Four years ago, Mac and Linda McDonald were living in
Charlotte, North Carolina, but were looking West, in search of a lifestyle
change, nicer weather and better views. "We also wanted our kids to have
somewhere safe to play outside," says Mac.
Their vision was a homesite in Colorado, where they
wanted to build a custom home in a golf community. After taking five months to
check out several properties, the McDonalds discovered Red Sky Ranch in Vail,
where just 87 lots on two golf courses allow for a very "low density,"
ranch-like environment. "Some of the places we looked at had more like 1,100
homes on three courses," recalls 49-year-old Mac. "There wasn't much existing
product at Red Sky Ranch at the time, but we wanted a larger lot and space
between the homes, so we went for it."
An information-technology consultant-turned-real estate
agent, Mac, his wife and his four children, ages 9 to 14, were pulled in by the
panoramic views and relatively flat topography of their 12-acre lot. But it
would be two years before he could move that family into the custom-built,
7,100-square foot home, thanks to myriad permitting and zoning requirements that
are "fairly common in Vail," according to Mac.
"Some people just aren't willing to wait two years for a new
home in a community like this, but we felt it was worth it," says Mac, who today
plays once or twice a week on the community's two courses, one designed by Tom
Fazio, the other by Greg Norman. "It's 75 degrees and sunny every day here, and
at least seven months out of the year."
In the winter, the McDonalds enjoy skiing, an activity that
wasn't nearly as accessible in North
Carolina. They also bike, hike and simply marvel at the
area's vast array of wildlife. "When we wake up, there's an elk or a deer in our
front yard," he says. "For us, it just doesn't get any better than that."
After previewing several existing homes in Vail, the
McDonalds laid out their wants and needs for their builder, who then took two
years to construct the seven bedroom, seven-and-a-half bath home that also
features 1,500 square feet of outdoor decks and porches. And where many mountain
homes have large rooms and kitchens for entertaining, the McDonalds opted for a
more closed floor plan.
"We wanted a warmer feel," Mac says, "so we do our
entertaining down on the deck." The views from that deck lead Mac to describe
Red Sky Ranch in a way even casual golfers can relate to: "I liken it to the
Pebble
Beach of the
mountains."
