Boulder Colorado can be found where the Great Plains rise up to kiss the Rocky Mountains, just 30 miles NW of Denver. It is virtually surrounded by a doughnut of protected open space and graced by the iconic Flatirons to the west. Yet, is much more than meets the eye.

Nestled in a wide basin beneath Flagstaff Mountain and a few miles east of the continental divide, the city enjoys a water supply from Arapahoe Glacier and Boulder Creek, the sound of which is a delight as it ripples through downtown and out toward the eastern areas.

It is a fitting location for the youth and liveliness that CU Boulder attracts, for some of the sharpest scientific minds around, a thriving entrepreneurial community, a wealth of alternative health options, world class athletes, and “hippies” that may have been here 50 years!

The sun shines down on our outdoor playground no less than 300 days of the year. Abundant trails and bikes paths, highly regarded educational and research institutions, and impressive shopping, dining and entertainment options, mean you won’t ever want to leave. You are not alone.

Boulder is home to close to 100,000 residents in just over 40,000 households. About 50% of residents own their own home and the median sale price of residential detached property in Boulder in 2013 was close to $631,250. Unemployment sat at just 3.7% in August 2014 and the schools within the city ranked at 8/10, based on public school test results. In a word… Healthy.

Boulder, Colorado Real Estate

There are real estate options to match every personality and price range, and Silver Fern Homes can help you find your place to rest, work, raise a family, get in shape – or simply keep the mood alive – in and around the Boulder area.

Historic Mapleton Hill was established in 1882. Just steps from downtown and the Pearl Street Mall, this neighborhood was originally named for the 200 silver maple and cottonwood trees that were planted in the 19th Century. It is a place where old house renovations are being completed by eco-conscious home-owners who are both new and long term residents. Where attractiveness may be defined in the wide tree-lined streets or by the opportunity to send your child to Whittier International Elementary School. Whittier International is a fully authorized International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program. It’s richly diverse student body includes learners from more than 25 countries speaking 17 languages!

Equally compelling is The Hill. Designated historic in 2009, The Hill is just west of the CU Boulder campus. While it might be best known as “where the students hang out”, it is also home to such landmarks as the Fox Theater (renowned concert venue) and The Sink (a popular bar and restaurant with an impressive history). Did you know that Robert Redford was a janitor at The Sink while he attended CU on a baseball scholarship in 1955? The Hill neighborhood is, at the very least, eclectic. Here, at the base of the Flatirons and close to Chautauqua, fraternity houses coexist with rentals, renovations and long time residents.

If your taste in Boulder homes lends you more toward trails and tranquility, maybe the neighborhoods of Chautauqua and upper Table Mesa are more your style. Cozy up to open space, breathe in wild flowers and find your happy place gazing at the Flatirons. These conglomerate sandstone formations are estimated to be 290-296 million years old but they were only lifted and tilted into their present orientation about 35-80 million years ago! The south Boulder schools are great, amenities abound and it’s a shorter commute out of Boulder towards Denver. Bonus! Numerous trailheads leading to miles of trails are accessed directly from within the mature Chautauqua and Table Mesa neighborhoods. Crossing paths with dog-walkers, climbers, hiking families and photographers alike, the outdoors will take your breath away and leave you hungry for more. Perhaps equality important… There are still homes to be found in the $400,000 – $500,000 range, as long as you know where to look and how to negotiate!