Why I want to move to CO (Denver, Colorado Springs: ski resorts, transplants)

[COcheesehead]

Originally Posted by brown_dog_us

Employment and high cost of living.

Front Range problem.

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by COcheesehead

[/b]
Front Range problem.

Not limited to the Front Range. Housing costs elswhere might seem cheap by comparison, but wages are generally lower, sometimes much, much lower.

[COcheesehead]

Originally Posted by pikabike

Not limited to the Front Range. Housing costs elswhere might seem cheap by comparison, but wages are generally lower, sometimes much, much lower.

There are some sweet spots where this is not true.

[townshend]

Marsha,

Much good advice in this thread.
1) You moved to Dallas in 1989; I moved to Plano in 1992, and I lived there until June 2018 (then moved to Montrose).
2) The climate of Colorado is much more hospitable than TX, esp. from the humidity standpoint. Note that Dallas is 431' above sea level. The elevation of Colorado varies -- I'm not an expert on range, but of course Denver has "mile high" stadium and nice-sized western slope city such as Montrose is 5970' above sea level. The winters of Colorado are a definite adjustment for Texans.
3) It is correct that CO property TX + state income tax is less than TX property tax alone.
4) Housing is expensive in CO. Lots of $$ for homes you (and I) would consider in need of updating. And not mostly brick (like many better homes in Dallas/Ft Worth metroplex).
5) My grown son is in Denver; I am currently in Montrose. He needs his space, so we're good with one another location wise.
6) Relocating to CO is all about jobs, jobs, and did I mention jobs? Let the job market dictate where you live, and not the other way around. Don't wing it and say "I'll find a good job" -- find the job first, then consider where to live. [Since I retired from FT work when I moved, I didn't have to worry about jobs -- I'm near the beautiful San Juan mountains.]
7) The front range suffers from urban sprawl and attendant traffic congestion. So does Dallas and Plano, and I left that behind. But again, you've got to go where the jobs are.
8) If you didn't fit "culturally" in TX, then we are in the same boat. Even though the western slope is very conservative, I still find common ground on the appreciation of the outdoors, and the people are nice.
9) To the Colorado experts, a question: if she relocated to Grand Junction, would accessing Denver be relatively easy -- a straight shot down I-70? I recognize that I-70 can be shut down in the winter, but still there are no winter passes between GJ and the front range, correct?

Good luck. Feel free to PM anytime.

[COcheesehead]

Originally Posted by townshend

Marsha,

Much good advice in this thread.
1) You moved to Dallas in 1989; I moved to Plano in 1992, and I lived there until June 2018 (then moved to Montrose).
2) The climate of Colorado is much more hospitable than TX, esp. from the humidity standpoint. Note that Dallas is 431' above sea level. The elevation of Colorado varies -- I'm not an expert on range, but of course Denver has "mile high" stadium and nice-sized western slope city such as Montrose is 5970' above sea level. The winters of Colorado are a definite adjustment for Texans.
3) It is correct that CO property TX + state income tax is less than TX property tax alone.
4) Housing is expensive in CO. Lots of $$ for homes you (and I) would consider in need of updating. And not mostly brick (like many better homes in Dallas/Ft Worth metroplex).
5) My grown son is in Denver; I am currently in Montrose. He needs his space, so we're good with one another location wise.
6) Relocating to CO is all about jobs, jobs, and did I mention jobs? Let the job market dictate where you live, and not the other way around. Don't wing it and say "I'll find a good job" -- find the job first, then consider where to live. [Since I retired from FT work when I moved, I didn't have to worry about jobs -- I'm near the beautiful San Juan mountains.]
7) The front range suffers from urban sprawl and attendant traffic congestion. So does Dallas and Plano, and I left that behind. But again, you've got to go where the jobs are.
8) If you didn't fit "culturally" in TX, then we are in the same boat. Even though the western slope is very conservative, I still find common ground on the appreciation of the outdoors, and the people are nice.
9) To the Colorado experts, a question: if she relocated to Grand Junction, would accessing Denver be relatively easy -- a straight shot down I-70? I recognize that I-70 can be shut down in the winter, but still there are no winter passes between GJ and the front range, correct?

Good luck. Feel free to PM anytime.

Yes I 70 is the main route to Denver from Grand Junction. It takes about 4 hours. There is also Bustang that runs year round and Amtrak as well.

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by townshend

Marsha,

Much good advice in this thread.
1) You moved to Dallas in 1989; I moved to Plano in 1992, and I lived there until June 2018 (then moved to Montrose).
2) The climate of Colorado is much more hospitable than TX, esp. from the humidity standpoint. Note that Dallas is 431' above sea level. The elevation of Colorado varies -- I'm not an expert on range, but of course Denver has "mile high" stadium and nice-sized western slope city such as Montrose is 5970' above sea level. The winters of Colorado are a definite adjustment for Texans.
3) It is correct that CO property TX + state income tax is less than TX property tax alone.
4) Housing is expensive in CO. Lots of $$ for homes you (and I) would consider in need of updating. And not mostly brick (like many better homes in Dallas/Ft Worth metroplex).
5) My grown son is in Denver; I am currently in Montrose. He needs his space, so we're good with one another location wise.
6) Relocating to CO is all about jobs, jobs, and did I mention jobs? Let the job market dictate where you live, and not the other way around. Don't wing it and say "I'll find a good job" -- find the job first, then consider where to live. [Since I retired from FT work when I moved, I didn't have to worry about jobs -- I'm near the beautiful San Juan mountains.]
7) The front range suffers from urban sprawl and attendant traffic congestion. So does Dallas and Plano, and I left that behind. But again, you've got to go where the jobs are.
8) If you didn't fit "culturally" in TX, then we are in the same boat. Even though the western slope is very conservative, I still find common ground on the appreciation of the outdoors, and the people are nice.
9) To the Colorado experts, a question: if she relocated to Grand Junction, would accessing Denver be relatively easy -- a straight shot down I-70? I recognize that I-70 can be shut down in the winter, but still there are no winter passes between GJ and the front range, correct?

Good luck. Feel free to PM anytime.

On #9: Vail Pass, Eisenhower Tunnel, and Floyd Hill can be nasty due to congestion and antsy drivers playing games among slow-moving semis and RVs. And that’s just in summer. Passes are passes all year ‘round. However, it is a straightforward direct shot, highway-wise.

[bluescreen73]

If I were looking to be in Denver regularly I wouldn't live anywhere on the Western Slope. It's a long drive in the summer and a s****y one in the winter. I'd try to live along or east of the divide somewhere in the Front Range or foothills communities. I grew up in Craig. Driving to Denver was a once or twice a year affair. Craig to Grand Junction was even a PITA.

[Dogmama50]

Originally Posted by townshend

Marsha,

Much good advice in this thread.
1) You moved to Dallas in 1989; I moved to Plano in 1992, and I lived there until June 2018 (then moved to Montrose).
2) The climate of Colorado is much more hospitable than TX, esp. from the humidity standpoint. Note that Dallas is 431' above sea level. The elevation of Colorado varies -- I'm not an expert on range, but of course Denver has "mile high" stadium and nice-sized western slope city such as Montrose is 5970' above sea level. The winters of Colorado are a definite adjustment for Texans.
3) It is correct that CO property TX + state income tax is less than TX property tax alone.
4) Housing is expensive in CO. Lots of $$ for homes you (and I) would consider in need of updating. And not mostly brick (like many better homes in Dallas/Ft Worth metroplex).
5) My grown son is in Denver; I am currently in Montrose. He needs his space, so we're good with one another location wise.
6) Relocating to CO is all about jobs, jobs, and did I mention jobs? Let the job market dictate where you live, and not the other way around. Don't wing it and say "I'll find a good job" -- find the job first, then consider where to live. [Since I retired from FT work when I moved, I didn't have to worry about jobs -- I'm near the beautiful San Juan mountains.]
7) The front range suffers from urban sprawl and attendant traffic congestion. So does Dallas and Plano, and I left that behind. But again, you've got to go where the jobs are.
8) If you didn't fit "culturally" in TX, then we are in the same boat. Even though the western slope is very conservative, I still find common ground on the appreciation of the outdoors, and the people are nice.
9) To the Colorado experts, a question: if she relocated to Grand Junction, would accessing Denver be relatively easy -- a straight shot down I-70? I recognize that I-70 can be shut down in the winter, but still there are no winter passes between GJ and the front range, correct?

Good luck. Feel free to PM anytime.

#9 I-70 can be a pain in the winter and the summer. Glenwood Canyon has rockslides in the late winter freeze/thaw cycle and road repairs in the summer. Vail Pass & the Eisenhower Tunnel have multiple closures in the winter and summer traffic has been known to be a monster too.

It's still a 8 hour round trip drive, if she wants to even go out for lunch with her daughter that it would be an all day affair if not an overnight.

[Count David]

Just do it OP. If you hate it or it doesn't work out, you can always go back to Dallas.

yolo.

[Colorado Rambler]

Originally Posted by COcheesehead

There are some sweet spots where this is not true.

Oh yeah?

Name one.