Where in Colorado..... (Denver, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins: credit, real estate, military)

[tewhann]

Hi.

I posted in the CO Springs forum and have been looking hard at that area, but based on some of the things I've seen on the forum, I'm concerned that it might not be right for me.

I currently live in Richmond, VA and am looking for a change of pace (I am SO sick of HOT, HOT and humid summers where you drink rather than breathe the air). I'm 35, single, and in commercial lending.

I don't really want to live in the Denver area--I'm looking for a slower pace of life and wide open spaces.

BUT, I need to be able to support myself.

CO Springs seemed good, but I'm worried that so many folks say it isn't the best place for singles. Especially non-religious ones.

I"m not at all into the bar scene--more into outdoor stuff.

Where in CO might be the best spot for me?

Any advice or thoughts appreciated.

[2bindenver]

I think commercial lending can be done from anywhere, if you have enough contacts.

Real Estate is about networking. The more people who know and love you, the more people who will do business with you.

Have you read any of Jeffrey Gitomer's books?

[Nadine]

http://www.usnpl.com/conews.html -- this is a list of all Colorado papers. If I wanted to learn about a place I would read the papers. That is if the place is large enough to have one listed. Real estate, wanted ads, social events etc can tell you loads. Try it. It just might help. As to outdoors, what kind? Fishing, hunting, mt.hiking, skiing or swimming, tennis, walking in a park, etc. In other words, country type or city type?

[tewhann]

I'm not in the origination side of it--I'm a credit analyst or underwriter.

I like to ski, hiking, boating, horseback riding, etc.

I'm not a big city girl--I do love opera and the arts, but I don't want to live in a big city--I'm happy to drive for it.

But, I don't want to live in podunk either.

[tfox]

I'd say Fort Collins. Nice, smaller town, but with the amenties of a large university. It's definitely a separate identity from Denver.

The single life there would be preferable I think to Colorado Springs due to its younger population. Things would be more active for singles closer to the university and downtown as opposed to the more family-oriented southern part.

Originally Posted by tewhann

Hi.

I posted in the CO Springs forum and have been looking hard at that area, but based on some of the things I've seen on the forum, I'm concerned that it might not be right for me.

I currently live in Richmond, VA and am looking for a change of pace (I am SO sick of HOT, HOT and humid summers where you drink rather than breathe the air). I'm 35, single, and in commercial lending.

I don't really want to live in the Denver area--I'm looking for a slower pace of life and wide open spaces.

BUT, I need to be able to support myself.

CO Springs seemed good, but I'm worried that so many folks say it isn't the best place for singles. Especially non-religious ones.

I"m not at all into the bar scene--more into outdoor stuff.

Where in CO might be the best spot for me?

Any advice or thoughts appreciated.

[Mike from back east]

IMO, you're best served by Colorado Springs (COS), Fort Collins (FC) or Denver, respectively.

COS is big enough to have critical mass, small enough to be human scale, for sure its not podunk. Nor Gotham.

COS has some arts, music and symphony, usually at centrally located Pikes Peak Center, where you park FREE on the streets after 6PM....try that in DC at the Kennedy Center ($15 to park) and people paid $20 to park last night at the Coliseum in Denver for a Bull Riding event. COS is only 60-75 minutes from downtown Denver venues for shows that don't come here, an excellent trade-off.

Lots of active people all over the state, we have plenty here too, and you can hike, rock climb and ride horses right here IN-TOWN at Garden of the Gods....ride a bike to GotG from nearby living areas....tons more hiking trails all over town and in the mountains, which we are smack up against... You can ski nearby at Monarch (I think that's the one).

At 35, you probably aren't into a 22-25 "just got my degree" crowd that people think of when as night life. We have a little of that, Denver has lots, FC has some. We have free jazz concerts often on Sundays, and swing music events, and Irish music, and lots to do here, and its easy to get to it all too. There are a lot of military men in town, serious, young, healthy, many are single.

Commercial activity is HIGH.... see today's article: http://www.gazette.com/display.php?id=1328651&secid=4

All this adds up to good reason for you to give COS consideration. If you can get out here for a visit, let one of the local realtors show you around. There are several on this list, I'm not one, but can recommend a couple if you ask me in a PM. Get on Southwest Airlines "ding" list....my sister in Baltimore is coming our here in April....$110 ROUND TRIP from BWI.

You're gonna love Colorado.

s/Mike from back east (VA, the DC metro area).

[FinishSTRONG7]

Originally Posted by tewhann

I don't really want to live in the Denver area--I'm looking for a slower pace of life and wide open spaces.

I"m not at all into the bar scene--more into outdoor stuff.

Wow, you sound just like someone I know! Trust me, it sounds like you're going to fall in love with Colorado Springs just like I did. TONS of outdoor options, in the city itself and the mountains are closer than in any other of the Front Range cities.
The city is also very diverse-- spend any time on the West side or in Downtown and you won't feel like a fish out of water. Even if you find it hard to meet singles in COS, Denver, LoDo(Historic Lower Downtown, near Coors Field) are less than an hour away.