New Backcountry by Shea Homes subdivision (Highlands Ranch: sales, HOA fees, condos)

[tulips&roses]

Is anyone familiar with this new subdivision currently under construction? There will be a separate HOA fee of about 250.00 plus you have to pay the Highlands Ranch HOA fee.

[dj32]

I'm not familiar but we keep getting mailers about it... as much as I profess on here to dislike highlands ranch! We were down there at a party a couple months ago when I saw them building it. The houses looked massive and the lots looked small. They must be really selling the open space idea.

[OutOfSoCal]

HOAs are evil !! its one of the real issues here in So Cal that is ruining owning a home.

[2bindenver]

What would you like to know? Shea is developing the last large parcel of HR. It will be a gated community with it's own rec center. Shea "owns" Highlands Ranch.

[tulips&roses]

Do you have a feel for what the age range of residents will be? I'm curious because we're in our early 30s and the lady at the sales office seemed a little hesitant to fully help us whereas the 50 yr old couple appeared to be getting enormous help. Since we've decided to stay in HR for awhile, we want to choose a neighborhood where we'll be happy. We're looking for some of the extra amenities, so I like the idea of the tavern, resident pool, private hiking trails, etc. We just don't want to live in a neighborhood where the residents are significantly older than us. It looks like the houses will have a more varied layout instead of the "Overlook" Shea neighborhood that's just one long line of houses. The salesperson said there have been 30 lots reserved, so it seems like the area is already popular.

[2bindenver]

I live very close to Back Country - in a neighborhoold with early 30's (single IT guy) to early 60's (his parents.) About a year after I moved in, every house on the other side of the street had a new baby within a year - about 5 of them. A few of us - were a little worried

The only issue is can people afford it that are attracted to it? It may be harder for a 20 something to afford a $500,000+ home + HOA fees - but a person a little older...

[tulips&roses]

From what we've seen so far, we might seriously considering buying in that neighborhood. I don't mind a wide age range - just don't want to be completely surrounded by 60+ yr olds

Are you familiar with Shea's construction quality? We are in a townhome currently and the overall quality leaves a lot to be desired.

[.gif]

Originally Posted by dj32

The houses looked massive and the lots looked small.

yes, this. even by highlands ranch standards, the lots are tiny. the prices for these homes will probably be ridiculously astronomical. you could not pay me enough to live there. i hope a fire never breaks out, because it would easily leap from one house to the next.

[syonker]

Hello,

My wife and I currently have a contract in Back Country. We are mid 30's and have plans in the very near future for children. A lot of the people we've seen there look roughly the same; however, we definitely see the distribution curve skewed toward folks in their 40's and 50's driving "Lexi" and other forms of luxury autos (it's great to feel young again ). Why they gave you the cold shoulder is beyond me and frankly unacceptable for any sales organization. I will say that our experience has not been like that; however, they are also not "pushy" salespeople, so they will not seriously engage with you unless you make the first move. I guess they don't want to come off too intimidating.

The homes range from the high 400s to customs starting in the $2 million range (not even blocked out yet). The lots are small, but 90% of them back to open space. All of the "open space" is thoroughly xeriscaped and irrigated using their own watershed (they capture the water, recirculate it and use surplus to water the xeriscape areas).

You are correct - there is a $250 additional fee for the community over and above the HRCA fees. Here is why we think it's worth it. The "rec center" is within this gated community is called the "sundial house" and is actually a building-sized working sundial. The pool is a resort-style pool and will have a "beach" walk-in area (I think it's called "zero entry"). Also, of the total land that Shea has there, Douglas County *made* them buy it all, and only allowed them to develop 30ish% of it - the remainder is either open space throughout the community or a tract of land that's about 60-65% of contiguous open space behind the community (the formal "back country") that will have trails and be exclusively for use by the community residents. It backs to an enormous tract of park and open space that extends for miles thereafter.

Anyway you can shoot me some contact information if you'd like more detail on it - we're contracted in the "middle-level" of their homes, so I don't know much about the other two currently under construction, however, I believe you can check out the floor plans at Backcountry - Wild at Heart. Also, they just opened a very small block of condos that we got a mailer for...I know nothing about them.

Hope this helps a little more.

Please feel free to contact me if you want more information.

Regards,


-Future Back Country Resident.

[steveco.]

Originally Posted by syonker

Hello,

My wife and I currently have a contract in Back Country. We are mid 30's and have plans in the very near future for children. A lot of the people we've seen there look roughly the same; however, we definitely see the distribution curve skewed toward folks in their 40's and 50's driving "Lexi" and other forms of luxury autos (it's great to feel young again ). Why they gave you the cold shoulder is beyond me and frankly unacceptable for any sales organization. I will say that our experience has not been like that; however, they are also not "pushy" salespeople, so they will not seriously engage with you unless you make the first move. I guess they don't want to come off too intimidating.

The homes range from the high 400s to customs starting in the $2 million range (not even blocked out yet). The lots are small, but 90% of them back to open space. All of the "open space" is thoroughly xeriscaped and irrigated using their own watershed (they capture the water, recirculate it and use surplus to water the xeriscape areas).

You are correct - there is a $250 additional fee for the community over and above the HRCA fees. Here is why we think it's worth it. The "rec center" is within this gated community is called the "sundial house" and is actually a building-sized working sundial. The pool is a resort-style pool and will have a "beach" walk-in area (I think it's called "zero entry"). Also, of the total land that Shea has there, Douglas County *made* them buy it all, and only allowed them to develop 30ish% of it - the remainder is either open space throughout the community or a tract of land that's about 60-65% of contiguous open space behind the community (the formal "back country") that will have trails and be exclusively for use by the community residents. It backs to an enormous tract of park and open space that extends for miles thereafter.

Anyway you can shoot me some contact information if you'd like more detail on it - we're contracted in the "middle-level" of their homes, so I don't know much about the other two currently under construction, however, I believe you can check out the floor plans at Backcountry - Wild at Heart. Also, they just opened a very small block of condos that we got a mailer for...I know nothing about them.

Hope this helps a little more.

Please feel free to contact me if you want more information.

Regards,


-Future Back Country Resident.

You sound a lot like a sales rep than a future resident. Anyways I believe that the "open space" these properties back up to is private and I think thats why they think they can get away with the small house lots. And I believe the builder is infinity homes, who are known for quality homes too. I work in the industry so I am familiar with their work.