Could any locals tell me about Grand Junction (Clifton, Montrose: real estate, crime rates)

[pianogal]

DH and I visited Colorado last year and fell in love. Our son will graduate from college next year and we are thinking about how lovely it would be to go ahead and move to the place we would like to spend our retirement years. Grand Junction is a serious contender. We like the climate - not too cold, not too much snow. We live in Florida, the heat wouldn't bother us I don't think..especially since it's a dry heat.
Also at least from the map it looks as if you could be in the San Juans in about 1 1/2 hours or in Moab and from there to the wonderful national parks in Utah in a short time. Sounds like an ideal location.

If anyone has some inside information to share about their experiences in Grand Junction it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[sillygal]

I took a driving tour of CO last year, and I loved GJ........The only thing I didn't like was being out in the middle of nowhere.....BUT, u do have the great Moah, UT at your back door. Its all what u are used too......Me? I love trees, and water, which GJ has but not enough for me........I haven't discounted it yet though, I was amazed at the nice little community and friendliness of the people. It is pretty much a retirement community, I think u would like it.......I did!

[COflower]

I lived in Grand Junction for close to 2 1/2 years.

I have to tell you, if I could, I would move back but because of family concerns that's not going to happen.

The climate is dry but you have to find a house with at minimum a swamp cooler (aka evaporative cooler) as the summers do get hot and even with the dry climate it can be annoying.

Grand Junction is a major hub for the Western Slope of Colorado. If you need it, you can get it there.

The people (I moved from there in Nov of 1995 so I am going off old information) are good people. You get the farmer that can't (or wont) drive faster than 35 in a 55 mph zone to the college kids at Mesa College.

I don't golf but I have heard the golfing around there is terrific.

Real estate...I do a website for a company that has two properties over there. I can't really get too involved but look for real estate that is in the Redlands, if you can afford it. When I lived there I sold windows and doors and had some awesome properties of which I sold windows to and the most beautiful properties backed up agains the Colorado National Monument.

If you like to bike, if you take the scenic way to Moab (there's a turn off before the main highway that I am not clicking with) you drive on the east side of Arches and it's incredible.

Oh, to escape the heat, I used to drive up Lands End Road (south of GJ) to the top of the Grand Mesa.

In the late fall or spring months I would take my dog with me to Escalante Canyon and hike through there.

It's a decent drive up to Glenwood Springs and even up to Aspen if you want to spy a celeb. I only went up there for business but the drive is easy on I-70.

Grand Junction is pretty much with some kind of activity from early spring to late fall.

I used to take my chow/shep/lab out on the BLM land off 25 road (25 miles form the Utah border) to let him run while I road my mountain bike. The kids will leave beer cans and ice and the cattle will leave road patties but I loved to go up there early in the morning before things got too warm.

It's a nice area.

I recommend going there for a week and get to know the downtown area. One of my favorite small downtowns in CO.

Get to know some of the other communities like Clifton, Palisade, Fruita and even Mack where they have Country Jam every year. I am not a big country fan, but Country Jam is a kick in the pants.

Can't tell I miss that place? I do. I can't move there and wish I could. I am tired of front range life but need to be near my family for reasons I don't care to discuss.

It's small town with big city ammenties. She has a curse and the curse is that you want to move back...so the locals told me when I moved there and 11 years later, I believe them.

[pianogal]

Your response perfectly describes the vibes I got when we were there. We spent a good bit of time at the Colorado National Monument and drove through the Redlands looking at homes. It would be a dream to live there. Thank you so much for taking the time to respond.

[BlackShoe]

On a trip down the West Slope a few years back,found the Grand Junction area to very pleasant,and placed it on a list of possible retirement spots.After doing research on the city,one nagging problem kept coming up;crime.Grand Junction has had a high crime rate,and it is getting worse.See the stats on the GJ page.I realize that areas that have colleges and/or see high numbers of tourists often have crime figures that are a bit distorted,but this is still a concern.Locals,do the numbers tell the real situation?Sorry to say,but this comment could go on just about any states forum.Many of places around the country that are considered desirable places to live have crime rates that are quite disturbing.

[Sundance]

I've lived in GJ - not long, but I did live there.
I never experienced ANY crime there.
IMHO, Grand Junction is a very safe place.

I loved Colorado!!!

[sazara]

I agree with everyone, too, as I lived on the Western Slope for 15 years . . . mostly in a little town called Ridgway, but most recently in a bigger small town called Montrose which is about 45 -1 hr. from Grand Junction. All of that area of Colorado is nice, pretty safe, friendly people and if you stay farther from the mountains, the winters are fairly mild. Junction will be lovely for the winter, but very hot in summer . . . in the low 100's at times. Look into Montrose as well. It is growing like crazy . . . booming!! Closer to the mountains, but still mild. Nice old neighborhoods and many new homes, too. Good luck!!

[COflower]

The only crimes I was witness to (if you will) is that my house backed up to one of the canals. A couple of times while I lived there they'd find a car in the canal. Stolen car of course but really it's no worse for crime than any other community that is designated as a metropolin area. (100,000 +)

I never worried about my safety and lived alone. Granted I had a county sheriff living across the street from me but I was not that far from the college (28 1/4 Road and Orchard), close to North and centrally located in a basic middle class neighborhood. It was a nice house (built in the 1970s) with established yards and basically nice people.

I made friends easily over there so I was never without something to do.

But I wouldn't hesitate to move back.

[deeptrance]

Just a quick note about the heat in summer --- I was visiting GJ last summer during its all-time record high of 105 degrees and that was relatively pleasant considering that the early mornings were cool, the air was fairly dry, and I am used to a heat index of well over 105 many days in summer here in Austin, TX. But the sun is so intense, and that makes a big difference! At least in Austin, we get lots of clouds most of the summer and a fair amount of wind. The piercing relentless sun of the west has always been an annoyance to me but if you don't mind it then I don't think occasionally hitting 100 is all that big a problem in a place as dry as GJ.

[donaldtay]

Hi,
Have been trying to get some info on montrose. I am 57 live in Austin Tx which is a great place but am attracked to the cooler weather of Montrose. What is your opinion of future growth of montrose. I would like to make a real estate investment and buy a place to live. Do you have an opinion of Montorse's future( real estate values) as oposed for example to glenwood springs. Thanks