Moving to Denver: Home Buyer Guide

Denver is considered by some to be nothing more than an airport stop on the way to go skiing in the Rocky Mountains. However, for those moving to Denver, you will soon get to enjoy many unique features of Colorado. For example, Denver brews more beer than any other city in the country. It’s also easier to feel the effects of alcohol here thanks to the high altitude. Recreational marijuana is also legal across the state. But Coloradoans don’t spend all their time drinking and smoking; as one of America’s healthiest cities, Denver has plenty of fitness centers, parks and recreation facilities for health-conscious residents to enjoy.

Best Times of Year to Buy a Home in Denver

Summer is the most popular time of year to move to Denver, but that means finding the home of your dreams is more competitive. To avoid competition and help you snag a home at the best price, consider moving to Denver between November and January. Even Super Bowl weekend is a great time to move, if you can cope with missing the game. Sellers who have their homes on the market this time of year are usually very motivated to sell, since winter is definitely considered the off season to move. Showing interest in a home is likely to result in you being treated like royalty, since buyers are hard to come by in the winter.

Denver Taxes

After moving to Denver, you must prepare to pay certain taxes. These are quite standard from state to state, but the rates vary. Here’s what you can expect:

• Vehicle taxes are paid when you register your car in Colorado. The higher your vehicle’s value, the higher the tax will be. If you already paid sales tax on the purchase of your car in another state, you may still owe use tax if the sales tax elsewhere is lower than the sales tax rate in Denver.
• Property taxes are also required once you move to Denver. The assessed value of your home is defined as 7.96% of your home’s actual value. Then, a mill levy of $1 per $1,000 of assessed value is added to arrive at the actual property taxes due.
• Colorado also has sales tax, which has a base rate of 2.9%. Denver adds 3.65%, RTD adds 1% and the Cultural Facilities District adds another .1% for a total sales tax rate of 7.65%. Food and beverages are taxed a total of 8% and retail marijuana is taxed 21.15%.

The Moving-in Process

An important part of settling in after moving to Denver is hooking up your utilities. The faster you do, the sooner you can resume life as usual. Here’s a look at your options for utility providers in Denver:

• Natural gas and electricity is provided by Xcel Energy.
• Water and sanitation services are offered by Solid Waste Management or Denver Water.
• Phone, internet and cable TV providers include AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, Cricket, DirecTV, Dish Network and Comcast.

Driver’s License and Registration

Once you get settled, you’ll need to get a Colorado driver’s license and register your vehicle in the state. You have 30 days to update your out-of-state driver’s license to a Colorado one and 90 days to register your car.

To get a new license:

• Visit the DMV and prepare to surrender your out-of-state license and pay a $25 fee with cash, check or money order.
• Bring proof of Colorado residency, such as a utility bill or pay stub.
• Bring proof of lawful residence in the US, such as a birth certificate or immigration document.
• Bring your Social Security card.
• Take the vision exam.
• Have your fingerprint and photo taken.
• Provide a signature.
• You will be issued a temporary license and receive your permanent license in the mail within 30 days.

To register your vehicle:

• Visit the DMV and prepare to pay the registration fee, which varies depending on the value of your car.
• Bring your vehicle identification number (VIN), proof of car insurance and proof of passing an emissions test.
• Bring the vehicle’s title or current registration certificate.
• Bring personal identification, such as a driver’s license, passport or military ID.
• You’ll receive new license plates and stickers. Colorado vehicle registrations are valid for 12 months.

Register to Vote in Colorado

The easiest way to register to vote in Colorado is to complete online registration. However, you can only do this once you have a Colorado driver’s license. If you’re in more of a hurry to vote in an upcoming election, you can also register to vote by mail, e-mail, fax or in person with an out-of-state license.

Helpful Tips to Remember When Moving to Denver

Here are some useful tips about the Mile High City you should know before moving to Denver. This information can help make the transition to your new home as smooth as possible. • Transportation: Denver is a very pedestrian-friendly city, but plenty of public transportation helps you get around as well. To help avoid heavy Denver traffic, consider driving to the park-and-ride and taking the light rail into the city. You can also utilize the free bus that travels through downtown 16th Street Mall. • Climate: Colorado’s climate is known for hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters. You’ll definitely experience all four seasons after moving to Denver, but without the humidity many other regions are plagued with. • Supermarkets: While there are plenty of small grocery stores to choose from in Denver, the three major supermarkets are Safeway, King Soopers and Whole Foods. • Professional moving services: To make your move as stress-free as possible, it may be wise to hire a moving company to help load and unload your belongings. This is especially true if you decide to move in winter when the weather is unpredictable.