Is Now a Good Time to Buy in Scottsdale?

Is now a good time to buy a home in Scottsdale in 2026?

As of August 2026, Scottsdale is sitting in a balanced-to-cool market, not the frenzied seller’s market of 2021–2022. Months of supply range from roughly 1.7 to 3.4 depending on the data source and methodology, average days on market have crept past 100 days for many listings, and home values have appreciated only modestly over the past year. That combination gives buyers more time and negotiating room than they’ve had in years, with the clearest opportunity concentrated in the $1M-and-up segment.

What the Numbers Actually Show Right Now

Let me give you the real picture, because the headlines don’t always agree and the differences matter.

Home values and appreciation. The most recent Zillow data, updated August 16, 2026 with figures through June 30, 2026, puts the average Scottsdale home value at $854,394, up 2.3% over the past year. That’s low-single-digit appreciation, a significant cooldown from the double-digit run-ups of a few years ago. List prices frequently run higher than closed medians, so what you see on a listing sheet and what homes are actually selling for are often two different numbers.

Days on market. This is where the data gets interesting, and quite frankly, where the opportunity lives. A July 2026 market update shows Scottsdale’s average days on market just crossed the 100-day threshold, up 4.9% month-over-month and 7.8% year-over-year. Meanwhile, Zillow reports a median of about 53 days to pending for homes that are priced to sell, and Realtor.com’s Hotness Index classifies Scottsdale as a “cool” market with a median of 67 days on market for closed sales. These numbers measure different stages (active listings vs. days to pending vs. closed DOM), but taken together they tell a consistent story in that most Scottsdale homes are taking two to three months from list to close, and many listings are sitting far longer than that.

Inventory and months of supply. A mid-2026 market summary from Houzeo, using June 2026 data, cites roughly 1.71 months of supply in Scottsdale. Other methodologies, depending on how active listings are counted, push that figure closer to 3.4 months. For context, a Phoenix-metro housing dashboard defines under 3 months as a seller’s market, 3–6 months as balanced, and over 6 months as a buyer’s market. Scottsdale in mid-2026 sits right at that boundary, closer to balanced than to either extreme.

Recent Zillow market data for North Scottsdale (trailing approximately 90 days as of August 2026) shows a median sale price of $1,265,000, with 703 active listings, 168 new listings in the past 30 days, and 746 homes sold over the past 90 days. Median days on market for that dataset comes in at 13 days, which reflects the faster-moving segment of the market. Area-level medians vary meaningfully depending on which neighborhoods are included and which sales are counted.

Here’s how the areas I work in compare, based on that same Zillow data:

These are area-level medians. Your specific home’s value depends on condition, street, build year, and timing, which is exactly why a personalized market analysis matters more than any aggregate number.

Under $800k vs. Around $1M: Two Very Different Buying Experiences

The “is now a good time to buy” question doesn’t have one answer for all of Scottsdale. It has different answers depending on your price point, and here’s what we see working with buyers across these segments.

Buying under $800k

Scottsdale’s overall average home value sits in the mid-$800k range, which means homes priced below $800k are the more attainable segment in this market. More buyers are competing for them, and well-priced homes in this band tend to move faster and leave less room for negotiation. If you’re shopping here, you still need to be decisive. Waiting for a dramatic price drop in this segment is a riskier strategy than it sounds, because the combination of modest appreciation and available inventory makes this a workable entry window, but not an unlimited one.

That said, even in this band, overpriced listings are sitting. The homes that are selling quickly are the ones priced true to market from day one. That’s useful information whether you’re a buyer or a seller.

Shopping around $1M

This is where the current market conditions genuinely favor buyers. The $1M price point sits above Scottsdale’s median but well below the ultra-luxury threshold, and many listings in this range have been on market for 90 days or more. Sellers in this segment are more likely to negotiate on price, closing costs, repairs, or timing, especially when a home has been sitting since spring.

We walk our clients through this regularly, explaining that a home that’s been listed for 110 days at $1.1M is a very different negotiating conversation than one that just came on market last week. The current environment, with average DOM pushing past 100 days citywide, creates real leverage for prepared buyers in this band. You have time to be thorough with inspections, review the Arizona REALTORS® Seller’s Property Disclosure Statement (SPDS), and think carefully before committing.

Luxury above $1.5M

The data in the table above tells the story clearly. DC Ranch’s median days on market is 60 days, and Paradise Valley’s is 42 days, both significantly longer than the sub-$800k segment. If you’re buying in Silverleaf, Desert Mountain, or Estancia, you’re operating in a market where patience is an asset and negotiation is expected. This is not a segment where you need to rush.

What “Buying Now” Actually Looks Like in Scottsdale

Understanding the market is one thing. Knowing what happens once you make an offer is another, and the Arizona process has some specifics worth knowing before you start.

The SPDS matters more than buyers expect. Once your offer is accepted, the seller delivers the Arizona REALTORS® Seller’s Property Disclosure Statement, a multi-page form covering known material facts, past repairs, HOA information, unpermitted work, and more. In my experience, buyers who take the SPDS seriously, not just the inspection report, are the ones who avoid surprises after closing. Arizona practice treats the SPDS as standard in agent-represented transactions, and you should receive it early in the process so it doesn’t compress your inspection window.

Title companies run the closing in Arizona. Unlike some states that use attorneys for closings, Scottsdale residential transactions are handled through title companies, which act as escrow agents. They collect and disburse funds, run the title search, issue a preliminary title commitment, record the deed with the Maricopa County Recorder, and issue title insurance policies. You generally have input on which title company is used, so keep that in mind. 

Closing cost categories are negotiable. Buyer-side costs in Arizona typically include title insurance, escrow fees, recording fees, prepaid property taxes and insurance, loan-related fees if you’re financing, HOA transfer fees where applicable, and inspection costs. Who pays which fees is governed by contract and local custom, not statute. The Arizona Department of Real Estate and the state REALTORS® association both emphasize that commissions and many fees are fully negotiable. In a slower-moving market like today’s, asking for seller concessions on closing costs is a reasonable strategy, particularly in the $1M-and-up segment where sellers have more motivation to close. Your specific numbers depend on your loan type, the property, and what you negotiate, so we’ll walk through a personalized breakdown with you before you make an offer.

Scottsdale carries a price premium over the broader metro. For context, the Phoenix metro-wide median home value was around $445,713 as of early 2026, roughly half of Scottsdale’s mid-$800k average. That premium is real and it affects property taxes, HOA structures, and your overall cost of ownership. So be sure to factor that into your timing decision, especially if you’re relocating from a lower-cost market.

For a broader look at how the market has moved this year, my January 2026 market overview covers the context heading into this year, and the July 2026 video update has the most current data on DOM trends and activity levels.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 2026 a good time to buy a home in Scottsdale, or should I wait for more inventory?

For most buyers, 2026 is a reasonable window to buy in Scottsdale, particularly if you’re shopping at or above the $1M mark. The market has shifted from the frenzied seller’s conditions of 2021–2022 toward something closer to balanced, with more days on market, modest appreciation, and more room to negotiate. Waiting for a dramatic price correction or a flood of new inventory is a speculative bet, and the sub-$800k segment in particular hasn’t softened as much as higher price points. The better question is whether your personal finances and timeline are aligned, not whether the market will be materially better in six months.

How many months of supply does Scottsdale have right now, and is that a buyer’s or seller’s market?

As of mid-2026, estimates range from roughly 1.7 to 3.4 months of supply depending on the data source and how active listings are counted. That puts Scottsdale at the boundary between a seller’s market (under 3 months) and a balanced market (3–6 months). Realtor.com classifies it as a “cool” market as of August 2026. Honestly, it’s neither a clear buyer’s nor seller’s market citywide, but conditions vary meaningfully by price point, with more buyer leverage above $1M.

Are homes under $800k in Scottsdale still competitive in 2026?

Yes, relatively speaking. The sub-$800k segment sits below Scottsdale’s overall average home value of roughly $854,000, which means more buyers are competing for those homes. Well-priced listings in this band still move faster than the citywide average, and buyers should expect less negotiating room than they’d find at higher price points. That doesn’t mean you can’t negotiate, but you’ll want to be more decisive and better prepared than if you were shopping at $1.2M.

Are Scottsdale home prices around $1 million still going up, or have they leveled off?

Scottsdale’s overall appreciation rate has slowed significantly, with the most recent available data showing roughly 2.3% annual appreciation through June 2026. The $1M segment specifically has seen longer days on market and more price reductions than the sub-$800k band, suggesting that sellers in this range have had to adjust expectations. Prices haven’t collapsed, but the double-digit appreciation of prior years is not the current story. Buyers in this range have more room to negotiate than at any point in the past several years.

What is the Seller’s Property Disclosure Statement (SPDS) in Arizona, and when do I get it?

The SPDS is the Arizona REALTORS® standard disclosure form that sellers complete after contract acceptance, covering known material facts about the property, including past repairs, water damage, HOA issues, unpermitted work, and system conditions. In agent-represented transactions in Scottsdale, receiving and reviewing the SPDS is standard practice, and you should get it early enough to review it alongside your inspection results before your inspection period deadline. It’s one of the most important documents in the transaction, and we make sure our buyers read it carefully rather than treating it as a formality.

What does a title company do in a Scottsdale home purchase?

In Arizona, title companies handle the escrow and closing process rather than attorneys. They open escrow after contract acceptance, receive and hold your earnest money, run a title search on the property, issue a preliminary title commitment, coordinate signing of loan and closing documents, disburse funds, and record the deed with the Maricopa County Recorder. They also issue title insurance policies protecting both the lender and, typically, the buyer. You generally have a say in which title company is used, so plan on discussing with your agent before you’re under contract.

The Bottom Line

Scottsdale in August 2026 is a market where prepared buyers have real options, especially above $1M. Days on market are up, appreciation has moderated, and sellers in the higher price bands are more motivated than they’ve been in years. Under $800k still moves faster and demands more decisiveness, but it’s not the multiple-offer frenzy of a few years ago either.

Your specific answer depends on your price point, your timeline, and what you’re looking for in a community. That’s exactly the kind of conversation we have with buyers before we ever look at a home. If you’re trying to figure out whether now is the right time for your situation, reach out and let’s run through it together.