Buckley AFB relocation advice (Denver, Aurora: townhouse, to buy, live)

[ColoWeb]

The whole 'avoid Aurora' statements are plain wrong. Someone said it once and then everyone repeats it. There are some places in Aurora that you may want to avoid (north Aurora) but there are plenty of places that are great. For out of 'state-ers', even North Aurora is nothing bad compared to many of the other 'big cities' that they came from. Yes, there is some crime happening in Aurora, just like there is Crime in Denver. Keep in mind Aurora is the 3rd largest city in Colorado with population of ~ 320,000.

To make our life easier I would definitely get a place not too far form where you work, so the Denver Downtown area for me would be out of the question. Getting in/out during rush hour is a mess.

If you really want to avoid aurora, I guess you can look at South Denver, which puts you in a 'not too bad' traffic. Do keep in mind that when it snows, commute times often can double since the speeds on the roads are substantially reduced.

[suzco]

Originally Posted by ColoWeb

The whole 'avoid Aurora' statements are plain wrong. Someone said it once and then everyone repeats it. There are some places in Aurora that you may want to avoid (north Aurora) but there are plenty of places that are great. . .

The latest U.S. News and World Report (9/28/09) has another of those "best places" articles. This one is about America's Best Affordable Places to Retire and Aurora is on the list.

Aurora, Colorado

Aurora may rub elbows with Denver, but it assuredly is not a suburb. Home to roughly 300,000, the city covers a whopping 154 square miles and includes nine colleges and universities, seven golf courses, and 10,000 acres of parks, trails, and open space within its city limits. Housing is reasonable, to boot: In 2008, the median home price was $138,000, roughly $40,000 less than in Denver. . .

[steveindenver]

My husband and I moved here a few years ago and started of in an apartment. We found that there were a lot of very good properties to choose from. Would you rather be closer to the city or in more of a suburban neighborhood? What amenities are important to you? When we first came we lived in a complex called The Breakers

That place is HUGE. There are plenty of nice apartments in that general area too and quite a few acerage properties tucked away in the same area.

[Amanda.Simmons]

I am 23 and was considering moving out to Denver, Co. I am currently in an internship program out here in Georgia where i am currently living. I wanted to know how the job market was for an Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations major? Or how is the job market in general?

I am also from the south where i was born and raised. I am curious about the weather conditons. Driving in the snow? How much does it snow? How cold does it get?

Any help would be great or recommendations on where a young woman should live? City or suburbs makes no difference.

[NAdams65]

Originally Posted by 2bindenver

What, to you, defines a "good" school district?

Good question.....I guess that's hard to quantify. Our kids are currently in 1st/3rd grade.....they attend a public school here in Abilene that has an "exemplary" rating and is considered one of the best Elem schools in town. We, as parents, are very involved in the school scene....PTA...field trips...
student productions. We know all the teaches and most of the staff from the janitor to the principal.

While we have a very diverse student population, including deaf-education students and African refugees, the test scores remain high and the vibe of the school is very positive overall.

Does that help answer the question?

[sailorswife3]

My husband and I are moving to Buckley AFB in April and I have been looking at houses but I don't know anything about the area. Can anyone help, I really need it.
Thanks

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by sailorswife3

My husband and I are moving to Buckley AFB in April and I have been looking at houses but I don't know anything about the area. Can anyone help, I really need it.
Thanks

1. Merged your thread with several others that all are on the same topic of moving to Buckley. There's already a lot of good info here.

2. Lots to choose from out there in the E-470 (Toll) arc around the east side of Denver, though the toll road is pricey.

3. We usually suggest renting for a year to learn the area, but if you've done a lot of re-lo moves you may be adept at finding what best fits your needs.

Can you tell us more? Kids? Schools? Budget for renting / buying? etc

[TheKbob]

Hey all, I want to say first I appreciate the wealth of knowledge here. I have been sifting through loads of data from the search (yes, I read before posting!). I have a few questions that I may not have come across.

Some background: Mid 20s, single, and I do not wear a uniform. I work for the Air Force but am not in the military. Denver should be my home for quite some time and I should be gainfully employed unless another act of Congress makes some more cuts!

I grew up in the midwest, so I am no stranger to snow, but I know that some areas get better snow removal than others. Is Denver and the surrounding areas pretty safe to drive the day after heavy snow? What effects does heavy snow have on the city? I have a small, fuel efficient economy car with not many features. Is it worth investing into something weightier or 4WD/AWD for the area?

As for the housing, I do not want to buy a house. I want an apartment (or condo) for me and maybe a dog eventually. My price range is currently around $800/month and I know I won't get the good rate of $0.60/sqft like at my current installation! I want an area that's close enough to work to at least make it in an hour on bad snow days being sensible about it, but still close enough to make it into the city and that everything doesn't feel "twenty+ minutes away" of stop and go traffic. I can do my own apartment digging and I will get time off work when I first arrive to find a place, I am just looking for good areas to start the hunt.

Metor Denver Area Zip Code Map

I have been using that to nail down the zipcodes people use. Feel free to hit me with some (or general areas within some) and I can take it from there.

Thanks in advance

[2bindenver]

I would focus on the area around Buckley AFB -Denver or Aurora. There is no sense in living an hour from work. There are all sorts of things around there. It's only 20 minutes to downtown.

[TheKbob]

Originally Posted by 2bindenver

I would focus on the area around Buckley AFB -Denver or Aurora. There is no sense in living an hour from work. There are all sorts of things around there. It's only 20 minutes to downtown.

My hour statement was just a metric for "worst commute time during bad conditions". I would rather live as close as possible, but a lot of research says the areas of N Aurora and around Buckley AFB are less than... "charming".

Basically a neighborhood where I can walk a dog at night and not feel worried.