Arizona Foothills Magazine | March 11, 2026

Los Angeles Dodgers veteran Kiké Hernandez has scooped up a newly built Arcadia home for $5.375 million in cash.

The 5,181-square-foot Arcadia home originally was listed for $5.85 million on Oct. 30, 2025, according to Redfin.com.

After signing a one-year, $4.5 million contract with the Major League Baseball club, fan favorite Hernandez is returning to the Dodgers for the 2026 season, but is recovering from elbow surgery and isn’t expected to play until May, according to ClutchPoints.com.

While home sales within the ultraluxury market priced over $10 million are on fire, luxury homes priced between $1 million and $5 million are struggling. Many homes in this price range are showing price reductions, offering sweet deals for buyers.

Newly built or renovated homes are seeing more traction than homes that need renovations, said Chris Karas, founder and president of The Karas Group at Compass Arizona.

“Even in our market today one thing to drive home is there are still homes that are priced incorrectly,” he said. “Some people are very hesitant to drop the price. When priced correctly, the homes are selling. It’s the ones that are priced more ambitiously that we are seeing taking longer to sell.”

With 15 Major League Baseball teams holding their spring training games in metro Phoenix, many athletes are buying homes in the Arcadia and Paradise Valley areas, Karas said.

“We’re seeing some athletes purchase homes here because they know this is a very consistent place for them,” Karas said. “They will consistently be here no matter which team they get traded to.”

When they retire, they want to call Arizona home, he said.

Pro athletes like Arizona lifestyle

For example, former Major League Baseball outfielder Matt Holliday and his wife Leslee paid $10.6 million for a newly built Paradise Valley estate on Feb. 6. His purchase came around the same time he listed his 136-acre Oklahoma estate for $12 million.

NFL offensive tackle Taylor Decker and his wife, chef/author Kyndra Decker, also recently paid $6.85 million for an 8,126-square-foot home in Paradise Valley, according to Maricopa County records. Decker, a first-round pick of the Detroit Lions in 2016, was released by the team on March 9 after playing 10 seasons there, according to the Detroit Free Press.

“We tend to see a baseball, basketball, football or hockey player buying in Arizona because they spend a lot of their offseason here,” Karas said. “Their dietitians, trainers and strength coaches are here. They love being here. The best weather is in their offseason.”

Young professional athletes with families are attracted to the Arcadia area, which has a nice Midwest feel, he said.

Both Arcadia and Paradise Valley also offer easy access to stadiums, arenas and baseball fields, Karas said.

Article By:

Angela Gonzales, Senior Reporter, Phoenix Business Journal