Potentially moving to Denver - Some Advice needed! (Boulder, Golden: apartments, rentals)

[ndelcore41]

Hi All,
This is my first thread and I am in need of some help from those of you in the Denver area.

I have been to Colorado 3 times in the past 3 years, hear nothing but great things, and think it is beautiful. I am currently living on Long Island in New York where it is so expensive and am 26 years old. I truly believe that Denver will offer a more relaxed fit than LI and give me a better quality of life as well bang for my buck.

However, that being said, there are a few reservations I am having. In order to move, I would need to be in an area where it would allow me to have a social life, and meet others in and around my age. It is no easy task to move to a city where I do not know a soul and would seriously like to put myself in a good position to do so.

As far as my career, I am a licensed CPA in New York holding a Masters Degree. with a fair amount of experience in the accounting and finance fields. I would certainly hire a head-hunter to look for a position for me- but where still remains the question. I do not mind spending $1400-$1500 a month on rent either.

I am looking for some help from anyone out there as I begin my initial process of moving.


Thank you all in advance!

Nick

[Pequeño_Bonsai]

Hi OP:

The rent for the more urban, "hip" areas is going to be pretty high... Check out this map to get an idea of what you might be looking at:

Apartments for Rent in Denver, CO - Rentals

Denver (LODO), Boulder, and perhaps Golden would likely be the highest concentration of young professionals but that's not to say you won't meet people your age in the 'burbs. I'm in my late twenties and live about 30 minutes outside of downtown but regularly meet people at my gym, by joining co-ed sports teams, stopping by at community events, etc. If you are into the outdoors, there are a ton of interest groups you can join plus don't discount coworkers. That said, if you're looking for a variety of nightlife activities at your doorstep, you won't be happy in the suburbs.

My suggestion is find the job first, then start looking at what's a reasonable commute and narrow it down from there.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by ndelcore41

Hi All,
This is my first thread and I am in need of some help from those of you in the Denver area.

I have been to Colorado 3 times in the past 3 years, hear nothing but great things, and think it is beautiful. I am currently living on Long Island in New York where it is so expensive and am 26 years old. I truly believe that Denver will offer a more relaxed fit than LI and give me a better quality of life as well bang for my buck.

However, that being said, there are a few reservations I am having. In order to move, I would need to be in an area where it would allow me to have a social life, and meet others in and around my age. It is no easy task to move to a city where I do not know a soul and would seriously like to put myself in a good position to do so.

As far as my career, I am a licensed CPA in New York holding a Masters Degree. with a fair amount of experience in the accounting and finance fields. I would certainly hire a head-hunter to look for a position for me- but where still remains the question. I do not mind spending $1400-$1500 a month on rent either.

I am looking for some help from anyone out there as I begin my initial process of moving.


Thank you all in advance!

Nick

[Sunderpig2]

It seems like that amount for rent would be insufficient, especially for anything of the caliber that you are probably used to. With the Internet available, I'm sure you'd find ways of connecting/socializing with others.

The big uncertainty - in my mind - would be if you'd feel connected and comfortable with the feel and culture of Colorado; being infinitely different from NY and the East Coast. It's a whole different world in terms of history, mindset, and environment. For one thing, communication could be quite different. Where in NY one might speak out verbally or with body language in some situation, it's more restrained here. A person can really stand out if they aren't on their guard all the time, and non-natives are often viewed differently than natives. It's often not even something consciously going on, it's just deep-rooted differences at work...

[blondmoray]

Check out LoDo (Lower Downtown) Uptown, Highlands. All have plenty in the way of nightlife. Regarding the culture issue, I noticed right away that you didn't mention love of the outdoors in your post. That's typically one of Colorado's major draws and many social activities do revolve around outdoor pursuits -- especially for those in their 20's. If you're not into the outdoor scene, finding your niche may be tougher. And as alluded to in the prior post, due to your Long Island heritage, you will have absolutely no street cred with the natives. Plan on running your first ultra-marathon and/or surviving your first back country avalanche within 6 months of landing in Denver to help rectify this. Serious.

[kevin_in_Denver]

I believe that the general friendliness of Denverites will make up for any lack of street cred.

Have a beer and a game of ping-pong at ACE. Any outgoing young person can make at least one friend per evening. A creepy older guy, maybe not.