Homeschooling and (Inexpensive) Family Rec Centers in Denver metro areas or suburbs

[Dorthy]

I don't know enough about Westminster to comment. Another northern suburb worth checking out would be Arvada as it has an older central downtown with character including older homes. It has bike trails, an amazing rec center (Apex) an arts center, a library right downtown and good schools.

[Katarina Witt]

It is hard to find a neighborhood that has both tons of kids for your kids to play with and people of all ages. From my own experience in my own neighborhood, I'd recommend an area with houses 20-30 years old with "family style" houses. My neighborhood was built in that time frame; the last houses were built about 20 years ago, mine was built in 1980. At first (so I've heard), the neighborhood was full of little kids, and when we moved here in 1989, there was still a long line at the school bus stop, including first one of mine and then both of them, then one again, etc. When houses sell, they usually turn over to young families. So we do have that admixture. Some of the original owners are still here, and we are long timers at 21 years. We've gone from parents of a two year old to empty nesters.

Public rec centers are available in most areas, not always withing walking distance, especially for little kids. Plenty of trails. Most areas have some access to shopping, coffee shops, etc. It may not always be walkable, esp. with little kids.

I'm not sure what you're talking about re: appreciation for the arts. Most areas have community theater, and there is the Denver Center for the Perfoming Arts. Arvada also has a large performing arts center. I don't know as much about the east side of Denver. The area colleges also offer performing arts programs.

[LostinColorado]

katiana, i like the point you make about getting a slightly older house for a variety of age groups.. from what i've seen, that really seems to be true.

dorthy, arvada seems like it might be suitable for me..

i now have rolling around in my head arvada, westminster, and louisville, as well as littleton, stapleton... it's like a blur sort of, hard to imagine what the difference is between these. i'm trying to get a sense of how northwest (? - btw. boulder and denver) compares with southeast (? - littleton, stapleton). it's looking like finding a good area that is technically in the city, with pretty good schools, is next to impossible.. true? i grew up in a house like that. it felt like the burbs, was closer to better city schools, yet had the benefits of lower property taxes, pretty easy access to anywhere in the city, and no hoa (i know most people would not agree w/ me about the hoa. we were fortunate where we were located because property values remained good there, and I personally prefer to not have the fees. I also like to have the freedom to do whatever I want with the home I own without having to get permission).

[2bindenver]

I live in the most famous subdivision in the Denver area, Highlands Ranch.

For my $125 a quarter HOA fee I have access to 8 swimming pools, batting cages, tennis courts, racquetball, dance, yoga, kid camps, walking trails, fitness classes....

[LostinColorado]

wow 2b, for about $500 per year, i have access to maintaining a lovely gardened entryway to our subdivision........... and lots and lots of rules, expectations, and permission-getting. oh, and my $10,000+ per yr taxes!

that is outstanding, does the same pretty much hold true for all subdivisions with HOA's?

[2bindenver]

Douglas County runs about 1% of the assessed value for property taxes. Assessed value is usually less than fair market value.