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Just about to cut all ties with California and move to Parker. We have Family and my sister in law says she can get my wife a job at the Hospital. I have 22 years of construction experience and am currently a Sr. Project manager that can handle ant size and type of construction project. I know that construction is hurting everywhere so I have told myself I will work just about anywhere doing just about anything to establish a new residence where my kids may actually be able to afford to live near us when they are older. So am I crazy? I have always found work and always made my employers happy.
Not crazy. Might be tough for a while though, just expect that.
You might not want to advertise that you're (another) CA transplant... Most people aren;t judgmental abut it, but a few are, so if you're not asked, no need to volunteer that info.
Thanks. I am originally from Maryland. My wife is from Colorado and here whole family is there. I hate California and can understand. Just to set the record straight I will not be taking any baggage from California, I do not think that Trader Joe's is the s**t, and want to totally immerse myself in Colorado values, ways of life and culture. I know I will need a serious shower to wash the stench of California off but wanting to move and having to move are two different things. I have had the success, big house, high paying job Etc... I do not wan that anymore. I want to enjoy my family in a less stressful environment and offer my kids a better quality of like that exists in the Bay Area. I am already a Coloradan at heart from the last 15 years of visiting family.
I don't think you are crazy, but probably a little over-optimistic about how different your life will be in Parker--which, like it or not, is part of metropolitan Colorado. The same stresses of metro living in California are not that much different in Colorado's metro areas--maybe somewhat less, but they will be the same soon enough if Colorado's stupid growth continues. The "Colorado way of life" you seek--what do you mean? The lifestyle in Colorado's metro areas is really no different than in any other metropolitan area. If you're talking a "small-town" type of lifestyle, you won't find it in the metro areas, and you won't find it in the resort towns, either. The latter are just "cartoon" versions of what people think a small town should be. If, on the other hand, you want more of the same suburban, soccer-mom, automobile-dependent lifestyle as California offers, well, metro Colorado can provide that in spades. That's the rub--10 jillion Californians left that state for the same reasons you state, came to Colorado, and have been busying themselves (along with a lot of other transplants and some Colorado natives) turning Colorado into EXACTLY what they said they hated. I remember when Parker was a real and bucolic little town out SE of Denver on the plains. Now, it's just another yuppified, sprawled suburban blob--just like 10,000 others of them across this country. Hardly worth turning your life upside down for, in my humble opinion. As far as your profession, you might want to ponder that your work is often involved in turning a place into exactly what you say you wish to escape from.
I don't think you are crazy, but probably a little over-optimistic about how different your life will be in Parker--which, like it or not, is part of metropolitan Colorado. The same stresses of metro living in California are not that much different in Colorado's metro areas--maybe somewhat less, but they will be the same soon enough if Colorado's stupid growth continues. The "Colorado way of life" you seek--what do you mean? The lifestyle in Colorado's metro areas is really no different than in any other metropolitan area. If you're talking a "small-town" type of lifestyle, you won't find it in the metro areas, and you won't find it in the resort towns, either. The latter are just "cartoon" versions of what people think a small town should be. If, on the other hand, you want more of the same suburban, soccer-mom, automobile-dependent lifestyle as California offers, well, metro Colorado can provide that in spades. That's the rub--10 jillion Californians left that state for the same reasons you state, came to Colorado, and have been busying themselves (along with a lot of other transplants and some Colorado natives) turning Colorado into EXACTLY what they said they hated. I remember when Parker was a real and bucolic little town out SE of Denver on the plains. Now, it's just another yuppified, sprawled suburban blob--just like 10,000 others of them across this country. Hardly worth turning your life upside down for, in my humble opinion. As far as your profession, you might want to ponder that your work is often involved in turning a place into exactly what you say you wish to escape from.
Most of what Jazz says is pretty much the truth, although he puts way too much emphasis on people from CA being at the root of the problem. There are plenty of folks from other places moving here and anyone living in a house and shopping in stores is contributing in some way to the over development problem.
If I could draw a graph of it on here, it would go something like this...
[{World}-->Billions o Babies --Immigration over time-- --> CA, TX, East Coast jobs ==> Get ahead (maybe for multiple generations) = $$$ --> tired of rat race (want to simplify) --> (move to) CO, OR, ID, NM, etc... --> [Buy relatively modest house which still looks like ostentatious mansion to someone who's been living here for the past 150 years.]]
In any case, it's true that you may actually find much of metro Denver to be as crowded, if not more so, then San Ramon. But, since you've been visiting the area for so many years, you probably already know what to expect as far as lifestyle. If you're skilled, hard-working, and fairly affable, I'm sure you'll be able to find decent work in time and your neighbors will be welcoming enough... maybe just don't give your address out to Jazz.
Jazzlover I have loved your replies to posts for years. You are correct about the changing environment of allot of small towns an everything else. What I meant by the Colorado lifestyle? I guess when I visit i feel like i have stepped back 20 years as far as congestion, population, traffic, people are not as rude, there is actually open space, Etc... I know that I will have allot of the same stresses. But providing for my family will be less stressful than my current situation. I love the Colorado I have grown to know over the years and when I get there i am sure I will become a hypocrite and tell people to stay out? Either way I am just an honest hard working man looking to enjoy life and provide for his family.
I say go for it. You've been posting for awhile now about this and now your wife has a job opportunity which makes the move feasible. It may be hard and you may have to live on a smaller salary then you're used to but it really sounds like this is what you want to do. You can make it work. Good luck.
I'd say it depends on your time frame. The economy of Colorado isn't much better than California's at the moment, although both should be improving relatively soon. There are some large construction projects, hotels presumably, in progress in Vail, CO, but those probably long since subscribed. In the short term construction work in Colorado will be lean.
Longer term, the forecast is for Colorado's population to double from just over 5 million now to about 10 million in 2050. That would obviously indicate a lot of construction work, most of it along the front range. I just heard some news report mentioning this statistic, and in the same breath also the declining availability of water and a host of other concerns. Apparently the Governor's office is also a proponent of such contradictions. Not to put too fine a point on it, but anyone thinking along such lines is insane (at least in this regard). Since virtually everybody, in this state and elsewhere, is intent on returning to business as usual as quickly as possible, they probably will. You can just about count on it. Also, alas, that in this newfound euphoria that few will remember to address the underlying problems which caused this near depression in the first place, and environmentally will sink us all before long. So, yes, after a lean year or two one might have more than enough construction work, for awhile.
I'd give Colorado and the rest of this nation about 10 years. In tone and flavor it may even resemble the heady 1920's to an extent. Remember what followed? Chances are Colorado's population will never reach 10 million because a lot of birds will have come home to roost before then. That figure by 2050 is predicated on a historical expansion which is not sustainable; mankind will have exhausted many primary resources which have been key to this exponential growth before 2050.
By way of example one might visit Rocky Mountain National Park and north central Colorado to see how the forests are fairing. Do a little research, then watch the predictable lame results from the upcoming global conference on climate change in Copenhagen, Denmark this December. Reflect on what they propose and promise in relation to scientific fact and what must be done if our environment to remain more or less as it is. Then consider the prevalent mindset that envisions the doubling of this state's population as doable, and of no great concern. Expand that internationally. Then, as just one critical factor, how much potable water all these many more people will have to enjoy, in this state or elsewhere.
If a good deal of this seems tangential to Parker, CO, sorry, but, like anywhere else, it will not remain immune. So, whether California or Colorado, these just factors to be considered: the near certainty of growth, not evolution, and what it will lead to.
I'd say it depends on your time frame. The economy of Colorado isn't much better than California's at the moment, although both should be improving relatively soon. There are some large construction projects, hotels presumably, in progress in Vail, CO, but those probably long since subscribed. In the short term construction work in Colorado will be lean.
Longer term, the forecast is for Colorado's population to double from just over 5 million now to about 10 million in 2050. That would obviously indicate a lot of construction work, most of it along the front range. I just heard some news report mentioning this statistic, and in the same breath also the declining availability of water and a host of other concerns. Apparently the Governor's office is also a proponent of such contradictions. Not to put too fine a point on it, but anyone thinking along such lines is insane (at least in this regard). Since virtually everybody, in this state and elsewhere, is intent on returning to business as usual as quickly as possible, they probably will. You can just about count on it. Also, alas, that in this newfound euphoria that few will remember to address the underlying problems which caused this near depression in the first place, and environmentally will sink us all before long. So, yes, after a lean year or two one might have more than enough construction work, for awhile.
I'd give Colorado and the rest of this nation about 10 years. In tone and flavor it may even resemble the heady 1920's to an extent. Remember what followed? Chances are Colorado's population will never reach 10 million because a lot of birds will have come home to roost before then. That figure by 2050 is predicated on a historical expansion which is not sustainable; mankind will have exhausted many primary resources which have been key to this exponential growth before 2050.
By way of example one might visit Rocky Mountain National Park and north central Colorado to see how the forests are fairing. Do a little research, then watch the predictable lame results from the upcoming global conference on climate change in Copenhagen, Denmark this December. Reflect on what they propose and promise in relation to scientific fact and what must be done if our environment to remain more or less as it is. Then consider the prevalent mindset that envisions the doubling of this state's population as doable, and of no great concern. Expand that internationally. Then, as just one critical factor, how much potable water all these many more people will have to enjoy, in this state or elsewhere.
If a good deal of this seems tangential to Parker, CO, sorry, but, like anywhere else, it will not remain immune. So, whether California or Colorado, these just factors to be considered: the near certainty of growth, not evolution, and what it will lead to.
Just in case you missed it, idunn's point was:
...it depends on your time frame... In the short term construction work in Colorado will be lean.
I'm not sure what the rest of that was about... water and politics, I think.
You have not supplied sufficient information to make such an assessment, so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and surmise that you are not.
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You are all correct.
Forecasts, rosy or otherwise
