Often mixed in with other Denver neighborhoods for its proximity to Crestmoor, Mayfair, Montclair, Cherry Creek, and Bellvue,  Hilltop is in the mix of old and new business and lifestyle developments in Denver. There’s no doubt about it, Hilltop is historical. Near Cranmer Park, where the dog-walkers, strollers and pee-wee soccer leagues roam, and over near Graland Country Day School (founded in 1924), Hilltop is one of Denver’s most regaled historic neighborhoods.

What’s There
Near Hilltop is some of Denver’s most renowned restaurants, and is a long-time companion to the arts and culture scene. Today, the face of Hilltop is, like most other places, changing a little.  While many small homes have been razed and rebuilt, or enlarged to accommodate today’s tastes, most of the historical flavor and architecture remains. A few lots are being consumed almost in their entirety by gigantic homes, but the number of these corner-to-corner builds are pretty limited. George Cranmer’s residence, the mayoral home (also known as Cableland), the modern splendor of the Shangi-La mansion, and other nameless, yet spectacular homes.

What’s Nearby
The area is also home to established community landmarks such as Temple Emanuel, Assumption Greek Orthodox, and Epiphany Episcopal.  And because Hilltop is in the center of it all, the neighborhood is within an hour of destinations such as DIA, Boulder, and Colorado Springs.

Who’s There
For now, Hilltop is a mature neighborhood consisting mostly of single residents without children. In fact, the majority of married couples living there are childless ones as well. What turn the neighborhood will take due to these kinds of demographic turns is likely unfolding now too.

The Pepsi Center, the site of most DNC activity

It’s all over, and the votes are in: The greater Denver area did a great job hosting the Democratic National Convention.  Who says? Jon Stewart of The Daily Show, cable TV’s best and brightest fake news show on Comedy Central. In their first broadcast of “Indecision 2008: Guess Who’s Coming to Denver” from University of Denver’s Newman Center, Daily Show’s Stewart warmed the crowd by remarking how “suspiciously friendly” the locals are. “You’re all in very good shape,” he said, and then mentioned mountains, beer, trout, and riding horseback. No surprises there.

While there were protests, there were no major scuffles with police; according to most, the convention went off without a hitch, and Denver looked great. Residents with homes in or near Downtown Denver neighborhoods, Auraria, the Pepsi Center, University of Denver/Observatory Park neighborhoods, Highlands, and outlying metro suburbs with good access to the light rail system were mostly reported unbothered by all the activity. Some even rented their homes out at a premium to attendees from out of state.

And for the types who were either uninterested or annoyed by all the traffic, crowds, and hubbub, getting away from it all was a snap.

In Boulder, there was no indication whatsoever that there was any special event at all just 30 minutes down highway 36.  The same story with areas like Fort Collins, and the corridor between Colorado Springs and Denver. Steven Colbert of the same network’s Colbert Report, however, did tease his audience about how he was staying at the Overlook Hotel, a reference to the movie The Shining which was filmed in part at the allegedly haunted Stanley Hotel in Estes Park.

Colorado has a long and rich history beginning with the gold rush attracting residents from far and wide, and today, the state’s economy is diversified, noted for its concentration of scientific research and high-technology industries.  Other booming industries here include food processing, transportation equipment, machinery, chemical products, minerals, and tourism.

But with the help of Coors Brewing Company in Golden,  Colorado also produces the largest amount of beer of any state. Not coincidentally, Coors Field in LoDo is always a good place to pick up a brew. But it’s not just all fun and games.  The federal government is also a major economic force in the state, hosting important federal facilities including NORAD and the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. NIST makes its home in Boulder, and the U.S. Geological Survey and other government agencies are located at the Denver Federal Center in Lakewood. In downtown Denver, you’ll find the governmental landmarks of the Denver Mint and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.

In any case, when you visit Colorado, you’re going to want to drink up.  Cheers to that.

Consider the vast area of Colorado: Colorado bears the distinction of being the highest low point of any U.S. state. The Colorado Mineral Belt, stretching from the San Juan Mountains in the southwest to Boulder and Central City on the front range, contains most of the historic gold- and silver-mining districts of Colorado.

At the southwest corner of the state, in an intersection commonly called the Four Corners, it is possible to stand in four states at once: Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Colorado.  And then there are the “fourteeners”–peaks that rise to or above 14,000 feet above sea level.

To look for the property that’s right for you in this vast expanse that attracts national attention with its natural and man-made offerings, turn to our maps, complete with Google’s satellite imagery and detail, and explore:

• Map the 100 Newest Colorado listings
• Map Colorado houses
• Map Colorado condos
• Map Colorado land
• Map Colorado farms and ranches
• Map Colorado income property

University of Denver

If there’s a way to see the good in everything, it’s especially easy to find goodness on both the buy and sell side in Denver.  Today, we’ll discuss why while focusing on the DU (University of Denver), Platt Park, and Wellshire Heights neighborhoods.

First Things First:

The University, Platt Park, and Wellshire Heights communities are south of Denver, minutes from downtown, just off I-25.  For a few years, there was some discomfort experienced by residents and commuters passing through this portion of town due to the T-REX light rail project, but just about everyone agrees that the inconvenience was going toward the greater good of a state-of-the-art public transportation system, the likes of which Denver has sorely been in need of since, well, ever. T-REX construction was completed in 2006, and is considered a success for joining business and commuting epicenters Downtown Denver and the Denver Tech Center and Centennial.

On the plus side for buyers:

• These neighborhoods boast reasonable prices, with an average home price of $250,000, which is also the state-wide average.
• Trends indicate price reductions–prices are down 5-10%
• There are more sellers than buyers

Good for sellers:

• Homes remain on the market for a reasonable length of time–about 90-120 days. Compared with other parts of the country, it’s a livable length of time.
• Most sellers receive multiple offers
• Nearby communities, such as Wash Park and Bonnie Brae are experiencing an upswing in activity and prices

Check in later this year, when we’ll revisit this area, to witness forthcoming trends following the summer season wrap-up. Until then, look for more good news.

When browsing your preferred locales at COhomefinder these days, you’ll find a new-ish feature called Top Categories. And if you happen to be browsing Colorado Springs listings, you’ll find under the “top” category Colorado Springs top neighborhoods, school listings and more.

Particularly if you’re new to learning about Colorado homes and real estate, or the Colorado Springs area, the “top” listings are a great place to start, since these categories are of interest to most home buyers getting a jump on the market. And if top Colorado Springs neighborhoods are where most of your interest lies, the following are today’s Colorado Springs top picks–the neighborhoods with the most activity and buyer interest. They are:

Happy hunting. It’s sure to be a success when you take it from the top.

Between Denver and its suburbs and Colorado Springs and its suburbs is an hour-long stretch of the I-25 highway that is booming with new and existing populations. Once considered “the boonies” or “no man’s land,” this corridor joining two of Colorado’s largest cities is now known as a collection of individual communities with lives and personalities of their own. Here are a few of the recognizable ones with an active roster of home listings:

• Centennial–As the closest community to Denver, Centennial is big with commuters who work somewhere within the Denver metro area, or the Denver Tech Center. Centennial is growing such that its municipal airport is the 3rd busiest general aviation airport and among the top 25 busiest of all types of airports.
• Castle Rock–A long-loved suburb of Denver, it’s the sister city to Highlands Ranch and Parker, CO. Castle Rock is the home to Denver Metro’s most-visited collection of outlet shops, but remains a place where scenic and natural beauty reigns. It’s quiet, prairie landscape with spectacular mountain views is hard to beat.
• Larkspur–A quiet country respite, where Renaissance Fair lovers flock to in the summer months. Just 30 minutes to Denver, Larkspur is the place where accessible amenities and the country life are not necessarily mutually exclusive, although they could be if privacy and solitude were your priority.
• Palmer Lake–The last cluster of homes before entering Pike National Forest. Did someone say scenic? Palmer Lake neighborhoods are all within reach of its namesake body of water, and views to die for.
• Monument–The hill that divides the north end of Colorado Springs and the Air Force Academy from the rest of the stretch. Just outside the Gleneagle community, Monument is a little town of its own served by the Lewis-Palmer school system, which serves Palmer Lake, Monument, Woodmoor and the northern part of the Black Forest area of Colorado Springs.

One (or more) Step(s) Beyond:

Manitou 4 listings today (check in for up-to-date data). Just up the canyon that winds a few miles west up the mountain that abuts Colorado Springs.

Fountain 8 listings today. Just ten minutes south of Colorado Springs.

Pueblo 23 listings today. The next major town between Colorado Springs and the New Mexico border.

Colorado City (which is not to be confused with the sensationalist news from Colorado City, Arizona) 2 listings today.

Walsenburg 9 listings today. Isolated and wide-open, Walsenburg is where you’ll find plenty of acreage. A tiny little town that serves as the gateway to the San Luis Valley by way of La Veta Pass.

Trinidad 4 listings today. A “last chance” town before entering New Mexico. Trinidad is a charming little town that has worked hard to retain vestiges of its Old West roots.

Denver, all grown up

Historic Uptown Denver is the little area east of downtown, between Grant & York Streets
and Colfax & 20th Avenues.

What you’ll find there: Mostly luxury high-rise condos and townhomes from the 300s up to over $1M, but you’ll also find a few single family homes and a wide variety of condo and loft arrangements in the 80205 zip code.

How to get there:
From Downtown–Take 17th St. east, past Broadway, where it becomes E. 17th Ave.

From I-25 Southbound–Take exit 213 for Park Ave. and head towards Downtown. Pass Coors Field, then go 11 blocks to Tremont Pl. Turn right (south) at Tremont Pl. Veer slightly left to go straight at the light, onto Grant St. Turn left (east) at E. 17th Ave.

From I-25 Northbound–Take exit 210A to merge onto Colfax Ave. (going east). Turn left (north) at Logan St. Turn right (east) at E. 17th Ave.

Some helpful hints on getting around, from our friends at Mile High Business Alliance:

• E. 17th Ave. is one way, going east.
• There is plenty of parking on cross streets. Watch for restrictions.
• The shops at Uptown Square are located on 19th & 20th between
• Logan & Washington. From 17th, take Logan north to 19th.

What’s around the corner:

Antique Row
Berkeley / Tennyson St.
Capitol Hill
Cherry Creek North
City Park West
Congress Park
East Colfax
Five Points
Golden Triangle
Governors Park
Highlands Square
Larimer Square
LoDo (Lower Downtown)
LoHi (Lower Highland)
Olde Town Arvada
RiNo (River North)
Santa Fe Arts District
SoBo (South Broadway)
Writer Square
Historic Downtown Littleton

Old Town Fort Collins, photo courtesy of City of Fort Collins

About an hour north of Denver is Colorado’s next sizable city before reaching the Wyoming border and its capital, Cheyenne.  It’s Fort Collins, home to the mighty Cache La Poudre River, Colorado State University, and about 131,000 people.  The city of Fort Collins has been the city of choice for many people, from retirees to young families, and of course, college students.  If you’re looking for homes on the market there, try starting with the basics, such as:  Fort Collins subdivisions, Fort Collins neighborhoods, Fort Collins streets, Fort Collins condos, or Fort Collins zip codes.

Fort Collins was voted in the CNN Money Magazine 2005 poll as one of America’s best places to live, but that’s old news. The new news is that home-to-work commute times are low in the Fort Collins/Larimer County area, and that carpooling is in.  Most Fort Collins residents work within thirty minutes of home, as opposed to commuting to and from outlying areas or the Denver Metro area, and that’s a factor that indicates a high quality of life for most.

If you’re interested in learning more about specific neighborhoods, and where they are in relationship to downtown, the university, the Hewlett Packard facility, and other employers in town, here are some popular Fort Collins neighborhoods:

And if your search does take you outside the city limits of Fort Collins, the following is a sampling of neighboring communities in the Fort Collins and northern Colorado area.

About six miles from each other are the Denver suburbs of Lone Tree and Greenwood Village, two municipalities that hem in Centennial, Colorado, a burgeoning locale south of center that’s popular with professionals and families.

Lone Tree, known for its quiet, country-oriented surroundings with retail amenities within arms reach, is popular with repeat buyers. It’s known for its own symphony orchestra, and bears the distinction of being one of Money Magazine’s contenders for Best Places to Live 2007. Home prices here average in the 700s, with a wide cross-section of and variety in Lone Tree home styles, such as Lone Tree ranch/one story homes, Lone Tree two story homes, and Lone Tree three or more story homes.

Greenwood Village is a renowned center of local and national commerce, and is also home to a loyal following of folks who will claim the area as their primary residence, retirement respite, and family reunion site. With generous inventory, it’s where life and work meet for most, at a price that’s on the high side. To get a glimpse of Greenwood Village’s geography and listings hot spots, see the collection of Greenwood Village neighborhoods with interactive maps.

Just because the world-famous Bolder Boulder race is over this year, it’s not time to hang up your sneakers. Because, as if there wasn’t enough to do in Estes Park this summer, the Estes Park version of the Bolder Boulder–the Sombrero Trail Run–is taking place on Saturday, September 13, 2008.

All the running, hiking, climbing, and outdoor frolicking aren’t the only things that Estes and Boulder have in common, however. For starters, take a look at the geography of Boulder (map of Boulder homes) and Estes Park (map of Estes Park homes.) Among other things, they’re both sweetheart towns with a quality of life standard that includes great natural scenery and surroundings, a laid-back, down-home atmosphere, and scads of arts and culture experiences. In both Boulder and Estes Park, downtown is where the action is, with most full-time residents taking to the outskirts of town to build their nests.

In Estes Park, today’s most active neighborhood markets include:

In Boulder, today’s most active neighborhood markets include:

If you’re a homebuyer who’s considering either town, take your own private tour with either an Estes Park REALTOR or a Boulder REALTOR for an expert opinion on the market and lifestyle of these two Colorado keepers.