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.

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~

My family loves finding local events to attend together and this weekend will be no exception in Highlands Ranch.  A much anticipated annual event by my own daughter - the annual Colorado Scottish Festival and Rocky Mountain Highlands Games will take place in Highlands Ranch, CO this weekend.  

On August 9th and 10th, Heritage Park will become a Scottish lover’s delight as some of the best area Scottish and Irish dancer descend on Highlands Ranch along with the Highlands Games, music, ancestry tracing, food, vendors & much more.  The festival is open both days from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.  A schedule of all of the events can be found here and a list of  all the types of things you will see is found here. 

We have been attending the Scottish Festival for years - many of my daughter’s friends are accomplished Scottish and Irish dancers and she loves to be able to see them all perform at the same time and so close to home.  My children also really enjoy seeing the Scottish dogs agility & frisbee competitions. 

The Colorado Scottish Festival and Rocky Mountain Highlands Games takes place on August 9th and 10th at Highlands Heritage Park just south of Lincoln/University at Quebec.  There will be signs all over and even shuttle transportation nearby.  Directions can be found here. 

Make sure you bring your sunscreen - shade is somewhat limited. 

Every now and then I try to post a favorite picture or two of the Denver area.
On the 4th of July, I had dinner in Lakewood at a home with a lovely view.
How appropriate that it was our Nation’s Birthday. I believe this is what the
the line…"Purple Mountains Majesty" was referring to….

I have to include this one too from the same location - looking at the famous
Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado.

All those little dots in between the rocks, those are the folks enjoying the
Blues Travelers concert at dusk. I need to go back there with my better camera.

Are you looking for a home in the Denver area with views like this? Just let me
know & we can see what we can do!

Yesterday I did head over to Highlands Ranch Town Center with my family for a while for the Highlands Ranch 4th of July Celebration. We went over after lunch, walked around a bit, the kids visited several booths and games. They were particularly fascinated with the magician, which was a kid that was fabulous. He couldn’t have been more than 16 or 17. We then walked over to Civic Green Park and splashed in the fountains for a while to cool off - good thing they were on, it was hot out - it must have been at least 95. After that we walked back to the main festivities at Town Center and stopped to see all of the animals that were visiting the event with hopes to be adopted. I think there were several different organizations there that work with shelters and there were some kittens in a mobile adoption trailer and plenty of puppies and dogs as well. They were all awfully cute and it did look like several were finding new homes, which is great. After puppy viewing we ended our journey with some ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery. The kids loved that. We did head out at the point, we needed to head over to Lakewood to have dinner elsewhere - but we did make it back to Highlands Ranch in time to enjoy the fireworks. We didn’t actually watch them form Town Center, but rather from the east side of Redstone Park. So the 4th of July is past - however there are other events happening around the Denver Area this weekend to celebrate the whole weekend. One of the most popular being the Cherry Creek Arts Festival. There will be fireworks in that area tonight as well. One of the best parts of living in Highlands Ranch are all of the planned activities such as this 4th of July celebration. There are great events like this all of the thime, from concerts to races. One of the next events coming up is the Rodeo in the Ranch. So, if you are thinking of moving to Highlands Ranch and wondering what there is a ton and geared toward all ages!

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

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.

DENVER SUBURBS - Greenwood Village CO - Landmark

The new Village Shops at The Landmark area in Greenwood Village is shaping up very nicely It is an absolutely beautiful area with so much to offer the Greenwood village & entire south metro Denver area community.

It is a stunning luxury mixed-use area including living, shopping, fine dining and entertainment. Located off of Quebec and just south of Belleview, an office I was in a few years back would have been walking distance for me to the Landmark area for quite a nice lunch now & then. As to my current location, it is still very convenient to my Fiddlers Green office, so I do plan on enjoying a lunch or two here. 

Construction is nearing completion on most of the shops and the beautiful Landmark Theatre is now open. I have not been yet but I hear it is a very nice movie-going experience with a bar in the lobby and popcorn & soda is included in the ticket price.

Some of the restaurants that will be in the area include Ted’s Montana Grill, Sparrow, Lime, Slattery’s Irish Pub, Jing - some of which are already open.

The area itself reminds me a bit of the Cherry Creek North area with its very visually appealing pedestrian areas, outdoor patio seating at restaurants and and an overall very upscale look and appeal. And the shops are no exception. Again, very upscale in nature & extremely visually appealing, I see this as becoming a very popular place for strolling and boutique shopping. HW home, Player’s Men’s Shop, Ella Blue & Ella Baby, Moda, A-Line, Bloomfield’s Florist & Aspen Falls Spa - to name just a few.

I have to say the place I am personally the most excited about is Comedy Works. I just don’t get downtown as much anymore as I used to and to have Comedy Works on the south side of Denver is a pure treat & I definitely see my wife & I enjoying a night out at Comedy Works in the near future.

The convenience of the RTD Light Rail station very nearby on Orchard is sure to make the Landmark area a draw for those all over the metro area, not just from the south metro area & suburbs. There are very luxurious residential areas of the Landmark as well - and construction on these is extremely busy right now. Greenwood Village real estate has new luxury options. The Landmark and The Meridian are luxury condo units that have every luxurious and elegant detail one could imagine built into the design with full concierge service.

The European Villas at the Landmark contain The Manor Homes and The Brownstones - both very luxurious high end living options right in the heart of the Denver Tech Center. I am really looking forward to seeing the completion of all of these projects and the impact it has on the south metro area community.