Old Town Scottsdale
The cultural, dining and gallery heart of the city, and the one part of Scottsdale where walkability is the headline rather than a bonus.
The only real downtown
Old Town Scottsdale homes for sale sit in the cultural, dining and shopping heart of the city. It is the one part of Scottsdale where walkability is the whole point rather than an amenity, which makes buying here a genuinely different proposition from anywhere else in the city.
Art galleries, nightlife, local boutiques, Scottsdale Fashion Square and Western Spirit, the city’s museum of the West, are all inside the district. Where north Scottsdale is organized around golf and trails, Old Town is organized around walking to things.
Housing is unlike anywhere else in the city: modern luxury mid-rise condominiums and townhomes sit alongside historic single-story ranch homes, sometimes on the same block. It suits buyers who want to be in the middle of things rather than looking out at the desert.
What defines it
You are buying a neighborhood, not a view
Old Town gives you galleries, restaurants and a walk home. What it does not give you is the desert at the property line. Knowing which of those you want settles most of the search.
Old Town Scottsdale Homes for Sale, Condo or Ranch
Housing
Old Town Scottsdale homes for sale split into two very different purchases. Mid-rise condominiums and townhomes come with an association, building amenities and parking to check. Historic single-story ranch homes sit on their own lots and are often older, sometimes with no HOA at all. Decide which one you are comparing before you compare prices.
Culture
Art galleries and the arts district, plus Western Spirit, the city’s museum of the West. Gallery evenings and events are part of living here, which is the appeal for some buyers and the noise for others, so walk the block on a busy night before you decide.
Retail and dining
Scottsdale Fashion Square anchors the retail, with independent boutiques, restaurants and nightlife through the district. If you want the walk without the nightlife, Kierland trades the downtown grid for two shopping districts farther north.
Schools
The area falls within Scottsdale Unified School District. Boundaries are assigned by address, so confirm on the district’s own map.
Communities people compare it to
Gainey Ranch
A short drive north, gated and resort-style, for lock-and-leave living without the nightlife next door.
McCormick Ranch
Shade, lakes and greenbelts a short drive north, trading the walk to dinner for a walk around the lake.
Old Town Scottsdale questions
Is Old Town noisy?
Parts of it, yes, particularly near the nightlife on a weekend. It varies enormously block to block, and it is the single thing most worth checking in person at the hour you would actually be home.
What kind of housing is available?
Modern luxury mid-rise condominiums, townhomes, and historic single-story ranch homes. The contrast between them is unusually sharp.
Old Town or Kierland?
Both walkable, to different things. Old Town is galleries, nightlife and a genuine downtown with older housing stock. Kierland is newer, quieter and retail-led.
Is it a good place to own a second home?
It is popular for exactly that, because you can leave the car and walk. Confirm the building’s rules on short-term letting if that matters to you.
Which school district serves Old Town?
Scottsdale Unified School District. Boundaries are set by address, so check the district’s own boundary map.
Is there any desert access?
Not from the doorstep. Old Town is the trade in the other direction: you get the city and you drive to the trails.
Resources
Stand on the block at 9pm
It is the only way to know whether Old Town is the right kind of lively for you. Kathy will tell you which streets are which.