Need advice! Where should I live? (Denver, Colorado Springs: ski resorts, home, find a job)

[cjohnson86]

Hi all,

I'll get right to the point and try to tell you as much as I can about what I am wanting. My wife and I want to move to Colorado and need some help deciding where the best place for us is. I work in the technology field and my wife works as a veterinary technician. My wife would like to be able to stay home to focus on her art (she's very good at it) when we move. We both love nature and the outdoors. We are both active and enjoy climbing, biking, camping and backpacking.

We are looking for an area where we can get a nice home (around 2,000 sq ft and not much over 20 years old) with good mountain views. We would want to spend around $200,000 to $300,000. We would also like to be near a decent sized city (doesn't have to be Denver sized) which I think would be required to get a job in the technology industry. My wife would like there to be a good arts community nearby also. I would also like to have at least 1 or 2 acres of property.

I'm not sure if all of this sounds like a tall order or if I just don't know where to look to get this. In short, we want to be able to work and enjoy our hobbies without having to go to far for either. I would not consider moving unless I was able to find a job paying at least $65,000/year if that helps in the advice.

I am looking forward to hearing from anyone who can help!

Thanks!

[delta07]

I think some of your list is doable in Denver, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, or pretty much anywhere along the Front Range. However, having a home on 1-2 acres with mountain views close to the city is going to be well over your budget. If you can settle for a home in a subdivision, maybe near some green space so you can get out and enjoy the things you love, then it's possible. You could also go further east, on the plains, but then you're that much further from the mountains where I presume you would like to hike, backpack, bike, etc.

[Idunn]

One place you might try is Louisville.

As just southeast of Boulder, and in more than a few places quite good panoramic views of the front range mountains, it has become one of the second options of choice from people priced out of Boulder. Not to mention being a nice town in its own right.

At certain times of the day commuting on US 36 wouldn't be any picnic, although generally reasonable. From Louisville one is not only quickly into Boulder, but should employment, entertainment, or shopping so dictate, fairly accessible as well into Denver and all points between. Somewhere along there are encapsulated a lot of the opportunities and perks of front range living. Although this can depend, and if one's job happened to be on the far side of Denver, then probably best to use that as ground zero in considering residences spreading out from. So a place such as Louisville only by way of general suggestion. But if employment in Boulder, as might be possible, then near ideal, save of course Boulder itself.

Being literally at the base of the mountains, Boulder has no lack of good hiking trails and other outdoor opportunities, not to mention good access straight west into the high country. For skiing, not bad, although some locations in Denver with more direct access to I-70 and the ski resorts in Summit County.

Price-wise, decent residences can be had in Louisville for under $300,000. Acreage is more problematic. If really keen on that much elbow room, probably necessitating a slight remove from any town, and likely thus in consequence a longer commute.

[80skeys]

Originally Posted by cjohnson86

We would also like to be near a decent sized city (doesn't have to be Denver sized) which I think would be required to get a job in the technology industry.

This limits your options to the I-25 corridor: Colorado Spring, Denver, Boulder (or suburbs). There aren't any technology jobs anywhere else in the state, except for the odd government job or Hewlett Packard field tech, and you can bet that people are clinging to these jobs like grim death.

My wife would like there to be a good arts community nearby also.

Again puts you in one of the towns along I-25.

I'm not sure if all of this sounds like a tall order or if I just don't know where to look to get this. In short, we want to be able to work and enjoy our hobbies without having to go to far for either.

If you stick west of I-25, as close to the foothills as possible, then access to hiking is pretty easy. If you're in a place like Denver, it's takes a bit longer to get up into the mountains. While if you land in a smaller town like Co Springs or Boulder, the mountains are basically at your back doorstep.

I would not consider moving unless I was able to find a job paying at least $65,000/year if that helps in the advice.

Definitely do-able, unless your job is a less-skilled, basic computer support tech or call center type of thing. You know how the tech industry is: salary depends on the complexity of the skills necessary to do the job.

[cjohnson86]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Louisville looks like a very nice place to live. I figured I would have to sacrifice somewhere and I guess it will be the land. Or maybe we can sacrifice square footage and build a smaller home on some land and have a bit longer commute. A lot to think about! I open to any other suggestions as well if anyone else has some advice for me. Thanks!

[jiumooss]

In short, we want to be able to work and enjoy our hobbies without having to go to far for either.http://www.*****.info/g.gif (broken link)