If you have the great opportunity to move to Evergreen, Colorado, there are important factors to consider when buying a home that can greatly effect the quality of your life.
Evergreen attracts a variety of home owners ranging from a mountain vacation home to a full-time residence. All home-owners, however, share the same desire: a bit of escape. Evergreen offers remote mountain-top living as well as neighborhoods full of families and neighborhood bar-b-ques. Whichever you are looking for, below are important factors to take into consideration when purchasing a home in Evergreen, Colorado.
Conveniences…
North & Central Evergreen are closer to many of the shops and grocery stores and gas stations than if you live in South Evergreen. When looking for a house take into consideration how far you are from the grocery store and schools as well as other modern conveniences.
The Commute…
If you commute down the hill to Denver then living in North or Central Evergreen will allow you to get to highway I-70 faster. If you purchase a home closer to Conifer you may be able to get to Denver via 285.
Your Driveway…
When looking at houses it is important that you pay close attention to the driveway and which direction it faces. Driveways that face South will have more sun exposure and the snow will melt faster. Driveways that face North are more likely to accumulate snow and ice because there is less sun exposure. If the driveway has a steep incline or decline that can also create challenges in the Winter. Be sure you are in good physical condition to plow it regularly or have the budget to get it plowed by a service so that snow does not accumulate. Longer driveways will require more time to maintain than smaller ones.
The Garage…
I highly recommend buying a home with a garage. This will keep you from having to remove snow off of your car in the Winter which can be an inconvenience.
Heat…
Most homes here have boilers with hot water exchanges. We did not have these in Texas so I was not familiar with them in the beginning. I have lived in a house with forced air heat and one with hot water exchanges. I think the hot water exchange is more efficient and does a great job of keeping the house warm. Your main expense here will be the cost of natural gas. You will want to have the boiler system inspected before you purchase a home to make sure it is in good working condition. You will also find homes in the Evergreen area that run on electric baseboard heat.
Septic Tanks & Water Sources & Gas…
Septic tanks, water wells and propane gas tanks are very common in Evergreen. In Texas I lived on city water and sewage so this was a whole new experience for me. Water wells need to be inspected to make sure that it is producing enough water for your size of family and that it is safe to drink. Wells are permitted for X number of people so if you have a 5 person family on a 2 person permitted well you could have problems especially when it comes to resale. You also need to check it to make sure the water is safe to drink. One more important factor is you need to see if you are sharing this well with any of your neighbors. If you are buying a horse property the you will need to make sure your well is permitted as a domestic well for both animal and human use.
Septic tanks have a limited life and you will definitely want to have it inspected and make sure it is in good working condition. It is important to know the age of the septic tank and approximately how much longer it will last. There are limitations on what can be disposed of in your septic tank so you will want to make sure you follow those rules otherwise you risk shortening the life of your septic tank and they are expensive to replace.
Propane Gas Tanks
If the home you are purchasing uses propane gas then you will want to see if the tank is included in the purchase or if it is a leased tank. You will pay to fill this tank which can be expensive all at one time. There are some services that will break this payment up and bill you each month. Consult with your Realtor regarding how to manage your butane gas resources.
City Water, Gas and Septic…
There are some locations in Evergreen where you can get city water, natural gas and septic. I purchased a home that uses city resources because I felt it was a better fit for my financial situation. Natural gas is much less expensive as a heating source than propane gas.
Cell Phone Service…
When visiting a home be sure to check your cellular phone service. You don’t want to live in a home where you get no service. I know you can purchase Internet boosters to improve your cellular signal. Most residents here use Verizon as it gets the best cell reception. I personally use AT&T and it is spotty and not as reliable. I will probably end up switching to Verizon.
Altitude…
Check the altitude of a home before you buy one so that you will have an idea of how much snow to expect during the Winter. The higher in altitude the more snow you get and the less time you will have warm weather. Downtown Evergreen is around 7,200 ft. 8,000 ft.+ will get more snow.
Proximity to Creeks…
Homes close to creeks are charming and it is very nice to be able to sit on your deck and listen to the water. Something to seriously consider is, how easy is it for your house to be flooded. Does your house sit up far enough from the creek or is it right next to it. High creek levels can also take out driveways so check to see the condition of the bridge. It may even be a good idea to talk to neighbors and ask them about their experience with the creeks.
Icy Roads…
Take into consideration the amount of sun exposure a road gets. If you live in Hiwan then your streets have good sun exposure and Evergreen Parkway (74) also gets great sun exposure so ice and snow will melt quickly. If you live up Brook Forest Road then parts of the road may be blocked by the sun on the South side and as a result ice will not melt as fast and may be more dangerous to travel on.
Interested In Moving To Evergreen?
Call Realtor®, Shad Phillips – 303-218-6926 for all your Evergreen Real Estate Needs.
