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We have young kids (3 and 5) and don't want to raise them in the urban area where we currently reside in Northern California. Durango had come up in the past as a possibility but we pursued another opportunity in Oregon at that time which we ultimately decided wasn't a good fit, and now we're back to the idea of Durango again. An employment opportunity with one of the larger companies there would be the driving force behind our move.
One of our first concerns is our 5 yo daughter who has some special needs. Currently we have access to a great program that provides both physical therapy and occupational therapy at her school. In a nutshell she has a broadly diagnosed metabolic condition that's beyond any current medical solution. She's silly and quirky... a pretty 'normal' kid, but she has a lot of trouble with her fine motor skills, and some gross motor skills. She is in general education, but with a para-educator and is learning to use a laptop to do some of her assignments to alleviate frustrations/difficulties with writing. I was hoping I might find someone here who can comment on the level of services available in Durango. Whether you have first hand experience or second hand knowledge and input is appreciated.
Secondary to that are all the usual finance concerns.
We will most likely keep our home here in Ca and put it under property management so it can be rented out. We will need to find a short term lease (6 months might be alright) or open ended rental until we're able to find a home in Durango. Any advice on this?
Reading the forum, it sounds like Durango real estate is prohibitively expensive, but looking at listings (I'm using Zillow) there seem to be quite a few nice properties in the upper 200's and low 300's. This is about twice what we would pay for something similar in our current location under the present market... but Durango is set in a much nicer area, it seems like an obvious trade off. In today's market, is it reasonable to expect to find a nice home for $300k in Durango? To provide some perspective, we're in a 1550 sqft home that was built in the early 80's and is in very good condition thanks to remodeling and such, enough so that it's considered a 'nice' home in our area.
Bayfield or Mancos might not be out of the question but if we're going to be outside of Durango we'll probably want something a little more remote, like a home in a wooded area on a large lot, otherwise we'd probably prefer to be in town for the convenience.
I'm sure there are more questions on our minds, but services for our daughter, interim housing, and finding a home are the main concerns right now.
We're very connected with the outdoors and spend most of our free time hiking and backpacking, so needless to say Durango would be a dream location in those respects. It seems like an equally good place to raise the kids, we're hoping we can make it work. Any feedback on the above point or otherwise is appreciated!
I really doubt we have anyone on this site who can really talk to the issues regarding your daughter's schooling. Best if you called the local school district and talked to someone who knows what's available.
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We have calls in with our local resource network to see if we can find out what services are available in the area. The services are not provided by the school (or district) but independently funded organizations... I figured it wouldn't hurt to poll here and see if anyone else on the forum happens to have a child in/near Durango who receives services. If any does, they will know what I'm referring to.
That aside, input on my other questions is welcomed as well.
We are just transferring my son's services from Early Intervention to San Juan BOCS, the company that handles services for 9-R, the Durango school district. I've dealt with them only in passing previously with my daughter before we decided to go all private for her therapies. I haven't been impressed yet, but I don't have any real hard data to go off of. I will confess that that is is my second child that needs services so by this point, I am feeling jaded. Since she is only 5 I'm guessing her IEP is very fresh and that should buy you a couple years with her current level of services. The laptop I am unsure of if there they do that here with K age students. It would be worth a call to BOCS to see if you can find out about laptops here.
Bayfield would put you in the Bayfield schools, I have no personal experience with those but have heard from families with students that have issues, that services can be lacking. There is a small specialty school over there called Piedra Learning Community that goes to 3rd grade, they have OT on site. My experience there is limited to their speech program that I actually commute to for my son, I hardly know about the rest of the school.
Mancos is in a different county so you get Mancos public schools, there is a small elem, middle and high school there. Services would be even less then in Bayfield. I did used to live in Mancos but we moved back to Durango before my oldest went to school. The few families I knew there whose children had special needs, either home schooled or commuted to Durango for school. I would say that if it was my child, that I wouldn't choose to live in Mancos. I'm not saying that schools are horrid, they aren't, but with a child who does have some special needs, the resources available are quite limited.
If you live in town Durango you get routed to either Park Elem, Riverview, or Needham Elem. All would be fine schools. If you choose to live out of town, look at which elem schools you would be routed to. Some properties still get routed to the in-town schools, other end up routed to schools that are in the country and may be twice as far to town as where your house is. In-town schools do not have open enrollment, there are very limited slots available for families that live out of town and the demand is much greater then the supply.
ETA: Not sure if you would be looking for this or not for your 3year old but there are also no preschools in Mancos. Bayfield has one option I believe.
Secondary to that are all the usual finance concerns.
We will most likely keep our home here in Ca and put it under property management so it can be rented out. We will need to find a short term lease (6 months might be alright) or open ended rental until we're able to find a home in Durango. Any advice on this?
Reading the forum, it sounds like Durango real estate is prohibitively expensive, but looking at listings (I'm using Zillow) there seem to be quite a few nice properties in the upper 200's and low 300's. This is about twice what we would pay for something similar in our current location under the present market... but Durango is set in a much nicer area, it seems like an obvious trade off. In today's market, is it reasonable to expect to find a nice home for $300k in Durango? To provide some perspective, we're in a 1550 sqft home that was built in the early 80's and is in very good condition thanks to remodeling and such, enough so that it's considered a 'nice' home in our area.
Bayfield or Mancos might not be out of the question but if we're going to be outside of Durango we'll probably want something a little more remote, like a home in a wooded area on a large lot, otherwise we'd probably prefer to be in town for the convenience.
I'm sure there are more questions on our minds, but services for our daughter, interim housing, and finding a home are the main concerns right now.
We're very connected with the outdoors and spend most of our free time hiking and backpacking, so needless to say Durango would be a dream location in those respects. It seems like an equally good place to raise the kids, we're hoping we can make it work. Any feedback on the above point or otherwise is appreciated!
If I read your post correctly, homes in your CALI area are $400-600K, which makes Durango prices relatively affordable for you, which is excellent. The city has become a bit of a retirement mecca, but I'm sure it's no "sun city, az" of just 55+ types. Letting a child grow up in that gorgeous area should be a wonderful childhood with all the year round outdoor activities.
__________________
- Please follow our TOS.
- Any Questions about City-Data? See the FAQ list.
- Want some detailed instructions on using the site? See The Guide for plain english explanation.
- Realtors are welcome here but do see our Realtor Advice to avoid infractions.
- Thank you and enjoy City-Data.
We are just transferring my son's services from Early Intervention to San Juan BOCS, the company that handles services for 9-R, the Durango school district. I've dealt with them only in passing previously with my daughter before we decided to go all private for her therapies. I haven't been impressed yet, but I don't have any real hard data to go off of. I will confess that that is is my second child that needs services so by this point, I am feeling jaded. Since she is only 5 I'm guessing her IEP is very fresh and that should buy you a couple years with her current level of services. The laptop I am unsure of if there they do that here with K age students. It would be worth a call to BOCS to see if you can find out about laptops here.
Bayfield would put you in the Bayfield schools, I have no personal experience with those but have heard from families with students that have issues, that services can be lacking. There is a small specialty school over there called Piedra Learning Community that goes to 3rd grade, they have OT on site. My experience there is limited to their speech program that I actually commute to for my son, I hardly know about the rest of the school.
Mancos is in a different county so you get Mancos public schools, there is a small elem, middle and high school there. Services would be even less then in Bayfield. I did used to live in Mancos but we moved back to Durango before my oldest went to school. The few families I knew there whose children had special needs, either home schooled or commuted to Durango for school. I would say that if it was my child, that I wouldn't choose to live in Mancos. I'm not saying that schools are horrid, they aren't, but with a child who does have some special needs, the resources available are quite limited.
If you live in town Durango you get routed to either Park Elem, Riverview, or Needham Elem. All would be fine schools. If you choose to live out of town, look at which elem schools you would be routed to. Some properties still get routed to the in-town schools, other end up routed to schools that are in the country and may be twice as far to town as where your house is. In-town schools do not have open enrollment, there are very limited slots available for families that live out of town and the demand is much greater then the supply.
ETA: Not sure if you would be looking for this or not for your 3year old but there are also no preschools in Mancos. Bayfield has one option I believe.
Thank You - this is very helpful. I appreciate you providing your experience, that's usually the part that the family resource network can't fill in. I'll follow up on the San Juan BOCS lead and see what I can learn.
I'd be interested to hear a little more about the private providers you're using for therapies, if you don't mind. If you'd prefer to PM me that would be great, and much appreciated.
If I read your post correctly, homes in your CALI area are $400-600K, which makes Durango prices relatively affordable for you, which is excellent. The city has become a bit of a retirement mecca, but I'm sure it's no "sun city, az" of just 55+ types. Letting a child grow up in that gorgeous area should be a wonderful childhood with all the year round outdoor activities.
Thanks again. The links for the rentals will be useful.
I might have confused the issue of home prices in my previous post. Our home is worth about $150k now (if we're lucky), our neighborhood is great, but the greater area not so much. My logic was that paying $300k for a comparable home in Durango doesn't seem like a bad deal with the difference in locale considered.
Given what our income woul be, and the fact that this will be a second home $300k is our tentative budget.
Where we live, $300k will buy a nice modern home in the current market. But this area isn't all that desirable to us... too much violent crime. So even though it's about twice what a comparable home costs here, it seems reasonable enough to us for the change in scenery.
It's nice that there are a few large companies with branches and/or HQ in Durango. I can't think of any 'small' towns in California off hand that I can say the same about. I don't know how the locals feel about it, but it definitely provides an means for people like ourselves (small family, medium income) to fulfill a dream that we can't otherwise in California.
You may be making a big assumption if you think that you will make California salaries in Durango--even with a "big" national company. I would surely find that out before committing to anything in Durango. Durango has a long reputation in Colorado as being a place where local incomes and living costs are not at all in sync. That is why many of the people who actually have to rely on the local economy in Durango for a living are caught in the "drive to affordability" mode of having to live in Mancos, Bayfield, Aztec, etc. and endure a long commute in order to even afford to live in the area. A $300K house may seem like a bargain to a Californian, but if the local income is half what the California income is, it is no bargain at all. I've seen a whole lot of people not do their homework and get caught in that trap. Also, if the "plum" job that might pay well in Durango doesn't work out, there may be no other comparable opportunity available there. That catches lots of people, too.
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Since she is only 5 I'm guessing her IEP is very fresh and that should buy you a couple years with her current level of services. The laptop I am unsure of if there they do that here with K age students. It would be worth a call to BOCS to see if you can find out about laptops here. 
