Colorado dwellers, a few questions

Mazeroth
Mazeroth Posts: 1,585
edited April 2 in Clubhouse Archives
My wife and I are sick of living in Ohio and the more we research Colorado (especially the Denver area) the more we like it. The days of sunshine are one of the big selling points (I grew up in the worst overcast city in the nation - Warren, Ohio) and the mild winters are another.

What I'm curious about is where is a good place to move near Denver if you'd like to purchase a house with a little bit of land (0.5 - 2+ acres), is around 2000 ft2+, under $250,000, beautiful, with minimal crime and a good school system? When I do home searches on the net for the Denver area it gives me 20-30 suburbs and I have no idea what to choose. I don't know if I should look at the ones that are NW, SE etc.

Any information on Colorado is greatly appreciated!
Post edited by RyanC_Masimo on
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • jdhdiggs
    jdhdiggs Posts: 4,305
    edited March 2006
    Golden and Castle Rock are two areas that are still somewhat reasonably priced. Your price and land requirements will be difficult to get.

    Unlike Eastern cities, you need to find where you will work as Denver is very spread out and if you're not careful you could end up with an hour and a half commute to work.

    I grew up in Arvada until 6th grade and had friends that lived there through college. It's a nice town to start a family in. I went to college in Golden (Home of Coors, but more importantly Golden City Brewery) and that is a nice, small town feel while being convienent to Denver. My parentals live down in Castle Rock (Actually Castle Pines). It's really nice but the lots are smaller.

    Denver proper sucks unless you're single. Cherry Creek and Highlands Ranch are overpriced. Aurora is tricky because it can be very scary or nice. Avoid Central City. Westminster, Thornton, Brighton are kind of nice suburbs but it is pretty flat and a ways out from the city proper. Hope that helps you.
    There is no genuine justice in any scheme of feeding and coddling the loafer whose only ponderable energies are devoted wholly to reproduction. Nine-tenths of the rights he bellows for are really privileges and he does nothing to deserve them. We not only acquired a vast population of morons, we have inculcated all morons, old or young, with the doctrine that the decent and industrious people of the country are bound to support them for all time.-Menkin
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • avelanchefan
    avelanchefan Posts: 2,401
    edited March 2006
    I grew up in Arvada, and lived my JR High years in Conifer, then went back to Arvada for HS. I loved every minute of it. Here is how I look at it, anything that sits in Jefferson County (This includes Golden, Evergreen, Conifer, Arvada) is nice. Jeffco has very good schools, although some are hit and miss. But it is that way in any city. I owned a house in Lakewood (also in Jeffco), while it was nice I found it to be going down hill a bit. A lot of older houses in that city. BTW- Conifer and Evergreen sit in the mountains. Lakewood and Wheat Ridge are older more established in Jeffco, as is parts of Arvada too. But I consider these areas to be damn near the foothills of Denver. I mean the mountains are literally minutes away, and beautiful views.

    JD hit it all on the other cities. The only other town in Denver I would recommend that he did not was Littleton. It's a great place, nice neighborhoods, and good schools. Uncle was police captain there, now he teaches school at Red Rocks CC. I would avoid Aurora all together. Another booming area is Broomfield. Last time I was in Denver I was shocked at how big it had gotten out there. Great shopping, nice new restraunts....very impressed.
    Sean
    XboxLive--->avelanchefan
    PSN---->Floppa
    http://card.mygamercard.net/avelanchefan.png
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Mazeroth
    Mazeroth Posts: 1,585
    edited March 2006
    Thanks guys. I'll have to look into those places.

    Anyone else? :)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • jdhdiggs
    jdhdiggs Posts: 4,305
    edited March 2006
    I forgot about Littleton... It seems to being consumed by the Higlands Ranch so I usually view them as the same thing when they aren't. I would strongly recommend the NW side of town in the end. Stay away from Boulder unless you like whack job trustifarians.
    There is no genuine justice in any scheme of feeding and coddling the loafer whose only ponderable energies are devoted wholly to reproduction. Nine-tenths of the rights he bellows for are really privileges and he does nothing to deserve them. We not only acquired a vast population of morons, we have inculcated all morons, old or young, with the doctrine that the decent and industrious people of the country are bound to support them for all time.-Menkin
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Mazeroth
    Mazeroth Posts: 1,585
    edited March 2006
    What's a trustifarian? :confused:
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Demiurge
    Demiurge Posts: 10,874
    edited March 2006
    Usually a trust fund baby. :p
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • petrym
    petrym Posts: 1,912
    edited March 2006
    Upper middle class and up young white folks waiting to get a hold of the trust that Daddy set up for them.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • jdhdiggs
    jdhdiggs Posts: 4,305
    edited March 2006
    In Boulder, they're the homeless looking punks begging on the street that constantly hassle you and then go and jump into their $70K mercedes filled with pot smoke and **** about how unfair the world is that their dad has only given them $40K spending money this semester.
    There is no genuine justice in any scheme of feeding and coddling the loafer whose only ponderable energies are devoted wholly to reproduction. Nine-tenths of the rights he bellows for are really privileges and he does nothing to deserve them. We not only acquired a vast population of morons, we have inculcated all morons, old or young, with the doctrine that the decent and industrious people of the country are bound to support them for all time.-Menkin
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • markmarc
    markmarc Posts: 2,309
    edited March 2006
    I'm another Denver native who grew up in Arvada. The truth is, you will find nothing in your price range with acreage. But keep in mind that many small homes have full finished basements. if you can live with an average yard, the older neighborhoods in NW Arvada offer a nice value, although some updating may be required.

    The saddest part of the Denver metro area is that they have taken no steps to manage growth, it is quickly turning into LA especially from Denver north to Fort Collins.
    Review Site_ (((AudioPursuit)))
    Founder/Publisher Affordable$$Audio 2006-13.
    Former Staff Member TONEAudio
    2 Ch. System
    Amplifiers: Parasound Halo P6 pre, Vista Audio i34, Peachtree amp500, Adcom GFP-565 GFA-535ii, 545ii, 555ii
    Digital: SimAudio HAD230 DAC, iMac 20in/Amarra,
    Speakers: Paradigm Performa F75, Magnepan .7, Totem Model 1's, ACI Emerald XL, Celestion Si Stands. Totem Dreamcatcher sub
    Analog: Technics SL-J2 w/Pickering 3000D, SimAudio LP5.3 phono pre
    Cable/Wires: Cardas, AudioArt, Shunyata Venom 3
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • jdhdiggs
    jdhdiggs Posts: 4,305
    edited March 2006
    Up some of the valleys towards central city outside of Golden, he might have a shot. But it would be very difficult or run down.

    For what you are asking for, you'd need closer to $300K
    There is no genuine justice in any scheme of feeding and coddling the loafer whose only ponderable energies are devoted wholly to reproduction. Nine-tenths of the rights he bellows for are really privileges and he does nothing to deserve them. We not only acquired a vast population of morons, we have inculcated all morons, old or young, with the doctrine that the decent and industrious people of the country are bound to support them for all time.-Menkin
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter