2 grad students moving to Boulder area-HELP! (for sale, real estate, apartment)

[satori]

Hello all!
My boyfriend and I will both be attending grad school at CU in education next fall. We are planning on moving out there this summer, but know very little about what areas to look in. My bf wants to be close enough to campus to ride bike/walk, but I have somewhat outgrown the college party scene and would prefer a somewhat "chill" neighborhood that is still close to things to do (shops, food, bars and campus). I don't mind students in general, but I want to avoid the frat scene at all costs. We are looking to spend less than $1000/mo. and preferably have 2 bedrooms, as we have lots of gear, snowboards and stuff. We both have cars but are hoping to bike/walk as much as possible. He is going out there in May to look at places for us and I need some help on which areas to rule out and consider. Any info would be much apprreciated! Thanks!

[Neditate]

The #1 area you do NOT want to live is referred to as "the Hill". That's where the majority of students live; the area closest to CU, west of Broadway bordered by University Ave. to the north and Baseline to the south. The Goss/Grove neighborhood is another heavily student populated area.
Students live all over town though. You might consider central Boulder, or Whittier -- you can walk or ride your bike to campus. Parts of North Boulder would not be a stretch. Boulder is very bike-friendly, there are designated bike paths everywhere.
There are several good maps on this site: " + theTitle + "

[nelumbo]

I will throw in Table Mesa - lots of rentals, groceries and shopping available, and a quick bus or bike ride to campus up Broadway. You ought to be able to find a 2 bd within your price range, but it will take a bit of looking and will probably be close to your budget. A 1 bed plus den might also work for you and have a bit more space than a 1 bd (1 bds here often seem to be barely larger than a studio, at least that was the case when I was looking for an apartment).

[crimsonred]

What are you studying at CU? I'm also going to be joining CU this fall for my Masters in Telecomm.

[Katarina Witt]

Boulder is not huge. I wouldn't rule out any areas wholesale. I have friends with kids who live on "The Hill", just not in the very student-oriented neighborhoods. Undergrads tend to live closest to campus, but as Neditate said, students live everywhere. It's pretty easy to bike to campus from just about anywhere in the city, as well. Plus, CU students get an "Eco-Pass", so can ride the buses for "free" (comes out of student fees).

[satori]

Thanks for all of your responses! We will both be studying education- I'm hoping to become certified for k-6, while he wants to teach secondary biology. I have been checking out craigslist consistently and seen a few places in north/central Boulder and downtown that seem nice and not too pricey. Anyone have another house-hunting site to look into? A complex is sort of our last resort, but we would like to have one or two chosen as a backup. Any places to look into? (Would prefer fitness center and laundry). I really can't wait to come out there!

[beetpapp]

I moved here 5 years ago for grad school, and have loved it! We found both of the places we've lived on CL. I would agree about not living on The Hill. There is a greater likelihood that you will run into your students (sort of awkward when it's at the bar!), and it can be really congested during certain times of the day. There is also a big noise problem depending on the block.

Can't comment too much on apts, since we only looked at houses. Boulder doesn't seem to have too many 'luxury' type apartment buildings. But many of the condo complexes have laundry in-unit, and pools. Not so sure about fitness centers...but don't forget, CU has a huge recreation center on campus with gym, pool, yoga, and other classes.

[jodyr]

Welcome in advance to Boulder! Here's a little trick I learned looking around at houses a few years ago: there's a real estate site that comes in really handy even if you're not looking to buy.

To find the different neighborhoods in Boulder, go to COhomefinder | Boulder Neighborhoods - Single Family Home Subdivisions and click the "maps" links to see exactly where they are. Or look at condo complexes here:
COhomefinder | Boulder Condos, Townhouses and Lofts by Complex

Because the site tells you the prices of the homes for sale in those neighborhoods, you can get a rough idea of how expensive the rentals may be, and the maps and neighborhood information is pretty convenient too. Good luck, and start looking ASAP. There's been a lot of buzz lately about how tight the student rental market is going to be this year.

Best,
Jody

[midnightskies79]

hi there! i'm moving to boulder for graduate school come summer too . do you know if anyone ever lives in the hills? west of wonderland hills area? my sig other really wants to live in that area...