Random Facts About Denver | Conscious Real Estate

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The good people at the Movoto Real Estate Blog would appear to have a lot of time on their hands, as they decided to embark upon a meta-analysis of city rankings which included categories such as “Smartest Cities,” “Best Cities for Movie Lovers,” “Funniest Cities,” “Most Steampunk Cities,” and “Best Cities for Meat Lovers.” (A meta-analysis utilizes statistical methods to reanalyze existing statistics to find new interpretations.)

In some categories, points were awarded for the cities who were the “losers,” such as “Worst-Dressed Cities” and “Most Unhealthy Cities.” (I don’t mind being a loser in those categories.) 50 cities were considered across 15 categories.

Denver actually ranked highest in the “Meat Lovers” category, receiving 5th Place. Denver placed 6th in “Funniest” and “Steampunk,” 9th in “Healthiest” and “Smartest,” 14th for “Most Exciting,” 22nd for “Hardest Working,” 23rd for “Most Saintly,” 39th for “Family Friendly,” and 45th for “Home Buyers.”

To expound upon our low score on home-buying in Denver, I agree that the last year’s real estate market in Denver was competitive and sometimes frustrating for home-buyers in Denver. Even now, we still seem to not have enough sellers to bring us to what would be considered “a balanced market.” However, we have historically and consistently enjoyed higher real estate appreciation rates than many cities. (I will take an increase in home values any day over a little extra work!) And sure, you can purchase a home for less money in many other cities, but will that city boast a strong economy to launch and maintain your career? Plus, once you buy a home, you want your home’s value to rise. After all, your home is one of the greatest investments you will ever make!

If you would like further amusement, check out Movoto’s blog for America’s 10 Most Sinful Cities. Hint: Denver is NOT on the list and Las Vegas is NOT #1.

An eerie glowing full moon rises behind a tall skyscraper in the Denver Colorado skyline.

1) If you haven’t already heard, Denver has 300 days of sunshine per year. It keeps us cheerful and bright. Sunshine combats Seasonal Affective Disorder and allows us to occasionally wear shorts in December.

2) The mountains are right there. Not a skier or snowboarder? Hike. Kayak. Climb. Snowshoe. Stand-Up Paddleboard on the rivers. Take photographs. Breathe. Even if you choose to never set foot in the mountains, the front range always looks stunning from the city.

3) Strong economy. Denver has diverse and growing industries – technology, natural gas, clean energy, mutual funds, tourism. Our unemployment rate is lower than that of New York City.

4) No shortage of great restaurants. When I need to entertain guests, my problem isn’t “Which restaurant is good enough?” My problem is “Which great restaurant is perfect for this occasion?”

5) Lower cost of living than coastal cities. Considerably lower. The median price of a single-family home in Denver was $285,000 in the third quarter of 2013, compared to New York’s median of $515,000.

6) Parks. (No, not Allison Parks, though I am a GREAT reason to move to Denver.) Denver has the largest city park system in the nation. Denver has more than 200 parks within the city and 20,000 acres of parks in the nearby mountains, including spectacular Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The city has its own buffalo herd and every year plants more than 200,000 flowers in 26 formal flower gardens.

7) Denver is a cultural city with the second highest educated population in America. In its Old West days, Denver had a performance of Macbeth before it had a school or a hospital. Today, the Denver Performing Arts Complex has nine theatres seating 10,000 people and is second only to New York’s Lincoln Center. The seven county metro area has a self-imposed sales tax for the arts that raises up to $40 million a year, which is distributed to 300 arts organizations and facilities.

8) Denver is one of only a few cities to have seven professional sports teams. Denver also has horse racing and a professional rodeo. Denver has 90 golf courses, 850 miles of bike paths and the nation’s largest city park system.

9) Denver brews more beer than any other city. If you’re a beer lover, you could tour artisan breweries for days.

10) Denver really is the Mile High City. There is a step on the State Capitol Building that is exactly 5,280 feet above sea level. In Denver’s rarified air, golf balls go ten percent farther. So do cocktails. Alcoholic drinks pack more of a wallop than at sea level. The sun feels warmer, because you’re closer to it, but your coffee is cooler, because water boils at 202 degrees.

If you’re ready to relocate to Denver, let Conscious Real Estate help you find your new home! To contact one of our agents, call 303-908-9873 or email our owner, Allison Parks, at [email protected].