Considering move to Colorado, have some questions (Denver, Colorado Springs: sales, house)

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by 2bindenver

Start getting rid of stuff you don’t need and have to move.

Such as

[sheerbliss]

I think Colorado Springs would be a better fit for you than Denver: it's less crowded and less hot.

[Dogmama50]

I live in Avon. $1300 may get you a shared apartment but not something for yourself at the moment. Sometimes lockoffs (generally a basement of a bigger house, some with kitchens, some just a room with a separate entrance) will come up in the $1300-$1500 price range but they are snapped up pretty fast, plan on first, last and security. Avon really is just about 10 minutes from Vail, so you pay resort prices.

Our roads are taken care but we do usually have some weeks with snowpack and bad conditions, we have a good transit system so that can help but I wouldn't drive a RWD Mustang up here in a storm even with snow tires on, that's a lot of power on slick roads. Honestly the parking lots at the grocery store can be snow/ice paced for months at a time and are sometimes more dangerous than the road.

On a nicer note, summer is amazing, winter really isn't that cold and the sun shines most of the time. We have our bad storms and cold temps but it's pretty easy weather wise. We have Xfinity here for internet and high speed is pretty good for the most part.

Not sure of your age, gender or who you're into but the Vail area isn't great for the dating scene. It happens, people have good relationships but it's a transient area and it may or may not be what you're into.

The Front Range offers more opportunities for just about everything and may be a good place to start in Colorado and then eventually make the move to somewhere in the mountains if you decide that is where your life takes you.

[tinman_inacan]

Originally Posted by Dogmama50

I live in Avon. $1300 may get you a shared apartment but not something for yourself at the moment. Sometimes lockoffs (generally a basement of a bigger house, some with kitchens, some just a room with a separate entrance) will come up in the $1300-$1500 price range but they are snapped up pretty fast, plan on first, last and security. Avon really is just about 10 minutes from Vail, so you pay resort prices.

Our roads are taken care but we do usually have some weeks with snowpack and bad conditions, we have a good transit system so that can help but I wouldn't drive a RWD Mustang up here in a storm even with snow tires on, that's a lot of power on slick roads. Honestly the parking lots at the grocery store can be snow/ice paced for months at a time and are sometimes more dangerous than the road.

On a nicer note, summer is amazing, winter really isn't that cold and the sun shines most of the time. We have our bad storms and cold temps but it's pretty easy weather wise. We have Xfinity here for internet and high speed is pretty good for the most part.

Not sure of your age, gender or who you're into but the Vail area isn't great for the dating scene. It happens, people have good relationships but it's a transient area and it may or may not be what you're into.

The Front Range offers more opportunities for just about everything and may be a good place to start in Colorado and then eventually make the move to somewhere in the mountains if you decide that is where your life takes you.

Thank you so much for the inside scoop! I found an apartment complex listed on Apartments.com that has 1b/1b for around $1300, but it does not have any availability at the moment. I had been planning on keeping an eye on that complex over the next couple of months. Good to know that the housing is competitive, I may need to just wait until I can afford more expensive housing. That is a good point about the dating scene as well.



Good to hear you have good internet. How often would you say you experience outages?


I think you're right, it may be better for me to start out at the Front Range.

[bluescreen73]

TBH if you're not into skiing, there's really no reason to take the COL hit and live in a resort area like Avon or Steamboat. Save your money and live closer to Denver, Fort Collins, or the Springs. Way more things to do, more people, more jobs should yours not work out, and a MUCH lower cost of living. You can get mountain vistas down here and you won't be paying $1300+ a month to live in a tar paper shack.

[tinman_inacan]

Originally Posted by davebarnes

Such as

It will be with great sorrow that I leave my horns behind

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by tinman_inacan

,,,Beautiful views is a big reason why every place I'm looking is near the mountains . You want that view from your desk if WFH, COS is MUCH more clear sky than Denver (often a brown cloud between Denver and Mtns especially during winter inversions


Can I ask why you think $4k is marginal? ...
$4k minus one month rent and one month damage deposit = $2.4k
2.4k minus utility connections and deposit + fees and other rental related stuff = $1.4k
1.4k minus License transfer and registration =$800
$800 minus groc and household cleaning / vacuum / minimal furniture = $300

personally... I would want 2-3 months buffer. ~ $3k, but you can be creative if you are single.

I have considered looking for a roommate, however I'd like to at least get established first.
I would much rather find a retired couple (who are gone a lot) to rent a room or guest apartment than ever have a roommate. (daily interruption / potential contention, especially when they bring home pets and partners.

...

I will definitely savor my BBQ and Tex Mex while I'm here. I've been making sure to learn how to cook it myself

BBQ is much better DIY and quite a lot cheaper too! (smoke pit running as I type)

RWD 'stang... Not the best wheels, but if it is all you have, it can work. I spent my teens in 60's and 70's muscle cars with bias tires (in Colorado Front Range) including a Hemi Cuda, SuperBee, Nova SS, Tbird (all rebuilt from totals, before I turned 18). But.... not optimal. I would find a beater Cherokee (from a NON RUST STATE - AZ, NV, CA, OR, WA) ~ $1200 - $800 and a great Colorado mtn goat that you can sleep in (in a pinch). You can rent a nice car really cheap if you need to take a long road trip. Enterprise had them for $9.99 / day, but you can do as well on hotwire or other sites. Home Depot and Uhaul have cheap rental trucks for the rare load you need to haul. Eventually you will determine what ideal transportation you prefer. While in CO, it is tough to beat a bicycle, it is a great state for that. I rode mine to work all but 3 days the last yr I was in CO.

Check each city out, but CoS with Olympic Training Center and military bases (young population) and active retirees has a much different feel for me. Denver has heavy industry, traffic, lots of people, families, suburbs and miles and miles of privacy fences. Often you will look out your window and only see your neighbor looking out their window staring at you.

Good luck, save your pennies.
Look for lower cost entry options.
Don't bring junk! (if you are renting / paying for shipping)

[hikernut]

Originally Posted by bluescreen73

TBH if you're not into skiing, there's really no reason to take the COL hit and live in a resort area like Avon or Steamboat. Save your money and live closer to Denver, Fort Collins, or the Springs. Way more things to do, more people, more jobs should yours not work out, and a MUCH lower cost of living. You can get mountain vistas down here and you won't be paying $1300+ a month to live in a tar paper shack.

This is excellent advice. Ski towns are expensive. If you’re not swimming in money you’re better off looking elsewhere. Fort Collins in a good suggestion. If you live on the west side of town you can be 10-20 minutes from some good hiking. There’s tons of hiking within an hour drive.

[Vision67]

OP: Consider Woodland Park. At 8400 ft, you'll get the cool air. It's not a ski town so it's more affordable. Furthermore, it's just a 20 minute commute to Colorado Springs.

https://www.colorado.com/cities-and-towns/woodland-park

[Dogmama50]

We rarely lose power, 15 minutes once or twice a year, our power lines are underground for the most part.

I believe I know the name of the $1300 1b/1b complex you are looking at, it lures a lot of people in. Check the reviews carefully.