Somebody could grow up right here in Denver and have no idea what an appealing residential area the City of Thornton is creating in its master plans around 136th and Holly, near Holly Park and Marshall Lake. Mike and Coleen Boetel knew little about the Mile High City when they began Google-searching a possible move here from Seattle. Now, after touring 35 homes from Highlands Ranch to Broomfield, they’re unpacking boxes in a new 4-bedroom D.R. Horton home with 3-car garage and garden-level basement, a short walk from that Thornton-maintained lake.
You can come see Marshall Lake today…and the last 21 homes and sites D.R. has left there. “If we get people to come and see this, we’ve got ’em,” says D.R. Horton’s Sheila Lang, who’ll be on hand along with Trena Kloss to show you homes from under $320,000, including some that can deliver right away – such as a 4-bedroom ‘Gilpin 2’ plan with 3,806 feet plus a full basement and 3-car garage, just down the street from the Boetels. At $429,834, it’ll come in at only $113/sq. ft.
All of these are close to the cottonwood-lined lake, where we spotted a yellow-breasted Icterid in the rushes…a few blocks via open-space trail from West Ridge Elementary. D.R.’s Trina Kloss, who lives in one of her own homes, recalls that Principal Will Pierce made door-to-door visits introducing himself to residents when the sharp-looking school opened three years ago. Another resident is D.R. Horton’s customer service rep Brian Matte…the go-to guy when buyers have any issues with these homes. That’s a rarity, says Matte: “It’s all good,” he told me. “Realtors tell me that our homes are always cleaner and have far fewer checklist items at closing than our competitors’.”
None of that played into the Boetels’ choice of Marshall Lake (kids Owen, 4, and Natalie, 2, are still a few years away from school). “I had a girlfriend in Parker, and we were thinking of Highlands Ranch,” recalls Colleen Boetel. They checked out Thornton on a lark and liked the atmosphere. “We felt more at home here,” adds Mike. “She saw the kitchen in this one and said, ‘This is it.'”
You’ll see those kitchens today…including a ‘7-Diamond kitchen’ in that Gilpin plan (recessed gas cooktop, double oven, slab granite and more) and the one in a decorator show home D.R. is readying for sale…along with other homes that, like the Boetels’, have garden-levels. You’ll also note the back-route access to DIA from here via newly extended, 4-lane 120th Avenue. Quickest way here, though is I-25 north to 136th Avenue, then east 3.5 miles, past the big park, to Holly, and a block south to 135th.
If you go…
WHERE:
Close-out of Marshall Lake by D.R. Horton, 3-&-4-bedroom homes 2,142 to 3,806 sq. ft., community lake & trails; garden levels and 3-car/4-car garages available; cookies & drinks, giveaways today. 13443 Ivy St., Thornton; take I-25 north to 136th, east 3.5 mi. to Holly, south 1 blk to 135th.
PRICE:
From under $320,000
WHEN:
Today, 10 until 6 p.m., Sunday 12-6
PHONE:
303-452-1759
WEB:
