How do we narrow it down? (Denver, Highlands Ranch: best city, to rent, houses)

[frogs4vt]

We are relocating to Denver next summer and are making an advanced trip this winter. My husband's job will require him to commute to CO Springs a few times a month and wish to live outside Denver rather than in the Springs (understand it will be a bit of a drive). We have been to Castle Rock before and have narrowed it down to Castle Rock, Castle Pines North, Lone Tree and HR Ranch (possibly Littleton if its not too far) - kind of hugging the 470/25 area. We live in Northern VA now so we are very used to the cookie-cutter lifestyle, traffic, HOAs, etc. We live an active lifestyle and daily access to running and biking trails is important to us. We would prefer newer construction (90s-2000s). Looking to rent and then buy in 400K range.

Question: How do we narrow it down from here? I hear most of the Douglas Cty schools are good but are there stand-outs in these areas? We have two small children, one just entering elementary now. We plan to drive around each area and drive-by the schools.

What other factors have folks used to determine the best city/neighborhood for your family? How did you pick??

Thanks for any thoughts or advice you can share...

[bhcompy]

Colorado School Performance Maps should help narrow down neighborhoods. We looked in HR and Castle Rock when we were considering moving to Denver. The neighborhood we ended up focusing on was the one around Northridge Elementary. It is one of the older neighborhoods(mid 80s), but the houses seemed better constructed and the lots in general looked a bit bigger in our price range(lower than yours). What we really liked though was the Northridge Rec Center, the huge Northridge Park, the creeks and nature areas, etc. Also lots of kids running around and riding bikes, and parents hanging out at the park. Unfortunately, my job prospect didn't go through so I can't tell you any more.

[Moonwalkr]

HR houses are newer cookie cutter style so if you don't mind that and not a lot of established trees you can certainly get houses built within the past 10 years there. We looked into HR/Lone Tree but chose an older more established part of town since we wanted a little more character in our house and neighborhood.

[maximusmgm]

Lone Tree (with the exception of Acres Green) will likely be out of your price range. You might add western Centennial to your list (near zip: 80112).

[rkb0305]

Other than the few times a month to the Springs, does hubby work from home? Will you be working? Any of the areas you named would be fine. I live in Highlands Ranch. I like the walking trails, parks, 4 rec centers, all with indoor and outdoor pools. I like the landscape of the Castle Pines area better, though. They are slightly higher in elevation and it is just enough to have pine trees. HR seems a little barren sometimes. I do know several people who live in Castle Pines and come into HR for church and preschool. Personally, that would bug me. I like things to be close to home and convenient. When we moved here 2 years ago, we chose HR instead of Castle Rock, Parker, or Roxborough because the location was convenient to DH's work and C470; and because of the rec centers. The HOA's slogan is "It's all right here" and it is true. There are tons of opportunities for recreation for kids and adults, seasonal events, cultural events like concerts in the park... tons of stuff to do!

[fsufezzik]

It sounds like you're a perfect fit for Highlands Ranch. My wife and I moved to HR in March from San Francisco, and we love it. The location sounds like it's what you're looking for, as is the price range, type of neighborhood, and amenities.

We ended up narrowing down our house search by visiting a bunch of houses. Schools weren't much of a concern for us (no kids and no plans to have any), but we did at least want to be in a district that wouldn't make it hard to sell the house. We focused mainly in Centennial (between I-25 and University), but ended up getting more house for the money in a neighborhood with a good feel in Highlands Ranch.

You can look at old posts by me from January describing how we decided on our place, and feel free to send me a message if you have specific questions about the area or my experience.

Good luck with the house hunt!

[frogs4vt]

I really appreciate all the responses and the helpful tools that folks forwarded to me... I'm anxious for our visit this winter and believe that driving through the neighborhoods will be the first step towards narrowing down. I appreciate the insider's opinions to neighborhoods. Thanks!