As homebuyers seek more space and a connection to nature, ex-urban areas near Denver are becoming increasingly popular.
Ex-urban areas outside Denver’s urban core that are still connected typically offer more open space and a lower population density. They attract those seeking a quieter lifestyle while remaining close to urban amenities and job opportunities.
New construction in neighborhoods like Aurora Highlands, Sterling Ranch, Castle Pines, and The Meadows attracts first-time buyers and families looking for larger lots and fewer crowds.
As these areas attract new residents, they transform from quiet spots into vibrant communities that blend suburban tranquility with an urban feel. However, that transition creates new stresses, including longer commute times and conflicts between newcomers and long-term residents who don’t want to see their communities change.
Room to breathe
Christine Dupont-Patz, broker and co-owner of RE/MAX Cherry Creek in Denver, said clients who purchase further from the core city want more space.
“Either they needed more space for RVs or ATVs, wanted to raise goats or chickens, or simply wanted less traffic,” Dupont-Patz said.
“The first-time homeowners I’ve worked with who bought out in the ex-burbs had flexible careers that allowed them to work from home at least a couple days a week.”
Vanessa Hamm, with The Agency, agreed and said that clients who want a bigger house and more land for their money tend to buy further from the city center.
“What really drove interest in the ex-urbs was Covid. People didn’t want to be living on top of each other. They wanted more space,” she said.
New construction appeals
Shawn Li with The Agency said some clients buy in the ex-urbs because they want new homes and, in some cases, less competition from other buyers.
But that may be changing.
Ryan Delp, Oakwood Homes’ Denver market president, said while the company has traditionally built further out where there’s more available land to develop, like Muegge Farms in Bennett or Thompson River Ranch in Johnstown, the company is open to buying smaller 10- to 20-acre plots in more developed areas.
“There’s been a little bit of a shift in how we purchase land,” Delp said. “We do have a lot of products that we can insert into a smaller area.”
Longer commute times
Li, who lives in Roxborough Park in northwest Douglas County, said that as new mandates force people to return to the office, some who buy further out now experience a longer commute.
But in his experience, Li said buyers from Texas, California, or New York aren’t bothered by this because they’re already used to longer commutes.
Hamm, who lives near Castle Pines, said longer commutes may force some homeowners to rethink and move closer to their jobs due to fuel and car insurance costs.
Growing conflicts
One downside to moving further from the city core is having fewer amenities.
“While it’s nice to have the land, you don’t have the walkability,” Hamm said. “In the city, you can walk a couple of blocks and find a restaurant.”
As those communities develop and grow, conflicts can arise with some residents who initially moved there to escape the city.
Li said this could encourage some residents to move even further out.
“That can frustrate people who moved there because it felt like it was in the middle of nowhere, and now it feels more like a suburb,” he said.
The news and editorial staffs of The Denver Post had no role in this post’s preparation.