Possibly moving to CO really soon. Need Advice and help (employment, recommendation)

[WhereTheSidewalkEnds]

Longmont is not an issue if you are on the south/southwest side. Schools are excellent on that side too. Look at Niwot and Gunbarrel as well - not sure if there is any new construction though.

[mic111]

The northern part of Thornton is very nice. But I think it is too far to commute to Boulder. The only exception being that if you think your job will move around. Then it would be a good location to have reasonable access to Denver, Longmont, Boulder, the airport and all that is in between.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by mic111

I suspect your right in that she works the south area and knows the neighborhoods. She probably knew that up north you would need a different realtor and didn't want to lose the business.

In terms of brand new homes I don't know if you'll find much in your price range in Broomfield. Perhaps Longmont or Erie has something. In our area new homes are only being built with contracts placed on them. They aren't building spec. homes in advance like they used to so you would be in for a wait where you would have to rent while the home was being built. However in the nearly new range you'll find tons of good options.

Once you know the job location you can zero in on the homes. Personally I think one of the great things about living in Colorado is the ability to find really great neighborhoods just about everywhere. This allows one to live walking or biking distance to work. It is the best quality of life enhancement you can give yourself by moving here, even if you have to buy an older or smaller home to do it.

I don't think it would be *too* hard to find a $450K home in Broomfield. The OP could certainly do a search on the multitudes of websites available. I like Broomfield myself.

Originally Posted by Idlewile

Also, this is completely subjective so please take this with a grain of salt but it sounds like what you're looking for so here goes:

Based on your price range, needing to commute to Boulder and everything considered when it comes to nearby school options, I would first choose Louisville but it will not be a new home (no new construction in that area.) IF schools and proximity to Boulder trumps all else, then Superior would be my next choice.

However, if NEW construction is important that I would look at the areas I mentioned above - Anthem and Vista Ridge - as well McKay, Aspen Creek, Red Leaf and the Broadlands for newer construction that Marc mentioned (we last lived in a community across the road from Mc Kay Landing).

If I could get my kids into Peak to Peak Charter, I would consider living in Indian Peaks in Lafayette which is newer construction depending on what section (or Louisville, but really, I'm partial to Louisville.)

Good advice on the "new home/older home" conundrum. It is my personal opinion that Peak to Peak is over-rated, and I know it is difficult to get in there as an "older student", e.g. any upper grades. If the Lafayette schools wouldn't work for the OPs family, there are other alternatives that are easier to get into.

Originally Posted by SKemeza

actually I have not see what happens in the snow as I haven't lived there yet. All I know that where I live, they cancel school if snow is in the forecast and it takes 1+ hours to go 15 miles in the sunshine. We have the 2nd worst traffic in the nation, so when I was visiting Colorado this past May and I heard people complain about traffic, I didn't really see "traffic"

I'll tell you what happens with >1 cm of snow (as stated by Sobe). If it starts near rush hour, especially evening rush hour, traffic is a major mess! It once took my husband several hours to go the 6 1/2 miles from his job in Boulder to our home in west Louisville. Now interestingly, if it snows overnight, even several inches, traffic usually moves OK the next day, if a little slow. "They" do not cancel school here for forecast snow, or even several inches of snow. It takes a lot, maybe 10-12", to cancel school. Maybe you didn't see all our traffic, though I agree the DC area has horrible traffic. But we tend to compare our traffic to itself, not DC.

[Idlewile]

Originally Posted by Katiana

If it starts near rush hour, especially evening rush hour, traffic is a major mess! It once took my husband several hours to go the 6 1/2 miles from his job in Boulder to our home in west Louisville. Now interestingly, if it snows overnight, even several inches, traffic usually moves OK the next day, if a little slow.

This is 100% accurate... if the snow starts at the beginning of evening rush it will nearly guarantee a bad (LONG) commute. If it snowed overnight but then has stopped the next morning, traffic moves.

[Sobe Itsavized]

Originally Posted by Idlewile

I would do NW Westminster over Thornton -- closer to Boulder. Thornton is on the east side of 25 and traffic is heavy over there. And don't let the maps fool you -- rush hour traffic on 36 is not something to overlook. From northern Broomfield to just off Pearl Street it used to take me 30 minutes in the middle of rush, sometimes longer. That included occasionally splitting the difference and 36-ing it 'til McCaslin Blvd.and then taking South Boulder Rd in.

Using northern backroads the whole way from Northern Broomfield and Erie (using Arapahoe) will take that long as well but is a good option.

I would also add it depends on WHERE in Boulder you're commuting to and precisely where you're coming from as there are strange traffic patterns and hold ups in certain areas at rush hour.

Louisville, Superior, Erie, Broomfield and Lafayette are good bets with the first two being the closest/easiest. Westminster if it's NW Westminster near 36. (Niwot is plenty close, great schools but $)

See OP? I told you. =P Just because you came here in May when there wasn't a hint of snow, it doesn't mean you've seen all of the "traffic" Colorado has to offer your right foot.

Peak to Peak is overrated at any rate. Edit: Then again, seeing children or even people in my age group NOT be arrogant, selfish, or snobbish about money is something I find so hopeful. At least, it gives me hope for the future generations more so than the past generations.

[huskydigger]

I'm no expert -- just looking at moving to the Boulder area myself -- but I have spent a lot of time in horrible traffic in LA and do get a little smile when I listen to Coloradans complaining about commutes. In my experience the only people who know how to drive in the snow live in states bordering Canada.

That said, you have to try to figure out what traffic will be like in 5, 10+ years because Colorado is growing and before you know it you'll be saying geez- that used to be a 1/2 hour but now it's a 1 1/2 hour drive. Particularly if you're in an area with lots of new construction or room for it because things might be something of a bust right now but someday they will boom like crazy again.

My understanding is that Boulder has open enrollment so you can apply to go to any Boulder school though I don't know how long it takes to get into a popular one. My personal preference is for the kids to go to a neighborhood school and to do supplemental learning at home.

Good luck with the move! If at all possible leave the kids with relatives while you do most of the packing & unpacking -- which you will have to do even with movers.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by huskydigger

I'm no expert -- just looking at moving to the Boulder area myself -- but I have spent a lot of time in horrible traffic in LA and do get a little smile when I listen to Coloradans complaining about commutes. In my experience the only people who know how to drive in the snow live in states bordering Canada.

That said, you have to try to figure out what traffic will be like in 5, 10+ years because Colorado is growing and before you know it you'll be saying geez- that used to be a 1/2 hour but now it's a 1 1/2 hour drive. Particularly if you're in an area with lots of new construction or room for it because things might be something of a bust right now but someday they will boom like crazy again.

My understanding is that Boulder has open enrollment so you can apply to go to any Boulder school though I don't know how long it takes to get into a popular one. My personal preference is for the kids to go to a neighborhood school and to do supplemental learning at home.

Good luck with the move! If at all possible leave the kids with relatives while you do most of the packing & unpacking -- which you will have to do even with movers.

I would recommend never, ever buying a house somewhere assuming you can open enroll your kids somewhere else. The "popular" schools can be difficult to get into, and the schools don't keep waiting lists; you have to reapply every year. What you describe is actually Colorado state law.

No one can see into the future. If an area grows substantially, new roads will likely be built to alleviate the traffic.

[huskydigger]

Good to know -- I live in an area now in NM with supposedly OK schools (it really all comes down to the teacher as far an elementary goes IMO) that will accept students from neighboring districts, but there is a waiting list. It can take years to win the school lottery legitimately. There are numerous ways to game the system ie get a lease, get a job with the schools, know the right person, that are widely used. If my kids were in an area with lots of gangs, most kids with a parent in jail, no regular power or sewer -- yes people still using outhouses -- 10 people sharing a singlewide -- you can bet I'd do the same.

However, again, this is New Mexico where, yes, everything is different.

As far as roads go you can talk to anyone over the age of 60 for examples but I've mostly lived in So. Cal where a huge subdivision with 1000 homes can show up in a three years and since cities or counties or the state has to pay for bigger freeways they do not happen and what exists is jammed. There is a lot more useable land for planting subdivisions in Colorado than in Southern California. Just check a satellite map of San Diego (with Boulder being Encinitas) versus Denver. It will happen.

[pitriz]

Broomfield
Lousiville
Arvada

Those are the 3 to keep you out of the prices of Boulder housing but remain close...........period

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by pitriz

Broomfield
Lousiville
Arvada

Those are the 3 to keep you out of the prices of Boulder housing but remain close...........period

Lafayette and Superior are much closer than Arvada, and an easier drive.