Cost of Living in CO (Monument) (Denver, Colorado Springs: house, to buy, calculating)

[BrendaO]

My husband and I are looking into a new job in the Denver area but hope to live in Monument. Does anyone have feedback regarding the cost of living to determine if the pay will be enough? For example, the cost for a 2000 square foot home: gas, electric, water, internet, etc. Any other tips would be appreciated!

[reginhild]

Try posting in the Colorado Springs forum as most people in Monument commute to Colorado Springs.

[2bindenver]

Monument is more expense than the other Denver suburbs because of its proximity to The Springs.

[vfrpilot]

Originally Posted by BrendaO

My husband and I are looking into a new job in the Denver area but hope to live in Monument. Does anyone have feedback regarding the cost of living to determine if the pay will be enough? For example, the cost for a 2000 square foot home: gas, electric, water, internet, etc. Any other tips would be appreciated!

Our gas/electric during the worst of the winter months will run about 300-350. The water bill during the summer is about 60. Our telephone/cable tv/internet is packaged with Comcast at 140. Our home is a bit larger and was built in '92, so you might expect lower heating costs if you buy newer and smaller. We also don't have(or need) a/c.
Couple of tips from someone from San Diego with no snow experience.
-Try to buy a home with a driveway that faces south. It'll make winters easier to live with.
-Make sure the basement does not any water issues.
-NEVER buy a home perched on a hill with a driveway that looks like a 'ski jump'

[BrendaO]

Wow this is so very helpful - thank you for this information!

[reginhild]

Originally Posted by 2bindenver

Monument is more expense than the other Denver suburbs because of its proximity to The Springs.

I thought things in the Springs area were slightly less expensive than Denver? Monument is also a stand-alone city vs. a suburb of Denver. The commute would be much longer from Monument compared to any suburb of Denver - unless you are working on the very Southern edge of Denver - then the commute from Monument would be similar to coming from the Northern most edge of Denver.

[CosmicWizard]

vrfpilot wrote:

-Try to buy a home with a driveway that faces south. It'll make winters easier to live with.

Great advice! Following this tip will save you LOTS of work. Even though I live in Grand Junction which gets very little snow compared to the front range, it's still an issue. I live on the north facing side of the street. If I don't sweep even an inch of snow off right away, it'll sit there for a month ( from mid December to mid January especially ). My neighbors across the street don't even bother removing the snow unless it's several inches deep. It melts on its own as soon as the sun comes out, even on the very cold days. Keep this in mind when you are house hunting. I wish I would have thought of that when I was shopping for a home.

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by CosmicWizard

vrfpilot wrote:

-Try to buy a home with a driveway that faces south. It'll make winters easier to live with.

Great advice! Following this tip will save you LOTS of work. Even though I live in Grand Junction which gets very little snow compared to the front range, it's still an issue. I live on the north facing side of the street. If I don't sweep even an inch of snow off right away, it'll sit there for a month ( from mid December to mid January especially ). My neighbors across the street don't even bother removing the snow unless it's several inches deep. It melts on its own as soon as the sun comes out, even on the very cold days. Keep this in mind when you are house hunting. I wish I would have thought of that when I was shopping for a home.

That depends on where the house is at. My home faces west and the wind patterns here in Palmer Lake keep my driveway clear of snow -- even in last weekend's blizzard. Wat little wind-blown snow remains after the snow dries up quickly the next day.

But the point remains the same: avoid a homes with he driveway on the shady or predominately windward side of the house.

Also, you should come out here first and try the drive to Denver and back, it's pretty far and can be treacherous going over Monument Hill in the snow. Certainly not something I would envy you doing daily.

[Mike from back east]

I'd hate the drive from Monument to Denver every day. The cost of gas will eat up most any savings. Though there is some bus service, it may not be where you need to go and it too will have a cost. The extra 90-120 minutes spent each day in added commuting time is also a painful cost to bear.

Unless there is a strong reason why it has to be Monument, the O.P. should seriously look at Parker or even Castle Rock, not to mention a ton of other close-in locations, especially if the work site is on/near an RTD rail line.

Utility costs here are same or cheaper than elsewhere, not really an item of concern for most people.

[CosmicWizard]

I cannot emphasize strongly enough what a plus it is to live close to work. IMO, commuting is a waste of valuable time and resources. Plus it clogs up the highways. I hope you can find a place close to your work. Also, if you're the type to look ahead, I'd recommend calculating your commuting costs at $10 a gallon. This $2 gas is not likely to be with us much longer.