Why is Pueblo CO so cheap? (Denver, Colorado Springs: real estate, low crime, mortgage)

[jamnkats]

We're looking for a place to settle down for 4-5 years. We currently fulltime in an RV and winter in Mexico but one of the four kids really wants to settle down. If we stop travelling, I will go to school and get my RN, so Pueblo CC fits that bill. I've been looking at the homes in Pueblo and the homes in "Union HIstorical" make this California girl's teeth hurt. Such architecture and character!

So, these are our needs:

1) homeschooling community. Our 4 kids (12, 10, 7 and 4) have never been to school. We want to keep it that way and need a support group of other families doing the same. We're not religious but can deal if need be.

2) community college or university within commute. I will be schooling to get my RN.

3) small town, low crime

4) homes under 200K. We might be able to stretch to 250. I want our mortgage payment to be $600-1000 a month.

5) job for hubby. He can do about anything but will need to work 2nd shift or something to provide income while I'm in school (4 years).

6) mountains for hubby to ride (bike) on his time off

7) not horrid winters (we LOVE Chama NM but it won't fit us for a good long time)

8) Organic or whole food shopping possibilities. We don't have a large food budget, but I prefer our high fat foods to be organic.

We have Silver City NM, ABQ, NM, Hot Springs Ark, Austin TX and Eugene Oregon (for the jobs, housing prices, university, organic and homeschooling community but the RAIN! Argh! Rain!) on the short list. The New Mexico forum has recommended Durango repeatedly so I checked it out but their college does not offer nursing. I had previously identified Pueblo's nursing program but can't remember why I took it off the short list.

Anyway, how is the job situation and why is the real estate so cheap and what neighborhoods in Pueblo should we look at? I'm planning to only spend 4-5 years wherever we settle and hopefully move somewhere small town after that (and work as a travelling nurse). The neighborhoods I'm finding are: Union/Historical, Northside/Avenues, Eastside, Minnequa Area, Central Highschool (PCC is close to this also), Highland Park, Belmont)

[TughillTina]

Hi, I'll take a stab at this. We nearly moved to Pueblo from Woodland Park about 5 years ago, now I'm in northern new york wondering wtf did I do-anyway-my favorite community in Pueblo is Pueblo West. Loved the high desert landscape and being near Pueblo reservoir. To me Pueblo isn't that big so no matter where you choose your commute shouldn't be that painful. Now I may offend some folks but cripe nowadays that seems to be the norm. Pueblo could be seen as a drive by town, meaning there really isn't anything to bring you in off of I-25. Folks are either going North to Colorado Springs or Denver or West heading into the mountains and of course South to New Mexico and what have you. So it is not a tourist trap like others in Colorado. The winters anywhere else but where I currently live is ideal. Remember Colorado has abundant sunshine even in Winter so it is very easy to get through. It is a dry climate so the cold doesn't tear through your bones like what I'm dealing with right now. Homeschooling seems to be gaining popularity everywhere, you shouldn't have any problems with that and I say good for you for doing that, my husband and I toss the idea back and forth quite a bit lately. As for organic again no problems. Most grocery stores have organic sections in Colorado and you must go to Adams Mountain Cafe in Manitou Springs, the food is wonderful and Manitou is just a great place to see. Hope this helps! Good luck!

[jamnkats]

Thanks. I'd rather be in a small town but that is hard to find with jobs and university. We are simply LOVING the homes there though, but not so much in Pueblo West. We really like the architecture and character of the turn of the century homes.

[winglady]

OK, my old neighbors near Beulah (25 miles from Pueblo) may not like what I'm about to say, but...

I wasn't impressed at all with Pueblo Community College. I planned to teach computer classes there (I've taught at several CC's), and thought they were unprofessional and lacked interest in giving students good value for their money.

Pueblo has a somewhat high crime rate for its size of city (~140,000). In particular, you probably want to avoid the Eastside. We lived in the Southside for about 9 months as we built our house near Beulah, and thought that was a very pleasant neighborhood.

Jobs: think "blue collar". Think "low pay scale". We're retired, but I was thinking of going back to work as a programmer several years ago. I checked the classified in Pueblo over a six month period for programming jobs, and -- guess what -- there were absolutely NONE offered during that time. On the rare occassion when a company moves to Pueblo and is hiring, they explain that they will be offering "local wages" -- which translates to lower-than-anywhere-else wages.

Biking: There is a small but active biking community in Pueblo. Contact the owner of "Great Divide Ski Bike & Hike" in downtown Pueblo -- I think his name is Lee, and he's a very avid biker and knows many others with similar interests

Health Food Stores: not much, but there are a few in Pueblo

Homes under 200K: Yes, there are a lot of lower-priced homes in Pueblo. Don't bother with the sub-100K homes unless you are really into fixer-uppers and don't mind a very, very tiny house.

I hope some of this was helpful.

[Singlemom2specialneeds]

Pueblo is a very UGLY (don't let photos fool you!) and ghetto town. Also a college party-town, which translates to: junky homes and low wages!

[McGowdog]

Originally Posted by Singlemom2specialneeds

Pueblo is a very UGLY (don't let photos fool you!) and ghetto town. Also a college party-town, which translates to: junky homes and low wages!

That's a little harsh. I live in Pueblo West and wish I lived in Pueblo proper because it is one cool town. I'd live off of Abriendo or in Aberdeen (sp) or in El Camino or many places on the southwest side or maybe even near Walking Stick or the north side near Centennial or the very north side off of Ridge road if I had 200,000+ to spend on a house, but I don't so I live in Pueblo West. Heck, I wouldn't mind living out on the Mesa either.

I lived in Denver for 15 years and kind of liked the wages there until 1999 when the housing started to catch up with them. So I brought my Denver-based income down to Pew-town and was living high-on-the-hog UNTIL...911.

Now I'm stuck with slightly above Pueblo wages and a house that I can afford.

I don't care what you think of Pueblo, singlemomwithspecialneeds. Stay the heck out.

Pueblo is really a cool town. It's close enough to some good outdoor recreation, it's a historic crossroads to all that Colorado has to offer, and it's not Colorado Springs or Denver and never will be. That's what I like about it.

Sometimes you have to go up the Front Range a bit or get on the internet to do the shopping you need.

There's some Green Chile here. I grew up in the San Fernando Valley and couldn't get outta there fast enough (later part of 70's) and if it weren't for just too many Californians in one spot, I might still miss the Valley from time to time.

Pueblo is cheap because it is a cheap depressed behind-the-times place. The people aren't so behind-the-times, though. At least that's my experience. Maybe it depends on who you are and what you bring to a community. Some people are just Ghetto themselves and that's what they see. [moderator cut]

Pueblo rarely gets the snow that Denver or Rye gets. Co Springs doesn't get the kind of snow that you'd think a big town embedded into an overrated strip-mined mountain should get. If you want to go skiing, just head west to Monarch and you've got a pretty nice resort that's not near the rip-off that some of those on 70 would be.

I'm sure I threw some opinion in there but I just like Pueblo. I really want it to stay the way it is. I do a lot of travel (mostly business) and get my fill of the big cities such as LA, NY-Manhatten recently, Chicago, Houston, San Jose-Santa Clara-Sunnyvale, Orlando, Vegas, Seattle area, various border-towns inside and outside of Mexico (yuck), and I'm always glad to just get home to good ole Pueblo. I don't want it to take off and become a 200,000+ size town. If I wanted that, I'd move to Grand Junction, Fort Collins, or Boulder. Oops, I forgot. I couldn't afford Boulder.

One more thing, Pueblo has 4 seasons. It really does. That's another cool thing about it. Get over to Mi Ranchitos and discuss this over a plate of Carnitas.

[Tulsa Guy]

We are also considering Pueblo. Are there plenty of things to do in the city - entertainment, good places to eat, sporting events, etc? Or is it more of bedroom community to the rest of Co.? Also, is it a city that is mostly desert type enviroment - buildings and homes looking like those in New Mexico? We don't care for the desert look. We haven't visited the city yet.
Thanks

[McGowdog]

It's not exactly the cultural mecca. I sent you a response in another thread as to the ups and downs to this place. It's the kind of place you have to visit to appreciate.

My friends from Denver say you are leaving civilization when you head south of Colorado Springs. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

Hope that helps.

[MattDen]

Pueblo is so cheap because of its job market. Its all about jobs, jobs, jobs and Pueblo does not have as many as alot of places.

Pueblo since it was meant be the 2nd city of the state has alot of older neighborhoods that have a very low cost of housing. The older neighborhoods in Pueblo (which by Colorado standards they have alot) are very, very affordable compared to the gentrified older neighborhoods in Colorado Springs or Denver.

The newer houses arent much cheaper in Pueblo then Denver or Colorado Springs its more Pueblo has alot of older neighborhoods that are stagnant and havent been remodeled and havent seen an influx of people from out of state.

Pueblo is differently then much of the rest of Colorado, the vast majority of people in Pueblo are Puebloans as opposed to the Springs or Denver.

So basically it comes down to the lack of jobs and the fact Pueblo has an older housing stock that isnt in high-demand as opposed to the Victorian areas in Colorado Springs (rare) and Denver (very popular amongst the new Denverites)

[Nadine]

I think the best way to learn about a town is go on line and read their newspaper. www.pueblochieftain.com