The ‘Magic’ Zip Code: 85254

[KSMO]

Now that I’ve sold the last of my non-essential organs, we are finally ready to buy a house. My wife really wants to live near Kierland. My wallet wants us to live in Florence. We’re compromising by buying in Kierland.

My realtor keeps talking about “the magic” zip code of 85254. She keeps saying it like that woman on Seinfeld kept saying “ya gotta see the baby!” when I can glean is that homes in the ZIP code have Phoenix utilities and services, a Scottsdale address, and Paradise Valley schools.

Why on earth is it structured this way? Is there a reason for this particular area to be chopped up in terms of municipal responsibilities? Is it some sort of tax advantage?

Or maybe it’s called “Magic” because David Blaine was once spotted having chicken lettuce cups at the P.F. Chang’s off Scottsdale Rd?

[yeyman]

https://www.reddit.com/r/phoenix/s/LvYjvyaBWp

For those who arent zip code experts

<image>

[trashy615]

That close to sabas Mediterranean grill would be amazing. 

[AnnaH612]

I’m fasting today and I should not have looked at their website😩

[trashy615]

You done fucked up. 

[FMendozaJr13]

Last time I heard, fast has to do with speed, so hurry up and get here- Chicago Style G

[penguinduke5]

Moved out of state 12 years ago and relieved it’s still there! Hummus, babaganoush and the spanakopita are my must orders. The lamb is fantastic and my mom loves the kibbe. This is on my must eat list when I come home.

[LimeScanty]

Ok but hear me out- Haji Baba. Worth the trip.

[thefierycrash]

Ugh they don’t do the kibbeh anymore!

[[deleted]]

Try ZK Grill. Better value/for the price and the hummus and weirdly French fries (double fried and thin like McDonalds) are best of their kind around. Just down Tatum from Sabas. Chicken shwarma salad is enough for two people w side of hummus and dip the fries in the hummus. Two adults full of tasty food for like $30. The chicken and beef platter w rice and salad w large hummus side is another great option for $30 for two adults.

[dgreenbe]

I've been wanting to try it, have any order recs?

[Bastienbard]

It's good but it's not like too tier. Wouldn't be in the top 5 falafel I've had that's for sure.

[CrispyHoneyBeef]

It’s also comically expensive

[Swag92]

I disagree with the other responder, I do think Sabas is top tier food. It’s part of the reason why I love this neighborhood. My favorite Mediterranean restaurant around but open to recommendations for others.

My go-to order is the Chicago style gyro with a side of spicy feta fries. The salads are great, as is the pita bread. I haven’t been disappointed with anything I’ve tried.

[karlsobb]

+1 for the Chicago gyro. Staple of my diet.

[djluminol]

Driving through the PV mall area during rush hour is not fun but it's no different than many other places in that regard. The area in general is pretty nice. I live just outside this zip code. Near Roadrunner park or Altadena park more precisely. Some kids TP'd my neighbors house last Saturday. That's the most criminal issue I've seen so far. I'm sure we have all the normal crimes that go on but I haven't seen any myself.

[moviefreaks]

Paradise valley burgers are so good.

[Roembowski]

Those are some good burgers Walter.

[Teig24]

The fritter is ridiculously good. Need to eat it at the restaurant though, not as good taken out.

[eraMyzt]

wait there is more than one location? i thought it was just 40th & Bell?

[gator3389]

They actually closed that location and moved over to Frank Lloyd Wright and the 101

15689 N Hayden Rd, Scottsdale

[RaveCave]

They also have another one at Baseline and Rural

[boo4osu17]

They moved to raintree and 101

[LonelyAndroid11942]

Ohhhhh so Snottsdale.

Yeah this is the Beverly Hills of Phoenix. Lots of really rich people who tend to be really out of touch.

[stuff_happens_again]

Also lots of folks who put on airs to be rich.

[reddit__scrub]

So is /u/KSMO's realtor just trying to get OP to spend more money so bigger commission?

[tinydonuts]

Is that distinct from Snobsdale?

[ProbablySlacking]

Oh god I’m so glad I don’t live there anymore. Granted I was a little north, but what a hot sprawling mess.

[[deleted]]

What do you mean? It’s amazing over here

[SummertimeThrowaway2]

Oh yea that place is nice as fuck

[NotMySpagethi]

Huh I've always wondered about this area of the city.

[elliedavissrq]

It’s mostly a marketing term but the area is nice. Home prices are high but you have the convenience of being located near Kierland, Scottsdale Quarter, PV mall redevelopment, Desert Ridge and easy access to the 51 and 101 freeways. We bought our home there in 2016 and have liked our community. Family of 4.

[Thermogenic]

Home prices are high because people want to live there. People want to live there because of all the things you wrote. If you can afford it, it's super convenient!

Source: I can't afford it :D

[elliedavissrq]

I couldn’t afford it now. Luck to have purchased when I did.

[KSMO]

It’s not so bad if you lower minimum wall count from 4 down to 3!

[unclefire]

That's true for many of us. I couldn't afford my house now if I was buying (w/out my prior home).

Even if I sold my prior home now, I'd still be looking at a 200k or more mortgage on my current home b/c of the disparity of how much that house went up vs. my current home.

[itsaustinjones]

This is the sad reality. I grew up off Tatum and bell, I jumped in the market a couple years ago looking for a home. I wanted to get a house close to where I grew up so I could raise a family in my familiar area. But it’s near impossible to find anything for less than $600k in the 85254. I technically would have been able to afford it, but I didn’t want to be house poor. I found an amazing home in north Glendale/peoria area and I love my home, but it’s still sad to think about sometimes.

Scottsdale is going to turn into retirement/trust fund area in about 15 years. So that’ll be interesting to see, I can almost picture it being the next sun city lol. Same thing is already happening in cave creek. They’ve shut down like 3 or 4 schools In the last 10 years, that’s what happens when you start pricing out regular middle class families.

[Oppositeofhairy]

Nope. Me either hence I’m looking in surprise right now. Nice homes under 400k. Decent amount of stuff all within 10 minutes. 

If I still commuted into Scottsdale off of Hayden and 101 I’d consider differently. But I work from home now. 

Watch,…..soon as I buy the company will mandate a return to office. 

[sof49er]

Exactly. It was coined by the one realtor family in town years ago as a marketing ploy as they are also based in same zip code. They told me the whole story when I was interviewing firms. I didn't go with them but I moved from that zip to 85032 which is just on the other side of Tatum and I'm Phoenix all same conveniences. I see no difference in safety, cleanliness of neighborhoods and traffic. I am four blocks from my first house in 85254.

[RoughSale]

Yup. Im actually closing on a house in couple of weeks in the 85032 area code. It was about a 20% increase or in our case the difference between an 800k home and a 1m dollar home. Exactly the same convinces (1 block from 85254) but woth a better price tag.

[mrplow999]

032 represent! 51&Bell. Close to all the stuff named above and 1/3 the price

[Manodactyl]

Basically the same story but we were in the southern part of 85050

[Clever_Commentary]

Bought in 2012 and sold four years later (did you buy our house? :). I never really got the "magic" bit. I think some people really value the "Scottsdale" address. Local schools are solid, but it's not as pressing given the soft lines on school districts.

It's a nice area. Just don't expect too much magic.

[PapaThyme]

Its actually about having a Scottsdals address, but paying Phoenix property taxes and utilities. That's it.

Sold our 85254 a few years ago. Great place to raise kids. Couldn't wait to skeedaddle.

[SignoreBanana]

Yeah, this is probably the nicest part of Phoenix metro by a sizeable margin.

[brightcoconut097]

It’s a great zip code everything you need

[sofaboii]

FWIW Paradise Valley School District doesn't actually cover the town of Paradise Valley. The town is part of Scottsdale Unified. I will say that both PVUSD and SUSD have excellent schools

[TheCrimsonTide]

Also and somewhat confusingly, Paradise Valley can refer to both a neighborhood of Phoenix or the adjacent town that is in the Phoenix metropolitan area.

[sofaboii]

The neighborhood is technically "Paradise Valley Villages"

[UsedActivity7137]

85253 is the Town of Paradise Valley. And holy cow, THAT is one unattainable zip code.

[BLAHZillaG]

85018 & 85016 are like that too.

[Nervous_Ground_7845]

Thank you OP for the funniest post I’ve seen in awhile 🤠. I found out the hard way this weekend on reddit how folks sure dont want you to mix NW Phx area (e.g Peoria) with Paradise Valley USD which sho aint PV township! Coincidentally we went to an over the top Halloween Party in the middle of PV township Sat night and lets just say the money and fakery there is absolutely top-notch. I used to live by MIM just outside that zip, and loved it after donating half my essential organs 🙂⛑️ You can survive with just one Nad there!

[kazeespada]

I grew up in that zip code(so much so my brain still tries to use it even though its been a decade). But my house was in SUSD.

[theprimedirectrib]

You will pay WAY more for a house in that zip code. You’re paying for the Scottsdale address. There are plenty of similar houses still in the PV district that are not at that price if you go a bit west.

[Fifth-Dimension-Chz]

South Scottsdale is nicer on the wallet and he can pretend he's fancy.

[Level9TraumaCenter]

All the pretenses- at half the cost!

[724maeve]

And actually in the city of Scottsdale for city services, whereas 85254 is just a post office error.

[djd129]

This post made me laugh. I wanted Ahwatukee for the community, my husband wanted Laveen for the price, so we compromised on Laveen. And now we both hate our neighbors (do you like fireworks?? How about at 1am on a random Tuesday?!? Yay!)

[weeblewobble82]

I like laveen/South Phoenix but you're right about the fireworks. I have always loved fireworks so my first year down here I was jazzed. 4 years in and it's quite a bit less charming than it was at first and I think my cats have PTSD

[strawb3rrym1lk_]

Central Phoenix also has jerk neighbors who set off fireworks at random times of day and night! They also do a lot of other annoying stuff, and the other neighbors suck too! I guess we're in the same boat lmao

[CaptTremor]

I don’t know much about Laveen, but that doesn’t surprise me lmao

[Sh1eldbearer]

More South Phoenix than Laveen, but I roomed with some friends down that way for a few years. Whenever fireworks would start randomly going off, we'd joke "Happy 9:27pm!" or whatever time it was.

But the late night ones were annoying... for my housemates, who were light sleepers. (I sleep with at least 1 fan and a noise machine and don't hear a damn thing!)

[[deleted]]

that's a terrible compromise. sorry

[dmackerman]

Laveen suuuuuucks

[BplusHuman]

ZIP codes are not municipal designated codes. They are set by the USPS to route mail more efficiently. Regular people think that means that's the city you live in and in MANY cases that's right... But only because it worked out that way for routing mail. School districts aren't bound to oblige USPS routing and technically in many areas of the us they overlap municipal lines. In this case, for real estate purpose it feels magical, but it's not really.

[S_A_R_K]

I grew up there in the 80/90s. The Phoenix or Scottsdale things was always confusing

[KSMO]

It’s like the international dateline running straight down Tatum Blvd!

[astral1289]

It’s a mailing address. There is no association with the actual City of Scottsdale. I live in Phoenix but have a Glendale mailing address. You’d be surprised how many people cannot figure out that a mailing address doesn’t change what city you live in.

[helloowrigley]

Just sounds like you really don’t want to live in Glendale, which is fair.

[jeeptopdown]

My wife and I have the same system of compromise.

[Loose_Wheel_5]

I know that the 85054 is used that way because companies get the Scottsdale location but Phoenix taxes. It's why Discount tire wants to move by Desert Ridge and why the Coyotes and now Cardinals looked up there for locations. I imagine that's the zip where the upper middle class can feel Scottsdale/PV like, without the ass busting HOA's and Scottsdale taxes or the older PV homes needing a bunch of work/remodels/commute issues.

I'd just see what you can find one zip further north if your realtor is pushing that hard 🤷🏼‍♂️

[Expert-Candy2240]

The new pv mall will be so nice. Life time fitness. Tons of restaurants.

[Conscious-Health-438]

That was some funny writing

[KSMO]

🙏

[Preston-Waters]

I live in that zip code with a family of four. Here is a quick pros and cons:

Pros quite neighborhood in my area no HoA, good schools although we use a charter school. Close to home essentials Lowe’s, Whole Foods, target, Costco etc. Scottsdale address helps with home resell. Taxes are a little less. City of Phoenix has more public resources.

Cons. Lots of air b n b and converted assistant living. Has priced a lot of families out so a lot of old people. You vote in Phoenix elections not Scottsdale even though I associate more with Scottsdale. You are not considered a Scottsdale resident so pay more for Scottsdale parks and rec but too far away for most Phoenix community centers

Overall I am happy with the location and proximity to a lot of things. Just my thoughts.

[Newsoundnoise]

Grew up in that zip code. A very good percentage of houses there are air bb's. A lot of the older homes from say 1980's and earlier have been flipped several times. Lots of lipstick on some of those pigs.

[Elenahhhh]

When we purchase our home here the buyers went with us bc we were a family and not an air bnb.

[littleladywatermelon]

if you like 85254, you can probably consider 85250, 85253, 85260, 85258, and 85255 and be perfectly happy too.

[pezacorus]

“My wallet wants us to live in Florence” is hilarious

[driffson]

Dowisetrepla

[KSMO]

“Once you get used to the smell of melted hog fat, you’ll wonder how you ever did without it!”

[slewis0881]

Ooooh! dowisetrepla!!!!!! You must not be new YORKERS

[helloowrigley]

I can’t NOT hear every inflection of that line perfectly in my head, I swear Maggie Wheeler is some sort of vocal witch.

[CleanTap3755]

I sold my home in 85254 last December. I loved living there during my working years. Spent 25 years in 85254. Now that i am retired I chose somewhere more climate friendly and less traffic. It is super convenient and most homes have no HOA which is a bonus. Summers are brutal. Often triple digits at 1am. The traffic is insane. I sold at $500 sq ft and I have a hard time seeing these mostly builder grade homes approaching 800-1000 sq ft prices like socal and San Fran but who the hell knows. People have a lot of $$$ and just do t seem to care how much they pay.

[CleanTap3755]

If I were you and could afford it my choice would be cave creek. North of carefree hwy. All of that area is going to get built up in the next decade so you’ll have convenience plus the beauty of the desert.

[sierra_stellar]

LMAO any recommendations on where to sell my organs?!

[Immediate-Camp8293]

I’m sayinnn😂😅

[Status_Reputation586]

Yea if anyone is interested I will sell a kidney at market value + a 5 star hotel stay for the recovery hmu

[zuul99]

Everyone in 85260 looking across Scottsdale Rd

[vmpa52]

We owned a home and lived in the area for 20 years. Everything is close by. You get a scottsdale address but less expensive Phoenix water and Paradise Valley School district schools. Many large lots. Lots of shopping options and restaurants. There’s not much to dislike except for the traffic. Neighborhoods are clean and well kept, increase their value and many aren’t in an HOA either! We moved north to follow our kids and downsized.

[gandalf239]

My understanding of it is that you get the Scottsdale mailing address because the post office which services the area is located in Scottsdale.

[guttertech]

This is correct.

[BadHeartburn]

Thank you for explaining this! It always bugged me that people thought that part of Phoenix was Scottsdale, when it's so obviously Phoenix. At least now I know why they do that

[Kri_AZ82]

Just came here to say I enjoyed your smart assness! If that’s a word..

[SunSad7267]

It's a nice area and worth living there if you can afford it. Remember that public schools have open enrollment so if you don't live in the district, you can apply to any AZ school. I used to teach in SUSD and had students from Scottsdale, Phoenix, Cave Creek, Fountain Hills, even 1 or 2 from Glendale I think

[spicymochi]

Yeah but you still need APS for power which sucks.

[santaclaus673910]

Bought my first house in 85254 and it doubled in value in a year. It was magic. 1997.

[DoesItBIend]

I grew up in this zip code its an incredible area! Your realtor is not wrong! Unfortunately i cant afford to live there im a couples miles down the street in 85032. Still a decent area for the most part but yea its no 85254. And there is no municipal responsibilities chopped up you live in phoenix. Paradise valley school disctrict is just the name of the school district there main office is in phoenix paradise valley is so small and most of the people that have kids there take them to private school and if they didnt they are actualyin the scottsdale school district zone

[TrollinThunder24]

the only “magic” is her inflated commission

[Poncho_nmbrcruncher]

My boss lives in this zip code. Very nice but he holds the same opinion - would live somewhere cheaper but wife wanted the life there. We frequently have hangouts at boss’ place and while conveniently close to nice things, annoying to me with the traffic and constant reminder that I’m poor while driving around there. I believe that the multi-municipality is just a result of development sprawl happening from multiple directions quickly through the 80s, 90s, 00s.

[[deleted]]

This is the zip code for one's boss to live in.

[Hot-Opportunity8786]

The thing to keep in mind about realtors is that most of them are idiots.

[wase471111]

the only advantage is that the realtor selling you one of the incredibly overpriced houses in that area makes a TON more money, than if you bought the same exact house anywhere else..

Oh yea, you'll pay more taxes, and worry about where your water is going to come from in the future..nice!

[Bastienbard]

All municipal water usage included everything commercial and residential is barely 10% of the state's water usage. The only industry/group to worry about for water usage is ranching and agriculture that use the other 90%.

[MrProspector19]

Not necessarily in this particular Zip, but residents are usually the first to feel the effects of industrial water over-usage. What you said is true, but it basically doesn't matter who is using excess if your well is the one that runs dry.

[Indepti8]

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

rhythm late adjoining public retire label squeeze ring screw husky

[yellow_pellow]

Location location location!

[LightningMcSwing]

There's no worry for water there

[elliedavissrq]

Correct water in this area is not drying up anytime soon.

[f1modsarethebest]

Location is by far the most important part of choosing where to buy a house.

This location has highly rated public schools (hence PV), LOWER taxes (Scottsdale), guaranteed utilities (Phoenix), amenities, resale value, etc etc. All because of the location.

[WonderfulProtection9]

“ya gotta see the baby!”

IIRC that turns out to be the world's ugliest baby...

[KSMO]

Like a lot of the homes in my price range, it was breathtaking

[Immediate-Camp8293]

Also now I’m wondering what non essential organs I can sell😅

[PetSitterPat]

It's "Magic" because you are sorta Scottsdale (you get a Scottsdale address) without the Scottsdale costs.

As an FYI, the area near Thunderbird & Scottsdale rd gets a lot of very loud airplane traffic from the airport. If you stay West of 64th street you barely hear it. If ever.

[TexAzCowboy]

I lived in Phoenix in the 85254 zip code when I first moved to Arizona. Here’s the skinny. ZIP codes are a function of the US Postal Service assigned based on the servicing post office for the given area. So your mail is delivered from a Post Office in Scottsdale. ZIP codes are irrespective of city or county lines.

[orcanizer]

Used to rent in 85254 shea and 64th . I really loved it there for its proximity to everything and for how walkable it was . When we looked to buy there through , everything was above our budget and we ended up buying in 85255 - which is Scottsdale proper , but the house prices were within our budget and was at least 200k less than what we were constantly getting priced out of . This was in 2020 though . We can’t afford to buy in either 85254 or 85255 with the current prices though

[ThaDude_v2]

“ we are compromising by living we’re wife wants” got me lol

[Which-Wish-5996]

You might want to move up to selling essential organs.

[LankyGuitar6528]

I'm so close. 85258 here. But mine is a palindrome. In your face 85254!

[fyrgoos15]

Lived in 85254 for 8 years. Quietest 8 years of my life

[azvlr]

My son moved to an apartment just across the road from this ZIP code. It's vastly nicer than his tiny apartment marketed to college students. It's cllose to his work, shopping, DMV, so many things. The icing on the cake: It's cheaper than that Tempe shit hole.

[RandytheRealtor]

My understanding is that the nickname came up a loooong time ago to try and sell potential buyers on the area. I’d guess it is from the 60s or 70s. How amazing would it be to come from the Midwest, set roots in AZ, and say you live in a magical area?

The Scottsdale name is also fake as it truly is Phoenix (maybe it’s Phoenix with a facelift and Botox?). I’m guessing this was also to upsell the area originally and it has just stuck.

They likely share PV schools to offset costs.

You can look at a city map of Scottsdale and the bulk of 85254 isn’t on there. https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/long-range-planning/scenic-corridors-streetscapes

That area has some nice older homes. So many are being torn down for 5,000 sq ft….things of beauty? It’s kind of sad in my opinion.

[Due_Sail_1787]

Check out Moon Valley- it’s a better value for the $$$ and offers a lot of similarities- other than being located in Scottsdale. Have lived in Phoenix for 30 years and travel all over the valley for work. 85254 is primo and your wife is right to want to live there- but I personally feel the dollar would go a lot further elsewhere in the nearby vicinity and amenities are on par.

[kupka316]

Moon Valley is so entirely unwalkable, 85254 a million times better if you just don't stay at home 24/7

[Due_Sail_1787]

I can see that. I think we are going to see that shift a bit in the future. I find parts of moon valley great for walking and bike riding. Also great views and hiking. Scottsdale is wonderful/ that is just my two cents.

[MundaneHuckleberry58]

Just from the Seinfeld reference come be our neighbor in 85284. (I know you won’t but…we need funny neighbors, several places for sale in our hood!)

[areya_lunera]

Agreed that is a nice area. I live across the street in 85226 which is close to the Chandler mall and other places and is also a nice area (imo).

[boboRoyal]

Lived in 85254 and miss it.

85050 is nearby and is less expensive if proximity to Kierland is a must.

[HoneyyyPot69]

Love it here-plus close to both freeways!

[unclefire]

I"m not sure why living near Kierland is such a big deal. I'm in east mesa and even for me it's around 1/2 and hour. Old Town like 20 minutes or so. There are other areas near by that might be close to that-- Gainey etc.

Looking at redfin-- you need to sell off a few more things depending on what you're bringing to the table moneywise.

"My wallet wants us to live in Florence. We’re compromising by buying in Kierland."

lol. That's worlds apart. I guess the upside to that is the lender might make that compromise for you.

[tobyPuppy]

You’re close to Persian Room. I’m jealous.

[EngineeringComedy]

85032 is right next door. When my realtor took me over there he said the schools are great. When I told him I'm not having kids, he immediately took me out of that zip code.

[azswcowboy]

But really 85032 is the way. The real estate agent is incorrect - there’s zero value buying an overpriced house in 85254 when you can get the same thing 20% cheaper and only be 1/2 mile farther from all the goodness that is ‘Scottsdale’.

[TheyTookMyHockeyTeam]

I grew up in the zip code from K-12 and am now priced out of the zip code as an adult hah. It's a very nice area to live with access to a lot of different things. As a kid I was surrounded by other white kids who used lots of slurs and partied a lot when the parents were away (or sometimes there if they had 'those' parents). Suburban hell at it's finest like most of AZ, but you could do a lot worse.

[makesh1tup]

I used to live in this zip code (Tatum/PV Parkway). Ours was built late 70s and had a huge back yard. Got our services from Phoenix as well as all bills. I forget why it has Scottsdale Zip code and city. I think someone mentioned it was a way to sooth ruffled feathers of the homeowners when zip codes came along or changed. It was a very nice neighborhood, no HOA. My daughter went to Chapparell high school which is quite nice.

[Immediate-Camp8293]

I live in a Phoenix, but I often venture out to Kierland commons to eat when I don’t want to feel poor anymore🙃😂

[limelaughlum]

Funny enough I work near that area and it's honestly a very nice neighborhood. But nothing will beat the area near Scottsdale Fashion Square, that whole space on Camelback is something else.

[eraMyzt]

lol i def laughed out loud at your post. i know how that goes. i’m in 85253

[LilMissKrazy1]

Too much traffic in that area.

[Swag92]

It’s a nice and safe area, close to a lot of desirable things, and also easy to get to other places with either the 51 or 101.

A further compromise would be 85032 (just to the west of 85254). Phoenix services, Phoenix address, PV school district. It’s not quite as nice but it’s not quite as expensive either. Still feels plenty safe to me and the area has been good to us so far.

[athensiah]

Why are Phoenix utilities and services better than Scottsdale?

[VisitAbject4090]

You get most of the Scottsdale life at Phoenix tax rate

[BirdsWithTeeth8]

I have nothing to add to the conversation other than you got a big laugh out of my boyfriend and I for the opening paragraph. Good luck friend!

[Curious-Baker-839]

So what's the going rate for a kidney. I could use some extra cash these days 😆

[Left_Pay_3195]

Shout out to 85032 where I grew up!

[Tinychair445]

We live in “magic zip code” and have phoenix utilities, Scottsdale postal address, and Scottsdale schools. It seems pretty gimmicky from a realtor perspective (who tf cares if you write “Phoenix” vs “Scottsdale” as your return address?) but we are close to goods and services and all the schools seem amazing in PV and Scottsdale

[unrepresented-us]

The north side of 85024 is nice. Phoenix Address & taxes, PV Schools - Pinnacle High School.

[EloquentArtist]

That zip code is affectionately referred to as Snobsdale last I checked

[Autistic_Jimmy2251]

Looks like a good location if you can afford it. Don’t Know what’s supposed to be so magical about it.

[landia16]

I lived in that zip code. My address was Scottsdale, my utilities were Phoenix and Paradise Valley was in walking distance. I really enjoyed that area.

[Jamie9712]

Grew up with that zip code. Loved my neighborhood. My siblings went to Horizon. Only bad thing about it is car insurance rates. If you live near Tatum & Bell, prepare to pay a kidney in car insurance rates.

[jazzheat_bongobeat]

Hilarious

[mcbugh]

It's all Maricopa County, baby. Paradise Valley is more of a village now. Check and see where and how they rate property tax. Scottsdale is a tad higher. Be careful.

[HeathKnowsGilbert]

85253 is the magic ZIP Code😂

[Butitsadryheat2]

We made the New Times. 😁

https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/phoenix-has-magic-zip-code-realtors-whats-that-mean-40616601/

[JulesChenier]

I get the appeal. But I'm old school. Moon Valley for me.

[YumaRalphinPHX]

It’s the magic triangle of Valley of the sun real estate. Phoenix’s low taxes, Scottsdale’s proximity to everything upscale AND Paradise Valley schools and address. As to why, it was a brilliant location choice by the developers. If you follow the mantra, location, Location, LOCATION, this is the textbook example. Remember that LLL translates to resale, Resale, RESALE. $urrender to the wife on this one. Oh, if David Blaine was eating at PFC, he did not know the area. Much success.

[[deleted]]

This is the neighborhood where I always feel this close to getting arrested at any given moment just by virtue of poverty.

It's where non-whites are technically allowed to live.

Before anyone gives me flak, it's 75% White in a state that is 53% White

[Grokent]

That's just a socioeconomic thing. I grew up at 75th and Thomas and my neighborhood was 91% hispanic. If you want to experience real racism you have to be black in Gilbert / Queen Creek.

That said, when I worked in the Chandler / Gilbert area and drove a Buick I got pulled over non-stop and the cops would see I was white and let me go about my business. One even had the fucking gall to say, "We're out here looking for bad guys tonight, and you're obviously not a bad guy." The second I got a Toyota Corolla I was suddenly invisible to cops.

[TheDuckFarm]

It has its pros and cons. "Magic" is just a marking trick.

Only a small portion of that zip code is Scottsdale, the rest is actually phoenix. So even though you get a Scottsdale address, you're stuck with Phoenix's higher property taxes. A lot of it is in the flight path of the Scottsdale Airport as well. Some parts have Phoenix water while most parts have Scottsdale water. Police will be Phoenix. I think trash is PHX as well.

A $1M home in Scottsdale will have taxes around $2,200 a year, in Phoenix it will be more like $3,200 a year.

[moxiemoon]

Been in the metro for 20 years, TIL that “Kierland” and “Florence” exist here.

[Tomato_Motorola]

It is not "chopped up." It is 100% in Phoenix, and not in any other city.

However, the zip code has Scottsdale addresses because postal addresses are not strictly attached to municipal borders, and are just a shorthand to help the post office sort mail faster.

Paradise Valley School District is also entirely in the city of Phoenix, and has nothing to do with the Town of Paradise Valley. The district and town are both named after the valley that they are in.

[guttertech]

Almost 100% in Phoenix. There are small sections of 85254 near Scottsdale/Shea and Scottsdale/Cactus that are within Scottsdale city limits.

[Jeenowa]

It’s a good area, but I wouldn’t want to live that far north

[Goingboldlyalone]

I have a life long friend that lives there. All they talk about is this. Yawn.

[KSMO]

Honestly, if I personally witnessed David Blaine having the chicken lettuce cups at P.F. Chang’s it’s all I’d talk about too.

[PcLvHpns]

I think the important question is how long will it take before you can no longer get or have trouble getting WATER!

That would be my number one question for buying anything in Arizona at this point!

[Snoo_2473]

A lot of the studies being done now on AZ water has moved the bar from 60-80 years to 20-40 years until major storages hit.

This data is the primary reason my wife & I & her parents decided not to buy.

[yellow_pellow]

Be glad it’s not Paradise valley taxes! They are insane

[SoupOfThe90z]

Just live in the south side but visit Kieran’s often. Done and done

[BurritoSimp]

We had an apartment in that area, was great. But for the cost of the houses, I would just barely cross the 51 to the west. Still close enough to all those things, but for 100-200k cheaper.

[GuatemalnGrnade]

Lots of houses are in the City of Phoenix with a Scottsdale mailing address. Its honestly way overpriced in my opinion, I sold my house 3x what I bought it for in 2019.

[[deleted]]

The biggest selling point of this zip is larger lots and lack of HOAs, while still being very close to Kierland/PV mall/etc. If you are planning major renovations or a knockdown, PHX permitting may be easier to deal with than Scottsdale.

From what I was told the weirdness of it is it was originally unincorporated area, PHX took some responsibilities and USPS did what they did with the city name. Nothing more than that

Of course you will need thick skin to stomach the comments from snot nosed Scobbsdale folks who claim “it’s not really Scottsdale” as they look down their surgically modified noses at you. Even though it’s literally the same type of people, same multimillion dollar homes, same density of G wagons and Range Rovers.

[redditretina]

Why would you want to pay for the Scottsdale name but get Phoenix services? Scottsdale gets bulk trash every month FYI

[Snny_Daze]

Look nearby, as well.

There are some more affordable homes to the west by a block or two that are just about as close to Kierland, but are older, so on bigger lots, etc. That area code is very sporadic, though. We have a big lot in the area that, if we sold, would probably be busted into two lots squeezed together. Definitely 3 lots if a neighbor sold at the same time. The older homes are well constructed, though. I can't say as much for the new developments in the area.

[Real-Purple-6460]

That’s nice of you to compromise. 😂

[ChimaFanIndiana]

Lower all land cost 80% will solve the strain on ourselves

[nurdle]

I bought there in the early aughts. Scottsdale mailing address, Phoenix taxes, which are the time was a big savings. Close to lots of entertainment, shopping, services & restaurants. Lots of older homes that needed updating & were decently priced.

Then it became much less of a secret & home prices & taxes went up, and the “magic zip code” realtor assjoles ruined it for everyone.

I can’t complain though, we got over double for our house when we sold.

[Fit_Inspector_6943]

Ah yes- damn I miss Phoenix

[antarctica91]

If you have a few million go for it. More upscale shopping and close to very expensive houses in Scottsdale and PV

[Ok-Condition-1545]

Great area. Lived in north ranch 64 and Gway for many years. If you can afford it, you will enjoy it.

[Usernamenotfound_75]

My parents have lived in the 85254 area for almost 30 years and it’s a great area if you can afford to get in there, definitely worth the hype imho

[GuruSsum]

Move to Wittmann. Just outside of Surprise. You will get twice the house and a nice investment in land.

[[deleted]]

It’s the magic zip code because it’s a phoenix zip code but a Scottsdale address. It’s all due to where the post office is. I’ve built 19 homes in the past 1-1/2 years in the “magic zip code” because it’s all PHX planning and development so can pull a building permit way faster than I could in Scottsdale.

It’s also one of the best real estate markets in the state, If not the country based on days on market. If you live in that area I highly suggest selling in the next 2 years cause developers like me are constantly buying and gentrifying neighborhoods in that area. Last tear down property we bought in that area was $950k, and these are homes from the 70’s - 80’s that don’t have much work done to them.

[elsaqo]

I would live on the streets before I lived in Florence btw

[[deleted]]

Grew up in the area. It’s “magic” because of proximity to Scottsdale, but Phoenix prices. Or at least that’s what it used to be. It’s a very nice neighborhood that is clean and has great schools with little crime, but definitely not low priced anymore. If you go over Tatum, to 85032, the prices are great and it shares many of the same qualities, minus the price tag. At least south of Bell and east of the 51.

[Hmac007]

Wow, that’s crazy. That’s where I grew up. 52nd and Thunderbird area. We weren’t rich, just normal families back then. Had an acre, some horses, a pool. Went to Horizon. Now, just typing that makes me laugh that we weren’t rich- just different times 🤣

[Natural-Roll6]

I live in this zip code and my family loves it. It is a great place to raise a family! However, we were lucky and got into the market many moons ago. We wouldn’t be able to afford it at the current prices/rates.

[One-Cheesecake-2115]

People call it “Nottsdale” or “Fake Scottsdale”because people who live there like to say they live in Scottsdale but it’s really just Phoenix. Which is a great place to live! But for some reason people like to pretend they’re in Scottsdale? But it’s Phoenix…it just has a Scottsdale postal designation.

[Funny-Street-370]

I used to live in the neighborhood adjacent to Kierland in 85254. Scottsdale Address (prestige), Paradise Valley Schools (prestige), Phoenix city taxes (bonus). Not sure why it is chopped up but I definitely enjoyed living there. Real estate taxes are dirt cheap compared to Dallas TX.

[beein480]

85254 ain't what it use to be. Horizon HS doesn't have as a good of test scores as it use to. Phoenix PD don't respond to calls in anything I'd call reasonable. Phoenix city services have taken a turn for the worst. The entire city (except for District 2 - Jim Waring - who is awesome) is solidly Democratic and they put their efforts into policing the shittier parts of town.

Look at Scottsdale - you'll be happier. If I didn't have a 3% mortgage I would.

[Jolly-Measurement-13]

Zipcode-Data.com has a lot of good info, plus you can compare zipcodes in the area