Relocating to Boulder area - recommendations? (Denver, Arvada: apartments, to rent, home)

[AME_2017]

Hello everyone. My boyfriend and I are wanting to move to Colorado. We currently live in Memphis but this does not work at all for us. (I'm from Tallahassee Florida and we are both very outdoorsy). I graduated with my bachelor's in biochemistry and plan to attend the University of Colorado at Boulder in Fall 2018. Until then, I will work full time (have research experience, and certified phlebotomist and limited x-ray machine operator) and he will begin his career (master's with 4.0 in public policy and administration with a political science bachelors). Are jobs in these fields common or rare?

I believe as we both recently graduated college, we probably won't make enough to live inside of Boulder anyways. However, I'd like to go ahead and move somewhere within 45 minutes max each way to the school. My boyfriend is equally willing to drive within a 45 minute commute to his job which can be the complete other way, so has been applying to places between Boulder and Denver as a starting point.

We are looking for ideas of where to rent a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment in the area. My only wishes are we can
1. likely find a (doesn't have to be fancy) 1/2BDR for under 1,500 a month
2. we can see (as in view, not be in) the mountains with little travel
3. we can get to the university within 45 minutes.
+1. If we can get some outdoorsy things in or even just have a nice park where people run and walk their dogs that'd be a great change of pace.

We will probably save the actual hiking, kayaking, fancy restaurants, art museums, etc we want to do for weekend trips and don't mind driving a few hours each way for that.

My aunt lives in Arvada currently, so we might move in with her to make the job hunt easier (vs an out of state applicant). We will visit a few times to check out cities in person and make our decisions, but I don't want to spend the 4 days each time going all over the place. I'd like a small list of a few places to explore and look at apartments (especially because I'll only have the Monday I request off to actually tour, rest of the days will be weekends or travel days). Are my hopes possible? Do you have any ideas?

Sorry if too long, I have no grasp on concise language.

[OhioToCO]

No reason to be that far from Boulder to get what you need. 1Bd is definitely possible under or right around 1,500/month in Boulder. You can get a nice 2Bd for 1,500 in Arvada, Broomfield, Lafayette, Longmont etc.
Use padmapper.com for apartments. Read this forum. Visit your aunt for a long weekend and do some scouting.

[brown_dog_us]

Until then, I will work full time (have research experience, and certified phlebotomist and limited x-ray machine operator) and he will begin his career (master's with 4.0 in public policy and administration with a political science bachelors). Are jobs in these fields common or rare?

For research you probably want to reach out to the University. Perhaps the department you are enrolling in has some research jobs. There are phlebotomist jobs everywhere, but they don't pay very well. Your boyfriend will have to hunt for an entry level job in government. They exist, but there is a lot of competition.

It really helps to be local. Colorado companies often get thousands of applications for jobs, and the easiest way to cut the stack down is keeping it local. You don't have to move here to appear local. Use your Aunt's address on applications and change your cell # to a Colorado area code.

[AME_2017]

Thank you both so much! I am happy to hear I can be closer to Boulder. I will be sure to reach out to the University, and I have an amazing old professor/research leader who has offered to try and help me through the process by reaching out to his contacts in the area. My boyfriend has been applying for a while, even for jobs with only a high school diploma or bachelors as the requirement and no cigar. I think it will take a while for him to find something so I'm going to rev up my own search. I've asked to visit my aunt in a few weeks and will have Saturday through Tuesday so that should give me time to get a basic idea of the area. Would having the address be okay if my cell # is still my local area code and if my drivers licence (when requested) is still Mississippi? I wasn't planning to change those until I physically moved but I may do so when we visit or something.

Thank you both for the advice. After reading home prices and comparing with Mississippi (we had a 2 bedroom for 600 a month last time) I was worried everything would be that inflated. I think the apartments are not too bad. Around here a 2BD is about 950 to a bit over a thousand, but I expect we will have more income in Colorado. Since for the past 3 months I've been the only one working so both of us working even lower end jobs should be enough.

[brown_dog_us]

Originally Posted by AME_2017

My boyfriend has been applying for a while, even for jobs with only a high school diploma or bachelors as the requirement and no cigar.

He is looking in a crowded field, so it'll be tough to find a job. He might have better luck finding a job (any job) in Colorado and then network his way into his field of choice once he is here.

Would having the address be okay if my cell # is still my local area code and if my drivers licence (when requested) is still Mississippi? I wasn't planning to change those until I physically moved but I may do so when we visit or something.

A Colorado address is the most important. You could look into adding a second line to your current cellphone. I believe there are some free ways to do it.

[ColoradoGirl09]

You can just get a google voice line and forward it to you cell, works just as well. :-) It is true, many, many employers won't even consider your resume if you don't appear to be local.

[Thoreau424]

Originally Posted by ColoradoGirl09

It is true, many, many employers won't even consider your resume if you don't appear to be local.

Worth repeating.

It is very important to be/act/look like the locals. And that's of course above and beyond the resume / piece of paper. That's something that one has to exude 24/7/365. It can't be hidden or faked for long.

[Katarina Witt]

^^And never, ever say when asked "why do you want this job?", that you want it so you can move to Colorado. Don't wax rhapsodic about what you like about Colorado. The employer is looking for how you can enhance his/her business. S/he doesn't give a rip about your opinion of CO. I've been on some hiring committees. Such resumes usually go to the "round file".