Thornton? (Denver, Northglenn, Commerce City: fit in, short sale, real estate)

[jumpshooter]

I grew up and have lived in Thornton all my life until now as I am in college. I posted a message claiming I wanted to more on Thornton to see what others though and it seems to get a bad rap for it's older part (the south end of Thornton) but even that is not that bad, it is just older and looks a bit shabby and has a few immigrants settled there which for some reason people get the idea that this means it is a bad community. The north part of Thornton on the other hand is one of the nicest places in the state if not the country, several pro sports players have chosen to settle here and it is a very ritzy area. And as you might expect central Thornton is a middle class community with the best of both worlds. Thornton is widely expanding and is a fast growing community but in a good way. I believe you will like it.

[JSGOOFN]

The only reason I mention that Thornton is not as nice a place is because it is a little too congested. The immigrant issue is not a factor but the higher crime is. There are more property crimes and assaults there than there are in Broomfield or Boulder or Superior, Louisville, Lafayette, etc. I was just looking at some crime stats from the area and Thorton had a higher rate. I believe it is just because it is congested and many major highways go through there. I still think toward the mountains is nicer. May not be as nice of a view, but still a little more breathing room. And since you will be working in Thornton, it will be an easy commute for you from just about anywhere you decide to live. But hopefully you will have some time to look around before you figure out where you want to live. Definitely keep you options open and Good Luck!!

[karenbataglia]

I have lived in the Denver metro area for 20 years. Thronton is the least desirable suburb to live in. There arent' really any jobs there. It has a large Hispanic community. Don't know anything about schools etc.

[BusySocialWorker]

I disagree.. Thornton has some great areas... especially the further North you go.... North of 120th or so has some beautiful new developments and you are very close to Denver with an easy commute. We lived just east of there and many of my coworkers lived in the new developments around 136th and Holly and love the area!

[Gina23]

i commute to thornton from denver. i'll just say that i'm glad i'm going against traffic... so watch out for that. schools are very good though.

[moonreflection]

I am debate if I should buy a house that is just a little more than what I pay for rent. Thornton and Northglenn seems to be affordable. It's not a permanent place. Since I don't have the money to buy a more expensive house now. I thought this will give me a few years to saving enough money to buy a bigger house. Any advice is appriecated.

[2bindenver]

How long were you planning on staying? How much is your rent now? How much do they raise it a year? What is your tax income bracket? Are the places comparable in size and quality? Is the commute to work better or worse?

*No need to post that information* I just think you need to ask yourself more questions.

[tfox]

My opinion is that it's usually good to buy a house if you're thinking about staying put for at least 2-3 years. If that's the case, and you can afford a house, I'd say do it. Don't spend more than about 1/3 of your paycheck on your mortgage, though. But there's no need to rush. Hit the listings and study, do your homework, and take your time to find out what the true value of homes are today, and what your options are -- that time will be well-spent.

As for Northglenn and Thornton, those areas are hit hard by foreclosures. That's good and bad for you. Good in that you could potentially find a great deal. Bad for you in that it may be very hard to sell the house for the next few years, and appreciation may be minimal in that time period. Find a good deal in those areas, though, and you should be able to beat what you're paying in rent.

[McGowdog]

The days of buying a home now and selling it in four years while using the appriciation as your down on your next nicer, bigger home are over for now.

That's my opinion as a home buyer.

Do you really want to live in Thornton or Northglenn long term? What if you CAN'T sell that house in two or three years? Just a thought.

[moonreflection]

Well, I pay about $900 per month for a 2 bedroom now. I need a 3 bedroom apartment. I think though runs about $1,000 a month. I prefer apartment with Washer and Dryer in unit. So, with the house prices in Thornton and Northglenn. I think the monthly payment is +/- $100 of that range. So, I figure. Even if the house doesn't appreciate after a few years. The amount I pay would be the same as I would for paying rent. Not sure about the tax benefit. I do notice there's a high rate of foreclosure in those area. But I couldn't afford other area at the moment. Also, anyone experience in buying house know what is usually a good offer price below the full price? How about foreclosure? Can I usually get better deals on those?

Thanks.