Cragmor neighborhood? (Fountain: apartment, foreclosure, rent)

[genifra]

Hi all,
I've lived in the Springs for 2 1/2 years and I love it here. Now I'm looking to buy a house. I can only spend about 150K (not all of us are rich!) and once place I'm considering is the Cragmor area. Any thoughts on the safety/quietness of Cragmor and Cragmor heights? Specifically the part of Cragmor behind CSCS and Pulpit Rock Church.

Also, while I'm here -- if you have any suggestions of good neighborhoods where a small house in this price range could be found -- please share! Right now I'm thinking downtown and OCC. I don't want a townhome or condo. No Briargate, no Powers corridor.

Thanks for your help!!!!

[Bob from down south]

Originally Posted by genifra

Hi all,
I've lived in the Springs for 2 1/2 years and I love it here. Now I'm looking to buy a house. I can only spend about 150K (not all of us are rich!) and once place I'm considering is the Cragmor area. Any thoughts on the safety/quietness of Cragmor and Cragmor heights? Specifically the part of Cragmor behind CSCS and Pulpit Rock Church.

Also, while I'm here -- if you have any suggestions of good neighborhoods where a small house in this price range could be found -- please share! Right now I'm thinking downtown and OCC. I don't want a townhome or condo. No Briargate, no Powers corridor.

Thanks for your help!!!!

Cragmoor = old and icky. Went there, looked, and ran away screaming.

Why buy now in a sh***y area? Wait for the RE prices to collapse some more and then consider a wider variety of options. There are and will be for some time good foreclosure options as the greedy hordes get their a**es handed to them by the greedy banker hordes.

Buy in haste, repent in 360 easy installments.

[genifra]

Originally Posted by Bob from down south

Cragmoor = old and icky. Went there, looked, and ran away screaming.

Why buy now in a sh***y area? Wait for the RE prices to collapse some more and then consider a wider variety of options. There are and will be for some time good foreclosure options as the greedy hordes get their a**es handed to them by the greedy banker hordes.

Buy in haste, repent in 360 easy installments.

Trust me, I'm taking my time. I'm in no rush. This foreclosure mess is benefitting me. Esp. with this $7500 tax credit possibility.

Can you suggest any good, older neighborhoods that might have smaller homes in my price range?

[SheridanL]

How about the Southern part of Fountain ( near Mesa High School)?

[mugglecrazy]

I am buying a house in the downtown area, 2 miles east of downtown center. I think the area is wonderful but then again I have always been a fan of old homes and neighborhoods.

[genifra]

Originally Posted by mugglecrazy

I am buying a house in the downtown area, 2 miles east of downtown center. I think the area is wonderful but then again I have always been a fan of old homes and neighborhoods.

I do too. I love this area. I'm definitely looking here.

I've thought about Fountain, but it's just too far from my work (in Rockrimmon).

[Bob from down south]

My counsel is to consider keeping your powder dry for now, rent, and keep saving. Why buy into a declining market, especially considering that the low end price segments are the ones getting killed the worst?

If you're talking about a house and not a condo, I haven't seen any neighborhood in the price range you're looking at that I'd consider safe to live in. But if you have a concealed carry permit, a kevlar vest, and revel in danger, go for it.

There are condos in better areas at that price point, but I don't think you'd consider that to have been a good investment at any point in the foreseeable future. And before you get too enamored of the idea of the tax credit, realize that this "'credit" must be paid back to the gov't over the next 15 years. It's a no-interest loan, not $7,500 of free money. And you *will* pay this one back...bankruptcy does not discharge tax debts, and the IRS puts Guido the legbreaker into the debt collector minor leagues in comparison.

[genifra]

Originally Posted by Bob from down south

If you're talking about a house and not a condo, I haven't seen any neighborhood in the price range you're looking at that I'd consider safe to live in. But if you have a concealed carry permit, a kevlar vest, and revel in danger, go for it.

Bob, why do I get the feeling that you live in Pine Creek and shop at the Shops at Briargate and never drive south of Woodmen Road? No, I do believe that shopping at Southgate or the 8th Street Wal-Mart might sully you. And you know that *those people* live in Manitou! Most of the places with the prices out of my reach are SOULLESS. But go ahead, live in Banning Lewis or Wolf Ranch where the yards are like postage stamps and the yards look like Kansas.

[Bob from down south]

Originally Posted by genifra

Bob, why do I get the feeling that you live in Pine Creek

Nope.

Originally Posted by genifra

and shop at the Shops at Briargate

Nope.

Originally Posted by genifra

and never drive south of Woodmen Road? No, I do believe that shopping at Southgate or the 8th Street Wal-Mart might sully you.

Nope again. Was in Wal Mart today. South of Woodmen, even.

Originally Posted by genifra

And you know that *those people* live in Manitou!

Well, unfortunately, yes they do.

Originally Posted by genifra

Most of the places with the prices out of my reach are SOULLESS. But go ahead, live in Banning Lewis or Wolf Ranch where the yards are like postage stamps and the yards look like Kansas.

There are lots of nice places with prices out of your reach, too. But buying for the sake of buying, and in a place that's cheap because it's old and run down, would serve what purpose, 'zackly? You can rent and live in a decent place, continue saving, and buy later in a place where you can be proud of living. Or you can buy now and have "pride of owership" in a run-down slummy neighborhood. You can then spend years giving it "soul" as you and your neighbors sing the blues...

Bottom line, if I were young and starting out again I'd rather be renting and saving in an apartment or condo in Rockrimmon, Pulpit Rock, or Garden Ranch than be a homeower in Cragmoor.



Edit: I've reconsidered. You should *definitely* go buy yourself a house right now...quickly, before the market falls any further!! Treat yourself with as much SOUL as $150K will buy. It's the American Way...who am I to suggest otherwise?

[genifra]

Wow, I can't believe I wasn't banned for that personal attack that clearly violated the rules of the forum? What a delightful place.