The numbers that matter in 85251
| Metric | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Median project cost | $156K | declared at permit |
| Real cost / sqft | $240 | grossed-up median |
| Median home value | $929K | Assessor FCV 2026 |
| Resale price / sqft | $449 | recorded sales |
What homeowners are actually building in 85251
Permit counts since 2020. Most homeowners pull permits for additions and ADUs — full scrapes are rare.
- Additions: 213 permits (livable square footage added)
- ADUs / Casitas: 36 permits (separate dwelling units)
- New builds: 150 permits (full scrape & rebuild)
- ADU-eligible lots: 87% (≥6,000 sf in this zip)
What renovation actually returned in 85251
For homeowners in 85251 who pulled a permit and had a recorded purchase price on file: every $1 of grossed-up renovation cost produced this much in net equity — after subtracting both their original purchase price and the renovation cost itself.
| Project type | Permits | Median cost | Equity / $1 spent | Median value after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADU / Casita | 15 | $156K | +$0.98 | $1.45M |
| Addition | 53 | $145K | $-0.16 | $758K |
| New build / scrape | 25 | $984K | $-0.22 | $1.36M |
| Remodel | 14 | $127K | $-0.51 | $719K |
The houses we're working with in 85251
- Median year built: 1965 (64% built before 1980)
- Median lot size: 8,163 sf (87% large enough for an ADU)
- Median home value: $929,300 (Assessor Full Cash Value, 2026)
Data sources: City of Scottsdale residential building permits (2020–2026 YTD) joined to Maricopa County Assessor parcel records. "Real cost" figures gross up declared permit valuations by 1.35× to reflect industry-standard underreporting. Refresh: April 30, 2026. ExpandEase is calibrated on the actual square-foot economics of your zip code, not national averages.