Getting your player ready...
Families arriving this year to live near the Rocky Mountains want the Colorado lifestyle packaged into their home purchase – not just the choice of home designs, but the parks, the trails, the recreation, and even the new friends and family activities wrapped into the deal. That’s exactly what they’re finding at Banning Lewis Ranch, the new master plan fast taking shape off E. Woodmen Road in Colorado Springs.
That location is convenient enough to I-25 via the new arteries reaching north out of Colorado Springs that Banning Lewis Ranch is attracting a few of its buyers from as far away as Denver’s south I-25 business corridor – willing to make a 55-minute commute in exchange for all of those goodies; along with home prices that may be $60,000 to $80,000 less than they’re seeing around the Mile High City. “It’s the value you get here,” says Mike Tinlin, Regional Vice President at Oakwood Homes, who’s overseen development of Banning Lewis Ranch, after Oakwood bought the 2,600-acre community in 2012 and put its complement of pools, parks and trails onto the fast track. Oakwood has the Cupcake Truck out at Banning Lewis Ranch’s information center today (bring this article to receive a cupcake for each member of your party). You’ll see all that residents get here, along with an orientation to seven builders with models, and sites in the community’s new Village II neighborhood. Prices start from the $200s – for real single-family homes, numbers that Denver area buyers haven’t seen for two years now. But that’s just the start of the value. In Village II you’ll see a new $2.75 million Aquatic Center that’s just opened with slides and a zero-entry area, perfect for small kids. When Tinlin showed me through it was surrounded by families who have already waded into the lifestyle – with lots of other amenities already in place: second pool, 24-hour fitness center, club rooms, gourmet party kitchen and two-times-weekly child care, all run by the YMCA; and a lineup of events including farmer’s market and summer concerts. There are over 50 acres of parks and 24 miles of trails planned, some already in place. At Banning Lewis Ranch, you get that for a monthly dues of $66 – a trifle compared to what some Denver communities charge for amenities.You’ll see the charter K-8 school next to the community center; and if you need a home soon, you’ll find some ready to go by builder partners at Banning Lewis Ranch. “The Springs’ market always lags behind Denver by a year or so,” says Tinlin. Despite that, local resale inventory is down to a 2-month supply – at a time when the area employment picture is cresting the best levels seen in nine years. Adding to the competition are brokers from the Denver area, who Tinlin says can’t find inventory for their clients in the south metro area. To reach Banning Lewis Ranch, take I-25 south from Castle Rock, 27 more miles to Interquest Parkway, head east 2 miles to Colo. 21/Powers Blvd., head south 5 miles to Woodmen Road, then head east 2.5 miles to Marksheffel Road, and turn south to Vista Cerro. WHERE: Banning Lewis Ranch, master-planned community in Colorado Springs by developer Oakwood Homes; homes by 7 builders, new sites in Village II; 2 pools include new aquatic center; Cupcake Truck today (bring this article to receive cupcake for each member of your party). 6885 Vista Del Pico, Colorado Springs; from I-25 take Woodmen Rd. east 7.5 mi. to Marksheffel Rd., turn south to Vista Cerro and east to Vista Del Pico
Cupcake Truck 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. PHONE: 719-522-2432 WEB:
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