So smart home buyers are presented with an interesting opportunity that accompanies such a phenomenon. Lane calls it hyperlocal buying. I call it real estate locavorism or crossing the price point gap. Here’s how it works.

Say you live in a neighborhood of a few different price points, like the example neighborhood in the graph. The average asking price in 2009 of the homes in the yellow zone is $3M; the homes in the pink zone are at 900; the homes in the purple are in the 600s. Knowing that homes in the sub-650 market are still selling relatively well in Boulder, for example, at closer to asking price than higher end properties, sub-650 home owners can put their properties on the market and stretch their closing times. Knowing that homes above 700 are struggling more, they can make an offer on that next-level home a few streets over at a more lateral price, with vertical benefits in square footage that the buyer is likely to capitalize on later. Because the neighborhood is familiar, there’s none of the pain or expense that accompanies a crosstown or cross-country relocation.

Whatever the numbers are–selling into the 300 market and buying into the 500 one, for example–hyperlocal buying is a new take on the old concept of upward mobility, at a deep discount. It’s selling on one side of the chasm, and buying into the other, without spending the same amount it would have cost you five years ago.

What do you think about hyperlocal buying? Have you experienced any of the benefits or drawbacks of the multi-tiered neighborhood? Comments, as always, are open.

The home is one of my favorites in town, although Highland Ave. in Boulder is a plum street in the historic district. (In fact, there are two other great homes on the market on Highland, also beautiful, and huge: 410 Highland Ave, known for its impressive tree swing, and 403 Highland Ave, known for its buttery location at the foot of the foothills.)

One of the reasons this spectacular street is so coveted is because it’s in the Mapleton neighborhood, but I like Highland because it’s a short street with “T” intersections at both ends; through traffic is not an issue. They’re only a block apart, but Mapleton Ave. is busier than Highland, especially during the summer months, when tourists and hikers head up Sunshine Canyon, or stop at the Sanitas trail head. Highland is hidden enough from the main drags that Pearl Street and downtown parking poaching is limited.

But 700 Highland is notable because it’s perhaps the biggest on the block. At more than 10,000 square feet, plus a generous lot size, you can get your groove on Boulder-style, with room to spare. It’s so huge that it was once a school house. Built in 1906, it’s got history, and where there’s history, there’s character. (Even though the character’s been tastefully refurbished over the years.)

Even if you’re not shopping Boulder’s luxe market right now, there are 18 photos of the property at COhomefinder. Take a peek inside. The home is listed by Goodacre and Co, the local brokerage famous for its family ties to ’80s-’90s Victoria’s Secret model and Harry Connick Jr. spouse, Jill Goodacre. Who knew Colorado real estate and celebrity gossip would ever end up at the same blog?

For graphic purposes only. Bears no relevance to content whatsoever.

Boulder real estate sales reports from April are in, and as of that rainy month in 2009:

• The market for homes in the $300-400 K is tighter.
• The market for homes in the $1M-plus range is significantly softer, with only 2 sales in April, 2009 out of more than 50 properties on market.

Personal analysis: Just as the used car market is doing well, and new car sales are suffering, people still need and want to buy homes in the current economy; they’re just spending less. Further, appreciation matters more during these current economic conditions. Weigh the importance of how much lifestyle and construction matter against your need to make money on your investment relatively soon.

What this means to buyers:

• You’ve got negotiating leverage on high-priced luxury properties, particularly on luxury condos and attached dwellings.
• You may need to move a little faster than you thought you might have to on homes in the $300-400 range and lower.

What this means if you’re selling:

• Selling real estate right now priced under $400K means that you have a little wiggle room for mistakes. Perhaps you can get away with pricing on the higher side, or doing a little less with your marketing strategy. You may get away without staging your home, or really getting down to the nitty gritty with your aesthetic presentation.
• Selling a home at or around $1M or more means you’ve got to bring your A game. Hire the best agent you can find, and get everything right the first time: Pricing, preparation, and marketing.

Surrounding Areas:
Out of all Boulder-area communities, Longmont real estate seems to be fairing and recovering the best, but is still reporting high numbers of foreclosures.

Related Web sites:

• Boulder houses priced $200-400K
• Boulder houses priced over $800K
• Boulder Condos/Townhomes priced over $800K
• The 100 newest listings in the Boulder MLS

In advance of the tour, Historic Boulder will host a presentation on Haertling’s architecture with comments from his children Joel, John and Linda on May 15. A film of Haertling home movies, edited by Joel Haertling,
will present an insider’s look at the design process that produced so many timeless homes. The presentation, at Design Within Reach, Broadway and Spruce, from 6 to 8 p.m., is free and open to the public.

Tickets for Historic Boulder members are $10. Tickets for non-members are $12 in advance and $15 the day of the tour. Advance tickets are available from Historic Boulder, 1123 Spruce St., 303-444.5192; Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St., 303-447-2074; Timbalier, 95th and Arapahoe Road, Lafayette, 303-666-4200; West End Gardener, 777 Pearl St., 303-938-0607; Page Two, 6565 Gunpark Drive, Gunbarrel, 303-530-3339; King Soopers stores at 3600 Table Mesa Drive, 303-499-4004; 1650 30th St., 303-443-9622; and 6550 Lookout Rd., 303-530-1020.

For more information, contact:  Abby Daniels, 303.444.5192 or http://www.historicboulder.org

The following haulers service the Boulder area, and provide curbside pickup of recyclables. Contact them at the following number about price and availability.

• BFI (303-286-6489)
• One Way Trash (303-823-0556)
• Town & Country (303-665-6811)
• Western Disposal Services (303-444-2037)

Contact eco-cycle about recycling these and other materials at the drop-off center: 303-444-6634

In the summer, Boulder creek is a hotspot for kayaking and tubing, but at all times, it’s also nature’s water feature for residents who live between Canyon Blvd and Arapahoe Ave.

Map these Boulder homes on Arapahoe (west of Broadway and even 9th Street) for especially creek-rich experiences. These homes are known for gorgeous, quiet back yards with paths right down to the water.

And check out these Boulder homes on Canyon Blvd, which include some nice new condos at One Boulder Plaza, Canyon Condominiums, and others.

While I was searching the Boulder homes market, we were strapped for time. (We also had moved three times in 18 months, so finding a place where we wanted to stay a while was key.) We needed to move ASAP, but home inventory in Boulder was relatively low at that time.  I’m not a doctor or a psychologist, but I’m pretty sure that what I was feeling in the midst of it all was a lot of anxiety and maybe a little depression. Whenever I consider that most conversations about Colorado real estate are financial, I remember back to those times when real estate had a lot to do with my mental health.

While I owe a debt of gratitude to our Boulder REALTOR for doing us a good turn, I also thank my lucky stars that a big part of home buying today includes the use of technology that empowers the individual. This is often overlooked by those who don’t remember or who are too young to remember “the old days” of real estate, when luck played too big of a part in finding the right property, the right home.  While homebuyers still have to be largely self-reliant while home hunting, self-reliance has never been easier to embrace, or more results-oriented. What a relief.

What worked for me
I relied heavily on COhomefinder while looking to buy a Boulder home. In particular, I found that the following features were instrumental to our success.

• Signing up for HomeAlert and asking a client care coordinator for assistance when I needed it
• Finding the Boulder REALTOR that was right for us
• Using Google maps of Boulder houses to pre-screen locations we were or weren’t interested in
• Researching Boulder property values

Sunset Behind Boulder

Near coveted Sunset Blvd in Boulder, where most residents enjoy sweeping views of the flatirons and foothills is one of Colorado’s premiere neighborhoods: Boulder’s Sunset Hill neighborhood.

The Beginning of Sunset Hill
Earliest Boulder maps refer to the undeveloped area as Lover’s Hill, but in 1944, Boulder contractor Ted McPherson formed a corporation known as Sunset Hill Improvement, giving the western part of the bluff a new name. Several homes designed by the architect Huntington were erected on the north side of High Street. (See a map of High Street in Boulder.)  Most of those homes have since been demolished and replaced, but Huntington’s work exists all over Boulder. He designed the Boulder County Courthouse, Boulder High School, a number of churches, and several sorority and fraternity houses.

What’s There Now
In 1950, Sunset Hill was considered the most rapidly developing, most possible residential section of Boulder. The cost of the homes (including lots) were pricey at the time and ranged from $15,000 to $20,000.  Today, the homes are still considered high-priced items, with single-family homes, luxury condos/townhomes, and land listed at $1.2 M to $2.9 M.  Today listings are few, with about six listings on the Boulder MLS, but data changes daily; check often for fresh listings, prices and more.  And if you’re willing to extend your search beyond the Sunset Hill area proper, there are more homes on the market with proximity to the same ammenities and schools. (Sunset Hill’s public schools are Whittier Elementary, Casey Middle School, and Boulder High.) These homes are in the 80304 and 80302 zip codes, and include Boulder neighborhoods such as Mapleton, Hillcrest, Silver Maple Village, Boulder Old Town, the homes at One Boulder Plaza, and many more.

If you’ve never been to South Boulder, or SoBo as Boulderites have started to call it, it’s the end of Boulder off closest to Golden, and is also sometimes referred to as the smaller neighborhood components of Table Mesa, Martin Acres, Devil’s Thumb, Shanahan Ridge, and others.

Here’s who lives in SoBo, according to Zillow:

• Fab Families – High-income, high-profile couples with children.
• Corporate Cats – High-income, high-expense, “upwardly mobile” urban singles.
• Bright Lights, Big City – Very mobile, well-traveled singles from the city.

That’s pretty interesting, considering:

• The high concentration of retirees there.
• A higher concentration of residents hailing from the Northeast.
• SoBo-ites tend to get to work by bicycle, and make good use of the South Boulder Recreation Center.

Take a personalized tour through SoBo and draw your own conclusions.

With homes starting in the mid-400s to the mid-600s, Boulder’s Country Club Estates is one of the more active neighborhoods in the area’s portfolio – see a map of the 80301 zip code to orient yourself to the overall area.

Located between Lookout Road (to the north), 75th Ave (to the east), Jay Road (to the south), and 63rd (to the west), Country Club Estates is a part of Boulder often referred to as Gunbarrel.

Photo by Flickr–Creative Commons, by Sunnyvaledave