What did we miss? (Denver, Colorado Springs: sales, condo, homes)

[CaliforniaCouple]

My husband and I recently took a trip to Colorado to explore moving there. We've heard A LOT of good things and spent the whole time looking at different towns that we've heard are great for raising a family including Colorado Springs, Ft. Collins, Golden, Manitou Springs, Boulder.. etc. etc. We did really like Estes Park but one of the shop owners said a lot of the kids get bored and most drink or smoke marijuana- which sort of scared us away from that city, even though it was beautiful and felt like the small town kinda place we want to move to. We're not opposed to getting some weather and are just looking for a good place to settle with construction jobs for my husband and a nice place to raise kids around nice people. I felt that we missed something and wouldn't be opposed to going again. Any suggestions for a town we might have missed???

[out of bay or bust]

Go check out Parker. look at the Village homes website and look at Idlewile. Also go to "the town of Parker" website and look at there videos. Check them all out. My family is there and you will find all that you are looking for. I am also in California and in Construction, and want to move real bad. Good luck.

[SheridanL]

It sounds like you really want to be in the foothills/mountains..or extremely close,..right?
I would check out Evergreen. It is just a little more west than Golden and, it is a very nice town, close to everything yet, very close to an Estes Park type of place. I think you would love it there! More to do and very family oriented!

[jazzlover]

The main thing you may have "missed" is that the Colorado construction sector which has dominated the Colorado economy is heading into real trouble. Even some of the "boom" areas like Grand Junction are now experiencing significant slowdowns. I would suspect that by fall there will be some big layoffs coming in that industry. It's been way too over-heated for a long time. I suspect that the downturn will be equally lengthy. I've seen it happen in this state before. Colorado's economy typically lags the rest of the country by 12-18 months going into a recession, and usually lags it by a similar period in coming out. With few areas of exception, Colorado has grossly overbuilt both residential and commercial property--now the piper is going to have to be paid.

[StealthRabbit]

What have I missed? You get discouraged by a shop keeper's remark in a tourist town?

You will get those remarks in many areas from a variety of people, I know plenty of kids who made it through growing up in Estes. (tho it would not be my choice for raising kids OR making a living in construction). It is a lot nicer to visit there when it is nice, and live in Berthoud, Loveland, or Ft C. The winter wind can be a bit much in Estes, and the summer crowds...

There are not gonna be plenty of construction jobs in the near future in Colorado, so be prepared...It does have relatively low unemployment, so you will find something, but likely not high paying. Maybe you should consider WY, That is where plenty of CO natives have had to escape. There is currently an energy boom there, so housing is tight, but it is very cyclical so there will be empty homes in a few years. (Hint,,, rent, don't buy YET) You probably won't find nicer people than in WY (close and supportive community) Colorado is a bit too 'suburbanized' to nurture families into 'being nice'. Congenial, yes... helpful and caring - maybe.

I would consider Powell, Greybull, or Sheridan, WY. WY has great schools and good funding for them and community centers. It is an income tax free state... not federal... MT is sales tax free, if you are into a couple hundred mile shopping trip every couple months (which you will probably have to do anyway).

FWIW... I think all kids should go to 'Dairy farm boarding school' age 12 > age 18. Very little time or energy to get into trouble when you have daily responsibilities at 5 am and 5 pm 7x/wk.... There are some very remote farms that will take your kid and shape them up, they have schools at the farm or in a nearby 'micro-town', The advantage is your kid WILL make the sports team AND get playing time as there aren't 500 kids trying out... but I know of plenty of dairy farm kids who got in to SERIOUS trouble too, sometimes a 'parent thing', sometimes a 'Kid thing'. When the opportunity presents itself, it MAY get taken advantage of. Keep those kids productively busy. Mine were very bummed about having to design and build their own homes as 'homeschool' projects, but... 10 yrs later, they like the equity !!, and both paid for their own college, as they didn't want to get stuck holding a hammer or shovel (which they probably will some day). Be sure to get rid of the TV and video games, or charge them by the minute to use them...

[colorado native]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaCouple

My husband and I recently took a trip to Colorado to explore moving there. We've heard A LOT of good things and spent the whole time looking at different towns that we've heard are great for raising a family including Colorado Springs, Ft. Collins, Golden, Manitou Springs, Boulder.. etc. etc. We did really like Estes Park but one of the shop owners said a lot of the kids get bored and most drink or smoke marijuana- which sort of scared us away from that city, even though it was beautiful and felt like the small town kinda place we want to move to. We're not opposed to getting some weather and are just looking for a good place to settle with construction jobs for my husband and a nice place to raise kids around nice people. I felt that we missed something and wouldn't be opposed to going again. Any suggestions for a town we might have missed???

You missed most of the state, it sounds like... and the pretty parts of the state to boot.

The I-25 corridor is not the real Colorado. It's a giant concrete pad.

[CosmicWizard]

I'm inclined to agree with colorado native. You actually missed MOST of the state. All you really saw was a portion of the front range. Have a look at some western slope towns like Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction, Montrose, Paonia, Durango, Cortez. It may or may not be your cup of tea, but it's hard to make that determination without a visit.

[motoracer51]

Originally Posted by colorado native

You missed most of the state, it sounds like... and the pretty parts of the state to boot.

The I-25 corridor is not the real Colorado. It's a giant concrete pad.

Shhhhhh

[colorado native]

Originally Posted by motoracer51

Shhhhhh

You're right...


Actually, California Couple, Denver is probably the most beautiful and "authentically Colorado" place you'll find. You've seen all that's worth seeing. You should give Commerce City a try... Or try to find a place close to the Purina factory!

[FiftyFiftyAboutCO]

Originally Posted by colorado native

You're right...


Actually, California Couple, Denver is probably the most beautiful and "authentically Colorado" place you'll find. You've seen all that's worth seeing. You should give Commerce City a try... Or try to find a place close to the Purina factory!

Whoa -- you forgot to tell 'em about Aurora (lovingly known as Kansas)! The condo balconies are dripping with flowers! (or was that Seattle?). Also, I worked near the Purina factory on 40th Ave. off CO Blvd in the 80's and just LOVED it. Wonderful aromas at lunchtime. I lost a LOT of weight! Denver is so "authentically Colorado" that I never went to downtown for fear of losing my Jersey ways and what was left of my accent.