Denver more expensive then much wealthier metropolitan areas (Lakewood, Fort Morgan: 2015, for rent)

[step33]

Oh, and I should also note that when talking about all the housing cost issues, this is mostly about Denver and/or mountain vacation places. There are MANY places in Colorado not experiencing the population increase and/or economic prosperity of the Denver metro. Colorado Springs for example is lagging behind Denver.

And there are still many/many places in the mountains where you can move tomorrow and find a "cheap" place to live, particularly if you are retiring or able to work remotely. Jobs are tough up in some of those towns (thus the cheaper housing).

[Timmyy]

Originally Posted by step33

The legal weed thing is funny to me. Sure a few (statistically) people move here so they can legally smoke pot. But, for 98% of the world's pot smokers, if they are happy where they are, they aren't gonna move to colorado just to be "legal."

My unscientific experience is that people are moving to Colorado for the IDEA of legal weed. A place where people would vote for weed seems to many like a place with reasonable people. Remember the majority of the country favors legalizing weed and/or just doesn't CARE!

So, when people are making their positives/negatives list on Colorado, it's yet another positive to many. Or look at it this way. How many people are leaving Colorado because of legal weed (not the housing costs being "attributed to it")? I'm guessing not many. There are a few places where the smell is a problem for neighbors, etc., but I can't think of anyone running out of the state because weed is legal.

It just does NOT come up in every day life nearly as much as it comes up as an issue on this forum!

That is a great way to look at it. Some people looking to move here see Colorado as a progressive state because of the marijuana laws. They may not move here to use it but they move here because of the politics of it. They see the state as having an open mind when it comes to new and better ways to live. Great post!

[step33]

And if you are politically conservative, there are a LOT of places in Colorado/Denver where you can find like minded people and fit in like Douglas County for example.

Toss in things like "school choice" which people from both sides of the political spectrum seem to endorse (though we argue over the details - see DougCo, JeffCo, board fights, etc.) and Colorado has a lot of appeal.

Right now, Colorado is a toss up state - personally I like that! (well, except the constant ads on TV, even when there isn't an election coming up).

[headingtoDenver]

Originally Posted by step33

Oh, and I should also note that when talking about all the housing cost issues, this is mostly about Denver and/or mountain vacation places. There are MANY places in Colorado not experiencing the population increase and/or economic prosperity of the Denver metro. Colorado Springs for example is lagging behind Denver.

And there are still many/many places in the mountains where you can move tomorrow and find a "cheap" place to live, particularly if you are retiring or able to work remotely. Jobs are tough up in some of those towns (thus the cheaper housing).

Exactly. If it truly was weed causing this increase, then the increase would be blanketing the state. You could buy this house (link below) for 75K. Granted you will be living in Trinidad. Of course, if it was all about the weed, this wouldn't matter.


313 E Topeka Ave, Trinidad, CO 81082 - Home For Sale and Real Estate Listing - realtor.com®


So, if someone was truly moving to Colorado for the weed, don't you think they would look for cheaper options in the state to live?

[blackmet]

Originally Posted by tcbelvis

I can't wait to see what someone will pay for living on the 6th Ave ramp from Garrison

They dressed the pig up pretty to trick 'em what a waste... I'm sure the '08 foreclosure was a welcome escape.

https://www.redfin.com/CO/Lakewood/6.../home/34468623

I have a friend who lives in that neighborhood. I actually really like it.

Stately brick ranch homes with decent amount of space between lots. Longish walk to Garrison Station or a short drive to Wadsworth station, or a 15 minute drive to get downtown. A few restaurants and small businesses in the area. Far enough from Colfax for that stigma not to be a big issue.

The pictures of it make it look pretty decent. Nicely remodeled. Kitchen is tiny, but outside of that, it's not bad.

Overpriced? All homes in Denver are overpriced. This one doesn't seem to be outside the realm of impossibility. It'll go at 350K+ unless something is horribly wrong with it.

[Raddo]

Originally Posted by headingtoDenver

So, if someone was truly moving to Colorado for the weed, don't you think they would look for cheaper options in the state to live?

Not if there are no jobs available.

[MN_Ski]

People have always wanted to move to CO, it's just that now people are able to actually get here because of jobs.

I know SOOOOooo many people who came out here on vacation for the weed, they liked it, looked online for jobs, ended up finding one, and then moved out here. I can think of at least 7 people from my high school who did just that. It might not be just for the weed, but it is definitely a deciding factor. Why would someone want to take a job in Atlanta, Boston, or anywhere in Texas...when the same exact job is available in Denver.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

E-470, and Northwest parkway should never be a toll road, if it wasn't for the idiot governor Dick Lamm in the 1970s, I-470 would be in place

As much as some would like things to stay the way things are, progress ultimately prevails.

There will be a time 20 years from now, when folks who are in elementary school now will be longing for Denver of the mid-2010s.

Originally Posted by lovecrowds

I think it is funny how these yuppies are bidding up these Denver homes to astronomical levels in neighborhoods that aren't even that nice.

Such a contrast in Five Points as well. I had to ask myself why a certain new demographic even wanted to live there.

Originally Posted by TCHP

Heck, all we'll need to do is legalize weed everywhere to stop the flow of transplants into these three states and bring up prices everywhere else.

No, we need to make sure that more states DO NOT pass legal weed. We need to be isolationists.

Originally Posted by blackmet

I have a friend who lives in that neighborhood. I actually really like it.

You would probably have to worry about the random drunk or klutz crashing through your house every few years though.

Originally Posted by headingtoDenver

Exactly. If it truly was weed causing this increase, then the increase would be blanketing the state. You could buy this house (link below) for 75K. Granted you will be living in Trinidad. Of course, if it was all about the weed, this wouldn't matter.

313 E Topeka Ave, Trinidad, CO 81082 - Home For Sale and Real Estate Listing - realtor.com®

So, if someone was truly moving to Colorado for the weed, don't you think they would look for cheaper options in the state to live?

Yeah, but Trinidad is lacking in a lot of areas. Namely: name recognition, population, public transportation, microbreweries, guys with Blackmon beards, an airport to go back home to Iowa, jobs, higher higher education, etc.

Burlington, Wellington, Julesburg, and Fruita need to step up their games too.


P.S. The whole world isn't ending. Is there a place in the U.S. that isn't getting better or worse right now? There is a TON of affordable real estate in cities with minimal traffic/associated COL ALL OVER the country. Those places are "getting worse", or are "stuck in 1990".

If you are one of those that longs for the good old days, they can still be found (insert many Midwestern cities/towns here).

The present and future are currently in places like Denver.

Pick your poison. Enjoy it, tolerate it, or get in your time machine and head to Decatur, IL.

[Recent CO Transplant]

well, we moved here about 8 months ago. Renting in Douglas County (HR) until we really feel sure where we want to reside permanently. I can tell you that our situation has nothing to do with the local jobs. I work remote. And that's happening more and more these days.

Look at it this way. We are from Houston. If all your family was in Texas and you didn't want to be there anymore, where can you go that is roughly a 2hr flight radius that is better? Denver is the easy winner. My wage is not tied to the local economy, we have 20x more things to do outside and aren't forced inside due to the heat, humidity, and mosquitoes...You think violent crime is rough here? Traffic is bad? lol

Anyway, Denver metro isn't perfect, but it beats a ton of other places. I can literally work anywhere I want and we chose here because it was a good location, relatively affordable (although there has been a recent run up), and there are different places to reside for different situations. If you're a hipster dink, plenty of choices. If you're a family man looking to raise his family in a bubble and enjoy the outdoors like me, plenty of choices.

My company is based in silicon valley and I damn sure wouldn't live anywhere near that place. People are renting out closet space. It's ridiculous.

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by Recent CO Transplant

well, we moved here about 8 months ago. Renting in Douglas County (HR) until we really feel sure where we want to reside permanently. I can tell you that our situation has nothing to do with the local jobs. I work remote. And that's happening more and more these days.

Look at it this way. We are from Houston. If all your family was in Texas and you didn't want to be there anymore, where can you go that is roughly a 2hr flight radius that is better? Denver is the easy winner. My wage is not tied to the local economy, we have 20x more things to do outside and aren't forced inside due to the heat, humidity, and mosquitoes...You think violent crime is rough here? Traffic is bad? lol

Anyway, Denver metro isn't perfect, but it beats a ton of other places. I can literally work anywhere I want and we chose here because it was a good location, relatively affordable (although there has been a recent run up), and there are different places to reside for different situations. If you're a hipster dink, plenty of choices. If you're a family man looking to raise his family in a bubble and enjoy the outdoors like me, plenty of choices.

My company is based in silicon valley and I damn sure wouldn't live anywhere near that place. People are renting out closet space. It's ridiculous.

Clearly a pothead.