Should We Move From Northern Virginia To Denver? (Colorado Springs, Golden: real estate, apartments)

[v_astro]

I'll make this short. Looking for some input from folks in the know as I've never been to Denver before:

- We're a family of five, plus a nephew who lives with us. There's a possibility a job opening might happen in Denver. We've lived in the DC area for going on 13 years and we're sick of it.

Reasons:

- High cost of living.
- Traffic
- Pretentious neighbors (too much keeping up with the Joneses, driving Mercedes and Cadillacs to pick up your kids at public schools, new $1.5 million McMansions going up every day, etc.)

We've looked at a lot of sites regarding Denver and think we have a pretty good understanding of what we'd be getting into:

- Still kinda expensive
- Magnificent scenery
- 300 days of sunshine per year
- More relaxed pace of life
- Real Estate prices still pretty high

If this seems inaccurate or incomplete, please let me know.

Here are our big concerns:

- We're looking to upsize our home. Right now we live in a 1956 Rambler with 1,900 square feet and six people, including four kids who aren't getting any smaller. We've had two realtors cold call us recently and offer $600K just to buy the house so they can knock it down and put up a McMansion. We have .28 acres and live in a very desirable town. We could probably get more, but the housing prices we're looking for in Denver are up to $550k.

- We'd like to have some land. However, it looks like unless you live further west of the city, land is very much a premium it appears. It looks like most lots are 6,000 to 9,000 square feet in our price range, which isn't a lot.

- Schools in the western parts of Denver (Golden, Evergreen)

I said I'd keep this short, so I'll shut up now. My question is do you people in the know think Denver would be a good fit? I might have other job opportunities in other cities, but we're looking for something a little slower and a bigger house for our pretty big family but I'm hoping Denver might be workable. Thanks!

[eearhart]

I don't have an answer for you but we are moving in a couple of weeks from NOVA so have been in your boat to a degree. I suggest spending a lot of time going through this forum because it will probably answer most of your questions on it's own! I've spend countless hours on here and let me tell you, it's incredible. Just use the search prompt and look at specific schools, costs, etc...it's all there.

[v_astro]

So apparently you've found enough info to draw the conclusion that the move would be worth it?

[eearhart]

Originally Posted by v_astro

So apparently you've found enough info to draw the conclusion that the move would be worth it?

Absolutely worth it for us. We aren't native to NOVA and have been trying to escape for many, many years....just had to wait for the job situation to work out. Our cost of living will likely be similar to what it is here because we're looking to live downtown at first, but our quality of life will vastly improve. I've lived in quite a few places and the DC metro is my least favorite. Many love it, it's just not for us.

Big draws for us include pointy mountains (we're backpackers and skiiers, and I fly fish), low humidity, lots of sports, a livable city (compared to DC, which is livable if you're loaded), a good starting point for travel to points north, west, and south, etc. etc.

If there is anything I've learned form the forum it is that you should plan to live as close to work as possible so that you can take advantage of the advantages!

Also-definitely visit before deciding, of course. I think that's crucial for a big move like this.

[sammy87]

Originally Posted by eearhart

I don't have an answer for you but we are moving in a couple of weeks from NOVA so have been in your boat to a degree. I suggest spending a lot of time going through this forum because it will probably answer most of your questions on it's own! I've spend countless hours on here and let me tell you, it's incredible. Just use the search prompt and look at specific schools, costs, etc...it's all there.

I would not recommend this forum as a good resource. Its hijacked by a one side of the spectrum that will tell you that your family is too big for the amount of water here. You will just add to the traffic, dont need a big yard, just some rocks, sell your car and ride a bus, bla bla bla. I would recommend coming here and seeing it for yourself. Much different than NOVA (climate, life style)

I came from Pittsburgh and its great, but by no means perfect or the utopia that half these threads are about. Some hippie is tired of flipping burgers in city X and wants to come here and flip burgers and smoke weed but pissed off by how much rent is.

[v_astro]

This is good info. Thanks.

I assume by living closer to downtown you're not getting all that much land, correct?

I'd be willing to put up with a longer commute if it meant we'd get more land and not have neighbors right on top of us as I've unfortunately seen in quite a few of the photos of homes in the Denver area we've looked at.

[v_astro]

Originally Posted by sammy87

I would not recommend this forum as a good resource. Its hijacked by a one side of the spectrum that will tell you that your family is too big for the amount of water here. You will just add to the traffic, dont need a big yard, just some rocks, sell your car and ride a bus, bla bla bla.

Thanks. Believe me, I've seen these type of posts when I was doing previous research on Denver. That's fine. To each their own, but I realize the city's got all different types and I know there are areas out there that look very appealing. I just want to make sure my eyes aren't deceiving me.

[Mike from back east]

We left NoVa in 2005 for Colorado Springs, best move ever.

Denver is different, rather higher real estate prices up there but it may within your budget.

Best way for us to give you good advice is to give us cross streets on where you'll work and your price point.

[eearhart]

Originally Posted by sammy87

I would not recommend this forum as a good resource. Its hijacked by a one side of the spectrum that will tell you that your family is too big for the amount of water here. You will just add to the traffic, dont need a big yard, just some rocks, sell your car and ride a bus, bla bla bla. I would recommend coming here and seeing it for yourself. Much different than NOVA (climate, life style)

I came from Pittsburgh and its great, but by no means perfect or the utopia that half these threads are about. Some hippie is tired of flipping burgers in city X and wants to come here and flip burgers and smoke weed but pissed off by how much rent is.

I tend to disagree because there is definitely a lot of good info. It's up to the reader to decipher fact from slant, and I think it's usually apparent if someone has an opinionated/emotional response versus a straightforward fact-based answer. Gotta do the work and trudge through the responses. It's been pretty helpful for us.

I'm also from the 'burgh. I bet you are enjoying the cloud-to-sun ratio difference out there (though I realize the 300 day thing is a bit of an urban legend)

[eearhart]

Originally Posted by v_astro

This is good info. Thanks.

I assume by living closer to downtown you're not getting all that much land, correct?

I'd be willing to put up with a longer commute if it meant we'd get more land and not have neighbors right on top of us as I've unfortunately seen in quite a few of the photos of homes in the Denver area we've looked at.

Nope, in fact we're looking at apartments to start, so zero land. Once we are ready to buy I imagine we'll be heading north of Denver though, so at that point will at least want a yard for the pup.