Northwest Arvada: Newer, greener homes with proximity to parks, trails

A desire for more living space during the pandemic and ongoing development makes Northwest Arvada popular with homebuyers and pushes home values higher.

Located in Jefferson County between Boulder and Denver, neighborhoods in Northwest Arvada offer easy commutes to both cities plus quick access to areas for hiking, biking, boating, or trips to the mountains.

Popular neighborhoods in Northwest Arvada include Candelas, Village of Five Parks, Leyden Rock, Leyden Ranch, and Whisper Rock.

Colorado lifestyle

Dan Thomas, managing broker for 8z Arvada, moved into Candelas shortly after the master-planned community opened. He previously lived in Village of Five Parks after moving to Colorado from California.

Thomas says that homebuyers who purchase in Candelas and other newer developments are looking for modern, greener homes and easy access to recreational opportunities.

The active lifestyle of master-planned communities appeals to buyers, especially those coming from out of state. They want easy access to trails, parks, swimming pools, and recreation centers. They also enjoy opportunities to meet their neighbors through planned activities, from community festivals to movie nights.

“They’re drawn to getting a family feel out of the neighborhood,” Thomas says. “It’s more than just a place to live.”

Barry Willmarth, Willmarth Real Estate Services owner, agrees. He says buyers like the community within a community that master-planned developments create. Buyers also appreciate being able to walk to restaurants, community pools, parks, and open spaces.

The high quality of JeffCo Public Schools also continues to draw families to the area and helps preserve home value, Willmarth adds.

New construction, better options

The master-planned communities offer a variety of low-maintenance homes that appeal to both young families and empty nesters.

“People are much more environmentally conscious now,” Thomas says. “Many people want newer homes that are Energy Star-rated and better built. People want to be greener and save more energy.”

Thomas says that the developer built the early homes in Candelas with solar panels thanks to a development grant. Now solar panels are an option that many new home buyers continue to include.

New construction also offers people more options on how to spend their money, especially for kitchen upgrades.

“With these new modern homes and their open floor plan concept, when someone walks in, the first thing people see is your kitchen,” Thomas says. “You want it to be beautiful, but the functionality is more important.”

More space

During the pandemic, many buyers moved to Northwest Arvada to find more space, Thomas says.

“Anecdotally, we saw more people who were both working from home full-time and needed more space. Or they needed space for grandparents to move in and help with kids going to school online.”

Buyers wanted space for home offices and rooms with doors they can shut to block out noise.

“We saw more people looking for homes that offered options where one person could work upstairs, and another could work down,” Thomas says. “We also saw more people looking for finished basements so they could go downstairs to work and create some separation from their living space.”

Continued popularity

Despite some traffic headaches caused by congestion on Indiana Street, additional retail and restaurant development will help Northwest Arvada remain a hot spot, Willmarth says.

Homes in the area are typically on the market for less than 10 days, with an average sales price of $840,000. Prices for some homes in Northwest Arvada have climbed to the $1 million to $2 million range.

Buyers he’s worked with are happy with their decision, Willmarth says. “They’d buy again in a heartbeat.”

The news and editorial staffs of The Denver Post had no role in this post’s preparation.

Source: Read Full Article