Highlands Ranch CO real estate for sale

Highlands Ranch Colorado was first settled in 1859 by a farmer named Dad Rufus “Potato” Clark. Purchasing 160 acres he planted and raised potatoes eventually becoming known as the “Potato King of Colorado.” Highlands Ranch residents still see Dad Clark’s name on parks and at least one major street to this day. Other folks relocated to the area to raise crops and livestock and soon, a settlement was born. John Springer, one of those folks, bought 23,000 acres on which to raise and graze cattle. He is credited with building the famous 17,000 square foot Highlands Ranch home now known as "The Highlands Ranch Mansion" (originally known as “Castle Isabel”). The home stands to this day and is the site of many community events, hayrack rides in the fall and Easter egg hunts in the spring to name a couple.

The land changed hands a few times during the early to mid 1900s eventually being bought in 1978 by Mission Viejo Development Company. They had a plan to build a master planned community similar to the one they developed in the suburbs of Los Angeles. Thus, the community we now know as Highlands Ranch was founded in 1981. Originally it was developed by the Mission Viejo but they were bought by Shea Homes in 1997. Shea Homes continues to build all of the real estate in Highlands Ranch, and is building it as a master planned community. They intend to finish the last Highlands Ranch neighborhood sometime in the next few years.

Highlands Ranch real estate offers many families the very best in amenities and proximity to local attractions. It is located approximately 23 miles to the south of Downtown Denver, on the west side of I25, in the heart of Douglas County. Many Highlands Ranch residents commute to Denver or the Denver Tech Center each day. The average commute time to Denver is approx 30 minutes each way and 15 to the DTC. At last measure, the population was around 87,000 residents living in a myriad of types of housing across roughly 22,000 acres. Highlands Ranch home prices range from the $190s for a 2 bedroom townhome to 1 million plus for a custom built, 6000sf home. The average home in Highlands Ranch is 3-4 bedrooms with 3-4 baths, a 2 car garage and approx. 1900 sf. Highlands Ranch real estate typically sells for between $250k-$280k depending on finishes, square footage, views, and lot size.

To better understand the quality of life in the area, one has to only look at some of the amenities offered to Highlands Ranch residents. When the community is complete, 61% of the land will be dedicated to trails, parks, open space and community facilities. There are four recreation centers serving residents. Each recreation center has its own indoor and outdoor pool, exercise facility, weight room and available activities too numerous to mention. In addition, there is the 8200 acre Backcountry Wilderness Area, the many programs and special events produced by the Highlands Ranch Home Owners Association (HRCA) and the Highlands Ranch Library.

Truly a wonderful community in an even better setting, the Highlands Ranch real estate community serves as a model for community planners. Another nearby community worth looking into is Castle Pines. Castle Pines CO homes are directly South of Highlands Ranch and can be accessed via Quebec.

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Contributing Author: Mark Marati – Employing Broker