Arapahoe County
Homes for sale in Centennial
Centennial is a city in Arapahoe County assembled from neighborhoods that already existed, so many of its services come from districts that are older than the city. That is why two Centennial addresses a few minutes apart can have different school districts, different water providers and different tax bills.
A city built on top of existing districts
Water and sewer in Centennial are provided by separate providers, mostly special districts rather than by a city utility, and which one serves a property depends on the address. Parks and recreation in much of the city also come from a separate district. Each has its own board, and several of them levy property tax.
Law enforcement is provided under contract by the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office.
None of this is unusual in the south metro. It does mean that “who provides the water” and “what is on the tax bill” have address-level answers. The Arapahoe County treasurer’s parcel record lists every taxing entity for a property. For a general introduction to the city, see the Centennial area guide.
School districts do not follow the city limits
More than one school district serves Centennial, including Cherry Creek School District and Littleton Public Schools, and the boundaries were drawn long before the city existed. Two houses on the same road can be assigned to different districts.
The school field on a listing is not the authority. The district’s own address lookup is, and for anything close to a boundary it is worth asking the enrollment office to confirm in writing. Centennial is the hard case in the school district boundaries guide, which walks through the lookup.
Houses from several decades, and what each era asks
Centennial’s housing spans several decades, with older neighborhoods on the west side and newer subdivisions toward the east, some of them inside metropolitan districts. The age of the house decides the inspection list more than the address does.
For houses from the 1960s into the early 1980s, the usual questions are aluminum branch wiring, the make and capacity of the electrical panel, the sewer line to the main, and asbestos in ceiling texture or old flooring. The guide to buying a 1970s house covers each. For newer houses, the question is usually the metro district levy, which the guide to metro districts explains how to look up.
Centennial Airport, a general aviation airport, sits just outside the city limits in unincorporated Arapahoe and Douglas counties, next to parts of Centennial. If you are looking near it, visit the house at more than one time of day.
The Arapahoe County market right now
Live figures from the MLS, not an estimate. They move as listings do.
Homes for sale in Centennial
Residential listings the MLS files under Centennial.
Common questions
Which school district is a Centennial address in?
It depends on the address. More than one district serves Centennial, including Cherry Creek School District and Littleton Public Schools, and the boundaries do not follow the city limits. Use the district’s own address lookup, and ask its enrollment office to confirm anything near a boundary.
Does the City of Centennial provide water?
No. Water and sewer in Centennial come from separate providers, mostly special districts, which vary by address. The Arapahoe County treasurer’s parcel record lists the taxing entities for a specific property, which is a good way to see which districts serve it.
Are there metro districts in Centennial?
Some subdivisions, particularly newer ones, sit inside metropolitan districts that levy their own property tax on top of the county, city and school levies. The treasurer’s parcel record for the specific address shows whether one applies and what it charged last year.
What should I check on an older Centennial house?
For a house built from the 1960s into the early 1980s: whether it has aluminum branch wiring, the make and capacity of the electrical panel, a camera scope of the sewer line to the main, and whether ceiling texture or old flooring contains asbestos. None of these is unusual for the era, and several are missed by a standard inspection unless someone asks for them.
From the blog
Looking in Arapahoe County?
Ask Belinda the specific questions: the association documents, the metro district on the tax bill, and whether that basement was ever permitted.