California vs Arizona Luxury Real Estate: Why High-Net-Worth Buyers Are Moving Between Scottsdale and Coastal Orange County

Luxury real estate buyers today are no longer choosing one primary market. Increasingly, they are building multi-market lifestyles, and one of the most common and compelling pairings is Arizona and Coastal Southern California.

Many of my clients live in, invest in, or split time between Scottsdale and Newport Beach, with Corona del Mar often serving as the coastal counterpart. This California–Arizona connection continues to strengthen as affluent buyers prioritize lifestyle, flexibility, and long-term strategy over geography alone.

Why Scottsdale Continues to Dominate Arizona Luxury Real Estate

Scottsdale remains one of the strongest luxury hubs in the Southwest, and not by accident. The market consistently attracts high-net-worth buyers for several key reasons:

Resort-style living with golf, wellness, and privacy at scale
Favorable tax structure compared to California
Newer construction and modern architecture
Strong inbound migration from West Coast states

Elite enclaves such as Silverleaf, Paradise Valley, and North Scottsdale continue to see resilient demand, particularly for new builds and thoughtfully remodeled homes. These areas offer land, views, and amenities that are increasingly difficult to replicate elsewhere.

For many buyers, Scottsdale represents space, efficiency, and lifestyle optimization.

Why Coastal Orange County Remains Irreplaceable

While Arizona offers space and modernity, Coastal Orange County delivers something fundamentally different: scarcity.

Communities such as Newport Beach and Corona del Mar remain among the most desirable coastal markets in the United States due to:

Extremely limited coastal inventory
Irreplaceable ocean-adjacent land
Strong cash-buyer activity
Enduring global demand for California coastal living

Lifestyle continues to be the ultimate driver. Proximity to the ocean, walkable villages, architectural diversity, dining, culture, and year-round coastal climate create long-term value that transcends short-term market cycles.

For many Arizona-based buyers, Coastal Orange County becomes the second-home market of choice, offering an elevated coastal lifestyle that complements their primary residence in Arizona.

Scottsdale vs Newport Beach: A Luxury Market Snapshot

Scottsdale Luxury Homes (typically $2M+)

Larger parcels and newer construction
Wellness-focused, gated communities
Greater flexibility for multi-property ownership
Select opportunities for luxury rental income

Newport Beach & Corona del Mar Luxury Homes

Land scarcity drives long-term appreciation
Strong emotional and lifestyle value
Prestige tied to coastal proximity
Limited inventory creates pricing resilience

What both markets share

Lifestyle-first buyers
Selective inventory in prime locations
Continued appeal to high-net-worth individuals
Long-term confidence from affluent purchasers

The Advantage of Cross-Market Representation

Because I work extensively in both Arizona and Coastal Southern California, I help clients navigate more than just transactions. I help them think holistically about:

Lifestyle transitions between primary and secondary homes
Tax and residency considerations
Timing purchases and sales across markets
Long-term value trends and capital allocation

Whether a client is relocating, downsizing, upsizing, or diversifying across states, strategy matters as much as location.

Final Thought

Luxury real estate today is no longer about choosing where to live. It’s about choosing how to live, and building a portfolio that supports that vision.

If you’re considering Arizona, Coastal Orange County, or a thoughtful combination of both, I’m always happy to be a strategic resource. No pressure, just informed guidance grounded in real experience.

Bre Roberts
[email protected]
(602) 321-4213
DRE 02221617

Janelle File

Primary phone
949.466.5661
License Number
#01952433
Email
[email protected]
Address
2919 East Coast Hwy, Suite A,
Corona del Mar, CA 92625

Get to Know Me

Licensed Realtor® and Certified Residential Appraiser #AR028996

As the Principal agent at The File Group, Janelle File is a natural team leader and trusted real estate expert. Just as importantly, she has been a constant fixture in her home community of Corona del Mar for well over 25 years. Today, as a top agent in Corona del Mar, Janelle leads The File Group with her husband Brandon Goethals. The File Group has become one of the highest-producing teams in the area, known for their steadfast commitment to unparalleled client service and providing a luxury experience that leaves clients beyond satisfied. Janelle, like the rest of her team, operates with honesty, integrity, and a relationship-driven approach to ensure complete client satisfaction.

Janelle strives to achieve an outcome for her clients that exceeds every expectation. For decades, many individuals and families have relied on her for her business expertise and her first-hand familiarity of the high-end business world in Orange County. In her former role as the Director of Special Events at Fashion Island, Janelle was responsible for organizing major events, including the Fashion Island Concert Series, the Taste of Newport, fashion shows, and numerous charitable events. She was later promoted to the Director of Sales and Marketing at the Irvine Spectrum Center, where she used her marketing expertise to increase center-wide sales by over 150% over two years. She then moved to marketing at the Irvine Company, where she was the Director of Partnership Development for all of the Irvine Company properties and partnered with mega-corporations like Coca Cola, Jaguar, and Aston Martin to facilitate cross-promotional events to help subsidize marketing budgets and build brand awareness.

Janelle switched to real estate many years ago and developed her real estate appraisal firm, where she employed 15 appraisers that serviced all Southern California from Los Angeles to San Diego. She worked for major lending corporations such as Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo, and many private brokerages around the country. Janelle’s primary focus was on the luxury coastal properties along the Southern California coast. Janelle earned a sterling reputation for her appraisal skills and is still highly regarded and relied upon for her stellar appraisal skills today.

After crossing over half a billion in team sales, The File Group now operates out of its own first-of-its-kind office in Corona del Mar (with a fitting office name of "Sea Diem"). Janelle and Brandon are proud to further integrate into their home community of CdM where they work, live, are raising their three young children, and happily support the schools, businesses, and events in the area.