Loveland (Denver, Colorado Springs, Lakewood: where to stay, credit, buying a home)

[outasightoutamind]

I posted under looking for small town feel. I know that loveland isn't exactly a small town, but during research of towns/cities in colorado I happened across Loveland. It looks pretty good. Is there anyone out there that lives in Loveland? That can fill me in on the "things that are not on the internet" such as do you like it, love it, hate it etc.
Thank you all for your post's you people are the best.

[concoulor3]

Wow, that's kinda vague. It really depends on what your are looking for...Loveland is on the more conservative side of right. It's population is getting younger, but a lot of working-class retirees. New medical center, Docs moving in. It's all growing out near I-25, which I think is a shame because I believe in re-development. Which there is a moderate in-town renovation going-on. It's less of a boom/bust then 20 yrs ago. Supposedly has good schools (Thompson Valley) and some of the highest CSAP scores in the state. I hope to move soon for lots of reasons, but I wouldn't stay here (I'm from Boulder). It has some nice neighborhoods and some rougher ones. A really nice mall at I-25 and it's starting to catch up to the turn of the century. It's lacking a college (one dinky community outreach), so it's not like Boulder - where you have Master candidates pouring you're latte. However, it does have a drive through starbucks and a chipolte! Anyways, I'll be totally open with my opinion if you can give a bit more specificity to your questions.

[outasightoutamind]

We currently live on the west coast of Florida. Land here is being used up for condo's for the retired or mansion's for the rich, neither of which we are. It's 81 degree's here to day and xmas is next week. The people here are getting more stuffy then a turkey on thanksgiving and keeping up with the Jones's isn't our cup of tea. Rent's here are extremely high. A good example a grand a month get's you a room with a micro/fridge. Living to work or working to live is the question that we ask ourselves everyday. We are seeking to move for our peace of mind and well being. Someplace that the season's change when they are suppose to and people are more into just enjoying life then just enjoying themselves. Job's can be just about anything. We both worked for a travel trailer manufacturing plant for 8 years, we have been in the retail business, and currently in the hotel business. So as far as jobs go, really anything goes. Residence wise, who care's an apt, house, mobile home it really doesnt matter as long as we don't have to pay out the nose for it. We just want to be able to breath and enjoy what we consider life. I know those place's are out there just not here per say. We don't hold no master degree's or are executives just normal everyday people who would like to wake up in the moring and go to bed at night knowing we are living the life we want, not the life we have to.
I hope this helps. It doesn't have to be Loveland. But nothing with a population like tampa/st pete.
thanks for your help

[Christian11]

Originally Posted by outasightoutamind

We currently live on the west coast of Florida. Land here is being used up for condo's for the retired or mansion's for the rich, neither of which we are. It's 81 degree's here to day and xmas is next week. The people here are getting more stuffy then a turkey on thanksgiving and keeping up with the Jones's isn't our cup of tea. Rent's here are extremely high. A good example a grand a month get's you a room with a micro/fridge. Living to work or working to live is the question that we ask ourselves everyday. We are seeking to move for our peace of mind and well being. Someplace that the season's change when they are suppose to and people are more into just enjoying life then just enjoying themselves. Job's can be just about anything. We both worked for a travel trailer manufacturing plant for 8 years, we have been in the retail business, and currently in the hotel business. So as far as jobs go, really anything goes. Residence wise, who care's an apt, house, mobile home it really doesnt matter as long as we don't have to pay out the nose for it. We just want to be able to breath and enjoy what we consider life. I know those place's are out there just not here per say. We don't hold no master degree's or are executives just normal everyday people who would like to wake up in the moring and go to bed at night knowing we are living the life we want, not the life we have to.
I hope this helps. It doesn't have to be Loveland. But nothing with a population like tampa/st pete.
thanks for your help

I feel your pain, man. We are possibly moving to Northern CO in March 2007 from Orlando, FL. It is very very hot today and very humid. It kinda hurts the Christmas mood, you know the snow and "warm house with the family" feeling.

I post a lot on the FL boards and people do not believe me when I say FL is not what it used to be. I have been here for 11 years, Orlando is now VERY unsafe, very expensive, and very crowded. Not to mention unfriendly and congested with traffic. Urban sprawl is pushing the "good areas" next to the bad areas. Crime spills over.

I pay $1,100 for a 2/2 apt. That is cheap because I live outside Orlando (live in Oviedo). The downside is 1h - 1 1/2 hours driving EACH WAY everyday (13 miles each way). Wages are stagnant in Orlando (and South/Central FL in general). The only thing that goes constantly up is the cost of living.

How can anyone afford housing in FL??!? A crappy tiny home in my area these days, in a non-crack neighborhood is going for $270,000 - $300,000. I am talking about a tiny tiny house or a small apt (aka. a Condo). It is absurd... not to mention the skyrocketing property taxes, absurd insurance (car, and even worse home owner's), and seems like the price of everything from food to entertainment is going through the roof. Now the #1 beef in Orlando really the is crime. It is out of control, the law-abiding citizens are left to have their own legal guns and fend off for themselves. Cops are no help, they are all too busy ticketing people to generate state revenue and take like 20 mins to respond to an armed robbery call or any violent emergency issue. The Guardian Angels are having to come down here because the situation is so bad.

We are currently looking into relocating to that area as well. It is soooooo affordable, there is almost no traffic (although the locals complain about it a lot). We drove through downtown Fort Collins around 4:50 - 5:20pm... dude it tooks us like 5 mins to get from one end to the other!! It is so safe, you won't have to worry about crackheads trying to strangle you by the mailboxes in your apt complex to get $20 for crack. The town is very clean, lots of parks and all.

In sum.... we both should trade the "Warm winters" for cooler winters (but very sunny, nothing depressing like Ohio winters or anything) and live in peace and fairly in comfort. The towns in Northern CO are very clean, the cost of living is pretty affordable, even with the state income tax of 4.65%. The tax pretty much gets deducted from the federal income tax as well and the "overall tax burden" on the individual is not too bad. Property taxes are a joke, a $190k home in Larimer county is going for like $1,200 per year!!! My friend is paying $3,800 a year here in Lake Buena Vista, FL!!

Trust me, check out Loveland and Fort Collins... you will NOT be disapointed!! We absolutely loved it and we were there May 2006!!

Merry Christmas... although it feels like July today!!
Chris

Ps. One word of advice: stay away from Boulder. It is very expensive, very liberal;, lots of wierd types. Fort Collins/Loveland is MUCH better, more friendly, more affordable. Windosr is developing, much much smaller town, but who knows in the next few years? Bottom line, you need to go and see for yourself. You will love it, I kid you not! From one Floridian to another.

[volleyballer]

Hello. I am from mountains in Northern California, and my husband and I are interested in relocating to CO, specifically Loveland. Are there any neighborhoods we should steer clear from in searching for places to live in the area? I remember touring around an old sugar mill, and the area around it didn't look so lovely. Any info would be appreciated. Thank you!

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by jmball80

...I remember touring around an old sugar mill, and the area around it didn't look so lovely. Any info would be appreciated. Thank you!

Hey, careful there I bought my first house in '74 @ age 19 on east 10th street, (near 'sugar factory depot') it was 680 sq ft, including the "low clearance" basement ... cost $16,000, my payments were $128.84... oh for those days

It's been yrs since I've lived in that place..., but at the time it was the 'north ghetto' There was some 'south Ghetto', but it got somewhat cleaned up by the community center., still south of first street and east of lincoln was not great, but there were some nice places there too. With Loveland popularity; that stuff is getting bought up and fixed. I'd be cautious of the 'tract' subdivisions. I preferr to buy in 'established' (pre-tract) with lots of big trees and older homes, as they are more 'livable' and resellable. (you don't want to be trying to sell a "me-too" home when the bubble bursts.)

PM me with what specifically your criteria is, and I'll do some hunting. I still have connections there, and visit frequently. I'll be buying some commercial prop in Loveland / Ft. Collins this spring, but can't digest living there with the increased population and expense. I still have 40+ yrs of 'retirement' with no ' real job' , gotta watch my pennies... But if I won the Lotto, (which I don't play) it would be a great place.

[volleyballer]

Thanks for the reply. I did not mean any harm in writing about the sugar mill, only outsider observation. I'm not sure what you mean on the "me too" homes. I would rather prefer an older home, built in the 70s-90s, with a big yard, trees and character than a tract home. By the way, I don't really think homes built in the 70s-90s are actually old. I live in CA with people above and below me, I desperately need some room! For some reason, I just really like the Loveland/Ft. Collins area. Now it is just finding a teaching job for me and a financial job for my husband. He's a financial analyst for a Pacific Coast area bank.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by jmball80

... I'm not sure what you mean on the "me too" homes. I would rather prefer an older home, built in the 70s-90s, with a big yard, trees and character than a tract home. ... Now it is just finding a teaching job for me and a financial job for my husband. He's a financial analyst for a Pacific Coast area bank.

"me-too" = a home that is just about like any others in the city when you go to sell. (that may include "tract" homes built in late 60's > current') "older" places were built from homestead > early 60's and include unique setting, placement, design, build-ins..., after that you probably need a 'custom' home. Look for something that will make house uniquely attractive to yourself and a buyer. We were stuck with an extra house in Loveland (1982-5, local downturn), even tho it was very desirable (fronted a park and had a 18,000 ft lot) we finally sold for $60k, 2 yrs ago it sold for $380k

Jobs are not going to be a problem, tho you might need to sub for a yr (not a bad idea when determining the best available locations) Finance jobs may be better in Ft C. (more commercial banks, tho I would exhaust resources in Loveland and Berthoud first) Ft C is a pretty easy commute (can even ride bike). I'd try to stick to Loveland for a more 'homey' feel, tho Ft C has more 'action' and possibly jobs. I think your relationships with friends, co-workers, clients, parents, neighbors, are usually better in a smaller (but sustainable) community.

PM me if you want specific locations and school recommendations

[veitch]

Hi,
My 11 year old, my husband and I are moving to Loveland in March. We have been out there three times in 2006. We are moving from southern CA. I have heard the school system is great. Everyone we have met in Colorado seems so nice. Anyone have any advice for us making this big move. We are looking at it as a
new adventure.

[BrianAggie95]

I have moved cross country twice. If you are hiring a mover, do your homework, make sure you get a good one. If you are moving yourself, give yourself plenty of time to make the trip, uhauls are slow going, so don't try to do a million miles a day or antyhing... In fact if you are doing the drive out thing, make the trip a mini adventure on it's own... do some stopovers and see some things on the way. This ia great country with varied attractions everywhere... See the Grand canyon on your way, or if you are a skiier, stop at different ski resorts on your way, or vegas (Maybe not sure on an 11yr old in Vegas) If you are doing the Uhaul thing and stopping, make sure you have good locks on your trailer and make sure your home insurance covers your belongs while in transit.