The metropolitan Denver area covers the widest range of neighborhood types and home prices, from the humble to the posh, from the serene suburban scene to the vibrant downtown experience. A map is available to show where each of my listed homes are located. Just use the pull down menu on the photo listing of the home.

1. Washington Park is one of Denver's most popular and desirable neighborhoods, featuring gorgeous, tree-lined streets and a diverse housing stock that ranges from luxury high-rise apartment buildings to quaint cottages, Craftsman-style bungalows sturdy Denver Squares and Tudor Revivals. The centerpiece of the neighborhood is 165-acre Washington Park, one of Denver's largest and most beautiful open spaces, which includes two lakes, soccer fields, jogging paths, picnic areas, tennis courts and a full-service recreation center. The Old South Gaylord and South Pearl districts offer an eclectic mix of retail shops, restaurants, galleries and studios. One of the chief assets of the neighborhood is its central location, a 10-minute commute to downtown and with easy access to Interstate 25, future light rail, the Cherry Creek Shopping Center, the revitalized Broadway corridor and the Cherry Creek and Platte River bike paths.

2. Just to the southwest of Washington Park lies the Platt Park neighborhood, featuring modest, more affordable homes, good schools and above-average transportation access. To the west, it's within walking distance of the southern terminus of the RTD light-rail line as well as an appealing range of dining and entertainment options, including the Vogue Theatre, the Pearl Street Grille and Sushi Den, clustered along South Pearl, and Herman's Hideaway, Pasquini's Pizzeria and Antique Row lining South Broadway. One of the neighborhood's best-known landmarks is the picturesque Sarah Platt Decker branch of the Denver Public Library, located at the northeast corner of Platt Park.

3. Cheesman Park is a mature, dignified urban neighborhood, a rich cityscape of sprawling manors, massive high rises, converted Victorians and tidy apartment blocks and townhomes. The whole is stitched together with wrought-iron fencing, cozy gardens and walking paths and a full-grown canopy of maples and oaks. Cheesman Park is a bit pricey for family living: a high proportion of its housing units are in apartment buildings. Gaslight-style street lamps are being installed along Humboldt Street, one of several designated historic districts in the neighborhood, and a major renovation is slated for the fountain and other facilities in Cheesman Park, the heavily wooded park that lies at the heart of the neighborhood.

4. Just east and upslope of the downtown business district lie North Capitol Hill and Capitol Hill, which were among the first of Denver's housing developments in the mid-1800s. Here you'll find most of the historic mansion tours, and this stretch of Grant Street was once known as "Millionaires' Row." Today, a lot of those mansions have been converted to condominiums, offices and bed and breakfasts, and there many cultural, shopping and fine dining opportunities close by. A high proportion of the housing in these two neighborhoods are multiple dwelling units, ranging from renovated pre-World War II buildings to luxury high-rises. But there are also a wide variety of larger- to moderate-size, single-family homes sprinkled throughout. Uptown is a newly developed area of lofts, apartments and shops all close in to downtown. The historic charm of the Capitol Hill area, its diversity, many architectural gems, and its accessibility by foot to downtown make it one of the city's most distinctive residential districts.

5. City Park West and South is an urban treasure trove of historic homes going back to Denver's silver boom of the 1880s. Many homes in this neighborhood were designed by legendary Denver architects like William Lang and Frank Edbrooke. Originally occupied by the city's social elite, these classics now house a mix of students, young professionals, home-office entrepreneurs and medical professionals who work at Presbyterian-St. Luke's, St. Joseph's and Children's hospitals, on the neighborhood's western boundary. The neighborhood boasts easy access to City Park, Denver's largest public open space, which contains the Denver Zoo and the Denver Museum of Natural History, and is within walking distance of the 17th Avenue strip of cafes, clubs and restaurants.

6. Baker, a central Denver neighborhood that has been undergoing gentrification for several years, offers convenient access to downtown and an eclectic mix of architectural styles, including elegant Queen Annes, sturdy Denver Squares, small stucco and clapboard bungalows and stately Dutch Colonial Revivals. If you're the fixer-upper type, bargains abound. On the neighborhood's southeastern edge is the Broadway Terrace district, which offers a wide range of shopping, dining and entertainment options, including the beautifully restored Mayan Theater. The neighborhood is close to the new Broadway Marketplace Shopping Plaza and the RTD light-rail line.

7. Lower Downtown (LoDo), the historic area between the central business district and Union Station, is where to live if you like the downtown lifestyle. LoDo is a vibrant mix of restaurants, art galleries, retail shops, nightclubs, luxury high-rises and warehouses that have been renovated into some of the city's priciest lofts and condominiums. In the heart of LoDo is Coors Field, a brand-new, major-league baseball stadium that has the look and feel of an old ballpark. The 16th Street Mall connects LoDo with the central business district, including the Denver Pavilions, which includes movie theaters, shops and six restaurants, including a new Hard Rock Cafe. From Union Station you can cross the walking bridge and access all the new lofts and apartments of the Central Platte Valley area.

8. The Golden Triangle neighborhood, just south of the downtown business district, is undergoing a dramatic transformation. Several upscale condominium and townhome complexes, like the Metropolitan Lofts and the Cadillac Lofts, have been built over the past several years, and another half-dozen are under construction or in the planning stages. The Bannock Center is a six-square-block development of retail shops, restaurants, galleries and a million square feet of office space. Golden Triangle redevelopers envision it as a small town in the city, a cosmopolitan, pedestrian-oriented village featuring open plazas, terraces and small businesses, shops, galleries and sidewalk cafes. The neighborhood's major appeal is its proximity to downtown and a number of cultural amenities, including the Denver Art Museum and it's new addition, the Denver Public Library and Civic Center Park.

9. The Denver Country Club, a sprawling private estate of Denver's old-guard elite, lent its tone and its name to the exclusive residential neighborhood that sprang up on its northern edge in the early 1900s. Country Club is a peaceful enclave featuring block upon block of spacious, stately mansions set back along broad, tree-lined streets. Located along Speer Boulevard just across from the Denver Country Club, this neighborhood offers easy access to both downtown and to the Cherry Creek Shopping Center and is within walking distance of the smaller-scale neighborhood shopping districts along Sixth Avenue. The northern and western fringes of the Country Club neighborhood include an appealing mix of more modest housing options, including bungalows, duplexes and renovated Victorians while the small and unique Morgan Historic District borders Country Club and the Denver Botanical Gardens

10. Cherry Creek North is one of Denver's most fashionable and distinctive neighborhoods, home to the Cherry Creek Shopping Center, Denver's undisputed shopping mecca, as well as the upscale boutiques, galleries and top-rated restaurants of the Cherry Creek North district. The neighborhood is centrally located, has better-than-average schools and a housing stock ranging from moderate- to large-size homes to luxury condos and townhomes.

11. Like Washington Park and North Cherry Creek, the Congress Park neighborhood offers good schools, central location and an architecturally diverse housing stock, predominantly brick Craftsman bungalows and Denver Squares. The neighborhood is within a short walk of the Denver Botanic Gardens and Congress Park, which includes 10 tennis courts, a newly renovated pool, soccer fields and playground.

12. The Park Hill neighborhood is known for its diversity, its strong sense of community, its good schools and its expansive stock of well-tended, older, architecturally diverse homes -- everything from cozy, Craftsman-style bungalows to the large, stately Tudor and Colonial Revivals that line Montview and East 17th Avenue boulevards. Park Hill is sprinkled with small neighborhood shops and beautifully manicured pocket parks, and boasts easy access to downtown, to Denver International Airport and to the major shopping and commercial districts of east Denver. Among the neighborhood's major amenities is City Park, Denver's largest central park, which is home to the Denver Zoo and the Denver Museum of Natural History.

14. The centerpiece of the Belcaro neighborhood is the elegant, 54-room Georgian mansion built that Lawrence Cowles Phipps, a retired steel executive, built in the mid-1930s in east Denver. The surrounding residential neighborhood, developed primarily in the 1940s and 1950s, features spacious, one-story brick homes on large sites in a variety of architectural styles, set back along winding, tree-lined streets. Belcaro offers easy access to both the South Colorado Boulevard commercial district as well as the Cherry Creek Shopping Center.

15. The Bonnie Brae neighborhood was platted in the early 1920s by famed Denver landscape architect S.R. DeBoer, whose idea was to recreate the aura of a peaceful Scottish village. The neighborhood features winding streets, well-tended yards and a variety of distinctive architectural styles ranging from brick ranches and elegant Tudor Revivals to homes in the International and Art Moderne style. One of the neighborhood's best-known landmarks is Ellipse Park, the circular park which lies along Bonnie Brae Boulevard. Both the Cherry Creek Shopping Center and the Bonnie Brae neighborhood shopping district are within walking distance. South Bonnie Brae is currently hot as small ranches and bungalows are being remodeled and redeveloped to offer larger contemporary homes.

16. The University Hills area, with its large stock of modestly priced, primarily ranch-style homes, provides an excellent opportunity for first-time home buyers. University Hills is one of the most conveniently located neighborhoods in the city. Bounded by South Colorado Boulevard, East Hampden Avenue and Interstate 25, it is ideal for those working in the Denver Tech Center, but still convenient for making trips downtown or to Denver International Airport. The neighborhood's namesake shopping plaza has undergone a massive rebuilding over the past couple of years.

17. University/Observatory Park is anchored by the University of Denver on the west and South Colorado Boulevard on the east. Observatory Park, it's telescopes and green spaces form a tranquil spot in the middle on Evans Avenue. Ranch homes on large sites, Craftsman bungalows as well as contemporary rebuilds are found along the neighborhood's tree-lined streets.

18. Hampden, Hampden South and Southmoor Park, which were developed during the 1960s and 1970s, combine the best of city and suburban living. The quiet, winding residential streets, scenic mountain views, pocket parks and moderate- to large-size brick homes give these neighborhoods a suburban feel. At the same time, this area boasts excellent freeway access and proximity to major commercial districts along East Hampden Avenue and South Colorado Boulevard.

19. Highland was one of the three original settlements that were merged to become the city of Denver in 1859, Highland fell on hard times after World War II, but has enjoyed a remarkable renaissance in recent years. First rediscovered by the arts community, Highland boasts a high concentration of theaters and art galleries, as well as some of the city's best and most eclectic restaurants, including Highland's Garden Cafe/Today's Gourmet and Maria's Bakery and Deli. First-time home buyers can still find choice homes at relatively affordable prices. Just to the west are the Sloans Lake and West Highland neighborhoods, featuring quiet streets, well-tended yards and proximity to sprawling Sloans Lake Park. These northwestern neighborhoods are as old as a lot of east Denver neighborhoods but they're across the river, up the hill and over the ridge from the central city. One has more of a feeling here of being removed from the urban bustle.

20. Lowry, the former Air Force base has been developed on a large scale into a close-in new urbanism 'village' of single family homes, lofts, apartments and shops together with parks, museum, indoor ice rink and a golf course. It is well located west of Aurora along 6th Avenue for easy access to downtown. Likewise, north of Lowry and just east of Park Hill, Denver's old airport at Stapleton is being redeveloped into an even larger, new park-like community with housing stock in all price ranges.

21. Other close in neighborhoods with parks include Arlington Park and Alamo Placita with older homes while Porter/Harvard Gulch, Mayfair and Montclair offer lots of value with ranch homes.

22. Other metro communities include those in City of Aurora and the South Suburban cities of Englewood, Littleton, Centennial, Greenwood Village, Cherry Hills, Lonetree and Parker . The south suburban housing varies from palatial estates to horse properties to stock suburban homes and planned communities. Most have easy access to I-25 and the Tech Center. Jefferson County features the cities of Lakewood, Golden and Arvada with homes in all price ranges while the Foothills Communities of Ken Caryl Ranch, Morrison and Genesse allow a slice of living with nature. The Northern Suburbs include the cities of Thornton, Northglenn, Westminster, Broomfield and Brighton.

Laurie and the ERBTEAM can help you find a perfect home in any of Denver's fine neighborhoods. Just give us a call at 303-331-4507 or contact us via e-mail.