Possible Move - CO

[Sposa06]

First of all, I have no idea where to post this, so feel free to move it to wherever it really fits best!

Secondly, FH had an interview last week with a company in Denver; they called him today to offer him the job (he graduates this winter, I graduate in the spring - he'd move out ahead of me). It seems like a good opportunity, and we'll take it unless something better comes along. So now I'm just looking for recommendations for Denver - good neighborhoods (not too expensive, though - I don't know whether the cost of living is higher there than it is here), stories, I don't know. I have driven through Colorado, but that's it.

I really am just asking for a crash course on where to live, eat, etc. in the Denver area (and transportation ideas as well - is traffic bad?). Thanks so much!

[emmjay]

I have lived in Denver for a year, and we live right in the city so I don't really know anything about the outlying areas. In terms of living right in Denver, the following areas are in the city limits and close to downtown. I don't know what your price range is for homes, so I'll just do all of the neighborhoods I know (and I'll include the zip codes to make it easier for you to do real estate searches, although there is some overlap in terms of the zip codes and the neighborhoods):

Cherry Creek (80206): this is the nicest area in Denver, and the most expensive. It's about 4-5 miles southeast of downtown, it has a nice shopping mall with several streets around the mall also dedicated to little boutiques and restaurants. A 3BR/2BA home in the center of this area is going to be around $400k minimum, but most of them are a lot more than that.

Washington Park (80209): another awesome area, about 3.5 miles from downtown and just west of Cherry Creek. This is slightly less expensive than Cherry Creek and is also one of the most desirable areas in Denver. Washington Park itself is the most popular park in Denver and there are a few streets around it with cafes and shops as well. Lots of brick bungalows built in the early 1900s. 3br/1 or 2ba = starting around $350k.

Cheeseman Park/Capitol Hill (80218 and 80203): north and west of Wash Park and extending west to downtown, lots of condos and apartment buildings here but also cool older Victorian homes. Restaurants and shops are dotted around but there really isn't a commercial center to this area. Lots of younger people in their 20s and 30s living here - great area to live if you are renting but it's harder to find a single family home in Capitol Hill since so many of the old mansions were made into apartments/condos, and there are a lot of duplexes. Any single family home would probably cost around the same as Wash Park, or slightly less expensive. The farther south you get from downtown, the cheaper the homes are going to be.

City Park/Five Points (80205): east of downtown, more of a transitional area (esp. Five Points). In other words, many of the homes are a bit neglected and there are some sketchy pockets, but the homes themselves are similar to those found in Wash Park and Cheeseman Park, and most of the homes for sale are being purchased by professional couples in their 30s. It's more of a gamble in terms of an investment, but the neighborhood is turning around. You can get a 3br/2ba here for less than $300k. I think my husband and I are going to end up here when we buy next year. I wouldn't go north of 26th Ave though.

Other areas are the Highlands (80211) just west of downtown, which is another transitional neighborhood similar to City Park. Also near Univ. of Denver (80210), about 6-7 miles southeast of downtown (south of I-25), where many of the houses have less character (lots of ranches built in the 1950s) but are correspondingly less expensive than the other, closer neighborhoods. And if you wanted to live right downtown in a loft or something, the zip is 80202.

This is a great local site for doing real estate searches: Denver Real Estate (http://idx.pdclane.net/PropSearch/Query2.asp?OfficeID=07238&AgentID=010656)

Restaurants - I have read that Denver is really improving in terms of the restaurant scene, and we have found several excellent places. Most of the good ones are downtown and Cherry Creek, and scattered throughout the other neighborhoods.

Traffic - people complain about the traffic, but after living in Houston, DC and NY I don't think it is bad at all! I guess it is what you are used to. Plus I live 2 miles from my office so I don't have to go on the highway. I don't have a car - I take the bus, walk, or ride my moped. It seems to me that lots of people walk/bike and use the bus system here, but I have heard that the buses can be cumbersome if you don't live centrally.

I LOVE Denver - I am so glad we moved here. I like the size of the city, I love being able to go snowboarding or hiking for the day, the mountains are gorgeous, there is plenty to do, and the weather is great. My only complaint is that I don't take advantage of everything there is to do, but that's my own fault! If I can help with any other questions, let me know - good luck!

[taraw]

Hi Sposa06, I lived in Denver for several years and now live about an hour north of Denver. Can you give the company or the company's address to where your FH will be working? This would make it easier to help you determine where a good place to look for homes would be. emmjay gave you some great information, but all of the areas she listed are right near downtown Denver, which may not be convenient for you if your FH is going to be working some distance from there.

Colorado is beautiful and there are many things to do here. I think you will love it.

[SaphirimalMei]

Wish I had info for you about the Denver area, but I did want to stop in and say that I LOVE living in Colorado. Can't imagine anywhere better :)

If you see Attygrl74 around the boards you might ask her a few Q's if you get the chance...she's a Denver resident.

[AttyGrl74]

AttyGrl in da house!

I'm as close to native as you get in Colorado these days. My family moved here in the 80s.

I've lived in various parts of Denver since 1996. I lived in Capitol hill for a long time. We live in the southern suburbs now but we both work downtown.

Like Tara said - if you can give us more info, we can definately help you out.

Emmjay's synopsis is VERY good, thorough and accurate.

We should have a GTG!

[flygirl]

Sposa, I'm going to copy this thread to the South West forum, also. Hopefully double your response!

[AttyGrl74]

Are any of you other Colorado chickies just SICK TO DEATH of this heat?

[emmjay]

I'm trying to decide what I like better, not having any a/c in our bedroom and having to set up a ridiculous series of fans in an attempt to push some cool air down the hallway from the a/c'd family room, OR sitting on my scooter at noon at a red light behind a car spewing hot exhaust all over me and wearing my black, sweaty helmet.

I moved here during the deceptively nice summer last year, so I was not prepared for this! Wasn't it in the 50s one day last August? Man, I would kill for that right about now.

[Daniel's Kitty]

I had to make the comment that I-25 can be kind of bad if you are with the people driving between Colo Spgs and Denver.

I really enjoy living in Colorado, but I don't have a lot of experience with living in other places. I have always lived in Colorado, I was even born here.

Although being pg and having the heat is really annoying since I can't go hide out in the mountains since I want to deliver at the hospital.

[silvergrey]

Are any of you other Colorado chickies just SICK TO DEATH of this heat?
I'm spending the summer in Michigan, and believe me, 85 degrees feels about 10 times worse when combined with 85% humidity!! I'm very jealous of you guys right now. /weather rant