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Old 10-01-2007, 10:04 AM
 
25 posts, read 98,432 times
Reputation: 19

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Okay, I am moving to Colorado Springs in less than 2 weeks! I have my moving company all set for the 10th of October. I have read many posts and pages here, especially the one by MIke 'why move to Colorado Springs.' (great info by the way) That is a wonderful post but so long and now I am confused! So, I need you all to help me pick a good location for myself and my 13 yr old son to move. I need a starting point and any help would be greatly appreciated! I will tell you what I am looking for and just tell me where to look, specificly please, areas, roads whatever.

What I am looking for is obviously a good school for my son. I know that there are many good districts so I guess tell me where to avoid. He will be in high school next year so that is the most important aspect. He is not into athletics at all, but is very smart and into computers and geek stuff.

Housing: I am going to rent before I buy. For a rental I am looking for a 2 to 3 bedroom, newer home with at least 1700 square feet, preferrably more. Monthly mortgage between 1000K and 1400K, preferrably less!

I did not know how drastically the weather climate in that area changes. It seems like it fluctuates between areas. So which is the mildest area? Which should I avoid.

Also, I like a more small town setting rather than houses on top of one another. I would like a yard and some trees. Will I need to bring my big riding lawn mower? Coming from Cape Cod I hope I am not in for a huge culture shock but am hoping for the best.

I am so excited about my move to Colorado Springs! I am full of anxiety as well...

I just need a starting point as to where to look. I will use the 'Gazette' for rental listings.

If I used a realtor would I have to pay more for a rental or do you just pay a fee to the realtor?

Like I said I have done a lot of reading and looking online but I am just so confused. My head is spinning!

Any suggestions would be so helpfull.

Thank you!

Karen from Cape Cod soon to be in Colorado Springs!
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Old 10-01-2007, 10:16 AM
 
261 posts, read 621,713 times
Reputation: 121
Congratulations on this exciting time in your life! I wish you all the best.

Based on what you desire to pay, focus on areas south of Woodmen and East of Academy. Also, check out Craig's List for houses etc.

You have a large military presence there, so you can find something because it has to be affordable for them.

Go get 'em!
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Old 10-01-2007, 11:58 AM
 
26,214 posts, read 49,052,722 times
Reputation: 31786
Quote:
Originally Posted by capepuffin View Post
Okay, I am moving to Colorado Springs in less than 2 weeks! I have my moving company all set for the 10th of October. I have read many posts and pages here, especially the one by MIke 'why move to Colorado Springs.' (great info by the way) That is a wonderful post but so long and now I am confused! So, I need you all to help me pick a good location for myself and my 13 yr old son to move. I need a starting point and any help would be greatly appreciated! I will tell you what I am looking for and just tell me where to look, specificly please, areas, roads whatever.

What I am looking for is obviously a good school for my son. I know that there are many good districts so I guess tell me where to avoid. He will be in high school next year so that is the most important aspect. He is not into athletics at all, but is very smart and into computers and geek stuff.

Housing: I am going to rent before I buy. For a rental I am looking for a 2 to 3 bedroom, newer home with at least 1700 square feet, preferrably more. Monthly mortgage between 1000K and 1400K, preferrably less!

I did not know how drastically the weather climate in that area changes. It seems like it fluctuates between areas. So which is the mildest area? Which should I avoid.

Also, I like a more small town setting rather than houses on top of one another. I would like a yard and some trees. Will I need to bring my big riding lawn mower? Coming from Cape Cod I hope I am not in for a huge culture shock but am hoping for the best.

I am so excited about my move to Colorado Springs! I am full of anxiety as well...

I just need a starting point as to where to look. I will use the 'Gazette' for rental listings.

If I used a realtor would I have to pay more for a rental or do you just pay a fee to the realtor?

Like I said I have done a lot of reading and looking online but I am just so confused. My head is spinning!

Any suggestions would be so helpfull.

Thank you!

Karen from Cape Cod soon to be in Colorado Springs!

Karen, hello and thanks for the kind words. There is a lot of info here, for sure. All answers are of the "IMO" type.

- Schools: Academy School District, aka D20 is highly rated, as is D38 a bit further north. D20 is big into science due to all the USAF officers living here, so if your son is tech guy, this may be best area in town. D12 on the south side is highly rated too, but is the Broadmoor area, generally for upper bracket types, but may have affordable housing in that area. D11 is the main city school district and the older parts of downtown have lots of trees and lots of varying sizes. Schools in D11 are good to above average, some very good, you'd have to check specific school scores to be sure.

- Locations: Zip 80920, aka Briargate will have homes in your price range, listing at $200k and up, rentals at $1k and up. Houses here are close together to save money on landscaping and water. Other areas nearby may have more land, where you can easily justify a riding mower but price/rentals may be higher.

- Rentals: Gazette is good start, it has lots, craigslist, any of the rental sites you can google up, or my favorite, realtor.com which has both sale listings and rentals. Using a realtor probably doesn't drive up the cost, though some of our realtors on this site (I'm not one) can clarify that topic.

- Weather: We've talked about it a lot here. We prefer this low humidity and lack of bugs, the breezes, the sun. Snow melts quickly, this past winter was a major exception. Then again, you won't get any Nor'easters here, nor hurricanes. Millions live along this Front Range, it can't be that bad, eh. It can change fast during mid-summer as we usually get a quick t-storm off the mountain, then its gone as fast as it gets here.

- Avoid: No real bad parts of town or region to avoid, but the S.E part of town is considered problematic.

- Best area: IMO, best area is northeast side, with good views of Pikes Peak and the Front Range, and great highway access. For pix of schools and homes in D20, see the photo Tour at: //www.city-data.com/forum/color...briargate.html

I'm not a realtor. Any good realtor will be able to look at your wish list and budget and zero on good prospects very fast. Meanwhile, look at what's on realtor.com to get an idea of prices and styles, by area. There are 6000+ units on the market here right now, and I hear mortgage interest rates may have declined a bit too, which helps affordability. Some price declines have been noted.

You're gonna love Colorado!

s/Mike from back east

Last edited by Mike from back east; 10-01-2007 at 12:09 PM..
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Old 10-03-2007, 09:22 PM
 
Location: Grand Rapids, MN
571 posts, read 2,530,271 times
Reputation: 314
As usual, Mike gives good advice!

Having been an educator in the springs, I'm pretty familiar with the schools. As far as places to avoid, Distirct 2 has a bad reputation (I worked there, so I can say at least some of it is justified) and I would also avoid some of the D-11 schools in the SE part of the district (again, worked there too.)

D-20 (north side) and D-12 (SW side) have the "best" reputations, but housing is often pricier (especially D-12). Falcon school district is pretty good (NE) and has some affordable housing. Growing very quickly!

Good luck!
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Old 10-04-2007, 02:15 AM
 
25 posts, read 98,432 times
Reputation: 19
Thank you to everyone for all of your advice so far! Moving in 1 week and going crazy packing. It sounds like D20 is my best bet, so I will look there first.

I am really nervous but also very excited about the move to Colorado Springs! I am so exhausted from packing up the house. I fall into bed and then can't get up because I am so achy!! I probably won't unpack for 6 months!

Not looking forward to the drive out there though. We have 2 cars to drive and it will be a long lonely ride being alone. Thinking of transporting 1 car but it is so exspensive because we need an enclosed carrier for a special show car. So not sure about that yet. He does not want the added miles on the car but he also does not trust anybody transporting it either. I am thinking it will take us 3 days of driving but I am not sure. Maybe 2 if we really pushed it. Mass>>>>>Colorado is a long way to go...

Any advice or info. about the air adjustment at that altitude? My fiance has asthma and I was just wondering
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Old 10-04-2007, 06:23 AM
 
Location: Avondale, AZ
1,225 posts, read 4,922,788 times
Reputation: 963
Quote:
Any advice or info. about the air adjustment at that altitude? My fiance has asthma and I was just wondering
Take it easy for a few days and drink lots of water. It's easy to dehydrate at altitude without knowing it. I've heard vitamin C or Tums also can help with altitude adjustment.
Good Luck with the drive and welcome to Colorado
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Old 10-04-2007, 10:16 AM
 
26,214 posts, read 49,052,722 times
Reputation: 31786
Use the Search tool across all 3 CO forums with keyword Asthma, lots here already in old threads.
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Old 10-30-2007, 03:33 AM
 
25 posts, read 98,432 times
Reputation: 19
Default I'm Here!

I finally made it to Colorado Springs!!! I moved into my new residence last Thursday. So far I love it except for the altitude sickness I have had the past few days. I am drinking lots of water though. I ended up in the Briargate area in a subdivision called Fairfax. I just enrolled my son in school today and took a tour of the school. He has already made friends in the neighborhood! All of my family is still in shock that I moved so far away, but that was the point for me.

Thank you all for your help and advice on Colorado Springs. You really all helped me make my decision to move where I did. It has been an extremely stressful and exhausting move and I am glad that it is over! Now to feel better, unpack and rest then explore...
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Old 10-30-2007, 04:27 AM
 
Location: Las Flores, Orange County, CA
26,329 posts, read 93,771,454 times
Reputation: 17831
Quote:
Originally Posted by capepuffin View Post
So far I love it except for the altitude sickness I have had the past few days.... It has been an extremely stressful and exhausting move and I am glad that it is over! .
I wouldn't be surprised if the stress led to weakness which contributed to altitude sickness. I've never heard of anyone getting it moving to Colorado Springs, it's only about 6000 feet altitude. Maybe you also have a bug? It is going around. It nailed our family and others too.
Either way pound the water and gatorade. Temperatures in the 70s this week. great for Halloween. Last year it was really cold at Halloween.
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Old 11-01-2007, 10:45 AM
 
25 posts, read 98,432 times
Reputation: 19
We are all finding it difficult to breath. Like we do not have enough oxygen. Also, getting bad headaches. Going up a flight of stairs is a killer right now! It is getting better though. At my sons school they said that it takes about 2 or 3 weeks to adjust. So far we have been here 1 week. I am drinking tons of water and using chapstick nonstop for dry lips and a gel nasal spray for dry nose. I hope we get used to this soon!

Now I need to find auto insurance and doctors. Busy busy busy!
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