Fire sale on fancy desert mansions

Fire sale on fancy desert mansions

Fire Sale on Fancy Desert Estates

Paradise Valley, Ariz., the small, affluent town outside Scottsdale — not to be confused with Paradise Valley Village in Phoenix — is composed of sprawling estates topped with palatial private residences, a personal manifestation of Southwestern sprawl.

For its small size and remoteness, many bold-faced names have made homes here, including boxers Muhammed Ali and Mike Tyson, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, and former U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle. And with 12 resorts, the wealthy community of only 5,000 households also is among the state's biggest tourist destinations.

With the economic downturn, though, the area has been hit with a rash of sales attempts — multimillion-dollar houses many times over left lingering on the market. And here are five luxurious desert estates worth their salt:

5800 East Foothill Drive

Recent Price: $11.9 million (Original price: $22 million)