Fuller Towne and Country Managing Broker George Leonard is frustrated. So are a lot of other Denver area realtors. It seems the media reports of Denver's real estate market are, shall we say, on the dark side. Like others, Leonard is ready for a few positive stories about Denver real estate. How about some upbeat news about neighborhoods that are selling well, or those that are holding their value?
I hate to startle the naysayers, but speaking with realtor Gary Lohrman, I learned of two homes in Greenwood Village that both recently sold in one day. The homes were between $1 and $2 million; both homes had multiple offers and both sold for full price. Sounds like sunny skies in Greenwood Village.
How about Hilltop? Negative reports circulate that this area is overbuilt and has too much inventory and too many scrapes. Realtor Dewitt Petty agrees there have been a lot of scrapes but is also quick to point out a positive Hilltop trend in the older Tudor-style homes ranging from $630K to $725K. Petty sold three Tudors since the first of the year, and all three were on the market for a mere 30 to 60 days. So much for the rumors about buyers being skittish.
Safeway just built one of their largest stores in Conifer, and King Soopers and Staples are close behind. People are moving to the 285 corridor, including Conifer, because the area offers larger land parcels, gentlemen's ranches, and affordable horse properties. Jeff Courtney has lived in Conifer his whole life, owns the UPS store in town, and says he's never seen so many new faces. Maybe that's why his business has grown 20 percent for the second consecutive year.
Other neighborhoods are pretty frisky, too, like Washington Park, Bonnie Brae and the Highlands. There is good news on the real estate front in Colorado; you just need to look around. Denver is not all gloom and doom and should not be lumped in with depressing national news.
If you have a positive story about what's happening in your neighborhood, write to me at the e-mail address below. I'd love to hear it.
Dan Polimino is a Realtor with Fuller Towne and Country Properties. He can be reached at
Dpolimino@fullerproperties.com and www.CoDreamHouse.com.