Millennial-Led Denver Families Make the Case for Suburban Living

A cool, young family finds themselves moving from the bright lights of the city to a sleepy suburban town: a Millennial’s worst nightmare, right? For some families in Denver, however, the suburbs are exactly what they were looking for and could not find in the city. According to some demographic researchers, they’re not alone. Although there are still young adults who would rather live in the city, a fair amount of Millennials are turning toward suburban living, and if builders want to attract them to single-family homes, they should take note. Adding extra amenities and using smart layouts that include parks and increase walkability are all ways to seal the deal with Millennial homebuyers. 

Burak and Julie Yorumez had the urban experience that some Colorado millennials only dream of — living high above downtown Denver in two merged condos on the 35th floor of the Brooks Tower Residences.

“I thought I was going to live there forever,” said Julie, a University of Colorado graduate who spent eight years working in New York City and Washington, D.C. Like many young adults who had developed a taste for what city life could offer, she thought nothing else would do.

But after three years of living downtown together, the couple somehow found themselves owning a single-family home with a yard out in metro Denver’s far fringes. In their case, it was at Sterling Ranch, a new development with room for 12,000 homes near Chatfield Reservoir in Douglas County.

“It wasn’t in our plan,” said Julie, sheepishly. But as the couple planned to have children together, they realized downtown wouldn’t be the best spot to raise them. They moved to the suburbs in the summer of 2018 and haven’t looked back.

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