From California To Colorado. Why??? (Denver, Pueblo: renting, living in, prices)

[EscapeCalifornia]

What of work does you husband do? If you want to be a SAHM in CO, his income opportunities will be the number one consideration. If he can find work that's not too far from Castle Rock, I say go for it. You'll definitely want to make more trips to CO, especially in winter before making any final decisions.

[To stay or leave CA]

He works in advertising sales as of right now. He works for a big company but unfortunately they have no offices in CO so he can't transfer. I am actually interested in taking college courses and working part-time. My kids are getting to the age where I don't need to be there all the time. I am thinking I would like to work while they are in school type of thing. The two incomes really help. Right now, I work but only around there schedule and while either my mother-in-law can watch them or my husband. I won't resort to the daycare thing.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by To stay or leave CA

When I see happiness, I picture a house with green grass and my kids running around while my husband and I sit on the porch, but I can't envision this living in CA. My kids are 8 and 5 and I really feel this is make or break time. If we do it, we need to do it now before they get to much older. I don't want them to keep moving around while we try to satisfy what our needs are. Is Colorado the place for me?

Well, if you are planning on that long-term, you had better read up on the water situation in Douglas County. You can query other posts on the subject, but the cruel fact is that most of Douglas County is reliant on the rapidly depleting underground Denver Acquifer for its water supply. Many experts believe that acquifer will be depleted within 25 years or less--so much for the "green grass" scenario.

[out of bay or bust]

California has turned into an overcrowded mess. I understand why Jazz and many native Coloradans want to slow or stop the influx of people. For me I want to move to be close to family. my inlaws are in Parker and my wife has teen age brothers and sisters and every time we visit I see a state that has alot to offer a youg family. I am very successful here in California and have been able to afford a nice life but I am tired of leaving my "bubble" and constantly seeing why this state is going down the toilet. I know my moving to Colorado will mean one more family but I will be bringing a family that loves the outdoors, god, the earth and cares about living a good clean life. All the other reasons why I want out of California are so many and so not PC I can not put them on this forum. This state is a dead end road for anyone who has not already put down roots and is toxic to those that have.

[zenkonami]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

I have to agree with the OP about one thing--you couldn't pay me enough to live in the ****hole that is southern California.

The problem is that all of the transplants from there (and other places) are bringing all of the same problems to Colorado--and fast. The reasons that is happening are 1) because of the sheer numbers of people relocating here; but, more importantly, 2) because about 99% of the people moving into Colorado from elsewhere are bringing with them the same suburban-sprawl-loving, automobile-centric, big-box retail/strip mall-dominated, water-sucking, resource-destroying, McMansion-desiring, debt-ridden, overconsumptive horse**** lifestyle that has made a place like southern California the unaffordable hell-hole that it is. If you want to know why so many old-line residents of this region resent the influx of outside growth, THAT IS WHY.

I, for one, hope not to drag such baggage with us to Colorado or anywhere else. In fact, if possible, I hope my fiance and I can find a place in Denver proper, near where we work (or at least along the public transit corridors), taking advantage of local business and respecting the important issues Denver and other Colorado cities have to deal with (water, sprawl, consumerism, etc...) I completely understand Jazzlover's concerns and resentment of those kind of people (Phoenix is infested with them, and virtually encourages them...I love Arizona but have a hard time missing Phoenix as a result of those kind of people.)

For me Colorado just seems right. I was born there, but left when still quite young. There's only a few other cities in the country that draw my attention like Denver (Portland, Pittsburgh and Minneapolis), but they just come up a little shy for me. Obviously no place is perfect, and to be honest I'm not thrilled about living in a city that suffered so much from sprawl in the past 30 years or so, and I'm sure the cultural shock will take a bit of getting used to after living in L.A. (insofar as local activities and events and such...but it's still seems light years ahead of Phoenix.)

Here's to being, or at least trying to be, part of the 1%...cuz if we're not part of the solution, well...you all know the rest

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by zenkonami

I, for one, hope not to drag such baggage with us to Colorado or anywhere else. In fact, if possible, I hope my fiance and I can find a place in Denver proper, near where we work (or at least along the public transit corridors), taking advantage of local business and respecting the important issues Denver and other Colorado cities have to deal with (water, sprawl, consumerism, etc...) I completely understand Jazzlover's concerns and resentment of those kind of people (Phoenix is infested with them, and virtually encourages them...I love Arizona but have a hard time missing Phoenix as a result of those kind of people.)

For me Colorado just seems right. I was born there, but left when still quite young. There's only a few other cities in the country that draw my attention like Denver (Portland, Pittsburgh and Minneapolis), but they just come up a little shy for me. Obviously no place is perfect, and to be honest I'm not thrilled about living in a city that suffered so much from sprawl in the past 30 years or so, and I'm sure the cultural shock will take a bit of getting used to after living in L.A. (insofar as local activities and events and such...but it's still seems light years ahead of Phoenix.)

Here's to being, or at least trying to be, part of the 1%...cuz if we're not part of the solution, well...you all know the rest

Regardless, zenkonami, you will be two more people here. I, for one, don't mind that, but whether you live in the city or the burbs, ride a bus or drive your car, you are adding to the population. Don't get me wrong; I'm one of the people on this board who doesn't hate outsiders moving in, who doesn't think everyone should live in the city, etc. I'm just saying, don't be apologetic about it. Come here because you want to and make a life for yourselves.

[GStone777]

My apologies if this reply is late. I live in Colorado Springs area and keep in mind that if you live in Castle Rock you will probably have a job in Denver. The commute may not be as long as in SOCAL but you will have ice, blowing snow, snowdrifts and possible blizzards to fight all the way to work. Your best bet is to rent in Denver until you have been in the area longer and then make a decision. Also in this housing market if you buy a house and then don't like that location you may be stuck there awhile.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by GStone777

you will have ice, blowing snow, snowdrifts and possible blizzards to fight all the way to work....

...about ten times a year.

[228rory]

I moved from Santa Cruz (which I loved) to Long Beach.... Oops. People that are my friends are nice, but I cant stand everything else about Long Beach. I live in a good area close to Blemont shores and my house got broken into. There are drug addicts, and alcoholics everywhere. Lots of gang problems. dirty streets with plenty of litter. a beautiful brown sky. Cant use the beach that is two blocks away because it is constantly closed due to sewage from the LA river. I cant buy a decent 2 bedroom condo 1000 square feet for less than 325,000, wouldnt want to anyway. Traffic is un-bearable. A lot of fake, selfish people....It seems to be the general culture. All this and more may be tolerated if it werent so expensive. My wife and I combined make around 80K and we are barely making it. We visited Colorado and absolutely fell in love. It is much more like the San Jose area of the bay which Kicks So Cals ass. Only problem with SF bay is that it is more expensive than where i am now. We are going to make the move to Denver, hopefully this coming spring.

[insidia]

My husband and I are both teachers, and are planning to move to CO (probably Durango area) next summer. Our reasons are pretty simple. The first one is money. If we stay in CA, we will probably never be able to afford a house due to student loan payments, the reality of teacher salaries, and the ridiculous cost of housing. Even with the recent falls in prices, a 1 bedroom condo in our city starts at around $250,000.

Our second reason is that we want to live somewhere physically beautiful, where we don't have to drive for 45 minutes to take a hike in the woods. I grew up in Alaska, and still have family there, and would like to live in a smaller town again where there is a sense of community. I also miss winters and snow!