Well, Denver residents were expecting a whirlwind during the DNC! Three tornadoes touched down southeast of Denver yesterday, on the eve of the DNC. One of the tornadoes, which touched down near the Rueter-Hess Reservoir in Parker, was about a mile from my house. The tornado spotting gave my family quite a scare! Two more tornadoes also touched down in Douglas County near Castle Rock and Parker yesterday evening.

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* Photo is courtesy of Leslie Stoops, who lives in Parker’s Antelope Heights neighborhood.

Another Homebuilder Exits Denver Homebuilder Arena

Dallas-based Centex Homes is reportedly leaving Colorado. According to 9NEWS.com, the builder plans to cease operations by Spring 2009. The company, which builds in 10 communities from Castle Rock to Fort Collins, vows to complete all homes under construction in addition to unfinished homes. Denver-area Centex communities include: Highlands at Castle Oaks in Castle Rock, Carriage Hills Castle Rock Collection, Wheatlands in Aurora, Weaver Creek in Morrison, and several other communities north of Denver.

Centex’s departure is in response to Denver’s ultra-competitive homebuilding arena and difficult market conditions. Atlanta-based Beazer Homes has also announced plans to leave the Denver market by the end of the summer. Chicago-based Neumann Homes, who built homes at four Denver area communities, declared bankruptcy last year.

TeamCox Realtors was involved in some tough negotiating for our relocating buyers this past week. We were a bit surprised at how little the sellers were willing to budge in the midst of the Denver buyer’s market. You are probably wondering about the home that was in such demand? It was Highlands Ranch home, priced under $300K.

Highlands Ranch, a popular Douglas County community located only 12 miles south of Denver, continues to thrive in the midst of an overall sluggish Denver real estate market. Homes in Highlands Ranch have held their values well during the Denver real estate market’s slump. The Rocky Mountain News reported in March that 80126, the primary Highlands Ranch zip code, saw a 13.9 percent year-over-year home price increase last year, which was the third largest increase in the entire Denver metro area. Highlands Ranch is also showing signs of improvement more quickly than other areas in Douglas and Arapahoe Counties. Highlands Ranch homes - especially those that are priced under 300K – have recently been selling quickly for at or near full asking price.

It is hard to believe that Highlands Ranch will be celebrating its thirtieth birthday in a few years. The 22,000-acre master-planned community’s popularity stems from its superior quality of life, panoramic views, convenient location, and endless recreational opportunities. Highlands Ranch was also recently ranked 12th among Money Magazine’s, “Top 100 Best Places to Live,” The magazine completed its rankings based on numerous factors, including: financial, housing, quality of life, education, health, meeting the neighbors, etc. Parker, another popular Douglas County community, was ranked high in last year’s report.

For more information on Highlands Ranch real estate, please contact TeamCox Realtors at 303-400-6060.

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Cherry Creek School District Boasts the Most “Top” High Schools

Since TeamCox understands the high importance of a child’s education, we constantly monitor reports that indicate which Denver metro area schools are the best. The recent release of Newsweek’s “Top High Schools,” includes several Denver metro area high schools that were recognized for their superior performance, including a high number of advanced programs and strong graduation rates. Not surprisingly, the Cherry Creek School District did particularly well with a whopping five high schools included in the list.

The schools were given a score that was calculated by dividing the number of students taking Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) and/or Cambridge tests, by the number of graduating seniors. The top 1,391 schools were included on the list, indicating that they scored in the top five percent. The top-ranked Denver area high schools were as follows: Peak to Peak Charter School in Lafayette (40), Lakewood High School (108), Fairview High School in Boulder (235), Boulder High School (237) and Denver’s East High School (241).

The following Denver area high schools made Newsweek’s list of the “top” high schools:

Cherry Creek School District:
Cherry Creek High School (Greenwood Village)
Eaglecrest High School (Aurora)
Grandview High School (Aurora)
Overland High School (Aurora)
Smoky Hill High School (Aurora)

Douglas County School District:
Chaparral High School (Parker)
ThunderRidge High School (Highlands Ranch)

Denver Public Schools:
East High School (Denver)
George Washington High School (Denver)

Jefferson County School District:
D’Evelyn High School (Lakewood)
Lakewood High School (Lakewood)

Littleton Public Schools:
Littleton High School (Littleton)
Heritage High School (Littleton)

Boulder Valley School District:
Boulder High School (Boulder)
Farirview High School (Boulder)
Monarch High School (Louisville)
Peak to Peak Charter School (Lafayette)

Adams 12 Five Star Schools:
Legacy High School (Broomfield)

Are you looking for a home in a specific school district? TeamCox’s cutting-edge Denver MLS search system allows you to search by school district, which is extremely helpful to many prospective homebuyers. For more information on Denver area schools, please contact TeamCox Realtors at 303-400-6060 – We are your Denver real estate specialists.

Castle Rock named a finalist for the most coveted parks and recreation award in the country

TeamCox Realtors would like to congratulate Castle Rock, Colorado, on being named as one of the four finalists (with a population between 25,000 and 50,000), for the most notable parks and recreation award in the country, the National Recreation and Parks Administration’s 2008 Gold Medal Award

The award, which honors communities excelling in “long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition,” will be awarded in October. This coveted nomination is no surprise, considering the fact that Castle Rock boasts a variety of recreational amenities, thousands of acres of open space, over 200 acres of park space, 34 miles of trails, and a state-of-the-art recreation center.

Recreation isn’t the only thing that Castle Rock has going for it! Castle Rock is a scenic, family-friendly community that attracts all types of homebuyers – from bustling professionals – to young families – to empty nesters. Castle Rock residents enjoy living in the charming Douglas County town while being nearby Denver’s renowned shopping, dinning and cultural opportunities. Castle Rock real estate, please contact TeamCox Realtors - your Denver real estate specialist.

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The scoop on new businesses coming to Parker, Colorado

Welcome to TeamCox’s new blog series, “Coming Soon to a Neighborhood Near You.” Since the number of conveniences, including stores, recreational facilities, roads, etc., is a huge factor when choosing a new neighborhood, TeamCox keeps abreast of all of the happenings in the Denver area’s most popular communities. This week, we are going to cover what is coming soon to Parker.

Costco - After a long negotiation process, Costco Wholesale is coming to Parker’s Crown Point Development! Ground has already been broken on the 152,000 sq. foot facility, to be located near Parker Adventist Hospital at E-470 and Parker Road. The warehouse is anticipated to open in August 2008. For those of who regularly shop at Costco’s ultra-crowded Park Meadows location, this is truly exciting news!

Circuit City -  A new Circuit City is opening at the old Target location (Parker Rd. & Lincoln Ave.)

Sprout’s Farmer Market – One of Colorado’s three new Sprout’s Farmer Markets, a national grocery chain, will be opening at the old Albertson’s location at Parker Rd. & Lincoln Ave. We could all use some more fresh veggies!

The Egg & I – The popular breakfast spot will be opening soon at 18901 E. Main St., at the site of the former Parker LePeep. Yum!

Kinko’s – Parker businesses can breathe a sigh of relief - the new Parker Kinko’s is now open near Parker Rd. & Lincoln Ave.

Do you know of any other new businesses coming to Parker (or to other south Denver communities)? Please contact us, and we will post the information in our blog. For more information on Parker real estate, please contact TeamCox Realtors at 303-400-6060.

Rueter-Hess Reservoir will add to Parker's recreational opportunities while boasting its water supply

TeamCox Realtors often recommends Parker, Colorado, to our homebuyers since the southern Denver suburb appeals to almost everyone – first time buyers to young families to empty nesters. The charming town and its surrounding neighborhoods offer a unique blend of small-town charm blended with the conveniences of being near a large city.

Yesterday’s Denver Post featured an article about the future Rueter-Hess Reservoir, slated to be 50 percent larger than the Cherry Creek Reservoir, which is under construction near Parker. This reservoir brightens Parker’s already vivid future, since it will add to the area’s existing charm and recreational opportunities, while boasting its water supply. Planning for the reservoir began in 1985, as the Parker Water and Sanitation District sought to improve its long-term water supply.

Projected to be completed in 2011, the  Rueter-Hess Reservoir will provide water to the Town of Parker, in addition to surrounding Douglas County areas, including Stonegate, Castle Pines North and Castle Rock. While the recreation plans for the reservoir haven’t been finalized, there are plans to include fishing and non-motorized boating, including canoes and rowboats. In addition, approximately 2,000 acres of land will be set aside for wildlife, hiking, and biking trails.

Are you thinking about moving to the Parker area? TeamCox Realtors has extensive knowledge of the Parker real estate market, so please free to contact us at 303-400-6060.

Douglas County School District Reveals Names for Newest Schools in Parker and Castle Rock

Two new Douglas County School District elementary schools have remained nameless – until this week!

According to The Douglas County School District, its Board of Education formally approved, “Gold Rush Elementary,” as the name for Elementary School #44. Gold Rush Elementary, Parker’s newest elementary school, will be open for the 2008-2009 school year. Parker subdivisions feeding in the new school include Antelope Heights, Bradbury Hills, Horse Creek, Newlin Meadows and Jordan Crossing. The name has historical meaning as gold was found in Newlin Gulch during the gold rush.

The Castle Rock area’s newest elementary school (formerly Elementary School #45) will now be known as “Clear Sky Elementary School.” The brand new school, located in The Meadows subdivision, will also be open for the 2008-2009 school year.

For more information on schools throughout Douglas County or in the Denver metropolitan area, please contact TeamCox Realtors.

Parker, Colorado, is a Safe and Family-Friendly Community

Since community safety is a prime concern among our buyers, TeamCox Realtors makes a point to keep a close eye on Denver area crime rates.

Parker, Colorado, a family-oriented community located 20 miles southeast of downtown Denver, recently reported a remarkable decline in crime rates. The Douglas County News Press reports that despite the Parker’s sustained population growth, the Douglas County town has seen a significant decrease in crime with 12.9 percent fewer charges filed in 2007 than 2006. Incidences of property crimes and crimes against another person were down last year. 

This is just one more reason why Parker is a wonderful place to live. In addition to low crime rates, residents savor the town’s small-town charm, top-notch schools, and state-of the art recreational opportunities.

For information on Parker real estate or regarding crime statistics in other Denver area communities, please contact TeamCox Realtors.

Brand New Schools are in the Pipeline for Parker, Castle Rock and Highlands Ranch!

The well-regarded Douglas County School District, which serves more than 50,000 students, is the third largest school district in the state. Despite the recent slowdown in the general Denver real estate market, the district is still growing in response to Douglas County’s popularity among Denver area homebuyers.

Since the Douglas County School District has added approximately 2,500 students per year over the past five years, there are many new schools in the works for communities in Parker, Castle Rock and Highlands Ranch:

PARKER

High School #9 (Idyllwilde/Canterberry Crossing)

While it is waiting for its official name, “High School #9,” is under construction in the heart of Parker’s beautiful Idyllwilde community right off Hilltop Road. Tentatively scheduled to open during the fall of 2008, it will be the Parker area’s third high school. Please click here for more information on the new high school.

Middle School #9 (Idyllwilde/Canterberry Crossing)

Middle School #9 is under construction at the same location as the new Parker High School. It is also scheduled to open during the fall of 2008. Please click here for more information on the new middle school.

Mammoth Heights Elementary (Stonegate)

While Mammoth Heights’ classes are already in session at neighboring elementary schools, its new facility will open in January. The brand new elementary school is located on the north side of the popular Stonegate Subdivision on Stonegate Parkway. Please click here for to view the boundaries for Mammoth Heights Elementary.

Elementary School # 44 (Bradbury Hills/Antelope Heights/Horse Creek/Newlin Meadows)

Also nameless, another new Parker elementary school is under construction and scheduled to open in 2008. This new elementary school will affect the current attendance boundaries for Prairie Crossing Elementary. Please click here for to see view the boundaries for Elementary School #44.

CASTLE ROCK

Middle School #8

Castle Rock’s newest middle school is slated to open in August of 2008. Elementary Schools feeding into the new school include Castle Rock, Cherry Valley, Flagstone, Rock Ridge and South. Please click here for more information on the new middle school.

Elementary School #45 (Boundaries TBD)

There is a meeting scheduled on November 20th to determine the boundaries for the Castle Rock area’s newest elementary school to be located in the Castle View High School feeder area. It is scheduled to open in 2008.

HIGHLANDS RANCH

Stone Mountain Elementary (Weatherstone)

Stone Mountain Elementary, to be located in the Highlands Ranch subdivision of Weatherstone, is scheduled to open in 2008. Please click here for to see view the boundaries for Stone Mountain Elementary.

For more information on Denver area schools, please contact TeamCox Realtors. We realize how important education is to you and your family so we make a point of keeping updated on all new developments.