Moving to Colorado help! (Denver, Colorado Springs: for sale, real estate, rent)

[nopeidontlooksick]

Any help or information that can be provided would be greatly appreciated. I am in search of information for a move to Colorado from Florida. I work remotely so having employment is not a concern for me, but for my son who is currently working in Golf course maintenance.
I have Multiple sclerosis and Florida’s heat has become oppressive, I’m looking forward to the outdoors. Is there an area of Colorado that is close enough to a metro area and nature? What is an affordable (not ghetto) city? I am looking to purchase a home and not rent because I have pets (a menagerie if you will). Is there a good time of the year to make this move? summer vs. winter?
I am sure I will have more questions as time passes and feel that there may not be a better reseource that a resource of the people, so thank you, in advance.

Rochelle

[Mike from back east]

For us to offer any help at all we just have to know your budget for a home.

[jim9251]

Where in Colorado? It's a big state and actually could be four different states. Have you visited? In Winter? Bring cash, lots and lots of cash.

[nopeidontlooksick]

Colorado Springs are. I apologize. I’m not looking to spend more than $150k on a home.

[Thoreau424]

This is gonna be fun

[otowi]

150k prices you out of most homes in the Colorado Springs area. There might be a couple of condos or fixer-uppers.

Relatively near to Colorado Springs you might find more homes you can afford in Pueblo or Canon City.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

OP, I see that you are a new member to the forum. Have you spent much time reading through the many posts here discussing much of what you are asking?

Be particularly aware of the very high cost of living in most areas of Colorado. Housing is outrageously expensive, and $150,000 won't buy you much (if anything). EDIT: I just looked on realtor.com, and found 12 houses under $150,000 for sale in the whole city of Colorado Springs. Maybe if you find something that you like, you could come back here and ask if the neighborhood is okay.

Why have you chosen the Colorado Springs area?

[TCHP]

Coming from FL, its important to know that population density in the Rocky Mtn west is nothing like what you are familiar with in FL and this impacts every aspect of life here. As such, nearly all development has been done around major population hubs. It is not typical to live in a nice quiet bedroom community 30-40 minutes away from a major metro that is out in the country with high speed internet that has rock solid service. While there may be many individual legal cities and towns surrounding a metro, in many cases they are adjoining their metros. In the Colo Spgs area, Manitou and Fountain are separate entities by legal definition but adjoin Colo Spgs. Others have mentioned the price of entry for real estate.

Further out east from Colo Spgs are less expensive are places such as Peyton and Calhan. Internet speed and service could be factors in living here or outside any major metro. I'd also advise that while these places are close to nature, the nature of that area consist of prairie grass, dove and pheasant, pronghorn and other grass land critters. Many of these will have space for animals though. They have mountain views, but are not in the mountains. Mountain properties in the Pikes Peak region tend to be very pricey and if they are not, there is usually a reason for this, such as difficult year round access or lack of water.

If your son is coming with you and needs golf course employment, there are over a dozen in the Colo Spgs area, but pay tends to typically be entry level, minimum wage type of work, which is $10.20. Most are in or near Colo Spgs, so the further out you locate because of price, the further his drive will be to work. Winter on the plains can be tough as wind whipped snow can cause difficult driving conditions.

House and auto insurance, and auto registration here will be considerably higher than you are used to. Gas, groceries, and other items are comparable. Driving styles are all over the board and auto accidents tend to abound.

We do have the occasional weather issue as well. While we lack hurricanes and mass flooding, we do get sustained gale force winds, damaging hail, flash floods, and the occasional blizzard.

[willc86]

Originally Posted by nopeidontlooksick

Any help or information that can be provided would be greatly appreciated. I am in search of information for a move to Colorado from Florida. I work remotely so having employment is not a concern for me, but for my son who is currently working in Golf course maintenance.
I have Multiple sclerosis and Florida’s heat has become oppressive, I’m looking forward to the outdoors. Is there an area of Colorado that is close enough to a metro area and nature? What is an affordable (not ghetto) city? I am looking to purchase a home and not rent because I have pets (a menagerie if you will). Is there a good time of the year to make this move? summer vs. winter?
I am sure I will have more questions as time passes and feel that there may not be a better reseource that a resource of the people, so thank you, in advance.

Rochelle

im a huge nature guy and if you plan on going often....def move more west. traffic is becoming a pain in the springs now and just getting over to woodland park is taking over 1 hour 1/2

I would suggest woodland park, deckers, divide; maybe even harstel if you want to get a little rural but still have some shops around.

great about those places, I know heat effects MS as I have a mild form, but springs gets 90s often. more west is a little less heat.

I eventually want to move more west just so I can get to the trails quicker since im always going every week

also....prices are about the same in those areas and very low crime rate. Believe it or not i feel there is more petty crime in colorado springs vs Miami. been robbed twice already (cars) and a lot of shady individuals knocking on doors....and I live in a "good" area

[Mike from back east]

Rochelle, suggest you or your son look up data on golf courses in the area of COLO SPGS or Pueblo, about the only places along the Front Range (I-25 corridor) that might be in your price range. There are about 10 in COLO SPGS and only one up in Woodland Park and that one is subject to a lot more snow in winter which may really crimp his income. Living in Woodland Park and commuting 'down the hill' to the city is a dreadful thing to do on a daily basis, you'll really want to live in or near COLO SPGS if he does golf course work.

I suspect the humidity is what's really making the heat so onerous; I've been FLA in May and June for funerals and heat WITH the humidity just sucked. Parts of the western states are hot but have low humidity that make it tolerable. I left the DC area for COLO SPGS to get away from the humidity and bugs (which you have TONS of in FLA).

Temperature data for every large city is on this site, just click on the banner that says city-data.com and pick some cities. COLO SPGS is cooler than Denver or Pueblo.

I hope you can buy a home in COLO SPGS; renting is an option buy you may have to part with some of the pets to do that.