Non Slum Living (Safe Living) for Under $600/mo rent. Can it be done in Denver? (Colorado Springs: apartment complexes, to rent)

[MysticalDream]

I was wondering if it possible to find a safe area to live in the Denver metro for under $600/mo. I would like to live in a 1-2 bed apartment, but I know the Denver area is expensive. I would prefer to live outside of Denver city limits as I am a gun owner and I am told Denver has some of its own strict gun control laws that are different from the rest of the state of Colorado. However, I would like to be located not too far from the mountains.

I know for this kind of money in Portland, where I am from, I would be living in a crime-infested slum. I'm thinking possibly the situation would be the same in Denver, which I think is only slightly cheaper than the PDX area. However, I can live a little bit out of the city and I am wondering if there is any spots in the metro where I can get away from the concentration of drug-addicts, gang bangers, thieves and yet still live cheaply. I have a small gun collection and computer equipment (for my home business) and would want to live in a place where the burglary rate is lower.

Right now, I am trying to start my own software business and there is a chance I may make more money and can live in a nicer neighborhood. But, I am thinking if things don't go well I will be stuck living in a cheaper place from $500-$600/mo. I am prepared to downscale my type of living, but cannot living in any residence smaller than 1 bed apartment. That might be asking a lot in an expensive metro area like Denver.

Also, I am a lover of the outdoors and would love to go hiking on the weekends, so living on the eastside of the Denver metro, would not be as desirable. I would love to be able to drive up into the Rockies every weekend for camping and hiking.

I will be working from home and spending the next couple years studying web technology, so living next to a job won't be an issue. I can live in different areas. However, I may be interested in working a part-time software job during my study period and may be interested to learn more about Denver's IT market.

I live in Boise right now and want to get out of here. I am thinking of living up in Spokane or Coeur d'Alene, ID as it is cheap and very beautiful, but I do believe being an early 30 something single guy, I will feel a bit isolated, like I do in Boise. Where I live is mostly older families and people tend to keep to themselves and marry very young. Boise is like a giant suburb. Downtown Boise is infested with drunk, foul-mouthed raging college kids. That is about the only social scene that exists in a place like Boise on the weekends. There is nothing for the more mature/professional, yet still young 20-30 crowd. I am hoping to live in a place that has a bit more of a cosmopolitan feel and a bit more diversity and people who enjoy doing things outside of their homes. I think a big city like Denver would fit that criteria.

[Snikt]

Not in Denver, under 600$ in some crappy areas sure, but nothing I would consider safe

[tfox]

There's not really very many slums in Denver, so you should be able to find a place given your budget. The obvious place to look would be in Aurora, which is on the east side of Metro Denver, but given your budget you can't be too choosy. I know for a fact that there are at least some apartments in Aurora in that price range. The northern part of Aurora is dodgy in places, but the southern part is fine.

Jefferson County, to the west of Denver, tends to be expensive, because lots of people like that proximity to the mountains. You might be able to find a place in Wheat Ridge or Arvada for $600.00 -- but it would be much harder than Aurora.

[suzco]

Going towards the north, you might be able to find something (not easy) in Federal Heights, or parts of Westminster, Thornton, or Northglenn.

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by MysticalDream

be interested to learn more about Denver's IT market.

rmiug-jobs@yahoogroups.com will help

[Katarina Witt]

I don't know what my daughter is paying for her studio in Aurora, but I doubt it's over $600. It's a pretty big studio; the kitchen is separate.

[SouthXSW]

I lived for $500/month in the DU area a few years ago. You might try looking around there for a studio or 1 bedroom. Nice area but there are a lot of college kids.

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by MysticalDream

I was wondering if it possible to find a safe area to live in the Denver metro for under $600/mo.

I know of a number of apartments in southeast Denver, the unincorporated Arapahoe County island, and central Aurora where you can find apartments for under $600/mo. I'm not going to lie, they all suck. However, a lot of it is luck. You could get in a decent unit and have no problems, decent neighbors, etc. Or you could be stuck in the wrong unit and end up with major noise problems, crime, vandalism, bed bugs, bugs, rats, maintenance issues... etc. Kind of the luck of the draw. The place I live in now costs $660/mo (the current going rate for new residents is closer to $700/mo I think) and it's a pretty decent place. However, I've seen other apartments that cost the same that look dreadful. You got to shop around. Also, if you open yourself to renting privately owned condos instead of just large corporate owned apartment complexes, you can often find better quality places to rent for cheaper.

Also, I am a lover of the outdoors and would love to go hiking on the weekends, so living on the eastside of the Denver metro, would not be as desirable.

Not necessarily true at all. I've lived on only the east side of the Denver metro area (SE Aurora, E. Centennial, and now SE Denver/ unincorporated Arapahoe Co) my entire life with the exception of 6 years I went out of state, and I've been taking frequent trips to the mountains to ski, hike, get away, etc, almost weekly my whole life. Driving an extra 15 minutes on city freeways on the weekends to get to the mountains really is no big deal. If anything, it's the traffic on I-70 in the mountains that really puts a damper on going up (ski traffic coming back on Sunday afternoon is horrendous), which you'll have to deal with whether you live on the west or east side of town.

I would love to be able to drive up into the Rockies every weekend for camping and hiking.

Again, you logistically can (weather and road conditions permitting) but again the limiting factor is how much time and energy and money you have. Denver is a lot further away from the mountains than people think. It's a long (and often stressful, given the traffic) drive to get into the high Rockies, doesn't really matter all that much whether you live on east or west side of town.

[SouthXSW]

You can be solidly in the mountains in 30 min from downtown and just under an hour from the eastern suburbs depending on traffic/weather. There are lots of people who go to the mountains every weekend. An alternate route to 70 is 285, or you can go down closer to Colorado Springs (an hour from Denver).

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by SouthXSW

...DU area a few years ago. You might try looking around there for a studio or 1 bedroom. Nice area but there are a lot of college kids.

/ 430ft² - Great corner DU studio w/ small yard - Pets welcome - Free heat & wifi
steps away from Swedish/Craig hospitals