Evergreen vs Golden (Boulder, Aspen, Genesee: insurance, house, neighborhoods)

[y2kdeuce]

Considering a move to Colorado from Wisconsin. Cold doesn't scare me, but fire does. I telecommute, so as long as I have Comcast (reliable high speed internet), I can work anywhere. I liked what I saw when I looked at Genesee, but then I looked at Golden school scores and hours compared to Evergreen. Are Evergreen schools really that much better than Golden?

Speaking of fire, what are the homeowner's insurance rates like? Colorado property taxes are much lower than Wisconsin, but am I going to give back the savings to State Farm?

Our daughter is a climber, so we would likely commute to Boulder on a regular basis for team. Golden would be closer, Evergreen is pushing it, but if the education experience is significantly better, the extra miles may be justified.

Are there other foothills communities we should be considering? Our criteria are;

Reliable high speed internet.
3 bedrooms plus office
half acre+ lot (elbow room)
< $850k

Thanks in advance

John

[Bunner]

My annual premium for homeowner's insurance in Evergreen is 0.25% of insured value. It's been a while since I shopped around so I don't know if this is typical of the market.

[Good Red Road]

Originally Posted by y2kdeuce

Considering a move to Colorado from Wisconsin. Cold doesn't scare me, but fire does. I telecommute, so as long as I have Comcast (reliable high speed internet), I can work anywhere. I liked what I saw when I looked at Genesee, but then I looked at Golden school scores and hours compared to Evergreen. Are Evergreen schools really that much better than Golden?

Speaking of fire, what are the homeowner's insurance rates like? Colorado property taxes are much lower than Wisconsin, but am I going to give back the savings to State Farm?

Our daughter is a climber, so we would likely commute to Boulder on a regular basis for team. Golden would be closer, Evergreen is pushing it, but if the education experience is significantly better, the extra miles may be justified.

Are there other foothills communities we should be considering? Our criteria are;

Reliable high speed internet.
3 bedrooms plus office
half acre+ lot (elbow room)
< $850k

Thanks in advance

John

There are nice mountain communities directly west of Boulder that may suit you, and BVSD is highly rated. If you're looking for space (1/2 acre+) you will have better selection up in the foothills, but fire risk is part of the tradeoff to be in the mountains.
Good Luck.

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[alliern]

If you're needing Comcast then that will likely place you in North Evergreen with easy access to I-70. There are a number of Hiwan neighborhoods and a few other areas in North Evergreen that would fit with your budget and criteria for size of home and amount of land.

Evergreen schools, year after year, get very high ratings from the Bergen elementary schools straight through to high school.

Homeowner's insurance rates are dependent upon the fire rating (class) that the insurance company assigns to the home which is tied into the exterior finishes on the home and the proximity to fire hydrants/cisterns/detention ponds and the closest fire station. A stucco and stone home with a cement shingle roof will usually get better rates than a cedar sided home with a basic composition shingle. You also have to look at the number, types, and condition of trees on the property. Aspen are great and not considered a risk. Low branches, dead trees, needles on the ground and trees touching or overhanging the home are frowned upon by insurance companies. Most homeowners at the price range you would be in are cognizant and can afford to do proper fire mitigation so often that's not an issue.

I would definitely recommend shopping around for rates. There are a number of companies that will write a comprehensive policy for less money than you'd think. The insurance company that I had for seven years on my own house in Evergreen decided to not renew my homeowners policy last November because I lived in a "high brush fire area". I called an independent insurance agency and had a new policy quoted in a few hours with better coverage then my old policy for $1400 less per year. Rates vary widely, but they are not astronomical. People of all economic levels buy homes in Evergreen daily and that wouldn't be happening if our property insurance rates were unaffordable.

I tell people when they are looking at a potential home to call their insurance company and get a quote before they ever write an offer. It only takes a few minutes to give the information that the insurance agent needs over the phone.

On another note, I have a few friends who have kids that climb. Earth Treks in Golden is a place that they frequent, especially in the winter.

[livethedream3]

Originally Posted by Good Red Road

There are nice mountain communities directly west of Boulder that may suit you, and BVSD is highly rated. If you're looking for space (1/2 acre+) you will have better selection up in the foothills, but fire risk is part of the tradeoff to be in the mountains.
Good Luck.

Top Colorado High Schools | Best High Schools in Colorado | US News

This. Many other foothill communities closer to Boulder if you think you'll need to commute there frequently. As others have mentioned, you need to shop around for property insurance. Other than the extra time on the phone, I don't consider it any more expensive than what I've had on previous homes. CenturyLink and LOS wireless high speed service providers (Mountain Broadband) in my neighborhood (Coal Creek Canyon), and I'm guessing there are similar options in most neighborhoods closer to Boulder. Microcells can be used to get cell coverage at home no matter where you live as long as you have high speed Internet.

Just depends on what type of community "feel" you are looking for. You could go a number of different routes with your budget and listed requirements so make sure to take a look around. Good luck!