Looking for areas with "character" - will rent before buying (Denver: real estate, rental)

[fermina15]

My husband and I currently live in Southern California and spent last weekend researching Boulder neighborhoods to relocate with our 2-yr. old son, for many reasons (cleaner, less crowded, outdoors activities nearby, better for expanding his business). I am a stay-at-home mom with a work from home consulting business and he has his own business, so we could live anywhere near a major airport.

I was surprised to find that "older home" often meant 1970's-1990's tract homes . . . I definitely prefer historic homes or new homes with architectural character (like the new Craftsman style). I also like being able to walk a lot, i.e. take my kid in the stroller to the local coffee shop, to the drycleaner, etc., and want a safe neighborhood where there are other stay-at-home moms I can hang out with.

We really liked three areas: 1) neighborhoods in west Boulder, closer to the mountains (Mapleton Hill, Chatauqua, Knollwood, etc. - I'm not sure of all the names) 2) old town Louisville and 3) Spanish Hills (although this was my least favorite because it was lacking the walkability factor).

Are there any other specific neighborhoods we should also look at? Are there any major downsides to any of the above areas?

Real estate prices seemed to be all over the place-- we think (and hope) that they will come down quite a bit within a year or two--so we want to rent first before jumping in. What are rents like in these areas?

Thank you!!!

[DressageRider]

I was looking for many of the same characteristics as you and I picked Old Town Longmont. (Boulder's nicer neighborhoods were out of our price range, and I found Louisville too tiny.) There are lots of really great houses both in the east side and west side historic districts. We love that we can walk to the post office, library, several cafes, pubs, restaurants. Our neighborhood is filled with young couples just starting families.
We live in a Craftsman bungalow, but there a lot of Victorians and four squares as well. Really great houses.
Feel free to message me if you like.

[Neditate]

One of my favorites areas is the Whittier neighborhood in central Boulder. The neighborhood encompasses the area between Bluff Street to the North, Canyon Boulevard to the South, 28th Street to the East, and Broadway to the West. It is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Boulder and Whittier Elementary school is the oldest continuing operating school in the state. Many homes are the Craftsman bungalow style, some Victorians. It's within walking distance of downtown. It's a great family area with little hidden parks on quiet streets with large trees. I loved living there.
You might find this website helpful regarding different areas of Boulder: Boulder Neighborhoods | Boulder Real Estate Information
I would not count on real estate prices dropping too much. I'm not a real estate expert but I have several friends in the business. Boulder is a pretty stable market even in this economy.

[Bradburn1]

Agree with all posters, those areas are very nice! You might also take a gander at my neighborhood, Bradburn Village in Westminster (20 minute drive to Boulder, 45 minute drive to DIA). It has brand new houses built with character--new Craftsman, farmhouse, Victorian, Tudor (only one of those at the moment), French Country (also only one, a custom not yet finished), and Praire style.

Prices much lower than in Boulder county, the neighborhood is a new urbanist, walkable neighborhood FILLED with kids and stay at home moms (and some dads!). Can walk to 10 parks, including one very large one with great playground equipment and we have 9 neighborhood parks of our own. Also can walk to stores, restaurants, services and the great new organic grocery store, Sprouts. Also backs to huge open space where you can run, bike, walk across to the city library. Great pool open in summer and constant neighborhood events (next event is the chili cook-off), and kids running everywhere.

Neighborhood is super, super social though, it's like a small town where everyone knows each other, so if you don't ever want to talk to or see your neighbors, not a good choice. Has a mix of people, but mostly couples from 30-45 with kids under age 10.

Feel free to send me a private message if you have specific questions about the neighborhood.

[esya]

Many realtors and property management companies have websites in Colorado, check on the web for some rental prices and put in an application for a house or two--there are many looking for lease tenants. As far as age of house, you don't know the history of Colorado.

Most of Colorado was small wooden housing until the gold rush, then there were some mansions and nicer older homes, but not necessarily a lot in Boulder. Most of the front range got its big housing boost after WWII which means post craftsman in many cases. A forties house IS old by Colorado standards. The housing tends to be in decades: a number of 1890s Victorians in some neighborhoods (not green with energy efficiency), then post WWI 1920s, then post WWII early fifties, then smattering of anything else, then some 1980s as you move to the burbs, and so on. I live in a 1985 house in central Denver and looked 11 months to find something that was not victorian, 1920s, craftsman, or a ranch.

[fermina15]

Thank you all. I will definitely check out these additional areas. I should mention that the homes I like do not HAVE to be historic, but I appreciate interesting architecture, and details that are often lacking in newer homes. I also like all the nice, new amenities, which probably makes me a very picky buyer. But I figure if we're going to work our butts off for our "dream home" then why settle?

Does anyone have an info on some of the newer Craftsman-style homes I saw in Old Louisville? I think they were around McKinley (pretty sure that was the street name). Are these a new development from a builder, or are these mostly the result of people going in and remodeling existing homes? Any idea on price ranges for these?

[Bradburn1]

For new homes with character, the best places to check are the new urbanist neighborhoods since having character is one of the things that separates these neighborhoods from the standard beige tract neighborhood. Here's a few in the areas you are looking:

Prospect New Town (has modern homes and traditional architecture, drive around) in Longmont. All homes are custom. Single family homes starting in the 500s up to 1 million.

Holiday neighborhood in Boulder--some traditional architecture, homes starting in the 500s but get less house for the money as it's in Boulder

Iris Hollow in Boulder-small neighborhood, not really mixed use but cute houses starting in the 400s for the smallest ones range 400-900, no new building occuring.

Bradburn Village in Westminster. Can build custom any traditional style you like ranging from 600s-over 1 mil. Also 2 production builders houses range from 350-700. About 40 lots left to build new.

Farther away from Boulder but much closer to the airport--Stapleton in Denver.

Love Louisville btw, great town.

[DressageRider]

Bradburn1 beat me to it, but if you are interested in new homes with really interesting design, check out Prospect New Town in Longmont: Welcome to Prospect New Town!

[Bradburn1]

LOL. But seriously, prepare yourself. Prospect New Town in unlike any other neighborhood in America. People either love it or hate it. And bring sunglasses.

[DressageRider]

Originally Posted by Bradburn1

LOL. But seriously, prepare yourself. Prospect New Town in unlike any other neighborhood in America. People either love it or hate it. And bring sunglasses.

One of my favorite things about it is the color schemes!

But no, definitely not for everyone.