Looking to start business in mountain town in CO (Durango: real estate, renting)

[katie_c_s]

My boyfriend and I are wanting to start a landscaping/snow removal business in CO. The most important things to us regarding a location are:

mountains & hiking
population (less than 50,000)
economy
real estate prices so we can buy something in the future

We are considering (in no particular order) Durango, Steamboat Springs, Paonia, Silverton, Ouray, Craig, and Granby.

Any suggestions or advice would be helpful! Thanks!

[Shuffler]

Originally Posted by katie_c_s

My boyfriend and I are wanting to start a landscaping/snow removal business in CO. The most important things to us regarding a location are:

mountains & hiking
population (less than 50,000)
economy
real estate prices so we can buy something in the future

We are considering (in no particular order) Durango, Steamboat Springs, Paonia, Silverton, Ouray, Craig, and Granby.

Any suggestions or advice would be helpful! Thanks!

Don't want to squash a dream, but now probably is NOT a good time to think about going into what are already pretty competitive businesses in mountain towns.

Your first two criteria are no problem, but the economy and real estate....well, things aren't looking to good these days, and probably won't for a long, long time.

Whatever you end up doing, cash is king so make sure you've got plenty as a lot of banks won't have any money to lend, despite the 'bailout' scam that we all just had dumped in our collective laps.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Can't give you any advise about starting a new business, but real estate prices in Steamboat, Ouray and Granby (and Durango?) are going to be very high. Paonia is a much smaller town, also meaning much smaller population and less chance to get new business, but prices are still affordable.

I suggest checking the phone books and see how many similar businesses are already listed in those areas.

[Shuffler]

You might consider your startup costs for equipment, insurance, advertising....and of course moving expenses and the cost of mountain real estate. Are you renting now, or do you own?

Consider the fact that people won't be able to get small biz loans very easily for quite a while. Either you are flush with cash to make it all happen, or you're bound to be in for some big challenges. I'd consider having a Plan B and Plan C if things don't work out.

[borborygmi]

Originally Posted by katie_c_s

My boyfriend and I are wanting to start a landscaping/snow removal business in CO. The most important things to us regarding a location are:

mountains & hiking
population (less than 50,000)
economy
real estate prices so we can buy something in the future

We are considering (in no particular order) Durango, Steamboat Springs, Paonia, Silverton, Ouray, Craig, and Granby.

Any suggestions or advice would be helpful! Thanks!

Can't speak for the others, but regarding Durango- this area is completely saturated as it is with these types of companies. Landscaping/snow removal seems to be the default business model of choice for just about half the entrepreneurs in town, and for good reasons- low overhead and it doesn't require a lot of skill. Trust me when I tell you that scores of other people have already moved here with the same idea you have. Tough competition here, to say the least, if that's your plan.

And to describe real estate prices as a bit high here would be like calling the universe sort of big.

[Todd TCE]

Ouray and Silverton both so small and quiet in the Winter months that whatever work there is available is probably being fought over by the few residents hearty enough to live there year round.

I think some deeper research as suggested and perhaps a road trip in Jan is in order.

[katie_c_s]

Well, thanks for all the advice. Luckily, we haven't made any plans yet. I think we might end up going back to Crested Butte because my boyfriend has an 'in' there and we should be able to save up a bunch of money in the next couple years. Hopefully by that time, our economy will be in better shape and we'll be better suited to start our business.

I really appreciate you guys' opinions. They help so much in times of indecisiveness!!