I don't know where to move in Denver

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Originally Posted by City Girl

I'm surprised at your reply. I am talking with 3 different realtors in Colorado right now. Each company emails me bulk home listings everyday in that price range. I also just went online to REMAX and typed in:


Denver
Single Family Homes
175,000 - 150,000
3 or more bedrooms
2 or more bathrooms

I was shown over 500 listings.

what i meant to say is you would not find anything "nice" in that price range. you can buy something for 150k-175k. i wouldn't.

[tfox]

There are some options for you in that price range, even in good neighborhoods. But I think a decent home in a good neighborhood in that price range is a fixer or a foreclosure. In fact, most foreclosures require some fix-up as well. However, a place that simply needs carpet and paint can sometimes be an incredible bargain if you're somewhat handy.

I'd be careful, though to find a decent neighborhood. I did a quick search and many of the homes that did show up in your range were in not the best parts of town. A few were in some fairly decent areas. You're going to have to do a lot of work, frankly -- you may find a diamond in the rough, but you're going to have to do some work to find it in that range.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by tfox

There are some options for you in that price range, even in good neighborhoods. But I think a decent home in a good neighborhood in that price range is a fixer or a foreclosure. In fact, most foreclosures require some fix-up as well. However, a place that simply needs carpet and paint can sometimes be an incredible bargain if you're somewhat handy.
I'd be careful, though to find a decent neighborhood. I did a quick search and many of the homes that did show up in your range were in not the best parts of town. A few were in some fairly decent areas. You're going to have to do a lot of work, frankly -- you may find a diamond in the rough, but you're going to have to do some work to find it in that range.

Unfortunately, a lot of these places need more than carpet and paint. But it pays to look.

[livecontent]

I have to respectively disagree with some of the posts. There are homes in your price range of 150-175 thousand in good neighborhoods. These homes would appear more, in good neighborhoods, in the Western Suburbs of Denver. I am talking about Wheat Ridge, Arvada, Lakewood, Westminster,Edgewater, and Golden These areas are traditionally the areas which have attracted long term Colorado residents that have significant family ties to the area.

Most Areas of Arvada and Wheat Ridge have good safe neighborhoods with good schools, good transportation and excellent shopping. There are more areas in Lakewood and Westminster that may be less desirable but there are many older established good neighborhoods. Edgewater has more older homes but has attracted new shopping--I was surprised to see a SuperTarget being built on Sheridan across from Sloan's Lake---yes, a lake--that is why it is called Edgewater. Certainly Golden is unique and arguably, a model of a Colorado Western town with some homes in this price range.

Many of these type of good homes are small ranches, some all brick, with and without basements. Yes, they may have only a one car garage-but that was not bad for when they were built and maybe one should think about having less cars. Many of these homes were built in the 1950s, 60s and 70s and some 80s with the more of all brick in the 1950s and 1960s.

As far as modern elevations--that is not always the best type of home in this climate. A small ranch, that is well insulated, does not suffer the problems of heating upper stories and the necessity of air conditioning for these levels. In addition, Heating and Air conditioning cost go up when you have high dramatic ceiling because you heat and cool cubic feet not square feet. So if you want to live an economical lifestyle, these may be ideal. I know this is not for everyone but small does not mean squalid. Many times have there are larger yards than newer developments and again, many are all brick. Old does not mean bad, does not mean ugly, and does not mean unsafe.

There are many homes available that are not foreclosures but older people leaving their homes. I live in Arvada and I think the middle area in Arvada, around Ralston Creek, near old town, is a great area for these types of homes. It has large established parks and these neighborhoods are safe with great nearby schools of Jefferson County. There are areas of Wheat Ridge that border the huge open space and parks of the Wheat Ridge Green Belt and have big yards and are in this price range. There are nice homes in neighborhoods with nice green parks with large trees in Lakewood, Westminster and Edgewater. These you do not find in newer developments.

The older areas in the western suburbs have always been ignored with many new residents coming into the area. Consequently, many areas do not have the traffic and congestion of the Southern and Eastern Suburbs. However, it has charm, more parks, more water more trees and closer to the mountains and have always been tied with Northwest Denver (North Denver, in NativeSpeak) and the fantastic development that is occurring in Highland, Berkeley and Along West 38th and the Platt River.

I invite comments from other members who know the Denver area for their opinions of the older western suburbs. Am I right or wrong????

[Katarina Witt]

I agree. The older, inner ring suburbs in all 4 directions have smaller, more affordable homes.

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

I agree. The older, inner ring suburbs in all 4 directions have smaller, more affordable homes.

You are so right pittnurse70----I tend to be myopic: in my view of Denver Metro--always pushing the Western Suburbs There are:

Englewood--nice new development along the light rail,

Littleton--charming--maybe some homes in this price range, again great development along light rail
Aurora, definitely plenty of homes and some nice neighborhoods. Largest Suburbs
Northglenn--very cute
Thornton--ever expanding suburb to the north,

And more.....

but I like the Western Suburbs Also I love Louisville your stomping grounds
but it may be too expensive.

[Katarina Witt]

I like the western suburbs, too, perhaps b/c I am most familiar with them (as opposed to say, the southern 'burbs). Believe it or not, when we moved to Louisville in 1982, it was considered one of the cheaper places to live. It wasn't much more than an overgrown mining town at that point.

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

I like the western suburbs, too, perhaps b/c I am most familiar with them (as opposed to say, the southern 'burbs). Believe it or not, when we moved to Louisville in 1982, it was considered one of the cheaper places to live. It wasn't much more than an overgrown mining town at that point.

Ah, but it had Collacci's,----wonderful old atmosphere--terrible pasta (eh, I am a New Yorker Sicilian--I know everything) but I went there and the Blue Parrot. A great wonderful town and it will be better when they run the commuter line, near the tracks, just to the east of Main Street. This is one of the places, I would live, off of Main Street, within walking distance of the commuter station, in one of those nice old houses--that would be a great life. I used to live in Niwot and I became familiar with all the country areas, roads and towns of Boulder County--yea, I miss those days, my youth...

To all newcomers, Louisville is consistently rated by Money Magazine as one of the best places to live in Colorado and The Best Place to Raise a Family. So think about this city.............

shhh, shhh,do not forget our secret----the unknown western suburbs, do not tell anybody.

[RowJimmy]

Some are describing the suburbs and some are decribing the city areas. Is citygirl more of a City person or a suburban person. She just said that she didn't mind if it is in or out of the city. I personally think there is a big difference in living in Thorton or Arvada, to somewhere in East or South Denver.