Getting your player ready...
Builder Ward Ritter has sold ten homes over the summer at Latitude at Vista Ridge (and has two more pending) based on his modestly priced patio-ranch models – all designed for low maintenance, finished basement space included. But tomorrow he’ll show you his ace-in-the-hole: nine lots that probably have the best views that will ever be offered across the Colorado National Golf Club course.
“We could really customize some of these ranches,” said Nick Dembeck, showing off the westerly sites that offer spectacular views over a lake to Fairways 9, 10 and 11 on the championship Jay Morrish course – across undulating bunkers to a panorama of peaks spanning Rocky Mountain National Park to the Indian Peaks and Flatirons.
Dembeck and his partner Dave Rosenberg will also show you two decorated ranch models, just north of Highway 7, two miles west of I-25. Ritter’s Chartered Homes continually updates its ranch designs; it already has the two furnished models up for sale as it brings out new ranch versions.
Latitude was already holding its own in direct competition with the large-scale 55-and-older ranch communities along Highway 7 even before these golf sites opened, based on its low pricing (from $229,995), and even more, its low monthly rate for complete maintenance. “We’re building and selling double what we were last year,” said Ritter, noting that the takers are overwhelmingly boomer-generation buyers wanting absolutely no maintenance. “These people don’t want to deal with anything that vaguely resembles yard work.”
At Latitude, they get a package of snow removal and landscape maintenance that runs only $125 a month (that includes Vista Ridge’s own HOA fees for its parks and two pool-tennis sites…not to mention the golf clubhouse, walkable from Latitude, with grille and reasonably priced greens fees. Buy a home this weekend, and Chartered will pay the HOA/maintenance fee for the first year. Dembeck adds that buyers also seem to like the fact that Latitude isn’t exclusively restricted to the 55-and-older set – a little more varied mix of neighbors.
Home-and-site packages on the golf sites are from $254,995. Among the mix of ranch floor plans at Latitude (a new ‘Residence 8’ has already pre-sold two buyers without a model) is a 3-bedroom-plus-study plan priced from the $280s – 2-car garage and a basement that has rec room and guest suite finished as part of the package. “When people realize the lengths we’ll go to customize around their preferences, they generally prefer us to start a home from scratch,” Dembeck adds.
If you need something faster, you can see a few ranch possibilities from $242,669 – including the two furnished models, one of them 2,021 square feet including some on the basement level; with an island kitchen with alder cabinets; hardwood floors; private fenced yard and 2-car garage, $259,995. You can also see the lock-n-leave features (a big attraction to this buyer, Dembeck says) and a creative flagstone arch that leads onto Latitude’s trail over to the golf clubhouse, a quarter mile away.
To reach Latitude, take I-25 north from 120th, seven miles to Highway 7; then west to Vista Ridge’s entry at Mountain View. Or from central Boulder, take Baseline east 13 miles.
If you go…
WHERE: Latitude at Vista Ridge, attainably priced single-family patio ranches, new golf-view sites, furnished models, lock-n-leave, golf club amenities; coffee & cookies Sat & Sunday. 1930 Windemere Ln., Erie; Hwy 7 at Mountain View Blvd (Vista Ridge entry closest to I-25). Take I-25 north past 470 to Hwy 7, west 2 mi. to Mountain View; from Boulder, Baseline east to Mountain View
PRICE: From $229,995, on golf lots from $254,995
WHEN: Today & Saturday, 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., Sunday 11-6
PHONE: 303-828-5442 WEB: latitudeatvistaridge.com
Mark Samuelson is president of Samuelson & Associates, a homebuilding/real estate communications firm, on the web at MarkSamuelson.com. You can e-mail him at mark@samuelsonassoc.com
