DH and I are looking at houses in the coming months, and he's been working a lot up North with his new job and was telling me how much cheaper the homes are up there.  He worked in Thornton yesterday and was telling me how reasonable the homes were in this neighborhood he was in.  And he said it seemed really nice.  I've been kinda set on my little Highlands Ranch bubble, but then I looked on a Realty website and was SHELL-SHOCKED that we could get a newer-build home 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2 car garage, 2300 sq feet for under 200k.  Um, holy crap?!?!  We would pay probably 350 for that down here, totally out of our price-range.  The homes I've been looking at down here that are under 250k are either 3 bedrooms, which we really want more, and don't really have any updates since the 90's.  Or they are 80's builds and don't have the open floor plan I want.

I'm just wondering if any of you ladies live up there or anywhere else up North.  Does it feel safe and secure for a person with kids to you?  Would you raise your family there?  Does it bother you to live away from downtown?  Are your families in-state?  How close do they live to you?

BUMP

I grew up in Thornton! You can find some pretty nice houses right in your price range. I loved growing up in Thornton, even though you aren't super close to downtown there is acces to I-25 and it might take you twenty to thirty minutes (depending on traffic.)

I would also check a little further east too. FI and I are moving into a new build 4 bed three bath for 230K in Reunion. There are a ton of move in incentives with new builders too. Hopw this helps a little.

SCary lives in Superior, but she hasn't been on in forever! 

Where exactly has he been working up North?  Well you know where I live & I love it.  Though we paid $240k several years ago, our same model (3 bed, 2 1/2 bath, 5 piece master bath, 3 car tandem garage, 2500 sq ft, hardwood floors) is now under $200k BRAND NEW!!  Ha ha...I am just pushing to have a friend in my neighborhood ;)

We live in Thornton.

I grew up in Littleton so I was really against 'up north' for a long time...It almost had the stigma of 'the ghetto'....lol.

But honestly, now that I've lived up here for almost 4 years I truly LOVE it and would probably never consider moving back down south again. Along with the housing prices...which you can't beat, you're really not that far from downtown. It only takes me about 25/30 minutes to get to Denver on a normal day...less if I'm driving at a random time during the week or on the weekend. Obviously traffic during rush hour sucks...but since I don't work downtown anymore I don't have to deal with it ;)

DH's family lives about 5 minutes from us....mine lives in Littleton. We see DH's family just as often as we see mine...the distance doesn't bother me at all. 

As far a raising a family...of course it's safe...I'm doing it. :) The only thing we are unsure about right now is school district. We prefer Adams 12 over Brighton schools...unfortunately our home currently is in the Brighton district (we'll be moving to a bigger house before we have to worry about school with Keelyn). 

If you ever have any questions...or want to come up and visit and see what our neighborhood is like :) let me know!!

Thanks for the input everyone!

Mel, he's been working mostly in Thornton lately. :)

I'm glad you said that Aubrie, because I think I have that stigma myself.  I'm glad to know you live there and love it and it feels safe.  The way Drew described it was totally different than what I pictured in my head, too! 

My biggest hang up with moving is that I LOVE the school district Kylie is in right now.  My mom works for them.  Plus, my whole family is down here (grandmother, mom, dad, sister, BIL, and 2 brothers) and my mom usually helps us with Kylie one day a week to save some $$ on childcare.  And if we are ever in a position where both of us have to work late, I can call them to pick her up from school.  I would have to say goodbye to that luxury, which might be tough.  Kylie is on a pretty talented/successful skill-level soccer team which is coached by my sister and brother, I'm the Team Mom and my BIL helps out with it.  I would have to find another soccer team for her and I would HATE that.  She also has a softball team that we love down here too. 

I just feel so rooted here already, it would be hard to move... but those house prices had me seriously thinking about it!!  We have some time, so we'll see where I'm at in a few months from now.

I live on the border of Commerce City and Thornton, and I like it. We live in a strange neighborhood, right by the sheriff, lol!  But we are looking to move into Thornton because we are in an apartment with thin walls.  Not going to work for us with the baby! lol! Aubrie and I are here!!!! Come join us!!!!