Relocating to Denver soon

[steveindenver]

If you like Park Hill and want the amenities you mentioned with the only good Denver Public Shools close buy, Stapleton is really your only option.

For now the default Stapleton highschool is George Washington, which outside of the IBS program is not very good. You can apply for the Science and Tech school which is in Stapleton or the Performing arts school which is very close, or East High which is about the same distance as GW and has a better reputation, or wait it out until the Stapleton High is built.

Odds are the Stapleton Highschool like the elementary will be one of the best in the state as at least for now parent involvement is high.

We put our 16 year old in a private Catholic school nearby and the young ones will be entering into the public system.

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by dylanhk

Hi, my family of four will be relocating to Denver in the next few months. I will be working in the East, Englewood, CO (80112) area. I know nothing about that particular area, even its distance from downtown. I have started researching the city, but was curious if anyone would share some ideas on places to live. I am interested in buying/renting in a nice communtiy having a commute of no more than 30 minutes. My wife is a teacher, but will be a stay at home for a few years with the 2 little ones. Good schools are important as my youngest will start in 2 years, and my wife may want to start back to teaching. A nice communtiy to me, is something master planned or already established that offers some selection in restaurants, shopping, and access to some entertainment (movie theaters). We would like a home 2400+ sq ft with some yard or access to play areas for the kids. I appreciate any comments.

I have looked at the zip code 80112 and I worked at a company in this area. Even though this is an Englewood Address--it is not in the city of Englewood. It is in Arapahoe County and would be closer to the City of Centennial. Centennial is new and was form from areas of unicorporated Arapahoe. It extends from the older city of Englewood to the West to newer areas in South Aurora and South to shopping and the wealthy areas of Lonetree.

I would disagree with the suggestions of Stapelton, and Park Hill as the places to live--they are way too far from your place of employment. I would consider Centennial. It has very nice neighborhoods, some new and some established.

The school system is Arapahoe County and is very good. I have been through the area often and I had a relative live there and the children went to the school system--they were satisfied. Go to the Centennial Website and explore this city Centennial, CO - Official Website.

A nice area that I would consider would be around the redeveloped Southglenn Mall. Centennial, CO - Official Website - The Streets at Southglenn
This was always a good area; it is just that they are moving changing the mall to the new concepts of "city street" shopping--as you see in many areas.

Keep in mind that Centennial is served by a Light Train Station on Dry Creek. Dry Creek runs through the city west to east and there are many fine homes in this area.

If you live anywhere in Centennial, you will be within minutes of your place of employment. Check out Public Transportation The Regional Transportation District Home Page.

The developer site for the Streets of Southglenn Alberta Development Partners : The Places : The Streets at SouthGlenn. You do not have to live in the development--homes around the area are established and in nice neigborhoods and you will have the amenities of the development close.

Livecontent

[ColoradoLion]

One thing to keep in mind is that the East-West commute here is much easier than going North-South.

Also, have reasonable expectations when it comes to the size of a yard for the kids. I moved here (almost 14 years ago) from Michigan and was initially surprised at the smaller lot sizes. I'm used to it now, but it can be a cold slap of reality, depending on where you're from.

Is there a certain style of house that you like or don't like? It will all depend on where you put your priorities. If you want a larger lot, you're most likely looking at a 1970's era house that has had some updating done, but still might need some work. You'll get more square footage for your money and the trees will be mature (which is not all that common here) Otherwise, a newer house on a smaller lot is a possibility.

Cherry Creek schools are considered among the best of the public choices among most Denverites. You can get CSAP scores at CSAP Scores. How much stock you put into them depends on your view of that type of testing.

Finally, be careful if you're looking at a new or almost-new house in a subdivision. There are a couple of neighborhoods where foreclosures are rampant, which has its problems. I listed a house that took a long time to sell, because we were competing with builders that were still trying to move their inventory and the foreclosed houses were on the market as well. It means you can get alot for the money now, but things can get dicey when you sell. Also, there are lots of renters moving into these neighborhoods, which makes some people uncomfortable.

Sorry for the length of the reply. Let me know if you have any other questions.

[MadisonM]

Do yourself a favor and don't live in Stapleton! I don't think anyone who actually makes the commute from Stapleton to 80112 is giving this advice. The commute to Englewood (80112) is longer than 30 minutes! I commuted from Stapleton to Englewood for over a year, and I think the shortest amount of time it ever took was 45 minutes. Most days it was closer to an hour. I could tell you 3-4 different routes, but none took less than 45 minutes (each way).

Stapleton IS cookie cutter! Sure, there are different builders/different price points so they mix it up, but is very easy to walk by and identify the builder/house plan. I like the style of the homes and don't think they look generic, but I am not going to pretend my house wasn't cookie cutter!

Stapleton children go to Denver Public Schools. Sure, the schools are the best in DPS, but I don't think that's saying a lot.

Stapleton is bordered by somewhat lower income neighborhoods on the south, east and west and a commercial area to the north. I think putting Wal-Mart in was a huge mistake. People who don't live in Stapleton speed through Stapleton on their way to Wal-Mart, so if walking to the Town Center, be careful. Northfield is a nice area, but again, since Stapleton is also surrounded by lower income neighborhoods, everyone takes advantage of the amenities. Not saying there is anything wrong with that, just an observation. Denver County Jail is also to the east.

If you worked downtown and great schools weren't an issue, I would suggest checking out Stapleton.

However, since Stapleton doesn't seem to meet your criteria, I would recommend you check out Highlands Ranch, and then Parker. Both communities meet all of your criteria.

2BinDenver seems to be very knowledgable and helpful, particularly regarding HR and Parker.

Hope you have a smooth relocation experience and feel free to PM me if you have other questions about Stapleton.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by ColoradoLion

Cherry Creek schools are considered among the best of the public choices among most Denverites. You can get CSAP scores at CSAP Scores. How much stock you put into them depends on your view of that type of testing.

While I suppose this is true, it is also true that there are a lot of good school districts in the metro area, and few bad ones.

See this thread:

More desirable Westminster School District?

[zpenley]

If you can minimize your time on I-25 you might have an easier commute. East and West of the tech center offer several good communities and they are often in the Cherry Creek school system which has been popular. Possibly consider zip codes 80121, 80122, 80111, 80112 and you might be to work within 20 minutes.

Bring your sunscreen and enjoy,

Zane Penley

[Move2milehigh]

If you are going to be living in Hilltop for a few months, check out Steck Elementary and their boundaries. If you like living in the city and just a couple miles away, you can look at Bromwell Elementary School as well. In the $500K range, you will be able to afford a home more in that neighborhood vs the Steck Elementary area.

I have several detailed stats on schools all over the city if you are interested.