Jefferson Housing Market Offers Wealth of Choices
Published Apr 16, 2005
From mountains to plains, rural to urban, million dollar mansions to affordable bungalows, Jefferson County ofers a wide-range of housing options and a buyer’s market to boot.
The choices are diverse, says Kathy Keen, chairman of the board for the Jefferson County Association of Realtors. Keen, a Realtor with Century 21 Golden West Realty, has 28 years experience in the Jefferson County real estate market.
Jefferson County homes include lofts in downtown Lakewood, acreage estates on Lookout Mountain and ’60s style ranches in the Green Mountain area – and pretty much everything in between.
Keen says buyers will find equally wide-ranging prices.
“I would say prices probably range from $135,000 to $145,000 on single family homes on up to over $1 million or more,” she says.
Look for home prices to rise with the elevation, says Jim Leto, past JCAR Chairman and a Realtor with RE/MAX Professionals in Lakewood. “As the altitude increases, so does the cost of housing.”
Jefferson County homebuyers also choose from a variety of community types and sizes, Keen notes.
There’s Arvada, a thriving suburb with access to interstates 70 and 76. This city offers 1,800 acres of parks, lakes and open space, 125 miles of bike/hike trails, and a mix of residential, commercial, industrial and professional office park developments.
To the south is Wheat Ridge, named for its success as a wheat-growing area when the community was founded in 1862. Along with convenient access to I-70, Wheat Ridge touts an extensive bike-hike trail system and more than 160 acres of parks and open space.
North from Arvada is Westminster where 104,011 residents enjoy the convenience of locating between Denver and Boulder and access to several major universities as well.
Look farther south to Lakewood for a city that mixes abundant outdoor recreation amenities with a brand-new, upscale urban downtown. This fourth largest city in Colorado features more parks and recreation facilities per resident than any other Colorado city.
To the west find Golden, one of Colorado’s oldest cities. Steeped in history and small-town ambience, Golden is located near five major transportation corridors and is home to the Colorado School of Mines, the National Earthquake Center and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Then there are mountain communities like Evergreen and Morrison. Evergreen is home to some 40,000 people living the mountain lifestyle amidst pine and aspen covered hills at 7,500 feet elevation. Morrison, meanwhile, is home to a mere 427 people and the famed Red Rocks amphitheater.
The southern portion of the county is home to 204,715 people who enjoy both major employment centers and outdoor recreation opportunities that include boating, swimming, and hiking.
Perhaps the best news for homebuyers in Jefferson County is that for now, they’re likely to be in the driver’s seat.
A real estate market that has been somewhat slower in pace than other areas of the country and a large inventory of houses have created a buyer’s market, Keen said. “They just have a lot to choose from.”
Story by Sue Lenthe
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