Mariana Wagner

Colorado Springs Neighboorhood Report ~ Greenhaven

Greenhaven – Colorado Springs

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Greenhaven is a Colorado Springs neighborhood of about 250 single family homes built by John Laing, located in the northern part of Stetson Hills – in the northeast part of Colorado Springs. Greenhaven is nestled at the northwest corner of Black Forest Drive and Dublin Boulevard.
Homeowners love Greenhaven because it is far enough to the east to really appreciate the sweeping views of the Rocky Mountains and Pikes Peak, yet not too far from all that Colorado Springs has to offer.

Greenhaven has been referred to as the Crayola Neighborhood because of the vibrant house colors - particularly the “Cottage-Series” homes on the South half of the neighborhood. Deep blue, rich turquoise, burnt orange, vibrant red, bright yellow and energetic green were among the colors available to new home owners

The northern half of the neighborhood (the Windchime-Series) has more subtle colors - but not without a splash of blue, yellow, red and orange every few houses. A drive through the Greenhaven neighborhood is nice reminder that this is not Edward Scissorhands Land (where every home looks the same).

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The neighborhood started in Summer of 2004, and John Laing finished building their last home Spring 2007. New homes were available in the high $100k´s to mid $200k´s when they started, and resale homes, in Greenhaven, are now selling for the mid-high $200k’s (as of Fall 2008). The pride of ownership is prevalent as a drive down any of our streets will show. Yards are not too big, so they are easy to maintain.

The Windchime homes (in northern Greenhaven) all come with nice front porches - and many of the homes also have really nice side or front patios - some with outdoor fireplaces!

The Cottage homes (in Southern Greenhaven) come with a variety of front porches, upper balconies or side courtyards. Each home is unique and boasts tons of character.

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Eventually there will be neighborhoods to the west and the new D-49 Vista Ridge High School north, but Greenhaven was not built on a grid: Silverwind Circle circles the entire neighborhood with only 2 streets (and 2 more eventually) leading in or out. Right now, Greenhaven is destination-only and the only homes here are John Laing built.

One of the nicest features of Greenhaven is the park. John Laing was smart- they finished the park before building any homes. What a great attraction! When talking with homeowners in Greenhaven, I have found that the park was the motivating factor for many of them.

The park offers a play structure with slides, games and a bunch of things to climb on. There is also a large field for football or red rover, kite flying (Colorado Springs DOES get its fair share of wind…) or anything else that requires a huge grassy area. In the middle of the park is a huge covered pavilion with picnic tables for neighborhood BBQ´s and birthday parties.

Check out Greenhaven Real Estate

Search Homes for Sale in Greenhaven

Posted By: Mariana Wagner – Colorado Springs Real Estate Agent- Wagner iTeam
specializing in Colorado Springs Real Estate and Monument Real Estate.

August 26th, 2007 by Mariana Wagner | 2 Comments »

Understanding the Chateau at Antelope Ridge

The Chateau at Antelope Ridge is a community of single family homes located in the eastern part of Colorado Springs, (South of Barnes and East of Marksheffel) with sweeping views of the Rocky Mountains, and is close to parks & schools, just minutes from the Powers Corridor- shopping, movies, restaurants, recreation and just a short drive to the Colorado Springs Municipal Airport.

In a Colorado Springs MLS search, the homes for sale in this neighborhood are quite enticing, as 3 Bed 2 Bath 1300+ s.f newer homes, in nice condition and in a popular part of town are priced at between $40,000 and $150,000 – Almost $100,000 LESS than the average sales price in Colorado Springs.

Why are these homes priced so low?

We, personally, answer this question all the time. We have done a lot of research and really understand both the pros and cons of this neighborhood. Here’s the Scoop:

The homes located in this community are modulars and there are two types currently available. The older homes (built before 2005) were built as HUD modulars and the financing is limited. From our research, these homes all require at least 20% down. The newer homes (2005 and newer) can be purchased with traditional financing, as they are constructed differently. (In fact, there is still a sales office in the neighborhood that is offering new build homes in the mid-$100′s.)

Also, homeowners who live in the Chateau at Antelope Ridge do not own the land that their home is on, but the homeowners are responsible for the maintenance of their immediate yard. Homeowners “lease” the land that they are on. Some homes are on a 99 Year Land Lease, and some are on a 30+ year land lease. This “lease” and HOA’s cost the homeowner about $400. a month – on top of whatever mortgage that the homeowner has. For example, a home purchased for $100,000 would be making the same TOTAL monthly payments that a homeowner with a $130,000 mortgage on a traditional home would make. However, residents do not pay real estate taxes – as they do not own the land. The community is currently owned by BaseCamp Communities LLC.

What’s more, the appreciation values on these homes are drastically lower than “traditional” homes in Colorado Springs. Someone looking to buy a home in Chateau at Antelope Ridge must be willing to live in it for 5-7 years to see any noticeable appreciation.

No. This neighborhood is not for everyone.

However, it IS a great opportunity for someone looking to live in a quiet, peaceful community with great amenities and would be willing to hunker down and call this low maintenance “Resort-Like” community “home” for several years.

So, now that you understand the nuts and bolts of the pricing, let’s take a look at what the HOA fees cover and the benefits the Chateau at Antelope Ridge has to offer its residents…

Amenities for Homeowners:

• 4,000 s.f. private community center
• Private 9-station fitness center
• Private 24-hour business center, which includes:
  • Internet Access
  • Fax Machines
  • Copy Machines
• 2 Outdoor swimming pools
• Playground
• Planned social activities- year round!
  • Movie Nights
  • Tuesday Coffee
  • Bingo
  • Holiday Parties

Other Homeowner Benefits:

• Pet Friendly (about a 40 lb. weight limit)
• No Renters- All homes are owner occupied.
• Homeowners pay NO Real Estate Tax.
• On-Site Management
• Privately maintained roads
• Snow Removal
• Community landscaping
• Green Areas
• Mature landscaping
• Well-cared for community

Schools: Falcon School District 49

• Springs Ranch Elementary School
• Skyview Middle School
• Sand Creek High School

They are still building homes (Genesis Homes) and have some great lots with stunning views to choose from.

** HOT TIP for Internet Home Surfers **
To quickly identify homes in this community while searching for homes for sale in Colorado Springs… here is a list of the streets that make up the Chateau at Antelope Ridge: Black Bear – Crested Jay – Grey Fox – Grizzly Bear – Grosbeak – King Fisher – Marmot – Pika – Pine Marten – Valley Quail – Whip Tail

March 8th, 2007 by Mariana Wagner | 1 Comment »