Moving to CO....Need help on where to live! (Denver: rent , job)

[batsdblod]

My husband and I are a young couple with a nine month old baby. We were looking for a nice place to raise our son. We don't want to be in a big city, but we do need to be somewhere that has work that won't be too far away. Also, If possible we would like to be near the Mts. Not to mention be affordable.

I know that I'm probably asking too much, but if there is a place like this in CO....Please let me know.

Thank you for your help.

[Charles]

Rent or buy? Price range?
What line of work are you in?
Where are you going to work?
Why Colorado?
Moving from where?

[batsdblod]

We currently live in Illinois. I really don't want to pay more than $200K for a house. I'm a stay at home mom and my husband currently ownes his own IT Consulting business (computer support consulting) thus will need to find a job when we get there.

We want to move to CO because my husband has always loved the outdoors as do I, not to mention he loves snow. It would be a dream for him if we could live near the mts.

We will be taking a huge leap of faith, as soon as our house sells we will be moving out there with no job or anything and will have to find a house right away. I know it's crazy, but I think it'll work out.

We just need a little help on places to look for a house. We really want a safe place with work near by.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by batsdblod

We currently live in Illinois. I really don't want to pay more than $200K for a house. I'm a stay at home mom and my husband currently ownes his own IT Consulting business (computer support consulting) thus will need to find a job when we get there.

We want to move to CO because my husband has always loved the outdoors as do I, not to mention he loves snow. It would be a dream for him if we could live near the mts.

We will be taking a huge leap of faith, as soon as our house sells we will be moving out there with no job or anything and will have to find a house right away. I know it's crazy, but I think it'll work out.

We just need a little help on places to look for a house. We really want a safe place with work near by.

Quite bluntly, to find what you want in lifestyle, $200K probably won't come close to buying what you want in all but a few areas of Colorado. In the areas where housing would be in that price range--salaries will be correspondingly lower. Others may comment, but there are also a lot of IT people floating around Colorado, many trying to stay here after being laid off in the dotcom bust of a few years ago.

I will flatly say that moving to Colorado without a job in hand is a VERY RISKY move, especially when you have a family to support.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

Quite bluntly, to find what you want in lifestyle, $200K probably won't come close to buying what you want in all but a few areas of Colorado. In the areas where housing would be in that price range--salaries will be correspondingly lower. Others may comment, but there are also a lot of IT people floating around Colorado, many trying to stay here after being laid off in the dotcom bust of a few years ago.

I will flatly say that moving to Colorado without a job in hand is a VERY RISKY move, especially when you have a family to support.

I would absolutely agree. The IT job market is not as bad as it was right after 9/11, but it's not great either. Everyone I know in IT who was out of a job finally found one, but sometimes after years of looking. (Including DH, who actually lucked out and was never out of work this layoff. One guy worked at a Radio Shack for several years until he got back into IT. It probably doesn't help that most of the folks I know who were job hunting are older, though most probably just around 45-50.) Get the job first, or else you get a job while he looks.

[Wyomiles]

And rent for a while until you figure out where you want to live !

[batsdblod]

Thank you all for you imput and we have taken those things into consideration. Last night my husband told me that I would have to find a job out there until he's able to find one, and we are planing on renting until we find a house, we are just unsure of what areas are safe. Mts. aside (we could always take a drive there) what areas would be ok to raise a family in?

We don't want to have to pay a morgage and that's why our price range is a little low, but if we don't have to pay one...it won't matter if he can't find an IT job, he also went to school for cars and has other skills besides those, so I know he'll find something to do out there.

Is there any safe neighborhoods in our range?

[Katiana]

Yes, there are safe neighborhoods in your range. The median housing price in metro Denver is around $250K. Most of the metro area is safe. You can tell unsafe when you see it, and there aren't many dangerous areas.

[batsdblod]

I've found a town that is in our price range and I was wondering if this is a pretty "safe" place. It's call Westminster.

[Bradburn1]

I live in Westminster and it's great. Very low crime and some nice, affordable areas. Also close to the mts and to the open spaces of Boulder. Schools are hit and miss, but many are open to choice so you may find a school that will work (when you need it!). Good location, close to downtown Denver but also Boulder (good for IT people). Good city facilities (rec center, parks) and great libraries.

You might also check Arvada and Broomfield which are nearby and should also have lots of housing in your price range.