The Washington Park homes in Denver are nestled between I-25 (to the south), Cherry Creek Drive / East Alameda (to the north), University Boulevard (at the east end), and Downing Street (at the west). Known as “Wash Park“, the area has always been a beloved respite for singles, marrieds, families, retirees, dog people, runners, and just plain folks who played their real estate cards right.

And it’s one of 14 Denver neighborhoods that 5280 Magazine tapped in its May, 2008 issue as a reliable buy in what has otherwise proven an unsettling market. This desirable pocket of Denver is a great demonstration of the maxim: When considering markets, use a microscope, not a telescope. In other words, when evaluating real estate trends, drill down. A closeup view of the market is usually the more accurate one. National data is unhelpful to the individual buyer, especially in Colorado, where certain Front Range neighborhoods are famous for bucking wider US trends.

Washington Park has long been one of Denver’s best-loved and best-bet neighborhoods; the draws to it are: its long-standing reputation, charm, old Denver aura, the schools, accessibility to Downtown, and its 165-acre park of, not coincidentally, the same name.

There’s been a price hike in the Washington Park neighborhood from 2006 to 2007; about 9 percent, with houses along the park taking top dollar. Those streets are South Downing (map of Downing), Louisiana Avenue (map of Louisiana Ave.), South Franklin (map of Franklin), and East Virginia Avenue (map of Virginia Ave.). Off-Washington Park, the pricier streets are Corona (map of Corona) and Ogden (map of Ogden ).

You’ll find more detailed information of Wash Park information and listings from the Denver MLS at COhomefinder, where you’ll also always find detailed Google Maps of the Washington Park area, and all the other cities and towns COhomefinder serves.