Neighborhoods

Living in Mirabel, Scottsdale: The Insider's Guide to Homes, Golf & the Private Club Lifestyle

Jul 21, 2026•15 min read

Tucked into the high Sonoran Desert of far North Scottsdale, Mirabel is a gated, member-owned golf community where a Tom Fazio championship course, roughly 340 custom estates, and 713 acres of protected desert come together at nearly 3,000 feet of elevation. It sits in the 85262 zip code, just south of Desert Mountain, and it's known for one thing above all: doing luxury golf living on a smaller, more personal scale than almost anywhere else in the Valley.

I've spent years helping buyers and sellers across North Scottsdale's golf communities, and Mirabel stands apart for a reason. It was never built to be the largest or the flashiest. Its appeal is the opposite: privacy, quiet, cooler air, and a member culture where people actually know their neighbors. If a world-class Fazio course paired with genuine breathing room sounds like your kind of place, here's the full picture.

The Short Version

Where: Far North Scottsdale, 85262, off Cave Creek Road, just east of Pima, immediately south of Desert Mountain
What it is: A private, guard-gated community of custom homes wrapped around a member-owned golf club
Scale: About 340 homesites spread across roughly 713 acres, deliberately low-density
Setting: Nearly 3,000 feet up, so it runs cooler than the valley floor
The golf: A Tom Fazio 18-hole, par-71 layout stretching past 7,100 yards
The hub: The 37,000 sq ft Desert Lodge Clubhouse
Homes: Roughly 3,100 to 7,000+ sq ft, generally 3 to 6 bedrooms
Prices (2026): Mostly high-$2M into the $6M+ range on resale; new builds run higher; lots available
Schools: Cave Creek Unified School District (CCUSD #93)

The Setting: High Desert, Cooler Air, Big Views

Mirabel's location does a lot of the work. You'll find it on the south side of Cave Creek Road, roughly two miles east of Pima Road, sitting directly below the well-known Desert Mountain community, all within Scottsdale's coveted 85262.

That elevation matters more than people expect. At close to 3,000 feet, summer evenings here tend to feel a touch milder than down in Phoenix, and the vantage point delivers long views of Pinnacle Peak, the ringing mountains, and a carpet of city lights after dark. The community traces its roots to Discovery Land Company, a developer with a reputation for building some of the country's most sought-after private clubs.

And while it feels tucked away, the essentials are close:

Carefree and Cave Creek are about 15 minutes out for dining, groceries, and small-town charm
Old Town and downtown Scottsdale are roughly 25 to 30 minutes away
Sky Harbor Airport is about 40 to 45 minutes
Tonto National Forest and Bartlett Lake, plus endless desert trails, sit right at the edge of the community

Golf, Dining, and Everything at The Mirabel Club

Everything in Mirabel orbits The Mirabel Club and its Tom Fazio-designed course. At par 71 and more than 7,100 yards from the back tees, it's regularly counted among the best residential courses in the nation. What makes it special is balance: wide fairways and thoughtfully placed forward tees keep it fair for everyday players, while desert washes and smart bunkering give lower handicaps plenty to think about. Ask around and you'll hear the same thing. The greens are some of the finest in the area.

The golf life goes well beyond 18 holes. There's a standout practice facility, one-on-one and group coaching, junior programs, and a packed tournament schedule that runs from the Coyote Combo Member-Member to the season-ending Club Championship. Just as important is the tone: this is a club where newcomers and solo players get waved into a foursome rather than left on their own.

Off the course, the 37,000-square-foot Desert Lodge Clubhouse is the social anchor, offering everything from relaxed lunches to elevated dinners, concierge service, and a full events calendar. Members also enjoy:

A clay-court tennis garden and pickleball
A complete fitness center and spa
Resort and lap pools with cabana-style lounging
A generous charitable streak; the annual Scottsdale's Finest and Bravest tournament has raised millions for local first responders

Mirabel calls itself "small town friendly," and after a visit or two, you'll see it's not just a marketing line.

Membership: Read This Before You Buy

Here's the part buyers most often misunderstand: at Mirabel, joining the club and buying a home are two separate transactions. Purchasing a residence here does not hand you a golf membership, and, on the flip side, you don't even need to own in Mirabel to apply to the club.

What I make sure every client understands going in:

Membership is member-owned and capped (recent figures put the limit around 350), which keeps tee times open and the community tight-knit. Golf memberships have historically had a waitlist.
There are golf and social tiers, each with its own initiation fee, monthly dues, and an annual food-and-beverage minimum.
Golf initiation runs into six figures, plus ongoing dues. Because those numbers shift over time, I always have buyers confirm the current fees, dues, waitlist, and availability straight from the club's membership office before we write anything.

If playing the course is central to your plans, we build the membership timeline into your buying strategy from the very start.

The Homes: Custom, Private, and No Two Alike

There's no cookie-cutter product in Mirabel. Every residence is custom, which is exactly why the streetscape feels so varied. You'll see everything from Spanish-influenced and Southwest estates to relaxed ranch designs and clean, modern desert-contemporary builds. Buyers essentially have three ways in: purchase an existing custom home, choose one of the lower-maintenance El Corazon villa-style residences, or buy a homesite and build your own.

A few things to expect from the housing stock:

Square footage typically lands between about 3,100 and 7,000+
Most homes carry 3 to 6 bedrooms, often with more full baths than bedrooms
Lots run up to roughly an acre, so privacy and outdoor entertaining space come standard
Golf, mountain, and city-light views are common

On pricing: as a low-density enclave of one-off custom estates, Mirabel spans a wide range. In 2026, resale homes generally list from the high-$2 millions up into the $6 million-plus range, moving with size, view, position on the course, and finish level, while brand-new custom builds and the largest estates climb from there. Homesites are available for those who'd rather build. The HOA typically handles the guard gate and front-yard/common-area upkeep, which makes seasonal, lock-and-leave ownership easy.

Is Mirabel the Right Fit for You?

In my experience, Mirabel tends to be the perfect match for:

Golfers who want intimacy over scale. If Desert Mountain's golf appeals but the size doesn't, Mirabel delivers the course without the crowds, which is why it draws so many comparisons to Estancia.
Second-home and snowbird buyers. Gated security plus HOA-maintained grounds makes part-time ownership painless.
Active families. Between junior golf, tennis, pickleball, and a steady events calendar, there's plenty for every age.
Anyone who prioritizes privacy. Around 340 homesites across 713 acres at elevation is about as private as Scottsdale golf living gets.

Schools

Mirabel falls within the Cave Creek Unified School District (CCUSD #93), one of the North Valley's most well-regarded districts. Assignments generally run:

Black Mountain Elementary School
Sonoran Trails Middle School
Cactus Shadows High School, an AP/IB/CTE campus routinely ranked among Arizona's strongest comprehensive high schools

Because boundaries can shift, always confirm a specific address with the district before you buy, something I'm glad to help you verify.

How It Stacks Up Against Nearby Communities

Versus Desert Mountain: Desert Mountain is a much larger operation with six clubhouses and multiple courses; Mirabel counters with a single exceptional Fazio course and a fraction of the density.
Versus Estancia: Both are exclusive, low-density, and prized for privacy near Pinnacle Peak. The choice often comes down to course preference and what's for sale.
Versus DC Ranch and Silverleaf: Those communities sit closer in with walkable amenities like Market Street; Mirabel trades proximity for elevation, quiet, and open desert.

Mirabel: Your Questions Answered

What part of Scottsdale is Mirabel in? Far North Scottsdale, 85262, off Cave Creek Road just east of Pima Road, directly south of Desert Mountain.

Is it a private golf community? Yes. Mirabel is gated and guard-staffed, centered on The Mirabel Club, a member-owned club with a Tom Fazio 18-hole course.

Does buying a home include club membership? No, the two are separate. And you don't have to own in Mirabel to apply for membership.

What do homes go for? In 2026, resale homes generally land from the high-$2 millions into the $6 million-plus range, with new custom builds higher. Lots are available to build.

Who designed the course? Tom Fazio: 18 holes, par 71, playing over 7,100 yards.

What schools serve Mirabel? Cave Creek Unified (CCUSD #93): typically Black Mountain Elementary, Sonoran Trails Middle, and Cactus Shadows High.

How big is the community? About 340 homesites across roughly 713 acres, intentionally low-density.

Is it gated? Yes, with staffed security at the entrance.

Ready to Explore Mirabel?

Mirabel is one of those communities where local knowledge genuinely changes the outcome: from timing a club membership, to knowing whether a resale home or a build-ready lot makes more sense, to pricing a custom estate on the course. Whether you're buying, comparing Mirabel to Desert Mountain or Estancia, or getting ready to sell, I'll bring straight answers, real market data, and full-service attention every step of the way.

Let's talk. Call or text Brent Votroubek at (319) 210-2622 to start your search or schedule a private tour of Mirabel.

About the author: Brent Votroubek is a luxury real estate specialist with Compass serving North Scottsdale, including Mirabel, Desert Mountain, DC Ranch, Silverleaf, Troon, and Paradise Valley, and one of Iowa's most decorated REALTORS®, with 18+ years of experience and more than $600 million in closed sales. A former collegiate golfer, he knows Scottsdale's golf communities from the inside. Licensed in Arizona & Iowa.

Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Club fees, membership availability, home prices, and school boundaries can change. Please confirm current details directly with The Mirabel Club, the HOA, and Cave Creek Unified School District. Equal Housing Opportunity.