Highlands Ranch Information (Lone Tree, Acres Green, Center: hoa, for sale, condominiums)

[BTNS_TX]

The week before last the moving truck got our stuff from Texas to Colorado in 5 days and we didn't have a single thing damaged. Three full days of constant unpacking, and we are officially "home" in Highlands Ranch.

Well, one of is. As of this weekend, all four of us will be home together. I flew up to help my husband and then back to Texas for the last week of the kids' school, which is finally out tomorrow.

The days I was waiting on the truck to arrive, I managed to get the kids registered at their schools (very nice, helful folks on both campuses) and tool around Highlands Ranch a bit, as well as visit Home Depot some half dozen times.

The difference between visiting on January 2 (our first look) and now is startling. The feel of houses piled on top of each other was claustrophobic to me in the bleak gray winter with piles of snow that couldn't melt off feet high everyone's yards and the sparse leafless trees.

Now the green of the trees and the grass as well the bright colordul flowers make the neighborhood streets so pleasant. Are there gigantic sprawling lawns of St. Augustine like Texas? No. But having the upkeep of one of those lawns in stifling humidity and scorching heat my whole life, I can tell you I much prefer the reasonable space of our new backyard and its bermuda grass as well as the views of the Front Range.

The folks we've met, including our neighbors, are friendly and helpful. The streets are wide, there are sidewalks everywhere (almost none in our small Texas town), and lots of kids for my own to make friends with.

I am hoping once we get settled in to be able to offer some more "on the ground" experiences here for others wondering if Highlands Ranch is for them.

so until next time. . .

[sujoco]

This info was great! We're Colo natives but have been in Alabama for 8+ years and are reloing back to Denver. So much has changed. Loved the links you provided for more information.

[jaybee13]

Hello,

We are contemplating a move to CO and are acutely interested in Highlands Ranch.

Any insight on the differences between Westridge, Southridge, Eastridge, and Northridge?

Examples: which have better views? Better schools? More space between homes? Better amenities? Better access to highways? Safer?

Or are they so similar, the difference is only in the name?

[2bindenver]

This belongs in the HR info thread.

Northridge is older, the first homes were built 25 years ago here. Borders - Broadway to University C-470 to Salford (roughly) Westridge runs from Broadway to Santa Fe, Eastridge runs from Uni to just past Quebec - Southridge generall runs south of Lucent & Broadway to the new neighborhood called Back Country. The Southridge Rec center is very close to the Eastridge Rec center, a trade from Shea Home to build Back County.

Generally Southridge is newer - views depend on the street, there are two highways C-470 to the north and I-25 to the east. The Douglas County Sherriff's office can give you crime stats. Shopping centers are at every major crossstree...Aspen Grove is off of Sante Fe in Littleton, Park Meadows is in Lone Tree...Target & Sunflower off Uni & County Line Super Taget off Yosemite & Lincoln, Kohl's & Walmart on Quebec & Park Meadows Drive, Tattered Cover, Bed Bath & Beyone & Home Depot in Town Center, HR Pwky & Lucent...

Oh and there are two Office Max's, 4 King Soopers, a Safeway, TJ Maxx, & Whole Paycheck - aka Whole Foods...and in HR's first urban renewl project - Staples is moving into the old Albertson's store.

[BTNS_TX]

There are so many different communities in each "ridge" that all of them offer widely divergent views, sizes, and prices to go with them.

In terms of access, all of HR is easy on to CR 470. East and Northridge will be slightly less drive time to I-25, Westridge is closest to 85 and the western track around to Morrison and Golden.

All of HR is incredibly safe, well-lit, great trails we've walked at night.

In terms of schools, Thunderridge is slightly smaller (Westridge HS), but catching up fast. All are highly rated.

All that to say, yeah, the difference is mostly only in which Rec Center you'll be closest to, and we share all four of those anyway.

[jaybee13]

Regarding rec centers, 2bindenver posted separately re: differences in the ridges' rec ctrs. I thought it was appropriate to reference here:

Originally Posted by 2bindenver

All four of them have indoor fitness equipment, indoor & outdoor pools, and each have their uniqueness...to help stave off boredom.

Eastridge with its indoor track and rock climbing wall, or Southridge with the ceramics studio and lazy river, or Northridge - with its racquetball courts or Westridge with the "whale pool" and batting cages. Not bad for $118 per household per quarter.

Thanks, 2bindenver. It sounds like a small thing, but the content of the local rec center is truly a differentiator! Is southridge the last developmen for HR? Clearly the Aurora subdivisions have the most new home developments around metro, but I was interested to know the long term plans for HR development?

[2bindenver]

Yes HR is almost all built out. Your $118 per household HOA fee includes all the recreation centers - so where you want to go depends on what you want to do. It's 10 minutes from one to the other...

My 15 year old like Eastridge and the rock climbing wall, there's a water slide in the indoor pool. At Northridge he likes the diving board. He also like the skatepark at Redstone.
My 17 year old likes tennis courts at Northridge.
My 11 year old like Southridge and the water gym & lazy river.
Honey likes Westridge and the batting cage, Northridge for the raquetball courts.

Me I don't have a preference. I go where the kids want. I walk the track, do laps in the pool, walk the treadmill, coach at the diving board...hide in the shade at any of the outdoor pools with my laptop or a book.

There are four areas of new construction left in HR. Uni & HR Pwky, Back Country, Town Center and the Hearth.

[FixNFlip]

Highlands Ranch is suburban sprawl at it's worst. My wife and I have friends that live down there and we cannot wait to leave every time we visit them. The problem is all the houses look exactly the same so we always get lost trying to find our way out back to Denver. The houses are all so close together I went to a birthday party and we watched the game on the neighbors TV set through their living room window. My boss's husband couldn't park his work truck on the street because it had a company logo on it. Don't even think about having your garage door open. The only good thing about Highlands Ranch is the schools. Be careful I hear HR draws it's water from a well system. Douglas County has been so overdeveloped that the aquifer can only support the population for another 10 years. Try Littleton or Parker.

[jaybee13]

We visited HR over the weekend and were surprised by the new developments in Backcountry, particularly Shadow Walk by Shea.

While many of the homes in HR live up to cramped stereotypes, these have nice size lots and most back to the neighborhood namesake.

Any comments on this particular area within HR?

[gpraceman]

Originally Posted by jaybee13

We visited HR over the weekend and were surprised by the new developments in Backcountry, particularly Shadow Walk by Shea.

While many of the homes in HR live up to cramped stereotypes, these have nice size lots and most back to the neighborhood namesake.

Any comments on this particular area within HR?

There are going to be some larger lots in BackCountry, but most seem to be very large houses on small lots. Just looking at the model homes they are building right now turns my stomach due to the tight spacing. Unfortunately, the newer the development within HR, the tighter the home spacing is, generally speaking. Of course, that seems to be the trend with new homes where ever you go in the metro area.

One of the other problems with BackCountry is that you will pay an additional HOA fee, which is on top of the $118/quarter fee that HR residents pay. If I recall correctly, it will be between $225 - 250 per month (yes, per month). To me, that is outrageous. With all of the amenities we get in HR for $118/quarter, why do you really need to pay that much more? Why do they need their own club house and pool when we have 4 rec centers?

The only real advantage I see to BackCountry, is that being on the western side of HR, some of the homes will end up with good mountain views. IMO, it is not worth all the extra money. There are many other homes in HR that would be a better value.