Condo living is distinct from residence in a single-family home, and much of the difference has to do with the amenities that sometimes come standard in condominium complexes.  Purchasers considering Denver condos should carefully consider the amenities available at the various complexes since these extras can often make the difference between an average lifestyle and one characterized by convenience and luxury.

One popular amenity is a fitness center.  Many people find that having a this facility, particularly if it is open 24 hours a day, helps them to exercise more thoroughly and regularly, a practice that improves not just overall health but also lifetime longevity.  Besides, a home gym will rarely be able to rival the possibilities of a professional fitness center, which offers far more than a single exercise bike or rowing machine.

Some condo complexes also offer rooftop patios so that residents and their guests can take advantage of the beautiful views in and around Denver.  Other patios may be scattered around the grounds; these may feature firepits, grilling areas, and comfortable furniture for sunbathing or just relaxing and reading a book.  Most condo complexes have at least one pool, but some have several and also feature spas and hot tubs as well as outdoor sports facilities such as basketball and tennis courts.

A final amenity of great use to businesspeople is a full service business center that allows residents to make copies and send faxes without leaving the complex.  More home offices are beginning to have these features as well, but a business center can act as a backup in case your own equipment malfunctions.

Whether you are looking for information on Denver prior to buying homes, ranches, or Denver lofts, a good place to start once you reach the city is one a Denver Information Center.  In an effort to be as visitor-friendly as possible, the city maintains three separate facilities that provide data about events, activities, and the many attractions that Colorado life can offer.

The first center is conveniently located in the Denver International Airport.  As you exit your flight, the Visitor Information center is located in the airport’s main terminal.  After you exit the concourse trains, look for the fountain; the center is just north of it.  Here, hundreds of brochures are available to guide you to city attractions.  The center also offers city maps free of charge.

If you need more information once you are in the city, the Downtown Visitor Information Center is the best option.  Located in the center of downtown where 16^th crosses California Street, the staff here are knowledgeable about local dining and shopping venues.  They can also help you learn how to best get around using the city’s public transportation system.  A Ticketmaster booth can assist with event tickets.  The downtown center is open every day of the week during the summer season and on weekdays in the winter.

A third Visitor Information Center is located inside the Colorado Convention Center, an ideal location for those who come to Denver on business and are considering relocation.  Look for the center near the convention center’s entrance on 14^th Street.

Denver is unusual among American cities in that is a consolidated city-county.  This explains why residents so often use the phrases “city of Denver” and “Denver county” as though they were interchangeable.  In a very real sense, they are.

Local government in this city-county consists of a mayor, a city council with 13 members, and an auditor.  The position of mayor is a non-partisan one.  Denver follows the pattern in which the mayor had strong powers and the city council possesses relatively weak ones.  For example, the mayor can veto any resolution or ordinance passed by the council and is responsible for the city budget.

However, a system of checks and balances is in operation in Denver; the council can override a veto if nine members agree; to change the city budget requires only a majority vote of the council.  All elected officials serve terms lasting four years, and can serve at most three terms in the same position.

Although city elections are not partisan, Denverites tend to vote for Democrats more often than for Republicans.  This is true at both the local and federal level.  The mayor of Denver has been a Democrat since the city election of 1963.  Denver is a place where it is possible for an ordinary citizen to have a voice; occupants of Denver lofts can do a great more than vote; they can volunteer for service on one of the many commissions the help administer services in this city-county.

Several areas in the city of Denver feature a concentration of art galleries.  The Art District on Santa Fe is one of the most extensive, featuring over 40 different galleries, restaurants, and shops — enough to keep an art lover busy all day long.  Special events here include the First Friday Art Walk, held on the first Friday of each month.  During this event, galleries open their doors to the public.  The third Friday of every month is also a special event.  Called Collector’s Night, it is intended for buyers more serious about purchasing.  One of the most notable galleries in this district is the Museo de las Americas, which features exhibits of Hispanic art from all across Central and South America.

The Golden Triangle Museum District has more than 50 fine art studios, specialty stores, and art galleries.  It also features eight separate museums, including the Denver Art Museum and the Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art.  Here too, First Fridays come with special events; from five to nine in the evening, free art shuttles allow visitors to easily explore the various galleries and museums in the area.

North of downtown is a district called RiNo, which stands for the River North Art District.  This is one of the most dynamic of the art districts, having become popular for up-and-coming artists in recent years.  On First Fridays here, galleries stay open late to welcome the crowds.  Denver real estate is available in all of these diverse art districts.

Alamo Placita is a neighborhood in Denver, Colorado.  Technically, it is part of the larger neighborhood known as Speer, but Alamo Placita has such a distinctive character of its own that many Denverites consider it a separate district of the city.

The neighborhood is named after Alamo Placita Park, located on Speer Boulevard between Emerson and Ogden streets.  One of the hallmarks of the Alamo Placita area is the willingness of the residents here to embrace the ‘arts and crafts’ architectural style, which resulted in the construction of many bungalow and foursquare residences.  In wealthier areas of the city, inhabitants were more likely to adhere to the architectural style of Classical Revival, which they felt best expressed their wealth and status.  The residents of Alamo Placita, on the other hand, recognized the practical nature of newer architectural styles.

Over time, a smattering of other styles began to become popular in the neighborhood.  These included Tudor-style houses with faux half-timbered eaves and Spanish mission style residences that incorporated heavy use of thick adobe walls covered in stucco and topped with red tile roofs.  In this way, Denver condos, lofts, duplexes, and houses in Alamo Placita came to have a rich character that reflected the multicultural nature of the western United States itself.

In 2000, Alamo Placita received official recognition of its architecture when the Denver Landmark Preservation Commission recommended it for designation as the Alamo Placita Historic District.

Some areas of Denver are quite exclusive, with house purchase prices to match, but there are also areas in the city with more modest real estate prices.  Denver lofts in such areas can be a good buy in many cases.  One such neighborhood is Elyria-Swansea in East Denver.  Located on the northeast edge of the city, Elyria-Swansea has about 10,000 residents and is predominately Hispanic, though African Americans, Native Americans, Asians, and Caucasians also live there in small numbers.

Elyria-Swansea borders Adams County to the north and extends to the east all the way to Colorado Boulevard.  In the west, it reaches to the South Platte River, which means that some locations in Elyria-Swansea are actually riverfront property.

The Denver Coliseum is located at the southwestern corner of Elyria-Swansea, providing jobs and entertainment for residents here.  Another large concern in the area is the Nestlé Purina Petcaer Company, which operates a manufacturing center here.  Located slightly to the south of Interstate 70, this center can be seen from most points in the neighborhood.

There are two city parks in Elyria-Swansea: Elyria Park and Swansea Park.  Both parks are kept up by the city services department in Denver.  From the southwest to the northeast, a railroad line cuts through the Elryia-Swansea neighborhood.

The neighborhood’s hyphenated name is a result of two earlier cities both being annexed into the larger city of Denver, a process that was completed in 1902, making this area one of Denver’s most historic areas.

In most large metropolitan cities in the United States, the phrase “downtown area” calls to mind a single image, sometimes of towering high rises making up the business district, sometimes of sprawling warehouses that go dark each evening at 9pm.  The city of Denver, however, has a great deal of variety in its downtown area.  By some reckonings, there are more than ten different neighborhoods in the downtown region, and each one has its own unique urban culture.

One of the most intriguing is the northern part of downtown known as Curtis Park.  Here, the streets are lined with trees and the community is a diverse mix of three American cultures: African American, Hispanic American, and Caucasian.  Denver condos in Curtis Park allow residents to reach the city center in just 15 minutes on foot.  When people are more environmentally conscious and gasoline is getting more expensive by the day, this feature in invaluable.

Walking is hardly mandatory, however.  Denver’s internal transit system is efficient; from Curtis Park residents can use the light rail service to quickly reach the heart of the business district.  The neighborhood is currently undergoing revitalization with apartments and condominiums being constructed on land that has been cleared of previous public housing.  Curtis Park is the oldest neighborhood in any residential area of Denver and today it remains one of the most popular areas for both long-term and new residents to live.

When you are interested in a traditional single-family home or your taste runs more to Denver condos, it is a good idea to arrange for a home inspection by a qualified professional.  There are several reputable home inspection firms in the Denver area.  Such firms can produce a detailed report to describe the condition of the home for sale and point out any problems or issues that need attention prior to the close of escrow.

A thorough home inspection will include all of the major systems in the house or loft.  Inspectors should test the plumbing system by flushing toilets, running the water in all sinks to verify that drains and faucets work, and should also crawl underneath the house to check for leaks.  Inspectors should also walk the exterior of the home and visually look for damage to trims or siding, including cracks.

Home inspections should verify that heating and cooling systems are in full functional order and must include a process for verifying that the electrical system is in good shape.  This involves turning on and off all the lights, testing GFCI circuits for integrity, and testing that all electrical outlets function.  Inspectors should walk around on the roof to note the age and composition of roofing material, as well as its general condition.

Home inspections usually do not include examinations related to mold or termite damage.  These are separate inspection processes, but both are also highly recommended.

Bounded by North Colfax Avenue, Speer Boulevard and East Broadway in Denver is a neighborhood known as the Golden Triangle.  Also called the Civic Center, this part of the city is one of the most historic parts of Denver and contains many of the cultural and civic buildings that give the city its unique character.  The new Central Library opened its doors here in the 1990s and ushered in an era of revitalization of the area, including a renewed interest in Denver lofts and condominium complexes.

Noted architect Craig Nassi has built the Prado here, a luxurious 18-story condominium development that featured new-historic French architectural styles.  This building became a focus the television program MTV Cribs when an episode featured the penthouse belonging to Carmelo Anthony, a basketball player for the Denver Nuggets.

The Golden Triangle / Civic Center neighborhood features the city’s art museum, which finished an additional wing in 2006, and a new justice center that opened for business in 2010.  The nearby Civic Center Park features an abundance of fountains and statues as well as formal manicured gardens that attracts neighborhood residents throughout the spring and summer months.  The park is exceptional in that it also includes a Greek amphitheatre, the Voorhees Memorial Seal Pond, and a war memorial laid out within its neoclassical symmetrical design.  Located alongside the large park are the Colorado State Capitol, the Colorado State History Museum, and the City and County Building of Denver.

Many tourist attractions in Denver are a product of Colorado’s Wild West heritage.  The Buffalo Bill Grave and Museum is a case in point, telling the story of William F.  Cody, made famous for his tent shows portraying cowboys and Indians to audiences nationwide.  History buffs will also enjoy the Molly Brown House Museum, where the “unsinkable Molly Brown” lived during her days in Denver.  40,000 people each year enjoy her Victorian home and learn about upper class life during Denver’s frenetic mining days.

A completely different kind of history can be found at the United States Mint, which has been producing official US currency for well over a hundred years.  Although reservations are required, tours are free of charge and begin on the hour, Monday through Friday from 8am to 2pm.  The tour shows guests the complete process of making coins from beginning to end and lasts 20 minutes.

Fans of trains will also find much to do in Denver.  The Colorado Railroad Museum showcases over 70 locomotives that traveled the narrow and standard gauge railroads of the state during the heyday of train transport.  Afterwards, visitors can enjoy a touch of whimsy at Tiny Town Railroad, located 30 miles from the city center.  Everything in Tiny Town is scaled to one-sixth size, including the steam-powered locomotives and more than 100 buildings.

Denver homes for sale include lofts, condominiums, and single family dwellings in and around the city’s many exciting attractions.