Wellshire neighborhood’s strong school, safety drawhome buyers
Denver’s Wellshire neighborhood offers homeowners a safe, suburban area nestled Hansen on Denver’s
southern edge. Slavens School, a kindergarten through eighth-grade school recognized as one of the best in Colorado, draws young families.
Unlike other neighborhoods, Wellshire isn’t known for its walkability or proximity to restaurants or shopping.
“It’s a beautiful community with supportive neighbors,” says Maritt Bird, an 8z real estate agent, who adds the neighborhood still provides easy access to the University of Denver campus and downtown. “It feels like a neighborhood. It’s total suburbia.”
The neighborhood sits adjacent to Wellshire Golf Course, a public course that was privately owned.
“It looks like a private country club,” Bird says. “It’s an amazing golf course that’s open to the public.”
The recent completion of an underpass to connect the golf course to the High Line Canal Trail makes the area even more appealing. “Now you don’t have to cross Hampden to use the trail,” Bird says. “It’s much safer.”
What’s available?
Like other Denver neighborhoods, Wellshire has fewproperties available, and they sell quickly, usually within five days or less. The prices also skyrocketed in the past two years.
“It’s very desirable,” Bird says.“We see people buying small two-bed, one-bath ranches for $600,000 to $700,000 and scraping them to build something bigger.”
If that price seems high, Bird says the same thing happens in other Denver neighborhoods like Washington Park East, where some buyers spend $1 million or more then clear the land and build new.
Bird says that 42 of the 64 house sales in Wellshire closed for more than $1 million in the past year. “It’s definitely become a luxurymarket.”
The residential neighbor primarily offers large, single-story homes and includes Cherry Hills III, a gated community of 188 large, brick townhomes that sell for more than $1 million.
Who’smoving in?
The neighborhood appeals to young and old and hasamedian age of 42. The area is far enough south that it doesn’t draw students who attend DU.
Most residents are families with younger kids who relocate to the neighborhood so their children can attend Slavens School.
Combined with nearby Southern Hills, the neighborhood is a friendly place that offers social activities to bring residents together.
Sara B. Hansen has been an editor and writer for more than 20 years.
Her professional background includes editing positions at Thedenver Post, Thedes Moines Register, The Fort Collins Coloradoan, and At Home with Century 21. She’s also the founder and editor of Dogsbestlife.com and the author of
“The Complete Guide to Cocker Spaniels.”