What $1 Million Buys in Chandler, Tempe, Gilbert and Scottsdale

Sep 24

A million dollars is a budget. It is not a house.

In the East Valley, the same budget buys four very different lives. Which one is right depends on what you want the home to do for you.

I'm Ben Graham of 84/48 Luxury Real Estate. I work South Tempe and South Chandler every day, so I'll start there.

What I see in South Tempe and South Chandler

Over the last 24 months, 167 homes closed above $1 million in 85284 and 85248. Together they added up to $262.1 million. The middle sale in that group was $1,250,000.

What that means for you: $1 million is not the top of the market here. It is the front door. A typical luxury sale in these two zip codes lands a little above it.

Here is how the four areas compare, counting closed single-family sales above $1 million over the last 24 months:

South Tempe and South Chandler (85284, 85248): 167 sales, median $1,250,000
Gilbert: 638 sales, median $1,300,000
Scottsdale: 5,145 sales, median $1,650,000

Source: Ben Graham's MLS exports of closed single-family sales above $1M, closings from September 30, 2024 through September 21, 2026.

South Tempe: the made-it feeling, without the Scottsdale vibe

South Tempe is where you feel like you've made it. It is older than the far south and east, with character, quality and location. You get four freeways, great schools, great dining and shopping, and easy access to Phoenix, Scottsdale and Sky Harbor.

Start with the 85284 guides to see the neighborhoods one at a time.

South Chandler: water, golf and space

South Chandler is where the lakes and golf courses are. In Ocotillo, the lake can be your front yard and the golf course can be your back one. Lots run from a quarter acre up to an acre and a half in the top communities.

Browse the neighborhoods in the Ocotillo guide and the 85248 guides.

Gilbert and Scottsdale

In Gilbert, 638 homes closed above $1 million over the same 24 months, at a median of $1,300,000. The middle home is 3,900 square feet on about 18,500 square feet of lot, built in 2007. That works out to about $364 a square foot. Gilbert wins on newer construction and square footage per dollar.

In Scottsdale, 5,145 homes closed above $1 million, and more than a third of them sold above $2 million. The median was $1,650,000. The middle home is 3,332 square feet on about 15,300 square feet of lot, built in 1997, at about $523 a square foot. Scottsdale wins on choice and depth. There is simply more of everything above a million.

How to choose

Here is the question I ask every buyer at this price: what do you want to stop putting up with?

If you want to be close to Phoenix, Scottsdale and Sky Harbor, look at South Tempe first.
If you want water, golf and gated communities, look at South Chandler first.
If neither one fits, I will tell you. Sometimes the right call is another city.

Questions I get about $1 million homes

What does $1 million buy in South Tempe?

In 85284, 76 homes closed above $1 million over the last two years. The median was about $1,319,000 for roughly 3,800 square feet, or about $347 a square foot. Think established neighborhoods, big lots and mature trees.

What does $1 million buy in South Chandler?

In 85248, 91 homes closed above $1 million. The median was $1,225,000 for about 3,550 square feet, roughly $372 a square foot. At this price you are often looking at water, golf or a gated community.

Is $1 million enough for a luxury home in Chandler or Tempe?

It gets you in the door. Of the 167 homes that sold above $1 million in these two areas, three out of four closed under about $1.6 million. Twenty-four went above $2 million, and the top sale was $6.75 million.

Is Gilbert or South Chandler better over $1 million?

Gilbert has volume: 638 sales at a $1,300,000 median, homes built around 2007, about 3,900 square feet. South Chandler has fewer sales and more variety, from lakefront to golf to custom lots. Honest answer? It depends on whether you want more house or more setting.

Why is Scottsdale so much more expensive?

Scottsdale had 5,145 sales above $1 million at a $1,650,000 median, and more than a third closed above $2 million. It runs about $523 a square foot against about $359 a square foot here. You are paying for the address.

How many homes over $1 million sell here in a year?

About 80. From September 30, 2024 to September 21, 2026, 167 homes closed in South Tempe and South Chandler, totaling $262.1 million. That is roughly one and a half a week, so good ones do not sit long.

Want help sorting it out? Call or text me at 480-448-2020. You can also see how I work with buyers on my buyer page, or compare the two areas side by side on my South Tempe vs South Chandler page.

Ben Graham

You’ve made it. Now you want a home that finally feels like it.

Since 2011, I’ve helped move-up and move-in buyers do exactly that across South Tempe and South Chandler. More land, more quiet, more character, without leaving the city behind. If you’re buying or selling above $1M in 85284 or 85248, you want an advisor who knows the ground, not a salesperson who knows a script.

That’s the whole job, and it’s the part I love most.

Book a Phone Consultation

Ben is a husband, father, and full-time real estate advisor based in Chandler. Since 2011, across more than 500 transactions, he’s guided buyers and sellers through the Southeast Valley’s best neighborhoods.

His approach is simple: teach the market like a teacher, protect your equity like it’s his own, and tell you the truth even when the truth is “wait.” Clear communication, a proven plan, and your interests first.

Most of Ben’s clients fall into two camps.

The move-up buyer who’s outgrown a great starter home in Chandler or Tempe and is ready for something that feels like an arrival. More space, more privacy, more character, same easy access to four freeways, great schools, and Sky Harbor.

The move-in buyer relocating from out of town who needs someone who actually knows which street holds its value and which one only looks like it does.

He also represents sellers across South Tempe and South Chandler who want their home priced right in week one and marketed like the asset it is.

Faith and family are the center of how Ben lives and works. He’s a follower of Christ, a husband, and a father, raising his kids in Chandler with his wife Sarah. The family is active at CCV, the kids attend Valley Christian, and they support foster care and adoption. One of their sons joined the family that way.

Clients often tell Ben his faith is part of why they trusted him with one of the biggest decisions of their lives. He doesn’t take that lightly.

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