SperlingViews - Lakewood, Colorado

Go west and in 30 minutes you're in ski country. Go east and in 20 minutes your in downtown Denver for a show or a professional sporting event. Great weather most of the year. Some big snows and cold temperatures, but it generally warms up within a few days and the snow is gone.[read more...]

The median home cost is more like $190,000+ for a decent ranch. Better homes are in the $235,000+ range. $160,000 is more like a townhouse or condo.[read more...]

Lakewood, Colorado is a wonderful little community just minutes from Downtown Denver. Cities nearest to Lakewood are: Golden, Arvada, Wheat Ridge and Littleton. The Eastern/North Eastern side of Lakewood, and the closer you get to downtown, has a rich Hispanic population, and to the South East holds a more Asian population. Both have lots of good ethnic restaurants and speciality shops. To the West, and the closer you get to the foothills is a more Caucasian population with lots of parks, bike paths, and shopping. Denver in general has an excellent public transporation system via bus and light rail. The light rail system is currently being built through Lakewood and I believe will be completed in 2012. A new hospital is also under construction on the West side of town. Overall, Lakewood is a clean, comfortable city to live in.[read more...]

Excellent place to live if your desire is to explore the outdoors; skiing, hiking, mountain biking, canoe/kayak...and the list goes on. Easily accessible to major airport and convenient location to access the Rockies. People are friendly and the general attitude laid-back. The only source of stress would stem from the high volume of traffic but what do expect from such a desirable location.[read more...]

I've lived in Lakewood for 9 years. It's a fairly small community just west of Denver. It is much different now then it was when I first moved here; it's growing! I'm not against growth but it's seems a bit rapid lately and a bit overwhelming to the community. I think my favorite aspect of this city is the vicinity to Denver and the mountains; it's close to both and there are convenient routes getting to both places. There are also a lot of things going on here most of the time...boredom is not an option! Of course, there are always downfalls! The schools here are not so great. I've complained about them since moving here, however, I don't think their any better or worse then any other district in the state. It's no secret that Colorado has below average education at the highschool level.[read more...]

City sales tax climbs and services decline. How does one compare the total tax burden between two locations--I'm moving.[read more...]

With the influx of Hispanics taking over, crime is increasing. How can you say that Lakewood is not becoming another West Denver? Graffiti, shacks, bums and gang members at local parks, etc. If your visiting this place, just take a drive down 6th avenue, you will see graffiti on people’s roofs. How about a walk around Sloans Lake off Sheridan? Just like the first commenter states, you might wonder if you’re in Juarez. And yes, this includes the city of Lakewood. Besides that, everything else is run down, unless you live closer to the foothills. Unfortunately, not every bought a house in the 70's. Prices are pathetic, especially with the lack luster job market in Metro Denver. (Still trying to recover from the worst recession since the depression.)[read more...]

With the influx of Hispanics taking over, crime is increasing. How can you say that Lakewood is not becoming another West Denver? Graffiti, shacks, bums and gang members at local parks, etc. If your visiting this place, just take a drive down 6th avenue, you will see graffiti on people’s roofs. How about a walk around Sloans Lake off Sheridan? Just like the first commenter states, you might wonder if you’re in Juarez. And yes, this includes the city of Lakewood. Besides that, everything else is run down, unless you live closer to the foothills. Unfortunately, not every bought a house in the 70's. Prices are pathetic, especially with the lack luster job market in Metro Denver. (Still trying to recover from the worst recession since the depression.)[read more...]

The climate here is extremely hot and dry in the summer months. It is comfortably cool and dry in the winter. Spring is the best time of year and the only time that we get moisture, and that's when we get our heavy snowfalls as well. Fall is the worst time of year and is refered to as "wildfire season" due to the amount of forest fires. Colorado is a semi arid desert. This hits home with forest fires, water restrictions, forty or more days with temperatures soaring well past the 90's. Driving in the Denver Metro area, which includes cities like Lakewood, Golden, Arvada, and a host of others is an excercise in frustration. Roadrage is rampant and deadly. The roads are crowded and people are rude. The cost of energy goes up several times a year increasing heating/cooling bills. The service does not get better with the cost increase and blackouts and shortages are fairly common. Overall, I'd recommend moving somewhere else.[read more...]

I am a native Oregonian who moved to CO five years ago and I love Lakewood. The city is more suburb than city. The house plots are large and it is not far from the mountains or Denver. However, the further you get from Denver and closer to the mountains, the better the schools and houses are. There are as many Hispanic residents in Lakewood as in most of the Denver-metro area and most speak English (so I am not sure where the previous comment came from besides a racist).[read more...]

I am a Colorado native and have lived in Lakewood for the last 4 years. Lakewood is nestled next to the foothills with good transportation options (C-470 to go South, I-70 and Highway 6 to go East and West). The future prospects for traffic are limited due to the foothills precluding massive developments. There are good shopping options (Belmar, Colorado Mills) and good access to downtown Denver. There is no hospital but there is talk of building one. Schools are good to very good until high school. We haven't figured out what we will do then. We love our elementary school and the middle school is currently being built right next to the old one. Overall, the schools are mostly good. There are some excellent charter schools but they are difficult to get in to (lottery system) and they are very demanding. Recreation is great. There are many nearby open spaces and city park areas. Jefferson County has many open space areas. I believe housing is a little more expensive than other Denver communities but the location dictates that. I live in a house built in 1976 and that is not uncommon for this area. We are planning on living in our community and house for the next 20 to 30 years.[read more...]

Learn to speak and read spanish or move some place else. Most of Juarez lives in Denver today.[read more...]