Pueblo, Pueblo West, Colorado City ? (Fountain, Florence: appointed, sale, real estate)

[twinkletoes99]

Hi, not sure if this is the right thread, but we are looking at the Pueblo/P West/C City areas for our retirement home. We have limited funds as we are on a fixed income, and need to find a small home in a safe neighborhood. Tops $130k sale price for the house, which means we'll look up to the 140 range. We'd rather pay less if we can, a 2 BR 1 BA place would be fine. So... would someone please give us an idea of the safest neighborhoods in these areas, especially Pueblo and P West? We're not all that picky about needing nightlife, nor the climate (though Pueblo climate sounds good to us after swampy NJ). We're actually in a pretty safe area of NJ, and we used to live in an even safer Mass. middle-sized town, so the crime stats I've seen for Pueblo are sort of disquieting. I've seen percentages on places like Trulia that list both property crime and violent crime as roughly twice as bad as the rest of CO. I want to fly out and look at homes, but would appreciate some honest guidance. I'd rather not ask a real estate agent for the safest areas to live as some of them can be less than reliable when it comes to hard realities. (I'm trying to be diplomatic here.) Thanks for your help.

[McGowdog]

Joss will surely tell you of some nice places in Pueblo.

Colorado City and the Rye area are nice and imo, not out of your budget. My folks just sold their home near Lake Beckwith and the buyers stole it. They got it for just at 100k and my folks wound up owing a couple of grand just to get out of it. Don't ask my opinion of buyers and real estate agents right now.

The problem with Pueblo West and Colorado City is that they just are NOT walkable. Is this an issue with you?

[highplainsrus]

PW looks pretty darn safe and I think you can find something in your price range there and it will probably appreciate in value from current prices. a lot of the houses look pretty modest and there are some condos, too. i think its going to be big in assisted care, should you ever need that. several places being built now. Most of the services are around McCulloch Blvd/US50 with a nice walk/bike path running south from there, but Purcell Blvd/US50 should be hot when road construction dies down. About 2.5-3 miles between them on two narrow roads with tiny shoulders. Several healthcare facilities there and others at US50/Pueblo Blvd to the east.

Pueblo has several beautiful,older, possibly cheaper neighborhoods - some of which might be safe and have goods and services within walking distance. has lots of trees, which PW doesn't have.

Haven't been to the others yet. don't ignore Canon (how DOES that tilde work?) City. as always, best idea is to rent, then scout before buying.

[Mike from back east]

If Pueblo or Pueblo West don't work for you, why not consider Fountain, COLO on the far south end of El Paso County, in zip 80817.

I put the zip into ppar.com for SFHs with a max of $140k and got 40 listings. The crime is low there and you are near the city of Colo Spgs and all it has to offer. If work is in Pueblo this is about a 20-30 minute drive.

[Josseppie]

I'm on my I phone but Pueblo has some great places for you and your budget. Personally I would Recommend the south side or the historic area just north of downtown by Mineral Palace Park and Parkview Medical Center. Another good area is the north side by CSU P.

[twinkletoes99]

Originally Posted by McGowdog

Joss will surely tell you of some nice places in Pueblo.

Colorado City and the Rye area are nice and imo, not out of your budget. My folks just sold their home near Lake Beckwith and the buyers stole it. They got it for just at 100k and my folks wound up owing a couple of grand just to get out of it. Don't ask my opinion of buyers and real estate agents right now.

The problem with Pueblo West and Colorado City is that they just are NOT walkable. Is this an issue with you?

Thanks for the reply! I'm wondering what you mean by not walkable (I walk a LOT). No sidewalks? Dangerous? Places too far apart? Not walkable is definitely an issue if I can't walk/jog safely for exercise.

Don't ask my opinion of agents, either. They get paid by sellers but devote all their energy to buyers. Sellers take it in ... I'm sorry for what happened to your parents. This market is terribly unbalanced. Buyers are often out of line in what they demand.

Will look into Colorado City and Rye. I did a search on Pueblo County and those areas popped up. Thanks!

[twinkletoes99]

Originally Posted by highplainsrus

PW looks pretty darn safe and I think you can find something in your price range there and it will probably appreciate in value from current prices. a lot of the houses look pretty modest and there are some condos, too. i think its going to be big in assisted care, should you ever need that. several places being built now. Most of the services are around McCulloch Blvd/US50 with a nice walk/bike path running south from there, but Purcell Blvd/US50 should be hot when road construction dies down. About 2.5-3 miles between them on two narrow roads with tiny shoulders. Several healthcare facilities there and others at US50/Pueblo Blvd to the east.

Pueblo has several beautiful,older, possibly cheaper neighborhoods - some of which might be safe and have goods and services within walking distance. has lots of trees, which PW doesn't have.

Haven't been to the others yet. don't ignore Canon (how DOES that tilde work?) City. as always, best idea is to rent, then scout before buying.

Thanks! We do plan to rent first. Do you have specific suggestions for safe neighborhoods in Pueblo?

PW looks promising as well, and I appreciate the specifics you provided. A walk/bike path is pretty high on my list of preferences!

Got tagged by a grammar Nazi for not using the tilde but of course they didn't tell me HOW to include the tilde. So I'm going to call it C City, so there.

[twinkletoes99]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

If Pueblo or Pueblo West don't work for you, why not consider Fountain, COLO on the far south end of El Paso County, in zip 80817.

I put the zip into ppar.com for SFHs with a max of $140k and got 40 listings. The crime is low there and you are near the city of Colo Spgs and all it has to offer. If work is in Pueblo this is about a 20-30 minute drive.

Thanks for the suggestion! I've thought about Fountain but had read somewhere that it's kind of flood-prone. Was my info wrong? I realize, in Colorado, flash floods can happen just about anywhere, but I'm talking flooding that is fairly predictable--100 year flood plains and the like.

I don't know ppar.com--going to check it. Thanks again!

[twinkletoes99]

Originally Posted by Josseppie

I'm on my I phone but Pueblo has some great places for you and your budget. Personally I would Recommend the south side or the historic area just north of downtown by Mineral Palace Park and Parkview Medical Center. Another good area is the north side by CSU P.

HI Joss, I've read a lot of your posts. Thanks for the suggestions! I'll get a map and start checking it against listings. Any other info you have to share would be welcomed. I know you love Pueblo.

[highplainsrus]

Originally Posted by Josseppie

I'm on my I phone but Pueblo has some great places for you and your budget. Personally I would Recommend the south side or the historic area just north of downtown by Mineral Palace Park and Parkview Medical Center. Another good area is the north side by CSU P.

I agree about the Parkview area north of W.4th. drove thru there today in mid-morning. generally light traffic, heavier around the hospital. straight-forward east/west, north/south streets. tree-lined/shaded with sidewalks. modest houses alongside well-kept early 1900's 3-story/big porch houses. importantly, i didn't see any bars on windows/doors. good access to downtown to the south and short drive north to Safeway and big box shopping. local mom-and-pop restaurants all around. head west on 4th/Lincoln/Thatcher to public golf, zoo, park. wouldn't hurt to carry self-defense sprays,etc. in any dense urban setting.

also revisited Ca~non City (almost tilde). gas gets cheaper out this way. it's remarkably spread out for a small town, with some complex streets, interesting housing, strollable downtown. be careful getting onto and off US50 - tricky access streets and fast traffic. loads of big and small retail stores. river runs thru it with primitive riverwalk. a little disappointed by surrounding hills blocking vista views toward higher ground.

little Florence seems very cool. friendly bikers parked at bars. peaceful streets. traditional downtown. can walk everywhere, i think.

Beulah is mostly forested houses, like vacation homes, but many seem to live there. not much retail. Pueblo Mountain Park very peaceful, quiet, scenic with narrow, curvy asphalt road getting to it - gravel roads inside. primitive bathroom facilities. great picnic spot.

i'll try to check out Fountain soon.