Royal Highlands vs. Other Southern Highlands Communities: A Price Comparison

Royal Highlands vs. Other Southern Highlands Communities: A Price Comparison

Southern Highlands is a massive master planned community with multiple guard gated neighborhoods. Understanding how Royal Highlands fits into this landscape is essential for making an informed buying decision.

Let's start with the ultra luxury tier. The Estates at Southern Highlands and the Southern Highlands Golf Club gated community represent the absolute pinnacle of luxury in the area. Homes here regularly sell for $4 million to well over $10 million. These are custom estates on large lots with direct golf course access and membership in the club. If your budget is in this range, you're looking at a completely different product than what Royal Highlands offers.

Then you have communities like Augusta Canyon, Tuscan Cliffs, and The Bluffs at Tuscan Cliffs. These are guard gated neighborhoods with luxury homes, but they're smaller communities with higher price per square foot. You're paying a premium for newer construction, smaller community feel, and specific architectural styles. Homes in these neighborhoods typically range from $800K to $2.5 million depending on size and location.

Royal Highlands occupies the sweet spot. You're getting guard gated security, substantial homes, and the Southern Highlands address, but at a price per square foot that's among the lowest in any guard gated community in the area. This is where the value proposition becomes compelling.

As of current market conditions, you can find Royal Highlands homes ranging from approximately $425K for smaller properties to well over $1.4 million for the largest estates in Inverness. The average price per square foot hovers around $230 to $280, which is remarkable considering the quality of American West construction and the guard gated security.

Compare that to newer developments where you're paying $300 to $400 per square foot for similar sized homes without the established landscaping and mature neighborhood feel. The math starts to make sense quickly.

The HOA fees are another differentiator. At approximately $180 per month, Royal Highlands is significantly more affordable to maintain than many comparable communities where HOA dues can run $300 to $500 monthly. Over time, that difference adds up substantially.

For buyers prioritizing maximum square footage, Royal Highlands is hard to beat. Where else in a guard gated Southern Highlands community can you find 5,000 square foot homes with finished basements at this price point? The Inverness section particularly delivers value that's difficult to replicate elsewhere.

The trade offs are worth acknowledging. You're not getting brand new construction. These homes were built between 2003 and 2008, which means they're 15 to 20 years old. However, many have been updated, and American West built quality homes that have aged well. You're also not getting the smallest, most intimate guard gated community. At 669 homes, Royal Highlands is larger than some buyers prefer.

But if your priorities are security, space, location, and value, Royal Highlands consistently outperforms other options in Southern Highlands. You're getting 80 to 90 percent of what the ultra luxury communities offer at 50 to 60 percent of the price. That's a compelling value proposition for smart buyers who understand real estate.