Areas close to Boulder (Denver, Arvada: section 8, apartment complex, lease) - Colorado (CO) - City-Data Forum

JKBogey · 09-10-2009, 12:35 PM

The more I look, the harder it is to find a nice apartment at a reasonable price in Boulder...

I'm looking for a nice neighborhood with a nice apartment complex, similar to what I have here in Tampa... I don't want to deal with crime and being worried at night.

Any suggestions of nearby towns with reasonable apt prices, Im trying to stay within 15 to 20 minutes of Boulder. We have some family there, and I plan on skiing every weekend in the mountains and dont wanna drive farther than I have to.

Thanks in advance!!

Jim

TrickiWoo · 09-10-2009, 07:58 PM

Check out the Legacy apartments in SW Longmont. I haven't seen the apartments but I've ridden my bike through the development and it looks nice enough. I live in the nearby area and it's quite safe and quiet. I don't know what price range you call reasonable, but it's bound to be cheaper than Boulder.

JKBogey · 09-11-2009, 03:59 PM

Thanks for the reply! The legacy looks really nice, I appreciate you sending me that. My lease is not up till the end of March here in Tampa, but as of right now, the Legacy has some really nice prices!

Im looking to stay at like 900 bucks a month for a 2 bed apt... Thats what Im paying now, and I dont really want to downgrade..

One thing that troubles me is some of the apt's im looking at in Longmont are Section 8 approved. Is longmont a nice safe area where one day my wife and I can start a family and not worry about anything happening to us or our kids??

Thanks a lot!

Jim

POhdNcrzy · 09-11-2009, 05:51 PM

In general, the Boulder area is quite safe. There are some physical and sexual assaults that occur in and around CU and generally college students are the unfortunate victims rather than adults, elderly, or children.

The least safest areas are Longmont or Lafayette, but these aren't dangerous places by any reasonable measuring stick. These two towns are not gentrified and contain a significant low-income element and some (Latino) gang presence.

$900 / month for a 2-bedroom is not gonna happen inside the City of Boulder. The range for those is $1,000+. You could definitely find that in some of the towns surrounding Boulder, but such an apartment would still not be "swank", that's for sure.... Colorado is popular, and rents are high. Simple supply and demand dynamics.

JKBogey · 09-11-2009, 08:58 PM

Thanks for the reply Pohd....

Gangs? I really really dont want to deal with that....

What areas would you recommend then that are safe, yet affordable??

Thanks again

Jim

WhereTheSidewalkEnds · 09-12-2009, 11:22 AM

On the southwest side of Longmont you don't have anything to worry about. How old are your kids by the way?

We've lived in Longmont 10 years. The gang thing seems to get blown out of proportion. Mostly because this is a smaller town and any little thing that happens seems to be a big deal. But I'll say that there are parts of town I would avoid and a school or two I would avoid. It's going to be that way anywhere though. Not just Longmont.

I live in the same neighborhood as TrickyWoo. Her suggestion for Legacy was good. And like her - I can only judge by what I see going by, but they always keep the place up nicely and nicely landscaped. The schools zoned for that apartment complex is the same my son goes to. Indian Peaks Elementary, Sunset Middle School, Niwot High School. My son started kindergarten at Indian Peaks and is now a sophomore at Niwot. We have always been happy with his education - have loved the schools and have never had issues.

WhereTheSidewalkEnds · 09-12-2009, 11:25 AM

One more thing I'd like to add about this part of town - it's really on the edge of town. There is a fantastic green belt that I walk every day along a creek. A great park (if you have little ones). To me it just has a more rural feel even though the grocery store, etc. is just pretty much right there.

JKBogey · 09-12-2009, 03:23 PM

Thanks for the input JKCoop. I don't have kids yet, but have been married a year now and family talk has started :-) We dont want to start a family until we are happy with we are at though...

So SW Longmont is pretty nice huh? Ive looked at the Legacy online and we like it a lot, and the prices are very fair....

I just don't want to be paranoid at night that something might happen. I did a street view of the Legacy and there is a super target across the street... I think thats a good sign that Target built a store there....

You were saying there were parts of town you would avoid, what parts are those??

I like the feel of Boulder a lot, people riding their bikes everywhere, nice places to walk, shops, etc... Does SW longmont have a feel like that, do a lot of people ride bikes to where they are going, or is it more of a suburban feel?

Thanks JKcoop, your making my decisions easier!

Jim

WhereTheSidewalkEnds · 09-13-2009, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JKBogey

Thanks for the input JKCoop. I don't have kids yet, but have been married a year now and family talk has started :-) We dont want to start a family until we are happy with we are at though...

So SW Longmont is pretty nice huh? Ive looked at the Legacy online and we like it a lot, and the prices are very fair....

I just don't want to be paranoid at night that something might happen. I did a street view of the Legacy and there is a super target across the street... I think thats a good sign that Target built a store there....

You were saying there were parts of town you would avoid, what parts are those??

I like the feel of Boulder a lot, people riding their bikes everywhere, nice places to walk, shops, etc... Does SW longmont have a feel like that, do a lot of people ride bikes to where they are going, or is it more of a suburban feel?

Thanks JKcoop, your making my decisions easier!

Jim

It's a very good part of town. You have not reason to be paranoid. Going past the apartments on Nelson it gets very rural - homes with horses, etc. There is also the grocery store which is right there across the street from the apartments. We walk/ride our bikes there all the time and the green belt is also right there at the park which is right across the way from the apartments, other side. Then there is the other green belt right off the County Fair grounds which is just right there.

Longmont has a different feel than Boulder but lots of people ride their bikes all over the place. The good thing about being on the southwest side of town is you are just a hop away from Boulder.

There are parts of downtown that are run down. But then again, there are parts that are being redone - we saw some great houses being remodeled off of Sunset a few weeks ago. My friend who lives on the northeast side isn't terribly happy there and does not like the high school at all.

I think if you come for a visit and drive around, you'll get a better feel for the place. It's really like any other town - good parts/bad parts and you'll recognize where those are right away from driving around.

livecontent · 09-13-2009, 05:14 PM

If you want to live near Boulder, within 14-20 minutes to Downtown and be very close to the skiing which is accessed of the I-70 corridor, then you best choice is West Arvada. You can easily drive to Boulder by way of 93, up Indiana and to McCaslin through Superior or Louisville and be there in minutes. Also you have easy access to the Flatiron Mall by the side roads, as I mentioned, going north from Arvada, to 128th Ave. Going skiing You go south, just by going down Ward Road to I-70.

West Arvada is a beautiful area with rolling hills and trees that sits in the Ralston Valley, along Ralston Creek. It has farms, developments, equestrian activities and tremendous parks. There are many great Apartments and the area in safe and clean. You will be near good stores and services. Many apartments are found on west 64th ave which is also called Ralston Road. It is a little confusing as Ralston begins on West 58th, near Old Town Arvada (yes, a nice old center of the city) and changes at Independence to curve up to West 64th Ave. This goes west to Hwy. 93. You will find nice apartments west and east of Simms.

This area also gives you easy access the the Great City of Denver.

Livecontent