Question about SE and other areas of COS... (Colorado Springs, Fountain: for sale, apartment complexes)

[corcor27]

Hi, my wife and I will be moving to COS the first week of Sept. 2010 and need a little bit of location info before we do. I have heard that the SE part of COS, specifically around the 80916 area, isn't the best part of the city and that there's a higher level of crime/trashiness. Is this because of its proximity to the AFB and Airport? Or is it strictly its residents? I was mainly wondering because it seems that there are a lot of homes for sale/rent in that area.

Are there any other areas that should be avoided as far as renting/buying a home? Living downtown is already scratched off our list. That's just not our scene.

[GreenScoutII]

In general, the further north you go in COS, the newer/nicer the neighborhoods. Being a native and having lived there 35 years, I would say definitely avoid most areas of town south of Austin Bluffs and especially south of Platte avenue.

Others may have different advice, but if I were ever to move back to the Springs, I would avoid the areas I mentioned.

[otowi]

I would live anywhere in the city without hesitation except for apartment complexes around Airport Road/Chelton/Fountain Blvd. - in that case I'd check them out carefully, but if I had kids and had a choice I would not live in the Harrison School District #2 area right now. Personally I don't think newer is always better - there are GREAT neighborhoods in Fountain/Security/Widefield, Cheyenne Mountain, Old Colorado City, Central Colorado Springs, etc. The further north you go until you get out of the city and into the AFA area, it seems things get more cookie-cutter to me with a gajillion of the same old chain stores and restaurants, maybe because of that "newness", but there are new developments in all the cardinal directions.

[Mike from back east]

Concor, most of the city is fine. Our member DeckDoc lives in the SE part of town and swears by it. A quick visit is all it takes to figure out your preferred area as prices are pretty level all over, not like big east coast cities where closer-in equals very high prices.

I live up on the far north end of town near the USAF Academy but I'd not hesitate to live on one of those old tree-lined streets downtown near COLO College, streets like Cascade, Weber, Wahsatch, Nevada and so on, an area called "the old north end" which is very pretty.

It's often advisable to rent for 6-12 months before buying to really make sure of what it is you want and where you want it.

[ColoSpgsJamie]

North COS is nice. I love selling in the Northwest area of town. It feels as if you are tucked away in the city and you have your own section of town to yourself. Obviously everyone is going to claim where they live is the best so I will too. Northwest COS...Mountain Shadows, Rockrimmon, Woodmen Valley, and Peregrine. The closer the house is to the mountains and the further north you go the more expensive it gets.

Agree with Mike; Old north end is a nice area but can be expensive. Of course expensive can mean different things to different people.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by ColoSpgsJamie

North COS is nice. I love selling in the Northwest area of town. It feels as if you are tucked away in the city and you have your own section of town to yourself. Obviously everyone is going to claim where they live is the best so I will too. Northwest COS...Mountain Shadows, Rockrimmon, Woodmen Valley, and Peregrine. The closer the house is to the mountains and the further north you go the more expensive it gets.

Agree with Mike; Old north end is a nice area but can be expensive. Of course expensive can mean different things to different people.

Lots of truth to that, and there are a ton of homes for sale in the northern area of Briargate in the $200-300K range, plus a lot of stuff for twice that much. Some decent rentals up there too. Zip for searching is 80920.

[captain_hug99]

There are some new developments in southern COS, I think one is called Barnstormer. I know all the roads are aviation themed. You can also look near Marksheffel in Claremont Ranch area, there are some nice homes there as well.

[corcor27]

Originally Posted by GreenScoutII

"In general, the further north you go in COS, the newer/nicer the neighborhoods. Being a native and having lived there 35 years, I would say definitely avoid most areas of town south of Austin Bluffs and especially south of Platte avenue.

Others may have different advice, but if I were ever to move back to the Springs, I would avoid the areas I mentioned."

I'm going to be looking at a house for rent in the 80917 zip code in a neighborhood located in the NE corner of Oro Blanco Dr. and Carefree Cir N. which just happens to be right under Austin Bluffs Pkwy/Barnes Rd.

You had mentioned nothing below Austin Bluffs. Did you mean the road or the area? Unfortunately I don't even know what area is considered the Austin Bluffs area. Is the neighborhood I mentioned in a good or bad area?

Thanks again.

[otowi]

It is fine/average.

[froggin4colorado]

Have teacher friends in that area- they run a lot. They like the area. Again, you will have to find what type of neighborhood you like best but there are lots to choose from. Great city!