Denver, Colorado, the Mile High city, is a wonderful place to visit and live. Besides the Rocky Mountains, world-class skiing and mild summers, the Denver area has so much more to offer. The real estate market is booming, there are plenty of places to buy in and around the greater Denver area.

Sports fans will love moving into their new Denver home because there are professional games all year round. Denver is the only city in the US with professional teams for all five major sports - Denver Broncos are part of the NFL, the Avalanche are members of the NHL, the Denver Nuggets are the NBA team, Colorado Rockies represent Denver in the MLB and the Colorado Mammoth are members of the NLL. There are hundreds of minor leagues and college teams that play as well.

If you prefer to play rather than watch, the opportunities are endless. Cycling, running, fishing, hiking and white water rafting will keep you near the ground all summer long. During the winter, skiing, snowboarding and ice climbing will thrill you. Spring and fall are great times to take up something a little more adventurous like spelunking (cave exploring) or rock climbing.

Boulder, a suburban area about 45 minutes from the heart of Denver, is a great place to live if the outdoors call to you. Sports spectators might want to look for real estate in the city of Denver or a little further south in Lakewood or Golden.

Looking for a place to raise a family? Golden, Colorado offers more than Coors Brewery. With a charming downtown and a multitude of playgrounds, the City of Golden has a small town feel with the big city conveniences close by. A very active recreation center, superb community celebrations and average homes ringing in at $260,000 keep Golden near the top of the list of All-American Cities.

Log cabins are right at home in the mountains that surround Denver. A quick 30 minutes south of Denver is the picturesque mountain town of Morrison. Homes come on more acreage than in metropolitan Denver but Morrison is just as close as many other suburbs. Purchasing real estate in Morrison will find you about 45 minutes from Loveland ski area and 30 minutes from Echo Mountain snowboard park.

When looking for Colorado homes for sale, keep these things in mind:
• Temperatures dip down to zero occasionally during winter months. Heat sources should be in good working order from September through April. Summer heat may cause the thermometer to rise to between 90 and 100 degrees. While heat waves - and air-conditioners - are rare, ceiling fans and swamp coolers may be necessary from May through September.
• Weather changes quickly, without warning and frequently. In a single day you may experience snow falling followed by rain showers followed by a high of 60 degree heat. Always keep a blanket and sweater or jacket in your vehicle. An umbrella helps, too.
• Basements are common in Denver properties. Look for water damage and signs of structural damage in the basement before making an offer.
• Denver isn't called the Mile High City for nothing. The altitude is greater than 90% of the US, the air is thinner and oxygen is more limited. Don't overdo exercise the first week or two and stay hydrated.

The secret to finding perfect Denver, Colorado real estate is to figure out exactly which amenities are important to you, what your budget allows and to communicate this to your real estate agent. There are many Colorado homes for sale and a competent real estate agent will be able to match your needs to what the market is offering.