Acreage lots with good schools and community (Denver, Aurora: house, neighborhoods)

[beazy1]

We are looking to relo from MN to CO and have two kids approaching jr high and high school. We would like to have some space (an acre plus) and horse property would be a bonus We'd like to be reasonably close to good shopping and restaurants, etc. Good schools are important. We would to be near/in the foothills or have some nice views. I'd appreciate any info on areas to consider.

[2bindenver]

There are 158 under $400,000, from Boulder to Kiowa. Zoned for horses, but not necessary close to restaurants and no one knows what you mean by "good" schools.

[Roloc]

You pretty much just described anywhere in unincorporated Boulder county... I am sure there are others, but Boulder Valley School District is very good.

[Katiana]

However, most of the housing in unicorporated Boulder County is in the St. Vrain School District, which is another good district.

[beazy1]

Thanks for the replies everyone. To clarify "good schools" for 2Bindenver, I mean that some districts inherently have better reputations than others. If we better understand that, we can then go research individual schools within the better districts.

[steveindenver]

The mythical search for "good schools" continues to this day I see.

Price range?

Yours is a common request, people seem to want it all, live on an isolated mountain property with nearby access to facilities on a large lot with "good schools." Generally they also want this for 200k or less.

Once you have lived in Colorado for a while you are going to look back and how unrealistic these things are as a package. You could likely get the property, horses, proximity and schools if you went to the 1.5-2.5 million range.

[Bradburn1]

Originally Posted by steveindenver

Yours is a common request, people seem to want it all, live on an isolated mountain property with nearby access to facilities on a large lot with "good schools." Generally they also want this for 200k or less.

Don't forget the big trees! LOL.

You might have a look at the Bow Mar neighborhood in Littleton, not sure about horses in there but the lots are large, nice schools, feeling of community. Prices range from 600s to 2 mil

[Sheridan1962]

Check out the Foxfield neighborhood in Aurora. It is Cherry Creek Schools (one of the best in the state), and one of the few neighborhoods around with 6 acre parcels. My DD takes riding lessons out there.

P.S. We lived in MN for 8 years....you'll love the Colorado winters a LOT if milder weather is appealing to you!

[the3Ds]

First, start with schools. Cherry Creek and Douglas County have great reputations (and we moved specifically to the CCSD for the schools. I am very involved in our neighborhood school and have found that their reputation is well-deserved). The reality is this, however: If you have a lot of money (at least $1M for acreage and a house) and can keep up with your neighbors, it's likely your child will go to a well-performing school. In general, "rich" folks have good schools, no matter where you live. Douglas County is in a higher income bracket so their schools perform well despite the residents refusing to vote "yes" on their recent school levy/bond election. Cherry Creek has some higher-income areas, but it's predominantly middle class. That does not mean that an acre will come cheap, however.

Second...location. Neither of the school districts listed above are in the "foothills." We are out on the far east side of the metro-Denver area but have no problems traveling to the mountains when we feel like it and have great views of the mountains. All of the conveniences, from grocery stores to high-end malls are within 20 minutes (the grocery stores are less than 5 minutes away) and you will likely find that anywhere you live in Denver. There really isn't a "core" area that everyone must go to for shopping. The metro-Denver area is not all that large so while I wouldn't suggest a daily commute around the city, heading downtown or to the mountains isn't going to take hours.

If you are looking at acreage in the Cherry Creek School District, there are some nice homes on Arapahoe Rd (near Grandview High School) and off Smoky Hill Rd and Liverpool (I think they are called Saddle Rock Ranches). The city of Parker is in the Douglas County School District and is well-known as a "horse town." There are lots of homes with acreage and horses, lots of Feed and Tack stores, and a few riding centers.

[the3Ds]

Originally Posted by steveindenver

The mythical search for "good schools" continues to this day I see.

And to this day most of us don't understand why you think they are a myth.

Perhaps people should not limit their house hunt for a specific school, but focus on a "good school district." School districts have to meet Colorado's standards, but it's the extra curriculum that they focus on which makes them stand out. School Districts make a huge difference and are well worth the time and effort (and money) to get your kids in a good one.

I can only speak about Cherry Creek School District, but I know that their curriculum far surpasses Denver Public Schools. Just one example...by Kindergarten, kids in DPS should know 45 "sight words" (defined by words like "the", for example...words that shouldn't need to be sounded out). In Cherry Creek SD, the Kindergarten sight words are 110. BIG difference and since reading is something that builds on itself, already by Kindergarten, the kids in Cherry Creek who are keeping up at minimum are already above DPS students.

That's not a myth. Very smart kids are going to do well in any school but I want my kids in a school district, where, if they are merely MEETING the standards, they are already ahead of the curve. Put smart kids in a high-performing district and there's no limit to what they can achieve. There are kids who graduate top of their class who go on to college and realize they don't know anything compared to their classmates.

It's also a good idea to put your child in a school where the end goal isn't just high school graduation. I want my child to go to a school where the question is not, "are you going to college?" but "where are you going to college?" Having friends and counselors who expect you to do something BEYOND receiving a high school diploma makes a big difference.