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Here’s an option to your typical weekend of searching south Denver for a reasonably priced ranch, in a market where old ranches are too scarce and newer ones are on tiny lots. How about a drive south to northern Colorado Springs, to see ranches on lots where you’re looking at the scenery rather than at neighbors’ windows, and for less money?

My trip south from DTC to Flying Horse, master planned community across I-25 from the U.S. Air Force Academy, was just under 45 minutes. Flying Horse has a sense of arrival that Denver buyers comment on: Tuscan villages arrayed around a Tom Weiskopf golf course, with a pretty clubhouse, dining and rec facility, set against a Pikes Peak panorama rendered even more striking by all of the snow this spring.

Drive down for the day – maybe have lunch at Flying Horse’s Club Steakhouse overlooking the course; OR you can make this an overnight: The elegant Lodge at Flying Horse will give you a bed/breakfast special at $189, including use of the athletic club and a very alluring pool/spa. (I checked the rooms – five-star all the way).

Either way, you’ll tour a choice of ranch and family-sized floor plans that are very different than anything you’re seeing in Denver — creative layouts that owe their genesis to 70-to-80-foot lots that offer the family-owned builders here more flexibility in layout: full-wide 3-car garages, more 4-sided architecture, more potential for walkout basements. (Buyers overwhelmingly have finished basements added as part of their ranch plans – over 90 percent do it.)

“These people want space and they want views,” says Mike Hess, whose dad founded Vantage Homes in 1983 — one of four builders you can view in The Village of Milan, walking distance from Flying Horse’s clubhouse, with striking views of Pikes Peak and the Air Force Academy.

“Denver buyers are amazed by the lots and views,” Hess adds, noting that visitors comment on how un-cramped this feels at the price. Vantage starts from $409,000, including an Arabian model, 4,764 feet counting finished basement that takes it to six bedrooms. Hess also has a ranch ready now, with day-lit walkout and full yard landscape, at $469,791. Buy it tomorrow and you can take $15,000 off the price.

You’re going to see remarkable accommodation to your personal preferences, adds Drew Balsick with Classic Homes, Project Manager for Flying Horse. Rather than go with standard finishes, buyers are taking advantage of the affordability (Classic in The Village of Milan starts from the $380s) by ordering around twice the volume in design center finishes that would be expected for homes of this size and price.

Along with empty-nesters coming out of older 2-stories, Classic’s Tina Loncar says these ranches also appeal to younger families who want their kids in Discovery Canyon K-thru-12 campus, a mile north. Younger and older like Flying Horse’s club atmosphere (social memberships at Flying Horse are included). Buy in The Village of Milan before May 31 and you can take an introductory golf membership, free pre-paid dues for a year. After that, you can upgrade to a full golf membership.

In The Village at Milan, you’ll also see a great ranch by Goetzmann Custom Homes, and one under construction by Saddletree Homes. Balsick notes that all four builders are locally owned and operated, and take exceptional pride in building at Flying Horse.

As with the introductory golf membership, the overnight special at The Lodge at Flying Horse is good through May 31; book online at LodgeAtFlyingHorse.com/Reservations using promo code DNVRPST, or call 844-768-2684. To reach Flying Horse, head south on I-25 past C-470, continue 40 miles to Exit 156/Northgate Blvd opposite the Air Force Academy; then east on Northgate three miles to Hwy 83, and south a half mile to Flying Horse.

WHERE: Flying Horse, master-planned community near Air Force Academy; 8 neighborhood villages, ranch & family-sized models by 7 builders; 1-year introductory golf membership for Tom Weiskopf golf course on purchase in The Village of Milan. Hwy 83 & Flying Horse Club Drive; Colo Spgs; take I-25 south past 470, continue 40 mi to Exit 156/Northgate Blvd, then east 3 mi to Colo Hwy 83, south 陆-mile to Flying Horse Club Dr, west to Ravenswood Dr., right on Ripple Ridge Rd

PRICE: The Village at Milan from $380s

WHEN: Daily 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.; Sunday noon-to-6

PHONE: 719-694-8840

WEB:

Mark Samuelson writes on real estate and business; you can email him at mark@samuelsonassoc.com. You can see all of Mark Samuelson’s columns online
at DenverPostHomes.com