Boulder Creek Builders, in Louisville and Longmont, hits pay dirt with low-maintenance ranches and townhomes
Courtesy of Mark Samuelson, The Denver Post
Two years ago, builder David Sinkey of Boulder Creek Builders was on the phone to the big Denver developers, trying to convince them to work some of his low-maintenance patio ranch designs into their large master-plans. Now a half dozen of those developers are talking with him, wanting to rub some of the same magic into their own communities that just since November has attracted 18 sales in the $400s and $500s.
You can see those sharp, traditionally styled patio models (from the low $4s) today at Steel Ranch in Louisville (they were packed with visitors when I toured Wednesday). And you can tour some Boulder Creek townhomes near the Longmont Diagonal Highway that offer the same low maintenance and high energy efficiency, at half the price.
Kingsbridge Townhomes, off Airport Road in Longmont, is a little hard to find and gets a fraction of the traffic that Steel Ranch does – but has such a high conversion rate that Boulder Creek has already gone through well over half of the 109 townhome sites it took over there from a California builder in 2010.
“We don’t restrict any of our communities to 55-and-older,” said Sinkey — one of four principals in a company that dates from one his father launched in Boulder in 1976. We left headquarters in Louisville’s scenic downtown, surrounded by shops and dining that helped earn Louisville the number-1 national ranking in Money Magazine’s annual ‘Best Places to Live’…and headed for Steel Ranch, a mile north.
Nevertheless, Boulder Creek’s buyers seem to ‘self-restrict’ into that older, downsizing demographic. Along with a few single females, empty-nest buyers dominate sales at Steel Ranch (and are catching the attention of those large developers, anxious to tap into that market).
Those downsizers are also a factor at Longmont’s Kingsbridge (it has four 2-story townhome plans, including one that could go main-floor master)…however, buyers there also find three schools within walking distance including Longmont’s Silver Creek High, rated 9-for-10 stars at GreatSchools.net. The schools and the prices (from the very low $200s for 2- and 3-bedrooms that are nine miles from Boulder, four miles from IBM) also lure single moms and dads, and another demographic you don’t hear much about: ‘never-nesters’ – ones who have rented for years and years, and now have plenty of cash to make a purchase.
What Boulder Creek DOESN’T see at Kingsbridge are first-time buyers; and that, says Sinkey, doesn’t make any sense. After all, these large plans have attached 2-car garages, roomy storage spaces, extra-outdoor private storage for bikes; and optimal energy features (blown-Fiberglas insulation that earn HERS scores under 60, so low they were featured by Channel 9 News). The smallest, a 2-bedroom ‘Florence,’ delivers 1,490 square feet for $205,000 – with a bright-and-light interior that comes standard with wood kitchen floors, nicer birch cabinets in a choice of colors, and ceramic tile bath surrounds.
They also show something all Boulder Creek’s buyers, young and old, agree on: Despite the low-maintenance, they want manageable HOA fees. “Our people say, ‘Give us walking-biking trails; but not a pool, that means higher dues,’” Sinkey added. Boulder Creek keeps track of its buyers’ preferences through a ‘Founders Group’ that reviews new models. When the group was asked what they’d be willing to pay for the new Steel Ranch patio plans, their estimates were so high, Sinkey says, that company planners knew they had a winner on their hands.
You can see Steel Ranch off 95th Street in Louisville; from the Turnpike take Northwest Parkway north, jogging onto 96th, and continue north 5 miles, just past Baseline. Kingsbridge in Longmont is off Airport Road between Diagonal and Nelson Road; from Boulder take the Diagonal north 6 miles to Airport, then left a mile to Venice Lane.
If you go…
WHERE: Kingsbridge Townhomes in west Longmont by Boulder Creek Builders, low-maintenance 2-&-3 bedroom townhomes near trails, 4 miles to IBM. 1656 Venice Lane, Longmont; take I-25 north to Exit 240, Colo. 119; west 7.6 mi., continue west on Nelson Rd. 1.9 mi to Airport Rd.; left 1 mi. to Venice Lane. Or from Boulder’s Foothills Pkwy take Diagonal north 6.6 mi. to Airport Rd, left 1 mi. to Venice
PRICE: From $205s; Steel Ranch from the low $400s
WHEN: Today & Saturday 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.; Sunday 11-5
PHONE: 303-772-3063 Steel Ranch, 303-745-1091 WEB: LiveBoulderCreek.com
Boulder Creek unveils its Steel Ranch model home, raises money for Senior Foundation – Colorado Hometown Weekly – November 8, 2011
Boulder Creek unveils its Steel Ranch model home, raises money for Senior Foundation – Colorado Hometown Weekly – November 8, 2011
Boulder Creek Builders debuted its first model home at Steel Ranch, one of Louisville’s last large-scale residential developments, during its grand opening this past weekend.
The development sits on the west side of Colo. Highway 42, north of South Boulder Road off Paschal Drive, in Louisville, and the builder will erect 68 patio homes.
Boulder Creek’s homes are geared toward the empty-nester, or those who are looking to downsize from a larger home and get away from having to maintain the home’s exterior, said Boulder Creek principal David Sinkey.
“It’s for the active adult’s lifestyle,” he said. “Instead of taking care of the yard, they’re going out of town … they’re spending their free time doing something other than maintaining their home.”
The ranch-style patio homes feature “main floor living” with the master bedroom, kitchen, living room, foyer and laundry room on the main floor.
Sinkey said the design caters to the residents as they age — the homes have lower light switches and thermostats, wider hallways and doors, and outlets placed higher on the wall.
“They don’t have mobility issues now but they might,” Sinkey said of the demographic they are targeting, noting that he doesn’t anticipate seeing a lot of families showing interest in buying a patio home at Steel Ranch.
A homeowners association will serve the patio homes, giving residents a “lock-and-leave” lifestyle, Sinkey said.
The model home’s shower off the master bathroom is built without a tub for an aging resident and the toilet, behind a half wall next to the shower, is featured without a door or separate room with a resident in mind who might use a wheelchair.
Along with the master bedroom, Boulder Creek’s model shows another room on the main floor that can be used as another bedroom or office.
The lower level — a finished basement — has an entertaining space and high ceilings and has a separate room for a bedroom or craft room, with the option to add another bedroom downstairs as well. A downstairs bathroom with a tub is ideal for grandchildren coming to visit their grandparents, Sinkey said.
The model basement shows its downstairs room as a craft room with a square cut-out so residents can look into the space from the main lower-level room. But, the wall can always be built if a homeowner wants the room made private.
“We’re always trying to inspire our buyers to use a space differently than they normally would,” he said.
Boulder Creek officials said eight of the 68 patio homes were sold before the opening.
The homes, priced to start in the high $300,000s, also feature a covered walk-out patio, built-in grill, two-car garage and option to add stairs off the garage that lead to additional storage space.
The Energy star-rated homes have tankless water heaters connected to a manifold system, which allows residents to turn water on and off to each room, and high-efficiency furnaces.
Boulder Creek Builders’ grand opening weekend raised $3,000 for the Louisville Senior Foundation. For every person who attended the open house Nov. 3-5, Boulder Creek Builders donated $5 to the foundation, and they extended the offer through this week.
“With over 500 attendees we are thrilled with the results of our Steel Ranch grand opening. The response to our new ranch style patio homes was overwhelmingly positive,” Sinkey said. “We could not be happier to be linked up with the Louisville Senior Foundation and we look forward to a long partnership.”
Foundation president Debbie Fahey said the partnership with Boulder Creek Builders means so much to seniors in the community and she was appreciative when Sinkey called her about the donations.
“I was dumbfounded. I was shocked,” Fahey said of the builders’ willingness to help. “We are so appreciative. It came out of the blue and (Sinkey) said, ‘Do you want $5 for everyone who comes?’ and I said, ‘Yeah!’ We need every bit we can get. This has been a big help.”
Ryland Homes has plans to build 84 single-family homes at Steel Ranch, which include three ranch-style floor plans and seven two-story floor plans that don’t include formal living rooms and few with formal dining rooms that target families on the go.
Patio Homes Draw Buyers to Steel Ranch in Louisville – Daily Camera – At Home Section – October 21, 2011
Patio Homes Draw Buyers to Steel Ranch in Louisville – Daily Camera – At Home Section – October 21, 2011
Nancy Patch was doing what she loves – riding her bicycle in Louisville – when she discovered the single-family patio homes designed and built by Boulder Creek Builders at the new Steel Ranch community. “I had no intention of moving at that time. I was planning to wait until my youngest son graduates from high school, and then right-size,” she says. “But I was so impressed with their floor plans – as an interior designer I am very familiar with floor plans.” Read more…
Patio Homes Draw Buyers to Steel Ranch in Louisville
Patio Homes Draw Buyers to Steel Ranch in Louisville
By Judy Finman for At Home
Article courtesy of Boulder Daily Camera – At Home
Nancy Patch was doing what she loves – riding her bicycle in Louisville – when she discovered the single-family patio homes designed and built by Boulder Creek Builders at the new Steel Ranch community. “I had no intention of moving at that time. I was planning to wait until my youngest son graduates from high school, and then right-size,” she says. “But I was so impressed with their floor plans – as an interior designer I am very familiar with floor plans.”
An advocate of the “not-so-big-house” philosophy, she related to the builder’s use of “well thought-out spaces that are functional – the opposite of McMansions. I liked that it was aesthetically pleasing, with taller ceilings and how the spaces worked together.”
Before committing to a move, Patch had to sell the Louisville house she was living in. She staged it and worked with a Realtor® to price it right. “I had a contract in less than two weeks. The success of my being able to move on this house at Steel Ranch was my Realtor pricing my home right. [You have to be] realistic and willing to stage your home, and put a little money into fixing it up.”
Patch loves the Louisville area. “It’s so well located to get on the highway to Denver, to the airport, to Boulder. I’m a biker, and there’s great riding here.
“The people at Boulder Creek Builders have been so great. You feel you really matter to them, that they genuinely care about getting you a home that works for you. As a buyer, you get a lot of flexibility in choosing your finishes.”
She chose the Harmony floor plan for her home. “I love it because the common areas – the kitchen and living room – look out on to the park. It’s a good value, especially because of its phenomenal location.”
Low-maintenance lifestyle
Another reason Patch was motivated to buy a patio home at Steel Ranch was that the house requires so little maintenance. “I can do something with my Saturdays other than take care of the yard,” she says. Sales Manager Bill Besher agrees. “Our homes allow people to live the Colorado lifestyle that everyone wants – with lock-and-leave convenience, and a low-maintenance lifestyle with no more weekends mowing the lawn or shoveling snow. All our homes at Steel Ranch are single-family patio homes – everything people need day to day is on one floor, with a finished lower level for company or entertainment.
There’s a shortage of these lifestyle homes in Louisville. “We will have only 68 patio homes at Steel Ranch, and, without doing any marketing, we have hundreds of people with very strong interest. We have written several pre-sales contracts for people who asked early about Steel Ranch, some a year ago.”
The patio homes are priced in the high $300,000s to low $400,000s.
Functionality plus style
Boulder Creek Builders has pulled out all the stops at Steel Ranch. Big-ticket items that would ordinarily be considered upgrades are included, like air conditioning, tankless water heater, maple kitchen cabinets, and granite slab or Caesarstone® kitchen countertops.
Six floor plans are offered, with a choice among four architectural designs and nine color schemes. This makes each home unique and promises a visually diverse streetscape. All the homes are built to be highly efficient, based on Energy Star and green building technologies.
With third-party Energy Star inspections, 2 x 6 exterior wall construction, R-23- wall and R-49 ceiling insulation with advanced insulation techniques, lower-energy-usage furnace, tankless water heater, low-E Argon-gas-filled windows, 50-year roof shingles and more, these homes are built for energy efficiency, durability and comfort.
Steel Ranch is located on the west side of Highway 42 at Paschal Drive in Louisville. Stop by Boulder Creek on November 5th to tour the brand-new model home. For more information call the sales office at 303.745.1091 or visit AtHome.LiveBoulderCreek.com.
You’re Invited! Boulder Creek Life and Home invites the public to its Grand Opening and Open House at Steel Ranch in Louisville on Saturday, November 5. Tour the neighborhood and new model home. Boulder Creek will make a contribution to the Louisville Senior Foundation for every person who attends.
Gen xyz: David Sinkey named one of COBiz Magazine’s 25 Most Influential Young Professionals
Gen xyz: David Sinkey named one of COBiz Magazine’s 25 Most Influential Young Professionals
David Sinkey of Boulder Creek Builders Named One of “25 Most Influential Young Professionals” by Colorado Biz GenXYZ Awards
David Sinkey of Boulder Creek Builders Named One of “25 Most Influential Young Professionals” by Colorado Biz GenXYZ Awards.
Louisville, Colo. (September 1, 2011) – Boulder Creek Builders, an award winning, Lousiville-based homebuilder is proud to announce that its principal, David Sinkey was named to Colorado Biz Magazine’s GenXYZ Awards as one of the 25 Most Influential Young Professionals. This second annual honor is given to 25 of the top business people under the age of 39, who have made significant contributions to their businesses, industries and communities. Winners have shown a positive impact on the state’s economy and are diverse leaders for the XYZ Generation. David Sinkey focuses on the finance and acquisition activities of Boulder Creek Builders. After starting his own real estate marking firm in 1997 David co-founded Boulder Creek Builders in 2006 to address the growing needs of the active adult homebuyer. Boulder Creek has flourished during the economic down turn by investing heavily in staffing, training, systems and product design.
“I am thrilled to be included with such an extraordinary group of individuals in the Denver area,” said Sinkey. “I feel fortunate that I am able to fulfill my passion for developing remarkable homes and communities that offer more than just bricks and mortar, but also an active Colorado lifestyle.” Members of the 25 Most Influential Young Professionals will be recognized during a networking event from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m., Thursday, September 29, 2011 at Mile High Station, 2027 West Colfax Avenue in Denver. There will be a surprise announcement of the top 5 Most Influential Young People at the event. Honorees also will be profiled in the October issue of ColoradoBiz. Information on tickets for the event can be found at http://genxyz.eventbrite.com. Additional details are on ColoradoBiz Magazine’s twitter page, @ColoradoBizMag using the hashtag #genXYZ.
Boulder Creek Builders: Boulder Creek Builders www.livebouldercreek.com is an award winning, Boulder-based homebuilder, that creates innovative communities across the Front Range of Colorado that embrace green building practices, energy efficiency and a true sense of place. The company’s mission is to build homes that are more than just bricks and mortar, but are actually modeled to provide a unique living experience designed around how people aspire to live, thus appealing to the active lifestyle. Each of Boulder Creek’s current communities, vary in size, price and concept, but have one common thread: they embrace quality craftsmanship, green building practices and provide an unmatched lifestyle. For more information visit www.livebouldercreek.com or call (303) 242-3199.
Steel Ranch patio homes sprout on Louisville’s largest remaining tract – Boulder Daily Camera, August 4 2011
Steel Ranch patio homes sprout on Louisville’s largest remaining tract – Boulder Daily Camera, August 4 2011
LOUISVILLE — At 60 and with all four kids grown and gone, David Ireland and his wife don’t need the 3,400 square feet of space in their Lafayette home any longer.
At the same time, they don’t want to give up some of the advantages of standalone living, where they don’t have to worry about anyone crashing around above or below them. Read more…
Boulder County Still A Regional Business Hub
We love to point out the benefits of Boulder County life…and great jobs is one of the best reasons to make our beautiful county home. The Boulder Daily Camera just published an article on the area’s 50 top businesses, which include IBM, Ball Corp., Level 3, Oracle, and other nationally-recognized businesses in tech, pharma, and so much more. It’s a great reminder of the prosperity and prospects of a community that’s not just another pretty face along the foothills.
New to Boulder County? Ready to own instead of renting? Boulder Creek has many great options, from breezy townhomes in Longmont to ranch-style patio homes in award-winning Louisville and so much more. Click here to learn more about our Boulder County offerings and the benefits of Boulder Creek’s green, right-sized homes.
Congratulations, Thompson Daviau Realty!
Congratulations are in order!
Please join Boulder Creek in congratulating Janet Thompson and Kirsty Daviau, a mother-daughter Realtor® team with a great history working with our business.
Janet and Kirsty recently announced that they are joining forces with Metro Brokers and setting up a new company, Thompson Daviau Realty, Inc.
Kirsty will serve as Managing Broker and both Kirsty and Janet have upgraded their licenses to Managing Broker status.
Thompson Daviau will be based at 4845 Pearl East Circle, Suite 101, Boulder, CO 80301 as of Tuesday, July 12. Congratulations, Kirsty and Janet!
Louisville Street Faire…In Fast Motion
Recognize the view from this time-lapse video of the Louisville Downtown Street Faire? That’s right…it was filmed at Boulder Creek’s Louisville offices! We’re proud to be a sponsor of the Street Faire, which runs Friday evenings right in front of our office!
