Lakewood’s Green Mountain neighborhood, nestled between Denver and the mountains, is known for its abundant green space and opportunities for outdoor activities.

Julie Lunn with West+Main said the neighborhood appeals to buyers who want to escape Denver and be closer to the mountains without living in them.

Leslie Resnick with 8z agrees. “It’s a perfect area. You have restaurants and shopping surrounding the neighborhood, and you’re less than four miles from Belmar, which is Lakewood’s center.”

But the neighborhood’s key attraction is in its name: Green.

“There’s a plethora of green space in the neighborhood. There’s so much green,” Resnick said.

“In the northwest corner, you have Green Mountain Park with trails and wildlife. To the south, you have Bear Creek where you can water ski or waterboard, go mountain biking, or play golf.”

The neighborhood is also located near Red Rocks and Dinosaur Ridge.

“The older I get, the more I love this area,” Resnick said. “When I see the dino footprints, it makes me feel young.”

What’s available?

Featuring homes primarily built in the 1960s and ’70s, Green Mountain offers larger lot sizes and a strong sense of community.

Housing options include ranches, bi-level homes, and some townhomes.

Prices range from $550,000 to $700,000 for updated homes, and most sales happen quickly.

Updated and renovated homes sell quickly, while more dated homes take longer to find buyers.

“Homes that are updated, staged, photographed, priced, and marketed well can still sell with multiple offers on the first weekend — sometimes for well over the asking price,” Lunn said. “The ‘cream puff’ homes are still finding buyers and selling quickly, if priced correctly.”

While dated homes spend more time waiting to find the right buyer.

“With the higher interest rates, buyers have less access to cash to make improvements so they’re hesitant to buy a fixer-upper,” Lunn said.

Who’s moving in?

The area is popular with older residents who have lived there since the ’60s-’70s and younger families moving in to raise their children.

It especially appeals to younger buyers who want to move west, but can’t afford Golden prices, Resnick said.

Unlike some Denver neighborhoods that have alleys with garages on the back of homes, the neighborhood features garages in the front.

“People tend to know their neighbors,” Resnick said. “People wave at each other and have conversations. The sense of community is a great thing. We need more of it.”

The news and editorial staffs of The Denver Post had no role in this post’s preparation.