A private village in Scottsdale houses some of Arizona's priciest real estate. I got a tour of its guarded neighborhoods.

• Silverleaf Village in Scottsdale, Arizona, is the city's most exclusive and expensive community.

• The residential area boasts Scottsdale's most expensive home, a $54 million mega-mansion.

• I got a private tour of the village with 24-hour guards and a championship golf course.

In the canyons beneath a mountain range dotted with cacti is Silverleaf Village, the most exclusive and expensive residential community in Scottsdale, Arizona.

In a city with a rapidly growing millionaire population, Silverleaf had an average selling price of $5.5 million in 2023, according to a representative of the neighborhood. And it's home to the most expensive residence on the market in Scottsdale — a mega-mansion listed for $54 million.

The village is in the 4,400-acre residential community of DC Ranch. Last month, I got an exclusive tour of the entire neighborhood's four villages, and Silverleaf stood out as the most elite, with custom estates and an exclusive clubhouse.

Take a look around the luxury desert oasis that Scottsdale's richest locals call home.

Silverleaf Village is in North Scottdale.

Silverleaf is on the east side of DC Ranch in North Scottsdale. The village is nestled in the canyons of the McDowell Mountains.

The village has 16 gated neighborhoods.

According to the DC Ranch website, the neighborhoods are guarded 24 hours a day.

The homes are a mix of luxury villas and custom estates.

Silverleaf's street signs have a fancy look, with curled details on the posts and serif fonts. According to the neighborhood's website, the homes were built in Spanish and Mediterranean Revival-style architecture.

The elevated signage, paired with mansions reminiscent of Italian castles and Greek villas, made me feel like I was somewhere in Europe.

Within the village is a private club with a golf course, a spa, pools, and restaurants.

Since the clubhouse is so exclusive, I wasn't able to access it with my media tour guide. But according to the club's website, it's a 50,000-square-foot space with casual and fine dining, a world-class spa, and both resort-style and lap pools.

I did get a peek at the championship golf course. It sprawls 18 holes over 7,322 yards and is surrounded by hills and succulents.

The homes with the highest elevation appeared to be the most luxurious.

Driving up the mountain, I noticed the houses looked more like mega-mansions. They had long, walled driveways leading up to estates with multiple buildings.

The village is still developing.

Toward the top of Silverleaf Village, I spotted several empty sites ready for more custom estates to be built. According to the neighborhood's website, luxury condos are also in the works.

From the top of Silverleaf, residents have a view of Scottsdale.

The top of Silverleaf had the best views in DC Ranch. Past the mansions and cacti dotting the canyon, I spotted golfing greens and a runway at Scottsdale Airport, where the wealthy park private jets.

With massive estates, luxury amenities, and jaw-dropping views, it was easy to see why Silverleaf Village is the most expensive place to live in Scottsdale.

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