Need another reason to live in Dakota Ridge Village in Boulder Colorado? With the great views of the Flatirons, access to trails and parks, close-knit community, and shopping availability, you’d think you had all you needed. Well, you haven’t experienced this neighborhood fully until you’ve seen the brightly colored paragliders swooping down the mountain. Yes! Paragliders, right in your backyard. Just one more unique characteristic of Boulder and it’s extreme mountain living.

 I have enjoyed watching the paragliders for many years from my own backyard in North Boulder.  In the photo above, you can see Wonderland Lake.  It’s taken from one of the launches that Parasoft Paragliding descends from above Dakota Ridge Village.  Not only is it a welcoming sight for me to see the beautiful sails breezing down the foothills, but imagine what it’s like for the paragliders.  They have the most amazing views as they fly down.  As far east as the eye can see, along with the Flatirons, foothills, Wonderland Lake, and the wonderful city of Boulder.  Find out more.

 Parasoft Paragliding is one of the local companies right here in North Boulder who can train participants in this magnificent feat.  They explain that paragliding is the newest and fastest growing form of foot-launched flying.  What is it?  Paragliding is the simplest form of human flight. A paraglider is a non-motorized, foot-launched inflatable wing. It is easy to transport, easy to launch, and easy to land. The paraglider itself is constructed of rip-stop nylon from which the pilot is suspended by sturdy kevlar lines. The pilot is clipped into a harness and oriented in a sitting position for maximum comfort. With a paraglider, you actually fly like a bird, soaring upwards on currents of air. Paragliders routinely stay aloft for 3 hours or more, climbing to elevations of 15,000′, and can go cross-country for vast distances. 

I spoke to several paragliders.  I discovered that their packs weigh up to 40 pounds and it takes about 25 minutes to hike to the launch spot in Dakota Ridge Village.   The company suggests that the best way to start is with a two-day Introductory Course designed to give you a taste of real flying. Under radio supervision, you will fly solo from the training hill and progress to higher flights, all in the first two days. The basic techniques of paragliding — launching, turning, landing — are fairly easy to learn. The two-day length of the course is designed to compensate for weather constraints and different learning curves. If after your introductory flights, you want to continue with paragliding, the next step is to enroll in a Para 2 Certification Course which will teach you about micrometeorology, different launch and flying techniques, safety procedures, etc.  Below is a photo of one paraglider landing in the park. 

To live near this extreme sport and witness the beauty of the paragliders is another reason why I love living in North Boulder and the Dakota Ridge neighborhood.  So, do you need another reason to move to this neighborhood?  Check it out for yourself and discover why so many families have decided to live here.  Contact the Troia Team to learn about available properties in this area.

Click the link below to view the current sales statistics for Wonderland Hills in Boulder, Co.

Wonderland Hills Sales Statistics

Maybe you have a “housing style fetish”.  Is there such a thing?  I bet there is!  Doesn’t your house style say something about you?   I think it does and it’s a wonderful way to express “who you are”  by personalizing the decor but also the decision to purchase a certain style of home says a lot too.  I recently worked with a couple from California who struggled with this whole concept for months.  Unless you are one of the people that can “visualize” the entire renovation of a house,  I completely understand.  They went back to California frustrated with not being able to find “their housing style” here in Boulder.

I used to say “I could never live in THAT house or I could NEVER live in a house that doesn’t have an overhang over the front door (OK it used to rain a lot where I used to live), and I actually thought I could find my old house style in Boulder.  What I learned is that most of the time it doesn’t rain in Boulder and most of the time you don’t need air conditioning and if you live in a one story house it stay’s much cooler.   What I also know is that you cannot find “back to back” neighborhoods of McMansions  here in Boulder (good for those that hate that type of house, bad for those who like them) – not to mention that Boulder’s City Council is working on restricting house sizes both for neighborhood aesthetics and environmental impact issues.  Boulder is very hip on creating the New Urbanism,  expanding on the Co-Housing concepts and incorporating the different social-economic levels together by promoting their Affordable Housing Program.  So may I suggest that you come to Boulder with an open mind when you are looking to buy a home.  People that live here like to make the best of their space,  for a lot of reasons.  They are opening up rooms so they’re is an open feel to the “small ranch”, and it works.  Lots of windows make a great outdoor connection to the fantastic foothill or snow capped mountain views. If you like a larger home 3000+ square feet the options are unlimited if you like smart innovative contemporaries.

If you are thinking of moving to Boulder, take a minute and come with me on a talking tour of some really fantastic neighborhoods in Boulder.

Everyone starts searching for a home with some criteria in mind.  Standard criteria are features such as the number of bedrooms and baths,  school districts, life style concerns, conveniences or might want to live by the trails),  but what is hard to discern is someone’s house style tastes.  Although the neighborhood make up of houses are continually changing in Boulder with the scapes and pop-ups,  many neighborhoods are still defined by their original styles. The question to think about in Boulder is,  am I willing to adapt and adjust my “style fetish” and accept the inevitability of maybe a smaller home, or a different style that can be renovated or adapted (financially or style wise).  I thought it would be helpful to talk about some of the housing styles in Boulder and what neighborhoods you can find them,  just in case you get stuck on your “style fetish” in the middle of your house search.  If money is no option for you, then follow the time tested reality of buying real estate for location – location – location, and then renovate.

In downtown Boulder you will find many early twentieth century homes (as well as mixed use condos – which are built above the downtown businesses) , styles that are compact, economical and informal such as Arts and Crafts (Craftsman) homes, Bungalow Styles, and American Four Square Homes,   These include the neighborhoods around Pearl Street Mall.  such as Reeks, Capitol Hill, Culver, Smiths West, Grove Street, University Place, Hayden, Culvers, Floral Park, and Mountain Park.  

Heading north and south of downtown, but within walking or bike riding distance are the neighborhoods of Chautauqua, Newlands, Whittier, Mapleton (one of Boulder’s oldest neighborhoods and its own historic district).   Each of these neighborhoods have their own uniqueness.

Chautauqua is an Iroquois word that is a name for an “educational movement” of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s  where academic institutes would come to lecture.  Chautauqua opened around 1898 and today remains a Victorian style auditorium surrounded by a cluster of 60 small wood sided cottages and it is listed on the national register of historic places.  The Real Estate is a mix of old and new homes and the extended community around Chautauqua consists of a blend of brick and stone,  renovated and original Arts and Crafts homes as well as American Foursquare homes with tree lined streets,  exceptional views of the flatirons and access to the hiking trails and other Chautauqua amenities.

The Newlands neighborhood, (west of Broadway) again is comprised of mostly Bungalows and Arts and Craft homes, both old and new, renovated and original.  This community surrounds North Boulder Park, has exception views of the foothills and access to Mt. Sanitas for hiking.

You will find the classic 1920’s style Bungalow in the Whitter neighborhood with a mix of residential and commercial properties and if you are interested in Victorian and Queen Ann  homes check out the Mapleton Hill neighborhood which dates back to 1882.  All the homes are unique and some have been converted into multi-family units or bed and breakfast.  The Panorama Heights neighborhood is walking distance to Pearl Street Mall, off 19th St, atop a bluff overlooking Boulder.  The homes are much bigger with some of the best cityscape views.  This neighborhood is a perfect example of your classic 1950’s ranch home or one that has been “popped up” and expanded.

On the west side of Broadway in North Boulder you’ll find a wonderful neighborhood called Wonderland Hills, as it’s name states,  the neighborhood surrounds Wonderland Lake with walking trails, is based at the base of the foothills and is comprised of contemporary and modern homes with price ranges 800,000 into the millions. Further north on the west side of Broadway are several new developments called North Briar and Dakota Ridge, with a nice mix single family homes, town homes and condos, mid size to large homes (2500+ sq.feet), modern/green/or contemporary 2 story homes and ranch styles. 

On the east side of North Broadway you will find the Holiday neighborhood comprised of newer and sustainable town homes, Co-housing, and single family homes.  Check out North Boulder just west of Rt 36 (28th St.) in the neighborhood of Wellington Gardens.  Exceptional for Boulder if you are looking to find a modern NeoColonial Home, most ranging in the low million dollar range.

South Boulder has a style of it’s own.  In the Table Mesa neighborhood you will find a variety of luxury styled renovated post war homes with features like vaulted ceilings, open floor plans , hardwood floors, plus the mountain views are stunning.   House styles range from many varieties of new contemporary  homes that were built from scrapes, to pops of older Ranches designed into custom homes.  Devil’s Thumb neighborhood at the upper end of Table Mesa below ENCAR has hiking trails out your front door.  There you can find a stylish contemporary 4-5 bedroom, 2 story home, lots of windows and open floor plans.

A nice 1950’s 3 bedroom 2 bath stylish single floor Ranch can be still purchased in Martin Acres for under $350k.  This is a large south Boulder residential neighborhood with 1,300 single family homes and 3 apartment complexes.  It’s very accessible to get in and out of downtown Boulder.  Frasier Meadows and Keewayden are also great south Boulder neighborhoods to find a Ranch or a Pop Up, close to the East Boulder Rec Center, hiking and biking trails.

You will find in the mountain and canyon homes of Boulder a large variety of homes ranging in price and styles.  A couple of neighborhoods closest to Pearl Street Mall are Knollwood which is located at the mouth of Sunshine Canyon (off Mapleton going west off of Broadway).  Contemporary 1-2-3-4 story million dollars homes dot the mountainside with large lots and fabulous views of the Flatirons and foothills. Boulder Heights subdivision in North Boulder (off of Broadway, west on Lee Hill Road),  is comprised of 1 and 2 story wood sided mountain contemporary homes, as well in Seven Hills located 2 miles up Sunshine Canyon (Mapleton – west of Broadway) and Pine Brook Hills subdivision (off Broadway going west on Linden).

On the east side of Boulder (east of 28th St., ie Rt 36) you will find newer communities such as Four Mile Creek and Palo Park neighborhoods with Raised and Split Level Ranch , 2 story homes and modern NeoColonials with easy access to Boulder and getting out of town is much quicker.

Out by Boulder Reservoir (7 minutes to Boulder) to the east of Boulder is the neighborhood of Valhalla.  Comprised of 52 homes and within walking distance to the Reservoir for swimming and water skiing.  This community is surrounded by open space and all properties, mostly million dollar plus contemporary homes have 1 or more acres.

Although I haven’t covered all the neighborhoods in Boulder, I hope you get a feel for the house styles around town.  It might help to make your search a little easier.  Thanks for taking the tour with me,  let me know your thoughts.

Here are the current market data for Wonderland Hills.

Click on this link to view the graphs and data