Ken Caryl Ranch (Highlands Ranch, Columbine: appointed, buying a house, neighborhood) - Denver - Colorado (CO) - City-Data Forum

Azimuth · 08-08-2007, 11:45 PM

Hi. We are strongly considering moving to Ken Caryl (the ranch, not the valley). Does anyone live there, and can you tell me if there is anything I should know before buying a house there? I want this to be the house my kids grow up in and dont want to move again for maybe 16 years, once they are off to college. So any positives/negatives are greatly appreciated. Any drug use, that scares me! Do the schools have a gifted program? Etc. Thanks!

kwk722 · 08-09-2007, 04:51 AM

Ken Caryl is a nice area overall. I dont think they are known for any illegal activities. Check out greatschools .net for some info on the area schools. I think that would be Columbine High School area. Which is rated fairly high if heard correctly.

2bindenver · 08-09-2007, 08:16 AM

Chatfield High School serve the KC area. I like the BBQ place on the south side of KC Ave by C-470 (same side of street as Safeway)

The biggest thing is to have the house inspected. There are more than a few properties with some structural damage.

I don't think there is any high school that has absolutely no drug use. Heck, two kids I went to high school with in the 1978-79 were busted for drugs on campus.

If your kids will be off to college in 16 years - they are two now, some things in your neighborhood will change.

Katarina Witt · 08-09-2007, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azimuth

Hi. We are strongly considering moving to Ken Caryl (the ranch, not the valley). Does anyone live there, and can you tell me if there is anything I should know before buying a house there? I want this to be the house my kids grow up in and dont want to move again for maybe 16 years, once they are off to college. So any positives/negatives are greatly appreciated. Any drug use, that scares me! Do the schools have a gifted program? Etc. Thanks!

All schools, to the best of my knowledge, accomodate "gifted" kids, though not all through formal programs. Such accomodations include in the elementary years: skipping grades (rare), Jr. Great Books programs, Math Mentors, moving one class level up in math (e.g. a 4th grader going to 5th grade for math), etc. Sometimes an elementary child will be sent to a middle school for one subject. In middle school there are honors classes and the move-up classes, and again, kids being sent to high school for some classes; high schools offer honors classes, AP classes, and some offer IB classes. Sometimes high school kids are sent to a local college for classes the hs does not offer, e.g. advanced calculus.

Azimuth · 08-09-2007, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2bindenver

Chatfield High School serve the KC area. I like the BBQ place on the south side of KC Ave by C-470 (same side of street as Safeway)

The biggest thing is to have the house inspected. There are more than a few properties with some structural damage.

I don't think there is any high school that has absolutely no drug use. Heck, two kids I went to high school with in the 1978-79 were busted for drugs on campus.

If your kids will be off to college in 16 years - they are two now, some things in your neighborhood will change.

Thanks everyone. What is the structural damage from? Is it just Ken Caryl Ranch?

Kibbiekat · 08-09-2007, 12:33 PM

shifty soils. We looked at houses from January-May of this year and EVERYTHING in our price range in KC Ranch had structural problems. They were obvious, too. No inspection needed to see the sloping basement floor or cracked basement walls. It was disappointing because it is a beautiful neighborhood. We ended up in Highlands Ranch. Our price range was about $275,000-$310,000. If you can spend more, maybe you can get a house that isn't sloping.

Azimuth · 08-09-2007, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkb0305

shifty soils. We looked at houses from January-May of this year and EVERYTHING in our price range in KC Ranch had structural problems. They were obvious, too. No inspection needed to see the sloping basement floor or cracked basement walls. It was disappointing because it is a beautiful neighborhood. We ended up in Highlands Ranch. Our price range was about $275,000-$310,000. If you can spend more, maybe you can get a house that isn't sloping.

Thank you. That is about the price range we are in too. I am disappointed because the lots in Highlands Ranch seem so small.

Kibbiekat · 08-09-2007, 02:11 PM

We were able to find an 8000 sf lot. With a 2 story house, we have enough of a yard. We're close to the neighbors, but no windows face that direction, so we aren't looking into each others houses or anything.

kwk722 · 08-10-2007, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2bindenver

Chatfield High School serve the KC area.

oops, I forgot all about that school

winglady · 08-11-2007, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkb0305

shifty soils. We looked at houses from January-May of this year and EVERYTHING in our price range in KC Ranch had structural problems. They were obvious, too. No inspection needed to see the sloping basement floor or cracked basement walls. It was disappointing because it is a beautiful neighborhood.

We lived in Ken Caryl Ranch for about 7 years and really enjoyed the area. Yes, there is definitely a bentonite problem in that region, but not all houses are affected by it. Our front porch and steps tended to sink a little, and we had to have them mud-jacked, but fortunately the house itself was solid.

We had a number of friends in the neighborhood, and none had any serious bentonite problems. On the other hand, we saw a house about 1/2 mile from ours where they literally raised up the house and replaced the foundation below before restoring the house to its original spot. Now that had to be incredibly expensive!

You will certainly be able to see problems in some houses yourself, but absolutely DO have a professional inspector go through any house you are serious about buying.