Single adult moving to Steamboat Springs (Craig, Vail: ski resorts, rent, look for a job)

[Miss_missabell]

I am a 28 year old former teacher from Phoenix, AZ looking to move to Steamboat Springs/Routt County Colorado area. I've read a lot of threads from families and "ski bums" (pardon the expression) looking to relocate but I am neither of those. I am not looking to purchase a home, only rent a small place/studio. I have family that lives in the area and will be staying with them for the first few months while I look for a job and get settled. I'm a little discouraged with the threads I've read because I'm getting mixed messages from all my research and no one seems to have any rock solid evidence or numbers - good or bad. I have no other reason for moving to Steamboat other than this is the perfect time in my life for a relocation. I don't care about the "singles scene"...I am very independent and am looking to see if this could be a permanent move. I'm also not looking to get back into teaching right away as I will be working on another degree. So a few specific questions:

-Am I being unrealistic in being able to make ends meet and settle in steamboat springs as a single person?
-Is it true that employment turnover is high due to ski season and thus employment is easier to find?
-Is health care more expensive?
-Are there any other expenses that I am not aware of? I am from the desert (110* summers) so I have considered wardrobe, snow tires and car maintenance.

Thanks to those who reply!

[NW Crow]

For a studio or 1 bedroom in Steamboat supply seems very tight at ski season approaches. Probably will cost at least $800 per month and such will move fast. Sharing or living 10-50 miles out of town are alternatives or could become only options. Heating cost may be moderately high to very high depending on size of place, type of heat and temperature preference.

If you have lived on $2000- $2500 per month before, you can probably do it in SS though solo housing cost will make it more difficult.

Health care in general in SS is listed at about 4% above national average but it probably varies depending on who you are seeking services from.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

I'm curious as to why you are asking a bunch of strangers who may or may not live in the area, when you say that you have family in the area. I would think that they would be the best source of good information.

However, since you asked, I have a couple of questions for you:
- do you realize that living in or close to a ski resort town is the most expensive in the state? There are a lot of people who live in places like Craig or Hayden and commute to jobs in Steamboat because they can't afford to live there. And coming from the desert, I doubt that you would want to do that drive in the winter.
- are you thinking of moving in the near future? This is the worst time to be looking at housing in a ski resort area. All the seasonal workers are also arriving and may have already taken the available housing. However, if you are willing to share and live like a poor college student, then you may be able to find something. Late Spring, after the lifts close, is a much better time to find a place to live.
-you asked about making ends meet but didn't mention what you do for income. Will you be looking for a job?

Check out the local paper -- Steamboat Pilot & Today for jobs and housing listings.

You asked about employment being easier with the employee turnover. Every resort area experiences fluctuations in the service industry jobs with the changing of the seasons. Note that summer at the major ski resorts is just as busy as winter, but many places close in the spring and fall when business drops off. So as long as you are happy with a minimum wage job that may not be open year round, there are jobs available.

[Miss_missabell]

[quote=NW Crow;41722098]For a studio or 1 bedroom in Steamboat supply seems very tight at ski season approaches. Probably will cost at least $800 per month and such will move fast. Sharing or living 10-50 miles out of town are alternatives or could become only options. Heating cost may be moderately high to very high depending on size of place, type of heat and temperature preference.

Thanks NW Crow, I won't be moving until Spring time so hopefully that will open up some more options for me and heating will be probably cost me more than normal since I come from the desert!

[Miss_missabell]

Originally Posted by Dreaming of Hawaii

I'm curious as to why you are asking a bunch of strangers who may or may not live in the area, when you say that you have family in the area. I would think that they would be the best source of good information.

However, since you asked, I have a couple of questions for you:
- do you realize that living in or close to a ski resort town is the most expensive in the state? There are a lot of people who live in places like Craig or Hayden and commute to jobs in Steamboat because they can't afford to live there. And coming from the desert, I doubt that you would want to do that drive in the winter.
- are you thinking of moving in the near future? This is the worst time to be looking at housing in a ski resort area. All the seasonal workers are also arriving and may have already taken the available housing. However, if you are willing to share and live like a poor college student, then you may be able to find something. Late Spring, after the lifts close, is a much better time to find a place to live.
-you asked about making ends meet but didn't mention what you do for income. Will you be looking for a job?

Check out the local paper -- Steamboat Pilot & Today for jobs and housing listings.

You asked about employment being easier with the employee turnover. Every resort area experiences fluctuations in the service industry jobs with the changing of the seasons. Note that summer at the major ski resorts is just as busy as winter, but many places close in the spring and fall when business drops off. So as long as you are happy with a minimum wage job that may not be open year round, there are jobs available.

I'm asking a bunch of strangers because I'm doing my homework. My family obviously wants me up there so they make it sound very possible. They've lived in Oak Creek and Yampa and other towns and only work in Steamboat. I wanted to put this out there to get info from locals who live IN Steamboat.

-I am well aware that ski towns are the most expensive, that's why I ask how it is for a single person. I wouldn't mind the drive from Hayden or Craig since it is paved and in reality is not that far. Having driven it several times, I actually prefer Hayden over Craig.
-I would be moving in April, May or June so housing may be more open by that time.
-I will technically be a college student but I have lots of experience in teaching and assistant work. I hear there is a growing need for bilinguals (I am fluent in Spanish). I will return to teaching eventually, maybe not in Stramboat but that's for another conversation. I also hear employers tend to favor the long term employees in the bigger retail chains that don't close seasonally. I will be looking for a job as soon as I get there.

thank you so much for your feed back and questions as it has helped me see that I really have done quite a bit of research. If there is anything else that I am misinformed on, please let me know!

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

I think that, for someone coming from the desert, the drive in the winter from Craig or Hayden is much worse than you think. Being paved is not the problem, the distance from Steamboat is not the problem. It's the snow and ice! There are some threads here already about this very issue, and I suggest that you read through them. Do a forum search for Craig, because someone recently was asking the same questions.

I lived in Steamboat many years ago as a poor college grad and was actually a ski bum for three years. I'm familiar with the area, but don't live there anymore.

[Dogmama50]

Moving in the Spring will give you more housing options, you will also have to advantage of being an adult with a life and more attractive to landlords.

Making ends meet really depends on how you want to live. I'm in the Vail area and there are plenty of, year round jobs in the $15-$20p/hr range. You need to look for them but they are there. Turnover is high during the season, but it's not usually for the good jobs, mostly seasonal work. If you like children there is always a demand of babysitters in season and it might be a good way to sock away some extra money to make ends meet.

Healthcare is more expensive. There was recently an article in the Vail Daily about us being the highest in the country, I believe.

Steamboat is a nice area, a little isolated if you are use to having Target down the road but a great change if that is what you are looking for.

[Dane007]

Hi

I just want to wish you the best in your move, and im sure you will settle in just fine.

Good luck!!!
Dont be discouraged by any comments

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Originally Posted by Dane007

Hi

I just want to wish you the best in your move, and im sure you will settle in just fine.

Good luck!!!
Dont be discouraged by any comments

What do you mean "don't be discouraged by any comments"? So you think that all comments posted here should be positive and that we should ignore reality? Wouldn't we be leading people astray if we sugar-coated everything? If someone comes on this forum wanting advice about living in a place, then the locals shouldn't tell them about what it is really like to live there?

Really good advice from someone who lives in Sugarland, Texas.

[jwiley]

Originally Posted by Dreaming of Hawaii

I think that, for someone coming from the desert, the drive in the winter from Craig or Hayden is much worse than you think. Being paved is not the problem, the distance from Steamboat is not the problem. It's the snow and ice! There are some threads here already about this very issue, and I suggest that you read through them. Do a forum search for Craig, because someone recently was asking the same questions.

I lived in Steamboat many years ago as a poor college grad and was actually a ski bum for three years. I'm familiar with the area, but don't live there anymore.

Agree with you, people never seem to think about the affect of snow and ice on a drive, especially in that area where large snow storms and cold temperatures are the norm. While Steamboat itself has the equipment and money to keep the roads in town mostly clear, the surrounding county and town do not really have that type of money. The main roads will be clear, but even in the city limits of Craig some streets only get plowed about 3 days after the storm as they are just not the priority.

My mom lived in Craig for 5 years, only leaving about 3 years ago, to move to Texas because her arthritis was killing her with the cold temps in Craig. I ended up stuck in Craig due to an emergency surgery that would not allow me to travel in a car for more than 15 minutes for 6 weeks. I know the area, and I cannot help but think the OP needs to spend a lot of time researching the area, visit during the dead of winter ( like early January) for a week or two, as moving from the desert to somewhere like Steamboat is a huge change.