Mel Tucker’s next big decision: What to do with Boulder home

BOULDER — Former University of Colorado head football coach Mel Tucker faces a major decision other than hiring assistant coaches and recruiting players at Michigan State University: what to do with his sprawling home in Boulder County’s Baseline neighborhood.

Tucker and his wife purchased the 10,354-square-foot property last March, paying $2.75 million for the five-bedroom, 5½-bath home in unincorporated Boulder County, according to Boulder County property records.

Tucker’s ownership of that home likely will be short-lived given his abrupt departure as CU coach Tuesday evening, as he accepted a position to coach the Michigan State University Spartans, more than doubling the $2.675 million salary he was getting at CU.

Tucker’s home, which is located just outside Lafayette, should have experienced some decent appreciation since the couple purchased it last March, said Todd Gullette, managing broker of Re/Max of Boulder.

Gullette said the median price in Lafayette overall increased almost 20 percent from March 2019 to January 2020. Still, the market for homes in Tucker’s price range has been softer, meaning that the appreciation likely won’t be as significant.

“My feeling is that the demand is slower at the higher price point,” Gullette said. “I feel like he’s going to see some appreciation. I don’t know that it’s going to be as high as the average home in Lafayette.”

Tucker can, however, get a lot of home for his money in East Lansing, Michigan, and surrounding areas. Compared with Boulder, East Lansing’s housing market seems like a downright bargain.

The median price for a home in the city of Boulder was $912,500 in January, and $680,000 in Lafayette, near the Tuckers’ home.

Compare that to East Lansing, where the median home price stands at $211,306, according to Zillow.com. The most-expensive home on Zillow’s website for East Lansing is listed at $1.325 million. That home includes five bedrooms and seven baths, encompassing 9,080 square feet. It’s been listed on Zillow for 1,399 days.

But the Tuckers’ housing search likely will extend beyond East Lansing, which is a college town dominated by student housing. Even if they venture farther east, say to Okemos, Michigan, the median price is just $263,980, according to Zillow.

Howell, Michigan, is located about 30 miles east of East Lansing, but even though the median home price is just $274,705, some homes are on the market for $2.1 million to $3.2 million.

Even so, the Tuckers likely will get a lot for their money no matter which community they choose. The region includes many wooded estates with private lakes, abundant acreage and riverfront views.

“It’s a real deal back there,” said one residential real estate agent familiar with the area. “Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois is the real deal in America right now. It’s a fantastic place to live and fantastic people.” The agent said the region’s housing prices aren’t appreciating like in Colorado or on the coasts, but quality housing and amenities are in abundance.

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