Thinking Of Moving To Colorado (Denver, Lakewood: sale, apartments, renting)

[ihavenonamez]

My Husband and I are thinking of moving to Colorado. We are looking at Lakewood area. We are takin a trip in March to check out as much of Colorado as we could in a week.
I just need some Honest Imput on cities around Lakewood area.. and I guess Colorado all around. I have a 2 year old daughter so I would like to live near a good school.
I heard to stay away from Colfax street in Lakewood..

If any of you have good honest suggestions on neighborhood and if you can post pictures that would be awesome.. Thanks.


This is my first time using this Forum.. Forgive me if I Dont post it in the right place.. Thanks Again..

[jazzlover]

Do you have a job in hand here? If not--BAD IDEA. People should not even think of moving here unless they have a job in hand first. I've posted this probably a hundred times, and I will continue to answer posts like this with this same response.

[CosmicWizard]

Unless you can handle big time stress and/or living on the edge gets you high, you are well advised to follow jazzlovers advice to the T. Get the job first, then think about the dreamy stuff later. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

[smdensbcs]

I'll add my own corollary to the well-worn Don't Move to Colorado Without a Job In Hand theorum. I suggest you don't move without EITHER a job in hand OR sufficient financial reserves to last a reasonable amount of time until you DO find a job. Obtaining a job in Colorado (or anywhere really, but particularly in Colorado) when you aren't physically here is borderline impossible. It's hard enough when you're actually here, but applying blind from out-of-state you might as well forget about it, unless it's some sort of military/govt transfer.

I just think its too simple (and convenient) to scare everyone off with the "DMtCWaJ." Everybody has their own unique situation. If someone is searching for a job in another state (in which they DON'T want to live), has either family in CO or sufficient savings to ride out their job-search, and wants/needs to be in CO, aren't they better off relocating here and being physically present for their job search rather than 1000+ miles away? And by that I mean aren't THEY better off (not aren't YOU "CO natives who don't want any more inmigration" better off).

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by smdensbcs

I'll add my own corollary to the well-worn Don't Move to Colorado Without a Job In Hand theorum. I suggest you don't move without EITHER a job in hand OR sufficient financial reserves to last a reasonable amount of time until you DO find a job. Obtaining a job in Colorado (or anywhere really, but particularly in Colorado) when you aren't physically here is borderline impossible. It's hard enough when you're actually here, but applying blind from out-of-state you might as well forget about it, unless it's some sort of military/govt transfer.

I just think its too simple (and convenient) to scare everyone off with the "DMtCWaJ." Everybody has their own unique situation. If someone is searching for a job in another state (in which they DON'T want to live), has either family in CO or sufficient savings to ride out their job-search, and wants/needs to be in CO, aren't they better off relocating here and being physically present for their job search rather than 1000+ miles away? And by that I mean aren't THEY better off (not aren't YOU "CO natives who don't want any more inmigration" better off).

Sure, if one has a year-plus of living expenses in the bank, it makes a job search a little less dire and stressful--maybe one will be fortunate enough to secure a job within that time. Or not.

And, quite frankly, there a lot of "newbie" Coloradans who moved here during the "bubble" of the last few years who are leaving the state with their tails between their legs after finding out just how brutal the economy here has become for them. I see that firsthand every day. It's especially true in the rural areas of the state, but I suspect it's happening in the metro areas, too.

[CosmicWizard]

smdensbcs wrote:

I just think its too simple (and convenient) to scare everyone off with the "DMtCWaJ."

My comments are not intended as a scare tactic to keep people out of Colorado. I am a firm believer that we can all live wherever we want to live...as long as we can find a way to do it, without being a drag on the local economy. IMO, having a dream ( building castles in the air ) is a good thing as long as you can put a foundation under it as Henry David Thoreau suggests.

I myself have only been in Colorado for 4.5 years this time around. My wife and I moved from the east coast, with neither one of us having jobs. BUT, that was back in the go go days of '06, AND we had a sizeable chunk of cash from the sale of our home. We could have lived comfortably for quite a few years with both of us being unemployed. But lady luck was smiling upon us and we both found good jobs soon after our arrival. In fact '10 was one of the best income years of my life. So I'm aware that not everyone is suffering. Anyone else moving into Colorado could luck out just like I did, but I believe the odds of that happening are much lower in this current economy.

I can't say this with absolute certainty, but I honestly don't think that I'd move from Virginia Beach to Colorado with no job offer in todays economy...even if I had the same pile of cash I had in '06 to tide me over for a few years. Since I hit the big 6 OH in '09, I'm noticably more risk averse, less adventurous, and more conservative in my outlook.

[smdensbcs]

Originally Posted by CosmicWizard

I honestly don't think that I'd move from Virginia Beach to Colorado with no job offer in todays economy...even if I had the same pile of cash I had in '06 to tide me over for a few years.

Fair enough. I'm simply pointing out that each person has their own unique situation and while the "have a job lined up first" line is generally sensible, it's also not entirely realistic for most people. I suspect you and your wife could not have "lined-up" the jobs you found in CO had you lingered in Virginia Beach hoping someone in CO would hire you. You had to physically be here meeting people, etc.

I'm not encouraging people to build castles in the sky nor quit their solid dependable job in "Miserably Crowded State A" to move to "Idyllic No-Sprawl CO State B" without a job. I'm just observing that some people may have some money saved up, no job in State A, no desire to live in State A, and it just might actually be sensible for them to physically move to State B if they actually want to live here long-term. Seems far more sensible to pursue a job search (or start a business) where you actually want to live than where you don't.

Nobody said a long-distance move is supposed to be easy. Wasn't easy for the pilgrims. Wasn't easy for the wagon-trainers. Risk was involved. The prize was the opportunity for a better life in a (perceived) better place. Our entire national heritage is premised on this concept of having freedom and opportunity to put yourself in the place you want to be. Part of this freedom is the freedom to fail; to put tail between legs and slink back to grandparent's basement in State A if necessary.

And for the Original Poster, I haven't lived in metro Denver in over 10 years, but I generally found the west-side of Denver to be pleasant. Denver is a "big-city" though, and you should physically inspect and be comfortable with a neighborhood you're considering living. That will probably involve at least one physical trip/visit. Also, I'd suggest renting a house or apartment for at least six months before buying, if you're in a position to buy. That would give you plenty of time and flexibility.

[Bucketfoot]

As others have asked, do you already have a job in place here? If so, where is it located?

I don't think you want to get yourself set in any one location (such as Lakewood) without factoring in where your job will be located.

[davidv]

One of the issues I have with the forum is the unsolicited advice about whether or not you should move to a new location. I am going to assume that your decision to move is just that--your decision. In that vein, I am going to answer your question.

I would consider the area of Lakewood that is south of Jewell and west of Wadsworth to be generally the nicest part of Lakewood.

Bear Creek K-8 School is one of the best schools in Jefferson County. It is located in southern Lakewood at about Kipling Pkwy and Dartmouth Ave. You can find its attendance area here.

The area also has a variety of price levels for homes and apartments.