Celia Sellers ,SFR, CDPE

Edgewater, Colorado is one of those Denver neighborhoods that no one is talking about – yet! It is a small town just west of downtown Denver that has a lot of potential to grow in housing values in the next 5 years, which makes it very attractive for investors who are looking for houses in the Denver area to fix up and re-sell. Edgewater is also a Denver neighborhood that is attracting young home buyers who aren’t afraid of putting some work into a home that will become an investment for them in the future. Edgewater houses are full of potential.

The city of Edgewater, Colorado is bordered by Sheridan Blvd. on the east, 32nd Ave. on the north, Carr St. on the east and 6th Ave. on the south. It has a population of only 5,159 people and is only 4 miles to downtown Denver. You can get some fantastic views of the city lights at night and the city skyline in the day from the edge of Sloan Lake in Edgewater.

The average price of a home sold in Edgewater over the past twelve months is $184,205. In the past year, a total of 201 properties sold in an average of 115 days on the market. In comparison, a the average price of a home sold in Edgewater in 2010 was $190,128. A total of 224 properties sold in an average of 80 days on the market. All of this means that homes in Edgewater are currently priced lower than the previous year, and are taking an average of 35 days longer to sell. Unfortunate for the Edgewater home seller, but now is the time to buy a home in Edgewater.

Besides easy access to all the recreational activities at Sloan Lake, Edgewater residents enjoy an easy, quick commute to their jobs in downtown Denver or the Denver Tech Center. On a nice summer day, you could even bike to work! The 25th Avenue Shops at Edgewater provide several options for bars and restaurants to walk to after work, and cute boutiques to shop on a lazy Saturday afternoon. As the area develops further. look for this retail area to rival Tennyson St. in neighboring Berkeley, and Highland Square in Highland. The Edgewater Inn has been around for many years, but still attracts locals and visitors alike to dine in their restaurant.

With today’s low interest rates around 4% and as little as 3.5% of the price required for a down payment, you could own a home in Edgewater for $1,242 a month including taxes and insurance with a down payment of $6,300. This amount is equivalent to a monthly rental fee, and the equity in the home will be preserved – a deal for either a home buyer or an investor!

If you would like more details on homes for sale in Edgewater, Colorado, give Celia Sellers a call at 303-921-3199 or send an email to www.Sellers.Celia@gmail.com. I will gladly provide you with more information including a free list of the best deals, foreclosures and shorts sales currently available in Edgewater. Or go to my website at www.DenverNeighborhoodHomes.com to search properties in the area and receive daily updates automatically.

LoDo Designated Best Neighborhood in America by APA

Each year, the American Planning Association (APA) designates their award for the best neighborhoods across the country. In 2010, LoDo (Lower Downtown) in Denver achieved this status, and with reason. LoDo is a vibrant neighborhood on the west side of downtown Denver with great views of the Front Range mountains, and higher peaks behind.

According to the APA, "From railroad boomtown to derelict warehouse district to trendy historic neighborhood, Lower Downtown (LoDo) owes its success to a combination of visionary leadership and political fortitude. Restaurants, clubs, art galleries, shops, and loft residences animate the 100-plus restored red-brick Victorian warehouse and commercial buildings."

Lower Downtown (LoDo) is bounded by Speer Boulevard to the southwest, Larimer Street to the southeast, 20th Street to the northeast, and Wewatta Street to the northwest.

While the APA gave LoDo it highest "Great Places in America" designation for its urban planning and sense of history, LoDo is also attractive for its vibrant lifestyle and abundance of great restaurants, shops and pubs in the area. LoDo's 3,500 residents include families, young professionals, and empty nesters who appreciate the area's proximity to outdoor parks, the Pepsi Center, and Coors Field. Housing options range from stunning, million-dollar lofts to handsome, below-market-rate apartments.

Recent home sales in LoDo (2010 data) show that 59 properties sold in the last 12 months, with an average price of $460,770. The average price per square foot was $294. Currently, there is a four month supply of available properties, which is lower than the average of 7-8 months supply currently seen in the larger Denver market overall. While the majority of condos sold in the price range of $400,000 to $600,000, the second largest price category was $200,000 to $400,000. Now is a great time to find a deal on a condo in LoDo! For information on specific properties in your price range, please contact me!

How do you find the right Denver neighborhood for you? With so many Denver neighborhoods to choose from, picking the right neighborhood is hard! How do you decide where to live when the time comes to move? Lets explore some of the resources you may need to use in order to find the right neighborhood for you.

Of course, everyone likes to get recommendations from friends. Post to Facebook, Tweet to your friends your interest in moving and ask for input from them. If you don’t have any friends in the area you are interested in, create a “follow” column in Hootsuite that will collect all tweets with the words “XYZ neighborhood”. Then follow those folks – you will be surprised how much information you can get. It’s a great way to talk with the locals. Zillow also has an area for questions about a neighborhood – post your question and multiple people will respond with their opinions and (sometimes) facts.

Another great resource on the web can be found at Denver.org. This site has a cool map outlining every neighborhood in Denver, and provides some information about each. It will help orient you to neighborhood locations and services available in each. You can also find information on neighborhood organizations such as the Berkeley Regis United Neighbors group (BRUN) or the Sunnyside United Neighbors group (SUN). For more information on community groups and how to get involved, see my previous blog Community Groups Active in Denver Neighborhoods.

Most importantly, if possible drive around the neighborhood. You will see how long it takes to get to work, day care or family and how well the neighborhood takes care of it’s streets, parks and shops. If you are moving from out of the area, take a look at Google maps, street views to “virtually” stroll the neighborhood. I have several video tours of neighborhoods posted on YouTube, you can view them by clicking here: Berkeley Neighborhood tour or Sloan’s Lake Neighborhood tour.

There are over 50 established neighborhoods in Denver. So much to choose from! Your chosen location may be dictated by your work, however you will find several distinct neighborhoods within several miles and all will have their own personality. Take the time to research your options, then call me for more up to date information about your chosen neighborhood! Or check out my website at www.DenverNeighborhoodHomes.com.

The Edgewater neighborhood, located on the western edge of Sloan's Lake, is growing in popularity for young home buyers due to its accessibility to downtown Denver and affordable home pricing. Edgewater got its start as a cluster of fishing shacks in the early 1900's, but has since grown to a full town with its' own style and energy.

Edgewater Park, overlooking Sloan's Lake is a great place for kids to play and hang out, for adults to meet and greet each other, and for dogs to run (on leash of course) near the water's edge. Watch the video below for a quirky explanation of some of the park's unique features.

Project at Sloans Lake

The town's mayor, city council and business people feel that Edgewater's time has come to create a true neighborhood character. Based on the location of the park and lake, and the well-attended Dragon Boat Festival held each summer on the lake, the community is working toward becoming more kids and family oriented.

In a recent article published in the North Denver Tribune, Mayor Bonnie McNulty said she’s gratified that the commercial area is nearly full, and the city has a “positive energy” with young people purchasing property and moving in. “I live on 25th Avenue, and I see a lot of people walking by with their kids and dogs,” she said.

The center of business activity is located on 25th Avenue, with The Edgewater Coffee Company, US Thai, The Village Restaurant and Providence Tavern serving as anchoring shops for residents and tourists alike. A recent survey by CityData found that the median income of Edgewater residents was slightly lower than that of Denver ($40,321 vs. $46,410) and the average home price was also lower at $189,823 vs. $244,600. This means that first time homebuyers will have more buying power in Edgewater than in other Denver neighborhoods, but may not have all of the public amenities that larger cities have.

Believing in the future of Edgewater as a great neighborhood to raise your family may take a little vision, but might pay off in the future. With a full-time city manager now in place, and a business development plan supported by residents, Edgewater should increase its home values in the next five years.

Community Groups Active in Denver neighborhoods

photo by 350Aotearoa

One of the best things about being a part of a neighborhood is the chance to start, or join, a community group. Depending on the neighborhood, groups form around a number of things including children, outdoor activities, shopping, health and beauty and politics, just to name a few. The Denver neighborhoods of Berkeley, Sunnyside, Regis and Highland all have active community groups.

Berkeley Regis United Neighbors, or BRUN was formed by locals to promote the Berkeley Regis neighborhoods and make the area safe for families, single and married couples to live, work and enjoy life. The group has been active in forming the Tennyson Streetscape Plan, and participates in planning meetings to enhance the look of Tennyson Blvd. between Highland and Sunnyside neighborhoods. They also hosted a BRUN candidates forum for the November elections, which allowed neighbors to join together to decide which candidates would best represent them. The Berkeley Regis United Neighbors group also hosts a monthly neighborhood social hour at a local bar/restaurant so that people in the area can get to know each other better and have some fun! Find more information at www.berkeleyregisneighbors.org.

Highland United Neighborhood Association, or HUNI, was formed to facilitate consistent and responsible communication among Highland neighbors and the community at large, to improve the quality of life for its residents, organizations and businesses and to provide advocacy and promotion for the community. Several volunteer committees work to provide a sense of community through political action and social community events. For more information, or to join go to www.DenverHighland.org.

Federal Blvd. Partnership - www.FederalBlvd.com. The Federal Boulevard Partnership was formed in 2005 by local Federal business and community interests to fulfill the mission to improve health and safety, accessibility, sustainability and economic vitality along Federal Boulevard, while preserving its cultural diversity and historic character. The vision for the “Boulevard” is one of Denver’s main streets where people live, work, and play in a clean and safe pedestrian friendly environment that embraces cultural, social, and economic diversity. This community group is currently working on the Boulevard Wellspring Initiative and the Boulevard Streetscape Project. The Federal Boulevard Partnership is run by a community of volunteers interested in working together to improve their neighborhood.

Sunnyside United Neighbors Inc. - www.sunnysidedenver.org is a nonprofit volunteer organization composed of residents, businesses, schools, and churches that reside or are located within the boundaries of the Sunnyside neighborhood in Historic Northwest Denver. The intent is for a group of people of diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds to join together in harmony, mutual respect and peace with the purpose of planning and building for the future, improving the present, and preserving and restoring the past of the Sunnyside neighborhood.

Whatever neighborhood you live in, you will find people willing to volunteer their time and money to create a better place to live, shop and work. Community groups are the heartbeat of a neighborhood, and joining one is a great way to make friends!