Housing in Denver

Fergie

Fergie

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Flagstaff, AZ
So, I may be moving to CO this summer, depending on how the next month goes, and am wondering how the housing market is. I dont mind renting for a month or two, but will be buying again when we get everything moved.

So, what areas are decent and what areas should I stay away from?

Also, what kind of houses are there in the 250-400 range?

Thanks

Fergie
 
Well for starters, ya kinda need to narrow down an area in Colorado you're looking to move to. Denver Metro area? Golden? Arvada? Boulder? Commerce City? Aurora? Thornton? Westminster? Parker? Lone Tree / Highlands Ranch? Littleton? Castle Rock? Colorado Springs? Loveland? Ft. Collins? Longmont? Mountain areas like Woodland Park? Conifer? Evergreen? Coal Creek Canyon?

$250K to $400K buys a pretty decent - to very nice house out here. I'm not a fan of the Lone Tree / Highlands Ranch area - dense population, houses are stacked close.... a "people farm" if you will. Aurora, Thornton and Westminster are a bit too ethnically diverse for my personal tastes. Boulder is.... well, Boulder. Castle Rock and the 'Springs are really growing and nice all around. Woodland Park is another area that is really developing in the mountains - nice area, but Conifer tends to be one of those mountain communities where most want to live alone, be left alone, not too neighborly. Evergreen / CC Canyon are nice areas but properties tend to be pricey.

If you need to rent a house out here for a short time, I have a couple of cop friends with some rentals and can pass on your info - depends on how big a house you need.
 
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4 bed 2 bath, with ample garage space.

I dont know the area specifically, but the wife will be attending the Univeristy of Denver.

My company(Hensel Phelps Construction Co.) is based out of Greeley, with an office in Aurora and Denver proper, and jobs all throughout, so I'd like her to be close to classes, and I can drive a bit.
 
Cities of Denver, Centennial, Engelwood or Littleton. look at naborhoods south of DU. You should be able to find what you are looking for in you price range.
 
Fergie,

As a former Highlands Ranch resident, I will try not to take to much offense to Troy's "people farm". While it is a bit dense, there are some pretty nice older (80-90's) neighborhoods there with mature trees, and for $400k, you could buy a pretty nice 4bd with a 3 car garage. The density is probably similar to what you see in alot of Tuscon and Phoenix. Commute to DU would be 15-20 minutes down University Ave (I'm a DU grad, so GO PIO's!!), and if you officed in aurora, you would be looking at 20-30 minutes for yours. Pluses for Highlands Ranch are 4 recreation centers with pools included in the HOA dues, which if you have kids is really awsome...

Edit - Colorado is a serious buyer's market right now, with a TON of housing inventory, so you will have your pick of houses and prices and won't likely have to "settle"...

Chris
 
Heh heh, not trying to offend anyone Chris.... just my opinion about the general area. HOA gestapos, 8 lane highways between subdivisions.... not for me. Any place that restricts the kind of back yard play sets you can have for your kids is too controlling for me..... and the fact that I'd have to sell my one-ton truck in order to live there (ordinance restriction to vehicle weight and size)....and ya can't keep any kind of trailer on the premise unless it fits in the garage..... and that most subdivisions don't allow cars to be parked outside in the driveway or street except for visitors..... That kind of living is just fine with some people, but not me.

Have I bagged on HR enough? :D

But Chris is right about the market. You'll find plenty of homes to choose from and be able to take your time to decide. The market is in your favor right now.

Oh, and nope - none of my renting buddies have a place that big.
 
While Troy is technically correct on the tight covenants, they generally aren't enforced all that tightly as long as you take care of your property. When I lived there I had a couple of neighbors with fairly huge playsets, and two others driving one-tons (although if you have decals on the sides for your buisness, the nazis may speak with you). Most of the covenant enforcement in HR comes from neighbors who are pissed at other neighbors and call in the nazis, so if your house looks nice, and you're friendly with the neighbors, no worries... usually:gag: To give you an idea, my in-law's are still HR residents, they live in a 5bd, 4 bath, 2 car garage on @ 10,000 sf lot, probably 32-3500 sf total -- likely would list in the $375-425K range...

Chris
 
I live in HOA hell in CR, I've been sent a letter because I left my trash dumpster outside around the side of hte house, because I stained my fence the wrong color, and because I didn't get my landscaping for the back yard "approved" on the special form that I was apparently given during closing. My hand drawn sketch wasn't good enough.

Now mind you I've ignored all three and there's never been a problem lol.

I'd like to look at property out the titan parkway area if there's any out there that isn't in a subdivision. hell a half acre and a nice manufactured home with a huge poll barn and I'm set.
 
philip_g said:
I'd like to look at property out the titan parkway area if there's any out there that isn't in a subdivision. hell a half acre and a nice manufactured home with a huge poll barn and I'm set.
Click to expand...


My folks lived in Roxborough Park off Titan RD for a few years. It was kinda nice being a bit removed from the cluster and density..... my only complaint was the friggin' wind. Something about that area, but it seems to blow all the time out there.
 
xj-grin said:
While Troy is technically correct on the tight covenants, they generally aren't enforced all that tightly as long as you take care of your property.
Click to expand...
One of my favorite recent calls from 'The Ranch' was from yet another HOA busybody complaining about an "abandoned vehicle" near her house.... She had obviously played the game before as she knew all the right answers about why she thought it was abandoned...except for one small issue - it was an '06 Honda pickup; nowhere near the "beat-up piece of junk" she was claiming.

Have I mentioned that I hate HOAs and HOA busy-bodies? You'll find them thick as thieves in the Ranch. Most of them start their calls with, "This is so-and-so, I'm a neighbor from Highlands Ranch..." and you know it's going to be fun :twak: from there.

Roxborough is getting ready to boom; they are clearing out yet another huge ranch in the area to slap houses on...with no clue where the water is going to come from.

Philip-g - I live in the same HOA Hell as you, and have gotten the letters and snide remarks from the neighbors as well. Can't wait to get out of here too. If you look for that property off Roxborough or Rampart, make sure you find out about the water source. Most of NW Douglas County is on the edge of the (Ogallala?) Aquifer, and it's running out. My mom is on a well up there, and since The Ranch sunk two huge wells a decade or so ago, she has mud for water anymore.
 
Fergie said:
So, I may be moving to CO this summer, depending on how the next month goes, and am wondering how the housing market is. I dont mind renting for a month or two, but will be buying again when we get everything moved.

So, what areas are decent and what areas should I stay away from?

Also, what kind of houses are there in the 250-400 range?

Thanks

Fergie
Click to expand...
So you may be escaping hell before ME???:shhh:
Josh graduates in June. I have an interview in March and another in a month or so. I was basically offered a position yesterday in GJ if I could start in 2 weeks. It was tempting, but I can't (won't) leave the family here for 5 months+.
It won't be long now...:yelclap:
 
If we go to CO, it'll be for a least seven years or so.

We still need to hear back from Berkeley, Irvine, U of A, and Baltimore College, but she is def accepted to DU, with a very nice cash scholarship as incentive.

I'll know for sure in another month, just planning ahead right now, combined with some wishful thinking.
 
One of my co-workers is moving to Seattle and looking to sell his Parker townhome - sounds like it fits the area you're looking at. I'll ask him for more info and contact info if you want to know more.
 
if your driving to greely I wouldnt go with highlands ranch...check arvada there are some cool places with large property and BIG garages arounnd here.........
 
Actually, may be headed to MD instead.

Appears the wife was also accepted to a PhD program at University of Maryland Baltimore College.

We shall see.
 
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