New life, new home? SW (Grand Junction, Durango: rent, modular home, buying)

[CactusJack50]

I know much of this is personal opinion and subjective, but we're pretty much open to suggestions for anywhere in the West. She's a native of Ohio and I'm a Texan. We want a small town with beautiful natural scenery and slow pace where we might open a garden center or deli or B&B, whatever niche the area needs filled.

My gf and I are in our early 50s and have decided to leave Sin City and find a new life, together. We've been thinking about this and have found the information about Durango and the area to be much like we're looking for. We were in Sedona/Prescott a few weeks ago and loved the area, but it's not exactly what we're looking for. Opportunity for getting there first passed 30 years ago. Durango may have as well.

What we're thinking of is an acre or two with a small house--fixer-upper ok--and business opportunities. A place where we can grow old together and become part of the community.

1. We've heard the suggestions that Durango is expensive, but we're in Vegas and from SW Florida, so expensive is certainly relative. My biggest concern is housing to wage proportion. Do you have to have outside money to have a decent life in SW CO, as you do in Florida but not in Vegas?

2. I'm concerned about my future wife might have problems with altitude. She may have felt badly when we were in Sedona and it grew worse in Flag. Anybody experience this?

3. If the "door of opportunity" has closed in the area, as it has here in Vegas and did in Florida, is there somewhere else we might consider that has the same quality of life that we've seen and are looking for?

We appreciate any suggestions we can explore.

Thanks,

Wayne and Marilyn in Vegas

[MidniteBreeze]

I was going to recommend Durango, sounds like you're already looking into that. Have you considered Grand Junction? Bigger than Durango, not as "trendy" but also growing.

Another thought is Trinidad (on I-25, close to the NM line). Quaint little town, definitely has the slow pace you're looking for. Not growing like Durango, but I hear a lot of folks are buying vacation property around there because they're priced out of the market in the rest of Colorado. Might be worth researching, anyway.

Lastly (if you can stand the winters) you might want to consider Montana? Small cities (well, big for Montana, lol) like Missoula and Helena are seeing an influx of ex-West Coasters so there's a good amount of growth. The overall economy isn't as good as Colorado, but if you're not looking to get rich, it might be worth a look. Another thing to consider is while you still get the beautiful mountain scenery, the altitude in most Montana towns is lower than most places in Colorado.

Good luck!

[Crackerjack]

Hi CactusJack, I also just wrote a post on the Moving to Durango thread so be sure and read it for more info. Durango can be affordable if you look around and you live out in the suburbs or towns around Durango. Cortez is the most reasonable. Bayfield is fairly reasonable. Lots of towns around Durango. It depends on how far you want to live out from Durango. The further out you go, generally the cheaper.

As far as everthing else like shopping, with Walmart, Home Depot, Office Depot, Albertsons and so on, the prices are about the same as anywhere else. Utilities and taxes are very low. So it is mainly the houses in Durango and close by Durango that are more expensive but you can get good deals if you look around. I recommend renting a place and then getting to know the area, getting a job, unless you are retiring, and then buying a place. Or if you don't mind buying a double or triple wide modular home (mobile home but better built and on a permanent foundation) with a few acres, you can get those pretty reasonable. Then later you could build a house on the property. I heard people are doing that there just so they can get the land. More info on the other post and about altitude and jobs.
Shouldn't be a problem with altitude but check with a doctor to see if your wife's particular ailment is OK to move to the high altitude.
If you have a college degree shouldn't be a problem working in Durango and making a good living. Lots of new jobs especially in the tech field but also communications like telephone, cable, satellite, and so forth. Medical and others I mentioned in other post.
You can always move to Farmington and rent if you can't find a place in Durango and check out Durango, Cortez and Bayfield areas. It is about 50 miles south of Durango. Good Luck on your move!

[CactusJack50]

Originally Posted by MidniteBreeze

I was going to recommend Durango, sounds like you're already looking into that. Have you considered Grand Junction? Bigger than Durango, not as "trendy" but also growing.

Yes, actually. One of the websites that does the "your best place" quiz, suggested GJ. We're going to also check it out. Durango is about 8 hours from Vegas, so we're thinking long weekend for a quick look/see. Just to get a feel. If that's a starter, then we'll be able to also check out GJ at a later point. Lots of things could go in favor of GJ, not the least of which is lower cost of living.

Another thought is Trinidad (on I-25, close to the NM line). Quaint little town, definitely has the slow pace you're looking for. Not growing like Durango, but I hear a lot of folks are buying vacation property around there because they're priced out of the market in the rest of Colorado. Might be worth researching, anyway.

I'll do that, thanks. From the first look, it reminds me of some of the towns around and between Prescott and Sedona.

Lastly (if you can stand the winters) you might want to consider Montana? Small cities (well, big for Montana, lol) like Missoula and Helena are seeing an influx of ex-West Coasters so there's a good amount of growth. The overall economy isn't as good as Colorado, but if you're not looking to get rich, it might be worth a look. Another thing to consider is while you still get the beautiful mountain scenery, the altitude in most Montana towns is lower than most places in Colorado.

Have thought about it, but that's perhaps too far. And too cold? I spent 15 years in New England--after a year in MN and Chicago, then 5 in FL--so I'm NOT looking forward to the cold again and Montana is pretty danged cold.

I was a ski instructor in New England, so that also is a pull toward Durango and CO in general. Not much skiing in FL, at least the good kind.

Good luck!

Thanks, and thanks for the great response.

Wayne and Marilyn

[CactusJack50]

Originally Posted by Crackerjack

Hi CactusJack, I also just wrote a post on the Moving to Durango thread so be sure and read it for more info.

Yes, probably more than once. I commend you on the great info you've been posting and your willingness to reply. It's the reason I joined and asked.

Durango can be affordable if you look around and you live out in the suburbs or towns around Durango. Cortez is the most reasonable. Bayfield is fairly reasonable. Lots of towns around Durango. It depends on how far you want to live out from Durango. The further out you go, generally the cheaper.

That's what my research has shown so far. We've both had enough of city life, for sure. We're hoping to find something off-the-beaten-path. We both agree that we need trees. Vegas is a bit short on those and palm trees no longer are special. Hoping to find at least an acre we can call our own.

As far as everthing else like shopping, with Walmart, Home Depot, Office Depot, Albertsons and so on, the prices are about the same as anywhere else. Utilities and taxes are very low. So it is mainly the houses in Durango and close by Durango that are more expensive but you can get good deals if you look around. I recommend renting a place and then getting to know the area, getting a job, unless you are retiring, and then buying a place. Or if you don't mind buying a double or triple wide modular home (mobile home but better built and on a permanent foundation) with a few acres, you can get those pretty reasonable. Then later you could build a house on the property. I heard people are doing that there just so they can get the land.

Exactly what I was thinking. Nicely done. No, we don't mind the thought at all of mfg home as a starter. We are really hoping to build a log home of some type. Fit the landscape sort of thing. While we have no intention of "retiring," we're pretty self-sufficient. As long as I've got an Internet connection, I'm capable of making a living. (and Congress doesn't pass laws killing the poker goose)

Good Luck on your move!

Thanks, so much. You, too, man. We're feeling the same pull to the area that you are feeling. This is our last move, we hope. We both want to find a place that will be home for good. We have an image in mind and will keep at it until we find it. For some cosmic reason for which we have no understanding but are compelled to follow, Southwest CO may be it.

<shudder> Too California, that last line.

Wayne and Marilyn

ps--The Marvelous Miss M wants to know if there are lightning bugs in CO?

[Crackerjack]

Thank you CactusJack for your kind words. I know what you are saying about the pull to Durango! Yes, palm trees, when you see them all the time and that is mostly all you see, it gets old real quick (Phoenix). I like a variety of trees and a great lady gardener, in her 70s, in Durango, told me there are more variety of trees in the Durango area then about anywhere else. She has a wonderful garden and I would love to garden too, but can't in Phoenix. Marvelous Miss M, I was at a private lake outside of Durango and on this man's land, I saw lightning bugs! So they are in the area. Now my brother's place, we haven't seen any, but they do have them in places.