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$350k, but will consider as high as $400k for the right place
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Fixer, average, perfect?
Perfect (by that I mean everything is in good working order and reasonably updated/looks like it is from sometime in the 21st century)
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Basement?
Don't care
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Garage?
Yes
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Size?
3 bedrooms (or 2 + something suitable for an office) and at least 1.5 baths. Around 1000 sq ft is probably the low end, and maybe 1500 on the high side
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Schools?
Don't care
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WalkScore?
Don't care
Also, an HOA is a dealbreaker (exception would be made for a townhouse in Belmar).
Personally, I would avoid the area bordering Sheridan. I used to live a mile or two from there and I wouldn't call it a desirable place to live. I'd stay north of Jewell if it was me.
On the Denver side it gets a bit better south of Jewell.
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Originally Posted by Joey2k
I'm looking to buy a home this year and I wanted to ask about the neighborhoods in the area bordered by Sheridan in the west (maybe even as far as Wadsworth), Federal in the east, 285 in the south, and 6th Ave in the north. I've been in Denver about a year and a half now but I haven't had much cause to go through this area. A local friend has said the whole area is bad and not a good place to look for a home, and seeing home prices in that area that are lower than surrounding areas reinforces that advice. But is a blanket statement about the whole area really accurate? Are there better neighborhoods in that area, and if so, where should I be looking?
OP, for reasons mostly unknown to me, this is my favorite and IMO most interesting part of town. It's modest, nondescript, and not too rich, poor (save for Westwood), gaudy, or tacky in any direction, and has the added bonus of being unlike most of the metro and is also not too yuppie, hipster, or "perfect suburban family", etc. It's just kind of "normal", and to me that's refreshing in a metro area that doesn't have that in spades....especially within the city.
The best part in this section is Harvey Park South (south of Yale/east of Sheridan). If you can get in there (particularly west of S Raleigh St), do it. Stay off of Sheridan itself though. Plenty of regular shopping at Sheridan/Dartmouth, and Wal-Mart is down on Wadsworth or in Englewood (there is a small one at Federal/Evans too). Schools (if they are a consideration) are on the edge of being acceptable; I've visited JFK high before and had a pretty pleasant takeaway/experience. Bear Valley (south of Yale/west of Sheridan) is pretty similar, but IMO not quite as visually attractive, and I would jump at anything I liked in my price range in that area as well.
Regular Harvey Park is pretty cool too, it is still a mish-mash of people that have been there forever and newcomers, is still pretty rough around the edges (especially east), and has more interesting housing. The park itself is in this neighborhood, and does the job on lazy days.
I like Mar Lee as well. It is even rougher, but still has a charm that has yet to be discovered (hopefully never).
Avoid Westwood. It is getting a lot of attention from investors for some reason, but the neighborhood is still pretty much a complete dump.
The Barnums are still tough, if you really want to give pioneering a go and live in the "real" Denver, give it a shot. If I had the opportunity I would (but probably without kids TBH). There is still plenty unsettling about them, and one would need to be aware of that going in, and not have rose-colored glasses on about living in them (i.e. don't think you're living in the next Highland, because you're not ). You have to keep your wits about you in this area...at all times.
Anyhow, it pretty much goes without saying, this area is majority Latino across the board. Everything from recent immigrants to descendants of Spaniards/Mexicans that have been here hundreds of years. Anybody who is not Latino is likely to be old and white. In many ways, this is still old/traditional Denver and that will likely demand respect and understanding. Being closer to Sheridan is better than being closer to Federal, in general. Federal (especially) is lined with all kinds of ethnic restaurants, so don't even think of avoiding it entirely .
I'm not as much of an expert on eastern Lakewood, but imagine westbound spillover of the aforementioned neighborhoods when crossing Sheridan, and click the prosperity up a notch or two when you do. You will find some surprisingly poor spots in this part of Lakewood, so keep your eye out for that too. Lakewood is better as you go south as well, with the exception of Belmar which I'm sure you know is quite nice.
Hope this helps. I'm an oddball (so completely discount this next statement ), and I would much rather be living in the area mentioned here over where I actually do.
The Barnums are still tough, if you really want to give pioneering a go and live in the "real" Denver, give it a shot. If I had the opportunity I would (but probably without kids TBH). There is still plenty unsettling about them, and one would need to be aware of that going in, and not have rose-colored glasses on about living in them (i.e. don't think you're living in the next Highland, because you're not ). You have to keep your wits about you in this area...at all times.
. . .
Funny, I have an old friend who bought a house in Barnum (at about 3rd & Hazel) in the mid '70s. He was a recently returned Vietnam vet originally from the Midwest, who landed at Ft Carson and discovered Colorado.
He bought a bottom of the market, run down house, in a run down neighborhood. He still lives in that house. In 40 something years of visiting there, to my eyes the neighborhood doesn't seem to have changed much at all, and he and his neighbors live on. But in any case, I've never felt uncomfortable or afraid in the neighborhood.
Funny, I have an old friend who bought a house in Barnum (at about 3rd & Hazel) in the mid '70s. He was a recently returned Vietnam vet originally from the Midwest, who landed at Ft Carson and discovered Colorado.
He bought a bottom of the market, run down house, in a run down neighborhood. He still lives in that house. In 40 something years of visiting there, to my eyes the neighborhood doesn't seem to have changed much at all, and he and his neighbors live on. But in any case, I've never felt uncomfortable or afraid in the neighborhood.
That's good to hear. I was there a few weeks ago and saw a guy dragging a woman down the street what seemed to be against her will. I spent a 4th of July at Barnum Park once, and saw a teen throwing firecrackers at the feet of children; the teen's parents were there to witness it and didn't say a word to him about it. Just seems to be a place full of characters; it very much reminds me of the neighborhood I grew up in, for better and for worse.
I had been expecting the Barnums to pop off for years, but it really still hasn't happened yet (for better, and for worse ).
That's good to hear. I was there a few weeks ago and saw a guy dragging a woman down the street what seemed to be against her will. I spent a 4th of July at Barnum Park once, and saw a teen throwing firecrackers at the feet of children; the teen's parents were there to witness it and didn't say a word to him about it. Just seems to be a place full of characters; it very much reminds me of the neighborhood I grew up in, for better and for worse.
I had been expecting the Barnums to pop off for years, but it really still hasn't happened yet (for better, and for worse ).
One good point for the location for that group of friends of mine has always been that it's a good place to meet and walk over together to Federal for the restaurants. Hanging out or taking a walk in Barnum Park, not so much.
On the Denver side it gets a bit better south of Jewell.
OP, for reasons mostly unknown to me, this is my favorite and IMO most interesting part of town. It's modest, nondescript, and not too rich, poor (save for Westwood), gaudy, or tacky in any direction, and has the added bonus of being unlike most of the metro and is also not too yuppie, hipster, or "perfect suburban family", etc. It's just kind of "normal", and to me that's refreshing in a metro area that doesn't have that in spades....especially within the city.
The best part in this section is Harvey Park South (south of Yale/east of Sheridan). If you can get in there (particularly west of S Raleigh St), do it. Stay off of Sheridan itself though. Plenty of regular shopping at Sheridan/Dartmouth, and Wal-Mart is down on Wadsworth or in Englewood (there is a small one at Federal/Evans too). Schools (if they are a consideration) are on the edge of being acceptable; I've visited JFK high before and had a pretty pleasant takeaway/experience. Bear Valley (south of Yale/west of Sheridan) is pretty similar, but IMO not quite as visually attractive, and I would jump at anything I liked in my price range in that area as well.
Regular Harvey Park is pretty cool too, it is still a mish-mash of people that have been there forever and newcomers, is still pretty rough around the edges (especially east), and has more interesting housing. The park itself is in this neighborhood, and does the job on lazy days.
I like Mar Lee as well. It is even rougher, but still has a charm that has yet to be discovered (hopefully never).
Avoid Westwood. It is getting a lot of attention from investors for some reason, but the neighborhood is still pretty much a complete dump.
The Barnums are still tough, if you really want to give pioneering a go and live in the "real" Denver, give it a shot. If I had the opportunity I would (but probably without kids TBH). There is still plenty unsettling about them, and one would need to be aware of that going in, and not have rose-colored glasses on about living in them (i.e. don't think you're living in the next Highland, because you're not ). You have to keep your wits about you in this area...at all times.
Anyhow, it pretty much goes without saying, this area is majority Latino across the board. Everything from recent immigrants to descendants of Spaniards/Mexicans that have been here hundreds of years. Anybody who is not Latino is likely to be old and white. In many ways, this is still old/traditional Denver and that will likely demand respect and understanding. Being closer to Sheridan is better than being closer to Federal, in general. Federal (especially) is lined with all kinds of ethnic restaurants, so don't even think of avoiding it entirely .
I'm not as much of an expert on eastern Lakewood, but imagine westbound spillover of the aforementioned neighborhoods when crossing Sheridan, and click the prosperity up a notch or two when you do. You will find some surprisingly poor spots in this part of Lakewood, so keep your eye out for that too. Lakewood is better as you go south as well, with the exception of Belmar which I'm sure you know is quite nice.
Hope this helps. I'm an oddball (so completely discount this next statement ), and I would much rather be living in the area mentioned here over where I actually do.
I used to live in this image at the dot labeled "The Pines at Pinehurst" for almost a year. There's no way I'd touch anything within the red circle at this point in time.
Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site
The crime rate in Sheridan is abysmal.
Harvey Park is also near the top of the list of Denver Neighborhoods for property crimes (ranking 67/78 -- the lower down the list, the more crimes reported)
While you're right that there's some interesting restaurants and such in the area due to the high latino populations and is worth visiting from time to time, there's no way I'd spend $350k+ to buy a house in those neighborhoods when other safer neighborhoods aren't far away. You could literally go a mile further west or south and be in much better areas.
I used to live in this image at the dot labeled "The Pines at Pinehurst" for almost a year. There's no way I'd touch anything within the red circle at this point in time.
Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site
The crime rate in Sheridan is abysmal.
Harvey Park is also near the top of the list of Denver Neighborhoods for property crimes (ranking 67/78 -- the lower down the list, the more crimes reported)
While you're right that there's some interesting restaurants and such in the area due to the high latino populations and is worth visiting from time to time, there's no way I'd spend $350k+ to buy a house in those neighborhoods when other safer neighborhoods aren't far away. You could literally go a mile further west or south and be in much better areas.
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). You have to keep your wits about you in this area...at all times.
), and I would much rather be living in the area mentioned here over where I actually do. 
