Fast-selling Woodland Creek is in serene setting

The first thing you notice when arriving at Woodland Creek in the Northland is how quiet it is. No traffic sounds; just the music of singing birds. When you look around, you see new homes in a variety of styles surrounded by rolling, wooded hills.

Nature has provided the limestone creek bed carved over time by Rocky Branch Creek, the mature trees, the deer and wild turkey. The developer has added to this natural beauty with well placed walking trails and a neighborhood pool now under construction.

Exclusive builder New Castle Homes offers two-story, reverse 11/2-story, front-to-back split-level and split-entry plans throughout this popular community in Clay County just north of Interstate 435 on Woodland Avenue.

A tour of one of the model homes, a reverse 11/2-story Sprucewood plan at 1632 NE 124th St., reveals the craftsmanship that goes into all of the homes. The entry from either the front door or the garage flows past a drop zone with built-in boot bench. The open first-floor design features hardwood floors, arched doorways and bull-nose corners. A fireplace is the centerpiece of the great room.

The kitchen has custom cabinets, a breakfast island and walk-in pantry. The main level also includes the master suite with designer bathroom and walk-in closet attached to the laundry. A second bedroom and bath are on the opposite side of this level.

The lower level offers a recreation room and two additional bedrooms and a bath, as well as ample storage. One storage area opens to the outside, a convenient place to store yard equipment. This home also has a covered deck, covered patio and three-car garage. It is priced at $269,900.

On-site marketing agent Steve Ogden with The Rob Ellerman Team of ReeceNichols Realtors said homes in Woodland Creek average about 2,300 square feet and have three to four bedrooms, as well as two- or three-car garages, depending on the plan.

Three other models are available. One home is under construction and about 90 to 120 days from completion. Or buyers may pick their home site and plan for a custom build-job.

More than half of the 76 home sites in the first phase have sold since the community opened more than a year ago, Ogden said. He attributes that success to the quality homes priced under $300,000 and home sites priced starting at $39,900.

Adding to Woodland Creek’s popularity is its location within the boundaries of Kansas City but in the highly regarded Smithville School District. This district has been accredited with Distinction in Performance by Missouri.

The community is close to a variety of compelling recreational areas. It is only eight miles from the 7,200-acre Smithville Lake, which provides fishing, swimming, picnicking, camping, boating and two 18-hole public golf courses. Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun, two major attractions for summer fun and employment opportunities for teens, are only 12 miles away. Kansas City International Airport is a short 10 Interstate miles away.

The Zona Rosa shopping district at Barry Road and Interstate 29 is also only 10 miles away. Historic Liberty, the home of highly acclaimed William Jewel College, is 14 miles. The bustling community of North Kansas City is 14 miles south and downtown Kansas City with the Sprint Center, Power & Light District and NCAA Basketball Hall of Fame is 16 miles south. The Country Club Plaza is only 21 miles away.

Sports enthusiasts are 21 miles from the Kauffman and Arrowhead stadiums, home of the Royals and Chiefs, and 29 miles from the Kansas Speedway.

Ogden said the variety of home styles offered at Woodland Creek make it an ideal community for homebuyers of all ages, from those just starting out to empty-nesters.

This story was originally published April 4, 2015 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Fast-selling Woodland Creek is in serene setting."