An expanding city filled with charm in northern Colorado
With views of the Rocky Mountains Front Range, in the foothills of northern Colorado, Fort Collins is a lively and historic city with a close-knit community. Arts and music events are held throughout the year, and residents are never far from mountain and riverside recreation.
Colorado State University was established in 1870 and remains one of the city's largest employers, along with UCHealth, Advanced Energy and Poudre School District. In 1862, Camp Collins was established as a military outpost along the Overland Trail near the Cache La Poudre River. Roughly eight years later, the former camp began to develop into a small town, and its population has been increasing ever since. Today, Fort Collins is home to over 170,000 residents.
A short drive from Huntington Hills, Horse Tooth Reservoir provides additional outdoor r
Old Town West is next to the bustling center of Fort Collins.
The Canvas Stadium at CSU is just down the street from the Sheely Addition neighborhood.
University Park residents love the Lagoon Summer Concert Series.
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Old Town's shopping hub
Old Town serves as the city’s shopping and dining hub, with dozens of local restaurants and unique storefronts. Long-standing, family-owned eateries sit next to used bookstores, trendy bars and comedy clubs.
Neighborhoods like Troutman Park and The Landings flank midtown Fort Collins' more commercial district, which features shopping centers with big-box grocery stores, chain restaurants and more. Notably, Foothills shopping mall has 29 stores and 14 restaurants.
Old Town West is walking distance from local events.
Zwei Brewing Co. offers a great selection of beers on tap nearby Mission Hills.
Old Town West is just blocks from downtown and its attractions.
Downtown Fort Collins features vibrant shops, dining, and historic charm.
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A diverse housing market on the Poudre River
The city has a widely diverse housing market, from 19th-century Victorians near Old Town and University Park to newly built modern traditional and Craftsman-style homes in eastern neighborhoods like Bucking Horse and Lake Sherwood . “We’re still seeing low inventory, but there’s a renewed interest in the market these days with the lower interest rates,” says Associate Broker Laura Olive with RE/MAX Alliance, who has over 40 years of experience in the Northern Colorado real estate market. The median sales price hovers around $657,000. Additionally, homes in Fort Collins cost more on average than the state and national averages.
Craftsman-inspired bungalows are popular Old Town West properties.
Kechter Farm is a historical property located in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Homes in the Kechter Farm area can be a mix of modern and traditional designs.
Colorful bungalows are everywhere in Old Town.
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Mountainous and riverside recreation in the Front Range
One of the biggest draws to the city is its proximity to a bounty of outdoor recreation. The Poudre River runs northeast of downtown through natural areas and alongside walking trails. The Spring Creek Trail connects some of the city’s most popular recreation areas, including a creekside park in Edora Acres and the Rolland Moore Park. The Horsetooth Reservoir, which spans 1,900 acres, is the largest and most popular in the Fort Collins area and lies just west of the city’s suburbs, with over 20 miles of trails in the Horsetooth Mountain Open Space. Additionally, Rocky Mountain National Park is around 45 miles away, roughly a 70-minute drive, from downtown.
A Rogers Park couple spend their afternoon hiking the trails along Horsetooth Reservoir.
Surrounded by lush green and fall colored trees, Fort Collins homeowners have wonderful views.
Fort Collins offers a vibrant real estate market, great outdoor living, and much more.
Younger University Park children love the watery shores of the university lagoon.
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An active art scene in Fort Collins
Known as the Cultural Capital of Northern Colorado, Fort Collins has six live-theater stages, a symphony orchestra, a ballet troupe, and an opera – with performances all year long. Additionally, The Lincoln Center is Northern Colorado’s largest presenter of professional performing arts. As the city’s cultural arts center, it hosts nationally touring Broadway shows and concerts.
Downtown’s Old Town District is flush with shops and galleries featuring local artwork. The First Friday Art Walk is a monthly event that allows collectors and community members to admire the paintings and galleries on display. Another important factor to Fort Collins’ culture is its 20 award-winning craft breweries. As Colorado’s Craft Beer Capital, the city is home to well-known breweries such as Anheuser-Busch and New Belgium Brewing Co. “We’re known as the Napa Valley of beer here,” Olive says.
You can find local artist around nearby Downtown Fort Collins.
You can find many events at The Foothills Mall which is 5 minutes from Indian Hills.
Rally King is a local brewery on the southwestern edge of Highlander Heights.
The action of Downtown Fort Collins is only 10 minutes by car from Highlander Heights.
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Quality education for kindergarten through college
Local families are served by the Poudre School District, which earns an A grade from Niche, which also ranks it as the seventh-best school district in Colorado. The district has 32 elementary schools, nine middle schools and seven high schools, as well as two specialty schools and six charter schools.
Colorado State University plays a big role in the community, enrolling over 33,000 students. During the school year, Old Town becomes more active, and restaurants have special happy-hour deals. Additionally, CSU hosts numerous events and attractions, including the Annual Flower Trial Gardens, where hundreds of floral varieties are planted and monitored by the university’s department of horticulture. On Friday evenings in the fall, Live! at CSU is a free concert series that draws in attendees from across the city, while the Lagoon Concert Series is held on Wednesdays in June and July.
Dunn Elementary sits at the southern edge of Old Town West.
Riffenburgh Elementary School has a 17 to 1 student to teacher ratio.
Fort Collins High School is the #3 rated high school in Larimer County.
Lesher Middle School serves over 700 students yearly from grades 6th - 8th.
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Traveling around Northern Colorado
According to FBI data, property and violent crime rates in Fort Collins are lower than the state average. The city has a slightly higher rate of property crime, compared nationally, but a lower rate of violent crime.
Fort Collins is known for its bikeable streets, with over 200 miles of roadside bike lanes and biking trails throughout the city. “When the weather is nice, I like to ride my bike to work downtown,” says Mike Sibbald, a longtime Fort Collins Resident and Realtor with Elevations Real Estate. “It’s pretty common for people to bike to work or to grab a drink in Old Town. Even if you live on the south side of town near Village East and Warren Shores, it’s only a 5-mile ride.”
The city’s Transfort bus system operates over 20 routes across town, while MAX Rapid Transit bus provides direct transportation to downtown and other major employment areas. Interstate 25 runs north to south just east of Fort Collins and can take drivers to nearby cities like Denver and Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Hi I'm Brian Franzen with The Franzen Group—your trusted real estate advisor in Northern Colorado! With over 10 years of local experience, I specialize in guiding families through seamless home buying and selling journeys. From charming neighborhoods in Greeley to scenic properties in Windsor, I leverage my deep local knowledge to find your dream home or maximize the value of your property investment. Let's embark on this exciting real estate adventure together!
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