Colorado Springs from Florida? (Fountain: appliances, new house, neighborhoods)

[mtngigi]

Originally Posted by chiluvr1228

Here's another option I'm considering. I fly to CS with the tiny dog and one of the cats. My Colorado son flies here and helps the son that lives with me drive there. They would have Hannah and the other cat. I get stressed and overwhelmed very easily so I'm trying to do whatever I can to avoid me having an anxiety or panic attack.

Well, I understand anxiety attacks ... they're not fun and moving causes enough anxiety on it's own. If your Colorado son can do that for you, that sounds like the perfect solution. Any stress on the pets will soon be forgotten once you're all settled into your new home.

[ejisme]

I drove two cats a couple of times cross country North to South, and a few years later South to North. I used a pet carrier and a dish-pack box. A carrier similar to this one:

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/s...HgIpZytJOftfUw

I cut the top flaps off of a dish-pack box and notches to match the wide points on the pet carrier, so they would slide together a few inches. I then gave the cats a bed, water and food in their pet carrier, and put a litter box in the dish-pack box. After a couple hours they seemed to settle down and didn't yowl anymore, and didn't the next days driving. The cats mostly huddled in the litter box, I assume because it was darker in there. They seemed to love exploring motel rooms, with the litter box and pet carrier in the motel room with us. Anyway, they did fine. They were about 5 on the first move south. Nine on the move north. They lived happy lives to 15 and 18 years old. Good Luck and have a safe move.

[chiluvr1228]

I have an offer on my house! Signing papers for it today. I have 4 houses in Colorado that I like a lot: two in Fountain and two in Colorado Springs. Can anyone here tell me about Fountain that I won't necessarily find online?

If everything goes well, my closing will be around February 20th. Didn't want to make this trip in the middle of winter but it is what it is.

[mtngigi]

Originally Posted by chiluvr1228

I have an offer on my house! Signing papers for it today. I have 4 houses in Colorado that I like a lot: two in Fountain and two in Colorado Springs. Can anyone here tell me about Fountain that I won't necessarily find online?

If everything goes well, my closing will be around February 20th. Didn't want to make this trip in the middle of winter but it is what it is.

Congratulations ... I bet you're relieved. Others will come along with more useful information about Fountain ... what I have to offer are just my experiences.

I like Fountain and it's somewhat small-town feel. It used to be pretty quiet, but like everywhere else around here, it has grown. Every time I visit, there seems to be new (to me) businesses. There's a big Goodwill there that I like going to. It has easy access to I-25 and Colorado Springs and Pueblo. There's a dog park and nice garden center; the usual fast food offerings, but lots of other restaurant options. Some neighborhoods I driven around in Fountain look like they'd offer peace and quiet, with good walking options (which is what I'd look for).

So that's all I have to offer. I don't live there, but I've always enjoyed the atmosphere and feel of the place. A lot depends on what kind of environment you prefer. I don't enjoy lots of sprawl and traffic, as has happened to certain parts of Colorado Springs, but there are many nice, quiet neighborhoods all over the Springs, too. What kind of neighborhood is your house in Florida in, and do you want to replicate that?

[otowi]

Fountain is great - the best-funded school district in the region with some great facilities as a result. Has everything you need, just about, so you'd almost never have to go into the Springs if you don't want to, but also very easy access to the Springs via I-25, Powers, Marksheffel, and other major roads. It has a small town historic little downtown and also lots of new construction. Invests well back into itself for park development, road maintenance, etc., compared to the county and Colorado Springs.

It was a front runner to become the state capital back in the 1800s until a train accident blew up a big chunk of the downtown. - lots of interesting history if you're into that - and they have a little history museum downtown that is open once a week or something like that.

If you want to provide more detail about the homes in terms of address, I can be more specific about neighborhoods, etc.

[mtngigi]

I knew Otowi would come along with better and more knowledgeable information. I'd like to add that you'll also have great views of Pikes Peak and the foothills.

[chiluvr1228]

I read about the train accident online. Also saw something about some flooding last summer. It appeared to just be road flooding with no houses affected hopefully.

I like a quiet, safe neighborhood that has walkability and is fairly close to grocery stores. I haven't driven in snow in 25 years so I want to stay fairly close to the important things.

I'll be talking to my Colorado realtor in the next hour or so. My son in Colorado will be looking at my favorites with him over the weekend.

Still haven't decided how I will be transporting the cats. Lots of different options, most costing quite a bit of $$$ considering both these cats were strays who showed up at my house...

[mtngigi]

Originally Posted by chiluvr1228

I read about the train accident online. Also saw something about some flooding last summer. It appeared to just be road flooding with no houses affected hopefully.

I like a quiet, safe neighborhood that has walkability and is fairly close to grocery stores. I haven't driven in snow in 25 years so I want to stay fairly close to the important things.

I'll be talking to my Colorado realtor in the next hour or so. My son in Colorado will be looking at my favorites with him over the weekend.

Still haven't decided how I will be transporting the cats. Lots of different options, most costing quite a bit of $$$ considering both these cats were strays who showed up at my house...

I thought you'd figured that out. That you fly with your dog and one cat, and both your sons drive here with the remaining pets (I've lost count, lol). Is that not an option after all?


But no matter what, as I suggested in a past post, you should talk to your vet about calming meds for the pets, both flying and driving. It will help the cats especially. Just knock 'em out and when they wake up, they'll be in Colorado. There's no avoiding the fact they'll experience some stress from the move, but it can be made easier on them (and you) with the help of calming meds.

[otowi]

Originally Posted by chiluvr1228

I read about the train accident online. Also saw something about some flooding last summer. It appeared to just be road flooding with no houses affected hopefully.

I like a quiet, safe neighborhood that has walkability and is fairly close to grocery stores. I haven't driven in snow in 25 years so I want to stay fairly close to the important things.

I'll be talking to my Colorado realtor in the next hour or so. My son in Colorado will be looking at my favorites with him over the weekend.

Still haven't decided how I will be transporting the cats. Lots of different options, most costing quite a bit of $$$ considering both these cats were strays who showed up at my house...

The flooding didn't really have anything to do with the city itself, but damaged trails in a park along the creek going through town. That happens periodically. But don't buy a place right next to the creek or the railroad, fyi.

Fountain has a Safeway, two Walmarts, a Sam's Club, and a King Sooper's (Kroger) is being built to open in 2025. There are also a few mini grocery places in nearby Security-Widefield, etc. Walkability isn't a really easy to find thing in Colorado, but I'd say your best bet in Fountain would be to find a home off of Fountain Mesa Road which offers walkability to both Safeway and the upcoming King Sooper's and lots of other shops, as well as some parks.

I think my current favorite parts of Fountain if I were house shopping would be near Cross Creek Park/Ancestra/C&S Road area, or down near Metcalfe Park/downtown. Metcalfe Park has a nice little craft/farmer's market on Saturdays in summer.

[chiluvr1228]

The house I will be looking at is on Robin Lane.

My son will be out of the country for work when I'm moving so that plan is scrapped. I may rent a small RV so we are all comfortable for the long trip and tow my car.