Two teachers wanting to move to CO... need advice and help!

[MountainEarth]

Originally Posted by otowi

Some of the teachers who are brand new to the profession will rent for a few years before buying.

Or never be able to buy at all. My wife is a teacher as well. Used to be much more affordable. Today,with appreciation, there is no way we could afford the home we first bought starting out 17 years ago (and still live in today). Housing is a big reason why Colorado is actually experiencing a severe teacher shortage (Colorado's teacher shortage is a "crisis" that's getting worse, educators say). Finding a teaching job is definitely not the problem. If I were the OP, I might look north to Wyoming. Much higher pay up there.

[otowi]

Wyoming does have better pay. But, not everyone wants to be in Wyoming. As for buying, I work with several very young teachers and so far they are still able to get a house here in the Springs within their first few years of teaching. Denver might be another story.

[rochester_veteran]

Originally Posted by MountainEarth

Or never be able to buy at all. My wife is a teacher as well. Used to be much more affordable. Today,with appreciation, there is no way we could afford the home we first bought starting out 17 years ago (and still live in today). Housing is a big reason why Colorado is actually experiencing a severe teacher shortage (Colorado's teacher shortage is a "crisis" that's getting worse, educators say). Finding a teaching job is definitely not the problem. If I were the OP, I might look north to Wyoming. Much higher pay up there.

As I posted previously, both my son and his wife were teachers, but they were new when they accepted the positions and they taught at a charter school and were making approximately $35,000 each. They both coached sports as well. My son was an assistant football coach at Valor for a season and his wife coached JV girls volleyball at Valor as well. The next season, they teamed up and coached boys basketball and volleyball at the school they taught at, so they were putting in 10-12 hour days and the compensation for their coaching wasn't that much, but they did it because they loved it. When my son's wife had the baby and became a stay-at-home mom, their income was cut in half and it's tough to make a go of it in Castle Rock with a family of 3 and only bringing in $35,000. That's why my son switched career paths and was fortunate to get into the investment/financial planning field, he needed to make more money. His wife may go back to teaching eventually, but he'll probably stick with what he's doing now as he likes it and is doing well.

[MountainEarth]

Originally Posted by otowi

Wyoming does have better pay. But, not everyone wants to be in Wyoming. As for buying, I work with several very young teachers and so far they are still able to get a house here in the Springs within their first few years of teaching. Denver might be another story.

That of course all depends on what part of the Springs one is in, and how much of a supplemental income one's spouse brings.

[otowi]

Originally Posted by MountainEarth

That of course all depends on what part of the Springs one is in, and how much of a supplemental income one's spouse brings.

Yes, not every house and every neighborhood in the Springs will be accessible - I know I cannot afford a lot of them. I'm not trying to live in Flying Horse. But I can certainly, as a teacher on one income, get a decent home within a reasonable commute to my teaching job in the Springs. It is harder than it has been at some points, but teachers are still buying homes regardless of being single or double-income, new to the profession or more experienced. We're not entirely priced out yet - every teacher I know who wants to buy a house is still able to do so - I base this on observations of actual teachers with both single or double incomes, both new to the profession and experienced - the whole gamut - buying homes this year, last year, etc. - anyone who has wanted to has been able to do it. FYI, some realtors offer incentive programs for teachers to buy homes essentially offering them at about half price. Not new homes, not perfect homes, not in just any neighborhood, and not lots of offerings like this - I just see them come up occasionally. I know a few teachers who took advantage of such programs and got a great deal. I was not aware of or they did not seem to have an active program when I bought or I would have tried to take advantage of that.