Moving to Denver - Any Suggestions (Aurora, Highlands Ranch: transplants, real estate, renting)

[LindseyA]

Hi, we currently live in the city of Chicago and are looking to re-locate to Denver. Does anyone have any town/neighborhood suggestions for places to live? We would ideally like to be in a neighborhood with good schools (what are the good school districts) and a fun environment for kids and adults. Any suggestions/advice is welcome! Thank you!

[gooberlx]

Where's work and whats your and/or your spouse's tolerance for a commute time? Buying or renting and what price range? Is there a preference for urban or suburban living?

There are a ton of threads if you search or just scroll through the forum. But keep those points above in mind while you're looking.

[Sam15k]

Parker area in southern Denver, Aurora, Lochbuie (northern Denver but quiet and good)

[perthgirlin denver]

We moved to Denver, August 2008 from Perth (west Coast) Australia. I am a trained teacher and researched very thoroughly schools in the Denver area for a whole 6 month period prior to moving. Douglas County had an excellent rating - we thoroughly compared elementary, middle and high schools even though our girls are only in elementary. we also research thoroughly properties to purchase in that 6 month period. we settled on Highlands Ranch for the following reasons; standard of services in the community - especially the rec centres, safety, standard of education and proximity to remainder of Denver and Colorado. What can I say - we are thoroughly impressed. Our real estate agent was unbelievable thorough and helpful and still unbelievable to us is the fact that we bought a house via a website - sight unseen. Thanks to our Real estate agent it was everything we hoped and more. Our children go to a great school, they have made wonderful new friends and the street we live is is a social haven. By the way Highlands Ranch was recently rated one of the top 10 communities in the US to live in. Yeah for our house retaining and growing in value!

Originally Posted by LindseyA

Hi, we currently live in the city of Chicago and are looking to re-locate to Denver. Does anyone have any town/neighborhood suggestions for places to live? We would ideally like to be in a neighborhood with good schools (what are the good school districts) and a fun environment for kids and adults. Any suggestions/advice is welcome! Thank you!

[Shezbo]

Yea, Stay out of Colorado, Colorado has enough transplants, enough to start it's own country, we natural born coloradoans demand to get rid of those who were never born and raised here and return colorado to the way it was.

[jeepgrl015]

I would just like to say for the record that the more and more I read some of these Colorado forums, the more I think that there will be NO ONE left in Chicago! LOL. I am also from Chicago and will be relocating this year to denver suburbs. I have not had ANY regrets about my decision for the move since I decided, but everyone is just making the choice easier knowing that Im not the only one leaving this already beautiful city for another one. We should all start a Chicago relocation club! Good luck!

[syndee]

Quick note to those complaining about transplants.. They remind you that you still have a good economy and a wonderful place to raise families...

[cabolissa]

Usually the people who complain are the people who can't compete in the job market.

[the3Ds]

As far as school districts go, I believe you will find (and plenty of posts to back me up on this one) that Cherry Creek and Douglas County School Districts are the two best.

As an FYI, during the recent election, both school districts had bond issues that they asked the residents to vote on. Cherry Creek's school bond passed. Douglas County's did not. As a Cherry Creek SD resident, I can tell you that from what I gathered, those of us who live within the district made a conscious decision to find a house within the boundaries and therefore voted to help the schools out. My neighbor doesn't even have kids and he said that he voted for it because good schools equal low crime. Last time I checked, Douglas County has one of the highest per capita income levels in the state, yet they couldn't find the equivalent of a cup of coffee once per week to give to their schools? I find that pathetic. On the news last night, the Douglas County district board of directors is looking for inputs on what they will have to cut. They are short $16 million. That money was going to be used for construction of 10 new schools, to phase out a year-round calendar and fund technology improvements.

I can't tell you about other school districts, but as a mother of a child in elementary school within Cherry Creek SD, I am amazed that she has the opportunity to be in the marching band (in elementary school!), participate in ski school, join the cheerleading squad, and choose from a variety of different after school programs (like science, international relations, cooking, music, etc). The PTO at our school is very active and there seems to be a lot of parent participation at school events (the biggest was the Halloween party where they actually had to turn people away).

I can't guarantee that every school within the Cherry Creek SD will be excellent but I think that gives you a good starting point on where to look for a house. When I was registering my daughter for school, I recall a few people asking to be put on the waiting list to put their kids in the school district though they didn't live within the boundaries. The lady at the registration office told him that their names were on the list but that they shouldn't count on it as the list was pretty long. I think that says it all.

[robertzimmerman]

Originally Posted by Shezbo

and return colorado to the way it was.

Like when I25 (excuse me, the Valley Highway) ended at Evans and the Golden Ox was a good restaurant?