8448 LUXURY / LIFESTYLES / BUILD YOUR OWN
Section X · The 84/48 Lifestyles
Build Your Own
For buyers who can't find their dream home in inventory — and want to talk about a dirt lot or a teardown.
Don't see your dream home in your dream area? Let's build it.
The 84/48 is mostly built out. Brand-new tract homes barely exist in either zip code — most of the inventory you're looking at was built between 1975 and 2010, with a smaller wave of 2015–2022 newer builds in select South Chandler communities.
For some buyers, that's the appeal. For others, it's a dealbreaker — they want something new, modern, designed for how they actually live. If that's you, the conversation isn't over. It just shifts.
Two paths exist in the 84/48:
The Dirt Lot Path. A small handful of buildable lots remain — mostly in the no-HOA pockets and acreage neighborhoods of South Tempe. These don't hit MLS often, and when they do they trade fast. I track them.
The Teardown Path. Some of the best locations in the corridor have homes on them that aren't worth what the dirt is worth. The right teardown — in the right neighborhood, on the right lot — is one of the better wealth-building moves in the East Valley luxury market. It's also one of the harder ones to spot.
Either path requires a different kind of agent conversation. Builder relationships, lot economics, soils reports, easements, irrigation rights — these aren't on a typical buyer's checklist. They are on mine.
WHO THIS FITS
Buyers who already know the corridor, can't find what they want in inventory, and have the patience and resources for a 12–24 month project. Often this is the second or third move-up — buyers who've already done a luxury home before and know what they actually want.
FEATURED COMMUNITIES
No featured neighborhoods listed here — every Build Your Own conversation is location-specific. The right lot depends entirely on what you're trying to build and how you want to live.
TYPICAL RANGE
Buildable lot (entry) $400K+
Premium lot/acreage $700K – $1.5M
Teardown + premium location $900K – $2M
Build cost (luxury) $400–650/sf
PRO TIPS
Don't fall in love with a lot before you understand the building department. Setbacks, easements, and irrigation district rules can quietly add $100K and 6 months. I know which jurisdictions move and which ones don't.
— LIVE INVENTORY —
Buildable lots in the 84/48, in real time.
Let's talk about what's actually buildable.
Build Your Own conversations are individual. Every lot, every builder, every plan is different. Fifteen minutes on the phone tells you whether the path is realistic for your timeline and budget — and which path is the right one.