Our Colorado communities
| Community | Area | Home types | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westminster Station | Westminster, on the commuter rail line | Townhomes | Community page |
| Deer Creek | Ken Caryl, southwest foothills | Paired villas, single-level, low maintenance | Community page |
| Three Hills | Morrison, southwest foothills | Two-story single-family homes | Community page |
| Vivant | [to confirm: area] | [to confirm: home types and status] | Community page |
Which communities and home types are selling changes over time, and so do prices. The community pages carry the current homes, model home hours and starting prices.
Source: cardelhomes.com/colorado (checked October 2026)
Three home types, three different trade-offs
- Townhomes share walls with neighbors on one or both sides. They usually have the least outside upkeep and, within a community, often the lowest entry price. HOA dues are usually higher, because the association maintains and insures more of the building. The trade is yard space and privacy.
- Paired villas share one wall with the home next door. Each side has its own entrance and a private yard, with less outside upkeep than a detached home.
- Single-family homes stand alone, with the most space and the most yard. They also carry the most upkeep, and usually the highest price in a community.
None of these is the default first home. Which fits depends on your budget, how you live, how far you will commute, and how long you plan to stay. Plenty of first-time buyers choose a single-family home from the start, and plenty choose a townhome so they can move sooner.
What is different about living here
A few things about the Front Range are worth knowing before you choose an area. None of them should put you off. All of them are easier to plan for than to discover later.
- The metro district. Most new communities near Denver sit in one, and the charge differs from one district to the next. It can separate two communities a few miles apart. Ask us which district serves a home, and give the figure to your lender.
- Water and landscaping. The climate is dry, so water-wise landscaping is common, and many associations set rules about it. Ask what the community expects before you plan a lawn. [to confirm: landscaping and water-use requirements by community]
- Wildfire and insurance in the foothills. If you are looking at Ken Caryl or Morrison, get an insurance quote for the exact address early. An agent can tell you what the premium depends on and which features of a new home help.
- The ground. Front Range soils can expand when wet, so foundations here are designed for the site. Colorado buyers receive a soils report before closing. Read it, and ask us how to keep water draining away from the home.
- Radon. It is common along the Front Range and simple to test for. Ask what radon-resistant features a home includes, and test after you move in.
- Altitude. Most people adjust within days. More water, more sunscreen. It is not a home-buying factor the way the district or insurance is.
How to narrow it down
- Start with the commute. Westminster Station sits on the rail line. The foothills communities trade a longer drive for more space and quiet. Drive or ride it at the time you would actually travel.
- Pick a home type, or two you are open to, using the trade-offs above.
- Get pre-approved, so you are comparing homes you can buy. What to ask a lender.
- Visit two communities, not one. Walk the model homes and the amenities.
- Ask about quick move-in homes if you need to move within a few months. See what is available now.
- Ask us for the district and HOA figures on the specific home you like, and give them to your lender for a full monthly estimate. Why that matters.
Moving to Colorado from elsewhere
If you are moving from another state, or from Canada, the steps above still apply. Two things help. Work with a lender who regularly handles relocating buyers, and visit in person before you decide on an area. The rail line and the foothills feel like different places, and the commute matters as much here as anywhere.
If you are moving from Alberta or Ontario, we build in both. Our Alberta and Ontario first-time buyer hubs cover those markets.
Questions first-time buyers ask
Which community is best for a first-time buyer?
There is no single answer, and we would rather not pretend there is. The right community depends on your commute, the home type you want and your budget, including the metro district. Pick two that fit on area and home type, visit both, and let your lender's estimate settle the rest.
Do you have homes I can move into soon?
Yes. Quick move-in homes are built, or nearly built, in several communities. The finishes are chosen, so you take the home as finished, and you close in weeks rather than months. See current quick move-in homes.
Does every community have a metro district?
Most new communities near Denver do, and each district sets its own levy. A community can also have an HOA, or both. Ask us which apply to the home you are considering, and what each one currently charges.
Can I see the homes before I decide?
Yes. Every community has model homes you can walk through, and the sales team can show you quick move-in homes as well. Visiting is the fastest way to tell which home type suits you.
Pick two communities and visit both
Walk the model homes, drive the commute, and ask the sales team what is selling now.
Internal review notes — what must be confirmed before this page publishes
- [to confirm] Active communities, areas and home types at launch. The table was built from the live Colorado page in October 2026. Vivant is listed there without product details and needs regional confirmation.
- [to confirm] Landscaping and water-use requirements by community.
- No starting prices appear on this page, by design. The live community pages are the source of truth for price, per the Aug 31, 2026 feedback.
- The former 'living here' page (altitude, wildfire insurance, radon, expansive soils, HOA basics) is now one short section with no statutes, figures, county adoption dates or program names. Legal to confirm the wildfire and radon wording.
- The former framing of 'two starting points most first-time buyers choose between' has been replaced with an objective list.
- Confirm ../alberta/index.html and ../ontario/index.html resolve once those regions are rebuilt.