SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Sarah Palin's apparent purchase of a house in an exclusive gated community in north Scottsdale has definitely set people to talking and wondering what America's most famous Republican female is up to now.

The Arizona Republic wondered in a news story Sunday whether the $1.69 million cash purchase by a Delaware limited liability company was on behalf of Sarah and Todd Palin. The story and TV news reports speculated that it was a new Palin residence from which to launch a bid for president or perhaps an open U.S. Senate seat in Arizona.

The property is held in the name of Safari Investments LLC, and a Phoenix attorney is listed as the only contact on the paperwork.

The Phoenix area, and Scottsdale in particular, is a Mecca for celebrities of all sorts -- from professional athletes to rock stars to hedge fund managers -- who have part-year or even year-round residences there. Palin's new house in far north Scottsdale is about a 30-minute drive from downtown Scottsdale and more than an hour to the house daughter Bristol purchased late last year in Maricopa.

Politicos remember that Palin seemed to like Arizona when she was running for vice president alongside Arizona Sen. John McCain. They recall that after the 2008 election, which the pair lost to Barack Obama and Joe Biden, the Palins lingered for several days at the Biltmore resort in central Phoenix.

Since then, she's been to the state a number of times, especially to help tea party-type candidates in congressional races. She appeared with McCain at least once to help him fend off a potentially tough primary challenge from conservative former congressman J.D. Hayworth, who is popular in some tea party circles.

Last fall, Palin launched a book-signing tour at the Barnes and Noble in northeast Phoenix.

Political experts interviewed by Alaska Dispatch this week say Arizona isn’t a bad choice for a presidential campaign headquarters. But they don’t see Palin jumping into the race for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Jon Kyl, a top GOP Senate leader. After all, she could have run for the U.S. Senate in Alaska last year if she wanted to be a senator.

And maybe, they say, she just likes Arizona. Besides having daughter Bristol in the area, Palin's longtime family attorney, Thomas Van Flein, is now working for Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar.

Still, Palin clearly appears to be running for something. As usual, she's not talking, but her Facebook page is buzzing with people urging more contributions to her political fundraising vehicle, SarahPAC.

And on Tuesday, the website RealClearPolitics.com reported on a new movie about Palin that is about to debut. It’s a full-length feature film aimed at dispelling some of the criticism surrounding her vice presidential run and her abrupt departure as Alaska governor.

"Why Arizona?" postulates Jason Rose, a longtime Arizona political consultant and one of the state's top GOP operatives. "It's a great place to live and will remind people of her politics, that she was John McCain's running mate and the gravitas that comes with that."

The state that was once the political home turf of Barry Goldwater is ideal for Palin, he said.

Palin also has been involved in several congressional campaigns here. Gosar, whom she endorsed, went on to defeat the Democratic incumbent in the district that covers the north and east part of the state. She also helped Rep. David Schweikert beat Democratic incumbent Harry Mitchell in the Phoenix area. And she worked for Jesse Kelly in Tucson who narrowly lost to incumbent Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

That gives her a good base of support in Arizona already, Rose said.