College graduates moving to CO from IL...help! (Denver, Colorado Springs: apartments, rent)

[shibbs]

This coming May, my girlfriend and I will be graduating college and moving from Peoria IL, to Colorado. I have been out there countless times, not to mention all over the west as my father currently lives in NM, and I've always wanted to move out there, so finally I'm making my move.

My question is regarding where we should set up shop. She is going to be a nurse, and I am studying Graphic Design, so we are looking around the Denver area, but also anywhere from Golden, Lakewood, Boulder, Denver itself, evergreen, or maybe aurora or anywhere in that area anyone else could recommend.

Basically what I'm looking for is a mix of nature, and outdoor living and things to do, all she really cares about it a somewhat close hospital haha.

Were probably looking for an apt at this point in the 700-900/mo range which i know isn't a whole lot, but were going to start low and see what we find.

Anything anyone could throw out would be wonderful

I appreciate everyones time.

[Sobe Itsavized]

I apologize for the long post. I kind of found myself not able to condense it as I should have.

Off the top of my head, the Aurora-Denver area has 3 fairly large hospitals. There are a couple of apartments I have looked at (not in person) that reside in that area. They're somewhat pricey for me but I have the same price range as yours (and of course I only have my income compared to you). I've been looking for apartments that are well maintained and somewhat new (because I don't want to deal with old infrastructure issues). I've come across a couple and they mostly call themselves "luxurious". That should tell you something; the fact that they call themselves luxurious and their price range sort of corresponds with their claims. Near the southeast outskirts of Aurora you have some areas that haven't been completely touched by cement, steel, and whatnot. Maybe a park or two where you can actually go walking and enjoy some nature. I've only been down there once and it was about 8 years ago so things might have changed by now.

Lafayette has a recently new hospital (relative to other hospitals in neighboring cities) and it is really big for the population of Lafayette, in my opinion.

Hrmm... your "mix of nature" is probably more than my desired "mix of nature" so I'll try to gauge what kind of nature and outdoor living you might like. When I think about it, Boulder, Longmont, Erie, Aurora, Lafayette, Superior, Broomfield all come to mind when I think of "mix of nature". But for outdoors living, I only think of Boulder. I used to go camping every other weekend as a child with my aunt and her boyfriend (and the boyfriend's niece and nephew) as well as my older brother. We always went camping up in the mountains near Boulder. I don't think you'd get the "outdoors living" feel just from going to the campsites around the Front Range cities besides Boulder (unless it's Colorado Springs or Castle Rock). For me, it's actually going up to the mountains and going up to the camping grounds (rarely did we venture to less common camping grounds) and living outdoors for a few days.

Boulder is sort of thought as, at least from my generation (class of 2008), a more liberal town as well as more eco-friendly than other Colorado cities. As some of my classmates would say, "the home of hippies, gypsies, liberals, and tree huggers." Fortunately the last part wasn't as commonly thought of since the other three sort of encompassed eco-friendly people anyways. Regardless, there's an old hospital in Boulder but I wouldn't say it's really as quick to catch up in terms of being modern and technologically advance (compared to the Lafayette hospital (Exempla Good Samaritan) and some of the Denver hospitals). Of course my biological mother worked there for about 3-5 years when I was around 10 or 11. I would go to lunch with her on no-school days and go around the hospital. She also had my three other brothers at Boulder Community Hospital. I, on the other hand, was born in Jacksonville, Florida, lol...

Anyways, my choices in apartments is mostly limited to NOT Boulder because the prices of those apartments are very high for the amount of square feet and amenities (compared to other cities). CU Boulder is basically, in my opinion, the heart of Boulder but that's just me. I think you already know what I'm trying to get with this. Dorms, apartments, employees, customers, neighbors; That general living area will always have that prominent lifestyle found around and on campus. But what about the other cities with colleges as well? That is different because Boulder is BOULDER while Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and Denver are Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and Denver.

Your mileage will certainly vary as you're coming from Illinois where as I have lived here for 18 years. I have no idea what Illinois even looks like and I have never stepped foot in Illinois. But I'm sure you get your fair share of snow in Illinois. In Colorado, it's normal for people and their children to go trick-or-treating even when it snows on Halloween (or below freezing for that matter). We have our fair share of adverse weather, Boulder more than other cities in terms of how close you are to the mountains. Colorado is known as the mile high state. Flash floods warnings are common in Boulder as the snow starts to melt. If there's a blizzard in Colorado, Boulder will feel it much more than Denver or Aurora will.

There aren't that many steep hills or any at all in Denver or Aurora compared to Boulder. You're going to want to have a good set of winter tires or you're going to regret it. Honestly, as I pass most Boulder homes driving to and from, I don't know how some people can drive their FWD cars up these hills and not worry about becoming a snowball (full of glass and metal) themselves. I'd rather drive on the windy and narrow roads in the mountains than try to live up in Boulder with a FWD using winter tires. And when you live in Boulder, you have to remember that forest fires might affect you and where you live.

Boulder is very busy, but not as busy and packed as Denver is. I wouldn't label Boulder far from Denver though. US-36, Arapahoe, Baseline, South Boulder, Diagonal Highway are all nightmares if work between rush hours of the day walkers (not so much if you work night shifts though). Your girlfriend and maybe even you might not like the commute from Boulder to Denver or vice versa. A lot of people go into Boulder for jobs and come back out to go home. Same with Denver. You just feel it a bit more if you live in the smaller towns surrounding Boulder or Denver.

[shibbs]

thanks for the post i appreciate all of the detail, ill have to keep all of those things in mind

Ive been to boulder once or twice when i was looking at colleges in the first place and i remember it being pretty perfect as far as the setting goes, considering im still in that age group, the college scene wont bother me as much and im still looking to go out alot and have fun, im only 23 after all haha.
I have a 4x4 chevy right now but i might sell it and pick something else up when im out there.
Im sure most places are pet friendly, but for whoever decides to give me advice or knows any good spots/apartments i do have a 1 year old husky who will also be coming with us.

Beyond boulder, Ive been looking in all of those places i listed, and i found a pretty legit looking apartment in lakewood, its called Carmel lakefront apartments...im not sure what youve heard about this place or lakewood in general? haha

[jazzlover]

I'll repeat (once again): Unless you have a job in hand, just plunking down in this state is a poor idea in the current economic environment--and probably will be for a lengthy time into the future. There are already many, many people here competing for the available jobs--many with good and lengthy local work histories, and better local connections. You will competing against them. Second, where you locate should depend on where you secure a job. Very likely, it will NOT be you idyllic Colorado dream place because a) those places frequently are not affordable on a local income and b) they are not where most of the jobs are. Just the reality of this place.

[shibbs]

yeah, ive read a few of your previous posts, and the fact of the matter is, its pretty difficult to snag a job most places nowadays so its not like im moving away from any fantastic job opportunities here in glamorous central IL. I do have family in evergreen and telluride, and i do have stable finances that will allow me to work an hourly paid job while i do find a career choice.

All in all im leaving a place with no jobs that i really have no desire to live in, and moving on to a place that also has no jobs but i really would like to live in...Ill take one positive over none.

[Katarina Witt]

The gf can probably find a job with an intense search, and a willingness to work any/all hours. She should apply to every hospital in the metro area. Better to have a couple of offers to choose from than none.

The rent is doable, even in Boulder, but I wouldn't rent in Boulder right away. It's too far from the rest of the metro area, and gf may get a job in Aurora. It's 30 miles to the health sciences center from my house in Louisville, and my house is about 5 miles east of Boulder.