Drake, CO (Greeley, Longmont, Loveland: how much, motels, houses)

[Idunn]

If living in Drake proper, it is about 30 minutes into Loveland. Mostly canyon driving, but the easier half compared to that from Drake to Estes Park. The road is well maintained, and most of the time, even in winter, will pose little to no problem. But it is in a narrow, winding, canyon; there will be days when one might prefer to remain home.

The area considered may be that accessed via Storm Mountain Road, which departs CR43 shortly northwest of Drake. And that is an entirely different enchilada. It is a dirt road which almost immediately will scare off most by rapidly climbing up in a series of rutted bends. Once beyond that it can be somewhat tamer, but depending on where located it could prove a notable drive. There are a surprising number of houses back up on that mountain, but a lot of them are a good definition of remote, just even in getting to or from Drake. It is a serious drive, even in the summer. Nevertheless, people do live there year-round, so some are willing.

It is also possible to locate oneself well out in the middle of nowhere, but still discover that your neighbors are keen aficionados of ATVs and dirt-bikes. Which could be a plus or not, depending on interest. But do not expect that merely distance, or the trouble to get there, necessarily translates into serenity.

The same, to somewhat different degree, applies to Drake. Residences in that very small town, and east or west of it along US 34 and the Big Thompson river, generally enjoy good access to the highway, and thus relatively so into Loveland or Estes Park.

For being in a canyon, Drake receives a fair amount of sun in winter. Although this aspect varies dramatically from one place to the next, and each residence in that canyon will be different in how much sun afforded. There is also a dramatic difference in the declination of the sun from summer to winter that can only really be appreciated in any canyon; properties that receive a lot of sun in summer may have relatively little come the winter solstice.

Drake is the same as Glen Haven in falling within the rain shadow of the high peaks just west of Estes Park, that shelter it as well. It is also at an appreciably lower elevation than Estes Park, and may only receive rain when snowing in Estes Park. It does snow, of course, but nowhere in that area to the extent it does even a few miles south of Estes Park, and particularly south of Allenspark.

Therefore deep snowdrifts, at least within the canyon, will not be much of a concern. If, depending, one may still be shoveling their drive at times, if probably a fairly short one. With all this distinctly different whether on the south or north aspect of the canyon, and far greater or lesser sun.

It is a beautiful canyon, but if living near the river, where the access is best, one price paid will be in traffic. Also in the cost of real estate, where even small and antiquated cabins will cost what a nice house would elsewhere. More than a few residences in that canyon still have a rustic charm. But none of them is immune from US 34. Some few are more removed, or really to hell and gone way up the mountainside; but all plainly visible not only enjoy what is a quite lovely setting, but also what comes along with it. US 34 has more traffic than one might imagine, and a LOT of it come the warmer months, and then even more on top of that in summer proper. Despite speed limits somewhat slower, one can expect it to generally run at about 50mph. Day and night, although distinctly less in volume in the dead of night. Many of those charming cabins next the road must have deaf inhabitants, or in some other way having come to terms with this. Not to mention all the motorcyclists when it is the least warm, most with maybe half a muffler. Some apparently like this, or at least tolerate it; but if the least doubt, it would be advisable to park oneself next to this road some day for a few hours and try it on for size. For a special treat, try it on a summer weekend.

CR43, between Drake and Estes Park, via Glen Haven, has less overall volume than US 34, and a theoretically lower speed limit, but in some respects is even more of a local race track. If, however, up that way, do keep in mind that the better part of Glen Haven is neither near, or seen from the road.

It is lovely country, and indeed in many places some of the most strikingly beautiful one may ever see. More than a few do commute to, or from as far removed as Estes Park to the front range. Or even so from somewhere well up a mountain side. But keep in mind that there are a number of tradeoffs and prices paid in locating oneself out in the woods. Only some of which are touched upon here. It would be advisable to seriously consider each unique property and prospective home for what it is, and surely isn't.

[Mike Weber]

Kyle,

There is a forest fire burning right now in the area about which you were inquiring.

See story here:
Wildfire reported west of Loveland; smoke visible from Fort Collins | The Coloradoan | coloradoan.com

The 10,600 acre Bobcat Gulch fire burned through the same area in June of 2000.

[Lawman_Kyle]

Thanks for the link Mike....hope the homes up there are ok!

[Lawman_Kyle]

Has anyone heard how Storm Mountain faired in this fire.....I read several homes were lost.

[Mike Weber]

There are several fires burning in Colorado. As far as I know, the one on Storm Mountain was controlled without any structures being lost. The large one that has cost lives and property is south-west of Denver.

[Lawman_Kyle]

Thats terrible Mike. Seems like I'm gonna have to trade tornadoes and earthquakes for gigantic wildfires. Wasn't it just last year when there was another huge wildfire in Colorado?

[Mike Weber]

In dry years, there is always the possibility of a fire. There was one west of Fort Collins last year that took out some homes.

You can do some things to mitigate the possibility of a fire taking your home. Fire resistant siding and roofing, removing fuels close to the house, installing a sprinkler system. At least you usually have a bit of warning with a fire, as opposed to a quake or tornado that just show up at random.

Depending on where you live, the fires may or may not be an issue.

['M']

Having moved from the Estes Park-Glen Haven-Drake area, you'll have quite a commute, especially in the winter. If you buy a house up on Storm Mountain/Drake, that is extremely treacherous in winter...even w/4WD. One gal at work always had to take her chains with her, even with a Jeep. It would be necessary to have 4WD + studded snow tires for Storm Mountain, definitely, from my experience. Not to mention wear and tear on your vehicle. With gas prices soaring, you can surely find a home in Loveland at a reasonable price and a much shorter commute. If you want to be higher up, there is a subdivision just as you come into Loveland, north side of Hwy 34 that is up on what I'd call a short mountain ...maybe a realtor could give us the name. It has larger homes mostly with nice views, but come to think of it, these homes are mostly close together. It's been a while since I was there so can't remember all the details. There are some older homes with small amounts of acreage in SW Loveland (and foothills), west of Wilson, North of Hwy 34 Eisenhower (also S of Eisenhower/Hwy34). Berthoud, CO is close by, to the South. Some of it is horse country. Excellent suggestions about the advantages of renting (or using your 5th wheel) given the different types of areas in the Loveland-Fort Collins-Big Thompson Canyon territory. Yes, the utility bills can be prohibitive. I know people who have made the drive down the Big Thompson Canyon daily and they grow tired of it after the novelty wears off. Good luck to you in your search for your dream Colorado neighborhood....it's out there waiting for you.

[Mike Weber]

Originally Posted by 'M'

If you want to be higher up, there is a subdivision just as you come into Loveland, north side of Hwy 34 that is up on what I'd call a short mountain ...maybe a realtor could give us the name. It has larger homes mostly with nice views, but come to think of it, these homes are mostly close together. It's been a while since I was there so can't remember all the details.

Namaqua Hills

[oldtrader]

Namaqua Hills is upscale pricey homes.

One rule of thumb in the Loveland area, is cheaper homes like you found at Drake, have problems. In this case, it is winter access. There will be times, that just having a 4x4 with studded snow tires, will not get you up and down the mountain.

Second rule of thumb in the real estate business: "If there are a big number of homes for sale in a particular area in or near a prosperous town like Loveland, buy somewhere else. If you don't, heed this type of advice, you will later wish you did." Learned this in a real estate seminar for brokers when I first started in the real estate business, and never found it to be wrong in 30 years in the business.

Ask yourself, "Is my wife prepared to live where she may have to take a walk through deep snow to get to and from where the car is parked by the highway carrying a small child, or stay home a few times a year".

The first clue that there are problems, is that the homes are way cheaper than in town, and the high percentage of homes for sale and not selling very fast even at the lowered prices. Problems: Not built for winter living, and only really good for summer homes. Difficult and sometimes impossible access in the winter. Beautiful in the summer, and when the bad weather hits, the owners wish they had never bought them.

That is why old cabins along Hi 34 in Drake, are way more expensive than the homes are on storm mountain for similar properties. If there was not an access problem, they would sell for much higher prices up on storm mountain.

Homes on acreage are more pricey, as you have to pay for the extra land, higher cost to develop the improvements like water, roads and utilities, and more costly to build. I know in Oklahoma, it is often the other way around. I am quite familiar with Oklahoma, as my wife's family came from the Tulsa area, and have been around Oklahoma to visit aunts and cousins, again when I was in real estate business, arranging real estate exchanges between there and Colorado. I used to marvel, at how cheap places out in the country and small towns were. Similar places in the country, are cheaper than in town in much of Oklahoma. Not so along the front range of Colorado. There are land use laws, that regulate the size you can build on in the country away from the town that make it harder to build, and drive up the prices of the lot considerably. You pay extra to live out in the country along the front range. Two cheapest places to buy in the country are Masonville, and Carter Lake, and still be able to have a reasonable commute, and a safe commute.