{"id":13668,"date":"2020-01-16T15:44:03","date_gmt":"2020-01-16T23:44:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=13668"},"modified":"2024-05-29T13:26:28","modified_gmt":"2024-05-29T20:26:28","slug":"buyer-buy-house-in-denver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-buy-house-in-denver\/","title":{"rendered":"Make the Mile-High City Your Forever Home: How to Buy House in Denver"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Mile High City<\/a> sits at the base of the Rocky Mountains and consistently ranks as one of the best places to live<\/a> in the United States, according to U.S. News & World Report<\/i>. People across the country hear the message loud and clear: From 2010 through 2019, Denver’s population has grown an estimated 19.5%<\/a>, with new residents attracted to a thriving cultural scene, a variety of career opportunities at Fortune 500 companies<\/a>, and spectacular views year-round.<\/p>\n

More than just a single city, the Denver metro area is considered a conurbation<\/a> consisting of one continuous region across six central counties: Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson.<\/p>\n

People interested in buying houses for sale in Denver County<\/a> \u2014 what the locals refer to as \u201cDenver proper\u201d \u2014 will be looking at a combination of older, smaller, single-family homes in styles like Victorian, Denver Square, Bungalows, Mid-Century Modern or Tudors<\/a> (depending on the neighborhood)… or more modern, contemporary-style new construction<\/a> that\u2019s been cropping up closer to the downtown area, with an estimated 10,000 new residential units<\/a> built or still under construction from 2014 through mid-2019.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also stiff competition from other new residents<\/a> and Colorado natives who dream of owning a home here. The Denver market remains competitive for buyers throughout the year, which means it\u2019s critical to understand what you\u2019re doing and when to walk away. To help homebuyers prepare, we spoke with Anne Dresser Kocur<\/a> \u2014 a top Denver real estate agent with nearly 40 years\u2019 experience \u2014 plus other experts in the area who can help you navigate your home purchase<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n
\"A<\/a>
Source: (Kalen Emsley \/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Figure out your budget<\/h2>\n

A great place to start your journey of buying a house in Denver is to visit a Home Affordability Calculator<\/a>. This tool offers a personalized big-picture view of your finances and the Denver market and provides a range buyers can use to open the conversation with a lender.<\/p>\n

Another helpful tool is our step-by-step guide to save up for your dream home<\/a>, with real-world advice on what you should know about your finances before getting pre-approved for a mortgage<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Single-family home pricing in Denver sits at 91% above the pre-recession 2007 high<\/a> as of late 2019, hinting at Colorado\u2019s robust economy. According to the Denver Metro Association of Realtors, the median sales price for single-family homes in 2019<\/a> was $475,000 \u2014 up 2.7% from 2018. The median sales price for townhomes and condos in 2019 was $365,000 \u2014 a drop of 1.4% from 2018.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Source: (John De Bord \/ Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The houses you\u2019ll find in Denver<\/h2>\n

Many buyers are interested in certain areas of the city because of the architecture style specific to the neighborhood<\/a>. At a glance:<\/p>\n

Victorian houses<\/b> all offer the asymmetrical fronts, turrets, wrap-around porches, and stained glass you\u2019ll find in Park Hill, Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, and Highland. Dating between the 1860s and up until the 1910s, these are the oldest homes in the city.<\/p>\n

The \u201cDenver Square<\/b>\u201d is what other areas of the country call a \u201cFoursquare.\u201d These homes became popular after the silver crash that triggered the Panic of 1893, and feature brick construction with matching square footage on the first and second floors. They\u2019re very efficient in their use of space and they are common in most Denver neighborhoods (Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, City Park, West Highland).<\/p>\n

The Classic Cottage<\/b> is a little more straightforward. Similar in shape to the Denver Square, these homes feature a front porch, hipped roof, and flared eaves that were a trademark of working-class neighborhoods in the first half of the 1900s in Denver. You can find your own classic cottage in Globeville, Highland, Whittier, and West Washington Park.<\/p>\n

The classic Denver Bungalow<\/b> is a one-story cottage, leaning heavily into the Arts and Crafts style of the 1930s. Its efficient floorplans and basement living spaces are a trademark of the Washington Park, Congress Park, Park Hill, and West Highland neighborhoods.<\/p>\n

If Tudor<\/b> is more your taste, these houses \u2014 dating from the 1920s and 1930s in Denver \u2014 feature casement windows, covered ceilings, oak trim, and steeply pitched roofs. Tudors can be found in Park Hill, Country Club, Bonnie Brae, and Hilltop.<\/p>\n

There are about 7,000 mid-century modern homes in Denver<\/a>, dating from the 1960s, with clusters around Virginia Village, Bonnie Brae, West Washington Park, and Southmoor.<\/p>\n

According to Kocur, Denver buyers prefer the houses that have already been updated \u2014 if budgets allow. And because of Denver\u2019s penchant for the outdoors, \u201ca lot of buyers are trending toward having an outdoor living space, whether it\u2019s for them for entertaining, family, pets or children.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Source: (Josh Willink \/ Pexels)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Choose the best location for your needs<\/h2>\n

\u201cDenver is expanding in all the quadrants,\u201d Kocur says.<\/p>\n

Downtown Denver<\/h3>\n

Contains:<\/strong><\/p>\n