Moving to Denver in November (Arvada, Boulder: apartment complex, for rent, houses)

[AmyinMiami]

Hello all,
Hope everyone is well. I was reading the threads so I am going to be pretty specific. My husband and I are planning to move to Denver in November. My husband will be working in the city. However, we are looking to live outside the city. Ideally, we would find the perfect little community that isn't 'too suburbs' but quiet and charming. We want to rent a small house with a yard, with two to three bedrooms. We do need basic local amenities...I will be due to have our first baby in Febuary so it will be helpful to have a decent hospital in the area. We are willing to have a commute into the city but we need access to public transportation. We have been looking on Denver Post website at houses for rent. There seems to be several options. We need to keep our rent to about 1000 monthly.
So basically, what communities would be recommended??? Thank you in advance
Hope everyone has a beautiful day

[2bindenver]

There are some great brand new hospitals in the suburbs now. Good Sam in Louisville, Parker Adventist, Sky Ridge in Lone Tree.

Tell us about what is tolerable for a commute.

With a new baby, I always wanted to be close to a doctor, and a grocery store.

[AmyinMiami]

I would say a tolerable commute would be up to 45 minutes. Currently, we're commuting about 25 minutes. However, if we find a community we really like...it would be worth it.
thanks so much for the help

[2bindenver]

Light Rail comes to the SE side of town in November - I'd say lookin into Parker & Castle Rock for small town feel, public transportation and nice amenities.

[AmyinMiami]

What are your thoughts on the towns of Golden, Arvada, Highlands Ranch, and Cherry Creek? I was told these are decent neighborhoods as well?
Thanks so much

[2bindenver]

golden is great, prices moderate to high, old west town feel, light rail coming in 2012 - commuting east in the morning and west in the afternoon - lots of sunshine glre slowdown 20-50 minut commute to downtown.

Highlands Ranch is a large 25 year old subsivision with 4 rec centers and hiking/biking trails, good schools, dog friendly...light rail on the sw side will take 20 minutes to downtown. Prices lowest in the group. Brand new properties are available.

Cherry Creek is housing is expensive. Great location, center of commerece, parks...nothing affordable about CC.

e me for a neighbood report or a relocation package.

[xxman777]

Based on your requirements I would suggest Golden (as you thought) and Littleton (in the city limits only). Both of these places are nice quite areas that aren't suburban but aren't in the city either. Littleton has light rail, and golden should in about 6 to 8 years.

Highland Ranch is a suburb. It is well designed and there actually seems to be a sense of community there but it is obvisously a suburb. Arvada can be quite and charming but it can also be kind of trashy. It isn't a bad community but it doesn't really seem like what you are looking for.

When somebody recommended Cherry Creek they were probably recommending the neighborhood in Denver which relatively close to DT. This area is not quite, is pretty urban, has lots of stuff to do and very good schools for Denver. If they are unfamiliar with Denver they could have also been refering to areas either east or west of The Cherry Creek Dam as a lot of these subdivisions carry the name, and they are in Cherry Creek Schools. Areas east of the dam are very suburban. Areas west are very close to Denver. They can be quite, nice areas but they are also very expensive.

[dran001]

Stay out of Douglas County (includes Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, and Castle Rock) unless you want a DUI. The only exception to this is if you never drink or you never drive a car.

[jenlyn]

Uh..kind of an ignorant statement...Dont drink and drive..DUH! Im assuming you mean the cops are strict there with DUI..That makes me want to move there even more.

[Micktooth]

my family and i moved to Louisville in Boulder County. It is 10 miles south of Boulder and 20 miles nw of Denver. Before we bought our house we lived in a great apartment complex in Superior called Horizons at Rock Creek. I commute to Cherry Creek in Denver daily and it's only about 30 min during rush hour. I feel like we have the best of both worlds here.