Buying a home is always an important decision, and it involves a lot of careful planning. Included in those plans is the location of your new home. If you’re looking for possible cities to relocate to, Boulder, Colo., may be an option. Below are some tips for buying a home in Boulder that will make your search easier.

 

How do you find the right home in the right location?

Population 94,673	Median Age 29.0 yrs	Household Size: 2.20
Avg Commute: 18.8 min	Avg Income $44,748	Avg Home Value: $304,700
July High: 87.3°F	January Low: 19.0°F

 

Buying A Home In Boulder

Boulder, Colo., a city of about 95,000, is home to great educational opportunities for children and adults, community centers and quality hospital care and public safety. This is an ideal city to raise children or start a family — especially if you enjoy colder weather and holidays filled with a considerable amount of snow.

Buying a home in Boulder can be somewhat of a challenge and takes a lot of effort, especially if you’re not sure where to look or whom to talk to. You should contact a real estate agent to help you in your home-buying process, even if you already live in the area. Looking at as many houses as necessary with that real estate agent before making any final decisions will help you feel confident about your home purchase.

It also helps to know a few details about homes in Boulder before you begin visiting them. Most of the homes in the city were built in the 1970s, so this will give you an idea of the type of architecture you can expect to see in most of the homes. Almost 90 percent of homes have three bedrooms, and for most families in America, this is adequate space for everyone in the family, unless of course you need a family room, guest room, or additional home office. Since four-bedroom homes are not far behind in availability, finding one in an area you’ll love shouldn’t be a problem. Figuring out exactly what you want in your new house will also help you to save time when you’re ready to hire a real estate agent to show you homes.

It’s also a good idea to find out which types of jobs are available in Boulder, especially if you’re moving from a different state and aren’t relocating because of a job transfer. This will let you know how feasible buying a home in Boulder would be for your family and can give you an idea of how long your commute time would be.

Also research the type of retail available in the area and be aware of what the region is known for manufacturing. Boulder also has a number of furniture stores and home improvement shops, so keep this in mind if you’re making a long-distance move; you may not have to pack as much.

When you’re looking for schools in the Boulder area, it’s a good idea to visit schools in the district you think you’ll be moving to and talk with the administration. Try to speak to teachers who instruct the grade your child will be enrolled in, get a feel for the curriculum and assess the possible comfort level of your child in each school environment. Finding out about community events and projects in Boulder is also ideal if you’re used to being active in the community and want to make a difference wherever you live.

Information on the city of Boulder and the state of Colorado can be found in brochures about the features of the city, or on Web sites pertaining to Boulder’s government and community policies. These brochures can also help you to narrow your neighborhood choices in Boulder; for instance, moving close to Boulder’s City Hall or Municipal Buildings means you’ll be able to conveniently attend meetings for the city’s Greenways Program to preserve parks and trees in the area and will make it easy for you to be part of the Economic Vitality Project.

In a number of ways, buying a home in Boulder requires you to follow some of same guidelines for buying a home anywhere else. You’ll have to do your research as far as mortgages go and learn about which type of mortgage and payment plan your family qualifies for. Also, to increase your chances of finding a good mortgage loan, you should try to keep your debt as minimal as possible, especially in the few months before you move. Make sure you can comfortably pay the mortgage loan amount quoted to you, without having to readjust any other bills; you could lose track of your budget this way. Make sure you’ll have enough money left over at the end of the month for any emergency expenses.

Find out as much as you can about the city and its real estate, so you can make informed decisions all through the process of buying a home in Boulder — from choosing an agent to moving in. It is likely you can find a spacious home between $535,000 and $795,000. Houses in this price range are between 1175 and 3500 square feet, and most have multiple bathrooms. A real estate agent can direct you to homes in the Boulder community that are within your price range and meet your space requirements. Use your real estate agent to help you make the best choice.

By Tamiya King

A REALTOR® is a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS®