ANTELOPE RIDGE: Surprisingly roomy, pleasant

   Looks can be deceiving, and that's certainly true of Antelope Ridge. The homes, southwest of Barnes and Marksheffel roads, look from the outside to be on the smallish side.
   But step through the front doors, and you'll be surprised at how spacious they are. Every square inch is used efficiently.
   Ground was broken for Antelope Ridge in 2000, but Denver-based YES! Communities purchased the development in January. Genesis Homes of Berthoud builds the houses offsite and they're finished once in place. Approximately 220 homes have been completed and most are occupied.
   "We have about 120 lots left to go," said Jeff Henry, sales manager. "We actually have a brand-new phase, Phase III, which is just about a year old, so we have everything from corner lots to mountain-view lots, pretty much the whole line in that new phase."
   That portion is south of the current community and already has a few homes.
   Antelope Ridge is a resort-style community. Covenants are strictly enforced by the seven-day-a-week on-site management team, and homes must be occupied by their owners - no absentee landlords or investors allowed.
   The company maintains the private roads and community
landscaping, and residents have access to a 4,000-square-foot Community Center. The beautiful facility includes a meeting
room, business center with Internet access, a full kitchen and a huge fireplace. The fitness center is accessible 24/7 with a key.
Two outdoor heated pools, a bocce ball court and a playground surround the center.
   Residents may reserve the Community Center for gatherings and, every Christmas, they can attend a community dinner and admire the huge tree set up outside.
   Henry said residents run the gamut, demographically.
   "We have everybody from folks starting out to snowbirds. We have a little bit of everything," he said. "We get quite a few retirees and empty-nesters downsizing."
   The community is especially attractive for newcomers, since the Community Center also hosts Tuesday morning breakfasts, game nights and potlucks to help neighbors get acquainted. Residents receive a newsletter, including a calendar of activities and birthday greetings.
   Antelope Ridge is a leasehold estate community, which means buyers get more home for their money and the lease pays for the real estate portion of the property taxes. The monthly lease fee - the only fee - starts at $315.
   Styles range from the 1,285-square-foot Cheyenne Mountain to the 1,577-square-foot Crestone Peak. Current base prices range from $133,900 to $154,900.
   All homes feature attached oversize two-car garages, 10-foot- by-12-foot wood decks, GE kitchen appliances, energy-efficient windows, upgraded carpet, two ceiling fans, and full landscaping and sprinkler systems.
   "Lot sizes are anywhere from just about 4,000 square feet and all the way up to about 8,000," Henry said.
   One home, available in mid-April, is in the Crestone Peak style and has three bedrooms and two baths in 1,577 square feet. A small porch is a quick walk from the driveway; inside, the entry opens to a dining area with a sunny bay window and the living room beyond. The gas fireplace is perfect for cold nights, and when the weather warms up, the deck right outside has plenty of room for chairs, a table and barbecue grill.
   One upgrade on this home is a prismatic dormer in the living room. "It opens it up a little bit," Henry said, although 10-foot ceilings are standard.
   This kitchen has ceramic tile flooring, a pantry, a breakfast bar and stainless-steel appliances, including a double oven and flat-top range. A nearby laundry/utility room gives access to the garage.
   The master suite includes a roomy bedroom with a walk-in closet and a five-piece bath, including a garden tub. Two bedrooms and a bath complete the other end of the house. Both baths also have ceramic tile flooring.
   It's priced in the low $160,000s and the land lease is $335 per month.
   Another home that became available in mid-April is in the Grand Mesa style, which has three bedrooms and two baths in 1,521 square feet.
   Just inside the front door, a spacious nook with a six-window bay can be used as a dining room or living room, although the home also has both. The walk-through kitchen includes a breakfast bar open to the living room, which could be a less-formal family room. The nearby dining room could also be used as an extension of the living room/family room - whatever the homeowners need.
   The master suite includes a walk-in closet and five-piece bath; the two nearby bedrooms share a full bath and a laundry/utility room leads to the garage.
   Upgrades include a gas fireplace, a skylight, oak cabinets, an oversized deck and oak hardwood floors in the living room, nook, kitchen, dining room and master bedroom.
   In mid-April, the cost was in the high $150,000s and the land lease was $335 per month.
   The neighborhood is tidy, thanks to covenants regarding athletic equipment, toys and clotheslines, and it's peaceful because residents - and pets - are expected to observe "quiet hours" from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. It's a safe place to live, because a 15-mph speed limit is strictly enforced, mailboxes are locked and residents can open garage doors by remote control and walk right into their homes. Each home looks unique, since residents choose from a variety of exterior colors as long as they're different from homes next door and across the street.
   "They pretty much pick everything from the lot, the carpet, if they want to do a laminate wood floor or ceramic tile. They have quite a few options, and we can make the rooms a little bit bigger," Henry said. Front porches can be added, too.
   The development is uniquely located - some residents are former ranchers who moved to the "big city," and some are city-dwellers who wanted to breathe country air. Yet, the neighborhood is just a few minutes away from the extensive retail offerings of Powers Boulevard. Buses serving several District 49 schools pick up and drop off children at the Community Center.
   Antelope Ridge has won 25 Parade of Homes awards in six years, proving that good things come in small - yet spacious - packages.