[stoney]

What kind of riding is there? How close is good riding, climbing, hiking, backpacking, etc?

Where are the nicer neighborhoods? What does the job market look like? Schools? General social? From you experience, how much does a nice 3br house with a proper yard/garage, etc cost to rent/buy?

I keep reading the Cherry Creek has good schools... That's out by Aurora, right?

Are there the 'cute'/quaint little shopping areas? (see gentrified old town - type)

Which monkeys are in the area? Nick, FT?

Have a few friends* looking at relocating into the area. Just trying to help them get a gauge on what's around.

 

[Westy]

Denver is in Colorado.

 

[stoney]

Denver is in Colorado.

You're useless to me.

 

[Toshi]

You'd fit in with the crowd in Colorado Springs

 

[stoney]

You'd fit in with the crowd in Colorado Springs

That's a little aggresive, even for me. Plus given the 40% lower CoL, I would assume income would drop in par. Thus taking me out of the tax the piss out of him range, despite being middle class in my current location.

This also transfers to my friends who are looking.

 

[sunringlerider]

unless your heart is set on Denver look up north, Loveland or Fort Collins. All the goodness minus the crowds. Oh wait. . . no Loveland is a sh1t hole stay far far away

 

[RUFUS]

unless your heart is set on Denver look up north, Loveland or Fort Collins. All the goodness minus the crowds. Oh wait. . . no Loveland is a sh1t hole stay far far away

Those places are both boring and flat with nothing but strip mall after strip mall.

If they are single, put them in Denver or Golden. Good riding is all over and trails are dry in some spots right now.

 

[Ithnu]

Skrd Shtls and myself live here too. The Front Range forum on mtbr is pretty active, there is even a sticky on a thread for moving to CO http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=484258 .

Skrd Shtls lives in the burbs south of 470 and FT lives in Golden. I'm actually in Denver! FT has been in Denver for a long time too, maybe he will pipe in here.

There are lots of cool little neighborhoods like you are asking about. Highlands (NOT Highlands Ranch), Capital Hill, Wash Park, etc. The city of Golden is like this too, a bit of a suburb but it has enough of its own character to not feel like one, FT lives there now. Stay away from Aurora, 90% off all murders on the news happen there.

Most mt bikers/out door folks like the west side of town better since it's easier to get into the mountains. I have a friend who lives on the north side and sometimes he gets delayed by 20 minutes driving across town to meet up.

Some of the areas I mentioned above have some pretty pricey houses, you're going to pay $300-400k for a 3br in Highlands or Golden and $500+ in Wash Park or Capital Hill. Lakewood and Littleton are much more affordable, $150k-$300k. Littleton has a bit of a downtown too with some walk to restaurants. And the light rail goes to Littleton so it's an easy way to get downtown.

I live in Southwest Denver, hwy 285 and Sheridan if you want to look at it on a map. A few bars and a grocery store to walk to, not a suburb feel but not quite the cool old school neighborhood like those I mentioned above. I'd like to live in one of those areas but I can't afford it right now. My house was $210, 3 brd, 2 stall garage and a small/mid sized yard. We wanted to stay in Denver because the taxes are lower and the water is better (yes water, ours comes from Lake Dillon in the mountains, not Chatfield reservoir where they find dead bodies)

Hope that helps!

I don't have kids so I can't help on the school thing, SkrShtls can give you advice there.

 

[Uncle Stalin]

What kind of riding is there? How close is good riding, climbing, hiking, backpacking, etc?

Where are the nicer neighborhoods? What does the job market look like? Schools? General social? From you experience, how much does a nice 3br house with a proper yard/garage, etc cost to rent/buy?

I keep reading the Cherry Creek has good schools... That's out by Aurora, right?

Are there the 'cute'/quaint little shopping areas? (see gentrified old town - type)

Which monkeys are in the area? Nick, FT?

Have a few friends* looking at relocating into the area. Just trying to help them get a gauge on what's around.

There is every kind of riding imaginable. Many rides can be found within an hour of Central Denver, frequently less depending on location.

Cherry Creek is near Aurora. If you are looking for good schools, I would look elsewhere than Cherry Creek Schools.

Yes, there are irritatingly 'quaint' shopping districts scattered around the area. Some of them are legitimate, others have sprung up in the last few years. As a Denver Historian, I would consider the 'legitimate' ones to be no less than 50 years old, Larimer square, parts of the 16th street mall, other parts of downtown etc.

The job market here is DISMAL. Im a College grad with 4 degrees (2 majors and 2 minors), small business owner and nobody will hire me for even part time work, as is the situation with most people I know.

House prices depend on location. My parents, who are in their 60's, live near Cherry Creek Highschool in Cherry Hills, mean housing prices in the area are around $2-3.5 million, although houses for much less can be found, they tend to be torn down to make way for larger houses. Rentals can be found for fairly reasonable prices.

I hope this helps.
-Uncle Stalin

 

[sunringlerider]

Those places are both boring and flat with nothing but strip mall after strip mall.

If they are single, put them in Denver or Golden. Good riding is all over and trails are dry in some spots right now.

And thats why I like, but flat? really? I can but at the base of a 14er in 35 min?

 

[BeerMe]

Northern Colorado are not the droids you're looking for...

 

[Pesqueeb]

Myself and $tinkle are both in the Springs. I fvcking hate this town, riding is great but the people/politics/religous nut jobs are teh major suck. COL is relativily low compared to the rest of CO, but thats mostly because most of the population is employed by Uncle Sam via the military. Those kids aren't exactly making money hand over fist.
Go north young man!

 

[Nick]

Joker: I sent you a PM last week. Didja get it?

 

[SkaredShtles]

If they are NOT interested in resort skiing, then the recommendation for the northern towns (Lyons, Loveland, Fort Collins) is a pretty good one.

If they *are* interested in resort skiing, then Golden is a good call.

If they are really interested in decent schools stay MILES away from anything in the Denver Public School system. Unless they don't mind sending their kids to private school when they get to middle-school age.

Jefferson County is generally considered to be one of the better districts in the metro area - but it's a huge district and the quality of the schools is not uniform.

As far as riding, climbing, hiking, and backpacking - just live as close to the mts as is practical given the other requirements.

Personally I wouldn't live any further east than the Platte River.

Oh - Joe Pozer moved here recently... so he's now a member of the Denver Looney-Bin.

 

[Serial Midget]

What happened to Cherry Creek? My parents moved in the70s to get my sister and I into the that district, later it was Douglass County for high school.

Jefferson County is generally considered to be one of the better districts in the metro area - but it's a huge district and the quality of the schools is not uniform.

 

[SkaredShtles]

What happened to Cherry Creek? My parents moved in the70s to get my sister and I into the that district, later it was Douglass County for high school.

Cherry Creek and Douglas Co are also considered good districts. Cherry Creek is consistently one of the top in the state. It's a very large district: http://www.ccsd.k12.co.us/documents/provider/1177DistrictMap.pdf

 

[Serial Midget]

Ha! My parents moved us to Holly & Arapaho Road - I went to 5 & 6th grade at Heritage Elementary and then to West Middle School. I can see they where just over the line - about 3 blocks east of Holly.

 

[bean]

What happened to Cherry Creek? My parents moved in the70s to get my sister and I into the that district, later it was Douglass County for high school.

Nothing. Last I heard it is still considered one of the top two or three districts in the state. No idea why Stalin says to avoid it.

Cherry Creek is near Aurora, but completely different from that **** hole.

 

[stoney]

Nick - Got your message.

I might be making a trip out there with our friends and wifey in the upcoming weeks if you guys (Nick, SS, Pesq, etc) want to try to get together for dinner/drinks.

Let me know

 

[SkaredShtles]

Nick - Got your message.

I might be making a trip out there with our friends and wifey in the upcoming weeks if you guys (Nick, SS, Pesq, etc) want to try to get together for dinner/drinks.

Let me know

How about skiing?

 

[stoney]

How about skiing?

You would not enjoy that with us. We are dry mountain people.

 

[Pesqueeb]

Nick - Got your message.

I might be making a trip out there with our friends and wifey in the upcoming weeks if you guys (Nick, SS, Pesq, etc) want to try to get together for dinner/drinks.

Let me know

I like food and beer, let us know.

 

[SkaredShtles]

You would not enjoy that with us. We are dry mountain people.

 

[stoney]

SS - I stopped snow boarding after an auger on a 50ft step down with a kid in the landing. One blown shoulder and seperated clavical later, I could not get my vibe back. I'm hoping CO mtns can fix that

 

[Pesqueeb]

Wait a minute, I think I see whats going on here. You know Galts Gulch isn't a real place right?

 

[Nick]

I'm definitely in for food/drinks. Let me know when you make plans.

 

[stoney]

Wait a minute, I think I see whats going on here. You know Galts Gulch isn't a real place right?

HAHAHAHAHA

 

[SkaredShtles]

Keep me in the loop as well. My schedule isn't usually very conducive to... well, anything social, but you never know.

 

[stoney]

Likelyhood just went binary. What of this place called Englewood? Nice area? Good riding reasonably close by?

*edit: englewood + littleton apparently = eagleton

 

[Nick]

What of this place called Eagleton?

Never heard of it.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Englewood is too far east IMO. Littleton goes all the way over to the base of the first set of foothills... so it can be a good location.

Is that the location of a job? If so it's likely in the Tech Center. Which is within striking distance of Littleton. Would also be possible to live in other foothill communities and commute to Englewood, but the drive gets worse the further north and west you go.

 

[stoney]

Englewood is too far east IMO. Littleton goes all the way over to the base of the first set of foothills... so it can be a good location.

Is that the location of a job? If so it's likely in the Tech Center. Which is within striking distance of Littleton. Would also be possible to live in other foothill communities and commute to Englewood, but the drive gets worse the further north and west you go.

That's what I was thinking. One of the companies I am looking at is building out a regional hub, and have lots of openings within my pay/skill/experience grade.

 

[SkaredShtles]

That's what I was thinking. One of the companies I am looking at is building out a regional hub, and have lots of openings within my pay/skill/experience grade.

Do they have IT jobs open? If so... hook a bruthah up!

 

[stoney]

I didn't see any, but then again I wasn't looking. If you can handle working for the street, it would be worth the look.

 

[SkaredShtles]

I didn't see any, but then again I wasn't looking. If you can handle working for the street, it would be worth the look.

I don't mind working for the street... as long as I don't have to wear a monkey-suit.

PM me details, n00B!

 

[Nick]

Littleton is nice, and CAN be right smack up against some good riding.
If you're going to keep your off hours and miss the rush hour traffic, the west side of Littleton to the Tech Center wouldn't be too bad. If going 8-5 it could suck balls.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Littleton is nice, and CAN be right smack up against some good riding.
If you're going to keep your off hours and miss the rush hour traffic, the west side of Littleton to the Tech Center wouldn't be too bad. If going 8-5 it could suck balls.

If off-hours are a realistic option, I'd definitely recommend Golden.

 

[Toshi]

My wife just drove around and checked out a few neighborhoods that my sister suggested. These neighborhoods are probably highly relevant to teh Joker's interests:

1. Washington Park. Older layout, older homes, cute little "downtown" area.

2. Lowry. www.lowry.org, converted former air force base. "Cookie cutter" in that it's a newer development over the last 20 years or so, but given that there's a little "Lowry village" with amenities nearby and a nice mix of house price ranges ("100s to millions") within the same greater neighborhood, not out of the question by any means. I favor newer construction anyway for the layout and higher insulation.

3. Stapleton. Converted former airport. Very similar to Lowry only minus the planned-development "village" bit. Kind of out by itself in the middle of a field, but has a nice little greenbelt running through it with multi-use trails, mini parks with play equipment and such similar junk

4. Aurora proper, near the (UC) University med center. While the med center was huge and beautiful, Aurora, or at least what we saw of it, was not. Older construction and high variability from block to block. No cars on blocks in the front yard but not too many steps removed from that. Neither the type of houses nor the type of neighborhood we're interested in.

Finally, to give a ballpark idea of price, we grabbed a few random flyers from houses for sale that we passed while driving by, and one attractive one in Lowry on a small lot (4500 sq ft) measuring 2750 sq ft itself with a 2 car garage was $425k asking price. There was plenty of variation smaller and larger with prices as appropriate.

 

[Nick]

Joker ... have you and the Wifey planned a trip out yet?

 

[bean]

My wife just drove around and checked out a few neighborhoods that my sister suggested. These neighborhoods are probably highly relevant to teh Joker's interests:

1. Washington Park. Older layout, older homes, cute little "downtown" area.

2. Lowry. www.lowry.org, converted former air force base. "Cookie cutter" in that it's a newer development over the last 20 years or so, but given that there's a little "Lowry village" with amenities nearby and a nice mix of house price ranges ("100s to millions") within the same greater neighborhood, not out of the question by any means. I favor newer construction anyway for the layout and higher insulation.

3. Stapleton. Converted former airport. Very similar to Lowry only minus the planned-development "village" bit. Kind of out by itself in the middle of a field, but has a nice little greenbelt running through it with multi-use trails, mini parks with play equipment and such similar junk

4. Aurora proper, near the (UC) University med center. While the med center was huge and beautiful, Aurora, or at least what we saw of it, was not. Older construction and high variability from block to block. No cars on blocks in the front yard but not too many steps removed from that. Neither the type of houses nor the type of neighborhood we're interested in.

Finally, to give a ballpark idea of price, we grabbed a few random flyers from houses for sale that we passed while driving by, and one attractive one in Lowry on a small lot (4500 sq ft) measuring 2750 sq ft itself with a 2 car garage was $425k asking price. There was plenty of variation smaller and larger with prices as appropriate.

Wash Park is the only one of those areas I would be willing to live in. If you're going to be moving to the area, you might also want to check out Bonnie Brae. It's a bit East of Wash Park, between DU and Cherry Creek. It's a cool older neighborhood, maybe slightly more expensive than Wash Park. A 3 bed 2 bath there will typically start in the mid-400s.