The Courtyards at Shadow Creek

Independent Assessment

Shadow Creek sits within a materially useful evidentiary pattern confirmed across the Des Moines-area Epcon 'Courtyards' portfolio: one sibling community, The Courtyards at King's Landing in West Des Moines, was independently and definitively confirmed NOT age-restricted by an unrelated source ('there are no age restrictions in this new construction community... it is not strictly age-restricted'), while Shadow Creek and its other siblings each carry a real 55+ marketing tag or aggregator category with no located covenant of their own. For Shadow Creek specifically, the strongest available evidence is activeadultliving.com's placement of the community directly within its 'Active Adult Communities (55+)' category page for Clive, a more specific signal than a generic keyword match, but the recorded HOA declaration or deed restriction that would confirm the age minimum as an enforceable legal matter rather than a marketing and directory classification was not found. Buyers should treat this the same way they would treat King's Landing before its own negative was confirmed: request the current HOA governing documents directly rather than assuming Shadow Creek's status from its Epcon branding alone.

Who May Find This Community Appealing

Shadow Creek suits a buyer drawn to Epcon's signature private-courtyard ranch layout and an unusually active clubhouse calendar -- daily, weekly, and monthly organized events are a genuine differentiator here relative to some of its Iowa Courtyards siblings, where sourcing described the clubhouse but not a specific event cadence. Someone who wants a maintenance-reduced single-level home with a two-car garage, in an established (largely or fully built) Clive neighborhood rather than an active construction zone, and who values social programming as much as the physical amenities, is a strong fit.

Homes, Builders & Development History

The Courtyards at Shadow Creek was built by Epcon Communities, operating locally as Clarity Construction, at 3400 NW 174th St in Clive. The community comprises 91 single-family ranch homes with private courtyard patios, two to three bedrooms, spacious living areas, and attached two-car garages, with options for covered or screened-in porches, basements, bonus suites, and four-seasons sunrooms. Home sizes range from 1,330 to 2,930 square feet. A business-directory listing shows the community's on-site sales office as closed as of August 2026, which is treated as a signal (not a confirmation) that the community may be at or near full build-out.

Current Pricing & Market Positioning

A current pricing range for homes at Shadow Creek, whether new-construction or resale, has not been independently confirmed. Buyers should request current comparable sales from a local Clive-area agent, and should weigh Shadow Creek's relatively larger unit-count (91 homes) and mature, established clubhouse programming against newer, still-selling Courtyards communities elsewhere in the metro like Prairie Ridge in Pella or Parkside in Waukee when comparing value and amenities.

New Construction vs. Resale Considerations

A business-directory listing shows Shadow Creek's on-site sales office as closed as of August 2026, which is treated as a signal that the community is at or near full build-out rather than an active new-construction site, though this was not independently confirmed beyond that single listing. Buyers should confirm current build-out and available-inventory status directly with a local agent or Clarity Construction.

Taxes, Insurance & Special Assessments

Homes at Shadow Creek are subject to Polk County, Iowa property tax administration. Iowa fully exempts Social Security benefits from state income tax and has been phasing in broader retirement-income tax relief in recent years; buyers should confirm current-year treatment with a tax professional. Iowa Code Chapter 216 governs housing discrimination on the basis of familial status statewide, with specific exemption structures for qualifying 55-and-older and 62-and-older housing -- a framework that would only apply here if Shadow Creek's HOA has in fact adopted a qualifying age restriction, which was not independently confirmed. Buyers should request current property tax figures and homeowners-insurance quotes directly.

Community Layout & Lifestyle

Shadow Creek's 91 ranch homes are arranged around private courtyard patios rather than shared yards, giving each home a degree of outdoor privacy uncommon in a conventional subdivision, while the 3,700-square-foot clubhouse pulls residents together for a genuinely active social calendar, with daily, weekly, and monthly community-wide events described. The clubhouse's full kitchen and fireplace-anchored living room make it a real gathering hub rather than a rarely used amenity room. Which specific clubs or recurring groups meet there was not independently confirmed; buyers should ask the HOA for the current activity calendar.

Shopping, Healthcare & Airport Access

The Courtyards at Shadow Creek is located at 3400 NW 174th St in Clive, within the Des Moines metro's Polk County core, giving residents reasonably central access to the metro's western suburbs. Specific drive times to downtown Des Moines, medical facilities, or shopping were not independently confirmed; buyers should confirm current routes and times directly with a local agent.

Age Qualification & Material Ownership Restrictions

Shadow Creek's age-restriction status remains genuinely unverified. activeadultliving.com places the community specifically within its 'Active Adult Communities (55+)' category page for Clive -- a more targeted classification than a generic keyword match -- and multiple other aggregators (55places, Seniorly) list it as a 55+ community as well. However, the underlying HOA declaration, deed restriction, or covenant language that would confirm the age minimum as an enforceable legal matter was not located. This caveat carries particular weight here because Epcon's own sibling community in the same metro, The Courtyards at King's Landing in West Des Moines, was independently confirmed to have no age restriction at all despite similar active-adult marketing -- a documented example of this exact brand not applying a uniform restriction across every Courtyards location. Buyers should request Shadow Creek's specific HOA governing documents before assuming an age restriction applies.

Tradeoffs & Limitations

Current resale pricing at Shadow Creek remains unconfirmed, as do the current HOA fee amount and its exact coverage list; both should be requested directly from a local agent or the HOA. The community's age-restriction status remains unverified: buyers who need a legally binding confirmation, not just an aggregator category tag, should request the recorded declaration from the HOA before purchasing, especially given the confirmed non-restricted status of Epcon's own King's Landing sibling community in the same metro. A Yelp business listing shows the on-site sales office as closed as of August 2026, suggesting the community may be largely or fully built out, which could not be independently verified further; buyers should confirm current build-out status directly.

Comparison With Nearby Communities

Shadow Creek is one of six Epcon 'Courtyards' communities tracked across the Des Moines metro (alongside Harvest Ridge and Rock Creek in Ankeny, Parkside in Waukee, Windsor in Johnston, and Prairie Ridge in Pella), all sharing the same brand-level caveat after King's Landing in West Des Moines was confirmed not age-restricted. Among its siblings, Shadow Creek stands out for its larger home count (91, versus Windsor's 82 and Parkside's 96 upon completion) and its more specifically documented clubhouse event cadence. Buyers comparing Shadow Creek against its siblings should weigh build-out stage (Shadow Creek appears further along than newer entries like Prairie Ridge) alongside price and amenities.

Current Listings

A connected local Clive-area agent can confirm current available listings at Shadow Creek, the current HOA fee and coverage list, and the HOA's current age-verification practice, if any.

Is The Courtyards at Shadow Creek age-restricted?

It is marketed and aggregator-tagged as an Active Adult Community (55+), but the underlying HOA declaration or deed covenant confirming that as a legal restriction was not located. Buyers should verify directly with the HOA, especially since Epcon's own sibling community, The Courtyards at King's Landing, is confirmed to have no age restriction despite similar marketing.

How many homes are at Shadow Creek, and who built them?

91 single-family ranch homes, built by Epcon Communities under its Clarity Construction franchise.

What social life does Shadow Creek offer?

A 3,700-square-foot clubhouse with a full kitchen and fireplace lounge, hosting daily, weekly, and monthly community-wide social events.

Where is Shadow Creek located?

3400 NW 174th St in Clive, Iowa, within the Des Moines metro's Polk County core.