Villa Park

Villa Park, like many West Denver neighborhoods, has a rough reputation. Unfortunately, this reputation is not undeserved, because this has been an area of gang activity and other types of crime. It borders the rough, industrial Sun Valley, and has many housing projects. The popularity of areas just to the north has not really spread south of Colfax, so these areas remain depressed. If you were just to drive by on 6th Avenue on your way out of town, you'd probably not give this area another look.

But that might be a mistake. There are nice single-family homes here. Some are well-kept and some are very run-down. The new light rail line set to open in 2013 will run along the north end of the neighborhood, linking it more closely to downtown. As it is, this area is already close by car or bike.

The shopping in this area is a bit lacking. The exception is Federal Blvd. There are no cute or quaint stores like you find in trendy neighborhoods, but Federal has wonderful ethnic food (a strange but appealing mix of Mexican and Asian).

If you are house-hunting here, take it block by block. If you are used to urban areas, you might find a spot that will seem like a major bargain in an area that you will enjoy. If you are from the country, suburbs, a small town, or more affluent areas, then you probably would not feel safe here. A home purchase here will be something of a gamble, but it could pay off in a big way. The trendy areas to the north have, on the whole, been not only recession-proof but have continued to rise in value. That means that areas on the fringes of these neighborhoods should be poised to see values rise.