Creating a sense of home at Cottonwood Canyon

A home is about the dining area where families will gather come Thanksgiving. The anticipation of the children on Christmas morning. The porches that greet our family and friends. And the patios and decks that host the laughter of a warm summer gathering.

It is not the lumber, the paint, the windows or the shingles. But bring these and a few other materials together and you’ve got a space — once filled with love, joy and comfort — that can alter a family story.

“Building a new home is about reflecting your values and lifestyle, not altering someone else’s,” said Angie Ripley, who leads R Associates with RE/MAX Elite Realtors, a team of full-time professional agents who offer clients extensive knowledge of new construction principles and industry practices. “Each buyer has a very different idea of what that space should be. So why settle for someone else’s pre-owned space when you can customize your very own?”

Ripley said that among the many reasons to consider building a new home over resale is the ability to have complete control over the home shopping experience from choosing the lot size to neighbor proximity, layout and amenities.

Located just one mile west of Interstate 435 on 95th Street/Prairie Star Parkway directly south of the Lenexa City Center development, Cottonwood Canyon is a premier residential subdivision encompassing two residential neighborhoods: The Lake, with homes ranging from $600,000 to over $1 million, and The Village, priced from $400,000 and up.

The wealth of distinctive award-winning design plans here have been created by some of Kansas City’s premier builders, including Starr Homes LLC, Don Julian Builders, Reed Fuller Construction, Befort Construction, J.S. Robinson, Brian Rodrock and B.L. Rieke Custom Homes.

Another is that with the major advances in home-building technology, today’s new homes are built smarter, cleaner and more energy efficient.

“A well-designed and built home will use and lose less energy, out-performing homes built just five years ago,” explained Ripley, “allowing some new homebuyers to cut their utility bills by two-thirds for the same amount of square footage as in their previous older home. They are also made of cutting-edge building products that require less care and maintenance.

Several other key factors are contributing to the growth of the Cottonwood Canyon community. The first is evident the instant prospective buyers enter the property — the beautiful rolling hills, picturesque lakes, exposed rock walls, vast open green spaces and spectacular views of the adjacent Golf Club of Kansas, which only a few years ago was ranked among Golfweek magazine’s “Best New Courses.”

As a maintenance-provided community, the $150 per month homeowner association dues cover snow removal and complete lawn care. Future development will include more walking trails, a pool and cabana, and picnic area, which will bestow an even greater sense of community and appeal.

In addition to considering building a new custom home, the Cottonwood Canyon marketing team is offering the community’s beautiful model home, located directly on the lake at 9202 Cottonwood Canyon Drive, at the special price of $775,000, approximately $100,000 under today’s replacement cost.

Built by B.L. Rieke & Associates, which has received over 50 awards for home building and home design, it was awarded “Best Model Home $750,000 to $1 million” in Cottonwood Canyon in 2011. Today it continues to wow the critics and captivate buyers with two bedrooms, including the master, on the main floor, two bedrooms on the lower level, two living areas, a beautiful hearth area, and an open kitchen.

There are several other new spec homes that are both planned and under construction at Cottonwood Canyon, and many of the amenity lots have been placed under reservation. Plans for Phase 2 are also coming soon.

Prospective buyers are encouraged to take advantage of locking into today’s low interest rates, even if they would not be moving into their home until next fall.

“Building a new home is not a journey to take lightly,” Ripley said, “but when done right, the reward is a thing of lasting beauty designed specifically for the lifestyle you want and deserve.”

For information or to view the wealth of stunning interior and exterior features offered at Cottonwood Canyon, check out the website at CottonwoodCanyon.info. You can also contact Angie Ripley or Nita Criswell at 913-492-4444 or at cottonwoodcanyonks@gmail.com

This story was originally published November 7, 2014 at 6:00 PM with the headline "Creating a sense of home at Cottonwood Canyon."