Need some direction/advice re: Relocation (Denver, Aurora: rentals, buying a house, transfer)

[GoalieMom31]

My husband, son, and I have decided to move to the Denver area this summer (we currently live in Iowa). My husband works from home and travels a lot, so we need to keep somewhat close to the airport (about 30 minutes). His company has an office on Meridian Blvd in Englewood, but he will not have to commute on a regular basis.

I am currently attending school full time and would like to attend pharmacy school in a year. I work as a pharmacy technician and I can transfer with the company that I currently work for.

My son will be 12 and going into 7th grade. He has been brought up in parochial schools, so I am extra cautious in picking a public school. Any recommendations (public and/or private)? I have already snooped around these boards and looked at GreatSchools.org, but I was hoping for recommendations geared towards our specific situation. In addition to school, my son plays hockey. We would like to get him onto a AAA team, but we are open to AA as well. (Open to input there as well!)

Due to our current situation, finances will be somewhat restricted, which rules out buying a house. Besides, we are so busy that we wouldn't have the extra time for normal upkeep/maintenance. From what I have read, rentals are incredibly difficult to find at an affordable price and in a good neighborhood. Do you still see this as a problem? I need to keep the rent below $1500/month and would need a 2 bedroom (although I would prefer a 3 bedroom, or 2 + a loft, just extra space for a home office and a place for friends and family to stay when they visit) and would IDEALLY prefer at least a 1.5 bath since I don't care to fight over who gets to use the bathroom first.

So, knowing our situation, what areas/neighborhoods and schools would you recommend?

Thanks in advance for your help!

[davidv]

Originally Posted by GoalieMom31

My husband, son, and I have decided to move to the Denver area this summer (we currently live in Iowa). My husband works from home and travels a lot, so we need to keep somewhat close to the airport (about 30 minutes). His company has an office on Meridian Blvd in Englewood, but he will not have to commute on a regular basis.

Meridian is pretty far south - near I-25 and E-470 (toll road). DIA is pretty far north and east (20 min commute is limiting).

Originally Posted by GoalieMom31

I am currently attending school full time and would like to attend pharmacy school in a year. I work as a pharmacy technician and I can transfer with the company that I currently work for.

Pharmacy school will either be at the University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora or at Regis University in north Denver.

Originally Posted by GoalieMom31

My son will be 12 and going into 7th grade. He has been brought up in parochial schools, so I am extra cautious in picking a public school. Any recommendations (public and/or private)? I have already snooped around these boards and looked at GreatSchools.org, but I was hoping for recommendations geared towards our specific situation. In addition to school, my son plays hockey. We would like to get him onto a AAA team, but we are open to AA as well. (Open to input there as well!)

I don't know a whole lot about the hockey scene, but I am pretty sure that the Colorado Thunderbirds are the only AAA team in the metro area, and that there are no AAA teams for players under age 16.

Here are links to the competitive hockey leagues in the area:

Colorado Amateur Hockey Assoc.
Colorado Competitive Youth Hockey League

Tryouts for some of the teams will take place in May for next year.

Originally Posted by GoalieMom31

Due to our current situation, finances will be somewhat restricted, which rules out buying a house. Besides, we are so busy that we wouldn't have the extra time for normal upkeep/maintenance. From what I have read, rentals are incredibly difficult to find at an affordable price and in a good neighborhood. Do you still see this as a problem? I need to keep the rent below $1500/month and would need a 2 bedroom (although I would prefer a 3 bedroom, or 2 + a loft, just extra space for a home office and a place for friends and family to stay when they visit) and would IDEALLY prefer at least a 1.5 bath since I don't care to fight over who gets to use the bathroom first.

So, knowing our situation, what areas/neighborhoods and schools would you recommend?

Thanks in advance for your help!

The $1500/month rent is limiting, but I would recommend Denver. Stapleton or Lowry would be ideal. It has an ice rink, decent public schools (though I might recommend parochial school), near CU and accessible to Regis and the airport, but you might not get anything in the price range. Southeast Denver would work okay, but you could rule out going to Regis. Centennial would be good (two hockey rinks), excellent schools (Cherry Creek SD or Littleton SD), but access to pharm schools sucks, and airport is just outside the 30 min range (remember, airport is very far out of town).

[GoalieMom31]

Thank you so much for the quick reply and all of the information!!