where to live in and around Boulder (Denver, Longmont: crime, houses)

[cinnamon_toast]

DH is considering a relo to the Boulder area. Anyone have any suggestions for places to live? As background - we have 3 kids, all under the age of 6. We want to be around other young families in a safe area and of course want a strong school system. We are active and want quick access to the outdoors - parks, hiking trails, etc. I am also extremely social and love to entertain so an area where people are interested in meeting others (especially since I stay at home) and not just keep to themselves is important. We also lean left politically but I am open-minded when it comes to making friends. We have about $600 - $700K to spend on a house and we really value interesting architecture and would like at least 1/3 acre. I'm not into McMansions or cookie cutter neighborhoods.

Anyplace come to mind? Is Boulder itself livable for young families? Or are we better off in the burbs?

[Mike from back east]

Boulder is considered expensive. Nearby are Superior, Louisville, and other more affordable venues.

Search on those names to find the wealth of data that is already posted.

[Micktooth]

We moved to Louisville last year and we love it. We have made so many great friends. We have 2 kids 13 and 11 and they have made great friends as well. We are happy with the Boulder Valley School District. Recently Louisville was rated as one of the best places in the entire country to raise a family. There are all kinds of parks and trails around, but this true of the entire area. Look into Louisville, I know you will love it.

[cinnamon_toast]

Thanks for the city recs. I will certainly check into them.

If one could afford Boulder, are there good places for a young family to live? I am coming from the Twin Cities so I am used to a more urban lifestyle but am open to suburbs, too. Could one find a 3 or 4 BR home in a nice neighborhood for $600 - $700?

[tfox]

Boulder (the city) is very expensive by our (Colorado) standards, but if you have 600k-700k to spend on a house, your options are wide open. In your price range you're going to get a normal house on the block, so keep that in mind -- it's not going to be a huge mansion. As for the 1/3 of an acre -- you might find that in Boulder the city but that's going to be difficult. Large lots are very much un-Boulder as the city is trying to keep its footprint small. So, to the extent you'd find a larger lot that size, you might find it on a historic property, but I would think that a larger lot for such a property might push it out of your price range, unless it was a fixer-upper or something like that. But that's just a guess, you'd have to see for yourself.

Boulder is a very compact city, so it doesn't take long to see the city and its neighborhoods. You can almost walk from one end to the other! In fact I encourage doing this.

There's also very little in the way of cookie-cutter in town; most of the cookie-cutter that is there is of the 1960s variety, as it was in the 1970s when the city of Boulder put a cap on growth. There's a lot of historic neighborhoods in town dating back to the turn of the century -- of these, Mapleton Hill is probably the most exclusive. There are a few newer neighborhoods on the extreme north end of town, as well as a few pockets of infill. If you did want a newer home you'd be able to find one in your price range, I think.

Schools in Boulder are part of the Boulder Valley School District, one of the best in the state. Fairview and Boulder (the two main high schools) are both excellent. There's really no difference in quality in between the schools in Boulder and those in Louisville, Superior, etc. They're all good.

There's not too many areas to avoid in Boulder as its not a crime-ridden area. The main one is the areas immediately around campus like the University Hill neighborhood and the student "ghettos" around 30th & Colorado. This is not because there's lots of crime in these areas, it's just that you'd have to put up with the normal drunk college student party hassles. Not worth it in my opinion.

Generally, housing values in Boulder drop off dramatically from west to east. By the time you get east of Foothills Pkwy or by the small municipal airport, or in the Gunbarrel neighborhood on the way to Longmont, you've just about arrived at pricing in the rest of Colorado. Proximity to the mountains and Downtown Boulder or Chautauqua part will demand a HUGE premium.

Judge for yourself whether it's worth paying that premium. Louisville is a very attractive alternative, as several posters have already mentioned.

[cinnamon_toast]

tfox, thanks for the 411 on Boulder.

[dj32]

tfox provided some great info on boulder
Have you thought about Denver proper? We have some green, tree lined, interesting neighborhoods here in Denver. Lots aren't going to be 1/3 acre but we aren't all cookie cutter either. I also find it really easy to meet people in the city- lots of people out and about, shops, mommy groups, etc..You can search on University Park/Observatory Park, Washington Park, Park Hill for neighborhoods. All would fit your price range with an updated home (although WAsh Park may be closer to 700s) Another great area to consider would be Southmoor or Southern Hills. lots are closer to what you are looking for and the Elementary School (Slavens) is excellent.

[cinnamon_toast]

Denver sounds nice and that is good to hear the schools are decent. I just found out DH's office is actually IN Louisville... But they are very open to telecommuting which he could do to avoid that nasty commute every day of the week.

[jenindenver]

Boulder is an awesome town. Family friendly, left-leaning and obviously great for easy access to outdoor activities. Attractive, unique, close-in neighborhoods like Mapleton Hilll, North Boulder (near Boulder Community Hospital), and the Chataqua area are great for families and very close to "downtown" AND hiking. Downsides would be relatively small lots and higher home prices. Another great area for families is the Table Mesa area - slightly more "suburban" feeling, but amazing access to hiking and not far from town. Nothing in Boulder is inexpensive, but you may get more for your money with a home in this area. It's also on the south side of town, so may be closer to Louisville. Also, I think there is a country club on the east side of town with nice homes/bigger lots surrounding it. I don't know much about that area, but it may make for an easier commute. Superior and Louisville are wonderful suburbs of Boulder (Louisville is actuallly more of an original town in itself that has grown) - safe, walkable to pools/schools/walking paths/parks, etc. However, you may not like that most of the homes look the same (minimal charm), the areas don't feel urban, and communities are more right-leaning (certainly more so than in Boulder!). Good luck and have fun in Boulder!

[tao]

Broomfield is also a possible option. It's between Boulder and Denver, though closer to Boulder (about a 10-15 minute drive to Boulder and a 20-25 minute drive to Denver). There are several neighborhoods that don't have "cookie cutter" houses and from what I understand it's a great place for families. One thing to be aware of, the Boulder County school district in Broomfield is considered more desirable.