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Old 12-02-2011, 10:23 PM
 
5 posts, read 9,137 times
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Hello everyone,

Well, in 2 weeks I will be in Pueblo for 3 days interviewing for a job. I'm born/raised in South Florida and just looking to experience new things.

I'm 27 and would be moving there with my Fiancee. We both enjoy outdoor activities/sports and see Colorado as a great opportunity to do this. We also see Colorado as a central hub for exploring the Southwest and West Coast which we've never done. So, this would be a great opportunity to allow us to do so.
But we want to make sure we are making the right decision. We've done some due diligence and found a few things that may be holding us back.

1. We've been reading a lot about increasing crime rates in Pueblo. Of course we don't think people are walking around robbing and shooting everyone, but we (like everyone else) don't want to place ourselves in a vulnerable situation. So, i guess my question is, are there really nice areas of Pueblo that virtually experience no crime?

2. We are reading very nice things about Pueblo West, but are concerned about how 'spread out' it may be. Being city dwellers our whole lives, we are used to having a 7-11/Publix/Restaurant/Subway/Gym/etc. right around the corner. Is Pueblo West truly that desolate....as in, will i have to drive 10-15 mins to the grocery store or gym?

3. Rental properties. After searching realtor.com and other sites, I haven't come across very many properties that would fit what we want. Particularly in Pueblo West. Having animals, we'd be interested in renting a nice/updated house (possibly 3/2/?) with a decent sized yard. Does Pueblo seem to have more rentals by owner rather than on the MLS? How can i find these places? what neighborhoods other than Pueblo West might provide what we're looking for?

4. How is Pueblo's location to outdoor sport activities....skiing, hiking (with dog), rafting, climbing? How about accessibility to main attractions of the Southwest (Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Bryce, Moab, etc.) ? Is it feasible to drive to these areas?

5. Dog friendliness. Are there particular parts of Pueblo that seem more 'dog friendly' than others?

6. When I'm there interviewing, what do you guys suggest we do to get a true feel of whether or not we will enjoy residing in Pueblo?
We are very very concerned about finding a nice rental....as I said, we have not had any luck searching the internet. And finding the right place is a make or break decision on whether we move out to Pueblo.

I really appreciate you advice and thank you in advance.
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Old 12-03-2011, 12:55 AM
 
Location: Pueblo - Colorado's Second City
12,260 posts, read 24,396,039 times
Reputation: 4395
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tritan84 View Post
Hello everyone,

Well, in 2 weeks I will be in Pueblo for 3 days interviewing for a job. I'm born/raised in South Florida and just looking to experience new things.
First off let me welcome you to Pueblo!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tritan84 View Post
I'm 27 and would be moving there with my Fiancee. We both enjoy outdoor activities/sports and see Colorado as a great opportunity to do this. We also see Colorado as a central hub for exploring the Southwest and West Coast which we've never done. So, this would be a great opportunity to allow us to do so.
Pueblo is seen as the most northern southwest city. It will give you a great opportunity to explore Colorado and the south west.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tritan84 View Post
But we want to make sure we are making the right decision. We've done some due diligence and found a few things that may be holding us back.

1. We've been reading a lot about increasing crime rates in Pueblo. Of course we don't think people are walking around robbing and shooting everyone, but we (like everyone else) don't want to place ourselves in a vulnerable situation. So, i guess my question is, are there really nice areas of Pueblo that virtually experience no crime?
Let me say I love Pueblo a lot but I would never live here if I did not feel safe, no town is worth that. That being said there are some parts of the city you should not live in, just like in any larger city. They tend to be the east side, Bessemer, and the area around the Colorado State Hospital. The areas of town that you should consider are the north side (Eagle Ridge and by CSU Pueblo), south side and if you like older areas just north of downtown by Parkview Medical Center.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tritan84 View Post
2. We are reading very nice things about Pueblo West, but are concerned about how 'spread out' it may be. Being city dwellers our whole lives, we are used to having a 7-11/Publix/Restaurant/Subway/Gym/etc. right around the corner. Is Pueblo West truly that desolate....as in, will i have to drive 10-15 mins to the grocery store or gym?
Pueblo West is a nice area but it is a sprawling suburb.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tritan84 View Post
3. Rental properties. After searching realtor.com and other sites, I haven't come across very many properties that would fit what we want. Particularly in Pueblo West. Having animals, we'd be interested in renting a nice/updated house (possibly 3/2/?) with a decent sized yard. Does Pueblo seem to have more rentals by owner rather than on the MLS? How can i find these places? what neighborhoods other than Pueblo West might provide what we're looking for?
I have never rented a house before so I am not sure how to find one. I would suggest calling a local realtor.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tritan84 View Post
4. How is Pueblo's location to outdoor sport activities....skiing, hiking (with dog), rafting, climbing? How about accessibility to main attractions of the Southwest (Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Bryce, Moab, etc.) ? Is it feasible to drive to these areas?
Pueblo is close to skiing (Monarch is about 90 minutes away), Pueblo has many local hiking trails and Pueblo Mountain Park is only 30 minutes west of town, rafting is just west of Pueblo in the Arkansas river, hiking is about the same distance. You can drive to Las vegas its about 12 hours or Pueblo has a non stop flight on Alligent Airlines.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tritan84 View Post
5. Dog friendliness. Are there particular parts of Pueblo that seem more 'dog friendly' than others?
I would say Pueblo is a dog friendly town. There is a dog park at City Park on the south side called City Bark at City Park.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tritan84 View Post
6. When I'm there interviewing, what do you guys suggest we do to get a true feel of whether or not we will enjoy residing in Pueblo?
Keep in mind this is winter so it will be cold here, especially compared to Florida. I would visit the Riverwalk in downtown, at night its lit up with Christmas lights. The mall is nice and gives you a idea of what the shopping is like in Pueblo. Drive thru some of the neighborhoods on the south and north side and even look at the university.

Pueblo is a nice city but if you are coming from Miami it will be a lot smaller but for a small town we have nice amenities like a symphony, performing arts center, local and Broadway shows, museums, movie theater, that towns many times our size don't have. If you have any questions feel free to ask me and I will do my best to answer them.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tritan84 View Post
We are very very concerned about finding a nice rental....as I said, we have not had any luck searching the internet. And finding the right place is a make or break decision on whether we move out to Pueblo.

I really appreciate you advice and thank you in advance.
If you are looking for a house I would call a local realtor.
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Old 12-03-2011, 01:52 AM
 
Location: The 719
17,930 posts, read 27,342,617 times
Reputation: 17220
What do you mean south fla? Miami, Ft Meyers, Sarasota, Bradenton/Long Boat/Key/ Palmetto? Daytona?

If you're in Tampa or further south, you will freeze your ass off here... even though it's a the Banana Belt of Colorado... allegedly.

Tomorrow it's going to be 11°, then 5° Sunday, then -2° Monday.

You will miss water and you will miss green. The presence of mountains... off in the distance may make up for it a little bit. If you survive the winter and the spring, you may get a boat and check out our reservoir. It's not the biggest body of water, but once your out on that lake, it's not too shabby. And it does get warm here in the summer.

But it's dry here. This is the nose-mining capital of the planet here. If you're stopped at a light, you'll look over and see some fool staring at his Iphone or his finger will be in his nose. It's just the way it is.

It's brown here. Why? Because we don't get any snow to cover up the dormant grass and weeds. Joss chases snow flakes around, but that's another story for another thread.

You will be bored here and the shopping sucks.

I hope you love your job and I hope your fiancee doesn't dump you for dragging her/him out here. You'll wish you were living in Denver.

Happy traveling and good luck with the job.

Last edited by McGowdog; 12-03-2011 at 02:03 AM..
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Old 12-03-2011, 09:16 AM
 
Location: Sun City West, Arizona
50,358 posts, read 23,952,006 times
Reputation: 32637
I moved to Colorado Springs 18 months ago and have driven down to Pueblo several times. I'm used to living around the Washington, D.C. area, though I come from the Rochester, NY area. To each his own, but I wouldn't care to live in Pueblo at all, and wouldn't recommend it to anyone UNLESS they like small towns or their job is there. Even here in Colorado Springs, I find myself driving to Denver for really serious shopping...from Pueblo, downtown Denver is about a 115 mile drive...about 100 miles to the biggest mall on the south side of Denver.

While you're in Pueblo, yes, visit Riverwalk, but also think how much time you'd spend at that poor imitation of San Antonio's Riverwalk. Riverwalk's nice, but not a reason to move to Pueblo. Take a walk also down South Union Avenue and notice all the empty store fronts. And yes, drive around Bessemer, just west of the main steel mill. Then drive around the strip malls that make up most of Pueblo's shopping areas. My guess is that if you live in Pueblo you'll travel to Colorado Springs to do serious shopping, and we in Colorado Springs go to Denver to do serious shopping. But at least here in Colorado Springs we have Macys, Pennys, Kohls, and Dillards. In Pueblo, as far as I know you have Pennys and Kohls.

South Florida versus Pueblo. Well, if you enjoy south Florida, my guess is that you'll hate Pueblo. And by the way, Monarch Pass for skiing -- that's a 119 mile drive.

Pueblo tries hard...in terms of urban renewal and things of that sort. But, from my perspective, it is not a thriving town, it's a struggling town. But, again, they try hard.
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Old 12-03-2011, 09:44 AM
 
Location: Pueblo - Colorado's Second City
12,260 posts, read 24,396,039 times
Reputation: 4395
Quote:
Originally Posted by phetaroi View Post
I moved to Colorado Springs 18 months ago and have driven down to Pueblo several times. I'm used to living around the Washington, D.C. area, though I come from the Rochester, NY area. To each his own, but I wouldn't care to live in Pueblo at all, and wouldn't recommend it to anyone UNLESS they like small towns or their job is there. Even here in Colorado Springs, I find myself driving to Denver for really serious shopping...from Pueblo, downtown Denver is about a 115 mile drive...about 100 miles to the biggest mall on the south side of Denver.
I am going to shock everyone and sort of agree with you. If someone wants to live in a large metro area like Miami then at 160,000 people Pueblo is not for them and never will be as we will only grow to about a quarter of a million people in the next 30 years. That goes for the OP as well. It just depends on what size of a MSA he wants to live in. However if they do want to live in a smaller town with large city amenities then Pueblo is for them.

Quote:
Originally Posted by phetaroi View Post
While you're in Pueblo, yes, visit Riverwalk, but also think how much time you'd spend at that poor imitation of San Antonio's Riverwalk. Riverwalk's nice, but not a reason to move to Pueblo. Take a walk also down South Union Avenue and notice all the empty store fronts.
I need to give a balanced view of this part of town for the OP.

The Riverwalk/ Union Ave area is a bright spot in Pueblo. In fact Pueblo spends a lot of money and effort in redeveloping our urban core as we believe a strong urban core is important to a strong city. There are new restaurants and condos as well as large developments planned. Currently Pueblo is applying for the state tourism grant that would double the size of the convention center, add a Professional Bull Rider University (the headquarters is already on the Riverwalk) that when not in use will be more convention space making the total convention center about 250,000 square feet. That will bring about 800,000 people, many of them out of state people, to downtown Pueblo every year. That will cause many hotels and restaurants to be built making this very busy downtown. Not bad for a city of 110,000 people.

In my opinion Pueblo has one of the best performing arts centers in the state with more musicals and plays then Colorado Springs. We are currently remodeling our main theater (spending over 15 million dollars) that hosts many Broadway shows, it was built in 1917, and it will be done in 2013.

Again downtown Pueblo is no downtown Miami, and I don't claim that it is, but much nicer then you would find in a typical city 110,000 people.


Quote:
Originally Posted by phetaroi View Post
And yes, drive around Bessemer, just west of the main steel mill. Then drive around the strip malls that make up most of Pueblo's shopping areas. My guess is that if you live in Pueblo you'll travel to Colorado Springs to do serious shopping, and we in Colorado Springs go to Denver to do serious shopping. But at least here in Colorado Springs we have Macys, Pennys, Kohls, and Dillards. In Pueblo, as far as I know you have Pennys and Kohls.
I NEVER drive to Colorado Springs to shop. In fact I am told that a lot of people from Colorado Springs drive down to shop at many of our unique mom and pop retail stores on Union Ave. Pueblo's mall is full and can be very busy as its the only mall in southern Colorado. We have JC Penny, Dillards, Sears, and Sports Authority as the anchors as well as many other smaller stores. Pueblo, also, has a Best Buy, Old Navy, Koahls in a strip mall just north of the Mall. BTW Florida has a lot of strip malls, I lived in Orlando, so the OP should be use to them. Is the shopping better in Miami or Denver? Sure they have more population but to say you cant find what you need in Pueblo is not true.

Quote:
Originally Posted by phetaroi View Post
South Florida versus Pueblo. Well, if you enjoy south Florida, my guess is that you'll hate Pueblo. And by the way, Monarch Pass for skiing -- that's a 119 mile drive.
It depends what the OP is looking for. BTW its 90 minutes to Monarch. Same as it is to Keystone/ Breckenridge from Denver. So we are not far from the mountains.

Quote:
Originally Posted by phetaroi View Post
Pueblo tries hard...in terms of urban renewal and things of that sort. But, from my perspective, it is not a thriving town, it's a struggling town. But, again, they try hard.
Pueblo has struggled since the 80's that I give you but right now what city is not struggling? Once this economy gets better Pueblo is expected to grow and thrive. That is not my predictions but from regional planners. If the OP is looking to live in a smaller city then Pueblo is not a bad place to live. If the OP wants to live in a large tropical metro area then he would not like it here. Just depends on what he wants.
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Old 12-03-2011, 09:54 AM
 
Location: Sun City West, Arizona
50,358 posts, read 23,952,006 times
Reputation: 32637
Josseppie, from listening to my negativity and your positivity, the OP may get a balanced view.

My only caution is, don't rely on what may come to pass in Pueblo or any other city. Rely on what is there now.

And, as I said, to each his own. Josseppie LOVES Pueblo, and that is one viewpoint. I'm glad he loves where he lives. I just try to point out a different perspective. But I certainly recommend the OP spend a few days getting to know Pueblo before moving there.
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Old 12-03-2011, 12:01 PM
 
Location: Pueblo - Colorado's Second City
12,260 posts, read 24,396,039 times
Reputation: 4395
Quote:
Originally Posted by phetaroi View Post
Josseppie, from listening to my negativity and your positivity, the OP may get a balanced view.

My only caution is, don't rely on what may come to pass in Pueblo or any other city. Rely on what is there now.

And, as I said, to each his own. Josseppie LOVES Pueblo, and that is one viewpoint. I'm glad he loves where he lives. I just try to point out a different perspective. But I certainly recommend the OP spend a few days getting to know Pueblo before moving there.
Agreed both posts should provide a good perspective for the OP.

I just want to clarify a few things. I did not make any predictions. What I talked about on the Riverwalk is taking place now, the proposal is in my car, and the remodel project with Memorial Hall has started and will be done in 2013. I suppose the growth of Pueblo could be seen as a prediction but I went with the more conservative numbers from regional growth planners, not my prediction, and I think that is important to know because I would not want to move to a region that was forecasted to decline in population.

I agree they need to come and visit and see if Pueblo is right for them.
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Old 12-03-2011, 02:21 PM
 
Location: Back in COLORADO!!!
839 posts, read 2,412,048 times
Reputation: 1392
Well, here's a different perspective.....

I am a native of Colorado Springs and I lived there for most of my life with brief periods of escape when I lived in Denver (5 years), and other places for a few months...

Finally, I purchased a rural property just east of Pueblo, out by Vineland in 2008. I lived there until late 2010 when we moved to this humid hell hole the rest of the world knows as Houston..... We came here for my wife's job, but I cannot wait to get back home!

I have never missed my home town, or Denver or any other place I lived except the Pueblo area. Yes, it's dry. Yes, the town has it's economic challenges. Yes, it has some issues, but it's home... I just want to go home.........

Anyway, to address the OP's questions, Pueblo West is a very nice area. A lot of the homes there are on very large (1 acre +) sized lots which is perfect for those of us who love dogs. There are many convenient places to shop in PW. If you're not too fancy, there is a large, newer Safeway store and a Wal-Mart right there on HWY 50 which is really central to Pueblo West. There are a plethora of convenience stores and restaurants as well. Also, you wouldn't be too far from Pueblo it's self for additional shopping choices.....

I will give you a brief summary of why I love the Pueblo area. It is the perfect size city. You have everything you need, and dang near everything you might want, but none of the traffic and congestion one might encounter in a larger city.

The weather there really isn't that bad. Yes, compared to Florida, it will be cold in the winter. But, it's not like Minnesota. Snow melts off quickly and we get a ton of sunshine. Prolonged periods of freezing temperatures are unusual. Typically, we'll get a little cold snap and we're done with it in less than a week. As far as summer heat, well, that we do have, but the difference is the dry air makes it a lot more tolerable. Unlike the southern US, it cools off nicely in the evening in Pueblo.

The only thing Pueblo has going against it (IMHO), is the lack of decent jobs. Since it sounds like you have one lined up (hence the reason for your move), you have that part covered. Oh, I'm sure you already know this, but the cost of living here is low. Granted, food, fuel, insurance, consumer goods, etc will be about the same, but housing costs are low as are taxes (comparatively).

If you need some help finding a rental, I know a couple of Realtors who handle rental properties. Shoot me a DM and I'll get you names and phone numbers if you want...

I really really love it there. I think you might too. See if you can arrange a short visit before you commit though. I think you'll like it!
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Old 12-03-2011, 05:27 PM
 
5 posts, read 9,137 times
Reputation: 13
I appreciate ALL the input guys. I'm starting to put things into perspective.

From previous threads i've read and from these postings, it's quiet entertaining to see such opposing positions on Pueblo. I do see Joss as a die-hard Puebloen, so I understand it may not be as bright as the picture he paints...but i wouldn't say it seems misleading. And i can also agree with McGow on some of the perspectives he brings up.

To clarify a few things....we are from the Ft. Lauderdale area....but we don't live like rock stars or anything. Most of the time we enjoy peace and quiet, but do like the ability to go out for drinks when we want, or go to the corner and grab a bite to eat. I'm just worried there even isn't enough of that around in Pueblo Pueblo West.

Yes, I think we do understand that we will be relocating to a much smaller city, and expect to be bored at times. But really, we are viewing this from the perspective of this being an opportunity to explore the Southwest and West areas of the US. Meaning any time off I get (weekends, vacations), we will be traveling out of town to explore, partake in outdoor activities, or seeing other major cities (Las Vegas, LA, Denver, San Francisco, etc). TBH, I'm more concerned about my fiancee who will not be working. Seems she may really get bored, having nothing to do while i'm working everyday.

I think my previous paragraph kinda outlines on what we are looking for...we want to explore...be it a small town or large metropolis. And since we've never been West or Southwest, we see this as an opportunity to do so...it does not necessarily mean FOREVER. Now, if you guys start to tell me that Pueblo really isn't a good hub to do the things we want to do (outdoor sports, traveling to other cities and national parks) then I think it would be no question to avoid going.

To be quite honest, I do see that a place like Colorado Springs might be a better fit to what we're looking for in Colorado. But we aren't scared of trying out different things...especially if it's not for too long of a time.

Also, I probably should have mentioned that we wouldn't feel binded to Pueblo forever. If I received an offer and take it, I'd only be contracted to a year and a half. At which, if we really enjoy the area, may choose to stay, or move on to another place.

But again, we are really concerned on actually finding the right house. As we have not had any luck searching the internet. I'll be PMing you shortly GreenScout.

Thanks again for the advice guys
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Old 12-03-2011, 05:40 PM
 
26,144 posts, read 48,824,756 times
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...Yes, it has some issues, but it's home... I just want to go home..........
If you want to go home, it really is quite easy, here's the STEP BY STEP GUIDE



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