Posted by laurencea on February 19, 2010 · Leave a Comment
With roots that go back more than 30 years in Boulder County, Boulder Creek Life and Home was building homes before “green” practices were widely considered in the housing industry.
“A long time ago, we made a commitment to build all of our homes to Built Green standards,” recalls company principal David Gregg, who guides the architecture, project development and community planning. “As we analyzed the requirements, we discovered that in many instances, we were already building to those standards. We tweaked some of our construction specifications, and created some new efficiencies in our methods. Overall, going green was a pretty easy transition for us.”
To understand the full impact of Boulder Creek’s commitment to green building, consider this: every home it builds meets or exceeds Built Green standards. And Boulder Creek is doing this in six different Front Range communities, every day, across every price point.
“What we do is utilize proven and practical green building techniques and materials, bringing them into the mainstream to create homes that deliver high value and lower energy costs,” explains David Sinkey, vice president and co-owner. “This allows us to do more with each home, and to do more of them.”
Gregg says it all comes down to the details. “The insulation we use, the type of windows, the framing techniques and the way we seal the homes to prevent air leakage, it all requires strong field coordination and the willingness to follow through, to make sure that all the steps are done right.”
Low-E glazed windows and blown-in cellulose insulation make your home easy to heat and a breeze to cool, lowering your annual cost for heating and cooling your home year in and year out. Two-by-six framing is standard instead of the two-by-fours you’ll find elsewhere, creating sturdier, deeper walls that hold more insulation and are more soundproof.
At two points during each home’s construction, an independent third-party construction observation company inspects each home to ensure it is being built to code and to Boulder Creek standards, Gregg says. “They conduct a pre-drywall inspection, checking the ducts, caulking and sealing.”
This dedication to quality construction and design earned Boulder Creek Life and Home nationwide recognition in 2008 when the National Association of Home Builders recognized the Blue Vista community in Longmont with a Development of the Year Award for “excellence in green residential design and construction practices, and outstanding green advocacy efforts.”
Me? Buy a home? Don’t miss the “My First Home Expo” on Saturday, Feb. 27
Are you considering your first home purchase? Boulder Creek invites you to an exciting and informative event, designed to help you get the information you need to make an informed home buying decision. Attend free seminars on financial planning, lending practices, tax credits and organizing your first home – each presented by professionals who are recognized experts in their field.
Enjoy a free barbecue lunch and refreshments, and watch the home energy efficiency demonstrations by Home Performance Solutions (complete with a blower door test and thermal imaging). Register to win one of several iPod Nanos. And you’ll be helping a good cause just by attending, since the event sponsors will donate $20 to the Emergency Family Assistance Association for every registered attendee.
Expo sponsors include Boulder Creek Life and Home, Taylor Moving Company, County Line Lumber Company and Advantage Bank.
My First Home Expo will be held at Kingsbridge Townhomes, 1656 Venice Lane, Longmont. For more information and directions, call 303.502.5338 or e-mail info@LiveKingsbridge.com.
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Posted by camerahomes.com on February 19, 2010 · Leave a Comment
With roots that go back more than 30 years in Boulder County, Boulder Creek Life and Home was building homes before “green” practices were widely considered in the housing industry.
“A long time ago, we made a commitment to build all of our homes to Built Green standards,” recalls company principal David Gregg, who guides the architecture, project development and community planning. “As we analyzed the requirements, we discovered that in many instances, we were already building to those standards. We tweaked some of our construction specifications, and created some new efficiencies in our methods. Overall, going green was a pretty easy transition for us.”
To understand the full impact of Boulder Creek Life and Home’s commitment to green building, consider this: every home it builds meets or exceeds Built Green standards. And the builder is doing this in six different Front Range communities, every day, across every price point.
“What we do is utilize proven and practical green building techniques and materials, bringing them into the mainstream to create homes that deliver high value and lower energy costs,” explains David Sinkey, vice president and co-owner. “This allows us to do more with each home, and to do more of them.”
Gregg says it all comes down to the details. “The insulation we use, the type of windows, the framing techniques and the way we seal the homes to prevent air leakage, it all requires strong field coordination and the willingness to follow through, to make sure that all the steps are done right.”
Low-E glazed windows and blown-in cellulose insulation make your home easy to heat and a breeze to cool, lowering your annual cost for heating and cooling your home year in and year out. Two-by-six framing is standard instead of the two-by-fours you’ll find elsewhere, creating sturdier, deeper walls that hold more insulation and are more soundproof.
At two points during each home’s construction, an independent third-party construction observation company inspects each home to ensure it is being built to code and to Boulder Creek Life and Home standards, Gregg says. “They conduct a pre-drywall inspection, checking the ducts, caulking and sealing.”
This dedication to quality construction and design earned Boulder Creek Life and Home nationwide recognition in 2008 when the National Association of Home Builders recognized the Blue Vista community in Longmont with a Development of the Year Award for “excellence in green residential design and construction practices, and outstanding green advocacy efforts.”
Me? Buy a home? Don’t miss the My First Home Expo on Saturday, Feb. 27
Are you considering your first home purchase? Boulder Creek Life and Home invites you to an exciting and informative event, designed to help you get the information you need to make an informed home buying decision. Attend free seminars on financial planning, lending practices, tax credits and organizing your first home – each presented by professionals who are recognized experts in their field.
Enjoy a free barbecue lunch and refreshments, and watch the home energy efficiency demonstrations by Home Performance Solutions (complete with a blower door test and thermal imaging). Register to win one of several iPod Nanos. And you’ll be helping a good cause just by attending, since the event sponsors will donate $20 to the Emergency Family Assistance Association for every registered attendee.
Expo sponsors include Boulder Creek Life and Home, Taylor Moving Company, County Line Lumber Company and Advantage Bank.
My First Home Expo will be held at Kingsbridge Townhomes, 1656 Venice Lane, Longmont. For more information and directions, call 303.502.5338 or e-mail info@LiveKingsbridge.com.
Posted by camerahomes.com on February 17, 2010 · Leave a Comment
Boulder’s newest neighborhood featuring Energy Star® homes, duplexes, row houses, town homes and condo lofts near trails, shops and restaurants. Learn more at NorthfieldCommonsBoulder.com.
Colorado’s natural beauty – blue sky, sunshine, mountain vistas – is the backdrop for Northfield Commons.
Distinctive features of this new, successful and growing community are sublime views, trail connections, a neighborhood park, and a pleasing variety of home styles, from traditional and Colorado craftsman to contemporary newwest style.
This appealing mix includes single-family houses, duplexes, row houses and condominiums in a range of prices – all built by four top-notch Boulder builders known for quality.
Northfield Commons occupies a 22-acre site between Kalmia Avenue and Palo Parkway in northeast Boulder. The semi-rural charm of quiet, tree-lined streets is balanced by the convenience of nearby restaurants, banks, shopping and public transportation.
Every home meets Energy Star® standards for green, eco-friendly and energy-efficient living, which means lower energy costs, healthier indoor air, less water usage and improved overall comfort, while reducing pollution and conserving natural resources.
Life at Northfield Commons
Mia Jaksic moved to Northfield Commons with her fiancé, Clay DellaCava, in April 2008. “Ours was one of the first completed houses,” she says. “I love our house. It’s a deep blue, with a Craftsman feel to it. It’s stone outside with different textures – dark brown wood and the blue.” The piece de resistance is the third-floor deck, with a hot tub and panoramic views of the mountains.
“It’s a real family neighborhood,” Jaksic says. “People are out walking, kids are playing outside, everyone gathers in the park. It’s a nice little enclave, close enough to downtown, but its own little community. It’s a very friendly place; people greet each other outside. We’ve become good friends with our neighbors. There are so many opportunities to be physically active – paths connect our community with other jogging and biking trails. During the summer we bike on cruisers and head down to Pearl Street on the bike path.”
Home Sales
“Northfield sales have had a great start for 2010,” says sales manager Kate Lyons. “We’ve finalized a dozen contracts in the last three months. For one thing, we’ve got competitive prices, and being built green and Energy-Star rated, our homes shine over older, resale homes. We’ve had people relocate here recently and we’ve got other buyers moving out of their older, inefficient homes – they would rather spend their weekends skiing and enjoying all that Colorado offers than making home repairs. Here they get improved air quality, lower energy bills, and a high level of quality construction and finishes. We have sold more than 130 homes over the three years we’ve been open; over 70 percent of our homes have been sold, and we have almost two years to completion.”
Right now only two condominiums and seven single-family homes are available; the town homes are all sold. Of course, more homes are coming. “We are designing new homes and floor plans,” Lyons says.
Prices for condos start at $155,000 for those marketed under the City of Boulder affordable housing program. Row homes start at $379,000, duplexes at $599,000. And single-family homes start at $649,000.
Trails, Parks and Recreation
Four Mile Creek Trail and Wonderland Creek Trail are accessible from the Northfield Commons bike path. Both trails lead to open space. The focal point of the community is a beautifully landscaped park, with picnic tables and a half basketball court within walking distance of every resident. Pleasant View Sports Complex borders the eastern edge of Northfield Commons, and North Boulder Recreation Center is nearby.
Contact Information
Northfield Commons is marketed by Markel Homes and Accent Properties. The sales office is located in the southwest corner of the neighborhood at Kalmia Avenue and Silverton Street. It is open daily, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call Kate Lyons at 303.442.0309, and visit www.NorthfieldCommonsBoulder.com.
A variety of condominiums at Northfield Commons meet the guidelines for the City of Boulder Homeownership Program. Visit the Northfield Commons Web site for more information.
Introducing Northfield Village
With Northfield Commons thriving, activity has begun at Northfield Village. “This is our up-and-coming community a few miles north of Northfield Commons, at Jay Road and North 47th Street in north Boulder,” says Lyons. “We dug ground in December and are off to a great start with our first six contracts. We’re featuring the same four builders.”
This charming community will have only 130 units, with the same mix of housing styles as Northfield Commons – condos, town homes, row homes, duplexes and single-family homes.
Contact Information
The Northfield Village sales office is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except Wednesday and Thursday. Stop by to get more information and walk the site; you’ll see some framed units. Contact sales associate Roz Giannasi at 303.974.5529, and check out www.NorthfieldVillageBoulder.com to learn more and see the finished site plan and great-looking architecture.
As Lyons points out: “With the limited amount of building allowed in the City of Boulder, Northfield Village offers something rare – a variety of brand-new, customizable homes, at great prices, in a convenient location.”
Posted by camerahomes.com on February 11, 2010 · Leave a Comment
Realtors are reporting that new home sales are picking up across the Front Range as buyer confidence gradually returns to the marketplace. But these buyers, having witnessed the recent dramatic declines in real estate prices, have a keener eye than ever for value. They want quality-built, efficient homes with innovative design, in well-planned neighborhoods that will preserve the value of their investment.
For many new home buyers, The Cottages at Erie Village is exactly that kind of community. Residents enjoy a quiet neighborhood with open space in Boulder County that is just minutes from shopping, recreation and city amenities. Mature trees and picket fences line streets of colorful Victorian and Craftsman homes, each with a welcoming front porch, set-back garage and private patio space. Pedestrian trails wind through the neighborhood, which is punctuated by pocket parks that invite you to linger while visiting with neighbors.
“I like the rural feel at Erie Village,” says new home owner Jim Ely. “I retired recently, and was looking to upgrade from my condo to a home where I could do some entertaining. I chose the New Haven for its efficient, open floor plan. I liked the fact that I could pick my design in a nice, quiet neighborhood. And I like the low-maintenance living here.”
Ely says that he has been out of the home market for a while but had been looking, “on and off. I was very pleased with the assistance I received from everyone at Boulder Creek Life and Home (developers of Erie Village). I got the floor plan I wanted, at a price I liked. I guess you could say I got lucky.”
For some owners, it seems to be love at first sight. “We liked the layout of the Nantucket floor plan from the moment we walked in,” says Janis Tracy, who with her husband Jim is relocating back to Boulder County from Arizona. “We didn’t know about Erie Village, but we were driving down County Line Road and saw the ‘Patio Homes’ sign and decided to take a look. It only took us two days to make our decision.”
“We like the home styles and colors, and the small size of Erie Village. It’s also close to our family, very convenient,” Janis Tracy says.
Like each of the communities that Boulder Creek Life and Home develops, all homes in Erie Village are constructed to Built Green standards, with 2-by-6 exterior wall construction, Low-E Argon-filled windows, advanced insulation package with R-21 walls and R-38 ceilings, Energy Star appliances and high-efficiency heating and cooling systems.
Sales at Erie Village are outpacing many communities, and with only seven remaining home sites, the opportunity to choose your new home here won’t last long. These sites, which feature popular western exposure and are adjacent to open space, are some of the most desirable in the community. And with 15 homes closing in the past seven months at Erie Village, availability is clearly limited.
“It has been exciting to see families like the Tracys and Jim Ely act on their desires to move and make something happen for themselves” says Bill Besher, community sales manager for Boulder Creek at Erie Village. “We have had a very busy fall and winter. Our sales activity has outpaced the market activity, and our available seven sites are some of the best sites to choose from. If you’re looking for low-maintenance living in a quiet neighborhood with open space, you will find Erie Village a pretty special place – don’t miss this opportunity!”
You Need to See This for Yourself
Find out for yourself why The Cottages at Erie Village community is such a special place. From Boulder: Arapahoe east to 287. Left (north) on 287 to Isabelle Road. Turn right (east) on Isabelle Road to County Line Road. Turn left (North) and drive through Erie to Bixler Boulevard. Turn left on Bixler and look for the flag pole. From Denver: I-25 to Exit 229, drive three miles west on Highway 7 to County Line Road, north through the Town of Erie to Bixler Boulevard, look for the flagpole on the left.
The sales office (303.772.3063), located at 1111 Village Circle, is open Monday noon to 5 p.m.; Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For information on other innovative communities by Boulder Creek Life and Home, visit www.LiveBoulderCreek.com.
