, have your lender and agent run the full payment including HOA, property tax and insurance. You can also plug estimates into the Maricopa mortgage calculator to sanity check your budget.

How does the Homestead HOA work in North vs South?

All of Homestead is in an HOA, but the community has different sections with different dues and setups. The widely known split is between the open area most people call Homestead North and the gated parcel residents call Homestead South. Homestead North has public streets and open access. HOA fees there have often been quoted around the high $40s per month and typically cover common area landscaping, parks and administration.

Homestead South is gated, has private streets and usually carries higher monthly dues that help fund gate maintenance, reserves for private road work and other shared costs. In some seasons, a bulk cable package has been included in parts of Homestead South.

Aspect	Homestead (open sections)	Homestead South (gated parcel)
Street access	Open to public, city maintained roads	Gated, private streets
Typical dues	Often reported in the high $40s per month	Higher, roughly in the $100 per month range
What dues support	Parks, landscaping, administration	Gates, private roads, landscaping and overhead

Like most HOAs in Maricopa, Homestead has CC&Rs and design guidelines. Expect rules around things like exterior paint colors, front yard landscaping, parking, RV or boat storage and short term rentals. Many buyers appreciate that these rules help keep the neighborhood looking consistent, but you need to read the current documents yourself during escrow.

From our experience with Homestead closings: If you are someone who loves to park work trucks, trailers or toys outside, we should sit down and go line by line through the CC&Rs before you commit. Before you close, ask for the most recent CC&Rs, bylaws, budget and reserve study, and verify dues and any transfer or capital improvement fees directly with the HOA or management company.

What amenities and lifestyle does Homestead offer?

Homestead is built around a large community park and lake, with walking and biking paths, shaded tot lots, BBQ areas, volleyball nets, basketball courts and a full sized soccer field. There is no private community pool, which is one reason HOA dues stay relatively reasonable compared with some resort style neighborhoods. The lake is a visual focal point and a popular spot for walks and photos. Paths wrap around the water and connect into the surrounding park space, so you can move through the neighborhood without always walking on busy streets.

Families use the wide open fields for casual soccer and football, while the courts give teens and adults an easy place to burn off energy in the evenings. In our tours of Homestead, on many weekends you will see birthday parties, pickup games and casual gatherings all happening around the same central park. It feels more like a shared backyard than a sterile subdivision park.

Homestead is also only a short drive from Copper Sky, Maricopa's large city run recreation complex. Copper Sky has an aquatics center with slides and lap lanes, a full gym, sports fields, tennis and pickleball courts and dog parks. Many Homestead residents prefer paying for those facilities only when they use them instead of funding a private HOA clubhouse every month.

What schools and education options serve Homestead?

Homestead sits inside the Maricopa Unified School District. Depending on the exact address, students may be zoned to schools such as Santa Cruz Elementary or Saddleback Elementary for younger grades, Desert Wind Middle School for middle grades and Maricopa High School for high school. Recent public data shows Santa Cruz and Saddleback tracking around the middle of Arizona public school performance, with Santa Cruz earning an A grade from the Arizona Department of Education, while Desert Wind and some other campuses score lower on certain academic measures.

Charter schools add important options, including Legacy Traditional, Heritage Academy and Sequoia Pathway.

• District schools: MUSD schools serve most of Homestead, and programs can vary by campus and year.
• Charter choices: Heritage Academy and Legacy Traditional are popular alternatives for many Homestead families.
• Private and homeschool: A smaller share of families choose private schools in neighboring cities or homeschool models.

School fit is very personal. Always review current report cards, visit campuses, talk with administrators and use tools like GreatSchools, Niche and Arizona Department of Education report cards rather than relying on old ratings or national portals. If schools are a top priority for you, we can build tours around specific campuses and also look at options in nearby communities such as Province and The Villages at Rancho El Dorado so you see a range of choices.

What healthcare options are available near Homestead?

Maricopa has dramatically better healthcare access than it did a few years ago. Exceptional Community Hospital on John Wayne Parkway provides a 24 hour emergency room and inpatient beds inside the city. It is licensed as a general hospital and is designed to handle serious emergencies, not just urgent care visits. In addition, Banner Health Center near Porter and Bowlin offers primary care, pediatrics, women's health and other specialties along with on site lab and imaging services.

That combination means many routine and urgent needs can be handled without a drive to Chandler or Casa Grande. For more complex cases, you still have easy access to the broader Phoenix metro hospital network through SR 347 and I 10, but new local facilities have made Homestead more attractive to retirees and anyone managing chronic conditions.

Recommendation for buyers: Before you buy, check that your current doctors and insurance plan work smoothly with providers in and near Maricopa so you are not surprised later.

What is the commute like from Homestead to Phoenix and nearby job centers?

Most Homestead buyers who work in Phoenix, Chandler or Tempe deal with the SR 347 commute. In light traffic, expect roughly 35 to 45 minutes to many Phoenix or East Valley job centers. During peak rush hour or after accidents, times can increase. Homestead's location helps a bit. You can reach SR 347 using Smith Enke or Honeycutt, which lets you avoid some congestion around the main retail corridor on John Wayne Parkway.

For purely local errands, Porter Road makes it easy to reach schools, Copper Sky and shopping without getting on the highway at all.

• Peak hours: Northbound mornings and southbound afternoons are usually the slowest times.
• Weather and crashes: Dust storms and accidents can briefly close or slow SR 347, so most residents keep traffic apps handy.
• Telework: Many Phoenix employers now support hybrid or remote work, which can make a Homestead home much more practical.

Advice from working with Homestead buyers: If your job has fixed start times, it is smart to test the drive on a weekday at your actual commute hours before writing an offer. Weekend traffic feels very different from Monday mornings.

Is buying a home in Homestead a good long term move?

For many buyers, Homestead offers a solid long term play: newer homes, competitive pricing, a full amenity park system and improving city infrastructure. The price per square foot often compares very favorably with similar age homes in the East Valley. Rental potential is also real. Rental potential is strong, with many Homestead homes leasing in the high $2,000s per month based on recent market activity, which is higher than many Arizona neighborhoods. That, combined with limited apartment stock in Maricopa, helps support demand for well kept single family rentals.

Risks include reliance on SR 347 for most commuting, school performance that varies by campus and the usual desert homeownership considerations such as cooling costs and maintenance on AC units and roofs. Like any neighborhood, values move with the broader Phoenix market cycle. If you want other options at a similar price point, it is smart to compare Homestead with communities like Maricopa Meadows, Desert Cedars and Alterra, then line up lifestyle, commute and resale potential side by side.

Due diligence when buying in Homestead and Maricopa

Buying in Homestead is not just about liking the kitchen. You want to make sure the paperwork, physical condition and numbers all support what you are paying. After helping hundreds of buyers through Maricopa closings, here are key checks we walk through.

• HOA documents: Read the CC&Rs, bylaws, rules and design guidelines. Confirm current dues, transfer fees and any planned increases or special assessments.
• Budgets and reserves: Review the HOA budget and reserve study to see how well the community has planned for future road, wall and landscape work.
• Taxes and assessments: Have title and your lender show you a full property tax breakdown. Some Arizona communities have extra assessments; you want to know every line item.
• Inspections: Order full home, roof and termite inspections, and consider sewer or drain line checks, especially on older properties.
• Utilities: Ask sellers for recent water and power bills so you understand typical summer and winter costs.
• Official advisories: Review the Arizona REALTORS Buyer Advisory, plus any local city or county disclosures your agent provides.

Important legal and financial disclaimer: This article is meant for education. For legal, tax or financial questions, you should always speak with licensed attorneys, CPAs, lenders and other qualified professionals before you waive contingencies or close. Real estate transactions involve substantial financial and legal commitments that require expert guidance specific to your situation.

Is Homestead in Maricopa AZ right for you?

Homestead works very well for many buyers who want value, parks and a lake without a luxury price tag, and who can live with the SR 347 commute. It is less ideal if you need a very short drive to central Phoenix or dislike HOAs.

Best if you:

• Want more house and yard for your money than Phoenix offers.
• Like walking paths, parks and a neighborhood lake for daily life.
• Are open to HOAs that keep the community looking consistent.
• Can handle a 35 to 45 minute commute most days or have flexible work.

May not be ideal if you:

• Need a very short commute to central Phoenix or north Scottsdale.
• Prefer neighborhoods without HOAs or with extremely relaxed rules.
• Want on site community pools instead of city run facilities like Copper Sky.

If Homestead feels close but not quite right, you may want to compare with Maricopa pool home options, new construction communities or 55 plus living in Province.

Frequently asked questions about buying in Homestead

Are Homestead Maricopa AZ homes for sale usually new or resale?

Today you will mostly see resale homes in Homestead, built from the early 2000s onward, with occasional newer builds in later phases. Nearby new construction communities give you alternatives if you want a dirt start build or the very latest floor plans.

Do Homestead homes have high HOA fees?

Homestead's HOA dues are generally considered moderate for a planned community with a lake and parks. Open areas often sit in the high $40s per month, while gated sections land closer to the $100 range. Always verify current fees directly with the HOA before closing.

Is there a pool in the Homestead neighborhood?

Homestead does not have a private community pool. Residents usually use Copper Sky, Maricopa's city run recreation center, for pools, slides and lap lanes, which keeps HOA dues lower than in some resort style neighborhoods with large private clubhouses.

How long does it take to commute from Homestead to Phoenix?

Most Homestead residents report roughly 35 to 45 minutes to many Phoenix or East Valley job centers in typical traffic. Rush hour, weather and crashes on SR 347 can extend that time, so it is wise to test your exact route during your usual commute hours.

Who can help me buy or sell a home in Homestead?

You are not short on options, but working with someone who actually knows Maricopa makes a difference. Realtor James Sanson has sold thousands of homes since 2002 with hundreds of five star reviews. You can start by connecting with our Maricopa real estate agents or request a dedicated buyer agent in Maricopa AZ.

If you are "Homestead curious" but not quite ready to buy, you can still put a smart plan in place. Set up Homestead specific alerts, watch how pricing and days on market move and walk the community at different times of day before you commit.

Low pressure next step: Sign up for neighborhood updates and new listing alerts through our Maricopa real estate network so you see Homestead opportunities early without feeling rushed.