Please Help!!! (Denver, Fort Collins, Highlands Ranch: for sale, real estate, rental)

[fontana]

My husband and I are moving to the Denver area. His job is based in Greenwood Village. We want to live within a 30-45 minute commute from there(north hopefully). Preferably with good schools, away from the city, and good home builders. We know NOTHING about Denver (or Colorado for that matter) other than it snows and the airport was really bad last year. We currently live in San Antonio, Texas and have never moved anywhere else. We don't know anybody out there. Please help with any information you can give us! We are looking to move between March and June. And we are both very nervous for ourselves and our kids. I would greatly appreciate it.

[Charles]

What is your housing price range?

Can you wait until June so it is less disruptive for their schooling?

Did you research school data?

REALTOR.com - Real Estate Listings & Homes For Sale

[rkb0305]

Any reason you are hoping to live north of Greenwood Village?

[McGowdog]

First of all, last winter was an unusually snowy year for Colorado. We may not see a winter like that for another 10+ years. I would almost bet on that. Almost!

Greenwood Village is in the south part of the Metro area, so I would bet that you may want to look south or maybe west of the Metro area (Castle Rock, Surrey Ridge, Highlands Ranch, Monument, Ken Caryl area or even Deer Creek Canyon, or east in the Parker area). Would others on here agree?

[b.adams]

Greenwood village is quite expensive, too expensive for most. Honestly, most of the housing around the tech center is also rather expensive.

Going North generally gets you into less desirable areas, unless you goal is to live in the city center (of Denver) or somewhere trendy like Wash Park or Cherry Creek (both $$$$). By the time you get to the nicer areas up North, you'll have created a rather long commuting situation ... but why?

I'd agree the suggestions from McGowDog ... you'd have an easier commute from the South side and the areas are generally all nice, school good and demographics good.
I'll admit I have a strong bias for the S. metro area, however.

Really we need to know what your price range would be and whether you have kids, etc. Are you adverse to small lots? Looking for land? Want to raise horses? Friends for the kids a priority?

[COflower]

I lived two blocks (Off Colorado and Orchard) from Greenwood Village in an older but nice townhome complex (Maplewood Way). My neighbors kids went to decent schools there.

Commuting from the north end of the metro area is the s uck. I would recommend the area (now Centennial) to most anyone looking for a nice place to live. Your commute times will be short, the schools are pretty good and housing is pretty reasonable.

Granted I haven't lived there since 1998 but my friend still lives there and while her kids are grown, they've both done well.

I also liked that everything I needed was so close.

[fontana]

Thank you all for your feedback. I want to move north because I have a son that lives with his father in Fort Collins. They just moved there a month ago. So they know nothing about the Denver area. The closer, the better. We are looking to rent a house for a year to feel the areas out but I don't want to commit to an area for a year then be "stuck". Texas is considerably cheaper than Colorado. So price range when we buy, not really sure. I just want a good community with very low crime and good schools. We would be paying rent for a year straight away, but we also have 2 dogs and 2 cats as well as 3 kids. A small house or townhome will not do. Due to family circumstances, we are hoping to move in March. As much as we would love to wait for school to end. But we also have a house here we will be placing on the market.

[patrickmich]

I met a woman once who moved to Northern Colorado from San Antonio. She said she was nervous about the move. The first snow melted her apprehension away. She said
the air had a freshness about it that she had never experienced before. In San Antonio
she said there was always a lingering smell of garbage in the air. The smell in the air
in Colorado made her feel alive.

[Katiana]

DH will be driving to Greenwood Village every day. Presumably, you will only be going to Ft. Collins once a week or so. I would find a home closer to the job. The northern suburbs are pretty far from GV; you may find the city too expensive, then again, maybe not. It may be hard to find something to rent with all your pets.

[brussell]

We were in the same situation, knowing nothing except that we were very pet friendly(weimaraners) and needed to rent for a year...
we found layne and micah and they had a great rental property! (have several in the area) no pet fee at ALL! and great house! rent to own...(if we choose)

not sure how the rules go but I have layne's email address if you want to contact her

we have a 4 bedroom/2 both/large backyard home/freshly repainted/recarpted and clean....for 1200.00 a month...we negotiated the price down too!! (I didnt' know you could do that!) I just remembered that Layne mentioned she went to UT at San Antonio! small world huh???/

Good Luck!
brussell

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