Job in DTC and Broomfield - where should we live? (Denver: sales, lease)

[NKP]

Hi,

My husband and I recently moved to the Denver area in October. We are currently renting in unincorporated Arapahoe County - border of Greenwood Village and Englewood, near DTC. We love this area. We're not crazy about the home we are in because it is pretty old and not updated at all. But overall like the community.

My husband works in the DTC and I will be working in Broomfield starting in December. We are thinking about buying after our lease terms are up (10 months) and I am starting to do my homework now. Is there a good place to live in between Broomfield and DTC? We are looking for a community like Greenwood Village - quiet and safe neighborhoods with the convenience of shopping closeby and close to freeways. We are in our mid thirties and don't have any kids yet (but hopefully in the next year or two). We are looking to spend between $300-$400k. Before we moved here we originally looked in the Stapleton area at the new homes and while we like the immediate area we didn't like the southern part (Montview, etc.) so we decided to rent for now. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[David Aguilar]

Welcome.

There are plenty of good places to live between Broomfield and the DTC, just not the kind of place you are looking for. Unfortunately, based on your wants and needs, the exact middle of your two job locations is downtown, not exactly what you are looking for, I know. To stay within the main travel corridor between your two work locations, and stay in a similar area, you'd either have to stay put or move to Broomfield, or (parts of) Westminster.

If you veered off to the west, (Lakewood, Littleton, Arvada, etc) you would have no freeway to take you directly to Broomfield. You'd probably have to take Wadsworth, or go all the way down to I-25 to get on US-36.

If you veered off to the east, Stapleton would be a pretty equal commute time.

Maybe, if you are willing to live in a (likely) older house, to save the commute headaches for one (or both) of you, look in Washington Park, DU area, etc (80209, 80210, to a lesser extent 80222), That area is probably the best bet, commute wise, and neighborhood wise. Close to freeways, shopping, safe, etc. That is probably the only area that would come closer to meeting your needs than somewhere either in Broomfield or the DTC.

By staying in the DTC, your husband will have an easy commute, and yours will be hell.

By moving to Broomfield, your commute will be easy, and his will be hell.

By moving towards the middle, you'll both have equal amounts of hell.

[Bradburn1]

I second the Wash Park (Washington Park) area. I would also consider if one of you plans on staying home after kiddos and perhaps concentrate closer to the workplace of the likely still working candidate. You could also look in the Highlands which is just west of downtown and is a cute, fun and funky neighborhood--easy commute to Broomfield and not horribly hellish to the DTC. Older homes and somewhat urban in character but charming--you don't need to worry about schools for at least 6 years. Stapleton is a great neighborhood too, and great for families. Commute to Broomfield from Stapleton is not bad (in non rush hour) because you can take 270 to 36, commute to DTC sucks (if you live anywhere north of downtown commute to DTC always sucks) but not as bad as it would from Broomfield.

[NKP]

I love Wash Park area......can we get a 2300+sf home there for under $400k? I thought they were much more expensive? BTW, husband is in sales and often goes to client sites as far north as Boulder and south as Colorado Springs. He is in the office about 3 days a week. I thought about Stapleton again but heard recently about some car jackings - well at least a friend told me there were several in one week in the last month or so. Might be a one off thing but I can say that I feel very comfortable in the area we are in here in DTC around the Cherry Creek State Park. Would moving to Englewood help at all?

[David Aguilar]

Originally Posted by NKP

I love Wash Park area......can we get a 2300+sf home there for under $400k? I thought they were much more expensive? BTW, husband is in sales and often goes to client sites as far north as Boulder and south as Colorado Springs. He is in the office about 3 days a week. I thought about Stapleton again but heard recently about some car jackings - well at least a friend told me there were several in one week in the last month or so. Might be a one off thing but I can say that I feel very comfortable in the area we are in here in DTC around the Cherry Creek State Park. Would moving to Englewood help at all?

Yes, you can get said home, barely. If you would be willing to go a little smaller, you would have more homes to choose from, obviously.

The Washington Park location would be even better for your husband if his range is that big, nice and central.

As far as the carjackings go, that's what happens when you build a yuppie neighborhood next door to a less desirable neighborhood, duh. I wouldn't worry too much, however, one could be a victim of crime anywhere.

Moving to Englewood wouldn't help too much. There isn't a freeway running through it.

[Katiana]

I agree, you guys are between a rock and a hard place. If you have kids in a few years, are you going to go back to work? If so, it's much easier to live near your work, as you will be dealing with daycare, and later school. If not, it may be preferable to live near DH's work.

[NKP]

Can anyone tell me about West Washington Park? Is it okay? Or would we be better off in Washington Park?

[livecontent]

My concerns would be from a public transportation prospective. Getting to the DTC will be very easy because most of the offices are close enough to the rail or bus. The transportation to Broomfield would be more difficult because not all the work locations would be close to the transportation corridor, along 36.

Thinking about that I would consider living up in Westminster, near the Westminster Park and Ride at Sheridan and I-36. You can easily get to your job to the DTC because there are xpress buses to downtown with no other stops and a bus that goes directly to the DTC. The buses from this Park and Ride run frequently and often to Downtown, where you can take the rail to the DTC.

You can then easily drive to your work site in Broomfield which is very close, or if you are near the I-36 Rail corridor, you can take a frequent bus that goes to Boulder with stops along the way.

Livecontent

[steveindenver]

Kids?

Stapleton.

[2bindenver]

I would never have two parties splitting the city for work. It wouldn't matter where you lived, north south or central. It is still a bear of a commute. If you lived in Denver - each of you have to get through half of 1-25, plus you have 3/4 of I-36 to deal with.

Make it easier on yourself - one of you should get another job. Imagine if you could carpool, and spend more time together.