Where to live? Working at Denver Airport (DIA) (Littleton, Brighton: condo, credit card)

[Donho3]

First of all, I wish to thank everybody for taking the time to give information here, I have been lurking here for a couple of months and have gathered a great deal of information already. I have tried to search for my answer, but have a few specific needs that I would like help in addressing.

I am an Air Traffic controller working in Albuquerque right now. I have a buddy here that wants to move to Denver and work at the TRACON (By the airport) this summer. I wish to move there in about 2 years. So basically I figured I would ask and hopefully get an answer for both of us and help us get pointed in the right direction.

Obviously we would be working close to the Denver International airport, so we are looking for a place to live that would be within reasonable driving distance, but in both of our cases we would NOT exclude a great neighborhood over commute. When my bud toured the TRACON he was basically told, people there lived all over the area. When/if I move I will have only 3 years until I could retire, I might stay on, I might not, point is I can handle a longer commute for my family if I had to, my bud has about 10-12 years and he might not want to drive 25 miles each way. I have looked at Littleton online and will look at it the next time I am in Denver. I thought west of Barr lake (Brighton) or around Cherry hills would be places for me to explore also. My wife plans on transferring with Costco, so proximity to one of them is actually another thing I have to consider. I think they are pretty much all over town.

My friend and I are both looking for the same things, safe place to live, decent neighborhood, good schools. We are both married with children. Nightlife, bars and downtown ect are unimportant at least to me.

I am not exactly sure what his price range is, but I am looking for something in the $300K to $450K range. I would prefer room enough to hold a boat and a 5th wheel on my property if at all possible and am not looking at any Condo type setup. He has a 5th wheel and I plan on getting one before I move. Our current house has 5 bedrooms with an office (3800 SF), we can go smaller, but not remotely interested in a 1800 SF 3 BR.

I know this is a long and drawn out post, but if anybody can help me get pointed in the right direction I would appreciate it. I have a couple of years to work on this, my bud has about 1/2 a year.

[2bindenver]

You might need to store the 5th wheel unless it fits in the garage. Most newer homes have covenants that restrict trailers.

I would suggest Reunion, or the SE corridor along 225.

[Katarina Witt]

If 25 miles is your maximum commute, get out a map and a compass and draw a circle with a 25 mile radius. That would take in a good deal of the eastern metro area. The areas you have suggested sound good to me.

[Donho3]

Originally Posted by 2bindenver

You might need to store the 5th wheel unless it fits in the garage. Most newer homes have covenants that restrict trailers.

I would suggest Reunion, or the SE corridor along 225.

Thanks,

I have looked into storage for a 5th wheel and did not consider covenants.

Appreciate the input

[steveindenver]

If you choose to be outside of Denver water, beware of water issues and availability / cost. Avoid Douglas County like the plague.

[TCRmom]

Off point but, do you work at the tower or center in ABQ?

[the3Ds]

Originally Posted by steveindenver

If you choose to be outside of Denver water, beware of water issues and availability / cost. Avoid Douglas County like the plague.

This is just a side note, but after living in Phoenix, AZ for 9 years (which depends exclusively on the CAP (from the Colorado River) and paying, on average, about $25 per month for water, I cannot believe how expensive it is for water in metro-Denver. Seems odd that a place where nearly everyone has a pool and the irrigation goes year-round would pay less than those who live in the state that PROVIDES the water.

Denver water is NOT the only answer. Here's the latest article in the Denver Post.

Denver Water to hike rates 13% in Denver, 9.8% in suburbs - The Denver Post

Excel Energy is also a company that keeps raising it's rates (while they claim other reasons, I believe it's because there are so many who DON'T pay for their electricity, so they stick it to those who pay their bills on time...sort of like credit card companies).

We have ECCV (East Cherry Creek Valley) that provides our water and IREA provides our electricity. Both companies do their job (and that's all I've ever asked of a utility company). BTW, we had a tornado pass over our neighborhood last summer and our electricity never went out. When we rented a home in Denver for a year, we had Excel and our power was out constantly. Just saying...

[KateG7669]

Originally Posted by Donho3

I am an Air Traffic controller working in Albuquerque right now. I have a buddy here that wants to move to Denver and work at the TRACON (By the airport) this summer. I wish to move there in about 2 years. So basically I figured I would ask and hopefully get an answer for both of us and help us get pointed in the right direction.

I would suggest Henderson, about fifteen min from the airport nice, new, affordable single family homes

[Donho3]

Originally Posted by TCRmom

Off point but, do you work at the tower or center in ABQ?

I work at the Enroute Center in ABQ, I worked in Memphis Center prior to moving here. I have a friend working at the Denver Tracon right now and would like a challenge of working in a different environment.

[Donho3]

Originally Posted by KateG7669

I would suggest Henderson, about fifteen min from the airport nice, new, affordable single family homes

Thanks Kate I will put that on my list next time I am in town.