Elkhorn Ridge Golf Estates

Lot sizes here span a wide range, from about a quarter acre up to 10 acres, and they have recently started from the high $60s. That spread means the community holds several different products at once: a compact lot near the amenities and a multi-acre parcel with distance around it are both Elkhorn Ridge.

The development keeps 400 acres of open space and 4.5 miles of trails, which is what gives the setting its room to breathe. Open space held in common is also part of what an association exists to maintain, so it belongs in the same conversation as the dues.

A championship 18 hole course is the centerpiece. The resort side of the property adds RV sites, cabins and an event center, so there is activity here beyond the residential streets, and how close a given lot sits to that activity is worth weighing either direction depending on what you want.

There is an active HOA with architectural review and recorded covenants. Architectural review is exactly what it sounds like: plans, materials and changes go through a process. Buyers should always review covenants and HOA documents before writing an offer, and on a build lot I want those documents read before design work starts, not after.

Sitting on Highway 85 between three towns is the practical appeal. Spearfish, Deadwood and Sturgis are all reachable, which spreads out where work, dining and recreation can be rather than tying you to one main street.

Because the parcel is likely outside city limits, services, road maintenance and utilities can differ from an in-town address. Those answers are lot specific and I run them down before we get far.