Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Saturday, July 13, 2013
How To Afford To Live In Boulder Colorado
The sad truth is that the cost of living in Boulder Colorado is crazy high. How do people afford it?
1) Make well over 100K/yr, maybe well over 200
2) Rent a small apartment, a room, or otherwise live very cheaply
3) Bring a ton of equity from selling a previous home
4) Bought a house there decades ago and stayed put.
5) Don't make much more than you and really can't afford it and may or may not end up being able to keep their house there.
The median sales price for homes in Boulder CO for Apr 13 to Jun 13 was $447,500. This represents an increase of 4.1%, or $17,500, compared to the prior quarter and an increase of 2.2% compared to the prior year. Sales prices have appreciated 12.3% over the last 5 years in Boulder.
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| Cost Of Living In Boulder Colorado |
1) Make well over 100K/yr, maybe well over 200
2) Rent a small apartment, a room, or otherwise live very cheaply
3) Bring a ton of equity from selling a previous home
4) Bought a house there decades ago and stayed put.
5) Don't make much more than you and really can't afford it and may or may not end up being able to keep their house there.
The median sales price for homes in Boulder CO for Apr 13 to Jun 13 was $447,500. This represents an increase of 4.1%, or $17,500, compared to the prior quarter and an increase of 2.2% compared to the prior year. Sales prices have appreciated 12.3% over the last 5 years in Boulder.
Commuting From Denver To Boulder
Commuting from Denver to Boulder is pretty harsh.
Hwy 36 that stretches diagonally from Denver to Boulder is the most popular route and it shows -for the ~29 miles plan on an hour minimum. The McCaslin, Interlocken, and Northwest exists pose the largest slowdowns. The final hill into Boulder is very frustrating. It's often one of
those cases of no-reason traffic, and it starts in Broomfield, and goes
right to the bottom of the hill.
On snow days forget about it. Over two hours+ is not unheard of.
That said compared to traffic in places like DC, LA and NYC an "average" commute in any of those cities can easily be 2x the Denver/Boulder commute at it's worst.
Highway 93 is a tempting alternative but is mostly 2 lane and also congested very congested. If you live in north Denver and are commuting to somewhere in north Boulder you might consider going north on I25 and take 52 west.
As far as flexibility in timing, you might actually be better off working a later day if you can swing it. Unless you leave by 3:30 or so, the afternoon commute is bad and not easy to get ahead of. However, if you leave after 6:20 PM or so, it actually gets much better. The traffic going in after 9 am is pretty decent as well.
Riding the bus (RTD) will take about 1.5 hours depending on where you live. http://36commutingsolutions.org/ Has some info on car pooling to look into.
Or move to where you work and live in Boulder County. Within the county transportation is pretty good.
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| Traffic In Denver |
On snow days forget about it. Over two hours+ is not unheard of.
That said compared to traffic in places like DC, LA and NYC an "average" commute in any of those cities can easily be 2x the Denver/Boulder commute at it's worst.
Highway 93 is a tempting alternative but is mostly 2 lane and also congested very congested. If you live in north Denver and are commuting to somewhere in north Boulder you might consider going north on I25 and take 52 west.
As far as flexibility in timing, you might actually be better off working a later day if you can swing it. Unless you leave by 3:30 or so, the afternoon commute is bad and not easy to get ahead of. However, if you leave after 6:20 PM or so, it actually gets much better. The traffic going in after 9 am is pretty decent as well.
Riding the bus (RTD) will take about 1.5 hours depending on where you live. http://36commutingsolutions.org/ Has some info on car pooling to look into.
Or move to where you work and live in Boulder County. Within the county transportation is pretty good.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Advice For Moving To Boulder Colorado
So you're looking to relocate and you're wondering if Boulder is right for you. You love nature and open spaces and would like to live in a medium to big size city with great opportunities for the outdoors. You love the greenery and fresh air, the change of seasons and some snow in the winter for skiing. It seems Boulder CO would be a smart choice according to what you're after. Is there something else about Boulder that you should know before making such a decision?
Here are a few considerations:
Boulder is very expensive in contrast to the rest of Colorado. Boulder Real estate prices are out of control high.
Boulder isn't really all that green, and there is hardly any lakes, streams, rivers. Its a high desert and during the summer it is not abnormal to have stretches of weeks with no rain and around 90 degrees which turns the area into brown grassland.
Boulder is much smaller that you might realize. This has all the positives you will expect (friendly people, easy to get to know, laid back pace, etc.) but you may be disappointed in Boulder demographics with the lack of diversity, restaurants, shopping, art/music scene etc. compared to cities with populations 500K+.
Boulder is not a ski town. Eldora is the closest resort at 50 minuets away but is dwarfed in size compared to the popular Colorado resorts of Breckenridge, Vail and Aspen. Expect to drive at least two hours to get to the resorts on the weekends.
So there you have it, a few more things to consider. For more, check out this post on the top 5 pros and cons of Boulder.
Here are a few considerations:
Boulder is very expensive in contrast to the rest of Colorado. Boulder Real estate prices are out of control high.
Boulder isn't really all that green, and there is hardly any lakes, streams, rivers. Its a high desert and during the summer it is not abnormal to have stretches of weeks with no rain and around 90 degrees which turns the area into brown grassland.
Boulder is much smaller that you might realize. This has all the positives you will expect (friendly people, easy to get to know, laid back pace, etc.) but you may be disappointed in Boulder demographics with the lack of diversity, restaurants, shopping, art/music scene etc. compared to cities with populations 500K+.
Boulder is not a ski town. Eldora is the closest resort at 50 minuets away but is dwarfed in size compared to the popular Colorado resorts of Breckenridge, Vail and Aspen. Expect to drive at least two hours to get to the resorts on the weekends.
So there you have it, a few more things to consider. For more, check out this post on the top 5 pros and cons of Boulder.
Simple Recommendations For Visiting Denver
I would recommend visiting Rocky Mountain National Park, its a beautiful and huge place only 1.5 hours from Denver. It has many great hiking/climbing areas and awesome views. Although there will be tourists there it's a big enough place that you will find solitude and enjoyment there any day of the week.
There is also Mount Evans also only 1.5 hours from Denver, it's a 14,000 ft. mountain that you can drive to the summit of and see for miles and miles almost the entire state of Colorado from! Tourist activity on Mount Evans will be much lower on weekdays, so plan to go then. There are also the Denver Mountain Parks, all within 45 minutes of Denver in the foothills. They offer great hiking and views of the mountains. On your way to Rocky Mountain National Park you might consider stopping in Boulder. Boulder has lots of great restaurants and a unique outdoor environment.
Here is the website for each of these:
Rocky Mountain National Park - Rocky Mountain National Park
Denver Mountain Parks
Mount Evans - Highest Paved Road in North America
Boulder Colorado
Hikes in Boulder
There are several great museums in Denver. There is the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, a great place with many awesome exhibits and artifacts. They also have a different main exhibit every few months so make sure to check if what is currently exhibited interests you. There is also the Denver Art Museum, another large and great museum with many forms of Art by famous artists.
Websites:
Denver Art Museum
Exciting minds of all ages through scientific discovery : Denver Museum of Nature & Science
There are many great restaurants and breweries. I would suggest going to Wynkoop Brewery it has good food and a great Bar. There is also a restaurant in Golden just 10 miles west of Denver called Old Capitol Grill which has great food.
Websites:
Wynkoop Brewing Company
Old Capitol Grill in Historic Downtown Golden, Colorado
Denver's Best Local Restaurants - Taste Colorado's Cuisine | VISIT DENVER
As far as walking, Denver has great parks and walking trails. There are parks in Denver and the surrounding suburbs as well as the foothills, and all are great for walking.
Info on parks in Denver
Denver's Parks
Hope this all helps, and have a great visit
There is also Mount Evans also only 1.5 hours from Denver, it's a 14,000 ft. mountain that you can drive to the summit of and see for miles and miles almost the entire state of Colorado from! Tourist activity on Mount Evans will be much lower on weekdays, so plan to go then. There are also the Denver Mountain Parks, all within 45 minutes of Denver in the foothills. They offer great hiking and views of the mountains. On your way to Rocky Mountain National Park you might consider stopping in Boulder. Boulder has lots of great restaurants and a unique outdoor environment.
Here is the website for each of these:
Rocky Mountain National Park - Rocky Mountain National Park
Denver Mountain Parks
Mount Evans - Highest Paved Road in North America
Boulder Colorado
Hikes in Boulder
There are several great museums in Denver. There is the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, a great place with many awesome exhibits and artifacts. They also have a different main exhibit every few months so make sure to check if what is currently exhibited interests you. There is also the Denver Art Museum, another large and great museum with many forms of Art by famous artists.
Websites:
Denver Art Museum
Exciting minds of all ages through scientific discovery : Denver Museum of Nature & Science
There are many great restaurants and breweries. I would suggest going to Wynkoop Brewery it has good food and a great Bar. There is also a restaurant in Golden just 10 miles west of Denver called Old Capitol Grill which has great food.
Websites:
Wynkoop Brewing Company
Old Capitol Grill in Historic Downtown Golden, Colorado
Denver's Best Local Restaurants - Taste Colorado's Cuisine | VISIT DENVER
As far as walking, Denver has great parks and walking trails. There are parks in Denver and the surrounding suburbs as well as the foothills, and all are great for walking.
Info on parks in Denver
Denver's Parks
Hope this all helps, and have a great visit
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
The Three Biggest Misconceptions About Denver
Denver is a lot of things but the following three it is not:
1. Denver is surrounded by mountains. This is startlingly apparent when you land in Denver International Airport. Many people get off the plane and think they have landed in Kansas. Here is the view with the mountains in the distance:
They are impressive no doubt but far from being in the city. It's a good 45 mins before you get to the foothills from downtown Denver. Boulder Colorado is what people who don't know about Colorado think Colorado is like when they think about Denver.
2. Winters are harsh. Denver actually gets more sunny days than Florida. Many Coloradans claim over 300 days a sunshine a year but thats stretching it a little and rounding up. The fact is that winter storms mostly dump in the mountains and then only lightly hit Denver. Afterwards the sun comes out and the snow is gone within 24 hours. The snowiest month is actually March when the spring storms come through.
3. Denver is a ski town. The ski resorts that you have heard of - Vail, Breckenridge, Aspen, are all well over an hour away from down town Denver. The closest resorts like Loveland and Eldora are about an hour away. If you head out on a Saturday to go skiing expect well over an hour and a half drive with all the traffic.
So there you have it, the top three misconceptions.
1. Denver is surrounded by mountains. This is startlingly apparent when you land in Denver International Airport. Many people get off the plane and think they have landed in Kansas. Here is the view with the mountains in the distance:
They are impressive no doubt but far from being in the city. It's a good 45 mins before you get to the foothills from downtown Denver. Boulder Colorado is what people who don't know about Colorado think Colorado is like when they think about Denver.
2. Winters are harsh. Denver actually gets more sunny days than Florida. Many Coloradans claim over 300 days a sunshine a year but thats stretching it a little and rounding up. The fact is that winter storms mostly dump in the mountains and then only lightly hit Denver. Afterwards the sun comes out and the snow is gone within 24 hours. The snowiest month is actually March when the spring storms come through.
3. Denver is a ski town. The ski resorts that you have heard of - Vail, Breckenridge, Aspen, are all well over an hour away from down town Denver. The closest resorts like Loveland and Eldora are about an hour away. If you head out on a Saturday to go skiing expect well over an hour and a half drive with all the traffic.
So there you have it, the top three misconceptions.
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