Neighborhood of the week: Harbor View Estates

When you travel south from Coeur d'Alene on Highway 95, it's as if you're entering another world. You trade people and traffic for cattle, horses and elk; prairies and mountains for forested hillsides and pastoral flats.

However, the lake is a constant, stretching 25 miles south of town. Head east from Highway 95 and within minutes, you're gazing at its crystal blue waters. And if you turn onto Kidd Island Bay Road and wind your way through the varied, forested terrain, you'll soon find yourself gazing at those waters from Harbor View Estates.

Harbor View Estates is a gated neighborhood located approximately 18 minutes south of Coeur d'Alene. It's a quiet, serene, exclusive community of high-quality homes, with spectacular lake views, towering trees, and abundant wildlife.

"It's a very unique subdivision further out of town, upscale and well maintained," said Randy Oetken, a Realtor with Windermere Coeur d'Alene Realty, representing Harbor View Estates.

"It is a wonderful development, really," said Christy Oetken, also a Realtor with Windermere.

The first thing you notice when you enter this secluded neighborhood – well, besides the trees, wildlife, beautiful homes and incredible views – is how peaceful it is. "The really nice thing is that it's very quiet," Christy said. "There's no freeway or railroad noise. That's the hardest thing to find and still be close to town."

Lots are generally between .39 of an acre and 3 acres, with interior lots averaging .5 acres; most have breathtaking lake or territory views. Houses are scattered throughout the neighborhood, tucked into forested corners, clinging to rocky hillsides, nestled in lavishly landscaped nooks. And everywhere, there are trees. "The properties up here give the owners room to stretch out," Randy said. "Being as though they're on acreage, it's nice; you can get some distance between neighbors."

The developers left naturally landscaped green spaces throughout the neighborhood, and the larger lot sizes mean that there's plenty of natural terrain between the homes. "You have plenty of green space of your own," Christy said. There are a few lots available, both interior and lakeview, if you'd like to build your dream home in this serene neighborhood.

The HOA has a dedicated website to help keep residents informed, and a board of directors that guide the association. Dues are around $95/month, which include water and sewer services as well as maintenance of the roads and common areas, such as the waterfront picnic area and beach. They have their own water and sewage treatment plants.

The HOA pays close attention to every detail in this community, down to requiring builders to sweep the streets each evening, once the day's construction work is done. "The HOA has done a magnificent job maintaining the neighborhood," Christy said. "They've done a good job protecting the quality."

Residents have access to the community beach and pavilion, perfect for swimming or picnicking with family and friends on warm summer afternoons. There's a 17-slip marina owned by the Harbor View Boat Association; slips may become available for lease or purchase from time to time, but interested parties must contact that association directly.

A number of the area's premier homebuilders are represented in Harbor View Estates, such as JLR Developments. President and owner Joe Rumore has been building quality homes in North Idaho for 20 years. His houses regularly appear in the Parade of Homes, and has built in Selkirk Meadows and on Grandview in Hayden, among other prime locations.

"There's a nice variety of architectural styles," Randy said. "It's definitely not a cookie-cutter neighborhood." You'll find log homes next to Northwest Craftsman homes next to brick homes; actively enforced CC&Rs and architectural restrictions help protect their value.

Prices for properties in Harbor View Estates start at $350,000 and go up to $2 million. In 2014, homes that sold were priced from $375,000 to $950,000. There are currently two on the market, ranging from $599,900 to $1,595,000.

Residents take full advantage of the security of their gated community, walking the winding roads and enjoying the views of the lake. You'll find abundant wildlife: deer browse along the sides of the roads and nestle in front yards on sunny winter afternoons, and flocks of wild turkeys are a constant source of entertainment.

As the HOA website states, "Stop and listen to the quiet. It is remarkable."

If you're interested in owning one of the stately homes in this serene neighborhood, contact Randy and Christy Oetken at (208) 660-0506 for more information on the available properties in Harbor View Estates.

If there's a neighborhood that you'd like to see featured in this series, please contact Beth Hanggeli at (208) 659-8367 or bhanggeli@cdapress.com.

Neighborhood of the week: Harbor View Estates