Stapleton Development (Denver, Boulder, Parker: relocation, real estate, travel)

[coloradobound]

I have researched Stapleton and all I can seem to find is a nice community website. What is it like? Schools good or bad? Does the light rail run there? Crime level? Just trying to narrow down my areas for relocation. Thanks!

[2bindenver]

newer neighborhood, infill from the old airport. no light rail. easy access to bus service, stores, community pool, parks.

[coloradobound]

Thank you! Do you know anything about how the crime level or the school districts are there? It is so new I can not seem to find good information.

[2bindenver]

for crime call the denver police department. get the facts from the source of the facts. The Rocky mtn news runs an article every year on crime by zip code. Lowry has it's own zip code but stapleton shares it's zip code with the surrounding area.

you can check the school ratings on the colorado dept of education website http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeassess/index_assess.html

schools are Stapleton, Smiley & George Washington

[SouthDenverGuy]

Stapleton homes have had a high rate of appreciation as it is a very popular place for the young crowd. My experience as a Realtor has been that once young couples have kids and they get to school age they want to move to better school system areas. The crime is too high and schools to lousy for my taste. I have had a lot of interest from empty nesters in Lowry.

[dj32]

Great, well planned community. A couple really nice charter schools, walkable schools going in there. I joke that you shouldn't drink the water if you don't have kids, as you'll have them soon after you move! It is a newer community but I think the schools will only improve as more and more people move there. Great community.

[jazzpiano72]

SouthDenverGuy - and other RE Agents on here,
I'm relocating next month from ATL and was just wondering if you'd be willing to shed some light on good real estate schools in Denver. Did you complete your pre-licensing course(s) in Denver or elsewhere?

It's just kinda hard to gauge what's what just by Googling up schools/courses.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

[2bindenver]

there are many. Emily Griffith, Jones, Armburst...The one I went to in the 1980's is no longer.

If I had to do it over again it would be at Armbrust.

[calbeach95]

We moved to Stapleton 6 weeks ago after escaping 2 years of hurricanes on the FL Gulf Coast and 12 years of SoCal. We have 1st & 11th grade children and did a lot of research on schools here. Outside of Cherry Creek school system you have to evaluate schools individually. The Westerly Creek Elem. here is the best in the Denver Public School system and has the scores to prove it. We are very happy with the teachers and parent participation to keep standards high. We visited many schools with our 11th grader and wished we could have gotten her in the magnet school here but she ultimately passed on a private HS to attend East HS (DPS) and could not be happier. CAVEAT: she is on the AP/Honors track which makes a difference right now, but this school is working hard to bring up the overall school scores. It is considered an inner city school and the diversity is wonderful with a staff of teachers who really seem to enjoy teaching not just getting tenure.

As far as Stapleton, it is a very family oriented community in its infancy with community events growing by the month. Since everyone is new here EVERYONE is very friendly. Predominantly young couples or families with young or no children. Lots of outdoor space and activities. GREAT pools and parks. Convenient to downtown, I-70, airport and Boulder. Seems OK for safety - many people leave their garages open 24/7, but I am not that confident yet. A lot of construction workers here. But it feels safe and there is security/police that drive around regularly. A little known secret: the old Stapleton airport parking deck serves as offsite parking for DIA and you can park there free and pay $6 for the shuttle to DIA. Great for us as we travel for business a lot.

If you want new, affordable (for Denver) and instant community Stapleton is a great place. Just don't expect custom homes! We looked from Parker & HIghlands Ranch to Westminister and really like the close proximity to the city of Denver and all that it has to offer. We missed SoCal for the 2 years we were in NW FL, but Denver REALLY feels like home!

[SouthDenverGuy]

Schools: I feel Jones is the best. I don't care for Armbrust cause Betty A. run classes on the scare factor. She has you thinking that if you breathe you are going to get sued. I avoid her update classes because of this. Once you have your license, you still need to have a game plan for how you are going to compete with 20k plus Realtors in Denver (or 35,000 in Colorado)in a down market.
The school I used was owned by Coldwell-Banker, and was ok. It just blew my mind that everyone thought I was crazy for going to REMAX to start, since I would have to "pay office fees." I planned my biz well and wanted to keep 100% of what I made, not give 50 - 30% away to C-B, Keller Williams, or others.....And the test is the no brainer - easy part.

That is why I said you need to work your tail off and figure out what and how you are going to do real estate. I spent almost a year deciding on that, and who I was going to buy camera, fax machine, phone service, and other products and services from, before I started real estate. Pretend you are opening up a store and ??what are you going to do. Why should anyone buy from you? If you answer that question, or seriously attack it, you are on the way there. I get phone calls from folks that have known me for years and know I started in 3/2003 and have been very successful, by any measure. They have no answer for the above question I ask them, but usually get irritated and than add thay have a great personality. Whoopee! Anyone that deals with the public better have a good personality.
I think real estate is a great business, but you need to have a game plan. Are there ethnic backgrounds you could capitalize on? I have helped 2 guys, one a Muslim from Turkey get going by farming that community. The other, a Russian is doing that as well. Hobbies/Avocations - Are you a sailor, runner, you get the picture - how will you appeal to groups of people? What do have in common with a large anough group to get them to work with you? Folks really like working with someone that has a common interest as they do.
And please learn water law, almost no real estate agents know anything about it - even out in the country. You really need to know as much as you can in our climate and with our population growth. I have taken 24 hrs of courses in the last three years in water law. Everytime I sell a horse property, I am amazed at the lack of knowledge the listing agents have.
This is where Betty A. and I part company. She is shrill about disclosing to buyers how you can represent them. I agree in that disclosure, but the most important thing in representing a client is competance, and protecting your client's interest.
......... I expect a lot of flak over this post, but that is my view!
PS, I am from Atlanta 10 yrs ago and get a lot of good natured kidding about "mah ahscent!"