What is it about Denver’s Highlands area northwest of downtown that lures an unusual share of home buyers coming from out-of-state?

Walkability, said agent Garrett Beserra, who specializes in that part of town and who has a newer-built home to show this weekend that earns a stratospheric walk score of 89 out of 100, and another 69 for bike-ability.

That home at 4538 Wolff Street in Denver’s Berkeley neighborhood is four blocks from Tennyson Street, where one can stroll past more than 40 purveyors of food and beverage in a seven-block stretch, from the venerable Parisi Trattoria to highly-rated newer arrivals like Hey Kiddo, Two Hands, and Blackbelly Market & Restaurant.

125-year history

Even 100 years ago, this seemingly quiet corner of town was outpunching its weight in popularity. Elitch Gardens first opened just south across West 38^th Avenue in 1890 as a garden and zoo. It then added the amusement park and famous Trocadero Ballroom, booking the coolest big bands from Harry James and Benny Goodman to Stan Kenton, Gene Krupa, and both Dorsey brothers. But in 1995, when Elitch’s moved downtown, few would have imagined that Tennyson north of 38^th would be where the action is.

Beserra, whose Modus Real Estate office is two miles east in Sunnyside, said Berkeley now clearly ranks as the strongest market in Highlands, still drawing mixed-use development despite the slower market this year. That has to do with the walk score, but also the proximity to I-70 — a quicker getaway to the mountains as well as to DIA (25 minutes). Like other areas, the scrape-and-build phenom has cooled down from a few years ago, but it’s still happening.

This 3-bedroom/2-1/2-bath single-family plan built in 2022 is priced at $1.55 million.

“That’s in line with the size and quality,” Beserra said, adding that the setting has Berkeley Lake Park less than a block away, and that some neighbors choose to buy here despite working as far away as the Denver Tech Center.

This is a home of just under 3,000 square feet with a sleek, contemporary interior that shows white oak floors, a ribbon fireplace, kitchen beside a large, separate dining area, and a steel cable staircase to the bedroom level. The primary has huge windows overlooking the heavily treed street, a spa bath, and a walk-in closet. There’s a third level with space for a home office, opening to a rooftop deck with a mountain view.

Out-of-state buyers

Beserra will hold open houses both Saturday and Sunday, 1-to-3 p.m., and will talk to interested buyers about the wider Highlands area, where despite the market’s cool-down sees some continued in-migration from California, Michigan and Texas.

“There are still some who are interested in the quality of life and the weather,” he added — often families with children aged six months to 12 years.

Is there still an opportunity to scrape an old bungalow and build a spec house?

A qualified yes, he said.

“It has to be on the right streets; you can’t just plug a number in from comps,” Beserra said. “Offering anything that doesn’t evince quality is to invite having to sit on the market.”

However, he adds that Berkeley is definitely more protected from ups-and-downs than other areas, and he’s working now with a builder on a small apartment project at Tennyson and 45th.

OPEN THIS SATURDAY/SUNDAY:

WHERE: 4538 Wolff St., Denver; from downtown take Speer Blvd north a mile to Federal, turn north a mile to West 46th Avenue, turn west a mile, past Tennyson to Wolff, then left.

SIZE: 3 bedrooms/2-1/2 baths. 2,983 square feet 

PRICE: $1.55 million 

WEB: GarrettBeserra.com 

OPEN: 1-3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday  

AGENT: Garrett Beserra, 720-560-9312