TOD
Urban sprawl, causing long commutes, the rising cost of energy to heat and cool our homes and the ever escalating cost of gasoline for our cars will be some of the future factors in choosing housing.
Construction of the RTD Lightrail in metro Denver is bringing a housing boom along with it. Beyond getting clearance to procure the right of ways, lay tracks and build parking garages, the land along the rail lines is hot. Hot as in very popular for future Transit Orientated Developments. TOD’s as they are called will be the “cool places” to live of the very near future.
TOD’s are not a new concept. Years ago, I marveled at the efficiency of the TOD’s in Washington, D.C. along the Metro. Riding the Metro was fast, cheap, safe and efficient. It didn’t matter from what station you emerged, there was always a neighborhood complete with every necessity of life surrounding you.
The citizens of the city didn’t HAVE to own a car unless they just plain wanted too. The thought of having an alternative was just down right delightful! I would image what life would be like without a car payment, a monthly gas bill, insurance, tires, maintenance, tax, title and registration! Whew! Actually after housing, the cost of keeping a car is my second biggest expense.
Of course not everyone uses a car like a Realtor does, but most folks find automobile expenses high. Given the opportunity to ditch the auto, I wonder how many would do so?
Transit Oriented Developments Make Ditching the Car a Possibility!
Denver’s TOD’s are just beginning. The first one was built at the site of one of America’s very first Malls. When Cinderella City had outlived it’s usefulness, it was torn down in favor of a multi-use, high density urban community with a fresh new feel. Residents could walk outside their doors and have a variety of choices in restaurants, grocery store and transportation to downtown Denver.
Now that RTD’s FasTracks are in full swing, we will be seeing more and more TOD’s popping up along the Light Rail Lines. Homes built specifically for a wide variety of buyers are currently either under construction, pending to close or on the drawing board.
At the very end of the S.E. Line in Lone Tree, aka Lincoln Station a transit village has been coming up from the ground. They are building a vibrant Town Center with office, retail and residential units right at the very Light Rail stop! Imagine being delivered within a few footsteps of your door!
I love the convenience of it all. Instead of spending spare time trimming a suburban lawn, one could actually enjoy other activities. There is something to be said about the “simple life.”
Is simplifying your life something you are interested in? If so, maybe we should be talking about TOD’s!
Taste of Lone Tree
Mark you calendars now! This weekend is the first annual Lone Tree Art and Food Festival. Starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday & Sunday, continuing to 5 p.m. each day, visitors will have the opportunity to munch on samples from 30 of Lone Tree’s restaurants.
The event will be held in the parking lot of TREO on Quebec. Artists from Parker, Castle Rock and Lone Tree will be presenting their artwork.
This fun event is sponsored by the Lone Tree Chamber of Commerce and the Parker Artists Guild. Hope to see you there! (I’ll be the one behind the Canon)
Buffalo Run Golf Course
Happy days are here again when it’s warm and sunny all day and one doesn’t have to go to work! I play golf with EWGA ~ Executive Women’s Golf Association, the Denver Chapter. Saturday was a play day at Buffalo Run, so not only did I take my golf clubs, but my camera as well. I know having someone shooting pictures while playing golf can be distracting, but these ladies didn’t seem to mind at all. In fact, they told me to grab my camera more than once when a lovely fox or heron was in view! 
Buffalo Run is located in Commerce City, it is actually adjacent to the popular Reunion neighborhood off 112th and 120th. The course like most Colorado golf courses is positioned for fabulous views of the front range of the Rocky Mountains. Today was no exception. The mountain peaks were covered in fresh white snow, while down in the plains we played in 70 degree weather, perfect for shorts and a golf shirt!
The course plays very nicely. I like long drives with a broad area. Several times we found ourselves rummaging around in the rough looking for a lost ball. Luckily I didn’t lose any balls, so that must mean the course was easy! A couple of the Par 3’s required some precision work. Once I landed in a bunker, in the exact same spot as a previous golfer, who failed to rake! Bah humbug! May he eat nats!
All in all I would not hesitate to suggest playing at Buffalo Run. I love techie GPS in the cart and caught on to using it immediately. I wish the GPS would track the ball and choose my club, but guess that will have to be invented by someone soon. 
Buffalo Run Golf Course opened in 1996 when there was hardly a home in site. Today the golf course is almost totally surrounded by homes in varying price ranges, multi-family dwellings to upscale luxury homes. Since the neighborhood is relatively new, it still has that nice "new" feeling.
Reunion is a planned community that offers a wide variety of housing and prices. Entry level homes can be found in the area for under $200,000 and luxury former Parade of Home models sell over one million on the Back NIne of Reunion.
The commercial side of the location is growing rapidly. Once residents had a long commute to grab a Starbucks or a burger, but not anymore. Now fast food and soon groceries will be within a few minutes away.
This area has an address of Commerce City. It’s convenience to both downtown Denver and Denver International Airport is a strong draw for homeowners wishing to be in a lovely new neighborhood, near a very nice golf course.
If you would like to discuss housing options for the Buffalo Run Golf Course area and Reunion, please feel free to call me. I welcome your call.
Saddle Rock Golf Course
In 1998 Saddle Rock Golf Course was recognized as one of the America’s Top 10 Best New Courses by Golf
Digest. Ten years later this top notch Aurora public course continues to live up to it’s reputation. Saddle Rock Golf Course is a long, high-plains, links-style course and challenging. Even the best players find a challenge in negotiating native areas, creeks, trees and rolling diversity. The course is high and the panoramic views of the front range are among the best in metro Denver.
Saddle Rock Golf Course is a public course so the fees are quite reasonable. Players can enjoy either 9 or 18 holes of play. A cart is recommended (by me) this is a long and tough course to walk.
Residents are eligible to receive a special reservation card allowing them to book tee times seven days in advance. As with most community golf courses, residents also get discounted play.
Saddle Rock Golf Course is conveniently located at 21324 E. Briarwood Drive, Aurora, CO. 80016. To get there from I-25, take Arapahoe Road east, look for the entrance to the golf course on the left after crossing Liverpool.
Saddle Rock Real Estate
Homeowners desiring a nice place to call home, will be happy to know Saddle Rock is a planned community offering open space of parks, green belts and recreation trails. There are neighborhood "pocket parks" for the little ones to enjoy, or a great destination for walking the dog.
The Saddle Rock area offers a variety of housing options for those who desire to be in a golf community. Custom and semi-custom homes can be purchased along or near the golf course. The Community is fairly new, so resale homes built in the year 1998 and newer are also available. Custom homes start in the high $600k’s and semi custom can be found in the $500k’s.
It is also possible to find less expensive homes within a few blocks of the golf course. Multi-family (condos) are also available in the area.
Getting To Saddle Rock Golf Course or Community
The Saddle Rock neighborhood is conveniently located off the E-470 beltway. The population growth in the area has been expanding ever since E-470 opened, bringing the southeast neighborhoods closer to the city. The beltway provides quick and easy access to the Denver Tech Center (20 minutes), Meridian (12 minutes), Denver International Airport/DIA (20 minutes) or downtown Denver (30-40 minutes).
Saddle Rock Shopping
Outstanding shopping is available in the nearby fabulous Southlands. Patterned in old time Main Street style, Southlands offers more than 150 retailers, restaurants and second floor office suites. Southlands is home to major retailers; An Taylor Loft, Banana Republic, Coldwater Creek, J. Jill and many more.
Schools in Saddle Rock
The Saddle Rock neighborhood is serviced by two high schools both in the nationally acclaimed Cherry Creek School District; Grandview High School and the recently built Cherokee Trail High School.
Street View
Technology continues to deliver new and better ways to assist in the sale and purchase of real estate. The latest WOW tool is being delivered via Trulia and Google, called Street View. Lucky for us Denver is one of the top 20 communities to have the service.
Naturally, I had to look up my latest listing at 2622 Gaylord Street in City Park. The system delivered for me, big time. See for yourself…
Be sure to move the cursor around to view the street in front of the home for sale. Too bad Google didn’t take the photos AFTER my real estate sign went up!
Wow this is very cool. Now I can show people the neighborhood around my listing and the lovely City Park Golf Course (see bottom photo).
Thanks Trulia, this is the best!
Here’s City Park Golf Course
City Park Golf Course
The middle of March seems like a funny time to be talking about golf courses. Actually this time of year Colorado golfers are watching the weather report and ready to jump on the course at the hint of a sunny day.
In fact two weeks ago, we had such a day. I was over by City Park, picking up a client to look at houses. We both remarked on how this beautiful, sunny Colorado day had brought out the golfers at City Park Golf Course. The parking lot was full to capacity, the side streets were lined with golfer cars and the driving range had a line!
It’s no wonder City Park Golf Course is a popular place. The location is very convenient,
only 10 minutes from downtown Denver. The green fees are reasonable, approximately $37 with a cart. The nearly new club house is very nice, as is the pro shop and the well-run restaurant overlooking the fairway.
The course is fairly challenging but not over-bearing as many courses tend to be. If you loose a ball you don’t have to wade through rattle snake territory to retrieve it! Long hitters may have an advantage, but if they don’t place their shot in the right spot on the tilted green they will end up putting more than wanted.
City Park Golf Course is my favorite place to shoot a Canon. In fact some of my most favorite Denver skyline shots were taken from the 8th tee box. The course location offers some of the most inspiring city/mountain views. It is not unusual to find me roaming the course after dark or at day break, in anticipation of a perfect sunrise/sunset with the Denver skyline in the frame.
City Park Real Estate
Homes surrounding City Park Golf Course come in all shapes and sizes. The area to the
west offers older homes, bungalows, Denver Squares and two stories. Many homes in this area were built in the late 1800’s. Home seekers looking for a fine vintage home to restore (or a fully restored one) will find some good choices (value & style) here to the west of City Park.
To the north (above 23rd Avenue) the neighborhood was developed in the 1940 and 1950’s with a mixed bag of architecture. I particularly enjoy some of the scuptured trees and bushes in this area. For some reason when I think of City Park north this vision comes to mind. Homes in this area are priced beginning high $200’s for less than 1000 sq. feet.
The eastern border is in Park Hill along Colorado Blvd. Here we find large lovely homes of the early 1900’s. These homes built opposite the golf course and the park have an extraordinary, unmarred view of the city and with the mountains as a back drop. These homes are still very popular despite the fact they are on a busy boulevard.
South of the golf course is City Park, Denver Zoo, Museum of Natural History and the Imax. Further south of 17th Street is another fine mixture of new development and historic older homes. Homes here were built at the turn of the century. There is a new multi-use development of high rise, row houses and condos with modern finishes and some "knock your socks off views" of the Front Range, City Park and Denver in general.
This location is becoming even more appealing with the restoration of Colfax
Avenue. The Tattered Cover relocated its store to the Lowenstein Theater complex from the popular Cherry Creek location. Many feel this move is just the beginning for many good things to happen along this once blighted avenue.
The price range of homes in this area will begin in the high $200’s for a very conservative brick bungalow with natural woodwork, two bedroom, one bath and off street parking. On the high end, a brand new row house can be had in the $600’s or a nicely redone Victorian 1900 vintage home in the $500’s ++. The area offers such a diversity in housing, one can pick the price point if one is flexible on requirements!
Hope you have enjoyed your virtual golf tour of the City Park Golf Course and City Park neighborhood. I encourage you to visit the area and enjoy it live and in person! If you would like more information about City Park Real Estate, I’m happy to chat with you.
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Arrowhead Golf Club
Today was a semi-nice day with warmish temps yet the snow is still dotting the ground. Instead of posting dreary winter golf course pictures, I thought I would share the shots of Arrowhead, taken at the end of golf season 2007.
The day we played here was most memorable for the amazing range in change of weather. Over the course of a few hours we experienced all four seasons! Luckily Mother Nature saved winter for the last half hour!
Avid Golfer magazine designated Arrowhead as the top winner in the "Most Scenic Course (Public or Private)" category. One look down just about any Arrowhead fairway will confirm this course is a perfect choice. Jutting, jagged, gigantic red sandstone monoliths decorate the landscape lending the most incredible accents to the rolling foothill terrain. Arrowhead located south of I-470 in Littleton’s furthest most southwestern boundary is only 45 minutes from downtown Denver.
Looking through the red rocks one can view Denver in the distance. This hole was nearly our last on this particular fall day. Soon the gray clouds began to drop nasty cold rain, then sleet on us. Being the dedicated golfers we are, we continued to play in the wet, until we were frozen to the bone and shaking. Brrrrr!
Finally we caved in, running for the shelter and warmth of the car. Despite the weather it was a memorable day. Filled with the joy of the moment we went home wet, but satisfied.
Any day with golf in it, is a good day.
Snapping back to reality, (this is a real estate blog after all) the community surrounding Arrowhead Golf Club is called Roxborough. There are various plats within this gated community. Most homes are custom or semi-custom. At the entrance to the community the homes are wedged in at a higher density. As the road winds around the the west and then south the lots get bigger.
Many homes have views of the golf course, some are even high enough to have a view of the plains toward Denver.
Roxborough Real Estate
The price of homes in the gated section of Roxborough start at $400k and go up and up from there. Outside the gate there are a variety of subdivisions some old, some brand new with reasonably priced homes starting in the high $200’s.
The area has a unique beauty that makes the extra few miles to get there worth the trip. Now that more people are opting to live in the area, the close in daily amenities are easier to find. There is a strip shopping center in the Roxborough community with a grocery store, several fast food restaurants and filling station.
Just outside the entrance to the gated community is Roxborough State Park. Once voted one of the most beautiful state parks by National Geographic Magazine. The untamed terrain within the park resembles the terrain at Arrowhead. So if only half of a couple plays golf and the other half is a hiker or photographer, this neck of the world would be a good match for a day playing outside.
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Lone Tree Country Club
The Denver Metro is home to over 100 golf courses. Many of these courses, both private and public are lined with personal residences. Since golf lovers are always looking for a home on the golf course, I thought I would start showcasing the various Denver golf courses and the real estate surrounding them.
(about the photo: taken on February 29, 2008, yes the pond is covered with ice. Yes it was 60 degrees and yes, this is Colorado! Gotta love that weather!)
Lone Tree Country Club ~ Lone Tree, Colorado
Located in Douglas County just south of downtown Denver and the Denver Tech Center is the lovely City of Lone Tree and the public golf course of the same name. As part of the South Suburban Parks and Recreation system this 18 hole, Arnold Palmer designed par 72 championship course boasts spectacular views of Denver and the Front Range.
Surrounding the course are several different neighborhoods diverse style and price. Carriage Club, Heritage Estates, Muirfield, Fairways, Cypress Green, Centennial Ridge and Terra Ridge all have homes adjacent to the Lone Tree fairways. Home prices range from the high $300,000’s for a townhome to a multi-million dollar custom home high on the hill in Heritage Estates.
The Lone Tree Community
Lone Tree was established in 1995 with a City Council led by a Mayor. The population of 10,264 grew at a 5.8% rate in 2006. The City encompasses about 9.54 sq. miles, but only 4.3 is currently developed.
The community is positioned well for growth and has a strong tax base that includes the Park Meadows Mall. Lincoln Station is the current "end of the line" for the Southeast Light Rail. Expansion is planned to extend the rail further south to Sky Ridge Medical Center.
Overall Lone Tree enjoys all the popular conveniences of life, a lovely golf course, a huge recreation center, recreation trails, tennis courts, public swimming pool and well maintained neighborhoods. The schools are part of the highly respected Douglas County system, a favored destination for families with children.
The Skinny on the Lone Tree Golf Club
- 4 sets of tees challenge players of all abilities
- A well-bunkered layout, manicured, undulating greens and a spectacular view of Denver & the Front Range
- Practice area featuring grass driving range, putting green, chipping green and practice bunkers
- Golf instruction from PGA & LPGA trained Professionals
- Pro shop featuring quality service & merchandise, custom club fitting from PGA/LPGA Professionals and competitive prices
- Golf club cleaning and storage service
- Locker and shower facilities
- Fitness center with sauna and whirlpool
- Tennis courts
- 15 luxury hotel suites
- Conference and meeting rooms
- Banquet and reception halls
- Cafe Bar & Grill
Stapleton Delivers Diverse Homes and Fun
Many people remember Stapleton as the site of Denver’s airport. Today the area has been transformed into a vibrant community of a diverse selection of homes. Built as a "green" community, Stapleton has homes in most every price range.
The area was carefully planned with parks, a town center, brand new award winning schools and all the conveniences homeowners have grown to expect in a classy neighborhood.
Lately I’ve been showing homes to a nice family who are staying with relatives who live in Stapleton. I didn’t have to "sell" them on the neighborhood, they came to me and asked specifically to see homes "only in Stapleton!"
Having specific boundaries makes my job much easier!
I’m enjoying viewing the different styles of homes. Today we saw two homes with a third story, normally what one would think of as an attic. We don’t do many attics in Colorado, so seeing these homes was interesting even for me, who sees homes of all kinds all the time.
We decided the attic area was a very wise use of the space. It made for a large and private room, a great place for the teenager who craves both privacy and space! I could also see a great home office location up there, far enough away from the temptation of the refrigerator yet close enough for the pajama executive.
Discovering "old" designs, made new is not unusual in Stapleton. We are finding the homes have had a great deal of thoughtful design built into them. For instance alley entrances to the garage instead of ugly garage doors facing the streets.
There was a sign in a yard promoting Denver’s water conservation campaign, "Use only what you need." This could also apply to Stapleton homes. They are big, but only big enough for what a homeowner needs.
And that, is a good thing.
I’ve been warming up to Stapleton more lately as I’ve seen it grow into a unique community. I must say what really cinched the appeal was watching how the residents embraced the recent snow.
As we toured the homes for sale in Stapleton, I noticed kids and parents with sleds in tow heading for the nearby hill. Central Park has a couple of slopes, perfect for an afternoon of fun.
It reminded me of my old hometown. A sweet ping at the heart string and a memory from long ago, crystallized the reality for me. Set aside all the builder/developer marketing hype, Stapleton is a real neighborhood.
Mountain of city view?
Like many people on the job I tend to find things to do during the day that really don’t
pertain to my job of selling real estate in Denver metro. I like taking photos. Occasionally I find myself in a place that is so inspiring, I just have to stop and capture it. Of course I tell myself it’s ok to be goofing off, after all I blog, so my photos can be shared with the world…assuming anyone is paying attention.
Today I was doing reconnaissance work for a buyer that will be in town soon. My new client is looking for a nice mountain home, not too far from Downtown Denver where he will be working. His budget is ample, so his selection will only be limited by his time and desire to see the best. I spent my morning "previewing" homes. With the amount of homes on the market, I want to be sure I see as many as possible and show my new client only the best. Hence my opportunity to goof off came after a busy morning, so there was some work done today!
The foothills of the Denver metro area are really very close to town. It is not unreasonable to expect to drive from Genesee to downtown Denver in 20 minutes or less. This photo was taken from Genesee Park. The close-in housing is actually on Look Out Mountain, the Denver skyline is in the background. See how FLAT Denver actually is? On the horizon you can see Kansas (almost…not!).
Which View is for You?
Homes in the foothills have views. Some are what I call "knock your socks off" views of
either the mountains or the city. Today I visited a home on Look Out Mountain that had panoramic views of the city. The
home was built on the side of the hill and offered fabulous views from every window on all three levels. Living there would become a serious problem for me. I’d never want to leave!
Another choice abode was nestled further into the hills. It was actually more "part of the view" since it was surrounded by tall pine trees. The main window perfectly framed a snow capped peak in the distance. I felt serene and calm in this home. It too was very nice.
Given a choice, I’m not sure which home I would choose. Being part of the view in the mountains, or looking down on the view with the world at my feet?
Mountain view or City view, which one is for you?
This site brought to you by Kristal Kraft, a licensed Colorado Real Estate Broker