Southern Californian worried about relocation (Fort Collins, Longmont: rental car, rental, homes)

[JDSpencer]

My wife, our three kids (2, 7, & 8) and I are looking to relocate to the Fort Collins general area. We currently reside in Southern California (Ventura County), where we both were raised and have lived for 30+ years. I have been laid off twice from the home building industry, back in 2008 and most recently from the telecom manufacturing industry. Needless to say. we have had it with this state, as it gets worse everyday. I know that the entire country is having it's difficulties, but California is #1 on the list...we could never buy a home here.

Now, I've heard that Fort Collins and Colorado-ans in general aren't to welcoming to Californians. Is this true? I know it had something to do with Californians bloated home equities, driving up costs of homes in CO, but we're not one of them and we don't want to be pigeon-holed into the negative group of Californians, especially as I look for work there.

Second, we want the best guided advice on where we could live and buy a home (4+2) with a couple of acres, away from the city, but somewhat close to decent schools. If we have to drive 15+ minutes to town for groceries, that's fine.

Lastly, how's the job market for manufacturing? I was a production planner.
How's the home building industry? I have many related skills, from framing to customer service and construction management.
Can anyone recommend a job placement agency?


Thanks in advanced!!

[StealthRabbit]

Jobs are tough, but possible. Many LARGE manf are gone / smaller staff (Kodak, HP, Teledyne ...). There are a few manf companies growing, And I see Manf returning to USA with FEW skilled workers available....

With a production planning background, you might check into Yancey's Produce (recently bought by FSA) FSA Loveland
They are expanding significantly and have many logistic challenges.

I would also try REAL hard to get on at Woodward Governor Woodward, Inc Excellent company that is expanding. (They have site in Ft Collins and one in NE Loveland (Off Wilson and 34th))

Get a list of Manf / prospective employers from local WorkSource and canvas their websites and get out resumes and do informational interviews with those you like. Read the local Economic Development news blurbs to find expanding employers.

Leave the CA license plates at home, and don't ever say... "in CA we did it THIS way", or... "In CA I made $xxx,xxxx wage" nor refer to I-25 as "the-25".

Your CA family will be fine. I would choose Loveland or Berthoud over Ft Collins (for family friendly, without the traffic / cost premium of Ft Collins). But first look around, see what fits your tastes.

VERY cheap to visit... I just got tickets for next week on SWA. Frontier was cheaper. Use Hotwire or priceline for rental car.
I'll see you at Walker Manf (worth applying there too!) http://www.walkerhymnsing.com/Welcome.html

Whoops - edit... no commercial link to their company on above site.
http://www.walkermowers.com/

[JDSpencer]

StealthRabbit,

Thank you so much! Those are not the answers I expected within the quick response time frame. Excellent info!! We are not pretentious Californians and actually live more like we belong in the country, rather than the Southern California sub-suburbs (between rural and suburban). The I-25 vs. "the 25" is funny, as we'd probably say that...thanks for the heads-up. I'll start looking at Loveland and Berthoud right away, as well as checking out the companies you mentioned. You should be a head-hunter!!!

THANKS AGAIN!

[Sunderpig2]

I haven't noticed any anti-Californian sentiment, but I'm not a native Coloradan either. I do notice a subtle "preference" for natives, and not changing anything (the population, ideas, culture). Nothing wrong with that of course. But if you have family and a long background in the state, you will probably be regarded higher than if you are from elsewhere.

Manufacturing seems decent, though it's probably stronger to the south (Longmont, etc). Home building seems like a stronger field. The job market is very difficult though. It seems like a battle of willpower and money. You might need a lot more of both than you realize to "last".

Ultimately, a good visit first - before moving - is probably the smartest approach. It's impossible to the full picture from a distance. Even up close, it might still be a bit elusive.

[lurtsman]

The stance against Californians you may find (just don't tell people your from there!) reflects a desire to avoid having California's political system. It feels like there are many people leaving California because it has become an awful state, moving to Colorado, and then voting for the very things that destroyed California. We don't want that. We are in many ways the antithesis of California and would like to keep it that way. I have nothing against people who move here from California. I have something against people who tell me that they vote for very stupid things.

BTW. In my neighborhood someone has a bumper sticker that says, "No one cares you're from Cali, Bro".

PS. I'm from the Springs, but I think this attitude of not wanting California's messed up politics is very wide spread throughout our state.

[StealthRabbit]

"No one cares you're from Cali, Bro".

I'm afraid that message means... "Hey, we welcome your VOTE, please help us change CO into CA (politically)". NOW (with DL for illegals) and mail-in ballots and the "battleground' status... CO is rigth on track to become politically = with CA.


JMHO, having been a CO resident for my first 28 yrs. and Left_coast for the next 28+yrs.

Welcome CO (TiC)

[JDSpencer]

Thanks all, but if CO is trying to become CA, that's not an attractive thing for me. CA is so backwards right now (worse than the U.S.) and will not be able to recover from it. I live in a lucky area (politically, as we are relatively unaffected), but expensive. If I could afford it, we'd be pretty safe from what Sacramento is doing to this state.

BTW, I HOPE YOU ALL ARE UNAFFECTED BY THE FIRES OUT THERE. I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE.

[Sunderpig2]

A bigger issue might be how scary parts of CO are turning into a resemblance of Texas. I'm talking about northeast CO, and all the "let's secede and become the 51st state" nonsense (very similar to the Texas seceding from the union nonsense, and pushed by the same extremist mentality). All the big oil and big gas and big guns and tough talk. Power zealots flexing muscles and pushing for more drilling, and the especially disturbing fracking inside city limits, complete with threats and lawsuits and big money.

The good residents of CO should be much more worried about that than the other/usual political stuff, especially since it has an environmental and quality of life factor. It's very easy to ruin an area, like in the south and industrial NE. I've seen beautiful areas get wrecked and polluted by industries. All the same factors seem to be moving in, especially from the northeast.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Sunderpig

A bigger issue might be how scary parts of CO are turning into a resemblance of Texas. ...The good residents of CO should be much more worried about that than the other/usual political stuff, especially since it has an environmental and quality of life factor. It's very easy to ruin an area, like in the south and industrial NE. I've seen beautiful areas get wrecked and polluted by industries. All the same factors seem to be moving in, especially from the northeast.

I will agree to disagree. I will take fracking and energy / economic development (managed properly) any day.

Covert policial wrangling will (is) dismantling Colorado. YOU will live to see the results... too bad.

Your Priorities / interests / worry points may vary.

[Sunderpig2]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

I will take fracking and energy / economic development (managed properly) any day.:

It's easy to a accept something like fracking when it's miles away. It's another matter altogether when it keeps getting closer to your own backyard. It's maybe been too long of a period since you've lived in CO to see some of the most recent of trends. There have already been issues in and around places like Windsor and Severance concerning fracking gone bad, as these operations move from remote areas to urban backyards. I have yet to see anything along the lines of recent oil & gas exploration that has been "managed properly". That's a naive "wish for the best" approach that doesn't see the hazards and messes that keep happening.

There, a post free of childish gimmicks (boldfacing, all caps, dumb cartoon symbols)...