Preview: 3909 Apache Ct E, Boulder, CO

In about six weeks Amanda and I expect to move into our newly renovated home. It’ll have been almost two years in the making, and we can’t wait.

Around the time of move-in, we’ll have a choice to make about our current townhome at 3909 Apache Ct E, Boulder CO 80303: sell it, rent it, or use it as a dedicated home office. Naturally, I’ve spreadsheeted the options, and with this blog post I wanted to both (1) mark the life event, and (2) preview the property, if we opt for a sale or rental, offering perspective about the property that won’t necessarily be clear in the MLS listing, during a 30-minute walk-through, or with an inspection.

Check back in late-January or early-February for listing or rental details, if any. The basic specs are:

1969 townhome in Frasier Meadows, south Boulder, Colorado3 bedroom, 2.75 baths2,336 square feet, including a finished basementTwo-car attached garagePrivate community-maintained 2.3-acre (101k square feet) park in the backyardHot water baseboard heat with central air-conditioningOwned 2.1 kW photovoltaic system Front entryInflection point

I bought the townhome in July 2012, at 31 years-old, as I was transitioning between my adventurous twenties and my more domestic thirties. In this post about it, my excitement is palpable — emotionally, I was wanting a place to call home; and, financially, I thought that in the long-term buying would be more attractive than renting. Both justifications proved valid.

In the subsequent 4,200 days, Amanda and I made memories here. We got married in the backyard under a party tent during an August thunderstorm, made certain that three cats would live their best lives, helped the backyard birds and squirrels through the winter, hosted family and friends for holidays and visits, and became spoiled by homegrown tomatoes from our raised beds. From the front door, I also ran more than 30,000 miles, including hundreds of outings through Chautauqua and up Bear, Green, and Sanitas.

It has not always been paradise here, however. Amanda endured the historic Boulder floods mostly solo. We had to work hard on our marriage. A global pandemic forced us to shelter in place. And we lost our perfect fur baby Oden after seventeen years. We lived here, and life includes the good and bad.

Oden LOVED the gas fireplace, the closer the better Homegrown tomatoes, potatoes, and peppersHome ownership

This home has taken care of us, and we’ve tried to take care of it, within the limits of our time, budget, and energy. The next buyers will have a good starting point; since we purchased it, we have:

1. Made it more comfortable, energy efficient, and quieter, by

Replacing the windowsAdding attic insulation to R-50Sealing cracks and openingsReplacing the hot water tankReplacing the central AC blower and condensorAdding a gas fireplace insertInstalling a 2.1 kW photovoltaic system that we own outright.

2. Made it more attractive, like by

Painting the exteriorReplacing some of the 50 year-old sidingInstalling a new front door and side lightPouring a new concrete front walkway and steps, and side yard slabRe-landscaping the entire yard, with irrigation and multiple raised beds with good soilRetexturing the living room’s popcorn ceilingAdding window casings and Bali cellular blindsRefinishing the hallway’s cast iron bathtubReplacing the plastic light switch covers with nicer metal ones

3. Completed essential upkeep and safety items, like by

Installing a radon barrier in the crawl spacePig-tailing copper wire at terminal connectionsInstalling GFI outlets in the kitchen and bathroomsReplacing the roofKeeping up on caulk and masonryAdding a basement egress window

4. Improved drainage to minimize groundwater risks, specifically by installing more gutters and by diverting run-off into two underground 50-gallon stormwater wells.

5. Renovated the basement after the 2013 floods, with new carpeting, the nicest bathroom in the house, and as much drywall as was necessary to eliminate mold risk.

6. Updated the kitchen, with stainless appliances, concrete countertops, and open shelving.

Just before we go, Amanda and I will touch up the solid oak hardwood floors, repaint a few rooms, and have it professionally cleaned.

The side yard when we moved in The side yard now, with fresh paint, raised beds, and a concrete pad The basement bathroom when we moved in The basement bathroom now The backyard when we moved in Our backyard now, looking out over the 2.3-acre private open spaceIts next chapter

A few weeks ago I had the house inspected, which validated what I thought: the house is in good condition and should have no imminent big-ticket expenses in the foreseeable future.

If Amanda and I had decided to stay here long-term, we would have next remodeled the:

Ensuite bathroomHallway bathroomKitchen

Instead, we decided to invest our funds into a new single-family home instead.

Assessment

Two years ago Amanda and I decided that 3909 Apache Ct E would not be our forever home. But it’s been a very sustainable living situation (nearly twelve years for a “starter home”), and I’m very thankful that we landed here eleven years ago instead of other properties at which we’d looked. For its probable sales price, I think it’s a great value:

1. Spaciousness. The home has an open floor plan, ample square footage, large bedrooms, big closets, and an ensuite bathroom. We live comfortably on the first floor, which is about 1,500 square feet, all covered in solid hardwoods The basement has been mostly used for business storage and as a daytime hideout for our Halloween cat, Esme. The next owner could more regularly utilize this space as a rental, mother-in-law suite, home office, or man cave, hobby hive, or gaming room. Or, convert it into two conforming bedrooms with some simple framing and drywall.

2. The backyard. Directly outside our dining room and primary bedroom slider doors is a private 2.3-acre grass-covered park with a small pool, both managed by the Apache Park Association (and paid for with our dues, about $85 per month). It’s awesome:

We have a HUGE backyard, but we don’t need to take care of it. And,Our own yard has enough space for gardens and flower beds. Our back patio abuts a private 2.3-acre open space and pool

3. Access. From here, it’s a reasonable commute to Denver, an easy trip to the airport (by catching the skyRide bus at the local parking garage), and a quick drive or scooter ride to downtown Boulder or Twenty Ninth Street. There’s a bike trail at the end of our cul de sac, providing faster transport to the Table Mesa Shopping Center (e.g. Southern Sun) and the CU campus than possible in a car. And for runners who mix road and trail, it’s ideal: it’s one mile to the CU cross-country course, one mile to Skunk Canyon, 2.4 miles to Chautauqua, and 2.4 miles to Bobolink. In fact, we like this location so much that we bought a house in the same neighborhood just a half-mile away!

Interestingly, the property’s proximity to Highway 36 has never been one of our chief complaints. It’s visible (barely) from just one window; the noise is rarely audible inside the house; and our backyard is in the “noise shadow” of the house. I suppose you just get used to it, too.

Ultimately, we decided to move because we wanted a single-family home: that has more privacy, a larger yard, dedicated driveway, and two home offices; that is better laid out for my business; that is surrounded by more owner-occupied properties; and that can host one set of our aging parents. We just hope that we like this next property as much as we’ve liked this one.

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