I have written a few times in the past about how great the trail system is throughout Highlands Ranch Colorado and how the trails in Highlands Ranch even connect to other areas such as through the Highline Canal the East West Trail and the Back Country Wilderness. 

On any given day throughout the entire year you can see a great number of people enjoying Highlands Ranch living on the trails - whether its a parent with a stroller, a jogger, a bike rider or a group of children taking their first nature walk.

But the trails in Highlands Ranch are for more than just recreation.  They are for transportation!  This has really come to light for me much more lately as my oldest child is getting a tad more freedom.  For example, our home is approximately .8 of a mile from one of my oldest children’s friends house.  And to get there on a bike or by foot by following the roads - he would have to travel among the busy road of Highlands Ranch Parkway, something his mom is not keen on.  He would also have to cross about 7 intersections.  She put her foot down to that. 

But Highlands Ranch is so well connected he can take the trail over that connects our neighborhood to his friends.  By popping on the trail, he crosses one residential street with minimal traffic and is there is a flash - we get the "call me when you get there call" within about 4 minutes. 

The fact of the matter is, Highlands Ranch is very well connected that way.  Numerous neighborhoods are connected together through the wonderful trail system - allowing easy access to neighborhoods, parks, rec centers and more.  In fact - the trails even make it possible for some to commute regularly by bike to jobs - allowing access to RTD stations, and even downtown and into the DTC. 

Now of course I am not saying all kids should start wandering to their friends on the trails - you have to make decisions on what’s best for your child - not only because of obvious concerns but remember that there is at times wildlife in Highlands Ranch including coyotes at times and even rattlesnakes here & there.   If your kids are goign to travel on the trails without a parent, you definitely need to decide on your own when your kdis are ready for that.  In the meantime, walk them there using the trails - you’ll enjoy it too - not only will it be closer, but you will generally enjoy a beautiful stroll!

Steve Scheer, RE/MAX Masters, Inc.
Real Estate in Denver & The Suburbs

Search all Denver & Denver Suburb Homes Here

Copyright © 2008 By Steve Scheer, All Rights Reserved. ~Highlands Ranch Living - Highlands Ranch Trails Are For More Than Just Recreation 9/27/2008~

 Steve Scheer is a REALTOR® in the Denver area - serving Denver Colorado and the south suburbs including Denver, Highlands Ranch, Greenwood Village, Cherry Hills Village, Littleton, Lone Tree, Centennial, Parker, Englewood, Aurora, Castle Pines North, Castle Pines Village, Castle Rock.  Steve is a Denver native and has been licensed in CO since 1994.

If you would like more information on the Denver area or more information on Denver real estate, contact Steve at 720-849-6101. 

I was a little surprised to read an article in the Highlands Ranch Herald this week that the HRCA is now taking memberships from those outside of the Highlands Ranch HOA boundaries for membership.  You can read that article here.

Its not the idea that surprised me, I have heard this idea kicked around in thought speculation for some time now.  But I was surprised that it has started so soon. 

HRCA has begun a program that they are offering up to 200 memberships for people to join.

Highlands Ranch is almost built out - that is no surprise.  So at some point in the non so distant future homeowners dues will come in from existing homes only and growth will no longer be an issue.  So increasing revenue without memberships would really only come from increasing dues - so this also seemed like a logically alternative.

How do I feel about it?

Actually I am ok with it.  I think 200 memberships is a good number to try out.  I know there are times of day where the Rec Centers in Highalnds Ranch can be crowded and I know that my wife always mentions that the outdoor pools in the summer are a bit crowded form time to time - but overall I feel that it is manageable to increase revenue in this fashion.

Here are just a few examples:  My daughters basketball league was canceled this summer due to not enough players.  There are times mid-morning when at least half of the exercise machines in the Westridge Rec Center are not being used when I am in. 

I do like the idea that they are thinking of alternatives instead of just raising dues.  It shows that many folks are really looking at alternatives instead of just blanket increases.  I hope innovative thinking continues.

By the way, I am not sure how many have purchased memberships yet.  It would be interesting to know how its going in a few months or so.

If you are planning to sell your Denver home this fall or winter, here is a quick tip for getting a home on the Denver real estate market from October - March, particularly if you have a gorgeous yard.

Take out your camera and snap a few photos.  Your beautiful garden with perennials, flowering bushes and the like.  If your yard is covered in snow during showings, and your landscaping is a true gem, it can be nice to show off what is buried below the frozen ground. 

If you have photos like this at your fingertips come December, your Denver Realtor will thank you.  Your future potential buyers will thank you too.

Firelight is a community in Highlands Ranch, CO.

Located in the Southridge area - Firelight is known for its higher location - some of the homes are actually on the highest lots in Highlands Ranch.  This of course provides really terrific views form many homes in Firelight of both the front range and downtown Denver.  Some folks even enjoy the sparser twinkling of the Denver Tech Center.

But one of the really nice parts of Firelight is its proximity to the Back Country Wildnerness Open Space.  The homes that back to The Back Country Wildneress truly are something to see. 

You look out back, and there it is.  Colorado. 

Its not your average open space - its really something else.  It has rugged hills and valleys that leave you to feel that you are light years away from the hustle and bustle of chaotic life.  Even those that may not back to the open space, its a mere hop, skip & jump to enjoy the trails and Colorado outdoors of the BackCountry Wilderness area from Firelight.

The photos in this post are all taken from the backyard of one of my current listings in Firelgiht - Highlands Ranch.  From your back door you are at the edge of the BackCountry Wilderness.  If you would like more information on this listing, click here: Highlands Ranch Real Estate For Sale - 2932 Newbury Court, Highlands Ranch Colorado

I started this post last night - when I was told we had one more solid day of rain by the forecast.  But I awoke to a clearing sky so we’ll see what the day has in store.  Here’s my list - just in case.

So you have just moved to Denver and you heard everyone and their brother BRAG about the 300+ days of sunshine.  And now its been raining since Thursday night.  Personally I am enjoying it, but I understand that going into day 3 and 4 it can get a little antsy.

Well, it sounds like we have one more day of this to get through - so here are some ideas for you to enjoy the mile hi city indoors.  You can save this list for the snowy months that will come before you know it.

Denver Museum of Nature and Science - This goes first as its one of my own family’s favorites to revisit time and time again.  My son’s favorite area at the moment is the Mummy Room.  Denver, Colorado

Bowling at Brunswick Zone - There are a few locations in the area - but our favorite is in Lone Tree.  If you catch the timing right, you may be lucky to have the lights dimmed for glow in the dark bowling. Lone Tree, CO

APEX Indoor Pool - My son often has hockey games at the APEX rink, so whenever we are up there we bring our suites to hang out after.  They are closing on 8/18 for their annual maintenance, good thing they are open for this bout of rain. Arvada, CO

Movie at The Landmark Theatre - One of the nicest, and newest Theatres in town - admission includes all you can eat popcorn.  Great idea if you really like popcorn. Greenwood Village, CO

Denver Art Museum - This can be a full family experience as well and often has wonderful traveling exhibits. Denver, CO

Mr. Biggs - Previously called Fat City - If you have kids, you will be a hero.  Complete with an indoor raceway, bowling, video games, miniature golf, a bowling alley, roller rink and nerf-y ball area/playground & more - you could literally be here all day.  If your kids are old enough to roam a little on their own, bring a book & headphones. Littleton, CO

Hammond’s Candy Factory - I have written about Hammond’s before - a total sweet treat.  Denver, CO

Enjoy the cool down & the rain - the sun will be back before you know it - it is Denver after all.

Steve Scheer, RE/MAX Masters, Inc. 

Search all Denver & Denver Suburb Homes Here

Copyright © 2008 By Steve Scheer, All Rights Reserved. ~Indoor Ideas on a Rainy Weekend in Denver~ 8/16/2008~

Last night, 6/17/08, on the NBC Nightly News, a piece featured Denver as the "Poster City" for light rail. The piece is touching on topics that have to do with rising fuel costs and maintaining a quality of life and traffic issues and they looked at Denver’s Light Rail as an example. You can view the piece in its entirety here. For quite some time I have known many folks that have used light rail to commute into downtown Denver, for many - reasons varied from saving fuel, to saving parking costs, to staying out of traffic. I also have known one person that made it a point to let others know, it just increased his "me" time, he was able to read uninterrupted twice a day for 20 minutes each way. That actually sounds nice. And now that light rail has expanded and will expand more, - many more Denver metro residents are provided the opportunity to use the light rail for their own commute and it is as popular as ever. Personally over the last 2 years I have seen more and more relocation clients express an interest in knowing about commuting options and wanting to learn about Denver’s Light Rail system. They see the new areas that are popping up along the light rail lines, such as Landmark in the DTC area - and the interest has been great in making commutes as easy as possible. If you are planning a move to the Denver area, ask you REALTOR® about Denver Light Rail and what neighborhoods give you the opportunity to be close to a light rail station. It is definitely something to consider. Read Also: Do You Need A Buyer’s Agent in Colorado? Selling Your Vacant Denver Home

As a REALTOR® in Denver, I see many homes throughout the Denver metro area all of the time as I have been very busy with home buyers. Lately I have been to homes in varying price ranges and in different areas and neighborhoods. My car has taken us through Highlands Ranch, Parker, Englewood, Greenwood Village, Castle Pines North, and Centennial in just the last 10 days or so. The price range has varied from buyer to buyer from around $320,000 to just under $1,000,000.

For the most part, with some exceptions, the homes when you walk in the door are in stellar shape. They have been cleaned from top to bottom and most would certainly pass the white glove test. Most of them show beautifully. But lately I have seen something across the board - even in one of the higher end properties. Lack of curb appeal. Not even lack of, but negative curb appeal. I know its getting hot and it gets harder to keep the grass green in the Colorado heat. My own yard is needing some TLC - but I am not selling my home.

Here are some tips.

1. You have to figure out a watering pattern that is going to work for you and keep you within watering guidelines as well. Denver Home Buyers do not want to buy a home with dead grass. If its getting brown already, don’t give up, you can bring it back. Grass can be resilient unless you let it go too long. And if need be, bring out a professional to have your sprinklers adjusted. If they are missing spots, they can help you correct that.

2. If you haven’t sprayed or pulled weeds, especially the dandelions, do it now. They are starting to take over in many cases.

3. A potted annual for about $15 at your doorstep could really help make things a bit cheerier - but only if you are going to water it. I have already seen a few dead ones.

4. Filthy doors or door knobs? Wipe them down. I think I saw pink frosting from little fingers on one this week.

5. Cobwebs on the outside of the house, take care of them.

6. Bird droppings on the windows? Get them washed.

7. Dead tree in the yard. Get rid of it.

Curb appeal is the first impression of your home. It is where the emotion of the buyers begin. If they have a positive vibe as they walk in that front door, that is a good thing. No vibe, or worse yet a negative one - not so great.

And here is something else to consider - a bonus tip if you will. Curb appeal doesn’t start at your doorstep. More likely than not, a buyer is not going to pull into your driveway and walk the path that you always walk to the front door. They more likely than not will park at the street or across the street - or if you live on a corner - around the corner.

Take a few steps in these directions, turn around and see the home your are wanting to sell from that viewpoint. Perhaps a look from another angle could shed some light on a hidden item you need to address. If you are on a corner, are there weeds along your fence? Is there a ton of debris in the street in front of your house - sure the street sweeper will come eventually but why not just do it now? Are neighborhood dog walkers leaving presents on your grass near the sidewalk? On on the sidewalk? That would be a turn off.

And here is one more tip. If you have children, do your curb appeal check often. You never know what hidden little jems you are going to find that they have left laying around, especially after a weekend of playing in the yard.

Read Also: Selling Your Vacant Denver Home - Are You Properly Insured? Highlands Ranch Home Sold In 48 Hours! In This Market? Steve Scheer, RE/MAX Masters, Inc. Denver Real Estate

Westlands Park in Greenwood Village - A community Park that is anything but Ordinary!

Located in the heart of Greenwood Village, lies Westlands Park, a true gem on the scope of Denver metro area parks.

The park is quite large (more than 12 acres) and is more than just your average playground.My own childrens’ favorite activity is running in the fountains, in the summer of course. Adjacent to a shady hill lies a variety of fountains to run, jump and play in. And just nearby is one of the picnic shelters, perfect for that afternoon snack or evening picnic.

Mountain views abound and the the buildings from the nearby Denver Tech Center (DTC) are visible in the distance. The playground area itself has 3 distinct different areas and offers activities for every age level and is a big part of what makes this park so special. The littlest ones will be comfortable in the toddler play area, which is still larger than most playgrounds.

Even the typical monkey bars are spiced up with zip lines and climbing activities. Even the older set will be content with rock climbing activities for the more adventurous. Grassy areas and picnic shelters are located throughout the playground area, perfect for watching your little ones play. The large fields are are a fantastic area for kite flying or impromptu games and some community sporting teams practice here as well. Homes in the nearby neighborhoods border the fields on the far side. The far end of the park includes an in-line hockey rink and another picnic shelter. There are several restrooms throughout the park as well.

Whether you live in Greenwood Village or just looking for another Denver area park to visit, Westlands Park is a true gem!

Greenwood Village is in Arapahoe County, just south of Denver, and the main entry of the park itself is on Quebec, just north of Belleview Ave, just behind the Greenwood Athletic Club. The park itself is bordered by an affluent neighborhood on the north and west sides. If you would like more information about relocating to Greenwood Village or other areas in the Denver area, just let me know.

Greenwood Village is filled with many beautiful neighborhoods to consider, many which are executive and luxury homes, and is conveniently located to make commuting a breeze, whether you are working in the DTC or downtown Denver - numerous options to downtown abound including car, bus and nearby light rail.

Often, when someone is relocating to Douglas County from outside of Colorado I
will be asked, "What exactly is the track system in Douglas County schools and
how does it work?" It is not the easiest thing to initially understand, but
once you see how it works it will make sense.

The track system was introduced in Douglas County elementary schools during the
period of tremendous growth and its purpose is to accommodate more students in
less space. Many of the older neighborhoods in the Denver area have elementary
schools that were built to accommodate the number of students enrolled at the
time it was built and did not necessarily plan for the years ahead when
neighborhoods would change and enrollment numbers would level out. This now
leaves many elementary schools in other areas with empty classrooms, low
enrollment numbers and unused space.

Douglas County decided not to go that route and altered the way schools were
built and run in the area. The track system divides students into 4 sections,
called tracks and labels them A, B, C and D. However space is built to
accommodate 3 of those sections at a time. This allows each school to house
about 25% more students in its facility than it would if a traditional calendar
was in place.

The school calendar runs year round, with the beginning of the
school year typically the week after the 4th of July and wrapping up about the
3rd week of June. In a nutshell, each track has 9 weeks in and then 3 weeks
out - with major breaks and holidays falling somewhere in between when everyone
is out - adding longer breaks for those that are scheduled to be off-track. "A
track" happens to be off-track right before Christmas so there is a longer break
there. "B track" is off after New Years, so again the longer break. A full
track calendar can be viewed here but please note that these things can and do
change from year to year.

Eventually when each school’s enrollment levels off
over time it will be able to switch to a traditional schedule without worrying
about empty space.

Here are some typical questions that I hear when someone is relocating…

So what schools are on the track system? Well, that can change. It is always a
good idea to inquire with the school district to know if your school is track or
not and what the plans are for the following year. I have met some people that
have made decisions on where to live based on if their school is track or not.
This can be a potential mistake as schools can and sometimes do change if they
are traditional or not based on current enrollment numbers. When a school first
opens, especially in a new development, it may be lower in enrollment numbers
and able to accommodate all students at once. But later in time as the
development and enrollment grows it could change to the track system. And as
things level off it can change back to a traditional schedule. IN fact, it
seems that I am starting to see that more and more.

How are tracks assigned? The overall way is a lottery system during enrollment
for incoming kindergartners, however each individual school may have a unique
policy so it is best to contact the individual school or the school district.
Students that enroll during the year or for the next school year (excluding
kindergartner) are placed on a space available basis for all children in the
family (keeping siblings together.) The school district web site keeps their
policy on this updated as well.

Which track is best & what should I hope we get? That is really going to depend
on you. I really encourage all of my clients that are moving to Douglas County,
first to find out what is available, and then to really study the track calendar
and make decisions that are best for your family when selecting your choices.

Do you like to take a fall vacation when most children are in school? Would you
like to extend Thanksgiving trips to relatives without pulling children out of
class? These are really things to think about.

What options are available to kids off-track when the parents are working?
There are many programs in the area to help families handle off-track times.
The school district itself runs programs in the schools. Many of the local
recreation centers also have day camp sessions and there are many private
programs as well that cater to this need.

At this time, only the area elementary schools are considered for the track
system. Middle school and high school students all attend on a traditional
schedule. There are many reasons for this, the most obvious being
inter-county-school interactions such as sports and other related activities.

Some new families to Douglas County do find the track system overwhelming at
first. But all change takes a little time to get used to. I do find that many
people like having time that the masses do not have off to enjoy a less crowded
vacation or just a scheduled break when the family seems to need it most. Many
other areas of the country also have some type of year round scheduled,
especially where there is a lot of growth and development and even some other
counties in Colorado have some schools on some type of rotating schedule. Give
it time, you will love it! And remember, even changes will change eventually -
it is always a good idea to double check with the school district before making
any decisions.