What are some of the signs of recession are you seeing in Denver and what are you doing because of it? (foreclosure, get credit)

[DenverAztec]

You gotta have something up there to keep you there!

[DenverLawGal]

Well, for me it's a true sign Denver is growing. New malls, more housing, we just need to fill it up more. And yeah, I need the entertainment bad.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by D-town 720

Thank you for the ideas

I came here also because my studies is in public policy and saw that the Denver metro had more federal workers outside of D.C. However, the application process for a federal job is long and tedious - I am waiting for several positions to process. I often scan the municipal jobs section but most of their jobs seem IT oriented right now. The problem for me is I have a lot of education and very little job experience - there just does not seem to be entry level government jobs in this current economy. At this point I'd be happy working at walmart - yes an honors graduate student making minimum wage I took a gamble moving to a city where I didnt know a sole. I guess somehow I was emotionally invested in the city of Denver and its nearby rockies. I remember my psychology professor once saying "the studies suggest 70% of all jobs people get is through someone they know". Perhaps I should join a group and network? Its tough enuff applying to work that I was qualified for in highschool let alone stand in a soup line. I am determined to make it work here in Denver - or at least die trying

Yeah, I just don't understand the fed. job application process. It's probably easier to get a very entry level position with low pay, but when you apply for mid-career jobs, they get extremely specific on their requirements. I've applied for many but never even made it to an interview, and the most recent one I applied for, never even could get a response as to whether they recieve my application. I want to get a fed. position because my military years would count toward retirement.

[Sheridan1962]

We recently moved here due to a corporate relocation, and I was absolutely shocked at how different the house-buying market is here (compared to TX, where we came from). This is the sixth house we have owned, and I used to work in RE appraising so I'm pretty familiar with all things RE when it comes to buying and selling houses, and it definitely does NOT seem like a buyers market to me here! It took us over a month to find a house we liked, and we looked at over 130 of them. It seemed to us that all that was on the market when we were looking were homes that had been on the market for long time...and there was a reason for that (dirty, in disrepair, overpriced). Or, they were short sales that would take too long to get an answer on, or foreclosures that had 10 offers already on them. Trying to find a regular house to buy was much more difficult than I imagined it would be (the market in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area is nothing like that...people have their pick of really nice houses there). Any time a "good" house came on the market, it seemed to go quickly. We finally got lucky and were in the right place at the right time when a house came on the market in Centennial, and we bought it within the first two weeks of it being on the market. It took us almost four months to sell our house in Texas (and it was in excellent shape).

So hopefully the "busier" housing market here is a sign of good things to come!

[DenverAztec]

Interesting post Sheridan1962. The condo market downtown/Capitol Hill has been great for sellers and in my building the units for sale are sold within the same month. Prices did drop from the highs over the past two years but profits are still made by the sellers. We seem to be getting more east coast folks moving into Governor's Park then those use to suburban settings. I have heard that now is not a good time to sell and some are finding it difficult to get a mortgage, but that does not seem to be the case visually.

[tfox]

Originally Posted by wanttomoveeast

omg you just discovered big lots?? My niece lives off of them. I hardly ever go too, but then when I do go I'm totally amazed at what they have. If you go out to the burbs, far out, you'll find these huge stores with even more stuff. One year I bought all of my xmas presents there, a very good deal. And I found stuff that you'd see in pier one or that world cost place.

Actually, there's a "Big Lots" store in Denver too at 1st & Broadway.

[DenverAztec]

That's the one I have been using tfox and love what I am finding.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by DenverAztec

Interesting post Sheridan1962. The condo market downtown/Capitol Hill has been great for sellers and in my building the units for sale are sold within the same month. Prices did drop from the highs over the past two years but profits are still made by the sellers. We seem to be getting more east coast folks moving into Governor's Park then those use to suburban settings. I have heard that now is not a good time to sell and some are finding it difficult to get a mortgage, but that does not seem to be the case visually.

They seem to be selling fairly well in Stapleton. Once of our neighbors has to move for a job, and their house was sold before the agent got the sign in the ground. They told me they priced it "agressively", but still got more than they paid for it 2.5 years ago. One house on our block has been on the market for 6 months, but it's farily beat up inside and smells.

[Shuffler]

I got panhandled at the Post Office last week. First time that's ever happened there.

I said no, then the bum asked a gal if she had any change, and she said no, and proceeded to get into her shiny black Cadillac SXT rolling on 21" bling bling wheels as I unlocked my bicycle and rode away.

I supressed the urge to make a comment about how she didn't look like she was doing too badly, and how she should give the guy a few bucks, but then I figure she's probably got that all on credit, maybe the wheels were stolen, etc.

[cowboyxjon]

Originally Posted by Shuffler

I supressed the urge to make a comment about how she didn't look like she was doing too badly, and how she should give the guy a few bucks, but then I figure she's probably got that all on credit, maybe the wheels were stolen, etc.

I'm doing OK right now (luckily) but I rarely carry cash and I hardly ever have change. I use my debit card for most small purchases during the day. Either way, I don't give to panhandlers, generally, because I feel like if I give to one, then I have to give to all of them, and I can't do that.

Anyway, this is my long-winded way of pointing out that she might not have had any change.