Choosing an alternative to the classic two-car-garage-with-a-lawn-and-fence-out-back abode can net you a cheaper, newer, and easier-to-maintain dwelling in Denver.

Wee-Cottages

Median Sale Price: $340,000

These 36 energy-efficient, two-story homes in Stapleton (pictured above) are designed to appeal to three demographics: single professionals, empty nesters, and small families who don’t require a lot of living space (routine upkeep like lawn care and snow removal are managed by the homeowner’s association for less than $200 a month). The 900- to 1,400-square-foot models, built by Louisville developer Boulder Creek Neighborhoods, hit the market this past February.

The Coloradan
A rendering of the Coloradan. Courtesy of East West Partners

Condominiums

Median Sale Price: $296,000

Last May, Colorado lawmakers passed a construction defects reform bill that made it more difficult for condo owners to take legal action against developers over shoddy construction. So far, the bill has increased condo development only slightly (condo construction rose 7.4 percent in metro Denver in 2017), but more complexes are on the way. Construction on the Coloradan (rendering above), a 334-unit condominium project located on Wewatta Street directly behind Union Station, is slated for completion in late 2018, and this July, the S*Park complex is scheduled to open with 91 condos and eight townhomes in Curtis Park.

Merne Judson / Courtesy of DIY Furniture

Free Space

Had to settle for less square footage to afford a place in Baker, Berkeley, or, at this point, Broomfield? We’ve rounded up products from local companies to help you maximize the room you do have.

Design It Yourself

Mixing and matching DIY Furniture Store’s finishes, shapes, and leg colors on its website is the adult equivalent of Build-a-Bear. And its choose-your-own-dimensions feature makes the Denver outfit the ideal place to buy coffee and dining tables (pictured above) for hard-to-fit places.

Compartmentalize

Mass-produced silverware trays and jewelry holders leave valuable space unused. Organize My Drawer lets you create custom acrylic dividers that fit perfectly into any drawer. Simply take down your measurements and build your pieces using the Centennial company’s online interface.

Ali Vagnini / Courtesy of Housefish

Go Vertical

Available in two wood finishes, Globeville’s Housefish’s Key storage modules (pictured above), from $494 each, can be stacked up to five high—giving you 23 cubic feet of storage (basically the size of a typical refrigerator).