My recent visit to Pueblo West (Denver, Colorado Springs: foreclosures, houses, buy)

[Ron7]

I’ve been thinking about a move to Pueblo West from Denver. While looking around for houses and trying to get a feel for the area, a couple things annoyed me.

Overall, I like Pueblo West but what took me off guard was the overwhelming smell of weed that would randomly pop up as I drove through different streets. It wasn’t “personal use” levels I’m used to smelling now and again in Denver. It was more like industrial sized grow houses. It smelled like 100 burning skunks shoved up my nose!

The other issue was being hit up for cash by pretty aggressive panhandlers at both convenience stores I went to. At one, there were more panhandler/drifter types inside the store than regular customers! In Denver, you really have to go out of your way into bad areas to deal with the same, so it was off-putting.

Is this just life in Pueblo West? Is it getting worse or did I just visit on a bad day? People in Pueblo I know tell me not to move to PW because "drugs are out of control there" but I really like the houses, larger properties and views. What about the panhandlers? Are they on the rise?

[Mike from back east]

There are a lot of MJ grow houses in the greater Pueblo area, one poster refers to the area as the Napa Valley of weed.

[Let's Go Here]

I worked in Pueblo West for a few years. Never had an issue with panhandlers, but drugs were a big problem. I’ve heard it’s only gotten worse over the last few years with marijuana legalization.

PW does offer larger properties and houses, but it’s too isolated for me. Most of the businesses are concentrated in a small area, and I’ve heard that the schools have a lot of issues as well.

[Ron7]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

There are a lot of MJ grow houses in the greater Pueblo area, one poster refers to the area as the Napa Valley of weed.

Makes sense. I've never had to use smelling as a tool for picking a house on the right street but it seems to apply here. I have nothing against its use. A light scent of it is no problem but in high concentrations and quantities, the stench is unbearable.

Originally Posted by Let's Go Here

I worked in Pueblo West for a few years. Never had an issue with panhandlers, but drugs were a big problem. I’ve heard it’s only gotten worse over the last few years with marijuana legalization.

PW does offer larger properties and houses, but it’s too isolated for me. Most of the businesses are concentrated in a small area, and I’ve heard that the schools have a lot of issues as well.

I worried about the "too isolated" issue also but coming from Denver, it's nice to think about having space from neighbors and not dealing with what feels like 24/7 rush hour. Who knows. Maybe it's going too far from one extreme to the other. I appreciate the info on the drug situation.

I'm probably better off in Pueblo but I grew up there. I didn't like it but Pueblo seems to have changed for the better. Either that or it just comes across different as an adult, as opposed to a young guy growing up there.

Thanks for the info!

[McGowdog]

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I went out of my way to take pics of all the weed places in Pueblo County and Pueblo, most being in Pueblo West so far.

It really smells like weed out here I agree. I am smelling the unsmoked product that is fairly skunky and I've actually always liked the smell. We're talking about the product as it's being grown I would imagine.

I never see folks smoking the stuff nor coughing their lungs out.

I just smell the aroma from the buds I would imagine, even driving up hwy 50 and especially along Industrial blvd or along Spaulding, Purcell, and McColloch if the wind is right.

Panhandlers? They are annoying and seem to go where they think the money is. I see plenty on the north side of Pueblo and along hwy 50, and at the entries and exits of the Pueblo West Safeway and Walmart.

This is no worse than anything I see when driving from I-25 from the Circle exit towards World Arena on Lake in Colorado Springs, and Denver? Please.

The 16th Street Mall has become a dangerous ghetto.

Don't know how you could compare Pueblo to Colorado Springs and Denver wrt panhandlers. They are all annoying though.

[DougStark]

I've been through PW a few times. I liked the lot size of the homes, but i didn't notice new development going on. Is it growing?

Also, before I'd buy property there, I'd want to know what the water rates are. Since the landscape is fairly dry and tree-less, I'd want to be able to use a lot of irrigation.

[McGowdog]

I'd say the growth now is north of 50, with a lot of foreclosures being bought, lived in for a while and flipped, etc. throughout the place.

Water is cheap if you live on a 1.06, 1.2, or 2.5 acre plot because you have septic tank and leech lines, so they don't gouge you for sewer rates.

Monthly rates aren't bad if you don't exceed 15,000 or maybe even 20,000 gallons in the summer months. Usage may be as low as 4 to 6k in the winter months.

Irrigation, in Pueblo West? Forget that.

What are you gonna grow? Tumble weeds and prairie dogs?

The only thing you can plant in Pueblo West soil is house seeds.