Where to focus house search. Urban/suburban? (Longmont, Lafayette: neighborhood, construction)

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by emm74

I know people who do it. It's a reverse commute and they seem to feel it's ok.

Personally, I prefer as short a commute as possible, but in this case, I am also taking the stay at home parent into consideration and I put a pretty high value on being able to more easily access the resources and amenities within the the city of Denver.

Some people don't mind that type of driving and some hate it. It's not really a "reverse commute" either. You still have to drive across Denver to the junction of 270 and US 36, then on 36, which is its own brand of h*ll, to Broomfield.

There are many, many resources for kids and families in the other places mentioned so far.

[brown_dog_us]

There are a lot of great cities close to work that have good schools and are safe. I think you can find a slice of hipster in each of them if you rent for a year and keep your eye out. For your visit check out:

Broomfield- Especially Bradburn which is technically in Westminster
Louisville- Check out downtown.
Lafayette- Check out downtown and around Waneka lake.

Also, check out Boulder for quirky fun places a short drive from the above towns.

[SkyDog77]

I would look to Louisville or Lafayette. Maybe Bradburn.

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by Citykid3785

We like the best of both Urban and Suburban lifestyles. We like specialty coffee shops, independent restaurants, etc., but also occasionally shop at places like Target, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, etc.

Then, look at WalkScores.

[emm74]

Originally Posted by Citykid3785

Yes, so funny enough, we actually live in what you might call the Twin Cities version of Stapleton now (Cobblestone Lake), and we get our hipster fix on the weekends by driving into the city. And it's not that we wouldn't do that again, I think my wife and I just mutually agreed that if we move, we want to be a bit bolder and get out of our comfort zone a little. But all great suggestions this far!

Glad to hear all the good neighborhood connections going on, not to harp on the twin cities as it is a great place to live, but one of the primary motivations for moving (outside of being done with harsh winters) is to get away from Minnesota (N)ice, wherin people avoid their neighbors or any social interaction at all costs, with an overemphasis on not taking any actions that may rock the boat. I've lived in four houses in the twin cities, and each time my wife and I had to be the ones to bake cookies and bring them to the neighbors to introduce ourselves (backwards, right?)

I recognize nowhere is perfect in this regard, but no doubt the TC are on the extreme end of insular!

That looks really nice!! Significantly smaller than Stapleton but yes, definitely similar.

I'm not really clear what being bolder and moving out of your comfort zone means in this context, though I can certainly understand making a choice to keep the commute shorter.

Some people will say that Denver has it's own form of Minnesota Nice, and that people are polite but not necessarily friendly. In terms of how that plays out for a particular location, I think it varies by neighborhood, even by block. Stapleton as a whole has a reputation for people who want more of that community vibe, but it exists in other locations as well, you may just have to work a little harder to find out if it's the case for particular homes and neighborhoods you look at.

Going to a local park with the kids or even taking out the stroller and going for a walk in the area on a weekend or in the early evening on a weekday is a chance to chat up some of the locals and ask about the neighborhood and get a sense of how friendly people are. On my block, you'd definitely run into other families and kids who are out and about and get a chance to make conversation.

[NorthDenverGirl]

Originally Posted by Citykid3785

Thanks for the wonderful advice! Yes you read my wife's mind about needing things to do when you stay home so you don't get crazy. It's actually one of the reasons we are open to the relocation....we love the twin cities and all, but being stuck inside for a Minnesota winter with 2 kids has been no joke! It's not for the faint of heart. There's no going outside when it's 10 days in a row of subzero high temps!

I was there when we lived in St Louis! The weather just sucked, either hot and humid or cold and iced over. She will love Colorado, I run a couple of moms groups on Facebook for the North side of Denver for this reason. I hated being trapped and when I moved here I wanted other moms to enjoy it with. We have been here 6 years now and it has been wonderful.

[SkyDog77]

I was looking at weather history in another thread. For the months Dec-February this winter, Denver’s average high temp was 20 degrees warmer than MSP’s. Definitely easier to be outside here in the winter.

[Monacles]

While you're interviewing in Broomfield you should take a little time and drive through Broomfield, Arvada, Louisville and Lafayette and see for yourself if any feel right. A lot of people have said they feel Louisville and Lafayette have a downtown that might appeal to your desire for an independent and lively downtown area. Personally both feel very suburban to me although both are nice.

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

I was looking at weather history in another thread. For the months Dec-February this winter, Denver’s average high temp was 20 degrees warmer than MSP’s. Definitely easier to be outside here in the winter.

Yup, and anyone who says otherwise doesn't know WTF they're talking about. I have a screenshot of an excel spreadsheet that I posted on another thread which shows the average daily high temp in Denver from December-February is anywhere from 15-25 degrees warmer than MSP depending on the day.

[daprara]

research the RTD lite rail "northWest B line"
linky:
Northwest Rail - B Line