Annie Zrubek decided the time was right for a home personalized to her unique passions and lifestyle. (Photo: Timothy Seibert).
The floor plans at Rock Creek are open and light including the spacious great room. (Photo: Boulder Creek Neighborhoods.)
For longtime Rock Creek resident, Boulder Creek Neighborhoods enhances an already treasured Superior neighborhood.
Annie Zrubek is the Rock Creeker who recognizes each curve of her neighborhood sidewalks. She remembers when Rock Creek Parkway was a dirt road and when Rock Creek’s trees, now expansive crowns above the beloved Superior neighborhood, were mere seedlings peeking up from the soil.
Since 1996, Zrubek has bought, lived in, and sold, not one or two but five homes in Rock Creek thanks to life changes and professional growth. Now she is a few days away from closing on her sixth Rock Creek home, this one in the Lanterns at Rock Creek neighborhood by the award-winning Colorado builder Boulder Creek Neighborhoods and featuring a lower-maintenance lifestyle. “This is the house I’m buying for me,” she exclaimed.
As a Realtor® with LIV Sotheby’s International Realty, Zrubek enjoys scouting locations on behalf of her clients. “I do a ton of relocations from different states to Erie, Broomfield, Longmont, and all over the Front Range. I aim to equip my clients with knowledge about, yes, the top schools, but much more,” she said. She can rattle off the secrets of Boulder County, from the fastest sledding hills, to the hottest brunch spots and swoon-worthy hair salons.
As a result of Zrubek’s oldest daughter studying at the University of Colorado Boulder and her youngest joining her sister next year, Zrubek decided the time was right for a home personalized to her unique passions and lifestyle. “This is a cool transition time for us, and I wanted a home that reflected that,” she said. “My daughters are moving on – they have awesome lives with work and school and boyfriends – and this was something I really wanted to do for me, moving on in my own way but still just one exit from my girls.” Most of Zrubek’s life-altering decisions have prioritized her daughters, so Zrubek is more than ready to create a home that makes her happy. (“I used to sell pharmaceuticals and traveled a lot,” she recalled. “Then one day I looked at my little girl and said, ‘I can’t do this anymore.’” Fortunately, she discovered helping people achieve home ownership was her biggest passion after family.)
Open-concept excellence
Zrubek’s new home at Lanterns at Rock Creek by Boulder Creek Neighborhoods is everything she desires in a home. “I love planning and decorating – I am a Realtor, after all,” she said, “and I’ve been planning this home for some time.” First, she said, “I love that my floor plan, the Solstice, has a finished basement with high ceilings and huge bedrooms. It’s to die for, a really a beautiful space for my girls to come home to and make their own.” The finished lower-level includes an open rec space for social gathering as well as space for a home gym or crafting studio and tons of storage space.
The airy and open design of the upper level captured Zrubek. “All of Boulder Creek’s floor plans at Rock Creek are very open and light. I’ve seen many paired homes, but these are special in their brightness and open feeling.” She appreciates how the light pours into the great room through the sliding glass doors, and she’s looking forward to spending time on the two patios in her new home.
The back patio “might be my favorite thing,” she said. Half of the L-shaped patio is covered, while the other half is uncovered. “I just love that,” she said. “It allows me to spend time outdoors year-round, getting shade or sun. I’m excited to have people over eventually in a new and refreshed space and to eat together on the patio.” She plans to install a TV outside and watch sports with friends and family.
Zrubek’s desire to make this home her own includes the optional entertainer’s kitchen – though she admitted her cooking experience is limited. “This will by far be the best kitchen I’ve ever had, and in this transition time, I’m going to cook more. I love that I have a gas range and gas for a barbecue hookup on the patio, plus a fabulous island,” she said. She’s been shopping for bar stools that perfectly fit her style and create extra seating for guests. “This will be such a fabulous place to hang out, cooking together and talking,” she said.
Lower-maintenance lifestyle leaves time for fun, family and friends
In addition to developing her culinary skills, Zrubek is gearing up for other adventures powered by the extra time her new, lower-maintenance home provides. “I’ve been a slave to broken fences, lawn mowing and sprinkler heads for years,” she said. “Moving into this home will open up all that time I used to spend on the house.” Boulder Creek Neighborhoods’ homes are known for a signature style of lower-maintenance living. Although the details vary by neighborhood, the homeowner is liberated from lawn maintenance and snow removal in favor of personal pursuits both outside and inside. Early morning snow shoveling (even in April!) and an afternoon behind a lawn mower are replaced by hot drinks, good books and evening game nights with loved ones.
Zrubek hopes to travel again once she feels it’s safe to do so. She said, “Now I can head out without worrying who will shovel the snow or take care of the lawn. I might not know what traveling will look like, but I’m ready for whatever comes to me. It’s freeing.”
At home, Zrubek adores Superior’s small-time vibe paired with the easy access to Boulder and Denver. “This a growing, flourishing area,” she said. “As a realtor, I’m passionate about people investing well, and I’ve seen the value of home ownership not just financially, but how it can make you feel grounded, or rooted.” She continued, “I tell people that buying well is an investment in their future. I’m doing this myself.”
She believes Lanterns at Rock Creek is a rewarding investment because of the quality of the build. “I know these homes and the reputation and quality of the builder. I’ve been lucky enough to sell Boulder Creek homes, and though of course I don’t know what the future will bring, I know it will be awesome.”
Paired patio homes at Lanterns at Rock Creek by Boulder Creek Neighborhoods start in the $650s. Buyers can select a finished lower level and other floor plan options, and expect homes to finish in the mid $800s To learn more about Lanterns at Rock Creek and Boulder Creek Neighborhoods, visit livebouldercreek.com/homes/superior-co/lanterns-at-rock-creek.
