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Living in Denver

1. Moving is an opportunity to purge some items that you haven’t used in a while or won’t be using in Colorado.

6 Tips to Make Moving Easier

For example: If you are moving from Chicago, you may have a lot of Bears, White Sox, Cubbie, and Bulls apparel that you won’t need– you are in Broncos, Rox, Avs, Nuggets country now! On a serious note – When starting to pack, ask yourself “Do I really need this? Have I used/worn this in the past year?” If the answer is “No” then give it away

2. Labels, labels and more labels.

The more you label something the more organized it will make you – which relieves stress. When I moved this last time, we asked a couple of local offices if we could have their unwanted one side used paper. We were able to get a lot of paper for free. We would label the boxes on all 4 side with 8 ½ x 11 sheets. There was no question which room the box was supposed to go into. I like to save as much money as possible since moving can prove to be expensive.

3. Decide if you will be moving yourself or hiring movers.

6 Tips to Make Moving Easier

Moving.com has a calculator for moving estimates. It can cost $3,910-$5468 to hire movers for a 2-3 bedroom apartment from Chicago to Denver. If you choose to move yourself, Uhaul’s 20’ truck (2-3 bedroom apt) would cost you $1,615.

4. Start collecting boxes and packing material.

6 Tips to Make Moving Easier

HomeDepot or Lowes can cost a lot of money. Try reaching out to your local Nextdoor neighbors and ask if anyone is getting rid of boxes and packaging material. It could save you a LOT of money.

5. Pack essentials last.

6 Tips to Make Moving Easier

Could you imagine if you packed your tooth brush, toiletries and towels for the showers? That would be pretty frustrating as you use them daily! I know that seems pretty dramatic but think of this: Don’t pack things you know you will need to use. Pack items that are in storage, Holiday items, nonessential items, books, etc.

6. Keep the breakables or prized items with you.

6 tips to make moving easier

Do you have your great grandma’s china, priceless paintings, or an extensive coin collection? If so, you may want to drive with them in your car for safe keeping.

Happy Moving!

Living in Denver,

Five Things You Need to Know About Denver

by Lisa ReichJanuary 5, 2018no comment

Five Things You Need to Know About Denver

1: HOT REAL ESTATE MARKET

RE/MAX Alliance YouTube has some valuable information about communities and vital market information to help you make an informed real estate decision. You may be thinking a Tiny House is something you are able to afford in a hot market but make sure to check with the City and County on their restrictions.

2: LOTS OF SUNSHINE

Clouds are a rarity in Denver

Many believe there are 300 days of sun – it really depends on how you interpret it. The National Weather Service identifies sky condition with 1/8 or less cloud coverage as a clear or sunny day. Mostly clear/Mostly Sunny is 1/8 to 3/8 of cloud coverage. Current Results Weather and Science Facts reports 245 sunny days. Not bad! 67% of our days are sunny days.

3: BLUCIFER!

He looks even more terrifying at night.

Blucifer or the Blue Mustang shoots red LED beams from his eyes. Frightening? Great public art? Ponder this: Its creator, Luis Jimenez, was killed when a piece of the torso fell on him; his two sons finished the $650,000 project.

4: LOW UNEMPLOYMENT

Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the Colorado Economy at a glance with unemployment at 2.5% for September 2017. Colorado has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country at 2.7% as of October, 2017. That’s a full 1.4% lower than the national average.

5: SOOOOOO MUCH TO DO

A High Dynamic Range photo of the Garden of the Gods park in Colorado Springs, Colorado with Pikes peak in the background.

Whether is it hiking, biking, boating, snowshoeing, skiing, watching professional sports. The City and County of Denver site have a laundry list of year-round family attractions, adventures, vacation ideas, national parks and outdoor activities that make the state of Colorado come to life.

Need help exploring how you can move to Denver? My contact information is in my signature.

Living in Denver,

Metro Denver Neighborhoods – A Breakdown

by Nathan BeauchampAugust 9, 2017no comment

Denver Neighborhoods – The Basics

If a move from Chicago to Denver is in your future, you might be wondering where exactly you’d like to call home. It might seem like an overwhelming task trying to figure out where to begin researching neighborhoods in the city. While I could probably write a book on everything you might want to know, no one has time for that. Here’s a very brief breakdown on some of the major Denver neighborhoods you should consider.

Chicago and Denver both feature diverse neighborhoods.

Baker

Just west of Wash Park is the historic Baker neighborhood. One of the oldest parts of Denver, this area was first developed in the 1870s. Dotted with gorgeous Victorian homes and newer apartment buildings, Baker is right off the great food and shopping on Broadway.

Berkeley/Highlands/Sloan’s Lake/Sunnyside

These five locales are all in close proximity to each other on the northwest side of the city and have all seen a tremendous change in the past several years. Turn of the century (20th that is) homes and new builds, along with some of the best dining in the city, make this area popular for visitors and residents alike. Here are links to neighborhood groups in the area:

Capitol Hill

As its name implies, Capitol Hill makes up the area surrounding the Colorado State Capitol Building. This Denver neighborhood features some single family homes, but many of the old mansions that line the streets have been converted into apartments. It’s also home to many of the city’s museums, art studios and restaurants.

The State Capitol Building
Image Courtesy of Wikipedia

Five Points

Once known as the “Harlem of the West,” Five Points is one of Denver’s oldest and most diverse neighborhoods. It is currently experiencing a renaissance of sorts and is home to an eclectic mix of coffee shops, restaurants, and culture.

Green Valley Ranch

Green Valley Ranch is one of the fastest growing parts of the city. With new homes for affordable prices, this neighborhood in the eastern part of the city is highly desirable.

River North

This old industrial part of the city has seen a revival as the city’s art hub. Old warehouses and factories have been transformed into studios, markets, clubs and coffee shops. New housing has also popped up the area, making “RiNo” one of the most popular parts of the city.

Stapleton

The Stapleton area of east Denver is one of the newest neighborhoods in the city. Once home to the old Stapleton Airport, redevelopment has converted new homes and plenty of shopping. It has quickly become one of the hottest areas in the city for young singles and families alike.

Washington Park

Beautiful Washington Park
Image Courtesy of Wikipedia

Wash Park is one of the most popular Denver neighborhoods (and also one of the most expensive!) It is located in the south central part of the city and is populated with many single family homes surrounding the largest park in Denver. The western part of the area is home to a younger crowd with many condos located near great dining and shopping on Broadway.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of neighborhoods. Head over to denver.org for even more information.

Have questions about any of these Denver neighborhoods (or any that didn’t make this list)? Drop us a note in the comments section.

Metro Denver not your cup o’ tea? Check out our comprehensive post on Jefferson County and the suburbs it contains.

Living in Denver, Traffic,

Everything You Need to Know About Denver Traffic

by Bethany CandelariaAugust 7, 20171 comment

Everything You Need to Know About Denver Traffic

Traffic. It’s not something you would normally think about when relocating, unless you’re moving to a city with a reputation that precedes it like Chicago or L.A. Denver traffic isn’t nearly as bad as Chicago’s or L.A.’s, but as Denver continues to grow, so does our traffic.

Thinking of making the move to the Mile High City, but wondering what Denver traffic is like?

Let’s go for a spin.

Denver Traffic

Denver Traffic isn’t bad if you’re coming from cities known for notoriously bad congestion, like L.A., NYC, San Francisco, or Chicago.

On the other hand, if you’re coming from somewhere like Des Moines, Milwaukee, or Raleigh, you might think our traffic is horrendous. As a native, I can tell you that with the influx of people to colorful Colorado, I am definitely spending more time on the road than I was 10 years ago. As a well traveled person, I can also tell you it could be much, much worse. But, don’t just take my word for it.

Inrix, a company that focuses on transportation analytics, recently released their Global Traffic Scorecard that examines the traffic patterns of cities around the world.

According to their study, Denver traffic ranked 21st in the U.S. and 107th in the world (up from 124th in 2015) for traffic congestion.

Great, so what does that mean? On average, Denver drivers spent 36 hours in traffic in 2016, which stayed about the same from the previous year. Compare that to Los Angeles, which took the top spot in the world with drivers spending 104 hours in congestion on average!

Denver Traffic

Chicago ranked 9th in the United States and 19th in the world.

Moving from Chicago, Denver traffic isn’t going to phase you. If you’ve spent any time on the Dan Ryan or Eisenhower, Denver traffic will feel tame by comparison. And unlike in Chicago, you’re going to have the beautiful continental divide to enjoy along with all those break lights.

You can get more detailed information directly from the Inrix study.

As with any large city, there are going to be certain areas of the city that are worse than others and certain times of the day that are particularly bad.

Interstate 25 and Interstate 225 tends to be the worst during the morning and evening rush hours, though I-25 can be bad anytime. 25 is the main north-south corridor connecting Jefferson County and Denver County to Tech Center, Castle Rock, and Colorado Springs. It’s always busy, and getting worse every year.

Image Courtesy of www.9news.com

Fridays and Sundays, you might want to avoid Interstate 70 just west of Denver. It can seem like everyone in the state is heading up to the mountains to ski, hike, or mountain bike!

If you’re looking for information on current construction projects in a specific part of town, the Colorado Department of Transportation can help you out with a list of current projects.

Want even more detailed information? The Denver Regional Council of Governments released its 2015 Annual Report on Traffic Congestion in the Denver Region last fall, which provides even more insight into the traffic patterns in the metro area and how it compares to 2005.

Additional resources can be found at cotrip.org, which will provide you with traffic or road conditions for a specific part of the city or state.

If all this information has you considering leaving the car at home and leaving the drive to someone else, waytogo.org, can help you find and utilize alternate transportation options, like carpooling, public transportation, and car sharing.

Thinking of moving Denver? Let us know if you have any questions or want more information about traffic or anything else!