Moving to Colorado... hopefully (Denver, Boulder: real estate, condos, houses)

[DannyBanany]

Hello all!

I am currently living in Rapid City, South Dakota and I am very interested in picking up and heading down to Colorado. I love the town I live in, not too big yet not too small, so I think I would like a town in similar size. About 100,000 or less. Dakota winters are just TOO MUCH on my body and my emotions!

I am interested in Loveland, Longmont, and Highlands Ranch. I have visited each multiple times, yet I do not know much information on either of them. Which one of these towns will be best for me and why? I also have an 18 year old son who just graduated and plans to go to school in Colorado, however he does not plan to go right away. Will it be difficult for him to meet new people in Colorado? Are people typically friendly?

Also, are there many drafting jobs in these areas? I specialize in kitchen remodeling and building/designing.

Thanks for the help!

[Idunn]

Just in proximity you might prefer Longmont or Highlands Ranch, as they closer to potential kitchen remodeling clients in the Denver metro area. Highlands Ranch would have the advantage of readier access to I-70 should you envisage working with clients in the mountains, some of whom more than meet your demographic.

As you've visited before you probably have a fair idea of how each area feels to you, which is the key factor. Due its location Highlands Ranch is bound to feel a bit different than the more closely aligned Longmont and Loveland. Of all three, Longmont of course with best access to the wealthy Boulder market.

I'm only guessing but your family may find the locals a bit less friendly than you are accustomed to. Not that they are not, and generally people feel Colorado is a welcoming place. Only it is not the mid-West. Of two choices among many, your son might prefer CSU in Ft. Collins to CU in Boulder. Just depends. Then again he might really like the atmosphere of a school such as Fort Lewis College in Durango.

You probably know, but even if not South Dakota, winter is still something to deal with. If it were your primary consideration, the winter obviously less severe south than north, and strangely enough more temperate in the mountains than the eastern plains. But of course most of your clients centered along the front range and certain resort communities.

If you haven't, you may wish to visit and give serious consideration to Durango. It has seen significant growth in the last decade or two, this reflected in ever higher real estate prices. Yet this also translates into the prospect of the very clients you are seeking. Not to mention that it enjoys a milder climate than north central Colorado, great scenery, with still the size and feeling of a smaller community. Yet large enough to offer most any service you may desire. One proviso being that it is the major town in southwest Colorado, and well removed from other large population centers. Farmington, NM is the closest town of any comparable size. Beyond this it is a long way to Albuquerque. But you would be situated at the southern edge of the San Juan mountains, which are fantastic.

Another idea might be someplace such as Glenwood Springs. Colorado Mountain College is located nearby in Carbondale. One downside is this being a desirable area in close proximity to such places as Aspen, you can expect high real estate prices. You might like the overall atmosphere of a town such as Glenwood Springs, or perhaps the more affordable communities east of there along I-70. Perhaps not so much a place such as Aspen, which is glitzy, not to mention very expensive. But some tradesmen make a very good living by no more than dealing with this localized clientele. There is truly serious money is Aspen, people who will pay a premium for that they desire.

You may have noticed that Colorado has suffered as much, if not more, as others in the latest real estate decline. While it still remains a promising market you may find it takes some time to grow your business. It depends on how you wish to structure this and more importantly which community you feel most at home within.

Good luck.

[Market Mama]

Yeah to everything Idunn said. Including "Good luck".

[CosmicWizard]

Grand Junction is a long shot possibility, but worth considering nonetheless. The economy is booming, and there's lots of construction going on. Housing is still slightly less expensive than Durango housing, but it is appreciating at a double digit rate. The population in the Grand Valley is over 100,000 and Grand Junction City is around 50,000. Durango population is much less. Mesa State University is located in Grand Junction. Winters here are milder, sunnier, and less windy than winters along the front range. The environment is desert like with lots of green in the valley due to the Colorado River and the irrigation canals. The Grand Mesa at an elevation of 10,800 is clearly visible from downtown. It's about an hrs drive, so it is easy to reach on those hot sunny days when you might want a break from the heat. It's usually 20 degrees cooler on the mesa. Skiing and snowshoeing are also available on the Mesa in the winter. There are many other great places to visit within a 2 hr drive.

blessings....Franco

[HappyMontrose]

Yes .. Western slope is a great place and may have what you are looking for!

Grand Junction or a little smaller town called Montrose with its growth may be it.

Montrose

City of Montrose Colorado

Montrose Chamber of Commerce Home Page

HM

[Kibbiekat]

I don't know much about the other areas you mentioned, but I live in Highlands Ranch. there is a lot of info about HR on the Denver forum. HR is not a city, it is an unincorporated planned community. Up side is that it was well thought out and the whole community is pretty nice. There is no bad part of town. There are 4 rec centers and lots of parks and walking trails. Down side is cookie cutter houses, mostly on smaller lots (there are larger, oddly shaped lots, but they are harder to find), and no downtown since the whole community is only 20 years old. It has a Town Center that includes big box stores, smaller shops, Civic Green Park, and brownstone-type condos. We've only been here 4 months, but, so far, we really like it.

[jazzlover]

My advice: stay in Rapid City. Aside from the colder winters, Rapid City has many things of the same amenities that smaller cities in Colorado have--without some of the issues that those Colorado towns face. There is indeed some great mountain country in the Black Hills and you're not far from some fantastic mountain country in Wyoming and Montana. Unlike many mountain areas near the Front Range in Colorado, the mountains close to you now are much less crowded.

I know a lot of people in Colorado who moved there from the Dakotas, Wyoming, etc. in order to find better jobs or just to get out of whatever little town they were in. Now, many of them wish (and some are making plans) to return to the areas from where they came. They found out that the grass was NOT greener on the other side of the fence. Did I not have strong business and family ties to Colorado and Wyoming, I would seriously consider Rapid City as a nice town in which to relocate.