Moving from Fl to Salida Co. (Denver, Colorado Springs: ski resort, real estate, for rent)

[moulyn58]

Hello, I have been reading all the post's and have found everyone here to be very pleasent and helpful to people posing questions. So I would like to pose one of my own, if I might. Living in Fl currently. Nothing wrong with Fl just ready for a change. Currently in the hospitality business as well as my spouse. Have plenty of experience to draw from in other fields. Was looking for someone who live's in or near Salida to give a bit of information to how it is there. Both of us are artist, starving no but still working of course. We are not fancy or huffy and would like very much a small community rich in history, outdoors, religion etc. Is there someone there that can put forth information to that effect? Let me thank you now ahead of time for your assistance.

[jazzlover]

Salida is a neat town. It has short summers (7,000 feet elevation does that), but they are cool and pleasant. Winter isn't bad for that elevation. It also has the advantage of being only about 100 miles from Colorado Springs or Pueblo, or about 135 from Denver if you need a big city for something.

The problem in Salida is affordability. Housing there is plenty expensive (like all of resort Colorado, though Salida is certainly more reasonable than a lot of such places) if you don't bring money with you and have to rely on the local economy for a living. I know "regulars" on this forum get sick of hearing me say that, but it's fact.

Salida is rich in history, mostly tied to the railroad (sadly, the railroad is currently shut down, but not formally abandoned and removed), and has some terrific mountain country around it. From what I have heard and seen, there is an active local art community in Salida.

Nice town, I like it. Just not real affordable for a working guy.

[moulyn58]

Thank you jazzlover for your response. Affordablity is the least of my problems the housing in Florida top the charts year's ago and hasen't stop and I see no end to it. For renting a 1 or 2 bedroom apt here will run you $700 to $2000.00 and the 700 being on the very low end of the scale of common sense for the area if you know what I mean. So anything in between I have had to deal with. I just want a small place, somewhere that I can sit back and relax. Living in an area with millions is enough. So everyones help is what I need.

[brucep]

I lived in Salida for about 5 years and needed to move in 2000 because affordability was toward the most of my problems. I LOVED Salida. The altitude was perfect for me. Winters were fantastic because there is plenty of sun and 35 degrees in sun at that altitude is actually VERY pleasant. I come from the land of humidity too (Arkansas) though nothing like Florida. So you'll love the weather, guaranteed. Salida is a mix of ranching and tourism and shopping hub--Walmart resides there--the Arkansas river runs right through the middle of town and is very popular for rafting and trout fishing. The art scene has definitely taken hold though it always seemed to be a little bit more hype to me than reality, except for a very few successful artists, many of them jewelers. Monarch ski resort is also nearby--it isn't one of the glitzy ski destinations (I'm not a skier) but is quite popular to city and other folks (Co Spgs. and Pueblo) getting away for a weekend. The mountain scenery and location to me was unbeatable. Walk out your door, look up and you'll see a line of 14ers (Chaffee County has the most peaks of 14,000 feet elevation than anywhere). The Great Sand Dunes are less than an hour to the south, down the beautiful San Luis Valley. There are a few very good restaurants and a decent music scene. The wages definitely don't line up with the cost of living but if it sounds like you can afford to be there. I'm recently trying to figure out a way to get back to live in Colorado and still long for Salida. It sounds like I'm the mayor or possibly a real estate agent but it truly is a paradise. The mountains, the weather, the altitude really have a charge to them. I must stop....but it's all true in my opinion...Go forth!

[moulyn58]

Thank you brucep for your response. I have passed thru Salida numerous times and fell in love with it. I appreciate your concern on affordability, and after 7 years in Florida as I stated that is the least of my concerns. Looking in the paper today nothing for rent under 1000.00 and its not pretty. I am hoping that 2 people can make it happen as we have here; I look forward to the winters and the first snow fall. As far as jobs I at the momment don't really care what I do, I have for to long spent time at my job with little to no appreciation and living to work instead of working to live, I plan on not spending time working for someone else so they can enjoy the outdoors, in the 7 years here I see the Gulf only when at work, there is not time to enjoy what Florida has to offer anyone. Thank you and keep the information coming.

[jazzlover]

moulyn58,

Substitute "mountains" for "beach" and not having time to go there, and you've described a lot of people trying to live in resort Colorado. $7.00 and $8.00/hr. jobs and $200,000+ (sometimes way "plus") houses is not math that works very well. Small businesses also can have the same struggle.

If you read all of the posts on this forum, you wonder why Colorado's population isn't 25 million. It would seem that EVERYONE wants to live in Colorado. Well, the reason it isn't is because "resort Colorado" is not an easy place to make a living. That's why so many people (even the natives) of much of rural Colorado wind up slogging it out 8 to 5 on the Front Range.

People on this forum get tired of me posting this kind of "cautionary" information, but it's just the way it is. People thinking about living in Colorado (especially the rural areas) need to go into it with their eyes open. I'm a Colorado native and still love the state, notwithstanding some of its problems, but the day I left rural Colorado, my income went up 50% and my expenses actually went down a little. 'nuff said . . .