Auditor/Accountant needs 5+ acres (Denver, Colorado Springs: real estate, rent, mobile home)

[Pakalolo]

I plan on moving to Colorado near the end of winter or spring, but am not sure where I should look to live.

I am an internal auditor and could easily find a job in Denver, but I don't want to live in Denver or the Boulder area and I'm not interested in living near a military base either.

I'm looking for Colorado in the early 70s, but want to stay away from corporate hippies, a cool community with a non-New-England attitude (save Vermont) and where I can get 5-35 acres for under $220 with just a shabby but liveable house (I've found a few, but not many).

I guess an hour drive to Denver would be doable, but am also interested in jobs in central or western slope of CO if available.

[sterlinggirl]

Get in line.....

[Tom Emmerling]

Depending on what size of community you are looking for you can look around the Hwy 85 corridor up to Weld County, or in the foothills by Fort Collins. For 220 you are going to be looking for a real shabby house. You will get more for you money in Weld County.

[sunsprit]

Rocky Mountain Dreamer ....

$220 won't even buy a modest house on a building lot, let alone on acreage. You'd be better off looking for raw land instead of a tear-down.

Unless you're willing to move to the Eastern plains, or SE Colorado with small AG communities.

[Pakalolo]

The only problem I have is the proximity to a job, but I've definitely found a couple of houses on 30+ acres for under 200k.

Not overly concerned about the dwelling as I would just stay in it for a year, build on a different part of the land and rent out the older house.

Mainly concerned about the community/county. I'm a libertarian and don't like my rights infringed upon nor my convictions sneered upon.

[sunsprit]

Originally Posted by Pakalolo

The only problem I have is the proximity to a job, but I've definitely found a couple of houses on 30+ acres for under 200k.

Not overly concerned about the dwelling as I would just stay in it for a year, build on a different part of the land and rent out the older house.

Mainly concerned about the community/county. I'm a libertarian and don't like my rights infringed upon nor my convictions sneered upon.

The problem I'm seeing with your "wish list" is that you want an inexpensive acreage, but within 1 hour of Denver ... and compatible population with your libertarian outlook. IMO and experience, such an area does not exist within an hour commute from Denver, which is a pretty liberal area and somewhat inclined to dictate a lot of land use/zoning rules/regulations.

The "metro" city and county area you've ruled out due to political leanings is the Front Range of Denver, and certainly Boulder. Fort Collins is pretty liberal, and you've also ruled out Colorado Springs due to military bases.

The only way you'll have the political climate you're seeking is to head to the rural areas way East of Denver, where AG and Ranching are the economic base, or way into the mountains away from the resort areas (which are far more expensive than your budget), extractive industry "boom" areas, or the isolated pockets of "old money" communities, or the "new age" communities that are in Colorado.

I'm not saying you can't find property at your price point in the region, as you have already discovered. What I'm pointing out is that the rest of your requirements are at odds with those likely properties.

[2bindenver]

Zoning and building permits are likely to be issues.

[delta07]

You might look at the South Park area: Fairplay, Jefferson, Como, Hartsel. They are within 1.5 hours to Denver and most people there really keep to themselves. I lived in Fairplay from 1999-2002 and you could get a fixer-upper or mobile home on some acreage for that price. I know that Breckenridge and Summit Co. started spilling over into Alma and I imagine now Fairplay, so real estate prices have probably gone up. It may not be affordable for you now.