High End Boulder Real Estate – What $2MM+ can afford you right now
A short time ago I had the pleasure and privilege (I love my job) of self-touring a property in the Newlands neighborhood that was one of the most thoughtfully designed homes I have been in for a while. 3031 5th Street is located on a quiet section of 5th Street, just a couple of blocks east of the open space where you’ve walked the Mt Sanitas trail, between Evergreen Ave and Dellwood.
Nearby is popular North Boulder Park and a little beyond that are the amenities that Newlands is lucky enough to enjoy… Ideal Market (Whole Foods), Vics coffee, Breadworks etc. It’s just not that far to downtown Boulder and the Pearl Street Mall either.
From the moment I pulled up outside this house, I knew I was in for a treat.
With high end Boulder real estate, you expect good curb appeal. 3031 5th Street Boulder didn’t disappoint. Set on a bit of a hill, the owners have turned a sloping lot into a landscaped masterpiece, providing interest to the eye, an easy walk up a few steps to a semi private front porch and a making the most of the generous setback from the street.
As the owner, you’d appreciate pulling into the two car attached garage and entering the house from the lower level or making good use of the ample off-street parking this home offers. See, I told you it was thoughtfully designed! While parking on the street is completely do-able, you should also realize that this area is alive with folks walking – themselves, their dogs, their kids… It is also sufficiently close to the open space that you might expect to see deer, the occasional mountain lion and all the little critters that life beneath the foothills of the Rocky Mountains blesses us with. Parking in the driveway just seems to make more sense but it is not a luxury that every home enjoys.
It was stepping inside that really opened my eyes to something special though. The home has a comfortable, open floor plan. Deceptively big in fact. Design features such as high ceilings, large windows, over-sized fireplace and spacious rooms are all in proportion. This allows for comfortable furnishings arranged to accommodate more people that you would expect, without that crowded or cluttered feel. After all… 4000+ finished square feet not including the basement is a big house! Perhaps most appealing to me is that has a clean, fresh look. 3031 5th Street Boulder looks like it might well have just been finished yesterday, not 2007.
At the front of the house, facing the garden and overlooking 5th Street, is a study and the grand piano room – a space that could easily be so many other things. Walking towards the back you find yourself humbled yet welcomed by a large family room, dining and kitchen area. The spaces have good separation from a design perspective. Colors, the occasional 2 step difference in floor height and decor all provide distinction between rooms while allowing an easy flow.
I love to cook, so of course I found myself pretty quickly in the kitchen. My kitchen highlights being the abundant light and ability to connect with the guests and family in the rest of the living area – which would allow me to kick them out from under my feet while I prepared food! Besides, they could help themselves to drinks and snacks from the wet bar area. 🙂
Ok, the expansive counter tops and Viking range were probably in my top 5 list of favorite things too! (Is it bad that I’m imagining Thanksgiving here?)
For those of you who don’t know me personally, I should probably say that around the house, cooking and gardening/landscaping are my two favorite past-times. Not surprisingly then, I found myself out in the back yard.
A couple of things to note about this area in general; 1. The lots are sloped as I mentioned earlier. 2. It’s not everyday you find a large lot.
With these things in mind I want to draw your attention to the fact that this home sits atop a .25 acre lot. Giving room for that generous setback from the road, a place to put a 5000+ square foot home AND a back yard. What??? Yes! It has all this and more.
The back yard is expertly designed to take in views south to the Flatirons! A dry creek bed meanders between trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables, connecting the side yard with the water feature in the back. Sunshine is ever present – OK, not guaranteed, but this is Boulder and the sun shines a lot, so I loved the fact this home is making the most of it with its natural yet manicured feel. It could well be the perfect place to sip that Pinot Grigio as the sun goes down on a summer evening, host friends and family or just enjoy getting you fingers muddy. (FYI research shows that contact with soil actually provides one with a feeling of wellness!)
It doesn’t matter what your budget is, in my experience, if you have younger kids or grand-kids or visitor kids on your radar, a patch of lawn that is flat(ish) is always a preference. 3031 5th Street Boulder has that too.
While purposefully taking my time getting to know this garden, I made the acquaintance of my first dwarf peach tree. Helloooo beautiful! A stunning and mesmerizing addition to an already attractive landscape. I could have stayed here all afternoon… Made myself quite at home and breathed in all the great ideas. But there was more of this property to check out still.
I closed the screen door behind me and headed inside for the tour of upstairs. <sigh>
The master: Don’t let the extra large furniture trick you into seeing a smaller room than it is. Grand. In a word. It will take you (like me) all of minute to notice that the windows in this room and most rooms have been positioned intentionally to frame a view.
In the master, that view includes the Flatirons. Southern exposure, a balcony, space, height and that easy, clean feel that the rest of the house promised. Yes, there is an enviable closet and luxurious bathroom too, but by now you have come to expect that here. The mind was already blown a while ago!
It might surprise you to learn that I actually found Bedroom #2 to be my favorite. I’m not entirely sure why the view of CU Campus is so captivating for me, but it is. I felt wonderfully relaxed in the middle sized room -bedroom #2… But assure you that the third bedroom, on the 2nd floor also, is delightful too. Everyone is a winner here!
Strolling downstairs to the lower level, I was still surprised at the sheer size of everything. Another spacious bedroom, large living area, storage, wet bar, laundry room…. Ceilings that reach for the sky, natural light and not a “damp and dingy basement feel” to be found. 1400+ square feet of guest accommodations, movie watching and party separation as needed. About this time I realized that this was a huge house but it didn’t overwhelm. Everything was to scale, comfortable and functional. Not an echo to be had.
I had a sense that my time at 3031 5th Street Boulder was coming to an end. 🙁 Almost time to head back to the office and plonk myself in front of the computer again. Like all jobs, being a Realtor has its perks and its less glamorous side. Eh… I guess I can deal with a little accounting, file keeping and computer work if I must.
Speaking of Realtors and the job they do, let me give a quick shout out to the agent listing this home for sale. Stephanie Steward, based out of Fort Collins, is present for every showing and preview! High end Boulder real estate demands a higher level of service and Stephanie is doing a spectacular job. Owners are concerned (rightly so) about security. Who is coming and going? Are they serious or looky-loo’s? It is not uncommon for the owner or the agent to suggest that the listing agent be present at every showing appointment. It is uncommon for that agent to be as flexible with scheduling and as accommodating for previews (no client in tow) when they will need to drive an hour each way to do so. Stephanie is a delight. Professional, presentable, charming and attentive. She clearly cares about this home and it’s seller, and is giving red carpet service. My kind of lady!
With that in mind, it would make my day to do business with Stephanie. If you or someone you know, is interested in learning more about 3031 5th Street Boulder, I’d be delighted to help… To give you the tour and pass on all the information I learned in my time with 3031 5th Street and it’s hard working listing agent. Even better… to negotiate in your best interests a purchase contract and then hear about your Thanksgiving dinner at 3031 5th Street Boulder!
Oh… you want to know the list price? (Of course you do!!)
$2,175,000
DOM = 16
Original owner.