Frederick and Firestone (Denver, Fort Collins, Boulder: for sale, buying a house, neighborhood)

[redrotor]

I'm seeing that $250k buys a crapload of house in this area. Is it because it's remote, or what is it? I'm assuming a 2 hour commute to Englewood?

[redrotor]

Nobody lives in or near these communities?

[ymscott]

These areas are up-and-comming. They used to be farming communities, but seem to be growing fast.

In general, that far north of Denver, the communities west of I25 are lower priced.

I'd guess an hour commute to Englewood (less with no traffic, more with). I would not consider it remote, but you may have to commute into longmont for some stuff (if at all... if they don't have multiple supermarkets, they will soon).

I would venture that buying a house out there would be a good investment since it seems like it's growing well.

[redrotor]

Thanks! Any other opinions of this area?

[Tony C]

FYI...
King Soopers, Safeway, Ace and Walgreens are all located in the Tri Towns along with car delerships, an American Furniture Warehouse (opens soon) and Furniture Row.
They will soon be breaking ground on a 1+ million sq ft mall at Hwy 52 & I25
My wife commutes daily to Denver, takes about 40 mins to the Capitol area.

[Ratnikal]

We are thinking of houses up there,too. Example: a recent add house for sale 2200 sq ft finished with 800 sq ft unfinished basement, 4bedroom, 3 bathm, 2 car garage <10yr old house in Frederick was 210,000. Same house in my neck of woods (Louisville, superior) would be minimum 320,000, more likely closer to 400, 000.

Have to get past the commute and average rated schools. I live 4 miles from work now, and to move trhere would be 23 miles.

[jasonh]

My family and I are looking to get out of Southern California this summer. We have family in Longmont and we're seriously considering Frederick or Firestone to buy a home. We want to get a good amount of house and or land for our money and want to be close to Longmont. Any suggestion on subdivisions to look at and or avoid? What is the situation for shopping in the area. WIll we have to go into Longmont for everything? Is there a gym anywhere in the Frederick/Firestone area? What is the school situation like, we have two very young children that will be starting school soon. Any help would be great.

Thanks, Jason

[kgirl]

I currently live in Firestone. If you have family in Longmont and want to live nearby, Firestone could be an ideal location for you. It's a quick drive to get to Longmont and Boulder/Denver/Fort Collins are all within commuting distance. You also get a LOT more house for the money in the area compared to Longmont. You could get something very nice in the $210-$250 range here. The property and sales taxes are also cheaper in Weld county vs. Boulder county. There are 2 major grocery stores in Firestone - King Soopers and Safeway. There is also an Ace hardware and a Walgreens along with a couple of liquor stores and standard restaurants (Starbucks, Subway, pizza, Mexican, etc). You shouldn't need to take a trip to Longmont unless you are searching for a specialty items or something is out of stock in the local stores. Not much for entertainment other than the occasional set at the local coffee house though. Good luck with your search!

I would be careful buying in the older areas of downtown Firestone/Frederick (some areas can be run down) and I would avoid getting too close to I-25 for the highway noise. Other than that I don't know of any subdivisions to avoid. We live in Ridge Crest which is one of the more affordable subdivisions. Most people on our block are couples in the 25-40 age range. Lots of kids in this neighborhood. We have several parks/playgrounds and a dog park within walking distance. We are also close to the elementary and middle schools which could be a real factor if you would like your kids to be able to walk to school. Some of the subdivisions are spread out away from the schools which could involve a longer walk or a bus ride. There is a Curves workout gym for women as well as the local rec center for everyone else. There is also the Firestone trail (an paved old railway line) if you like to jog or rollerblade and a golf course nearby (Saddleback). Can't tell you much about the schools as we don't have kids. Hope that helps.

[cwallace]

Originally Posted by jasonh

My family and I are looking to get out of Southern California this summer. We have family in Longmont and we're seriously considering Frederick or Firestone to buy a home. We want to get a good amount of house and or land for our money and want to be close to Longmont. Any suggestion on subdivisions to look at and or avoid? What is the situation for shopping in the area. WIll we have to go into Longmont for everything? Is there a gym anywhere in the Frederick/Firestone area? What is the school situation like, we have two very young children that will be starting school soon. Any help would be great.

Thanks, Jason

IMHO, St Vrain Ranch is THE neighborhood to live in. It's a quiet yet active neighborhood. The mayor and the police chief both live in St. Vrain Ranch. Neighbors are friendly and respectful. In the middle of the neighborhood is the Prairie Ridge elementary school (you can check it out on greatschools.net) and on the north side is Patterson Park where there are soccer and football practices and games in the Spring and Fall. There's also an annual flag football game played every Thanksgiving morning in Patterson Park that's just alot of fun to watch.

Kids walk to and from school during the week. There is a paved trail system that runs throughout the neighborhood, linking the parks and schools, and there's always walkers, bikers and runners on it. The main Firestone Trail (you can probably google the history on it) runs on the West side of the neighborhood and once in it, you can go for miles, North or South and link up to other trail systems. There's nothing more refreshing than enjoying the fabulous Rocky Mountain view as you walk/jog/bike or skate on the trails. There are parks on the East, West and North side of St. Vrain Ranch and beginning in the 2007, the first part of the 272 acre Central Park just north of the neighborhood and within walking distance of the north side of St. Vrain Ranch will open. This park is going to be the bomb, with the library, a lake with a swim beach, the Firestone Rec Center and other cultural and community centers! You can see photos and a planned map at www.ci.firestone.co.us

Two new elementary schools are slated to open in the next couple years, one charter, one public. A 20 acre recreation park with soccer fields and batting cages, etc. is planned nearby. This is a fabulous growing community without the congestion of city suburbs, where you can recognize people you know wherever you go. There are abundant activities for all ages and recreation within easy distances.

If this sounds a little "ad"-y because it's from my house listing. We unfortunately are moving (husband's job relocation), which has made me really appreciate our house, neighborhood and community that much more.

[jselle]

My family and I will be moving from Minneapolis to North Denver for a job relocation. We are looking at the area around Firestone, Frederick or Erie. I will be working in Downtown Denver. How will the commute times during rush hour be? I work 8:00AM to 5:00PM.

Thanks,
Jason