What areas in Colorado should I scout out ? (Denver, Colorado Springs: real estate, rental)

[Coast 2 Coast]

Originally Posted by TCHP

Central or south-west Colo Spgs.

Either has a combination of historic and newer construction in a range of prices. Both have easy access to downtown and west side activities without feeling too urban. Either have access to some of the best D11 schools or D12 schools (D12 is consistently a top rated district in the state). Easy access to city and county parks as well as several open spaces and national forest. Rock solid communications infrastructure for remote work opportunities. Fastest growing college in the state with the CU extension campus UCCS. D1 college athletics at Air Force Academy. Home of an Olympic Training Center, this is a very outdoors and sports oriented area. Excellent healthcare access and elder care. Reasonable property taxes.

Your in-laws can explore for places in Fountain at lower price points to have their own smaller place with largish gardens and easy access, but not too close, to you and you wife.

Of course it is dry here. This was a tuburculosis haven in the previous century. Water, even for hobby gardens, can get pricey when used in quantity. Weather, while typically decent, is unpredictable and very, very, variable. Snow on Halloween, 75* in February, and hail the size of golf balls variable. Local politics are a mixed bag and you could say we are somewhat tax adverse here, although that is improving and infrastructure is coming along with those changes.

A few things for you to dig through:
https://www.visitcos.com/
https://coloradosprings.gov/

Thanks TCHP. I will definitely be checking out CS and appreciate the tip on specific areas and the little details. Exactly why I check in on City Data.

[Coast 2 Coast]

Originally Posted by hikernut

Actually, our domestic water in Gilbert is cheap. On top of that we also get irrigation water for the yard. The cost of electricity to run our a/c is much larger than what we pay for water.

Good to know. Thanks !

[Coast 2 Coast]

Originally Posted by 2bindenver

Colorado Springs? Palisade?

Just looked up Pailsade (didn't realize it was Grand Junction until now) ... It's beautiful. I dig it. Not sure my entire entourage will, but I will try and add that to the list.

[katharsis]

Just to point it out -- Colorado is not what I consider a four seasons state. You might have two weeks of Spring (usually early) May and two weeks of Autumn (mostly gold aspens) in September-October, a mostly hot and mostly dry summer, and winter -- except in the mountains -- is mostly sunny and dry with occasional snow that usually melts in a couple of days (March is usually the snowiest month in Denver) except for (usually) just two or three blizzards that CAN be quite severe, although we haven't had even one of those in the Denver area in at least two years, if memory serves. So, if you are thinking like the Northeastern four seasons climate, you definitely won't find that here.

[NW Crow]

Besides options already mentioned: West of Loveland (Fort Collins might interest you more, with Boulder still within reach / Loveland might appeal to inlaws), Laporte / Bellvue west of Fort Collins or not quite that far out, maybe outside Windsor, outside Castle Rock, maybe Monument...


Or Eagle Idaho.

[Coast 2 Coast]

Originally Posted by katharsis

Just to point it out -- Colorado is not what I consider a four seasons state. You might have two weeks of Spring (usually early) May and two weeks of Autumn (mostly gold aspens) in September-October, a mostly hot and mostly dry summer, and winter -- except in the mountains -- is mostly sunny and dry with occasional snow that usually melts in a couple of days (March is usually the snowiest month in Denver) except for (usually) just two or three blizzards that CAN be quite severe, although we haven't had even one of those in the Denver area in at least two years, if memory serves. So, if you are thinking like the Northeastern four seasons climate, you definitely won't find that here.

Thanks Katharsis. I totally get it.

I always knew this would be a point of contention. Personally, I can't stand any of the weather east of the Mississippi. And as far as the four season go, we don't get that much here either. It's hot and muggy, winter, with 2 weeks on either side of spring and autumn. I like the West. Open spaces and dry. If there's some cold, fine, but those really are the 2 main points for me. If I were on my own, I'd be renting a place in SoCal. Then again, if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle.

[Loyoung]

I was going to say Monument seems like a good fit. Its pretty suburban, but it gets quite a bit more rain than surrounding areas. D49 is a pretty good school District, and 500k is a realistic budget for purchasing a home

[Coast 2 Coast]

Originally Posted by NW Crow

Besides options already mentioned: West of Loveland (Fort Collins might interest you more, with Boulder still within reach / Loveland might appeal to inlaws), Laporte / Bellvue west of Fort Collins or not quite that far out, maybe outside Windsor, outside Castle Rock, maybe Monument...


Or Eagle Idaho.

Thank you NW Crow. I love it more. More to look at.

And interesting...Idaho is on my list also. You must know that area (Eagle). What's it like there ?

[Coast 2 Coast]

Originally Posted by Loyoung

I was going to say Monument seems like a good fit. Its pretty suburban, but it gets quite a bit more rain than surrounding areas. D49 is a pretty good school District, and 500k is a realistic budget for purchasing a home

Excellent. Thanks for the info Loyoung !

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by Loyoung

I was going to say Monument seems like a good fit. Its pretty suburban, but it gets quite a bit more rain than surrounding areas. D49 is a pretty good school District, and 500k is a realistic budget for purchasing a home

Monument also averages about 110" of snow per year, too. Denver is around 54" and the Springs is closer to 40".