Is Colorado a good place to move to and raise a family? (Denver: home, college)

[proveick]

Pueblo wouldn't be my choice.
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RP

[Count David]

Originally Posted by Reaper2792

I guess what we are desiring is a low-key area. Where i am from, my highschool graduation class was about 900 students. I didn't even know 75% of their first names. I want my kids to go to a school that is much smaller than that. I am almost 28 now and i would say a majority of the people i knew from high-school are still living with their parents and have dead end jobs. There is nothing out here for anybody anymore because the population is just too overcrowded. A basement apartment (studio apartment) on long island will run you minimum $1200 a month. I don't want my kids to have the life that i am going through. It is nothing but a struggle. I work 2 jobs and still have nothing in savings. You would think bringing in $800 a week would be good but not for life on Long Island.

I grew up in the Inland Empire, CA (40ish miles east of LA), and the bold is the same there, which is part of the reason I left. I didn't want to struggle, and I didn't want any future kids to struggle, so I see where you're coming from.

LOL, one could get a basement studio apartment in CO for $500-$650/mo.

Originally Posted by Reaper2792

I am not worried about my wife finding a good job. She is well educated with a bachelor's degree in accounting. She has experience in both public and private accounting and even worked for the IRS for 4 years. I personally may have a hard time finding a good job since i only have an associates degree in architectural drafting but i am willing to take whatever i can.

We have a resident accountant here in the Colorado forum. He could probably provide some insight into the market for them here.

I moved here with only a HS diploma. We're doing fine.

Originally Posted by Reaper2792

As i stated in the OP, we are looking for a 2-story house that would be good to raise a family (2 kids is our goal). The house we own now was 245,000 and we already put over 80,000 into it so a down payment would be no problem. Basically the wife's dream house is 3-4 bedrooms, 2 bath, 1/2 acre to 1 acre of property (right now our neighbors homes are basically within an arms reach).

The 1/2 acre to 1 acre of property at that price point won't get you anything outside of the Eastern Plains, and some foothill and mountain communities (which either have long/dangerous commutes, no jobs, or both). Only move to the Eastern Plains if you would also be interested in living in Kansas.

You could get a very nice home on a regular lot (7,000-10,000) in most Front Range (I-25 corridor) cities/towns for $245K.

Originally Posted by Reaper2792

If we have to drive an hour to work

I wouldn't recommend doing this anywhere in Colorado.

Do some research into all Colorado areas, look at the climate/topography, housing prices, availability of jobs, distance to job centers, population, etc.

80% of Colorado's residents live along the Front Range (Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Boulder, Fort Collins, Greeley, etc. Look at the cities/towns along I-25.) Imagine the Midwest with a mountain backdrop, and you've got the Front Range. The mountains are our playground, a la the Catskills and Adirondacks......but better.

We have tons of people on this forum that are willing to help. Colorado isn't a monolithic state, all parts of it are different. What is it that is attracting you to Colorado specifically?

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

We have a resident accountant here in the Colorado forum. He could probably provide some insight into the market for them here.

Is that me, by chance? lol.

With the accounting experience OP has, getting a job will be expontentially easier than someone right out of school with no experience. However, there is still a TON of competition for a limited number of job openings, and my general experience has been your resume will get thrown in the garbage until you're physically living here. I would definitely talk to some recruiters (Robert Half/Accountemps?)-- although be careful, as they tend to overpromise and underdeliver.

[Reaper2792]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

The 1/2 acre to 1 acre of property at that price point won't get you anything outside of the Eastern Plains, and some foothill and mountain communities (which either have long/dangerous commutes, no jobs, or both). Only move to the Eastern Plains if you would also be interested in living in Kansas.

You could get a very nice home on a regular lot (7,000-10,000) in most Front Range (I-25 corridor) cities/towns for $245K.

Well i guess we could afford more since we have already paid a few years of mortgage into our current home. We will probably be looking towards the $300K range. The yard won't need to be that big either considering the mountains would be our backyard.

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

I wouldn't recommend doing this anywhere in Colorado.

Do some research into all Colorado areas, look at the climate/topography, housing prices, availability of jobs, distance to job centers, population, etc.

80% of Colorado's residents live along the Front Range (Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Boulder, Fort Collins, Greeley, etc. Look at the cities/towns along I-25.) Imagine the Midwest with a mountain backdrop, and you've got the Front Range. The mountains are our playground, a la the Catskills and Adirondacks......but better.

We have tons of people on this forum that are willing to help. Colorado isn't a monolithic state, all parts of it are different. What is it that is attracting you to Colorado specifically?

I am attracted to the beauty of Colorado. The scenery is amazing. There is nothing to look at on Long Island except buildings and the back of the car that is in front of you. The weather is appealing to me too. When it is 90 here, it feels like 105 and sticky and gross. You start to sweat the second you step outside. When it's 90 in CO, it feels like 85. I've heard the winter in CO is mostly sunny as well. LI is lucky to see the sun at all during the winter. Everyday is gloomy.

I have come across a few people that are from CO that moved to NY to work in Manhattan. They were all very pleasant people (especially the 2 people from Boulder). The NY attitude is awful (i'm sure you have heard of it). Nobody does anything nice for anybody anymore. This morning for example, my job has 2 doors. I held the door open for this lady. She didn't say anything and when she opened the 2nd door, it was already half way closed by the time i reached for it. It's like the thought didn't even occur to her to hold the door open for me. When driving, if you merge in front of the wrong person, you will get beeped at, screamed at, tailgated and possibly even followed home. It's happens all the time.

I don't know, maybe i am making it out to be better than it really is. I just know it has to be better than where i am now. Any improvement is worth it in my eyes.

[Reaper2792]

Well i appreciate everybody's responses. Researching online used to be so easy but now there is just soooo much information it's hard to tell what's real or not. For instance, websites say that Loveland is one of the best places to live in the US but yet on this site it is not mentioned once.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by Reaper2792

...maybe i am making it out to be better than it really is. I just know it has to be better than where i am now. Any improvement is worth it in my eyes.

No, it is REALLY that nice here, you'll love it.

I'm sure if you use our search tool enough, you'll find mention of Loveland being named "best" this or that, but we downplay those articles in the media as many of them are fluff pieces, even though there's plenty of truth to such stories.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by Reaper2792

Nobody does anything nice for anybody anymore. This morning for example, my job has 2 doors. I held the door open for this lady. She didn't say anything and when she opened the 2nd door, it was already half way closed by the time i reached for it. It's like the thought didn't even occur to her to hold the door open for me.

^This can, and does happen here too.

Originally Posted by Reaper2792

I don't know, maybe i am making it out to be better than it really is. I just know it has to be better than where i am now. Any improvement is worth it in my eyes.

Just come on out.

Originally Posted by Reaper2792

Well i appreciate everybody's responses. Researching online used to be so easy but now there is just soooo much information it's hard to tell what's real or not. For instance, websites say that Loveland is one of the best places to live in the US but yet on this site it is not mentioned once.

Loveland is simply just a nice town. IMO there's nothing remarkable about it, for better or worse.

The "Best Places to Live" lists use criterion like incomes, educational attainment, unemployment, and commute times. I mean, the "best place to live" could be Fargo, but it doesn't mean everybody is going to want to up and move there.

[Reaper2792]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

Just come on out.

Well that is exactly what I am just going to have to do. I just spent two weeks of vacation in Hawaii so it will have to wait a few months. I am going to do lots of research til then but my plan as of right now is to start up in Fort Collins and work my way down to Colorado Springs. From what i have read so far, i am already leaning towards West/Northwest/North of Denver. I am looking forward to seeing what Colorado has to offer. Thanks again.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by Reaper2792

... I am going to do lots of research til then ...

Some research tips:
- Use our Index of Key Threads
- Use our search tool, especially the advanced version
- Use realtor.com to look at homes, styles and prices.
- Use Search or Index to find threads on schools, they're all good here.
- Use the data side of this website to find much info on Longmont and nearby towns; click on the city-data.com link in upper left.

[80skeys]

Originally Posted by Reaper2792

Living on Long Island is a nightmare. It takes me an hour to drive to work, which is only 12 miles from my house. Property taxes are around 6,500$ a year. Crime is at an all time high (my neighbor across the street got shot and killed during an attempted robbery just last year). There aren't many good things to say about living on Long Island besides always being near a beach.

Except in the winter.

To answer your question, Colorado is a good place. The main differences between Colorado and most other places in the US are as follows:

• Very dry air
• High altitude
• Cold, snowy winters
• long stretches of isolation between towns
• Lots of sunny days
• Lack of jobs outside the Front Range (Denver, Colorado Springs)

We have narrowed our search down to Colorado, but now would like to start narrowing down specific areas in the state. We don't want any part of city life since that is what we are trying to get away from. Thanks in advance.

There's very little demand for the type of work you and your fiance do, except in Denver/Colorado Springs/Boulder. The rest of Colorado consists of very small towns that are either agricultural- or tourism-oriented. So, unless you get lucky and get that one job that exists, it's going to be hard finding work in a small town.

You might try Grand Junction, it's the largest town away from the Front Range and it's a very peaceful, nice place to live if you don't mind cold winters, hot summers (and it's boring in my opinion.)