Why can two similar Anthem Highlands homes, on the same street and about the same size, sell $100,000 or more apart?
Two similar Anthem Highlands homes can sell $100,000 apart because buyers pay for more than size. Square footage and bedroom count miss the features that matter most. In 2026 Anthem sales, a finished basement, a walkout lot, and open space behind the home each moved prices by tens of thousands of dollars. On top of that, the first asking price made a difference of up to 10%.
Why This Matters Right Now
If you are thinking about selling, the first number you probably look at is what a neighbor’s home sold for. That number can mislead you, in either direction.
We looked at all 69 single-family homes that sold in Anthem’s all-ages neighborhoods from January through mid-October 2026. That includes Anthem Highlands, and the data comes from REcolorado MLS. Even among homes of similar size, prices were spread far apart. Meanwhile, 47 of those 69 homes sold for less than their original asking price.
The market itself is steady. Through October, Anthem Highlands area homes averaged about $1,027,000. Only 10 homes were for sale at the end of the month. So the difference between selling well and selling for less usually comes down to your home, not the market.
A Real Example: Two Homes on Pacific Peak Drive
Here are two Anthem Highlands homes that look almost identical on paper. Both are on Pacific Peak Drive, both were built in 2020, and both sit on lots of 6,584 square feet.
- 3374 Pacific Peak Drive: This home has about 2,569 square feet above ground and 3,781 total square feet. Its basement has about 943 square feet of finished space, and the listing included a mountain view. It was priced at $935,000, sold in 20 days, and closed at $915,000 in April 2026.
- 3394 Pacific Peak Drive: This home has about 2,615 square feet above ground and 3,843 total square feet. In other words, it is slightly larger. However, its basement is unfinished, and no view was listed. It was priced at $875,000, sat for 75 days, and closed at $795,000 in September 2026.
That is a $120,000 difference between two neighbors of nearly the same size. Here is what explains it.
The Five Things That Separated These Homes
1. A Finished Basement
This was the biggest factor. In 2026 Anthem sales, finished basement space added about $100 more per square foot than unfinished space. That figure accounts for the rest of the home.
The Pacific Peak home with 943 finished square feet in its basement gained roughly $90,000 to $95,000 from that space alone. That covers most of the gap between these two homes.
2. A Walkout Lot
Neither Pacific Peak home has a walkout basement. Still, this factor matters a lot elsewhere in Anthem. Homes with walkout basements sold for roughly $90,000 to $100,000 more than similar homes without one. A walkout brings natural light and outdoor access into the basement. It usually comes with a sloped lot and a better view, too.
3. What Your Home Backs To
In addition, homes that back to open space, a greenbelt, or public land sold for more on average. Once we accounted for walkouts, which often come with those lots, the open space itself added roughly $25,000 to $35,000. Buyers value the privacy, and they value knowing nothing will be built behind them.
4. The View, Which Matters Less Than You Might Think
More than half of the Anthem homes sold this year listed a mountain view, so a listed view is common. On average, it added roughly $30,000, but the sales were too spread out to say that with confidence. In fact, a wide view from your main living area is worth far more than a glimpse from an upstairs window.
5. How the Home Was Priced on Day One
This is the factor you control most. The 27 Anthem homes that sold within two weeks got about 100% of their original asking price on average. In contrast, the 21 homes that sat more than 60 days got about 90%.
The second Pacific Peak home shows how that plays out. It was priced at $875,000, sat for 75 days, and sold for $795,000, or about 91% of its original asking price. The first home was priced closer to its value and sold in under three weeks.
Another Pair: When the Lot Outweighs the Price
Sometimes, though, the lot matters more than anything else. Here are two more Anthem Highlands homes of almost identical size.
- 3086 Yale Drive: This home has about 2,714 square feet above ground and 4,179 total square feet. It has a walkout basement, borders public land, and listed meadow and mountain views. It sold for $1,000,000 in August 2026.
- 3032 Grizzly Peak Drive: This home has about 2,753 square feet above ground and 3,999 total square feet. It was also built three years later. However, it has no walkout and no open space listed behind it. The home sold for $890,000 in June 2026.
The Grizzly Peak home did almost everything right on pricing. It sold in three days for about 102% of its asking price. Even so, the Yale Drive home sold for $110,000 more, mostly because of its walkout and the public land behind it. Your lot sets a range, and your pricing decides where in that range you land.
What This Means If You Are Selling
Compare Your Home to the Right Neighbors
A neighbor’s sale price is only useful if their home matches yours on the features that matter. Before you settle on a price, compare your home with recent sales that truly match it. Look for a similar basement, a similar lot, and a similar view, not just similar square footage.
Think Carefully Before Finishing Your Basement
Finished space showed a clear payoff in this year’s sales. However, a basement finish can cost a lot. Get a bid first and compare it with what the space is likely to add. If you go ahead, pull a permit through the City and County of Broomfield, because buyers and appraisers will ask about it.
Price for the First Two Weeks
Your first two weeks on the market bring the most attention from buyers. A price that matches your home’s real features gives you the best chance at a strong offer. A price based on your neighbor’s best sale can leave you chasing the market down.
I have lived in Anthem Highlands since 2014 and sold 19 homes here. That local knowledge tells me which of your neighbors’ sales actually compare to your home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Buyers pay for features beyond size and bedroom count. In 2026 Anthem sales, basement finish, walkout lots, and what a home backs to each moved prices by tens of thousands of dollars. How the home was priced at the start also made a big difference.
In 2026 Anthem sales, finished basement space added about $100 more per square foot than unfinished space. That accounts for the rest of the home. On a 900-square-foot basement, that is roughly $90,000.
Homes with walkout basements sold for roughly $90,000 to $100,000 more than similar homes without one in 2026, based on MLS data.
Yes, but less than many people think once walkouts are considered. Open space, a greenbelt, or public land behind the home added roughly $25,000 to $35,000 in 2026 sales.
A listed mountain view added roughly $30,000 on average in 2026, but the results varied widely. More than half of the homes that sold listed a view, so the quality of the view matters more than the label.
In 2026, Anthem homes that sold within two weeks got about 100% of their original asking price on average. Homes that sat more than 60 days got about 90%. On a $1,000,000 home, that gap is about $100,000.
Only if your homes match on the features that matter. Two Pacific Peak Drive homes of nearly the same size sold $120,000 apart in 2026. One had a finished basement and was priced closer to its value.
Anthem Highlands area homes averaged about $1,027,000 from January through October 2026, according to MLS data. Your home’s value depends on its own basement, lot, view, and condition.
The Bottom Line
Two Anthem Highlands homes can look the same from the street and still sell $100,000 apart. A finished basement, a walkout, open space behind the home, and a well-chosen first price each add up. To know where your home falls, compare it with the right sales, not just the closest ones.
I’d be glad to walk you through how your home compares. I’ve been helping Broomfield homeowners since 2017, with more than 80 closed transactions and five-star reviews on every platform. You can reach me, John Grandt with The North Star Team Powered by Real Broker, at 720.351.8488.
Ready to sell in Anthem Highlands? Work with a realtor who specializes in Anthem Highlands and review actual Anthem Highlands sold homes first. Call John Grandt and The North Star Team at 720-351-8488.
