Denver more expensive then much wealthier metropolitan areas (Aspen: middle-class, apartment)

[guyatwork37]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

Since median home prices are reaching $400k, why not $500k or $700k? Give them an inch, they will push a mile. Lets not deny that's what the people want that are moving here, California lite prices for homes.

Metro Denver single-family home prices approach a median of $400,000

But a home at $400,000 is still affordable. Is it ideal for everyone? No. But that's why half th homes are cheaper.

[tcbelvis]

Originally Posted by guyatwork37

I don't think you truly understand what over priced housing or bad traffic really are. Denver is a very affordable city. And the traffic, while bad at times, is typically contained to rush hour in my experience.

Have you tried to go anywhere on the weekend lately? This has been my experience as well... SUCKS!

https://twitter.com/NewsieHeather/st...11102514319361

[DougStark]

Originally Posted by davebarnes

SLC - Mormon dominated in a Mormon-dominated state.
COS - Doug Bruce, Gordon Klingenschmidt, Doug Lamborn.
Boise - colder than Salt Lake and almost as Mormon dominated. Plus they enforce jaywalking fines.

Thanks for the input, Dave. I researched the names you mentioned from COS. They're all far right, but the good thing is, I can keep my personal political/ religious opinions even in an City/region that leans differently. Thank God for America.

BTW, I don't think Boise is colder than Salt Lake. My Sunset garden book lists both cities in the same zone for growing plants.

[DougStark]

GuyatWork, I don't know why you'd say Denver is affordable? A city's affordability is primarily based on the cost of housing. A metro area, like Denver, with a median SF home price near 400,000 is double! what many other major US cities are (the list includes almost all the cities in the US, except the ones in northeast, DC, and the west coast.)

Sure, your property taxes are nice and low, and income taxes aren't bad, I'll grant you that much at least.

I'll speculate that Salt Lake may start to see a run-up in it's median home prices as "spill-over" from Denver. Somewhat similar climate, beautiful mountains, high tech industry, low crime rate, good water quality from snow melt.

[guyatwork37]

Originally Posted by DougStark

GuyatWork, I don't know why you'd say Denver is affordable? A city's affordability is primarily based on the cost of housing. A metro area, like Denver, with a median SF home price near 400,000 is double! what many other major US cities are (the list includes almost all the cities in the US, except the ones in northeast, DC, and the west coast.)

Sure, your property taxes are nice and low, and income taxes aren't bad, I'll grant you that much at least.

I say that because a $320,000 mortgage (assuming 20 percent down-payment) is completely manageable (~$1,500 mortgage payment) . Obviously it's not a $120,000 mortgage, but places with homes that cheap are typically either not as nice for various reasons or don't have the amenities Denver does. Sure there are several nice places that are less expensive, but Denver has a lot to offer at a still affordable price.

I'll also add a $400,000 home in Denver is a really nice home with, I'm assuming, 4 bedrooms and 3 baths. If you don't need that much space or that many rooms, then the price gets lower I imagine. If you need more space and more rooms, then you either need to revisit your priorities or not complain about how expensive homes are

[1AngryTaxPayer]

450 would be a bargain for here and traffic has always sucked there. Even in the 70s.

[Hschlick84]

Originally Posted by tcbelvis

Have you tried to go anywhere on the weekend lately? This has been my experience as well... SUCKS!

https://twitter.com/NewsieHeather/st...11102514319361

Glad I'm moving in a couple weeks, that's ridiculous.

[Timmyy]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

Every metropolitan area has issues, but ignoring the bad things of Denver and being overly optimistic about this area rather pathetic.

Denver - aging infrastructure not up to today's standards, overly priced homes (affordable only to rich liberals), endless traffic until 10pm - 5am

Not affordable to rich conservatives?

Enjoy Prescott Valley. I was just there and I just don't get the attraction. There is no traffic but I now understand why.

[lovecrowds]

Originally Posted by DougStark

GuyatWork, I don't know why you'd say Denver is affordable? A city's affordability is primarily based on the cost of housing. A metro area, like Denver, with a median SF home price near 400,000 is double! what many other major US cities are (the list includes almost all the cities in the US, except the ones in northeast, DC, and the west coast.)

Sure, your property taxes are nice and low, and income taxes aren't bad, I'll grant you that much at least.

I'll speculate that Salt Lake may start to see a run-up in it's median home prices as "spill-over" from Denver. Somewhat similar climate, beautiful mountains, high tech industry, low crime rate, good water quality from snow melt.

Salt Lake County is not cheap. The median single family home is $271,000 which is well above the national average.

Even Boise, Flagstaff, Prescott and Reno are very expensive compared to the national average. It seems with only a few exceptions higher elevation inner-mountain west cities are expensive.

Areas of Salt Lake City like Sugarhouse, 9th and 9th and the Avenues are already similar to Washington Park and NW Denver on housing prices per square foot.

Salt Lake City proper in the last decade has seen a massive influx of people from other state's moving to the older, historic neighborhoods east of downtown. It seems like every 6 blocks on the east side of Salt Lake City there is a strip of local restaurants, coffee houses and small shops.

Inner-city Salt Lake has alot of very expensive neighborhoods similar to Denver but the suburbs are cheaper then Denver.

Midvale, South Jordan, West Jordan, Sandy etc. all are quite a bit cheaper then Denver's suburbs.

The real bargain in Utah is Ogden, Northern Davis County in the Layton area and Northern Utah County.

Salt Lake City climate is also different then Denver. They do not have warming winter winds but they also don't have cold snaps to the extent Denver does.

Salt Lake City tends to have a nicer spring then Denver and the summers are warmer.

The mountain views and scenery are much, much better then Denver.

Salt Lake City does have a very diverse economy much like Denver, it also has a major college town vibrancy that Denver does not have.

The crime rate in Salt Lake City itself is actually higher then Denver. Both Denver and Salt Lake City have much higher violent crime rates then Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Diego.

Salt Lake City has localized areas that are very crime-ridden such as Glendale, West Tempe and Gateway/Pioneer Park area.

[guyatwork37]

Originally Posted by lovecrowds

Salt Lake County is not cheap. The median single family home is $271,000 which is well above the national average.

Even Boise, Flagstaff, Prescott and Reno are very expensive compared to the national average. It seems with only a few exceptions higher elevation inner-mountain west cities are expensive.

Areas of Salt Lake City like Sugarhouse, 9th and 9th and the Avenues are already similar to Washington Park and NW Denver on housing prices per square foot.

Salt Lake City proper in the last decade has seen a massive influx of people from other state's moving to the older, historic neighborhoods east of downtown. It seems like every 6 blocks on the east side of Salt Lake City there is a strip of local restaurants, coffee houses and small shops.

Inner-city Salt Lake has alot of very expensive neighborhoods similar to Denver but the suburbs are cheaper then Denver.

Midvale, South Jordan, West Jordan, Sandy etc. all are quite a bit cheaper then Denver's suburbs.

The real bargain in Utah is Ogden, Northern Davis County in the Layton area and Northern Utah County.

Salt Lake City climate is also different then Denver. They do not have warming winter winds but they also don't have cold snaps to the extent Denver does.

Salt Lake City tends to have a nicer spring then Denver and the summers are warmer.

The mountain views and scenery are much, much better then Denver.

Salt Lake City does have a very diverse economy much like Denver, it also has a major college town vibrancy that Denver does not have.

The crime rate in Salt Lake City itself is actually higher then Denver. Both Denver and Salt Lake City have much higher violent crime rates then Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Diego.

Salt Lake City has localized areas that are very crime-ridden such as Glendale, West Tempe and Gateway/Pioneer Park area.

I understand it's above the National average, but $271,000 is so stupidly cheap for a house that it's laughable. The national average is lower because the nation is comprised of a butt load of places that are absolutely awful to live in.