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Old 08-16-2010, 02:31 PM
 
Location: Full-time RVer
11 posts, read 19,187 times
Reputation: 10

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This is my first post - now I need your advice. Recently retired, my husband and I would like to relocate to the wonderful climate in Colorado. We have been enduring 100+ degrees with high humidity all summer here in South Arkansas. Our interests are hiking, biking, watching the wildlife, and perhaps snowmobiling (we've never done that, but it looks like it would be so much fun). We love the mountains and lakes!

We would like to live in a small to medium-size town (15K to 60K population), but be located within an hour's drive to a larger city. We are wanting to down-size but aren't interested in condos or retirement communities. I just read that Money Magazine had selected Louisville, CO as the #1 place to live. Any comments?? We don't have a clue where to start in relocating to CO.

Can you point us in the right direction by giving your advice on the perfect place to live in Colorado?
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Old 08-16-2010, 02:43 PM
 
Location: Western Colorado
12,858 posts, read 16,875,803 times
Reputation: 33510
I retired from the state and moved here from Fayetteville last October. Moved to Fayetteville from Ashley County. I feel your pain. Do what I did, read all the online forums you can find, and VISIT VISIT VISIT and often. VISIT in the dead of winter too. It'll take a while to get used to the dry air and altitude, and dry cold and snow. Good thing is there no ice storms or tornadoes, well not on the western slope anyway. Now compaired to south Arkansas, Colorado will be a sticker shock so get ready for your car insurance to triple, car tags to be a lot, and the price of everything to be a bit insane. But please take your time and visit visit visit first.
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Old 08-16-2010, 05:49 PM
 
Location: Full-time RVer
11 posts, read 19,187 times
Reputation: 10
I truly appreciate the great advice, jim9251. Can you tell me which city you chose on the western slope and your main reasons?
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Old 08-16-2010, 06:02 PM
 
Location: Western Colorado
12,858 posts, read 16,875,803 times
Reputation: 33510
I moved to Ridgway in Ouray County. Wanted a small mountain town that was safe and quiet. I found it. Like I said before, sticker shock, but I'm happy here.

Look at this thread:

Retiring to Colorado, western slope



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Old 08-16-2010, 06:33 PM
 
9,846 posts, read 22,679,821 times
Reputation: 7738
Quote:
Originally Posted by bdodsonx View Post
This is my first post - now I need your advice. Recently retired, my husband and I would like to relocate to the wonderful climate in Colorado. We have been enduring 100+ degrees with high humidity all summer here in South Arkansas. Our interests are hiking, biking, watching the wildlife, and perhaps snowmobiling (we've never done that, but it looks like it would be so much fun). We love the mountains and lakes!

We would like to live in a small to medium-size town (15K to 60K population), but be located within an hour's drive to a larger city. We are wanting to down-size but aren't interested in condos or retirement communities. I just read that Money Magazine had selected Louisville, CO as the #1 place to live. Any comments?? We don't have a clue where to start in relocating to CO.

Can you point us in the right direction by giving your advice on the perfect place to live in Colorado?
There is no perfect place. And no free ride, no great perfect town with low cost of living and all the amenities.

And very few towns of that size within an hour drive of a larger city. Most of the population lives in the blob of suburbia on the Front Range. The rest of the state is sparely populated. Louisville for instance is just part of the population blob on the prairie along the Front Range. There are good suburbs and not so good ones.

Before you go any further, I'd do a trip of the state really getting out and about. Trying to narrow down places to live on a vague criteria that everyone and their dog wants is harder. Everything will only come into focus once you have the lay of the land in view.
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Old 08-16-2010, 07:26 PM
 
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere
14,129 posts, read 31,257,288 times
Reputation: 6920
Quote:
Originally Posted by wanneroo View Post
There is no perfect place. And no free ride, no great perfect town with low cost of living and all the amenities.
.
I read the OP's post over and over and didn't conclude he was looking for those things.

How about around Granby?
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Old 08-16-2010, 07:41 PM
 
Location: Full-time RVer
11 posts, read 19,187 times
Reputation: 10
I appreciate your comments, wanneroo. jim9251 also warned me of "sticker shock". We visited Durango a couple of years ago in October. We are planning another trip after Labor Day, but haven't decided the location in CO yet.

CAVA1990: I've been looking at the Boulder area, so we might should check out Granby. I'll do some research on it. Thanks for giving me a starting point!
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Old 08-16-2010, 07:44 PM
 
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere
14,129 posts, read 31,257,288 times
Reputation: 6920
Quote:
Originally Posted by bdodsonx View Post
I appreciate your comments, wanneroo. jim9251 also warned me of "sticker shock". We visited Durango a couple of years ago in October. We are planning another trip after Labor Day, but haven't decided the location in CO yet
The requirement Durango doesn't fit is closeness to a large city. It's a fur piece from one.
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Old 08-16-2010, 08:02 PM
 
Location: Full-time RVer
11 posts, read 19,187 times
Reputation: 10
You are so right, CAVA1990. I was still working when we visited Durango and hadn't given any thought to moving to CO. Do you know how far it is from Granby to Boulder? I'm assuming Boulder would be the nearest large city......is that correct?
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Old 08-16-2010, 08:17 PM
 
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere
14,129 posts, read 31,257,288 times
Reputation: 6920
No Denver is actually closer at about 86 miles.
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