Nederland/Boulder living (Denver, Evergreen, Mead: real estate, broker, how much)

[andybuildz]

This is my second (maybe more??) attempt at finding out more about the areas between Boulder and Nederland. I caught myself hijacking a woman's thread who was asking about schools in Nederland so I deleted my post and started this thread.
Once our house sells here on Long Island in NY my wife and myself would like to move to the Boulder area. Our daughters are grown with one living in SF and the younger starting college in NYC (SVA) in the Fall. We are free at last...lol...to move our lives away from LI and to a place more suited to us...hopefully.
We are both very liberal which was why we chose Boulder among some other reasons...the obvious being how beautiful the mtns can be. That brings me to "the mountains". While Boulder isn't in the mountains it's close enough to commute to when we feel the desire/need. The need I think would be for my work. I've been doing renovations/building(all phases) for over 30 years and would love to restart up my biz in an and around the mtn areas. While I might love to be even more rural the reality is...I need to be around people with some money obviously to keep a business going. What I don't want to be around is "Snootville USA". I'm already there on the North Shore of LI and thats what I want to get away from!! I'd like to be where people appreciate a craftsman more than what something costs. Too many people around where I am now care more about whats on the cover of a book than whats inside it if you know what I mean and in the end...the money they may have saved comes back to haunt them more times than not.

I also do have to say the prices I've always charged have always been more than fair..thats what keeps me working. I'm not looking to get rich...I'm just looking to stay comfortable and continue to do the work I love so much.

I've heard some good and bad things about the Nederland area. The wind was one of the negatives. That the Nederland area was worse than most areas in the vicinity when it came to that. I have however had some posters explain to me that just about everywhere at the base of the mtns can be equally hard to deal with when it comes to the winds. Is it really that bad?

The schools are important to me for varies reasons. I do want to buy into a good SD because there's a good chance I'd buy something to renovate and resell like I have been doing here on LI (see my website in my profile if you want). We live in them for several years until its complete and then move onto the next project but within that timespan I also do projects for customers on their homes as well.

Thats one of the things that brought me to the Nederland/Boulder area.
The ultimate for us would be some acreage and not to be so much in a "neighborhood" per se'. I also don't want to spend over 700's (less is best). The worse condition the house the better for me if that gets me a great location that already has water, electric,etc and a lil' shack to start out in. I love challenges, but realistic ones.

I do know we'll need to take several trips to the area once our house is sold and scope it all out but in the interim....
I'm curious about the economy there right now...the school districts and the mindset of the people in the area.
My wife needs her tennis fix too..a "huge" part of her life. She doesn't care about fancy clothes, cars or jewelry but she needs her tennis . Currently she's been a real estate broker here on LI the past 25(ish) years full time.

Thanks everyone.
andy

[TropicanaRose]

Hi Andy. It sounds to me like you would be very at home in Ned, but you might be smarter to move to Boulder. Nederland is going to look very different in a few years after massive beetle kill, and the fire danger is going to be enormous. I'm a native, I love the mountains, and you'd have to give me property there right now- I wouldn't buy it. My folks live in the mountains, and have put a lot of effort into trying to prepare and protect their land, but there's only so much that you can do.

Things around here certainly are less "snooty" than what you describe in NY, but we have a few of those types around Boulder. Boulder is a very affluent community, and because of our growth limits, people really do look to gorgeously renovated existing homes here. There's a market for your craftmanship, but there's stiff competition for it as well, just as there is for everyone that lives here.

BVSD is an excellent school district, but not without it's issues. School choice and the closure of neighborhood schools in North Boulder are big issues.

I don't know a thing about tennis. Moms played tennis at the Meadows Club when I was growing up, but I can't think of anyone who plays now. Hopefully someone with tennis connections will come along. I do see people playing at the public courts at Chautauqua.

[jkcoop]

Originally Posted by TropicanaRose

Nederland is going to look very different in a few years after massive beetle kill, and the fire danger is going to be enormous. I'm a native, I love the mountains, and you'd have to give me property there right now- I wouldn't buy it. My folks live in the mountains, and have put a lot of effort into trying to prepare and protect their land, but there's only so much that you can do.

Kind of what I mentioned when you posted earlier. It is a definite concern.

We have friends who are heavily involved in tennis and tennis tournaments in Boulder. They play at the courts at the Millinium Harvest House:

Boulder Hotel with a Swimming Pool, Fitness Centre

I know it's a hotel and online it's just like that's all - but they have some sort of club for locals. So that would be a good place to call.

[brandy77]

You should move to Duluth, MN.

[andybuildz]

Brandy-Duluth, MN?? Closest I plan on getting there is The Duluth Trading Company Catologue...but thanks anyway...I think : )
And hey...I don't even think Dylan wants to go back too often...lol


JK-Thanks..I did notice that tennis club..or should I say my wife did. I think she said she was surprised how many good players there were that played from the hotel. She looked on the USTA stat charts for that club.

TR-..yeh JK warned me of those beetles a bit ago. Guess thats something to keep in the front of my mind!! Sounds like a major concern not to be taken lightly. It's always sumpin' isn't it? Tween' the fires and the beetles...hmmmm.

[suzco]

Originally Posted by andybuildz

Brandy-Duluth, MN?? Closest I plan on getting there is The Duluth Trading Company Catologue...but thanks anyway...I think : )
And hey...I don't even think Dylan wants to go back too often...lol


JK-Thanks..I did notice that tennis club..or should I say my wife did. I think she said she was surprised how many good players there were that played from the hotel. She looked on the USTA stat charts for that club.

TR-..yeh JK warned me of those beetles a bit ago. Guess thats something to keep in the front of my mind!! Sounds like a major concern not to be taken lightly. It's always sumpin' isn't it? Tween' the fires and the beetles...hmmmm.

You really do need to visit; if you really want the "mountains" in Boulder there are many other areas to look at as well. You will want to look at homes in Pinebrook Hills, up Lee Hill Rd, and Left Hand Canyon, and Sunshine Canyon, up Boulder Canyon, and Sugarloaf, and Boulder Heights, Jamestown, etc. Since you mentioned caring about schools, even though you won't have kids in school, you should be aware these areas are all in BVSD.

[jkcoop]

Originally Posted by andybuildz

JK-Thanks..I did notice that tennis club..or should I say my wife did. I think she said she was surprised how many good players there were that played from the hotel. She looked on the USTA stat charts for that club.

Yes, our friends who are part of that club are take their tennis extremely seriously. And during the winter the kids ski for the Eldora Ski team. They live up Sunshine Canyon.....

[Neditate]

Originally Posted by andybuildz

I've heard some good and bad things about the Nederland area. The wind was one of the negatives. That the Nederland area was worse than most areas in the vicinity when it came to that. I have however had some posters explain to me that just about everywhere at the base of the mtns can be equally hard to deal with when it comes to the winds. Is it really that bad?

andy

Yes, Andy. Unfortunately the winds ARE that bad. I've lived in Colorado for 26 years; 15 in Boulder and the past 11 in Nederland. We have an incredible view of the Continental Divide from our home. Therefore we have to live with the wind. This year has been much worse than any in recent memory. The highest gust we recorded was 92 mph in October (we are weather spotters for the NWS). The wind typically starts up in October and usually quiets down in April.
But Boulder definitely gets the wind too... any of the front range cities will have wind. That is part of living near the mountains.

But the summers... ahhh the summers up here are awesome. Never gets too hot. No need for A/C.

The nice thing about Nederland is that there is a town. It's not much to look at but it has all the necessities. When you live in such areas as Sugarloaf, Boulder Heights, Sunshine Canyon, you have to go to Boulder for food, gas, etc. (the upper Sugarloaf folks come to Ned). We looked at all of those areas before we chose to buy a home here.

Anyway, if you have any specific questions about Nederland feel free to ask.

[Katiana]

Would certainly second suzco's suggestion to visit. You could probably buy a house to fit your needs in your price range. I'm not sure about the business plan. There are people up in the mtns with plenty of money to spend, but I'm not sure you'd get the volume you need. You might need to set up shop in Boulder.

The BVSD encompasses all of southern Boulder County. Take a look at their website, Boulder Valley School District - Home Page

[andybuildz]

Originally Posted by Katiana

Would certainly second suzco's suggestion to visit. You could probably buy a house to fit your needs in your price range. I'm not sure about the business plan. There are people up in the mtns with plenty of money to spend, but I'm not sure you'd get the volume you need. You might need to set up shop in Boulder.

The BVSD encompasses all of southern Boulder County. Take a look at their website, Boulder Valley School District - Home Page

Katiana...First off I bet you don't getthe same jokes about your name that my wife does...her's is Katrina....it crosses my mind though every time I see you name..lol.
Regarding "setting up shop" as you put it...regarding my home renovations & restoration biz goes. My true intention was that where I prefere to live is on sme property with great views and settings directly around me where I could build a timber frame barn and home (my newest interest is timber framing and saw milling both of which I haven't done much of "yet") for my shop and some small animlas or whatever...an organic vegtable garden like I'd always had in the past and for the land to be affordable. Maybe $3-4-500,000 +-. Hopefully with just "something/anything" already there to live in while I build my timber frame home (not log cabin). Nothing really big...maybe 2000-2500 sq ft +- minted out to the max with all my handiwork I'd perfected through out my years. Something I might not think of selling this go around. Something I'd build "for me" this time. Thing is....I do need money to live being the only savings we have is all the money we've always invested in what I do...."the house" that we usually sell after its completed which takes an average of five years for me.
Thats one of the reasons I chose an area towards the mountains FROM Boulder and the other populated towns like golden and Denver etc etc because I figure thats where I could as you put it..."set up shop"...where the money is in renovation work. Am I correct or is that a pipe dream.
5-6 years back before we bought the Goose Hill rd property you can see in my website in my profile we bid on some land in Sebastopol California and I "think" we may have been lucky NOT to have gotten an accepted offer (although 2-3 years later I see the the seller DID eventually sell for just about what we had offered).
What I eventually discovered was that in the Sebastopol Ca. area...in spite of the cost of the houses $$$$ most people didn't do renovations on their homes quite as much as they do here in NY or actually....even close!!! Maybe because "house" isn't as important to them for the most part. Maybe when the weather is "perfect" almost all year long they spend a whole lot more time outside and also away from their houses then they do around here....I donno the reason...but most all the houses we looked at seem so dated.
I was thinking in the more populated areas within 10-30 minutes of the foothills of Boulder and that whole area from there south people could keep me busy doing what I do. Think thats so?
I don't "need" to be IN Nederland but it did seem like there were possibilities there or even just east of there. From looking at the map and reading through City Data Evergreen also seemed to have similar qualties but seemed much further away from Boulder and Boulder seemed to be a more interesting place to wander into and work on a more daily basis.

Neditate- First of all I love your name...LOL and secondly thanks for the truthfullness about the winds. I wonder how much that'd bother me? Reckon it'd be best to come and experiance that for myself when the time comes.
Thanks for all the info so far
andy~~from where the weathers never as severe..........as the taxes...ouchh