Potential blind move related questions

[cam1220]

Originally Posted by pikabike

Lots of red-flag items in your post.

Why not first visit for two weeks (not a vacation, but a search-for-housing prelim), then if you STILL want to live in Denver, arrange to rent for six months? Those months should include November through April, NOT the warm, easy time of year. It is not summer or fall that makes newbies change their minds about Denver (or CO in general).

If the above is too messy for the kid’s schooling, visit several times, making sure to include some winter trips. I can’t stress this enough. Being from NY, you at least have a clue what winter is. But it’s not all pristine white fluffy powder and traffic-devoid roads like what the SUV commercials show.

You take the bad with the good, same as anywhere else. Summer has some “bads” also—violent hailstorms, drought.

BTW, CO contains many of varying political preferences. If “liberal/progressive” is something you are going to ram down other people’s throats, Seattle or San Francisco would fit better.

A weeks visit is doable, and I was thinking early in the new year if I did go - so winter will be in full gear hopefully. Most of what I've been reading is that while it does snow, often the snow melts quickly. Not sure if that holds true during actual winter months, or if the forum posts I've read are making it out to be gentler than it is? Either way, I can't imagine it being significantly worse than what I've experienced after 23 years in NY and the rest of my childhood between NJ and MD. Plus.. we're looking at Denver specifically for the winter sports. Bring on the snow and the cold! Visiting is looking more and more like a thing that might happen prior to moving.

Would never shove my politics down someone's throat, really just looking for more like minded people to spend time with. The area of NY in which I live is very.. hick. It gets difficult to make sustainable friendships at home when we disagree over things I consider very fundamental - like not being racist. (Work is a different story since I work in the Broadway theater community, and almost everyone falls hard left). But definitely point taken, I'm prepared for a political mix and would prefer it that way so I'm not in a complete bubble.

[pikabike]

Ah, good clarification on the politics. You will be fine in fhe Front Range.

Winter could throw nearly anything atcha in January. Could be NO snow or a big dump or anything between, and the same applies to temperatures. Definitely visit, and know that what you get on one visit doesn’t necessarily hold other times. So enjoy the variety!

[Stevedore]

Don't even think twice about it, you already know. On a totally basic level, you'll love it here just because it's something new in your life; but Denver is so much more than just a new place.
It's a wonderful place to live, an abundance of things to do for all types. A short November trip w/wife was all it took for us, fell hard for the place instantly. When you know, you know as they say.
And your son? He just hit the coolness lottery like no other! What a place for a teenager to come into his own if you will, he should thrive. Best of luck to you...

[Kathy884]

This from an old John Denver and was me and DH back when I was 27 and DH was 33 and we moved to Denver, "He was born in the summer of his 27th year. Coming home to a place he'd never been before" You are at a great age for really enjoying all Denver has to offer (not that any age wouldn't enjoy Denver, but I think late 20s early 30s is particularly ideal). DH is originally from New Jersey, and has always said "It's a great place to be from, but I wouldn't want to live there." lol.


We didn't know anyone who lived in Colorado or have any family in the area, but had vacationed in the area and were avid skiers; I didn't have a job lined up before our move and my search took me 2 1/2 months to find the right fit; but DH had a great job lined up and a company who paid for us to move from PA to Denver, CO. And we absolutely loved our years in Denver.


Do take a look, though. So many things that look great on paper from the perfect car to buy, to the perfect place to live, to the perfect person to go out on a date with just aren't what they seem. And as for place, you can sometimes see that right away, even with just one trip.


Denver has more traffic than it used to and getting to the mountains is more difficult than it used to be, especially at crowded, popular times. With some flexibility and the occasional PTO day and overnight stay, most people can probably get around that to some extent. But the mountains are farther out than you might think. I personally think the drier weather and climate are heavenly, though, and walks and biking in neighborhoods / city parks even when you don't have time to get to the mountains is wonderful.


We live in a similarly sized metropolitan area to Denver right now with many similar cultural amenities (something important to us - we like being in/near a decent sized city for this reason). Being that you are in the NYC tristate area this might not be a factor for you, but for us when we considered moving back housing costs for a charming neighborhood / house in Denver were prohibitive (lots of housing appreciation over the years) and enough of a reason for us to take Denver off our list. And everyone one on these forums said, "yes housing is high, but taxes are so much lower.". Well no, not really -- For us for the same kind of house and neighborhood taxes are the same, but the cost of the house/lot is more than double in Denver.

You are from a pretty high cost area, though, and from what you are saying, you might not have any sticker shock. Keep us posted. We'd love to hear what you think when you visit, and if you decide to move to the Denver area.

[davebarnes]

Some help
https://www.denvergov.org/content/de...the-blind.html

[Ankhharu]

Originally Posted by Colorado Rambler

So you never even paid Denver or anywhere else in Colorado a visit, yet you're all set to move halfway across the country with your son and assume you'll land in paradise. no problem? I know I sound mean, but in your place, I would take a few deep breaths and come back to the real world.

I've lived in 10 states, visiting by no means gives you an indication of whether you'll like it or not. If anything visiting gives you false pretenses. Visiting doesn't give you an idea of how hard it is to build a new social network. You can't get an idea of the job market in visiting, nor weather, nor the people. I've found that moving site unseen works out better because you are working with no pre-conceived ideas or expectations. It's a blank slate. I moved to SLC site unseen and although I had my gripes, my first 2 years were phenomenal and if not for the job situation, I'd probably still be there. Denver on the other hand, visited frequently over a decade, moved here and don't like it.



Life is short, take the leap. If you don't like where you end up, you can always move again.

[daprara]

Denver is the ~15th most expensive city; median cost of things:
income = $65,000
buy a house = $450,000
rent $1600


if winter sports is a must; locate in Golden next to the RTD lite rail station there. Gives you slightly better access to the mountains and lite rail access to down town.

[cam1220]

Originally Posted by Stevedore

Don't even think twice about it, you already know. On a totally basic level, you'll love it here just because it's something new in your life; but Denver is so much more than just a new place.
It's a wonderful place to live, an abundance of things to do for all types. A short November trip w/wife was all it took for us, fell hard for the place instantly. When you know, you know as they say.
And your son? He just hit the coolness lottery like no other! What a place for a teenager to come into his own if you will, he should thrive. Best of luck to you...

Thank you!! This response is great - you're right, I really do already know. Life will be difficult on some level anywhere. I'm ready for more and so is he

[cam1220]

Originally Posted by daprara

Denver is the ~15th most expensive city; median cost of things:
income = $65,000
buy a house = $450,000
rent $1600


if winter sports is a must; locate in Golden next to the RTD lite rail station there. Gives you slightly better access to the mountains and lite rail access to down town.

Thank you for the median costs. Looks about right for what I'd researched and been thinking/ preparing for. Now if anyone had good leads on work in the AV field...

Winter sports is an absolute must - my son is hoping that he can find clubs or peer groups that hit the slopes during the week after school and on the weekends. Obviously I plan to go with as often as I can, but his dream is to be able to get out there and board almost daily.

I keep hearing Golden, for so many reasons. This is yet another - someone brought up the lite rail access in conversation at trivia last night. Thanks again!

[cam1220]

Originally Posted by Ankhharu

I've lived in 10 states, visiting by no means gives you an indication of whether you'll like it or not. If anything visiting gives you false pretenses. Visiting doesn't give you an idea of how hard it is to build a new social network. You can't get an idea of the job market in visiting, nor weather, nor the people. I've found that moving site unseen works out better because you are working with no pre-conceived ideas or expectations. It's a blank slate. I moved to SLC site unseen and although I had my gripes, my first 2 years were phenomenal and if not for the job situation, I'd probably still be there. Denver on the other hand, visited frequently over a decade, moved here and don't like it.



Life is short, take the leap. If you don't like where you end up, you can always move again.

"Life is short, take the leap. If you don't like where you end up, you can always move again."
THIS. Thank you. My feet will never grow into the ground and I can always pack back up and try again. Great point about moving without pre-conceived ideas or expectations. I do have some, just from things I've read that attract me, and friends who have lived there saying "I know you two, you'll thrive there."