Why Choose Colorado Springs? (Denver, Boulder: HOA, construction, public schools)

[mcartmel]

Originally Posted by bashep

Mcartmel-

Have you looked at Dice.com or Monster? You can post your resume on there and they will call you. Or maybe even the local paper, www.gazette.com. Hope that helps! Best of luck to ya! bashep

Thanks bashep, I just had a phone interview last week and am hoping to go up there to meet them face to face.

[aciaramitaro05]

i am looking at moving at the end of the year to colorado, we are mostly looking at colorado springs, but i am a bit worried about some of the things i have heard and was wondering if they were true, i have been through colorado and it is beautiful, but i hear alot about wildfires, tornadoes,-- just wondering how frequent these really are.
also are there anytruckdriving jobs (local only) for my husband, and i assuming like everywhere else, nurses- well nurse practitioners are needed? just wondering about the overall safety of the area, thanks

[gpraceman]

Tornadoes? Those are pretty rare here. More common out on the eastern plains. We can get some good thundestorms, and some funnel clouds reported, but few ever touch down to become tornados along the front range.

Wild fires can happen, of course. CO is coming out of a prolonged drought, but the big fires don't happen that often.

[Mike from back east]

Today's Gazette reports a lot of out of town money is coming into COS, buying up commercial properties as they see this secondary market as a very attractive location to invest in. I figured that out a few ago, that's why we retired to here.
Story at: http://www.gazette.com/display.php?id=1329086

Today's Gazette reports on the successful efforts of the Mayor to upgrade Manitou Springs. In 1988, Fodor's Travel Guide called Manitou Springs a "dingy" place.... Not any more. We go there often, especially to eat. Use the Search this Forum tool with keyword Manitou to find info on this town, which lies just west of Colorado Springs, along Hwy 24.
Story at: http://www.gazette.com/display.php?id=1329094&secid=1

s/Mike from back east

[native_kh]

Found this forum by accident, but given I'm a native, it's been interesting to read. Many transplants like Mike have done great job learning how to enjoy CSprings.

Wanted to echo schools like D-20 and D-12 have great academic reps for public schools. D-12 also has a Cheyenne Mtn Charter school that has amongst highest test scores in nation. Hear there is a waiting list for it. They also just got approval to create a Charter High school for it.

Myself, another one of the Catholics posting on thread, chose to scrimp & save to send mine to parochial school, and then onto St.Marys H.S. next yr. Havent regretted it at all, given stats show 97-98% of those HS grads will go onto 4yr institutions and most w/scholarship $.

For anyone interested, these private schools are awesome, great focus on kids learning how be responsible & to contribute to society. (No- not talking door-to-door ministry knocking!) Raising money/food for less fortunate etc. Recent fire at apts in town and the schools raised alot of $ in donations for those displaced.

Regarding areas in town to live- the further northern sections like Mike S described are beautiful newer areas. Love the old houses in north Downtown area near Colo. College!! Georgeous.

And there are several in town 'pocket' areas that are nice and affordable- many w/older well kept ranch homes more centrally located. Also some pockets few blocks north of Memorial Hospital near Divine Redeemer School, then some around Palmer Park Blvd, north of Uintah, south of Constitution, west of Union. The area near old Bennet Hill, near Circle where Chelton Rd winds near the edge of the rock outcrops of Palmer Park area- what a sanctuary some of those have- and the newer homes near the golf course west of this area (close to UCCS area).

From these central areas, you are well positioned to go just about any direction in C.Springs. I will be house hunting in these locales myself this summer just because I have reasons to be north, south east & west and dont want to out of the way in any single direction.

I love C.Spgs. It's grown & spread out more than I wouldve liked over the past decades, but in the end, I can still find friendly people (both liberal & conservatives), gorgeous blue skies, and a good quality of life. Do wish the job market for non-military IT professionals was better though.

By the way, this winter being the exception...you normally would rarely find snow in the yards of central & southern Colo.Spgs homes during winter. It would snow a day, melt the next and be 65. Yet just drive 15min north and in those more nothern sections of C.Spgs, and Black Forest Monument etc, that would not hold true. Strange small distance- big snowfall/temp/shading differences. This year though- all rules are broken. Cold/wet winter all around.

Also want to mention another area that has some nice pockets of well kept homes - near Cheyenne Mtn/Broadmoor area, in Skyway. Prices rise a bit. There's also a really nice area new subdiv south of CSpgs on Hwy 115 that's built into the Mtns on west side of road practically. Would worry about hearing the cannons from Ft Carson though in that area, since they practice manuevers nearby.

Hope this helps,
K

[djbushman]

Mike, I can't tell you how much your information reaffirms my desire to relocate to Colorado Springs. I have wanted to move there for over 15 years. I was accepted to Un of CS and had an apt lined up and then I met my husband - that was seven years ago.

Born and raised in MN, I still cannot tolerate the bitter cold winters. We are in our second week of below zero highs. And having multiple sclerosis does not help.

The challenge is convincing my husband to take the plunge. I guess you could say the thought of "change" and being that far away from his family is the problem.

[djbushman]

Been There - have you lived and experienced Minnesota at all? The recorded temps and snow fall I've heard for Colorado Springs would be a welcome in my book. Minus 12 degrees is nothing if it's a low temp at night and something out of the blue. Try that for a high two weeks in row, with lows getting down to 30-40 below zero.

[subdivisions]

I lived in Colorado Springs for 3 years and felt very uncomfortable there. I was never assaulted by fundies or anything, but it always kind of felt like "Stepford-land" to me. I definitely wouldn't move back.

By the way, I'm not particularly liberal. Conformity just makes me uncomfortable. And CS had that in spades.

[staczal]

your info has been helpful to say the least! we are looking into moving there,my family includes 6 children. Are there any houses to rent out there? You also mentioned only 5 inches of snow- I was hoping for alot more! thanks!

[Deez]

We've been offered a job in "a location in Colorado Springs"...there are two locations in the southwestern part of the city and two nearer the Academy. We are looking for a ranch home, in the $200,000 range..is that an unrealistic desire? The final address of the office hasn't been decided for me. If I am given an opportunity to choose, could someone give some advice? We are moving from Pennsylvania to Colorado Springs.

I read so much about foreclosures in CO. Why is this such a problem with high tech and military jobs seeming in abundance?

Thanks
DeeZ