neighborhoods of FC and loveland, some general questions (Fort Collins: rentals, loft)

[Jason_54]

I am a college graduate, mid 20's self employed

Can you describe the neighborhoods of the city (n,s, sw, nw, etc), looking for a younger and middle class (not run down and not too upscale) neighborhood (the second being more important).

Are most CSU students from NoCo? Is it deserted in the summer, when classes end? I am asking this because one of the major reasons why I am thinking about moving here is because it a relatively young community.

[Mike Weber]

To answer that question requires quite a bit of generalization that will not cover every situation.

The town began near the river, at what is now known as Old Town, and grew mostly south and west, until running into the mountains on the west, at which point the growth was more southward. Therefore, much of the newer, larger housing is to the south, and south-east. You will find most of the national chain stores on the south end of town.

The Old Town area is now popular, with lots to do, including night life, live music, cultural events, dining, etc. The housing prices reflect that popularity, but resale is usually pretty good, with restored homes bringing a premium on some streets. There is also some loft style / urban living housing downtown.

As you get near campus, generally you find quite a few student rentals, and the associated lifestyle.

To the south-west, there are lots of subdivisions that seem to contain lots of families. The high school that serves the south-west part of town has the highest enrollment of the 4.

To the north-west, you will find the least amount of development, should you desire a bit quieter area. The housing prices are going to be less because the area has more smaller older homes. Some of this area was not developed over the years because of floodplain issues. Access to the mountains for hiking, biking, kayaking, etc is best from this part of town.

The north-east has a mixture. The Coumtry Club is in this part of town, and there are some nice properties there. Because of the river and a railroad, there was less development in the direction over the years. There are some less expensive alternatives in this direction, as well.

This information is a very, very broad overview of Ft. Collins, and by no means covers everything. There are many reasons to come to Fort Collins, and many great places to live in the area. Your best bet is to come and spend a few days looking around.

[isellnoco]

Nice reply Mike...I would say that most CSU students are from outside of the Fort Collins area. You have a few "townies" but there is a large part of the enrollment that is from other parts of Colorado or out of staters. The most noticible change when school gets out is the traffic. It slows down in the summer, although there are still quite a few students taking summer courses and working. I would say most students live in the central part of Fort Collins, including old town because of the close proximity to CSU. There are some newer townhome communities in southeast Fort Collins with young professionals, but as Mike said. They are all over the community and your best bet is to spend a few days driving around and seeing what appeals to you. Fort Collins is a great community and you'll figure out which part you like best!