Getting your player ready...
When Castle Rock residents gathered for the 77th lighting of the holiday star atop their landmark butte last month, homebuilders were already seeing the town’s star rising. CNN Money Magazine has Castle Rock ranked as the 17th ‘Best Place to Live’ in the entire U.S. this year – following on the tracks of Family Circle, which had named it number-one ‘Best Town for Families.’ “I sometimes wonder if these things go in waves,” says city Director of Development Services Bill Detweiler. Nevertheless, he’s tallying 500 single-family building permits he issued this year – more than double the level that permits had fallen to in 2008 at the market’s bottom; now climbing close to the high mark hit in 2007.
None of that will come as any surprise to builders, who are not only selling more homes in Castle Rock, but more expensive ones, too.“It has that mountain feel but it’s close to the city,” says Frank Walker, vice president for Operations at Oakwood Homes. “It’s always been a strong family market for us.” Oakwood’s base in Castle Rock is The Meadows, the large master plan that surrounds the new Adventist Hospital campus set to open this summer. When the slim years hit, the builder did a successful retreat into affordable plans sized around 1,800 square feet; but last year, Oakwood made a wager that good things were coming, and opened a tier of scenic sites beside pretty Sky View Elementary School and 370-acre ridgeline Open Space, for much more luxurious designs. This year, Oakwood sold 104 Castle Rock homes – 36 of them those 3,300-to-4,300 square foot plans created for The Overlook. Prices start in the high $300s, but buyers are upping the ante – coming in over $500,000, opting for more space and for views. “The views are amazing in Castle Rock,” says Lennar Homes’ Carrie Kayl, who’s seen 30 sales this year of big family-sized homes and ranches on the undulating fairways of Jim Engh-designed Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course. In a town ranked as one of the best golf locations in the country, Red Hawk and its clubhouse overlooking a lake and Rockies panorama ranks as the city’s only public course, but offer a scenic round that wraps high bluffs and stands of Gambel oak. Scenery is a lure for buyers. Kayl notes that shoppers, many from out of state, arrive after already having done their homework about the quality of Douglas County Schools, and then fall for the topography. “People from out of state have a certain vision of Colorado,” adds the city’s Bill Detweiler. “The esthetics come into play. Most of these communities have a fantastic view.” And they like the look of Castle Rock’s original downtown. “A lot of relocating buyers are coming in to Meridian and DTC,” says Frank Walker. “They look at Highlands Ranch, and then at Castle Rock. If they’re from California or Texas or Arizona, they love that they can live backing to open space; and the small town feel. You have the outlets and major grocery shopping, but you still have that main street where you can eat at the Castle Café.” Those builders are looking to expansion areas for 2013, including reopened sites in areas east on Founders and south of downtown that had made false starts four years ago. To explore Oakwood, Lennar, Ryland and other builder offerings, head south on I-25 past Park Meadows and C470, 10 miles to Meadows/Founders Parkway, then turn either west to Meadows and Red Hawk, or east to Castle Oaks and Terrain. Or continue south on I-25 three miles, through town, to Plum Creek Parkway, turn east a long block to Wilcox, then south to Crystal Valley. WHERE: Castle Rock, ranked 17th ‘Best Place to Live’ by Money Magazine; homes by Lennar, Oakwood, D.R. Horton, Ryland, other. On I-25 head south from Park Meadows/470, 10 mi. to Exit 184 Meadows/Founders Pkwy (west to the Meadows/Red Hawk Ridge or east to Terrain); or 13 mi. to Exit 131, Plum Creek Pkwy; then east, south on Wilcox
