Is there any "country living" near Denver? (Lakewood: neighborhoods, buy)

[orangehummingbird]

My husband and I would like to move to the Denver area in the next couple years. What we're looking for may not exist, but I'm hoping for some suggestions and feedback.

Ideally, we'd like to live in an area where we could get some land. We'd like 2+ acres, enough room to have a couple horses and some chickens. We don't want to be too far from a city though (more than 40-50 miles) for work purposes. Finding a job isn't too difficult, he's an emergency dispatcher and I'm a paramedic so there's always work. We're not rich and we never will be doing what we do, so we'll need something that's not too expensive. We have a 3 month old, so good schools and family friendly living are a must.

Our preference would be to stay close to Denver, but we're open to areas like Fort Collins too.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated! Thanks!

[Mike from back east]

You CAN find that setting, out east of Denver on the plains, or maybe down in Franktown or Elizabeth, which are not too far off the I-25 corridor. Lots of rural areas around Fort Collins too.

Price matters.

Be sure to carefully check water issues wherever you consider as there are usage restrictions in some areas.

[sunsprit]

You'll also find such settings along the corridors North of Denver ...

We had 12 acres just outside Erie, in Weld County ... where we kept our horses, poultry, etc. Surrounded by many acres of open spaces or abandoned rail rights of way to ride our horses, it was quite rural, and yet only minutes away from I-25 at 35 minutes to Denver metro area.

Similarly, there are lots of properties that are rural as you head up North along the Hwy 85 corridor, and much more affordable than the Franktown/Eliazbeth county areas South of Denver. As well, check out the I-70 corridor East of Denver, or look into the foothills areas SW of Denver along Hwy 285.

You'll not lack for options to fit your requirements at a wide range of price points.

[livecontent]

You should be aware a very important issue that the weather can be very severe and the highways are closed, more often than you would realize--and there are not that many highways. Just a few days ago, I-70 east of Denver was closed due to severe wind. With winter weather coming, it becomes more of a problem with snow. Understand I am not talking 40-50 miles from Denver, I am talking about locations even much closer.

Do not think you can take the side roads when the highway and main roads are closeds. They are very dangerous and in some areas just do not have that access like the highway or the main road, in the plains and especially in the mountains canyons.

Also, do not think that because you have the biggest and toughest 4 wheel drive that you can cruise easily to work--that is another fallacy. The roads would still be closed and a 4 wheel is not going to prevent you from sliding all the way on the plains or "down" the mountains.

Being an paramedic and an emergency dispatcher means that you would have to get to work, more so than other workers, as you know.

There are areas that are close that have good country living but with 2 acres but it is going to be expensive. You are "not rich" and you need something "not too expensive" and you want to have even the high cost of maintaining horses I suggest you bring down your expections and desires; save money for yourself and your children. Perhaps in the future, you will be able to afford your "pipe dream".

Maybe this is not the answer you want to hear, but reality is reality. This is just a thought.

Livecontent

[cowboyxjon]

A compromise may be Lakewood. You won't get two acres, but there are some properties scattered throughout Lakewood that still have a very rural feel, complete with people who have animals. For instance, I'm pretty sure there are some properties along Morrison Road between Kipling and Wadsworth that have horses and at least look like farm-type properties.

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by cowboyxjon

A compromise may be Lakewood. You won't get two acres, but there are some properties scattered throughout Lakewood that still have a very rural feel, complete with people who have animals. For instance, I'm pretty sure there are some properties along Morrison Road between Kipling and Wadsworth that have horses and at least look like farm-type properties.

You are correct. There are many such properties interspersed in these older suburbs that have some land sufficient to be zoned as horse properties. Some are very close to buildup areas, as they were zoned with larger properties many years ago when the areas where more rural. You can find them in addition to Lakewood in Wheat Ridge, Arvada, Westminster, Arvada and Golden. There are some in unincorporated Jefferson County in the Southwest and just on the edge of Lakewood. There are even older horse properties located in Denver, with more being in and around the farther southwest neighborhoods of Fort Logan and Marston.

West Arvada has many horse properties with even a public park equestrian center with numerous trails. There are even properties, in and around where I live off Sheridan, and I live only 6 miles from Union Station.

You can find many properties farther out in Boulder County in and around Louisville and Lafayette and many more near Parker. All relatively close to Denver.

However, the big issue is that these properties are not cheap. Property is expensive here, especially closer the Denver.

Livecontent

[orangehummingbird]

Livecontent: You're right, it probably is a pipe dream, but it can't hurt to at least look, I figure.

Thanks everybody for all the helpful advice! I appreciate it!

[vegaspilgrim]

See my photo tour for pictures of what the "country" east of Denver looks like: I-70 small towns east of Denver -- PHOTO TOUR

[davebarnes]

Bailey - Bailey, Colorado - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "Bailey is located at 39°24′18″N 105°28′20″W (39.404897,-105.472183), in the foothills of the Front Range, approximately 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Denver along U.S. Highway 285"

Conifer - Conifer, Colorado - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Morrison - Morrison, Colorado - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Drive south on 285 and take note of who the realtors are on the selling side. Most likely, they can help on the buy side.

[LemonYellow]

I know people that have hobby farms in Parker, Lakewood, Arvada, Golden, Fort Collins, Loveland and Erie.

You can find it anywhere if you look hard enough.


Try going on the realtor.com site and typing in what you want and see what comes up!