Desert Highlands
A private club community south of Pinnacle Peak where membership comes with the deed.
Membership is not optional here
Desert Highlands homes for sale work differently from anywhere else Kathy covers. Buying one carries mandatory equity or club membership rights in the Desert Highlands Country Club, so the club is part of the cost of ownership rather than an optional add-on. That single fact changes the monthly number materially and is the thing to understand before you tour.
Ownership here works differently from anywhere else on this list. Buying a property carries mandatory equity or club membership rights in the Desert Highlands Country Club, so the club is part of the cost of ownership rather than an optional add-on. That single fact changes the monthly number materially and is the thing to understand before you tour.
What the membership buys is substantial: an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus championship course, an 18-hole putting course, thirteen tennis courts across grass, clay and hard surfaces, a fitness center and club dining. Homes are custom estates and hillside villas.
What defines it
Understand the membership first
It is the most important fact about buying here: membership is not optional, and it changes the monthly cost more than anything else. Ask about it before you fall for a house.
What Desert Highlands Homes for Sale Really Cost
Housing
Two kinds of home: custom estates on larger lots, and hillside villas with less to maintain. Both sit under the same architectural controls, so plans for a remodel or addition go through design review before they go to the city.
The club
Before you compare Desert Highlands homes for sale with Troon North or anywhere else, ask for three numbers: the membership category attached to the property, any transfer or initiation fee due at closing, and the monthly club dues. Add those to the HOA dues, and that is the real monthly cost.
Setting
Environmentally sensitive layout that retains the natural desert rather than replacing it, immediately south of Pinnacle Peak. Pinnacle Peak Park is minutes away.
Schools
The area falls within Cave Creek Unified School District. Boundaries are assigned by address, so confirm on the district’s own map.
Communities people compare it to
Troon North
The same Pinnacle Peak desert next door, with membership separate from the deed. The comparison almost every Desert Highlands buyer makes.
DC Ranch
More variety in housing and a main street to walk to, without a single club at the center of ownership.
Desert Highlands questions
Do I have to join the club?
Yes. Property purchase includes mandatory equity or club membership rights in the Desert Highlands Country Club. It is tied to ownership rather than offered alongside it, which makes it part of the cost of the house.
What does the membership include?
The 18-hole Jack Nicklaus championship course, an 18-hole putting course, thirteen tennis courts across grass, clay and hard surfaces, a fitness center and club dining.
How does it compare to Troon North?
They are neighbors and they are structured completely differently. Troon North’s golf club is a separate decision. Here it is not. If you will use the club, that is value; if you will not, it is a cost.
Why do the homes look so consistent?
Strict architectural controls and an environmentally sensitive site plan that retains the natural desert. It is deliberate, and it is why the community reads as one piece.
Which school district serves Desert Highlands?
Cave Creek Unified School District. Boundaries are set by address, so check the district’s own map for the specific property.
Is it a good fit for me?
It depends almost entirely on whether you will use the club. Kathy will work that through with you honestly, including when the answer is that your money goes further elsewhere.
Resources
Run the club numbers before you tour
It is the fact that decides whether Desert Highlands works for you. Kathy will lay it out plainly.