About Arvada – The Sierra Vista Neighborhood – Between Denver and Boulder

‘Sierra Vista’ is one of Arvada’s established neighborhoods, desirable because of its great location and large lots. Built in the 1960s to early 1970s, home styles vary from one-level (ranch) styles with basements, to bi-levels and 2-stories.

Wide streets that gently curve and roll past well-tended yards lead the eye to majestic mountain views.

Lot sizes in Sierra Vista range from a quarter to a half acre, a really nice advantage over newer homes for those that want lots of room to play, or a little distance from the neighboring homes.  Sierra Vista’s 265 homes nestle between Kipling and Simms on the west and east, and between 74th on the south and 77th on the north.

Sierra Vista is near Two Ponds National Wildlife Center, Majestic View Nature Center, the Arvada Center for the Performing Arts, Standley Lake Park, shops such as Novo Coffee and stores such as Sunflower Market and Great Harvest.  The southern part of the neighborhood is closest to one of the train tracks that Arvada is known for, but not right on the tracks as some neighborhoods are.

Sierra Vista has been largely untouched by distressed sales, probably due to the neighborhood’s low turnover rate. Only three percent of homeowners sold their Sierra Vista home last year. Of the eight homes sold in the past twelve months, only one was a foreclosure.

Last years’ sales ranged from $215,000 to $335,000.  The lower-priced homes had ‘condition issues’.  Here’s a breakdown:

$150,000 Agents’ comment: ‘Needs TLC’

$215,000 Agent didn’t allow offers with FHA loans, which speaks to the agent’s lack of confidence that the home will pass an FHA inspection

$223,000 Agents’ comment: ‘Good bones’

$258,000 Agents’ comment: ‘Needs update’

$272,000 Lender owned (foreclosure)

$295,000 Agents’ comments didn’t say anything negative, but the best thing said was, ‘Clean’

The remaining two sales went for $300,000 (described as ‘gorgeous‘) and $335,000 (described as ‘amazing‘)

There are currently no Sierra Vista homes under contract

There are currently three Sierra Vista homes for sale, listed for $325,000 and $350,000. One of them is my listing, 10040 W. 74th Pl.

(See an updated market report for Sierra Vista)

Sierra Vistas’ children attend school at Sierra Elementary School, Oberon Middle School, and Ralston Valley High School.

Copyright © 2011 Joetta Fort

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I write posts on real estate issues and local events in the Denver metro area, especially those *communities between Denver and Boulder, as a public service. My hope is to give people an idea of the ‘flavor’ of our community, in case they’re new or moving to the Denver area.

I am a residential real estate agent, happily helping folks buy a house or sell a house in the beautiful and friendly *suburbs northwest of Denver.

*Arvada, Broomfield, Lafayette, Louisville, Superior, Westminster; also Thornton, Golden, Wheat Ridge, Northglen, Lakewood

Find Homes for Sale, no Matter Who Listed Them, at Dream House Hunting.

Gardeners – please visit my blog about high plains gardening, Beauty of Gardening.