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Old 02-25-2010, 11:01 PM
 
Location: Just south of Denver since 1989
11,815 posts, read 34,282,142 times
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I would start in the west, northwest quadrant of Denver first.
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Old 02-25-2010, 11:04 PM
 
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Originally Posted by livecontent View Post
So, you do not necessarily have to live in the new "trendy" neighborhoods but you can find the same in the older areas.

...You will see that many of the open space and parks go back more than a hundred years. In addition, trees are very scarce and where they were found, they were honored and expanded into parks. The history of Denver will tell you how fast Coloradans planted trees and established parks. Denver has always been "trendy" and took a big part in the "City Beautiful" movement in the latter part of the 19th and early part of the 20th Century.

... I have been here for 31 years and I am still discovering areas that I did not know existed. I have been surprised more recently by Google Map and I keep seeing these hidden parks and trails; and then I am on my way to explore the Great Colorado outdoors.

Livecontent
Great to hear. Thanks for sharing this.
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Old 02-25-2010, 11:06 PM
 
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Thanks.
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Old 02-25-2010, 11:11 PM
 
6 posts, read 17,037 times
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Originally Posted by Brian_M View Post
One can only hope..... because that's where I bought in November. Currently it is no where NEAR trendy. But it's safe (if you stay off Federal, Evans and Mississippi, which are the boundary streets IIRC). Still, it'll be a challenge to find a property that costs under $150k to be livable. Some are Selling cheaper than that, but need 20~30k in repairs due to tenant damage (holes in drywall, no appliances, floors needing replaced, etc...) or a solid months worth of work as a DIY for 1/3rd the cost.

At least the park makeover starts next week (or is claimed to start).
Sweet. Thanks. We are both good in construction so could do much of the work ourselves. I appreciate the advice.
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Old 02-25-2010, 11:16 PM
 
5,089 posts, read 15,348,672 times
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Originally Posted by CassandraK View Post
Everyone, thank you so much for the advice. Nothing compares to getting advice from people who live in the area. I was looking in Aurora, and there seems to be quite a bit for around $150k. Is this a nice area, and is the commute ok? My husband will be working around Union Station.

The advice is much appreciated.
If your husband is working around Union Station then your best place to find good homes in your price range would be the western suburbs. That is Arvada, Wheat Ridge, North of Lakewood, Edgewater, South areas of Westminister.

These areas have excellent fast public transit to Union Station, with express buses, limited buses and local buses. Also, the West Commuter Rail Corridor, through Lakewood, is now under construction and will connect to downtown. It will be complete in 2013.

Also, these suburbs have excellent walkable neighborhoods, extensive parks and trails. These areas are really the closest suburbs to Downtown and are the traditional older suburbs and most areas are extremely safe.

Another option, for your price range, would to look into the older suburbs of Englewood City proper. That is the area that is centered around Hampden and Broadway. It is serviced by a good commuter rail and a excellent frequent bus on Broadway. This area connects into some great areas of Denver and I would also consider the neighborhoods near Harvard Gulch Park which is the Overland and Rosedale neighborhood. Here is a map of the different neighborhoods of Denver

http://www.denvergov.org/denvermaps/downloads/maps/citywide/Neighborhoods.pdf (broken link)

Aurora has some nice values and good neighborhoods. However, it is a father to the Union Station area.

Keep in Mind there are two main transportation stations in Downtown on each end of the 16th street mall. Market Street Station on the Northwest is the destination of buses from the western suburbs and Civic Station on the Southeast services the eastern suburbs. The Buses that go to Market Street Station from the west stop at Union Station which is near the Market Street Station.

So, commuting downtown can be much easier and shorter to/from the western suburbs if you work site is near Union Station or from any of the commuter rail that now goes to Union Station from the Southwest and Southeast lines.

Livecontent
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Old 02-26-2010, 01:15 AM
 
Location: Arvada, CO
13,824 posts, read 29,788,732 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CassandraK View Post
Everyone, thank you so much for the advice. Nothing compares to getting advice from people who live in the area. I was looking in Aurora, and there seems to be quite a bit for around $150k. Is this a nice area, and is the commute ok? My husband will be working around Union Station.

The advice is much appreciated.
If you decide to live in Aurora and commute to Union Station by car, I'd suggest that you at least stay north of Mississippi, and I'd hope the commute would be on off-peak hours. For instance, to go to a Rockies game (just north of Union Station) from my old house in Central Aurora (which fits your price range, but not the trendy part), it'd take about 25 minutes, with no traffic. With traffic, it could be up to 35-40, and likely a bit more with bad snow.

Actually, when going downtown from there, you have the option of the freeways, or Alameda/Steele/1st/Speer. They take about the same amount of time, either way.

However, the other posters are right to advise you to look north and west of downtown, you'd have a much shorter commute from there, and several options in your price range.
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Old 02-26-2010, 09:15 AM
 
4,267 posts, read 6,160,179 times
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Originally Posted by livecontent View Post
Another option, for your price range, would to look into the older suburbs of Englewood City proper. That is the area that is centered around Hampden and Broadway. It is serviced by a good commuter rail and a excellent frequent bus on Broadway. This area connects into some great areas of Denver and I would also consider the neighborhoods near Harvard Gulch Park which is the Overland and Rosedale neighborhood. Here is a map of the different neighborhoods of Denver
If you live on the north side of Old Englewood you would be able to walk to Harvard Gulch Park and bike to more trendy (and more expensive) areas like DU and Platt Park in addition to being able to walk to downtown Englewood.

Here are a couple of photo tours of some of these areas. The first is Englewood, the second is Platt Park and the third is DU.

//www.city-data.com/forum/denve...ry-modern.html

//www.city-data.com/forum/denve...uth-pearl.html

//www.city-data.com/forum/denve...hoto-tour.html
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Old 02-26-2010, 12:30 PM
 
664 posts, read 2,057,817 times
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Originally Posted by Dorthy View Post
If you live on the north side of Old Englewood you would be able to walk to Harvard Gulch Park and bike to more trendy (and more expensive) areas like DU and Platt Park in addition to being able to walk to downtown Englewood.

Here are a couple of photo tours of some of these areas. The first is Englewood, the second is Platt Park and the third is DU.

//www.city-data.com/forum/denve...ry-modern.html

//www.city-data.com/forum/denve...uth-pearl.html

//www.city-data.com/forum/denve...hoto-tour.html
And Englewood has even better public transit to Union Station than the west suburbs (for now at least until the West light rail line opens).
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Old 02-26-2010, 12:54 PM
 
5,089 posts, read 15,348,672 times
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Originally Posted by chilicheesefries View Post
And Englewood has even better public transit to Union Station than the west suburbs (for now at least until the West light rail line opens).
Yes, that is true for rail but some of the buses from the west side are faster to downtown. The West Colfax Bus 16 and the limited on Colfax 16L have expanded significantly and it is a quick trip to downtown. Also, the B bus from Boulder at the Westminster Park n Ride goes direct on the bus highway lane to downtown without any stops. That is in addition to the express buses that leave from there and many other park n rides that go direct, again without a stop.

One good point about the southwest rail in Englewood is that in addition to going downtown, you can quickly go the opposite direction to Mineral Station. There you will be right next to the extensive trails, open space, wildlife preserve along the Platte and trails to Chatfield Reservoir.

There are also trails in Englewood that will take you west through the extensive open space of Bear Valley and to Bear Valley Reservoir in Jefferson County. So, you have both, the city and excellent outdoors and you do not even need a car.

Englewood was the first to develop a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) next to the rail station. You have the library, the city center and good number of good basic stores and groceries.

That with the idea that old Englewood has one of the best hospitals, Swedish, and excellent bus on Broadway to the nice Baker neighborhood and additional shopping south--you can have it all living in the City of Englewood--again with never having to drive.

Maybe we should keep this area a secret--we do not want too many yuppies moving in; and pricing out all the regular folks who know about a great place to live.

Livecontent
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Old 02-27-2010, 12:56 AM
 
664 posts, read 2,057,817 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by livecontent View Post
Yes, that is true for rail but some of the buses from the west side are faster to downtown. The West Colfax Bus 16 and the limited on Colfax 16L have expanded significantly and it is a quick trip to downtown. Also, the B bus from Boulder at the Westminster Park n Ride goes direct on the bus highway lane to downtown without any stops. That is in addition to the express buses that leave from there and many other park n rides that go direct, again without a stop.

One good point about the southwest rail in Englewood is that in addition to going downtown, you can quickly go the opposite direction to Mineral Station. There you will be right next to the extensive trails, open space, wildlife preserve along the Platte and trails to Chatfield Reservoir.

There are also trails in Englewood that will take you west through the extensive open space of Bear Valley and to Bear Valley Reservoir in Jefferson County. So, you have both, the city and excellent outdoors and you do not even need a car.

Englewood was the first to develop a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) next to the rail station. You have the library, the city center and good number of good basic stores and groceries.

That with the idea that old Englewood has one of the best hospitals, Swedish, and excellent bus on Broadway to the nice Baker neighborhood and additional shopping south--you can have it all living in the City of Englewood--again with never having to drive.

Maybe we should keep this area a secret--we do not want too many yuppies moving in; and pricing out all the regular folks who know about a great place to live.

Livecontent
Englewood is great if you don't want to drive - not my cup of tea but I do respect it. The main thing about getting there is whether or not you have to connect! If you live by light rail station or along bus route you can hop on, but if you have to make any connections, your commute is extended greatly!
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