Why Choose Colorado Springs? (Boulder, Manitou Springs: 2009, lease, high schools)

[SoCalDude]

Yes sberdrow you know exactly what I am saying. Now the 215 (actually live in Menifee the adjacent town to Hemet) is getting backed up as well, just when you thought you made it home..more traffic and 0 plans to widen it.

With Charles and your self mentioning Denver I will give it a look job wise. I really don't feel like waiting at the airport hours on end and dealing with a new kind of stress in that regard.

We will most likely rent for the first year or so, what areas do you guys recommend? I know most of this has been posted in the past but know it is fluid and areas do change.

I read about the mud in the spring time and think we can handle that. Wind is a concern as we used to live in Tehachapi CA and the wind did get old, as it is in the Southern Sierras situated in a mountains between Bakersfield and Mojave CA, approx 4000 elev, just below the tree line.. How is the wind in CS does it blow days on end or do you get break?

What a great forum and I appreciate all of this great advice.

PS: sberdrow Newport RD goes all the into Hemet now its a 3 lane highway east of Menifee Rd!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by SoCalDude

We will most likely rent for the first year or so, what areas do you guys recommend?

Depends where you find a job. Are the jobs in your field clustered in one particular area like the Denver Tech Center OR Boulder? If so, then let the forum know where and we can provide additional advice. Are they located in two clusters, like DTC AND Boulder? Then consider living sort of in between.

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by SoCalDude

Yes sberdrow you know exactly what I am saying. Now the 215 (actually live in Menifee the adjacent town to Hemet) is getting backed up as well, just when you thought you made it home..more traffic and 0 plans to widen it.

With Charles and your self mentioning Denver I will give it a look job wise. I really don't feel like waiting at the airport hours on end and dealing with a new kind of stress in that regard.

We will most likely rent for the first year or so, what areas do you guys recommend? I know most of this has been posted in the past but know it is fluid and areas do change.

I read about the mud in the spring time and think we can handle that. Wind is a concern as we used to live in Tehachapi CA and the wind did get old, as it is in the Southern Sierras situated in a mountains between Bakersfield and Mojave CA, approx 4000 elev, just below the tree line.. How is the wind in CS does it blow days on end or do you get break?

What a great forum and I appreciate all of this great advice.

PS: sberdrow Newport RD goes all the into Hemet now its a 3 lane highway east of Menifee Rd!

well I left that nightmare forever. We have a 5 year old, too many child molesters. I think its actually a dumping ground beleive it or not.

One point you might want to consider: Have you ever driven in snow? I lived in the pac NW, so I had a little experience. The road will be a little slower in the winter. Make sure you have all weather tires. Read up on what to do when your car goes for a little spin. I practiced on an empy parking lot. Other than that hwy 25 seems pretty clear by Southern California standards

[SoCalDude]

Yes I will be checking the job boards first thing in the morning, any ones better then the others..Dice.com snagajob.com?

Yes I have heard Hemet, Perris is a dumping grounds for molesters, John and Ken from KFI radio in LA did extensive reporting on this issue. Cali is turning into sad state, going down hill fast..

Had a some experience with driving in the snow and black ice in Tehachapi CA..It actually sound's very similar...

I will keep you guys posted as to my progress...

[Charles]

Originally Posted by SoCalDude

Yes I will be checking the job boards first thing in the morning, any ones better then the others..Dice.com snagajob.com?

careerbuilder.com
monster.com

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by SoCalDude

....snip....will most likely rent for first year or so, what areas do you recommend? ... I read about the mud in the spring time and think we can handle that. Wind is a concern as we used to live in Tehachapi CA and the wind did get old, as it is in the Southern Sierras situated in a mountains between Bakersfield and Mojave CA, approx 4000 elev, just below the tree line.. How is the wind in CS does it blow days on end or do you get break? What a great forum and I appreciate all of this great advice.

SoCal Dude, thanks for the kind words.....

- I'm partial to the Briargate area, zip 80920, school district 20, on the north east side, with great views of Pikes Peak, Front Range and USAF Academy. Typical subdivision living, new, well done, GOOD roads/food/shopping. Many affordable SFH rentals right now, plus TH's, condo's and apartments.
- Mud is nothing here in/around town, for sure in rural areas with dirt roads or up in the high country.
- Winds aren't a problem, usually a good breeze. Back east in the hot humid stinking summers I would've killed for these breezes. Several days each year we get a REALLY windy day, usually for one day only. Not a relentless wind. Sometimes in the winter we get a warm "chinook" (aka "snow eater") wind that comes off the mountains and wipes out the snow at these elevations. The snow stays up in the high country all winter long, some of the world's best skiing.

Ask away, or use the search tool.

s/Mike

[roendee2805]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Here’s how we decided to move to Colorado Springs from the Wash, DC metro area. See my post in "other" to get tips and techniques for how to search out a new place to live. We wanted out of the DC area, which is unlivable due to traffic and high prices.

We started by looking on REALTOR.com - Real Estate Listings & Homes For Sale to cruise all over, to include Canadian cities.

We wanted away from summer heat & humidity, hurricanes, bugs, tornadoes, earthquakes, crime, traffic, poverty, high prices. We wanted a basement for hobbies.

Been to Florida several times for vacation and ruled it out due to bugs, heat, humidity, hurricanes. Prices are high,few homes have basements. Greenery looks nice, but Florida's a swamp, so we nixed the entire South.

Been to Scottsdale-Phoenix. Saw Del Webb's Sun City Grand in Surprise, AZ. Saw Wickenburg, Gold Canyon and Apache Jct, AZ. Very nice homes, but way too hot. Del Webb homes are nice, but no basements. Just too hot.

Been to Las Vegas. Houses were affordable 5 years ago, but that changed. LV is growing fast and is a one-industry town. A lot of folks who move to LV stay 3-5 years and move again – too boring. Crime is moderate or higher. Same heat issue as Phoenix.

Visited Albuquerque, NM. Some interesting houses for reasonable money, but the crime is awful. Development is “spotty” which means they’ll be a group of nice homes and very nearby is a pocket of poverty or ugliness. Traffic was awful. Not quite as hot as LV or Phoenix, but a brown desert.

Been to California. Ruled it out due to very high home prices, crowded cities, earthquakes, mudslides, high taxes, etc.

Been to Austin and San Antonio, TX. Too plain, hot, humid. Real estate tax is high ($8k on a $300k house) and makes up for lack of state income tax.

Then there is Colorado. The first $20k of each of our pensions is exempt from CO income tax, nor are property taxes that high. The whole Front Range is attractively priced, Denver being higher. Colorado Springs is far enough away from Denver to have it’s own identity. On the north end where we are, across from the USAF Academy, everything is new, nothing spotty, no pockets of poverty. Entire state is beautiful. Very nice homes here for $300-$500k, they'd be twice that in Fairfax County, VA.

The Springs has a lot of Federal money, USAF Academy, Peterson AFB, Fort Carson, NORAD, Homeland Security, Cheyenne Mountain, not to mention the Federal contractors and high-tech biz here. Lots of good clean money coming in and few industrial areas to speak of. All upside, no downside. A well educated populace.

We liked Colorado for the beauty, and it came out a winner in the data analysis too. Dry climate works very well for us, doesn't feel hot in summer or cold in winter. The Front Range is along the prairie, very little snow, which is mainly up in the high country.

Some traffic on I-25, but we get around just fine without the horrendous gridlock of Northern Virginia. Abundance of roads and the lack of gridlock is a key reason we eagerly left the DC area, where it was rush hour all day. We have no dense urban core crammed full of skyscrapers, thus we have no traffic problems like a typical big city. Our downtown is quite livable.

Quality of life is outstanding. There is a local minor league baseball team, and we got half price tickets to see the Denver Bronco’s play the Redskins, an experience we could not get in the DC area. Hockey and cycling are big. There's a ton of parks and pathways to walk all over the area.

There is a thriving, virbrant religious life here, all denominations.

We get good stage shows, and tons of things to do, especially outdoors, and Colorado has the healthiest populace in the nation.

We worked with a good realtor who specializes in new homes. She got us hooked up with the best builders and avoid ones with lesser reputations. Check builders very carefully before you buy – anywhere.

If you like older charming homes, see the Old North End in zip codes 80907, 80903. The area around Colorado College is a delightful mix of old cottages and bungalows, some quite large, in a flat walkable tree-lined area of great gentillity, without high prices.

Preferred school district is District 20, "Academy District." See local school map at: http://www.gazette.com/school_districts/ (broken link)

If you want 2-5 wooded acres, see Black Forest, 80908. Big-time horse country, 5-10 miles NE of town.

If you want mountains, see Woodland Park, Florissant, Divide or anywhere in Teller County, west of Colorado Springs, out highway 24.

If you want to be on a golf course, see Pine Creek, 80920, aka Briargate.

If you want rustic or Bohemian, see Manitou Springs, on the west border of Colorado Springs.

Something here for everyone, affordable, livable, great.

s/Mike from back east, and I ain't going back!

I thank you for how detailed you were in your response to why move to the Springs...We have children and I want to find both a good neighborhood and good schools and areas that are within reason as far as a price for housing...We have four beautiful children and I have lived in Phoenix for my whole life minus 2 years that I lived in Pueblo, Colorado...I would like my children to see other areas..we have family all over in Colorado just not my family...my husbands....My husband and I are in our early 30's and our childre are 16, 10, 8, and 5...We are planning to move next Summer 2008..So thanks for the listings and the websites and the great incites..It is greatly appreciated.

[bluemoon1415]

Hello, Mike from back East! Thank you for your posts! I am originally from New Jersey ( I know...lol) and have lived in Virginia Beach, Va but since have relocated to El Paso, Tx-where I currently live. I am miserable here. Last June I drove up to Colorado Springs to visit a friend ( also from NJ) who has relocated there and I fell in love with the place! I am of Japanese descent and miss the Japanese stores and restaurants back east. I was pleasantly surprised to find a lot of Japanese restaurants in CoS! But thats not the reason why I want to move out there. I bought a house here in El Paso for $180,000 and I am paying almost $5,000 in property taxes. The house is located in the West side, which is ( apparently) THE side to be. My friend in CoS bought a house for $157,00 and pays less than $1,000 in property taxes. Does that sound right to you? Her area seems really quiet and pretty. Her zip code is 80918. I have not seen anyone here mention that zip code and I am beginning to worry since I want to buy a house near her. I don't want to live in an area where I have to worry about my safety or my daughter's. Please enlighten. Thank you.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by bluemoon1415

Hello, Mike from back East! Thank you for your posts! ....the reason why I want to move out there. I bought a house here in El Paso for $180,000 and I am paying almost $5,000 in property taxes. The house is located in the West side, which is ( apparently) THE side to be. My friend in CoS bought a house for $157,00 and pays less than $1,000 in property taxes. Does that sound right to you? Her area seems really quiet and pretty. Her zip code is 80918. I have not seen anyone here mention that zip code and I am beginning to worry since I want to buy a house near her. I don't want to live in an area where I have to worry about my safety or my daughter's. Please enlighten. Thank you.

1. Thanks for the kind words.

2. Taxes. That sounds right. A rule of thumb is 6/10 of 1% of market value, which is what your friend pays and which is what we pay (0.6% of $550k, or $3300 per year). Your property taxes in TX are high because there is no state income tax. Here in CO, we do pay a state income tax, currently about 5% of Federal AGI. Still, IMO the weather here is so much nicer.

3. 80918. North & east of the city center, with some very nice areas. Safety should not be a major issue in most areas. Schools are D11, where some are so-so, some are excellent, depends on the school.

4. Asian culture. Some here, more in Denver. Not sure if Dragon Boat Races are a Japanese tradition, but they're held each year in Denver. Here, we do an Asian festival at Lunar New Year with many Asian performers and foods.

I think you'll love it here.

s/Mike

[bluemoon1415]

Thank you!!!