Looking into the Denver Burbs as a possible move

[the3Ds]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

I also have family in the Summerlin area, who I've been visiting at least twice a year every year the last 10 years, last time I visited back in Feb it was still a nice area.

Me too. We visited my BIL last year and still thought that his house is an absolute mansion and his neighborhood is way too swanky for us. Perhaps Summerlin is a large area, but at least where my BIL lives, it's still very nice.

It's unfortunate about Las Vegas but I have never really been a fan of that city anyway.

When you watch the news and hear about the housing market decline, it doesn't really make me pause. "People are having their homes foreclosed on? Oh well." Perhaps in some areas of Denver, it's worse than others, but there is just a "smattering" of homes for sale in my neighborhood and surely not all of them are about to lose their homes...a few are military with orders or are moving for a job.

Then, we go down to Phoenix or Las Vegas and it really hits you the kind of mess that housing market made. My sister lives in Cave Creek and when we drive out there, I have never seen so many "For Sale" signs. Phoenix has been devastated by the turn in the housing market and my best friend (who works for the Chamber of Commerce) said the economy has affected Phoenix just as bad as it did Detroit because so many people in Phoenix made their money from land and housing.

The problem was that the market got overinflated and people in Phoenix and Las Vegas were led to believe that if they didn't jump in now, they would be priced out of the housing market forever. That led to people paying $200K MORE than the house was worth...it's just stucco and some cruddy tile and yet people were lining up to pay $450K for a 3 bedroom home with a tiny xeriscaped yard. No one thought the "party" would ever end...theories like "your house is the best investment you'll ever make" or "the housing market never goes down" were coming out of people's mouths so matter-of-factly that those who don't really understand the market bought in hook-line-and-sinker.

Every day, I thank God that I had enough sense to take a moment to pause and wonder WHERE these people were getting the money to pay $500K for a house when they just graduated from college. Something didn't "smell" right and so we refrained from getting into the housing market.

[Moonwalkr]

We're in Greenwood Village, very nice neighborhoods. My kids leave bikes out all the time, no issues. We have award-winning schools, and right by I-25 for quick commuting via car/rail depending on where your employment is.

[boston2denver]

Originally Posted by WOHR

....They call it the ghetto and we live in Summerlin.

Summerlin = the ghetto? That's pretty funny.

[vegaspilgrim]

Interesting thread going on the Phoenix forum now, which has turned into a Las Vegas vs Phoenix vs Denver debate: Area in Phoenix most like Summerlin, NV? (suburb of Las Vegas)