I feel like Denver metro Colorado isn't a good place to invest in my future (Colorado Springs: home, buying)

[himain]

Why do you have to buy a $450k house?? There's a lot cheaper houses in better school districts than what you're in now

[WoundedSpirit]

We moved from Aurora to Kansas two years ago for many of the same reasons. We couldn't be happier.

[wilberry]

once you leave Colorado it is very hard to get back in....

[Mezter]

If you're thinking about moving in that direction, I highly suggest looking into Kansas City. Nice city and very affordable

[little pink]

once you leave Colorado it is very hard to get back in....

No its not , Colorado isn't California. I moved back to middle Tennessee after 4 years in Colorado. I am young, I have no mortgage here, debt free while my ex has a huge mortgage in Parker , forget it . My sons have a better chance of actually owning a home here . Denver is only a 7 hour drive from Wichita , OP could drive back monthly if he wanted to visit kin , that's a short drive. OP I would pack my bags today , your wife will be able to stay home with the kids , that is priceless.

[illinoisphotographer]

Originally Posted by ThePathBeforeMe

So, just a different perspective here.

We are moving from Illinois to Colorado in 2018. The rationale;

- Manageable winters
- Better quality of life
- The mountains (of course)
- Good schools for our kiddos
- A geographically diverse place for our kiddos to explore

Grass is alaways greener, right? I don’t want to be “house poor” either and yes I understand that the Denver burbs are pricey. The trade off for a little lesser of a home is incomparable in our minds to the benefits we’ll get to enjoy from Colorado.

Life is short. Be happy. Raise and love those kiddos of yours in the best manner in which you see fit!

I did the same IL > CO move last year. You'd have to pretty much double my salary to get me to move back to the Midwest.

Personally, I was miserable every winter in IL. Winter here is a breeze with a heck of a lot more sun and outdoor opportunities.

[TCHP]

Originally Posted by patch62383

... but I think Colorado is going to become the next California which if you like that cool but I myself I just don't want to be around it. My idea is why stay here??? ...

Colorado is not necessarily Denver, but Denver is not the end all be all for everyone. I've had opportunities to travel throughout the country for my work and there certainly are many places that are more expensive, more congested, more arcane, more restrictive, more or less whatever than Denver. If your unhappy with what it has become and somewhere else better matches your career, education, housing, and retirement objectives, then by all means go there. I'm sure any of us could argue the perception about cost relativity, but ultimately your perception creates your reality. Chase it.

Originally Posted by MountainEarth

IMO one of the only reasons to live in Colorado is the mountains.

Bzzzt, incorrect, but again, perception is what you make it.

[whoisjongalt]

I can totally relate. Colorado, mainly Denver/Boulder, is being ruined by this massive influx of people. The roads and infrastructure are nowhere near being capable of handling it. Very soon, we'll have the exact same 10-12 hour / day gridlock as L.A. I plan to stick it out until I can move to the mountains.

I agree with the earlier post. You should definitely check out Kansas City (much better than Wichita). The weather sucks but it's beautiful and has pretty much everything Denver has except mountains. Plus, the houses are WAY cheaper. You can get a really nice place in the Johnson County suburbs (Overland Park, Prarie Village, etc) for about 40% less than the comparable house here.

[emm74]

I'm curious about your statement about moving to Wichita for "some of the best schools in the country."

Not that one ranking system is definitive, but US News puts the top rated high school in all of Kansas as #790 in the US. In Colorado, you get to the 25th rated school in the state before you get below 800.

https://www.usnews.com/education/bes...urlname=kansas

That's not to say you shouldn't move, but maybe you need to do a bit more research first to make sure you have a complete picture.

[hikernut]

I think it's smart to consider moving somewhere your life could be easier, financially speaking. It sounds like you're not under any immediate time pressure, so I'd recommend taking your time to find the right place. Moving a family is expensive and disruptive so do your best to find a place where you think you could be happy, and don't base it only on the union wages/benefits. With an HVAC background I'd think you can work nearly anywhere?