relocating to CO...what city/area fits us most????? (Denver: apartment, to rent) - Colorado - City-Data Forum

homesweeethome · 10-18-2011, 12:47 AM

I'm so glad I found this site! I seem to have been living under a rock it seems....

We're considering moving to CO and we're going to visit there in the Spring. We're originally from NJ and now we're in California, but it's too expensive here so we want out. We're starting to see that the great thing about living in California is the weather...and, well, that's it

Houses here are super expensive and to be honest the earthquake factor scares me. I know tragedy can be anywhere anytime in any state, but I guess growing up on the East Coast earthquakes make me feel a bit helpless.

I love the city life/atmosphere. My husband loves the mountains, hiking, skiing. That's a little about us, but most important for me is my children. Good schools and safety is key for me. Since we don't have jobs secured there yet, it definitly can't be a rural area, since, well, we have to work to survive

Based on that, would anyone be able to narrow down a city or cities for us? It would be very helpful and much appreciated

I can't wait to visit and I'm already counting down 'til we leave! Your advice would really help us narrow down where to visit since we're only going for a week.

homesweeethome · 10-18-2011, 01:32 AM

I wanted to add also that we're going to rent first, no more than $1000/monthly would be ideal. My children are all under 5 yrs old, so a park or parks nearby would be perfect.

(BTW, for the parents out there, what activities or places would you recommend when we come in April that is great for the kids?)

Again, thank you so much.

vegaspilgrim · 10-18-2011, 07:32 AM

What do you guys do for a living? Where you can find jobs is going to be the #1 consideration, everything else can be figured out later. The Denver metro area is where the vast majority of jobs in the state are.

homesweeethome · 10-18-2011, 09:35 AM

I work in office administration and I'll be working part-time and my husband works in construction.

ucbedge · 10-18-2011, 03:40 PM

Could you be more specific? Are you looking for a rural, suburban, or urban lifestyle? What did you like and dislike about California? And do you have a job out here?

My wife and I moved from Call to Highlands Ranch two years ago and we love it. If you like master-planned communities and don't mind how white-bread it is, I'd give it a look. But I work near the Tech Center so the commute is easy.

Timmyy · 10-18-2011, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ucbedge

Could you be more specific? Are you looking for a rural, suburban, or urban lifestyle? What did you like and dislike about California? And do you have a job out here?

My wife and I moved from Call to Highlands Ranch two years ago and we love it. If you like master-planned communities and don't mind how white-bread it is, I'd give it a look. But I work near the Tech Center so the commute is easy.

Schools and parks are great in HR too.

palmtree333 · 10-18-2011, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ucbedge

Could you be more specific? Are you looking for a rural, suburban, or urban lifestyle? What did you like and dislike about California? And do you have a job out here?

I prefer a more urban, or at least really close by that so I can get to shops, restaurants within a 15 min drive at least. Mountain views are what my husband would love. Well, about California I don't like how expensive it is. And people here dont' seem as down to earth as I'm used to on the East Coast. Fake I guess is the right word? Although I did meet some really awesome people here (but, they did end up "coming from somewhere") Where I am at education isn't really a priority. The beach and shopping are more important for the kids here.

I'm white, but I wouldn't want all white...I would like some mix of races though. That's what I miss about the East Coast. Schools where I am at are not that great. We don't have jobs yet, and of course we'll move only if that's set.

We plan to buy a house soon after we move there, not more than $300K.

Hope that kind of helps..............is there a place that would fit for us? thnx again

MountainK · 10-19-2011, 07:27 AM

I would recommend that you first find jobs, then figure out/ask for advice regarding where to live because jobs are not necessarily plentyful here, particularly in construction. I would expect it to be very difficult to find a construction job here--you really need to explore employment options before considering neighborhoods and activities for the kids (which are plentiful in most areas.) There are lots of parks in most communities, but the quality of schools varies quite a bit throughout Denver, while most/many of the suburban schools are of very high quality. There are some truly awful schools in Denver and others that are very strong. I'm not sure that $1000 rent while get you much of an apartment, depending on how much space you need/how many kids you have (but it certainly would be liveable in the short term), but $300K will get you a decent/nice house in many areas in/near the city. Best wishes.

homesweeethome · 10-19-2011, 04:47 PM

thank you, MountainK....yes, jobs is definitely something we have to start with first and then go from there. I thought originally I'd do my court reporting, but upon calling a few agencies in Denver they said they're up to their ears in court reporters there so I shouldn't rely on work there...at least, not now. Hence, I'll probably end up doing some office administration work since I have lots of experience in that, too. (Also, the court reporting i do is freelance so i would be all over the Denver area, so close to work doesn't really apply to me).

We're visiting there so we'll look into the job market there and find out, as well as driving around the neighborhoods. I just kind of wanted to narrow it down a bit because Denver with its suburbs along with even Colorado Springs is a bit overwhelming. We're only going to be there for 5 days so I want to make sure I hit the neighborhoods that might be a possability for us....just to get a whole picture.

MountainK · 10-19-2011, 06:43 PM

Hi. Five days should give you a bit of a feel for the different areas of town, plus time to explore Colorado Springs. A $300K budget will give you plenty of housing options in the city, the suburbs and in Co Springs too. Parks and kid-friendly areas are quite plentiful. I hope you have a good visit.