What Denver suburb is affordable w/Mountain views/Trees? (Colorado Springs: spring break, house)

[mcpherli]

We are looking to move to Colorado hopefully soon.
I think there may be more job opportunities in the Denver Tech area than the CS area for my husband and we're thinking that we may have to live in a Denver suburb. We would really love to live in the CS area but do not think DH could find a job near there. We've fallen in love with the Woodland Park area but that may be out of the question now. Are there any suburbs similar to the Woodland Park area around Denver? We're looking for housing no higher than $300,000 and would absolutely love to have mountain views, trees, and a 1/2 acre lot!!
Does this place exist?
We're visiting during our Spring Break (second week in March) and would like to check out some areas first hand. We're driving over from Breckenridge for a day or so.

Please PM me or respond here with any helpful info.!
TIA!

[2bindenver]

Maybe Larkspur. Parts of Parker. There is a commuter bus from the springs to denver called FREX www.frontrangeexpress.com/

[BenWolfe]

I would give serious consideration to Larkspur. It is half way between Denver and CO Springs (this opens you up to both job markets). You may need to stretch your budget a little in the Perry Park area, but the homes are on 1 acre with ponderosa pines and it has a mountain feel. Many similarities exist between Perry Park and Woodland Park.

[tfox]

Originally Posted by mcpherli

We're looking for housing no higher than $300,000 and would absolutely love to have mountain views, trees, and a 1/2 acre lot!!
Does this place exist?

I doubt that this exists for your price range unless you're willing to drive quite far from Denver. $300,000.00 is close to the average home price in the area, not one with a 1/2 acre forested lot!

The Monument/Tri-Lakes area in North El Paso county might be one of the better possibilities, though it's really closer to Colorado Springs than Denver (Count on 1+ hour commute to downtown Denver on a good day -- probably more realistic to commute to the Tech Center) It does have the size and types of lots you desire, though. BenWolfe mentioned Larkspur, which is another possibility, though my impression that it's a bit more expensive than Monument due to its better proximity to Denver. Castle Pines area is much closer to Denver and does have trees, but no way you'll find what you want there in your price range.

Places like Evergreen and surrounding areas are probably not in your price range, but go a bit further out and you might find something. Again, though you're looking at a very long commute.

[denver80134]

Parker is great. You could totally find a place here for $300,000...Although its not uncommon to see a house for $300,000 in one neighborhood and one similar down the street going for $400,000. You can get to DTC from here in 15 minutes in rush hour. Check these neighborhoods....Bradbury Ranch, Clarke Farms, Stonegate, Auburn Hills, The Pinery (Farther south).

[gpraceman]

Originally Posted by denver80134

You can get to DTC from here in 15 minutes in rush hour. Check these neighborhoods....Bradbury Ranch, Clarke Farms, Stonegate, Auburn Hills, The Pinery (Farther south).

The Pinery is definitely much more of a commute. Very nice area though. Lived there when I was in high school.

[mcpherli]

Denver81034,
Thank you for your helpful information. I'll definitely check out Parker.
I remain hopeful that we can find something in a desirable neighborhood with a bunch of trees and a view of some sort. Who know where we'll end up...CS or Denver. I just don't want to be stuck in Texas for the rest of my life!

[tigerwings]

I haven't found anything local for under 300k like you described. I have a 1/2 acre with trees and a creek that I must give up in MI to move here.

About 5-10 miles east of Brighton, there is a small neighborhood going up on 2 arce lots starting at 268K for a ranch with no basement, but no trees, and no view of the mountians unless you get a premium lot.

[2bindenver]

I guess the poster wants trees on the east side of the property so as not to block the view of the mountains on the west side.

I think the reason we have such beautiful views of the mountains is that we have newer and therefore shorter trees.

[BrianAggie95]

Ok the locals need to confirm this, but if you like woodland park in CS, then wouldn't Evergreen/Pine/etc be similar around the Denver area? I know when i was looking aroudn this was kind of my impression about it.

PS I donot want to shoot down your dream of mountain/forest living, but Frisco winters are not the same as Colorado winters. I know I was in Plano for 12 years. If you have not expereinced real winters with snow, then you might consider a 'city' location for a while before finding your dream home in the mountains... People in the burbs had a time dealing with the storms of the last month, I can only imagine what it would have been like to be up in the woods/mountains where plows really didn't make it.

Again I wasn't there, so I cannot say, but when we started our search for where we wanted to settle down in the front range area, we decided against the mountanous areas in the short term so we could instead get used to the area first and then if we decide 5-10 years downt eh road we want the mountain home/acre/whatever then we can do it with our eyes much wider open.

Being from Texas you have to realize space is a much more valueable commodity in the front range area, so it is much less common to have acreage/large lots than it is in Texas where sprawl exists and land are cheap... From what research I have done (locals back me up) is that while lots may be smallish (compared to Texas Lots) parks and open space are scattered throughout the area. You may not have a bigger personal yard (YEAH!!!! less maintanence) but you have a park down the street or open space near your neighborhood or etc....