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Old 12-28-2014, 02:01 PM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
90,316 posts, read 120,202,031 times
Reputation: 35920

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Quote:
Originally Posted by randomparent View Post
In before Jazz!



My first thought when reading this thread was the yard is going to be a problem. Because you are a new poster, your standards for a large yard are a mystery, but you should understand that lawn irrigation in the area you're considering is a very expensive proposition. Furthermore, locals are going to give you a hard time for wasting such a precious resource on maintaining grass. It's the west, and we don't have endless water at our disposal, so you'd be wisest to embrace the natural landscape or plan on a very small yard. Your neighbors will thank you, and so will your wallet.
LOL!

The other thing is, there just aren't a lot of large yards around here, if by large the OP means 1/4 acre or larger.
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Old 12-28-2014, 02:31 PM
 
Location: The analog world
17,077 posts, read 13,264,267 times
Reputation: 22904
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katiana View Post
LOL!

The other thing is, there just aren't a lot of large yards around here, if by large the OP means 1/4 acre or larger.
Yep! There's no indication where this poster hails from, so who knows what large yard means? I speak from experience, though, when I counsel that irrigating a lawn in southern Douglas County is a budget buster. I nearly had a heart attack the first time I opened a water bill after moving to CR, and we weren't watering a lawn, so I only imagine what that would run! I now receive my household water from Denver Water, which thankfully is a bit more affordable. On the flip side, I miss IREA. Our power bill is comparatively high despite our efforts to conserve.
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Old 12-29-2014, 10:52 AM
 
Location: Western USA
236 posts, read 367,208 times
Reputation: 299
Franktown and Elizabeth are definitely "small town" in feel and size. They are also located on the high plains and in the pines. Expect a bit longer commute from either due to the distance to get to I-25 and/or the traffic on Parker Rd. Depending on where work is a commute of an hour and a half would not be unexpected. Rents should offer something within your budget (Zillow has one home on 2 ac. for $2,100 now), and yard size would be large.

Evergreen has relatively easy access to I-70, but that commute is an absolute nightmare in snowy conditions, and snow it does up there, even in our recent drought years. Rents would be an issue, though a larger yard is likely. The same thing applies to Conifer and Aspen Park - the commute up and down Hwy. 285 is a killer in winter weather and just as with I-70 you get the weekend in the mountains and holiday travel crowd to compete with through the summer. These are places you have to want to live in and then accept the costs of doing so. You can find great forums and local data on:

Pinecam.com - An Electronic Community In The Colorado Rockies

Castle Rock isn't "small town" by any stretch - it's a sprawling suburb now. You likely can find something in your budget, I-25 access is excellent, but yard size will be limited. Expect plenty of retail and restaurants, theater complex, even a new hospital.

Farther south is Monument which has grown rapidly of late, but still has a true small town feel. The Tri-Lakes region allows you more elbow room and a nice rural feel. Palmer Lake has that foothills feel and yet still offers good access to I-25. The commute to Denver is do-able, but long. The Springs is much closer. A large yard would be possible. Expect some hairy driving when it snows on Monument Pass. There is an excellent charter school if you have kids.

Larkspur is pricier, but a large yard is what you'll find. It's part way between Monument and Castle Rock, so commute times to either Denver or the Springs will be similar. It's a pretty and piney locale, but mostly a bedroom community - no immediate town or shopping opportunities, just a post office. They do have a gold course and country club.

Woodland Park is a ways out from the Springs, very much a small mountain town but the commute down US 24 will be at times as messy as those from Evergreen or Conifer. Manitou Springs is closer in, rents will vary, and you might find something nice for well under your budget. In either one a large yard should be available. The Springs will be your only workable commute, so be clear that you have bankable employment there.

South of the Springs are Fountain, Widefield and Security. The commute would be very brief, less than 30 minutes even in bad weather, and rents will be the lowest you will find. It's a bedroom suburb, so expect your basic box with an average size yard. This is price point living with great access as the benefit.

Good luck in your search!
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Old 12-29-2014, 11:08 AM
 
694 posts, read 1,032,668 times
Reputation: 512
Quote:
Originally Posted by JWEvergreen View Post
Evergreen might be a great option for you, but it is a bit more expensive. I found this home for rent. Looks nice. 4021 S Skyline Dr, Evergreen, CO 80439 is For Rent - Zillow
It is going to be difficult getting a 4 bedroom house in Evergreen for $2,300. However, check with Bear Paw realty on Main Street.
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Old 12-29-2014, 07:18 PM
 
Location: Denver, CO
331 posts, read 461,626 times
Reputation: 591
The OP specified a "small town" with population between 7,000 and 20,000.

Franktown's population in the 2010 census was under 500; Elizabeth's was around 1400 in 2013. And they're both out in the "flatlands" vs. being in the hills.

Monument's closer to the OP's target, with 5800 population in 2013. Fountain's a city with 27,000 population in 2013. But the OP wants a small town between Denver and the Springs, which rules out Fountain.
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Old 12-30-2014, 10:42 AM
 
Location: Western USA
236 posts, read 367,208 times
Reputation: 299
Quote:
Originally Posted by Suzatlarge View Post
The OP specified a "small town" with population between 7,000 and 20,000.

Franktown's population in the 2010 census was under 500; Elizabeth's was around 1400 in 2013. And they're both out in the "flatlands" vs. being in the hills.

Monument's closer to the OP's target, with 5800 population in 2013. Fountain's a city with 27,000 population in 2013. But the OP wants a small town between Denver and the Springs, which rules out Fountain.
One thing to consider is that the physical boundaries of Franktown and Elizabeth are quite small, but surrounding urbanization and development easily puts them in the running.

Franktown benefits from all of Parker's retail and dining assets, as does Elizabeth.

And both are located very much "in the pines". Commutability is a bit of an issue in Elizaebth, less so for for Franktown.

Monument is an easy fit, but can be windy and colder than other choices. The schools are great however and retail is plentiful.
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Old 01-07-2015, 12:00 AM
 
3 posts, read 3,887 times
Reputation: 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike from back east View Post
Since you'd be renting a year or so, location isn't such a huge issue or deal breaker; but if you were buying, location relative to job site commuting would be a HUGE issue, i.e., a dreadful commute for a year may be tolerable until you figger out the optimal place to live.

The small town thing is somewhat problematic, even with the sprawl issues, one is either in a sprawling metro area, or well outside of it, which can set up commuting issues. A commute from Castle Rock to a job in Westminster or Boulder is a commute from hell.

In addition to Monument / Palmer Lake, Larkspur, Sedalia, and Castle Rock there is also Franktown and Elizabeth in that same general area. Some areas around Parker may also get you a somewhat small town or rural feel.

But I hate to see you pick any spot until you know the location of at least one work site. If you can nail that down, the folks on here can give you great advice.
I have 4 small children, so even though we will rent at first, I want at least the toen to be the same one when we purchase a home.

I have two jobs secured, same company and position, one is in denver and the other is in Colorado Springs
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Old 01-07-2015, 12:02 AM
 
3 posts, read 3,887 times
Reputation: 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by StealthRabbit View Post
yes,
get the job first (preferably Colorado Springs).

Can you open your scope a bit?
Denver / Colorado Springs is very urban / suburban.

If you are looking for a significant change and good 'small town' quality of life outside of the 'flatlands', consider as far away as possible from Denver.

30 yrs in Colorado I seldom went to Denver (except every night ~ midnight during 7 yrs of trucking to WY).
There are about 10,000 better choices in the region than Denver for better schools and living.

You can probably get by on $1000/ month and have DH rent a basement apartment for $1000/ month for weeknights in Denver if he MUST work there. Hopefully he can work (3) 12hr shifts / week and get out of Denver for 4 days / week.

If you are 'stealth' you can find him a bedroom / apartment in the home of elderly for $300/ month
Use the $700/ month savings on regional travel with your family. We homeschooled, so 12 week field trips were the norm. The 'working' parent would fly / join on long weekends (every other week for 4-6 day stints)

Consider life beyond Colorado (depending on what you are looking for.) For your 'earning yrs' I would recommend nearby WY (income tax free, better wages (for many careers), great schools / university / recreation). SD, WA, NV, AK similar.
Colorado is nice(r) to visit. IMHO, YMMV
i have offers in both Denver and Colorado Springs. I just don't know which city is better to move to.

Oddly enough, we have considered Wyoming...
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Old 01-07-2015, 01:22 AM
 
Location: Pikes Peak Region
481 posts, read 1,293,605 times
Reputation: 826
Okay, you have jobs lined up in both Denver and Colorado Springs with the same company, same position. Do they pay the same? If so I would go with Colorado Springs, hands down. It's smaller, the COL is about one-third to half that of Denver and it's so much easier and more feasible to find a place to live in your price range.

Colorado Springs doesn't have very many small-town suburbs within commuting distance other than Woodland Park, Falcon and the Yoder/Ellicott area but it has neighborhoods within the city that feel like a small town. Old Colorado City (zip code 80904) and Manitou Springs (zip code 80829) are just a couple of places that are in close proximity to all the Springs offers but they feel like you're not really in the city.

Colorado Springs is very family-friendly. It's known as the conservative bastion of the Front Range but offers the amenities of the city that it is. It's a good place for what you're looking for.
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