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Old 11-18-2006, 02:14 PM
 
85 posts, read 473,767 times
Reputation: 63

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We're considering the Parker area and don't know which to look at for good schools? We are coming from So. California so compared to where we are anything would be better. I understand Elbert is more spacious with their home lots vs. douglas being closer neighborhoods. Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated. Our son is under 2 so I have to keep that in mind since things change overnight. We'd like to know what's happened over a 5 year or more period, gone down or turning into the top school?

thank you!
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Old 11-18-2006, 05:16 PM
 
Location: Highlands Ranch, CO
616 posts, read 2,996,182 times
Reputation: 176
Elbert County is more rural, if that is what you are looking for. You can still find homes with large lots, or buy some land and build a home within Douglas County. It is the newer developments where the builders are cramming in as many homes as they can (or the planning commission will let them).

I know nothing about schools in Elbert County, but DC schools are highly rated. DC has seen a lot of growth over the last 20 years or so, but still the schools have managed to rate highly. I think in the future they will be able keep up.
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Old 11-18-2006, 06:40 PM
 
Location: Larkspur, Colorado
226 posts, read 1,365,420 times
Reputation: 78
On average Douglas County Schools are better. If you are able to narrow it down to neighborhoods you may want to pull up each school on www.greatschools.net (hopefully the link will not be deleted).

You can find numerous neighborhoods with larger lots in Douglas County, but it will typically cost more than a comparable house in Elbert County. Many areas of Elbert County are much more rural, dirt roads, larger (35 acre +) agricultural properties, a considerable drive to the grocery store, etc.).

On average both areas are growing as the city sprawls and people want a little more elbow room. It is hard to say with any certainty what either area will look like in 5 years, but I would expect both areas to continue to grow and I would expect to see several of the very large parcels sold off to developers. If you want to maintain a rural feel indefinitely I would look for an established neighborhood with covenants that prohibit subdivision of the lots.

How large of a lot are you looking for? What price range are you comfortable with? With a little more information I may be able to suggest specific neighborhoods.
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Old 11-19-2006, 09:47 AM
 
85 posts, read 473,767 times
Reputation: 63
Default Elbow room but not too much

My in-laws were out there this last week and decided on Deer Creek Estates and signed the bottom line. They are on 5 acres, which is too much for me. We have a small child and hope to have more, I'd like to watch him walk down the street to a friends house. However, here were were live we're on a lot that's that 6500 sq ft with a 1700 square foot house and detached garage. We have a nice backyard with privacy but it's too close for our taste. We've looked in neighboorhoods west of Jordan, South of Mainstreet and East of S. parker Road at Hill Top. We've done an enormous amout of research for the Douglas Co. area of Parker but now with the prospect of Elbert Co. we'd like to start researching that area. We would prefer the Deer Creek Farms which has smaller acreage.

I reviewed Greatschools.com for the schools near the Deer Creek Farms homes and they are so, so. I also checked out on the website the schools in the areas we've looked at in Douglas Co. My gut tells me all are going to be better than what we're seeing happen here where we live. Plus, not knowing the people directly giving their opinion we need to take it with a grain of salt. But, I'm still interested in hearing what people have to say.

Thank you for taking the time to help us!
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Old 11-19-2006, 11:36 AM
 
Location: Just south of Denver since 1989
11,813 posts, read 34,270,988 times
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Are you looking at new or resale? Which communities did you look at? What did you like? What didn't you like? What are you expecting to pay? How soon will you land here? Define private? A 6 foot fence? or backs to open space?

What is important to you? Folks buy into community first, are you looking for suburban type communities or more rural?
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Old 11-19-2006, 11:29 PM
 
Location: Larkspur, Colorado
226 posts, read 1,365,420 times
Reputation: 78
Deer Creek Ranch Estates is a very good choice, nice homes in a growing area. Four properties are currently on the market in Deer Creek Farms all on 1.5 Acres. Prices range from $367,900 to $475,000. What would you like to know about the area?

-Ben-
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Old 12-25-2008, 07:19 PM
 
Location: Denver, CO
5,610 posts, read 23,224,697 times
Reputation: 5447
Default The Exurbs of Denver: Elbert & Eastern Douglas Counties -- PHOTO TOUR

This is a photo tour of western Elbert County and eastern Douglas County, a rapidly growing "exurban" frontier southeast of the Denver metro area. It's a pretty country made of rolling hills that vary between barren plains and patches of Ponderosa forest (the northern reaches of the Black Forest). A casual drive through this area makes it clear though that this is not a true rural area. Many people who live here commute into the southeast metro area for work-- enough that Elbert County is now officially counted as part of the Denver metro area. Some small scale agriculture still exists, but increasingly this area is being developed as 3-5 acre "semi-rural" homesites. Kiowa looks like it hasn't changed a day in 50 years, but Elizabeth is noticeably looking more like a modern suburb around its fringes, with a Safeway shopping center and a brand new huge high school. Northwest of Elizabeth, a rapidly developing unincorporated town center called "Singing Hills" is emerging. The pictures explain it better than words can:

County Line Rd between Piney Lane and Delbert Rd:



County Line Rd, east of Delbert Rd. On the left side is Arapahoe County (in the former Lowry Bombing Range), on the right side is Elbert County. This road was recently paved for many miles up to the point where Elbert County takes over, then it resumes as a gravel road. Last time I had been on this several years ago the whole thing was an extremely bumpy gravel road.





















The Kiowa-Bennett Road headed towards Kiowa:















The town of Kiowa:









CO-86:











Town of Elizabeth:

























Elizabeth High School:



Heading north towards Singing Hills:









Singing Hills. Not an incorporated town or village, but a rapidly growing center of population in northwestern Elbert County:





"Downtown" Singing Hills:



Douglas County, east of Parker:





Downtown Parker. This "town" has long crossed the line where it is now a full blown suburb, rather than an exurb, of Denver, IMO:











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Old 12-25-2008, 08:08 PM
 
Location: arizona on the border
687 posts, read 2,939,007 times
Reputation: 395
Great post. Thanks for showing pics of areas I last saw in 1985. After 23 years in Colorado, something about the wide open plains seemed soothing, appealing. I drove many of those road on weekend jaunts. Forget how, but I went the back roads all the way to Chivington and the Sand Creek Massacre site, very sad and haunting place.
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Old 12-25-2008, 09:43 PM
 
Location: Arvada, CO
13,824 posts, read 29,776,012 times
Reputation: 14418
Thanks vegas! Now I don't ever have to go out there
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Old 12-26-2008, 08:40 AM
Nav
 
346 posts, read 1,484,432 times
Reputation: 256
Great Shots...Now I don't have to go out and photograph my neighborhood! One thing to point out, there are a lot more heavily treed areas in Elizabeth that the photo tour showed. Head up CR17 from 86 in Elizabeth and it looks like you are in a dense state forest.

Good Job!
Nav
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