A GREAT Opportunity to Own

You might remember us writing that in development projects there are often two amazing opportunities to find discounting pricing. One, for many development projects, occurs during the pre-construction stage ESPECIALLY when the developer is looking at a 30% or some other pre sales requirement before they can break ground or securing a next round of financing.

The other, is when a developer has only a few residences left in inventory. And that is happening now at SPIRE.

SPIRE has just announced that they are looking for the highest and best offers on residence 1706. The listing is a “1 bedroom plus den, 1 bathroom of approximately 900 square feet”.

SPIRE has been one of the strongest selling residential real estate projects in Denver and with good reason. The project is located in the heart of Denver’s Theatre District and the Downtown, just steps from light rail, the 16th street mall, the performing arts center, and a ton of great dining, shopping, entertainment, theatre, and sports event venues.

It is a true Denver Urban living opportunity.

The building itself offers a pool, two outdoor spas, a great fitness center, media room, sports lounge, outdoor grills, and so many great in building features and amenities. Being one of the most newly constructed high rise towers in Denver the designers factored in features to help make it one of the best places to live in our city.

So why is now a great time to make an offer?

Because they are asking for one. The project is almost wrapped up, it only takes the completion of the final for sales units to do that.

Contact anyone on the Denver Urban Team today to learn more about how we can assist in presenting an offer.

Also, SPIRE is offering a LIMITED TIME PROMO: of “$5,000 Credit When You Submit an Offer on Our Last New Construction Home On-or-Before Septemeber 30th”.

If you have been thinking about this building this might be a great time to buy. SPIRE is one of the core buildings our team is very familiar with and we have worked on the behalf of buyers since the very initials sales at pre construction. We know this building. Let us help you get the very best value.

Request More Info

The post SPIRE Flash Sale on a last ONE BEDROOM appeared first on Denver Urban Living.

Condo Legislation Killed in Procedural Move

For those who were watching the progress on the new construction defect and Home Ownership Bills that were put before the State Judiciary Committee the outcome is easy to report.  Nothing will be happening.  According to the Denver Post article “Procedural move kills last of three Colorado construction-defects bills” the bill got squashed.   We aren’t here to debate whether this was the right bill or not to help encourage condo development.  Perhaps a better bill is yet to be written, one that can make both sides of this debate.  But what is disappointing is the news that whatever seems to be stalling the construction of new high rise projects from breaking ground may continue for months or years.

Benefit of New Projects

New Condo Projects are great!  They are great opportunities for buyers in a strong market, which is what we see in Denver right now.  For example when SPIRE and Glass House first came on the market buyers could put a one bedroom condo under contract for as low as $150K.

There are several factors that work to create such attractive pricing.  Often the Developer is motivated to get a certain number of units under contract (usually 30% of the building) so they price some of the lower floors and smaller residences more aggressively.

Plus, buyers are being asked to buy off of floor plans and renderings with a construction completion date that may be years down the road.  For that risk factor Buyers also often see a discount in pricing.  This is part of the reason the first to make that leap of faith in a project can often have a lower price offering.  Developers often raise prices as they move through the sales at certain benchmarks, such as the 30%, 50% or 70% milestones.

Why are developers motivated to reach these milestones?  It is because they often have certain requirements with their lenders and investors.  Hitting such requirements can often be buying opportunities our team helps to identify.

But all of this is academic if new condo developers don’t build a new high rise project.  Recent legislation was put on the books in an attempt to try and create a marketplace that encourages development.   Now we aren’t lawyers or legislators so while I am sure there are many pro and con points about the proposed Homeownership Opportunity Act SB 14-220 we discussed here, the end result was that it did not get passed.

And the topic for today is how will this affect the market over the next few years.

How will this affect the market

No one has a crystal ball to predict the future.  Supply and demand would probably predict that getting into a high rise building with amenities such as SPIRE, Glass House, or ONE Lincoln might get more competitive.  These units are already so popular, with swimming pools, fitness centers, movie theaters and more part of your home ownership benefit.  Prices have already been going up, days on market going down, and the Denver Urban team’s job never stops in staying current and up to date on inventory to help our clients get the best opportunities with new listings.

Denver is still growing, and that is the Demand side of the equation.  Without at supply side increase these units will likely stay among the most desirable and sought after.  This might also continue the fast paced development of mid rise, townhome, and single family home projects.

According to the Denver Post article quoted above

“Condos represent only 2 percent of the new housing mix in metro Denver, versus 20 percent in other areas. When California shifted from a litigation to an arbitration model of dispute resolution, it saw condo construction rebounded from similarly low levels, backers argued.”

Read more: Procedural move kills last of three Colorado construction-defects bills – The Denver Post https://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_25707252/procedural-move-kills-last-three-colorado-construction-defects#ixzz31iQVIZML
Read The Denver Post’s Terms of Use of its content: https://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse
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2 percent is a drop in the bucket compared to the number of folks who are seeking the amenity rich lifestyle these Denver Urban buildings offer.  At some point market demand may create a large enough incentive to draw Developers back into the new construction process for a new high rise project.  Keep in mind that even once that decision is made it could be years before a project goes through design, approval, construction and sales.

Might be a good time to do a walk through of the existing inventory at the existing amazing high rises our great city has today.

Helpful Links

• Glass House Denver Listings
• SPIRE Denver Listings
• High Rise Condo Buildings
• All Buildings
• Trending Buildings

Get more information about existing Denver High Rise Inventory

The post New Condo Legislation Was Squashed and How it Might Affect the Market appeared first on Denver Urban Living.

The Glass House Pool Opens for Residents

Denver’s most popular building celebrates the first day of May every year with the annual pool opening. Residents in the building look forward to this day every year, although with today’s chilly weather it is most likely the main pool activities won’t kick in until things get gorgeous this weekend when temperatures are expected to hit 81 on Saturday and 86 on Sunday.

Sounds like perfect weather for a swim.

When we do our showings of the Glass House the 8th floor pool deck is one of the most captivating elements of this building, and just one of the reasons discussed in our article Union Station Driving Glass House to new Heights in Popularity. In fact the pool at Glass House is one of the elements clients are so excited to see, so we wanted to include in this post just a couple photos to show you how great the pool amenity is in this building. When this photo was taken they were still bringing up the pool lounge chairs and doing the finishing touches for swimmers.

Glass House may have the best pool of all the Denver High Rise buildings, but it certainly doesn’t have the only one. In a city with over 300 day sunshine and perfect summer weather for poolside relaxing a number of other buildings know how important this amenity is for residents to enjoy. Here is our “Get Ready for Summer” breakdown of Denver Condo buildings with a pool amenity.

But the definition of a pool can vary greatly for building to building.  Some buildings, like the Glass House, have what I commonly refer to as a “Real” Pool.  It’s big, it has swim lanes to do laps, and you aren’t crowded.  Other buildings, such as SPIRE, have smaller pools and aesthetic pools to allow residents to cool off or to add beauty to the space.  SPIRE focused instead on the hot tub spa feature and they offer residents two on their amenity level.  For those how prefer a true swimming pool a building like the Glass House might be more appealing.  For those who prefer a year round hot tub SPIRE might be a better choice.  Remember, if we are writing about the Glass House pool opening today that means it was closed.  It is not a year round amenity, but I think the residents there still believe it’s the best pool amenity in Denver.

Popular Denver Condo Buildings with a Pool

• Barclay Tower
• Beauvallon Condos
• Brooks Tower
• Four Seasons Residences
• Glass House
• Larimer Place
• ONE Lincoln
• Pinnacle
• Ritz Carlton Residences XXV
• SPIRE
• Taxi Lofts
• Windsor Condominiums

Or you can visit our lifestyle page with all listings that offer a pool.

Enjoy Denver and Happy Swimming!

Request a Tour of the Glass House and Available Listings

The post Glass House Pool is OPEN for residents for the 2014 Season appeared first on Denver Urban Living.

Denver Urban Readers Poll for Best Car Share Program

Sure, we love to bike everywhere.  But what about that day when a car would come in really handy.

We support car optional living in Denver, and our local car share programs make it easy to live car free.  No need to own a car, pay insurance, maintenance, gasoline.  For those buying a home it can mean avoiding buying a parking space in one of the many Denver Condo Buildings (such as SPIRE) at over $50,000.  In those instances the many car share programs throughout our city can fill the gap.

The Economics of Car Sharing

I decided to take a close look at just how much money I could save by using car sharing when, after a very fun camping trip last summer, I found out that my vehicle was sorely in need of repair.  I had a year 2000 vehicle that had served me well but the thought of sinking thousands on new brakes and transmission just didn’t make sense.  So I sold it to someone who wanted a fixer upper.

That left me, in late summer 2013, deciding what new car to buy.  But this was at the same time Car2Go was launching in Denver and I decided to try Car Free living instead.  Here are the economics I was looking at.

• If I bought a new car I was looking at a monthly payment.  The average Car Payment is between $380 and $460.  Let’s split the difference and say $420.
• Average Car Insurance for Colorado is $1558 annually, or $129 per month.
• I live downtown in an environment where my parking space can be rented out for $200 a month.  If I didn’t have a car that means I could rent out my space.
• Car Registration is based on value.  Let’s just assume $510 for a $30K Car or $42.50 per month.
• Gas, Gas, Gas.. oh how painful you are.  The average monthly gasoline expense in 2009 was $173.80, in 2010 it was $281.06 (61% increase), in 2011 it was $368.09 (31% increase).  Based on this let’s guesstimate using the lower 30% to calculate 2014 to be a whopping $808 per month.   That seems high (what do you spend on gas per month?  Comment below) but let’s assume $500 per month to be conservative.
• Maintenance like oil changes, car washes, and repairs add up.  How about we estimate $50 per month because at some point in the year you are going to spend money on something.
• Parking:  If you live or play downtown paying for parking can be a burden.  Let’s say $10 per month to give you a little budget (you don’t pay to park a Car2Go at the meter).

For myself the total monthly estimate to have a car would cost me $1,153.50.   It shocks me how much a car costs, especially in world of downtown Denver living where a parking space rents out for close to what my first apartment rented for.  Really.  

So I’ve been living the Car Optional lifestyle for months.  I used light rail, Car2Go, walking and biking for work, play, and errands.  I use Car2Go to do my grocery run to the local King Sooper’s or City Market.  When I felt the need for some Whole Foods shopping I often took the light rail to the Louisiana Pearl station that puts you just about a two block walk from that Whole Foods location.  In the Spring and Summer I might just bike to Whole Foods via the Cherry Creek trail with a soft cooler in my messenger bag.

Side note:  Grocery shopping will be even easier for downtown residents by 2015 with a new King Soopers Grocery store and possibly a new Whole Foods in the new Union Station Neighborhood.  I can’t wait.

It was remarkably easy, and liberating, to live Car Free in Denver.  I have nothing but rave reviews about using Car2Go.  The cars were always easy to find, at least for someone like me who doesn’t mind walking a few blocks when I have to.  I do enjoy hearing my friends exclaim their objection to walking a few blocks as they try to fit in a good time to drive to their gym to run on a treadmill indoors.  But different strokes for different folks.  The Car2Go vehicles operated well, they were comfortable enough, and in my experience, always clean.  I had a Car2Go membership so I can only give you a review of one Car Share service.  But that is why we have a poll here to share everyone’s experience.

Did Car2Go allow me to live completely Car Free.  No, it did not.  I cheated during this time.  Without a car to drive to the mountains  I rode with others for ski trips often this past winter.  I tend to go to the mountains a LOT to ski, hike, ride, and enjoy everything our mountain backyard offers.  I wish there was a train option, and the bus/shuttles don’t offer the same flexibility or value that a ride with a friend offers.  So for the time being this is the one part of my life that still calls for a car.

Pets can also complicate the car optional living model, especially if you have a larger dog.  Car2Go has a no dog policy, which makes sense to protect those with allergies.  Light rail, even if I could take my pup on the car, doesn’t get me everywhere.   Fortunately my vet is a looooong walk so I had that option but more often than not I borrowed a car.

Then there are the trips to spots that aren’t on a light rail line or within the Car2Go coverage area.  Again, I borrowed a car.

But overall, these were the outliers of my happy and content experience living car free for half a year.  I was happy, stress free, and enjoying a bit more disposable income.

For those who love this story I have another confession.  I bought a car.  I used some of the money I saved, month after month, to buy a dream car for me.  I got a diesel, ultra high mileage offering, vehicle that will help me travel to the mountains.  But this does not mean I don’t still live a mostly car free lifestyle.  I still light rail, and walk or bike almost everywhere.  But on this past weekend doing spring skiing in the mountains I drove everyone on the trip as I begin to payback all the favors I owe from the past year.

I’m hoping this car has an amazingly long lifestyle because, quite frankly, it’s not going to get the miles a regular commuter does.  Most miles will be to Vail, A Basin, Breckenridge, Moab, Red Rocks, and all those locations that were out of reach before.    Plus I am an independent film maker so sometimes having a way to transport all my gear safely and store it during the shoot becomes really valuable.

Still, I  hope, if the time comes again that I have to make a choice of whether to buy a car or not, that I will have more options to choose from such as a rail line of some form to the mountains.   Without a doubt living car free for so many months showed me how wonderful it can be.  It changed my patterns in such away that even with a car I still tend to drive a fraction of what I might have done years ago.   I encourage you to give it a shot and find out how it can be a component, to whatever scale fits your lifestyle, of how you get around in Denver to work or play.

Build your own budget and share in the comments how much you think your monthly car expense is. I know these numbers are different for everyone.

The question is, which Denver Car Share program is the best?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Valuable Denver Urban Tools for Living Car Optional

• Light Rail Friendly Property Search (Live near a light rail station)
• Denver Neighborhoods Search (Using Neighborhood Names You Know)
• Denver Buildings Search (When you know the building you want to love it)
• Neighborhood PSF Chart (So you can see where neighborhood prices are – VERY COOL!)
• Denver Urban Social Media Tools (Get tweets or Facebook Posts in your timeline when homes in your favorite neighborhoods are listed… BE THE FIRST TO KNOW)

The post Vote for Denver’s Best Car Share Program appeared first on Denver Urban Living.

SPIRE OFFERS CLOSE OUT INCENTIVES

According to SPIRE’s recent promotion the building is 97% sold out.  That means that one of the last new high rise residential development projects that Denver in process may be about to disappear, and the market is unclear on when the next new building will commence.

There are often two GREAT times to buy from a developer.    When a building first launches there is often an incentive by the Developer to get a certain percentage of the building sold, often up to a 30% threshold.  During these initial sales pricing can be very attractive.  In the world of Real Estate Development, this is often due to the a goal of meeting certain benchmarks in relation to financing requirements.  For example, it is not unusual that a bank or lenders asks Developers to prove their project will meet the market demand by attaining 30% of the units sold.

After that benchmark is met, the Developer is the captain of the ship (so to speak).  That is why we often see such amazing pricing at the onset of a development project.

Another great opportunity to buy presents itself at the other end of the time frame.  When a Developer gets to the point of having the building mostly sold out (let’s say 97% for a hypothetical) there is a strong incentive to get those final residences sold.  For most often, a developer’s profits or greatest income comes from those last few units and all parties (Developer, construction, sales, financing) are motivated to keep the process moving so they can take on the next project.  It doesn’t do anyone any good to leave the job 97% complete.

SPIRE is offering a very attractive incentive already, with their announcement that current buyers, through April 30th of 2014, can enjoy 12 months of HOA payments with the purchase.  This is a HUGE incentive.     From this point a buyer explores what offer the Developer may be interested in accepting to close out the building.  That means it is a great opportunity to explore getting your dream home in SPIRE.

SPIRE offers some amazing Downtown Denver amenities.  This 42 story glass tower in the heart of the Denver Theater district and steps from light rail and the 16th street shuttle offers it’s residents the following luxury amenities.

SPIRE Amenties

• Multiple outdoor pools
• Yoga Garden
• Two Spas / Hot Tubs
• The Zone Multimedia lounge
• Extensive Health Club
• Multiple lounge spaces
• Sports Center Room
• Business Center
• Skyclub Lounge on 42nd Floor (for top floor residents)
• The Box Office multimedia theatre
• Outdoor grilling area
• 10th floor private event lounge
• Dog park
• 24-hour courtesy desk
• Valet parking program
• Door-to-door delivery service from SPIRE restaurants
• Housekeeping services with managed access *
• Handyman services program *
• Fully furnished SPIRE guest suites *
• Modern security and access control systems
• Storage rooms and lockers
• Bike storage areas
• Car and bike wash area
• Ground-floor retail and dining
  • Row 14 Bistro and Bar
  • Crave Dessert Bar
  • Organic Pizza Company
  • Snarfs Sandwiches
• Dramatic kinetic art wall
• Hertz On Demand® onsite carshare program *
• Dry cleaning and grocery delivery program *

The items with a * may have additional fees (after all, dry cleaning can’t be entirely free).

View available SPIRE inventory here and contact us today to take schedule a showing of this amazing building.  But hurry, these are the last opportunities to buy a brand new SPIRE residence.

Location – Location – Location

SPIRE is in the heart of the thriving Denver Theater District downtown, just steps away for hundreds of Denver’s best restaurants, bistros, bars, and the Denver Performing Arts Center and Theaters.  Enjoy shows, events, festivals and activities of the Denver Urban lifestyle from your front door.  Sports Fans, dont’ forget that all of Denver’s great sporting arenas are walking or biking distance to enjoy a day or night rooting for our own Denver Broncos, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Rockies, or Colorado Avalanche.

The city of Denver is also developing their Ambassador Street project on 15th Street.  SPIRE, The Four Seasons and all the Theater District neighbors are witnessing the creation of large outdoor seating spaces for restaurants, bike lanes, architectural design elements, and walkable place making.  What an amazing place to live.

SPIRE Links

• SPIRE Available Listings
• SPIRE Essential Information
• SPIRE Price Chart
• @SpireLiving on Twitter
• SPIRE on Pinterest
• Denver Theater District Listings
• Denver Theater District Price Chart
• Denver Theater District on Twitter
• Downtown Denver Facebook Page

The post SPIRE 97% Sold Out Offers 1 Year of Free HOA Fees appeared first on Denver Urban Living.

We love the Denver Bike Community

How much do we love it!  We love it so much that a HUGE part of our philosophy is supporting and sharing information about how to live the Denver Car Optional Lifestyle.  For many of us living the Denver Urban life means commuting by bike, light rail, public transportation, or just using our feet.

One of the favorite social aspects of Denver’s love affair with two wheels is the Denver Cruiser Ride Community.  Beginning with the first ride on May 14th Denver bike lovers gather every Wednesday for a costumed theme based cruise throughout our great city.   Each and every Wednesday the streets are filled with costumed bicyclists as they travel from one Denver establishment to another.  Some go for the rides, some for the social, and some for the opportunity to do their most creative adaptation of the weekly costume theme.

The Denver Cruiser ride has grown so much since the very first rides.  I can recall, many years ago, when the rides were so small that you pretty much new everyone on the ride.  As the secret got out and the biking size grew the group worked to establish some courtesy rules and work with Denver government groups to ensure safety and that the group knew and understood  the Denver Municipal Bicycle Code.  Kudos to responsible biking.

The new themes for the 2014 Denver Cruiser Season are (at least at the time of this posting)…

Denver Cruiser Theme Ride Schedule 2014

• May 14th – Reds and Robes
• May 21st – Denver 1894
• May 28th – Seven Daily Sins
• June 4th – Summer Camp
• June 11th – Soul Train
• June 18th – Bubble Wrap, Duct Tape and Card Board
• June 25th – Overcoats and Underwear
• July 2nd – People of Walmart
• July 9th – You Light Up My Life
• July 16th – Suits and Swim Suits
• July 23rd – Dress Night
• July 30th – All Holidays
• August 6th – The Letter S
• August 13th – Dungeons and Drag Queens
• August 20th – Big Top
• August 27th – Road Warrior
• September 3rd – TBD
• September 10th – TBD
• September 17th – Pirates, ,Sea Men and Mermaids
• September 23rd – Ullr Fest:  Winter Wonderland

These rides can be a lot of fun and a great chance to meet some wonderful people.  For those who are interested in joining the Denver Cruiser rides visit their website here to learn more about the Denver Cruiser rides and familiarize yourself with their rules and guidelines.

Denver PeopleforBikes Green Lane Initiative

Our city is really making great strides to be one of the most Car Optional and Bike Friendly cities in the nation. In fact Denver has been selected out of hundreds of cities to be one of 6 cities to be chosen for an intensive two year bike lane project.  In this article we learn more about how PeopleforBikes Green Lane project is going to focus on establishing safer bike lane systems for our city to encourage people to bike and walk more.  They mention in the video that by 2020 they hope that 15% of Denver residents are commuting by bike/foot and this project can mean HUGE support for those who want to live car optional.  Read the 9 News article here.

Of course it helps that Denver’s B-Cycle system has established a bike sharing network throughout the Denver Urban area.  In 2013 B-Cycle announced that it would become a year round program and added some 20 new stations with plans for more on the way every year.

And for those who want to live 95% car free the huge expansion (and competition) within the Car Sharing community means that you can still have access to a car for those rare occasions when you need one.  Car2Go Denver did one of the largest rollouts of any car share organization here in Denver putting hundreds of cars throughout the city.  Having tried the system repeatedly I have nothing but positive reviews to share.

When you look at how building such as SPIRE or the Riverfront Park Glass House have Parking Spaces going from $40,000 to $55,000 from the Developer (who knows what resales might top out at) the option of buying a condo or loft in the Downtown market without car could mean getting a much greater value.  These are real dollars that a Denver home buyer could use for more square footage, their favorite location, or just a reduced mortgage payment every month.

To help you evaluate all your Car Optional Denver Condo searching we have set up several web tools for our fans to use.  Check out these wonderful green living Denver Urban resources:

• Denver B-Cycle Friendly Property Search
• Denver Light Rail Friendly Properties
• Denver Community Garden Friendly Properties
• Denver Dog Park Friendly Properties
• Union Station Properties (the hub of light rail)
• All Neighborhoods
• Denver Light Rail Friendly Homes Facebook Page
• Denver Bike on Twitter 

Vote for your Favorite Denver Cruiser Ride Theme

Request More Information

The post 2014 Denver Cruiser Ride Themes and New Bike Lane Development appeared first on Denver Urban Living.

Living downtown, walking to restaurants, shops, sporting events, and theater from your front door, having great amenities such as swimming pools, fitness centers, theater rooms and more… for many this is the ultimate Denver lifestyle. Within the world of high rise condominiums there are a number of choices. There are different neighborhoods to choose from, different amenities for each building, and a different character or feel from historic and cool to modern and hip. So we decided to ask the question “If you could live in any Denver Urban high rise which one would you pick?”

Share your voice Denver or check out a list of Denver Buildings and price trends here!

The post What is your Favorite Denver High Rise appeared first on Denver Urban Living.

Downtown Denver residents, get ready for the weirdest and funniest Comedy of the Summer starting May 31st when America the Unicorn hits the Bovine Metropolis. It’s about history and unicorns, how can you pass that up.

Seriously… I just saw the rehearsal and you MUST see this show. But it’s only around for a month so get your tickets today! SPIRE residents and those in the theater district, it’s just steps away.

America the Unicorn.

Whether you live in LoHi, or Riverfront Park, or Downtown Denver, this show should not be missed. If you know any history teachers or history buffs, make sure they don’t miss the comedic take on why certain events in history REALLY happened!

Looking for comedy, improv, or laughter in Denver. The Bovine Metropolis is Denver’s home of Comedy. Visit them at www.bovinemetropolis.com.

The post A Must See Comedy at the Bovine Metropolis! appeared first on Denver Urban Living.

It’s a new year, and for many that means a chance for new beginnings.  I’m not sure how your 2012 was but I know more than a few people who were looking forward to putting 2012 in the past and giving 2013 a big welcoming embrace.

Of course, I tend to spend time with those who have an incredible attitude, and that makes life wonderful.

Life, as you well know, gives out it’s share of good and bad.  Relationships may end, life may throw a curve ball, and people decide they need change.  This historical advice given in these tough times has been “don’t make any big changes right away”.  I’m not sure I agree with this philosophy, at least not entirely.  I follow more of the theory Winson Churchill coined of “If you find yourself going through hell, keep going”.  I mean, if you aren’t happy with something in your life then you sure as heck should change it.

Yesterday’s New York Times article “Relocation Therapy” addressed this issue heads on looking at the benefit of changing your address as part of the recovery process.  The main focus of the article was on the end of a personal relationship and how where you live is entrenched with those memories and patterns.  Painful breakups, the death of a spouse, even the loss of a beloved pet, are all things that the article digs into.

It’s a very interesting theory, and one I tend to agree with.

After working with hundreds of clients who found their dream home in the Downtown Denver condo and Downtown Denver home area I can tell you that a large percentage were seeking, and found, a fresh start with their new homes.  Downtown locations such as Glass House, Riverfront Park, SPIRE and LoHi have provided wonderful fresh starts for those who wanted a change.

The Downtown lifestyle is perfect for a fresh start.  I know years ago when I was going through a particularly rough time that included the loss of a parent, end of a relationship, and more (quite the year) there was something therapeutic about moving into my new Urban loft.  It started with painting blank walls with colors I picked out and moved into selecting new furniture that reflected my personality and style.  The dining room table and the new set of pans was purchased with plans of connecting with friends for group dinners and filling my new home with fresh memories and laughter.  Living in a downtown high rise created an immediate sense of community and I met neighbors, created new friendships, and enjoyed walking out my front door with the city of Denver as my playground.  I tried new activities, explored my creative side, and did what would have been much more difficult to accomplish living in a suburb far from all that Downtown Denver has to offer.

I still love living downtown, and the many clients I have worked with share the same feedback.   Denver just keeps getting better every day and for its residents, that means a life full of options and ways to keep yourself growing and learning.

Of course the move to downtown can be for any reason  or life change.  Another big audience for downtown residences includes the growing empty nester and retirees audiences.  With more time on their hands, no kids in the house, and a drive to enjoy life the Downtown lifestyle called to them.  It is such a treat when I’m walking downtown and run into a previous client, out with a group of friends, as they share with me their plans for the night.  New restaurants, art exhibits, run clubs, and festivals are just a few steps away when you live downtown.

Whether you are looking to enrich your life or seeking a fresh start, the city of Denver is amazing for both.  I have to also say,  in agreement with the New York Times “Relocation Therapy” article, that sometimes a new chapter in life can benefit from a new address.

Here are a few recommendations of neighborhoods and buildings I love for their community…

• Riverfront Park is  an amazing community and neighborhood.  Nestled between LoDo and LoHi Riverfront Park puts the best of Denver within footsteps. Pedestrian bridges in both directions allow you to explore the city and some of the best restaurants including Linger, LoLa, Zengo, Sushi Sasa, The Kitchen, and more within a mile.  With Commons Park as your backyard there are plenty of outdoor running and activity spaces.  Plus the Riverfront Park master HOA maintains a security team of off duty police officers.  It’s nice to feel safe. 
• LoHi has been booming and the mix of great restaurants, pubs, and shops in this neighborhood make it a favorite.   The neighborhood offers a little something for everyone whether it’s a historic Denver Square home or a modern condominium or townhome.  It’s a neighborhood where it seems like everyone has a smile and a fond greeting for you.
• Glass House, SPIRE, and ONE Lincoln are three buildings that offer their own community within the building.  With pools, fitness centers, media rooms, and lounge areas these buildings offer a way to enjoy downtown and have great amenities without walking out the door.

The post New Home = New Start appeared first on Denver Urban Living.

Ever since the glory days of the Glass House in Riverfront Park in 2006 the Denver audience has been awaiting news on the rumored City House building in Union Station.  At that time developers were concentrating their efforts on condominium developments throughout Denver.  Glass House, SPIRE, and One Lincoln came to the market with their high rise lifestyles including great amenities (pools, fitness centers, and more) and walls of glass.

Glass House sold out almost entirely within the first 45 days going on the market.  ONE Lincoln and SPIRE came to market later and showed strong sales as well, although nothing like the Glass House.

So it is logical that at that time the focus was on what was for some time nicknamed “Glass House 2”.  The name evolved into City House and at that time the expectation was another 23 story tower would be built within the new Union Station Neighborhood.

That was then, this is now.

The design evolved over time.  Rental and apartment rates within the Denver market have steadily increased and developers channeled their focus into he rental project scope.  A few years ago many thought the City House idea would come as another high rise tower with a purely rental market.

But high rise projects are also more expensive.  Concrete and steel construction that creates beautiful glass towers takes considerably more time and resources than a stick build.  So many where not surprised to hear the recent announcement by Wood Partnersthat they will be creating a 281 unit 5 story rental building with a “stick build” construction.  Other apartment developers have been successful with this model in the local area.  Commons Park West, The Station at Riverfront Park, and the new phase of the Manhattan are all great examples of mid rise apartment development.

The new Alta City House is being designed to be amenity rich with the pool, fitness center, and feature rich design that helps to drive up rental rates.  For those who bought in the Glass House with a city view and were expecting a 23 story tower in their City view this decision may be a welcome surprise.

This could also have an impact over time on property values in Riverfront Park, LoHi, and the surrounding Downtown Denver condo and loft neighborhoods.  More apartment buildings, which has been the trend, mean that there is less available inventory of for sale buildings in the area.  That could affect the supply and demand pricing.  If prices do increase perhaps it will drive the creation of some new for sale condominium buildings in the area.   Until then, existing inventory may be more sought after which is why we offer our clients rapid alerts on their favorite buildings and neighborhoods.

To learn more about real estate at the Glass House, in Riverfront Park, or any of the great Downtown Denver condo and Downtown Denver loft neighborhoods please give anyone on the New Era Realty team a call.

Cheers!  Union Station is growing FAST!

The post Alta City House coming to Union Station Denver appeared first on Denver Urban Living.