Like the Colorado weather which can change in just a couple hours, the demographics of Colorado can vary just as dramatically when embarking on a couple hour drive across the state.

There are a lot of reasons to relocate to Colorado.  Some prefer the dryer climate.  Others are seeking the 300+ days of sunshine each year.  Some come for retirement, some for adventure; others relocate because of a job transfer.

If the location of your Colorado relocation is flexible you have a great decision to consider – will it be the city or the country?

If you crave the conveniences of nearby shopping and schools, and particularly if you have a young family communities including Highlands Ranch, Parker, and Castle Rock are popular choices.

But when it comes down to it, if the country is calling for you there are plenty of options near and far from the Denver metro area.

Just west of Denver, if you prefer the foothills and don’t mind the colder winters, a few places to check out include Bailey, Conifer, Evergreen and parts of Golden and Morrison.  Best of all these communities are still within commuting distance for those who are willing to trade a drive down to Denver for the beautiful scenery and overlook of the foothills.

But if you’re still preferring to be a little further out Colorado won’t disappoint you.  Popular communities further away from Denver include Estes Park and Red Feather Lakes to the north of the state.

And if you choose to be even further away you just may like the western slope.  Grand Junction is the largest town on the western slope and is the nearest city to many who live within the smaller Western slope ag-communities including Delta, Olathe and Montrose.

Of course if you take the Colorado road less traveled there are several small communities nestled across Colorado, in the plains or in the mountains that just might be what you’re looking for!

Have you ever been looking at homes for sale in Colorado with a “local REALTOR” to later find out they’re no local expert? If you have, then you probably know the frustration when you’re questions weren’t immediately answered about neighborhood trends, property comps, and more.

A home is a huge investment. Just as you wouldn’t get recommendations for your retirement portfolio from your bank teller, you shouldn’t buy a house with anyone who isn’t a local expert.

When done right, it’s more than a house in Colorado, it’s your home.  Who better to find your home than someone who has the experience to see the faults and assets, and point them out to you while you are touring Colorado homes.

A local expert will be able to tell you:

• The difference in investment potential of one home and another home a few blocks away.  In popular Denver neighborhoods, a few blocks difference can influence the resale, walk ability, and overall investment.
• Advice on upgrades and updates and how much affect they will have in appreciating the home if you’re looking for more of a fixer-upper, or perhaps a foreclosure property.
• How the market has been in this local area and predictions for the near future by looking at inventory, % under contract, price per square foot and by comparing these with past data.

I think we both recognize an experienced Colorado real estate broker can make a huge difference in your real estate search.

Just west of Denver lie a couple of foothills communities that have grown popular with their long time residents. I’m talking of Evergreen and Conifer. They’re popular commuter town to a portion of the Denver area workforce who prefer to return home to scenic views and wildlife rather than next door neighbors feet away from their own house on postage sized home lots.

So what is it about Evergreen and Conifer that allures its residents?

Many of the homes have larger lots. A home still within an Evergreen or Conifer HOA may still have larger lots. It’s not infrequent for home owners to find properties with 2-4 acres or even more.  This allows great privacy, and also, a little bit of wildlife viewing from their living room or kitchen windows.  One friend regularly snaps photos of elk wandering through her yard from the kitchen of her Conifer home. It is noteworthy though, that bears and mountain lions live nearby too, which requires a couple more precautions from those who relocate to these mountain communities for a change of lifestyle. This includes supervising children and pets when outdoors, carefully securing doors and windows, along with keeping garbage inaccessible by wildlife. However many residents find these precautions of little inconvenience for the mountain lifestyle.

The mountain lifestyle and community amenities are preferred by many.  There are great parks and open space to venture throughout the year.  This includes the Upper Bear Creek which not only winds past many Evergreen homes but also runs down to Evergreen Lake. This is a popular community spot where 5k races such as the Evergreen Town Race, benefitting the Alpine Rescue Team, are held, a spot to find fishermen on the shores or in a boat, as well as ice skating in the winter months.

Other residents also prefer the small town feel these mountain communities have with local businesses and restaurants that are unique to the area.  For those who don’t mind the cooler winter temperatures and heavier snowfall, these communities are accessible to Denver but provide an adequate retreat from it as well.

It’s summer time, and for those who have teenagers at home on summer break, you’re probably looking for something to entertain them.  Luckily for Colorado residents there are lots of activities indoors and out to find something that will entertain them.

If you live in the Denver area there are lots of great day trips not to miss.  A great site for you to take a look at to plan the family’s Denver activities is provided by the Denver gov.  There are great museums such as the Denver Arts Museum, Museum of Natural history with IMAX presentations that are worthwhile to make your summer visit to, or send the kids to for educational entertainment.

If you are living in a suburb, you can also find listings for arts and entertainment by Denver suburbs such as Broomfield, Arvada and Thornton at your finger tips

There are also a lot of great non profit organizations in Colorado that are always in need of volunteers, some of which also benefit Colorado youth.  As the college selection process often looks in favor of those who teenagers who are involved with extra-curricular activities and volunteer work, summer is a great time to get involved.  For families that live in Fort Collins or Northern Colorado, a great local non profit is the Fort Collins Youth Broadcasting Inc which gives high school age teenagers to learn and participate in local broadcasting.  For those who live in Fort Collins and volunteering outdoors there are eco-adventure volunteering activities to clean trails and streams so you can continue to enjoy in the future.

Wherever you live in Colorado, be it, Boulder, Evergreen or Windsor, there are great things to do outdoors too including parks and trails within a short drive.  Enjoy your summers!

Once again it’s summertime in Colorado!  If it has been a little too hot in the city, you just may want to plan a weekend or day trip to the foothills or mountains to cool off and get some fresh air!

Generally the traffic is not as bad heading up to the mountains in the summer time as it is in the winter with skier traffic.  Even if you prefer not to wander too far away with your all too short weekend, there are lots of places nearby that are entertaining and relaxing for the whole family.

Two of my favorite nearby summer destinations are Estes Park and Winter Park.

Estes Park is the gateway community to Rocky Mountain National Park, and boy is it beautiful in the summer time!  When heading into Estes Park it is hard to miss Lake Estes and downtown.  Summertime at Lake Estes has lots of outdoor activities.  At the marina  you can rent a kayak or boat to explore.  Or if you would rather stick on land, bring your bike or rent one to go along the Lake Estes Trail.  It is also a nice spot to sit on their small sand beach to soak in the mountain sun or for a picnic.

For those looking for dining and shopping Estes Park has the cutest little downtown which is easy to walk through.  There are galleries, souvenir shops, and food and snacks aplenty.

Summertime is also the best time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park while you stay in Estes Park.  There are numerous easy hiking trails that you can walk to see scenic lakes and streams.  Trail Ridge Road is only open in the summer and is a site to see for those who haven’t driven on the highest paved highway!  There is a visitors center that you can stop at and look out at the scenery, high above treeline.

Estes Park, being located near the North Central part of the state is very accessible to front range residents, particularly from Boulder or Fort Collins.  If you are travelling on a busy weekend, you can avoid I-70 altogether—just another perk of Estes Park for a day or weekend destination.

Winter Park is another great destination not to miss.  During the winter, it is a popular ski town to Denver residents, but in the summer time it is just as fun with activities to do on the mountain.  Once the snow melts you can take a ride on their alpine slide—it’s the longest in the world.  Or if you find adventure in mountain biking, the mountain’s ski trails open up for the fearless mountain biker.  There are also Frisbee golf and miniature golf courses for those who prefer not to participate in gravity accelerating sports.

One advantage of weekending in a ski town during summer is that there are usually great last minute rates to book a room or condo for a Denver getaway.  The drive from Denver to Winter Park has only a short distance on I-70, with a scenic drive over Berthoud pass.

These are a few popular destinations.  If you’re feeling stir crazy and need to hit the open road, there are lots of great Colorado destinations within a short distance to your home in Colorado!

They say, in Colorado, if you don’t like the weather, wait fifteen minutes, it will change.  While it has felt extremely hot for too many consecutive fifteen minute intervals to me, the adage holds year after year.  In fact, only a month ago heavy snow filled my sidewalks to be melted by afternoon sun.

Perhaps one of the greatest part of living in Colorado are the number of sunny days each year- over 300 annually to be exact.

Yet on days that the weather hits, it helps to be prepared.  Here are a couple tips for Colorado residents to be prepared for snow, rain or even tornadoes, all of which occasionally hit “home”

1. If you’re planning on driving, it’s often your best bet to check the Colorado Department of Transportation‘s website for road conditions.  This foresight is helpful for choosing your highway route, or postponing driving depending on the road restrictions.

2. Local television and radio stations are good at alerting Colorado residents year round of imminent weather.  When the metro cities and counties such as Denver or Boulder are on ‘accident alert’ for winter driving, you’re sure to learn about it on your TV screen or radio, but can visit websites such as Newsradio 850 KOA.

3. As we are currently in tornado season, its worthwhile to know what to do in the case of your neighborhood emergency alarms going off.  Just a few years ago the city of Windsor was hit hard with hundreds of houses damaged or demolished by a giant tornado.  Further South on the Front Range, Parker, and surrounding cities were taunted by a funnel cloud that did less damage.

While we’re not Kansas, it is important to know what to do during a tornado watch or warning in your community.  A tornado watch indicates that you should be on a lookout for funnel clouds while a warning indicates that a funnel cloud has been detected by site or radar.  Should you be in the path of a funnel cloud, go to a basement room of your house, if there is no basement, protect yourself by staying in the bathtub.  If you are outside in the open, leave it to professionals to chase the tornado storm, but make yourself small, and away from large objects that could be thrown in the funnel cloud’s fury.

Hopefully these words of advice are not necessary this season for Colorado residents, but when the weather is likely to change as quick as a coin toss, it helps to be prepared!

For many who can’t claim the Colorado native license plates, one trip to Colorado was all it took to entice them to a relocation.

That is probably because there is something for everyone in Colorado.

Are you an avid outdoorsman? There are year round activities accessible across the state for those looking for an adrenaline rush.  Besides resort and backcountry skiing, many visitors and residents enjoy snowmobiling and ice climbing in some of the most popular yet secluded destinations such as Vail or Ouray.

For those who are a little less inclined to pack an emergency kit there are cities and small towns across Colorado that entertain the rest of the family.  Many local artists have relocated to Colorado because of the beautiful mountain scenery – don’t be surprised to see a few thriving art galleries in some of the small towns in the backroads of Colorado including Redstone and Ridgeway.

While the small towns are often vacationers’ favorite places to go in Colorado, many times it is difficult to continue professional careers there, and choose to relocate to the front range.  The Denver metro, Boulder and surrounding communities have been recognized for their recovery with a growing Boulder technology sector.

While these front range communities may not have the same small town character, the convenience for weekend trips is still first rate.  With just a weekend communities like Red Feather Lakes and Estes Park are popular destinations in Northern Colorado.

Boulder residents can easily take a trip into Nederland in an afternoon, or hike and camp at Gold Hill.

From Denver or Evergreen, a short drive can take you to hike Colorado’s 14ers such as Grays and Torreys Peaks, Mount Evans and Mount Bierstadt.  Restaurants, breweries, and specialty shops are abundant for those who would rather not lace up the hiking boots on a weekend.

From the Southern Front Range and easily accessed from Castle Rock or Colorado Springs, there is the cute little town of Woodland Park, or go further south to Canyon City and visit the Royal Gorge bridge.

If Colorado lured you into becoming a resident, be sure to share which city or attraction, big or small, that convinced you to wait at the Colorado DMV for your new driver’s license.  And of course, if you haven’t been to Colorado before, and are reading up about it to plan your trip, but be sure to pack enough – you just may decide to stay!

Fort Collins has been a popular Colorado community through numerous rankings comparing the best places to live in the country.  So what is it about Fort Collins that makes it so desirable?  Could it be the charming Old Town with local bars and restaurants?  Perhaps that it has it’s own university, yet is not “just a college town?”  Or is it because residents love the local microbreweries?  Each of these may hold some merit, but many people will tell you that they love Fort Collins because of its athletic, outdoors oriented lifestyle.

Fort Collins’ location is near the Northern foothills, and has easy access to communities such as Red Feather Lakes and Estes Park—both destinations for Northern Colorado outdoor activities such as area hiking, camping and fishing.

Not only is Fort Collins accessible to the foothills, there are plenty of parks and trails to entertain runners and cyclists throughout the season.  There are trail systems throughout the city, which make many Fort Collins neighborhoods condusive to an outdoors lifestyle.  Some of these Fort Collins trails include the Poudre River Trail, Spring Creek Trail and Fossil Creek Trail.

Additionally, a popular destination for Fort Collins residents as well as those from nearby communities such as Loveland, Windsor, Berthoud, enjoy spending afternoons, holidays and weekends at Horsetooth Reservoir just west of Fort Collins.  The reservoir is open year round and surrounded by open space- convenient for boating, water-skiing, fishing, and camping.

Many relocators are looking for a community lifestyle that matches well for them and their families. Fort Collins is just that for about 120,000 Coloradoans!

See a peak of Fort Collins Colorado for yourself in this CNN YouTube video when Fort Collins was ranked the number one city to live in, in the United States.

Fort Collins Colorado, Best Places to Live

Arvada Colorado is a Denver suburb to the northwest with a convenient location to Boulder and the foothills– but there is a lot more to Arvada than just being another Denver suburb.

As early as 1850, the earliest traces of the city of Arvada were on the map when Lewis Ralston discovered gold in what is now known as “Ralston Creek“  flowing through Arvada.  While Arvada didn’t prove the gold riches that many were seeking during the nineteenth century gold rush- it has remained on the map for many other reasons.

The communities in Arvada vary from Olde Town Arvada to the newer neighborhoods, some including horse property.

For the neighborhoods nearest to Olde Town Arvada, the ‘walkability’ of  a home or business is important.  Olde Town Arvada has had plenty of investment as new businesses have moves in including restaurants, specialty shops and community oriented bars such as the “D Note.”  The main streets that comprise Olde Town Arvada include Olde Wadsworth and Grandview.  The area has some turn of the century home as well as newer lofts and apartments.

Outside of Olde Town Arvada are several other neighborhoods that meet the needs of Arvada residents and families.  Arvada schools are within the Jefferson County School district which is well regarded in the state for testing scores and achievement.  Additionally there is access to trails and recreation with nearby Stanley Lake and the APEX center.

The span of Arvada has grown North and West with several neighborhoods benefiting from the accessibility to Highway 93 to Boulder.  This provides a nice Denver metro alternative for those who work in Boulder but do not want to pay the premium to live in Boulder.

While Arvada is still very accessible to Denver with Highway 58 and I-70, you need not wander far for cultural activity.  There are several cultural resources including annual festivals in Arvada and the Arvada Center for the Performing Arts with enrichment programs for youth and adults.

Arvada is a community of its own rather than just a suburb of Denver or commuter’s city from Boulder, and has a lot to be discovered by residents as well as nearby communities.

Most people dread moving, and can relate to the common frustrations- “which box was this packed in,” “where is that?”  Yet purchasing a new home is a big step for first time homebuyers and move-up home buyers alike.  However with a little bit of organization prior to packing, many of your moving frustrations can be solved, leaving you to enjoy your new home or condo.

In an article titled, “The Organized Move,” several great suggestions are listed to save you time and frustration, by someone who obviously has experience packing a home a time or two.

Often times the little things are the most difficult to plan for and organize.  One suggestion from the mentioned article includes backing up computer files.  This would be especially important if you are planning an out of state relocation or have a home that is still for sale while you are moving.

Speaking of out of state moves, you may also be weary of hiring a moving company.  Scams exist in the moving industry.  These include moving companies charging an additional charge before the final delivery after the items were already packed.  The American Moving and Storage Association has resources to assist you in finding the credible moving company near you.

Hopefully a little bit of pre-planning and research will save you time and allow you to enjoy your new home sooner!

The WSJ, not to be outdone by pubs like Money/CNN, Outside Magazine and others, have printed a list of the Next Youth Magnet Cities. I wondered, while reading the list: Do people really use these guides when conducting their relocation research? Are they helpful, or do they just sell papers? I’ve asked the same question when the college polls are published, especially when I was lured to to GQ’s rundown of America’s 25 Douchiest Colleges.  (Looks like GQ took a page out of the of The Onion playbook.)

In any case, the folks who put their heads together and opined for the sake of rankings put Seattle in first place in a tie with Washington DC.  Denver and Raleigh-Durhum tie for seventh.  Here you can read what one of the judges/contributors, Richard Florida, had to say about the major Front Range town at his blog, Creative Class.

Just as a side note, I think it’s interesting that Richard put these two cities into the same slot.  However you feel about the Boulder v. Denver debate, I think a lot of locals would agree that, while the two places are close in geography, their independent flavors are as far apart as possible.

How do you consider Boulder vs. Denver? Just another symptom of sprawl, or two distinct cities with different styles?

Lane Hornung, a top Boulder REALTOR and my blogging partner here, recently pointed out that most home owners with Boulder real estate and Denver real estate are putting their homes on the market only because they have to. So what, you say?

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.

One of Boulder’s most distinctive homes is for sale again, and this time, it’s price reduced. Get out your checkbook, because the price has been whittled down from 2008 to only $4.75M. I’m talking about 700 Highland Ave. Boulder, CO 80302

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?

You might remember the Using Walkscore in Your Home Search post (but if you don’t that’s OK.) And now there’s some new conversations about how “walkability” is more apt to make an impact on home buying and home selling decision.  From the gist of this Money/CNN article, it looks like people are putting their money where there feet are.  Read Putting a Price on Walkability and feel free to enter your comments here about whether walkability really is worth more.