Golden, Lakewood or Wheat Ridge? (Denver: loan, house, neighborhoods)

[Swedish Nurse]

My husband has been offered a job in Denver (Lakewood actually). I posted a previous post and it helped me to narrow down our neighborhood/suburb areas. His office is near Hwy 6 and Kipling in Lakewood.

Our ideal is to have a home with at least a large yard, in the foothills with a view of the mountains and possibly also Denver. In our idyllic dreams we'd like a house on at least one acre, with some or all of it fenced, close access to bike/hike trails, nestled in the foothills with panoramic views.

We want good schools as our son is in the gifted and talented program at a private school and currently functioning at a 2nd-3rd grade level and he is only 5 years old. So, any areas with good schools or recommendations for private schools would be awesome.

We'd also like a town with a small town feel. A town where you may see your kids teacher at the grocery store, etc. but not everybody knows all your business. Where they have festivals, farmers markets, christmas caroling that kind of stuff. If you have seen the movie "Funny Farm" that's what we're looking for, minus having to pay people to act like a Norman Rockwell painting.

We like to be somewhere where you know your neighbors and feel safe, but are close enough to the big city to go to cultural events or buy anything you may need without having to order from the internet. Anyway, Golden seems nice, but I'm not sure about the town, schools, crime, property values, etc.

We have lived in Houston for the past few years where we have never spoken to one of our neighbors (not for lack of trying) and we can see into our other neighbors bathroom from our kitchen window. We have a postage stamp sized yard and my son cannot play outside because the heat index is regularly 120 F plus! We like to bike, fish, camp, golf and swim. Not sit inside and play simulated golf on the Wii because the ACTUAL outside would kill us if we spent more than 30 minutes out there.

Our house price range is $400K or less, unless there are different lending standards for CO. Like I know in California you can get a 60 or 90 year home loan because a 1000 sq. foot house is like a million dollars. If there is something like that please fill me in as it would change our price range considerably.

Anyway, info on the towns of Golden, Lakewood and Wheat Ridge would be helpful, as well as info on schools and neighborhoods too please!

[Jerry Bckr]

So, knowing all these items on your wish list, my question is how many hours does your husband want to spend commuting one way. First of all, if you're in the foothills, you won't get to know your neighbors because they would be equally spread out. There's really no small town like in the movies. Golden maybe, but the choice of homes are somewhat limited. There are some neighborhoods around North Table Top Mountain that might fit some of your needs, but you're in a trade off situation, considering your price range. Big lot, small or dated home. Nice home, small lot. Great view, small lot, and maybe small home. No easy choices.

I've been out here 35 years and don't find the people to be hard to get to know. In fact, I feel they're all pretty social. It may be that at the fast pace everyone runs at these days, there just isn't that much time to devote to neighbors. Sad but true. With every mom wanting to drive their kids to and from school, soccer practice and games, trips to the mall (the kids have to have new video games), and taking care of the home and getting meals ready, there just isn't much time to go around. I'm at the age where the kids are gone and where we really relish sitting on the porch and talking to neighbors or just watching the birds come and go. We do enjoy those moments, but we have to work at taking them. Unfortunately, a lot of people don't feel they have that option.

[azcater]

Just wanted to say Hi! We're relocating also and I thought it was so ironic that your husband was offered a job in the same area mine was offered a job, too funny!

[Swedish Nurse]

Originally Posted by azcater

Just wanted to say Hi! We're relocating also and I thought it was so ironic that your husband was offered a job in the same area mine was offered a job, too funny!

Weird! Where is your husband going to be working? What's he do?