Relocating from KS in June 2014--any advice to newbies of COS (Colorado Springs: HOA, houses)

[KEP87]

We are a culturally diverse family and are ready to get outta this dust bowl. We literally visited COS a few times-fell in love and decided as a family-this is the place for us. Any advice on best housing locations, best high schools and general advice would be appreciated. My husband will be working in Centennial so that would be a factor to consider. Our primary reason for relocating is my deteriorating health and inability to use oral pain medication so....I am seeking other methods of pain relief. Thanks!!!!

[beezle1]

If he is commuting to Centennial, you should probably stick to the north end of El Paso County if you insist on being in Colorado Springs - Monument, Palmer Lake, Gleneagle, Jackson Creek, northern Black Forest, etc. This would put you in school district 38 or 20 - both well respected school districts. What about someplace like Castle Rock? That would get you even closer to Centennial.

[MrsMac]

Northgate (the part of COS by the Air Force Academy) or Monument would work for you and be an easier commute; you can just hop on I-25 and go north. We live in Greyhawk, which is next to Flying Horse (so we don't have the higher taxes and big monthly HOA but are in the same great location) and we love it! I love being close to the mountains and minutes away from everything we need. Greyhawk is also a close neighbourhood with a Facebook page, lots of community events and real neighbours who actually look out for each other and help each other out. Houses in this neighbourhood run the gamut from the smaller 1600 ft 3/2 $225,000+ homes to the large 5/3 homes on larger lots ($345,000+) at the top of the hill.

I have two kids at Discovery Canyon Campus High School (a Pre-K through 12 campus with 3 connected buildings) and we couldn't be happier. It's a relatively new International Baccalaureate school with amazing facilities (my husband was blown away by the Industrial Tech lab) paid for by the upscale Flying Horse development, great counselours who actually listen and work with you and your student and administrators who are available if you have an issue. DCC is a District 20 school and I wish we had moved straight into D20 schools when we moved to COS. We had such terrible experiences with District 49 (in 3 different schools) that we almost left COS entirely!

The only other schools I would consider are District 12 (Cheyenne Mountain further south. Great schools academically but I have friends who aren't happy with the drug situation in their child's high school, though) and District 38 (in Monument. It has 2 wonderful high schools which we can also choice into from where I live and it is only 5 minutes away). There is less snow where I live than in Monument (which is one reason we didn't build there, the other being the fact that this same house was $50,000 more to build there!) but we do the majority of our shopping (WalMart, King Sooper) there and frequent their library and restaurants (chains like Texas Roadhouse, Carlos Miguel's, Chilis as well as local places like Mt. Fuji and Columbine Garden).

[otterprods]

If he's working in Centennial then you should look at places in or near Centennial. If your budget won't allow for neighborhoods in that immediate area, consider saving money by commuting from the East not from the South. In either case, you should try hard to avoid setting your husband up for a long daily commute over the Palmer Divide for no particular reason. If you feel you must live in El Paso County, then at least look at Palmer Lake and developments off of County Line/Palmer Divide Rd. That way you can start from the top of the divide and have options for by-passing it if/when it shuts down due to weather and/or accidents.

[KEP87]

Thanks for all the input from all!