Moving to Denver soon--Recon trip starts tomorrow: suggestions needed (Littleton: renting, selling a home)

[alliern]

I think you're on the right track with considering Golden, Genesee, and Evergreen. Two of the towns, Golden and Evergreen, have all of the conveniences such as supermarkets and non-chain restaurants. Genesee will feel like less of a town. It's really made up of neighborhoods that border I-70 smack in the middle of Golden and Evergreen. Lookout Mountain is another area to consider. If you consider Evergreen, think about focusing on North Evergreen. Your husband can take a quick drive down I-70 and hop on the Golden lightrail and head into the city. It's a nice option for people that need to head into the city daily for work.
Evergreen is not as far out as people on this board make it out to be. While you're here and driving around, keep glancing at your clock. The first few times I visited, I felt like I was driving forever. Then I realized that it wasn't as long as it felt when I checked the time. I was just so used to city life in NYC with traffic lights at every block.
There are many parts of Golden, Genesee and Evergreen that are not cookie-cutter at all. There are some bigger suburban developments in Golden, but you can find space and unique homes as well. That's very true of Evergreen also.
Good luck with your search and visit!

[mic111]

Most of the suburban metro trails are next to empty because there are so many of them everywhere. The Jeffco open space parks and trails are not that crowded for the most part. In fact I got my first dog because I hiked alot by myself and almost never saw anyone else. I felt that a dog was good for safety in case I ran into someone nefarious (I moved here from CA). I never did have trouble with people but I've been hooked on hiking with dogs ever since. Not a good idea to walk a dog off leash though. They make nice snacks for the mountain lions, chase away the deer that you want to see and can easily step on rattle snakes in the rocks. That is one of the good reasons for the leash laws around here, so that the dogs don't chase off the wildlife that everyone wants to see while hiking.

I live 20 min. from Denver, on an acre, and walk my dogs for an hour each day on the trails that go by my backyard. We go around a lake on one 3 mile loop. I see maybe one or three other people. Sometimes none. But no off-leash trails any where near here.

When I lived in SF and would go hiking you had to stand in line to go up the hills because there were so many other people hiking. Boulder isn't quite that bad but it isn't uncommon to see people almost constantly on a hike there. Parking at the lots is usually impossible. They charge non Boulder registered license plates to park at the trail heads for some trails. That is if you can find a spot at all. The annual fee isn't bad at $25 but the lack of spaces is very annoying.
https://bouldercolorado.gov/osmp/ope...rmits-and-fees

The whole metro area can have very high winds.

Edit: Forgot to mention that there are many areas called Cherry Creek around here. If you are talking to someone and want to be near the reservoir you have to say it is Cherry Creek State Park you are talking about.

[2bindenver]

You and Hubby might like Golden or parts of Lakewood to the west - especially with the new W light rail line.

For places to rent try padmapper.com

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by jakeandjo

Thanks, Livecontent. I'll check out Arvada and your prior posts. My husband visited his friend's house site on his last trip to Denver and said it was nice, but very much a high-density neighborhood, and very VERY windy. Is Arvada windy throughout?

The whole area can have wind. We have had three homes in Arvada from West to East and I do not think it is that severe over the many decades I have lived her.

Most of the worst wind would be in the open northwest area, west of Indiana through hwy. 93 and up to Coal Creek Canyon which is mostly undeveloped but new housing developments are starting.

Arvada is hilly throughout and in and around Ralston Creek and overlooking the the Ralston Valley. With these hills and the more developed areas with the more heavily treed that have planted in the older areas to the east, the wind is blocked.

Arvada is big and and can offer the type of housing you are seeking in all areas. However, you have indicate an interest with more charm. Charm comes with the patina of time and those homes are in more established areas.

You will be very much surprised that Arvada has many hidden treed streets that are not so apparent and harder to find if you really do not know this place. Even many so-called "natives" do not know these hidden gems, not only in Arvada but in the whole older western suburbs from Lakewood to Wheat Ridge to Golden. I am continually surprised by what I do discover and I have been here 35 years. The reason is that many like to get to their destination fast and take the main roads and the highways and cannot see and appreciate the slower side roads that are less traveled.

Livecontent

[jakeandjo]

mic111, I forgot the pleasure of walking for hours on end with the dogs, the only wild animals in sight a squirrel or chipmunk. Yes, there was the one encounter with a porcupine (awful), but since we've lived in VT I've never had to worry about the dogs chasing deer as they did in our prior locale. Now I'm envisioning my younger Aussie going full-speed ahead after an elk. I've hiked many hours in CO and have never seen a rattle snake, so that wasn't even on my mind. Appreciate the input.

alliern, I appreciate the advice on Evergreen/Golden. Those homes certainly look more like what I'm accustomed to, and perhaps more comfortable with. Another poster PM'd me and suggested I look at Morrison as well. A quick glance at the homes makes that community seem feasible. Anyone have thoughts on Morrison?

[jakeandjo]

Livecontent, we like to take the backroads and explore, so hopefully we will find some of those hidden gems of which you speak. We will definitely check out Arvada.

[Mike from back east]

Won't run into any Elk in Denver proper.

Morrison is home to one of the best music venues in the country, Red Rock Amphitheater.

[mic111]

If you are in the town of Morrison they tend to get alot of noise from Red Rocks. Here is a recent article on attempts to turn things down.
Complaints lead to new Red Rocks Amphitheater noise restrictions | KDVR.com

There is also a speedway in the area, Bandimere, but I think the noise from there goes across the expressway to Solterra in Lakewood.

[Winter01]

I don't know if this would be within 30 minutes of downtown for the work commute but what about Roxborough? Very close to Chatfield which has a large off leash open space area and with your budget you could find a very unique, custom type home (think VIEWS!) with a lot of space between you and your neighbors. The red rocks and topography are just beautiful there. We hike in the open space areas around there often -- beautiful views, always see deer and other wildlife, just a very cool area. The only draw back is you would not be close to restaurants and it can be a little bit of a drive to stores, etc. Definitely does not have a dense, urban feel though.

People do commute downtown from there but it may be more along the line of 45 minutes depending on the time of day.

Good luck! Would love to hear what you decide on.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by jakeandjo

Hi Mic111,
I agree that Vermont may be an anomaly. I didn't quite realize that until I started drilling down into the Denver area. We've vacationed in CO many times, usually further west than Denver for high mountain hiking, so it never occurred to me that housing would be such a challenge. I pictured us finding a cool, newer, rustic/modern home with lots of glass and outdoor space and nice views of the mountains, all for a similar house payment/rent as to what we have here in Southern Vermont (we live in a tony little town that's expensive relative to much of VT). I did think finding this in reasonable proximity to my husband's work could be a little tough, but not insurmountable. Now I realize houses like that don't even exist in the sub $1M market.

I realize Cherry Creek is a little to the south, but perhaps it's an option. Does it fit the other criteria?

I asked about ponds for swimming because I like to swim with my dogs. I don't think private pools or clubs will go for that .

Sounds like the Boulder area may be more along the lines of what I need for dog walking. Louisville is close to Boulder, right? And not a terrible commute to downtown?

Regarding Louisville, it has much of what you want, but hubby would be hard-put to make it into work in 30 minutes.

Evergreen, Genesse (sp), etc would be a real challenge for 30 min. commute. Golden is pretty dense, and would take hubby all of those 30 min. and then some on some days.