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Hello, We are a family of 6 that will be making a move -- but not a total move -- were actually looking to come out to CS in the next couple of weeks to stay for the winter and see what CS is like.
We are currently in Ohio and have been struggling with which state to relocate to . .
We have recently just started considering the "Carolinas" - - -
We lean towards CS because of no humidity and no bugs - - - and were a little worried with "southern" ways as well - - I can say this because we have lived in TN and were taken back by the "civil war" comments, and people just not showing up when they said they would show up. So the south in general makes us think twice.
* Do people actually (for the most part) do what they say?
*We are looking for a place that has good weather (Were from Ohio).
- - Anyone from this area that can comment on what the weather is really like there compared to Ohio or anywhere close would be much appreciated.. . .
*We would be looking to do "side jobs" like painting, cleaning, tile, hw flooring, odd jobs, giving an extra hand etc. (and maybe some real estate investing if the market seems right) - - - We have over 15+ years of experience doing such work -
Any advice on this area and demand for such work would be much appreciated - Is there an area that would be better for us to target for such jobs?
*We currently would just like to find a spot that we can stay mo to mo while exploring the area and being able to pick up some work, until we find exactly where we would want to be so we can then make the final move in spring/summer - - Would Castle Rock be a good area to stay - - how far of a drive could we expect - or is somewhere in springs better?
*I guess specifically is there an area that we should stay away from - - Again we do have four children and don't want to be an area that is known for crime - - working or staying!
*Any comments would be much appreciated, what area of CS has the best housing market now?
*How expensive is housing really?
*How about Real Estate Taxes?
*How about water bills?
Anyone that has moved from Ohio or anywhere close that can compare living here to there would be Great! But all info will help.
*Another thing I would like to know is whether or not getting places is difficult or if commutes are easy and what is it like around CS does it get desolate or is it pretty populated?
*Is driving in the direction of Cascade, Pikes Peak, etc. like driving in the mountains of TN - up, down, around, and around?
We are looking at leaving here in next week or so - - just gonna wing it -- were planning on finding a spot to stay when we get there -- it would be nice to find a small efficiency, cabin, cottage or such to stay weekly or monthly - any thoughts? (Were very simple people and don't need a big place!)
Any comments on anything that I should of asked and didn't would be appreciated.......
That depends -- I'm sure the going rate depends on what area your in - -?
We of course would like to be as less as possible, but are prepared to pay what the going rate is - - - - which would be what?
No daycare needed - and children are in private school -- But would like any info on which school districts are best/worse - - - Thanks.
We have recently just started considering the "Carolinas" - - -
We lean towards CS because of no humidity and no bugs - - - and were a little worried with "southern" ways as well - - I can say this because we have lived in TN and were taken back by the "civil war" comments, and people just not showing up when they said they would show up. So the south in general makes us think twice. Do people actually (for the most part) do what they say?
*We are looking for a place that has good weather (Were from Ohio).
- - Anyone from this area that can comment on what the weather is really like there compared to Ohio or anywhere close would be much appreciated.. . .
*We would be looking to do "side jobs" like painting, cleaning, tile, hw flooring, odd jobs, giving an extra hand etc. (and maybe some real estate investing if the market seems right) - - - We have over 15+ years of experience doing such work -
Any advice on this area and demand for such work would be much appreciated - Is there an area that would be better for us to target for such jobs?
*We currently would just like to find a spot that we can stay mo to mo while exploring the area and being able to pick up some work, until we find exactly where we would want to be so we can then make the final move in spring/summer - - Would Castle Rock be a good area to stay - - how far of a drive could we expect - or is somewhere in springs better?
*I guess specifically is there an area that we should stay away from - - Again we do have four children and don't want to be an area that is known for crime - - working or staying!
*Any comments would be much appreciated, what area of CS has the best housing market now?
*How expensive is housing really?
*How about Real Estate Taxes?
*How about water bills?
Anyone that has moved from Ohio or anywhere close that can compare living here to there would be Great! But all info will help.
*Another thing I would like to know is whether or not getting places is difficult or if commutes are easy and what is it like around CS does it get desolate or is it pretty populated?
*Is driving in the direction of Cascade, Pikes Peak, etc. like driving in the mountains of TN - up, down, around, and around?
We are looking at leaving here in next week or so - - just gonna wing it -- were planning on finding a spot to stay when we get there -- it would be nice to find a small efficiency, cabin, cottage or such to stay weekly or monthly - any thoughts? (Were very simple people and don't need a big place!)
Any comments on anything that I should of asked and didn't would be appreciated.......
Thanks in Advance!
Yes, people here do show up when they say, especially the trades people who work for the larger firms. My FIL in WV had the same problem, the WV trades people were either late or skipped you for one or more days and never called, so when he needed his chimney flue replaced he hired guys out of PA, who were on time and excellent tradesmen.
If you search around and use Craigslist you can find a short term rental for six months, or even a month to month place.
Castle Rock is at least 30 minutes away and the drive sucks when it snows, especially on Monument Hill, on I-25 between exits 161 and 163. But it does give you access to business in that town as well as Parker and Centennial.
Avoid the S.E. part of town if you can, that's where most police reports seem to be generated, streets like S. Murray, S. Academy, etc.
Cheapest housing is probably on the south end of town, the S.W. area, the west side of downtown that's west of I-25. Use ppar.com or realtor.com to see house styles and prices. Use padmapper.com to find rentals.
R.E. Taxes run about 0.66% of market value, or about $1300 / year on a home worth $200k in the market.
Water bills depend on how much lawn you water in the summer, else figure about $40/month in winter.
Driving here is easy compared to our former life in DC, out east of town on the prairie it does get desolate looking. Mountain driving here is a bit like back east, but the main roads are fine.
Good luck to you and your family in this adventure.
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Wow, what a change of pace for you and your family.
Mike pretty much covered it all...I can't add much other than that but to say I wish you the best in your upcoming move.
It is very affordable to live here, however you'll need to know where the "bad" areas are...I'm on the east side of town (newer subdivision) and love living here. Right now, there are some killer deals on houses...lots on the market and the prices are rock-bottom. Maybe look around for a rental first to get a good feel for the area before you buy.
Once again, I wish you the best. Let us know when you arrive and if you need any assistance as you move in. I'd be happy to help you out...
I was wondering why you would want to move to Colorado Springs without a visit? A lot of folks do, but it's usually because of the military and they have no choice about the matter. Anyways I hope you like it as much as we do.
What part of Ohio do you live? Our family, (Air Force), moved here from a small town between Cincinnati and Dayton. Compared to homes in that area, (and much of Ohio), it is more expensive, but nothing like many areas around the country. Ohio's economy is pretty weak and still going down. Too much of the state depends on manufacturing, much of which is being outsourced. Property taxes are much lower here for us than Ohio. The climate is much nicer, with plenty of sunshine, which is something we didn't see much of from fall until spring. As you know, Ohio is very gloomy much of the year, (or at least where we lived). I find the people here very friendly, as were people in Ohio. They call Colorado "west" but it has a much more middle America feel to me. As far as people not keeping their word, I feel there are people like this all over. I have lived all over the country and have found reliable and unreliable people in each state. The South is much more laid back, than other areas of the country, but there are many honest, hard-working people down there. They do tend to be still fighting the Civil War, I know. I found that interesting and a bit surprising. I moved from Southern California, (where I would not wish to live again), to Alabama as a teenager and got called a "Yankee". The last time I looked at a map, California was in the Western part of the U.S. ...Oh, well, to each his own. I didn't like the heat and humidity, and even after years of living there, never got used to it.
The economy out here seems to be a little better than Ohio, but there are also several military bases that keep the local economy somewhat stable. Of course, unemployment is still high like the rest of the country. I don't know anything about the local job market for your particular skills.
Castle Rock is about 20 minutes from me. I live in Monument, which is a small town just north of Colorado Springs. Castle Rock is a nice, clean, smaller town. I personally like going there as opposed to Colorado Springs, (which is very spread out). There isn't a whole lot up there, however. They do have a nice outdoor outlet mall and just 10 minutes or so north of Castle Rock is a nice, big mall. Castle Rock appears to have a lot of newer construction businesses, I have noticed.
The sun has shined almost all day, every day, since we moved here the beginning of June. Even when it snows, the sun comes right back out when it is finished. Right now, we have some snow on the ground, but with the sun, it feels warm.
Good luck with your visit.
Last edited by ladyjag45; 10-27-2011 at 04:59 PM..
Thank you for the Replies - and look forward to more - We are currently in a nice town outside of Akorn/Cleveland Area - It is very gloomy here - -Our family has visited Colorado in past, but not Colorado Springs -
Hello, We are a family of 6 that will be making a move -- but not a total move -- were actually looking to come out to CS in the next couple of weeks to stay for the winter and see what CS is like.
We are currently in Ohio and have been struggling with which state to relocate to . .
We have recently just started considering the "Carolinas" - - -
We lean towards CS because of no humidity and no bugs - - - and were a little worried with "southern" ways as well - - I can say this because we have lived in TN and were taken back by the "civil war" comments, and people just not showing up when they said they would show up. So the south in general makes us think twice.
* Do people actually (for the most part) do what they say?
*We are looking for a place that has good weather (Were from Ohio).
- - Anyone from this area that can comment on what the weather is really like there compared to Ohio or anywhere close would be much appreciated.. . . I'm from the Cleveland area. The weather here in C Springs is way better than the Cleveland area. Not as much snow during the winter and not humid in the summer. Mild temps all year round.
*We would be looking to do "side jobs" like painting, cleaning, tile, hw flooring, odd jobs, giving an extra hand etc. (and maybe some real estate investing if the market seems right) - - - We have over 15+ years of experience doing such work -
Any advice on this area and demand for such work would be much appreciated - Is there an area that would be better for us to target for such jobs?
*We currently would just like to find a spot that we can stay mo to mo while exploring the area and being able to pick up some work, until we find exactly where we would want to be so we can then make the final move in spring/summer - - Would Castle Rock be a good area to stay - - how far of a drive could we expect - or is somewhere in springs better?
*I guess specifically is there an area that we should stay away from - - Again we do have four children and don't want to be an area that is known for crime - - working or staying! The best neighborhoods for families in Colorado Springs are on the northside, but overall the city doesn't really have any very bad areas. As your from the Cleveland area, you would probably notice that the crime isn't as bad in Colorado Springs like back in Cleveland. Although to be fair Cleveland has a safe metro area, besides a couple suburbs.
*Any comments would be much appreciated, what area of CS has the best housing market now?
*How expensive is housing really? Generally as much as suburban Cleveland
*How about Real Estate Taxes? Lower than in Cleveland.
*How about water bills? Suprisingly lower than in Cleveland.
Anyone that has moved from Ohio or anywhere close that can compare living here to there would be Great! But all info will help.
*Another thing I would like to know is whether or not getting places is difficult or if commutes are easy and what is it like around CS does it get desolate or is it pretty populated? Traffic can get sort of bad sometimes on major roads. They do alot of construction. Commute times would probably be longer than Cleveland. It's more sprawled out in Colorado Springs, but that increases the car traffic.
*Is driving in the direction of Cascade, Pikes Peak, etc. like driving in the mountains of TN - up, down, around, and around?
We are looking at leaving here in next week or so - - just gonna wing it -- were planning on finding a spot to stay when we get there -- it would be nice to find a small efficiency, cabin, cottage or such to stay weekly or monthly - any thoughts? (Were very simple people and don't need a big place!)
Any comments on anything that I should of asked and didn't would be appreciated.......
I disagree with the above poster about costs compared to Cleveland. I moved in 2004 and I had a great deal of sticker shock! I lived in Cleveland proper and not the suburbs, for the most part, though.
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