Retiring to Ridgway from California (Denver, Grand Junction: fit in, real estate, renter)

[Ulysses61]

Hi all,

In two years my husband and I will be retiring to the Ouray-Ridgway area. We know it's expensive, but as teachers, we have been dilligently saving for decades to make this dream a reality. We have scrimped for decades in order to move to beautiful Colorado.

Here is a big concern: I have heard and read that many people in Colorado really resent and hate people from California invading their state. I visit as often as I can and I've never seen any antipathy from anyone, but heck, I'm only visiting, not yet moving there as a full time resident. Maybe they treat tourists better.

Retiring to Ridgway or Ouray will represent our life's saving and dreams. I would hate to retire then and then have the locals resent or shun us simply because we're from California.

Am I nuts for this fear? I keep hearing and reading this on other forums and really need to know the bottom line. Thank you all in advance.

[CosmicWizard]

I'm a relative newcomer to Colorado myself. I came from the other coast. I've been here for just 16 months. Not once during that time have I experienced any resentment or ill feelings from anyone in Colorado that I've had personal contact with. As far as I can tell, the resentment is an expression of a few unhappy people who frequent the Colorado forum. With that being said, I would strongly encourage you to spend some time living in the area as a renter before you plunk down your life savings. You gotta expereince living here up close and personal to find out if Ridgeway-Ouray will work for you. IMO, it would be foolish to make a decision of this nature, based only on what you read on this, or any other forum. You owe it to youself to find out thru your own experience. Best wishes with your relocation.

BTW...I lived in California for about 8 years in various locations, so I definitely have some California in me. Even though I left California more than 20 years ago, I still have some California attitudes becasue they serve me very well.

blessings....Franco

[Mike from back east]

No matter what state or city, there are folks who'll grumble about change, or perceptions that people want to remake this place to be the old place, etc. Pay no heed to ANY of this. No one guards any state line with a shotgun.

[Ulysses61]

Franco, thanks for your input. I have spent 6 weeks a year every summer in the Ridgway area for the past 10 years. I am certain I want to retire there, no doubts. I can even deal with it if neighbors hate me because I'm from California, but it would be nice to be welcomed.

This is how I look at it: I love Colorado so much I want to spend the rest of my life there. It seems the locals would embrace someone who loves their state so much they're moving 1200 miles to be there.

[CosmicWizard]

Ulysses61 wrote:

This is how I look at it: I love Colorado so much I want to spend the rest of my life there. It seems the locals would embrace someone who loves their state so much they're moving 1200 miles to be there.

I concur 110%. You sentiment makes total sense to me. With an attitude like that, I imagine you will be warmly embraced by your new neighbors. My neighbors here in Grand Junction have made my wife and I ( a teacher ) feel right at home. BTW, we love Orvis Hot Springs and the Weisbaden vapor cave in Ouray. If you live in Ridgeway you can visit those places everyday if you want to...can you tell that I'm just a bit envious?

blessings...Franco

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by Ulysses61

Hi all,

In two years my husband and I will be retiring to the Ouray-Ridgway area. We know it's expensive, but as teachers, we have been dilligently saving for decades to make this dream a reality. We have scrimped for decades in order to move to beautiful Colorado.

Here is a big concern: I have heard and read that many people in Colorado really resent and hate people from California invading their state. I visit as often as I can and I've never seen any antipathy from anyone, but heck, I'm only visiting, not yet moving there as a full time resident. Maybe they treat tourists better.

Retiring to Ridgway or Ouray will represent our life's saving and dreams. I would hate to retire then and then have the locals resent or shun us simply because we're from California.

Am I nuts for this fear? I keep hearing and reading this on other forums and really need to know the bottom line. Thank you all in advance.

First, just about everyone in Ridgway today is from somewhere else. The insane cost of real estate there has pretty much forced all of the natives and long-time residents out. They have wound up living elsewhere--a lot of them "down valley" in more affordable areas of Montrose, Delta, or Grand Junction. I hope that you have factored in the costs of living (in addition to the real estate costs) in a place like Ridgway--getting food, medical services--just about anything--means driving to Montrose or Grand Junction. Specialized medical needs may even require you going to Denver or Salt Lake City. Summers in Ridgway are magnificent. Winters, though, can be rigorous. A lot of those folks moving down valley also did so because they got sick of the winters--as well as being closer to shopping, hospitals, etc.

There definitely are some people who resent what out-of-control growth is doing to Colorado--although most (and I am one of them) do not direct it at individuals unless they come in with the overt agenda of making wherever they move into what they left wherever to escape. Also, you may get that anti-newcomer sentiment most vehemently from other newcomers--there is definitely a vibe of the "I'm the last guy that moved in and I want to be the last guy that moved in" attitude amongst some of the newest residents just about anywhere in Colorado.

I share your love of that area--been going there for four decades. I also know a lot of natives of that area--almost none of them living there now for the various reasons that I have stated. That doesn't mean that you can't or shouldn't move there--just go in with open eyes. It's real easy to get blinded by the scenery and discount the challenges living in a place like Ridgway can present.

PS--One other thing: though I don't think it is very prevalent in Ouray or Ridgway, you can certainly get that elitist BS attitude from some of the "beautiful people" in many Colorado resort areas if you don't have enough zeros and commas in your net worth.

[HappyMontrose]

No worries.. this is a great place to live with super nice people , most welcome the new people with open arms.
Just like this forum you will get a very small minority that say different...

I have lived in Montrose from Calif in 82 and just love it

Welcome ..and drop me a line anytime ..

HM

[Ulysses61]

Thank you for your comments, Jazzlover. I enjoy your posts on this Forum.

Many people say that people sometimes get blinded by the beautiful scenery in area by the San Juan mountains and become somehow jaded. Boy, I could look at those mountains every day until doomsday and never get sick of it. I've travelled extensively and the only places I've seen more beautiful that this area of Colorado (aside from National Parks), would be Switzerland and parts of British Columbia.

To live in some a gorgeous place would truly be an honor and a constant source of inspiration.

I also appreciate the friendly responses to my question. On two similar CO boards, once they found out I was an out-of-stater, I was attacked from the get-go. One person said, "Well, as long as you're not from Texas, we won't lynch you."

I don't know if he/she was kidding or not.

[justmyopinion]

I am also from CA, and quite honestly, the only "bad vibes" I have received from anyone about being from CA is on this forum!

I guess there are people out there from CA and TX who put on an "elitest" attitude. Most of us are just happy to be here, and try to fit in as best we can. And most of the "locals" I have encountered actually came from another state, albeit 15 or 20 years ago. Like moving to any new place, if you are nice to people, generally, they will be nice to you!

Hope you like Ridgeway!

[winglady]

Originally Posted by Ulysses61

I have spent 6 weeks a year every summer in the Ridgway area for the past 10 years.

I'll reiterate but rephrase what a few other posters suggested. Before you use your life savings to purchase a dream home in Ridgway, be sure to spend some extended time there in the WINTER. Because of its valley location, Ridgway can often have especially cold temperatures -- much colder than Montrose (which is at a lower elevation), but often colder than Ouray (which is higher).

It may also be helpful for you to be able to visualize what a drive along country roads or up a steep driveway to a house may be like when there is snow covering the roads, before you select an out-of-the-way home, for example.

If you do move here, welcome to the Western Slope! We love it here!