On a weekend when lower interest rates are bringing a sudden pickup in home sales around Denver, a developer is releasing some huge custom home sites with views and plenty of dedicated open space just 20 minutes from the Tech Center.
“Big sites are rare now in the south metro area—even more so with the size and views these parcels have with their urban amenities, so close to the DTC,” says Mark Connor, president of Denmark Corporation, part of an entity that acquired The Keep at Sedalia last year.
The Keep’s 1,100 acres were created from the historic Cherokee Ranch beside Castle Pines, where legendary rancher Tweet Kimball ran her Santa Gertrudis cattle during the 1950s to 1980s.
The very smallest of those newest custom sites is five acres; and The Keep’s sales reps can show you a few parcels as large as nine or ten acres, notes Connor. All are behind a security gate, served by paved roads, community water, CORE Electric and Xcel natural gas.
The newest sites released have the terrain and mature trees that complement quality architecture. Custom builders are reaching for contemporary and luxury mid-mod stylings that are very popular now.
Veteran Douglas County broker Chuck Wahlen says agents have seen a change in mindset among homebuyers in the past three weeks, as they weigh the slightly lower interest rates out there now, along with the advantages of lower construction costs and better availability.
“I tell buyers they’re so much better off now than they were a year ago, when you had 3% rates,” he adds. “You’re paying a little more in interest, but less for your home, and most important, you’re getting what you want.”
Speaking of rates, The Keep will allow you to buy a site to hold even if you’re not ready to sell your house and build yet; and has 4.75% financing from Vectra Bank available for land purchases.
“That $2.5 million that you’re paying for a custom home and a five-acre site at The Keep gets you just the home on a third-acre site in other, comparable areas, and even those are disappearing fast,” says Wahlen.
The downside of that is that The Keep is suddenly seeing higher sales traffic at its view-swept sales pavilion, where visitors overlook 900 acres of dedicated open space covered in juniper, piñon, pine and Gambel oak. Custom homes like The Keep’s had soared in price during the pandemic as buyers began opting for more space, more privacy.
This is literally 20 minutes from the Tech Center and 14 minutes from the new King Soopers and popular dining in Castle Rock.
From I-25, take Happy Canyon Road south through Castle Pines to U.S. 85, then head west 3 miles to Sedalia. Turn south on Hwy 67, a half mile to a left on Hwy 105/Perry Park Rd, then turn south half mile to Keep Drive. After the gated entry, proceed 1.5 mile to the hilltop sales pavilion.
The news and editorial staffs of The Denver Post had no role in this post’s preparation.
