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...I almost feel like I am being told not to move there though which is odd. ...
I understand why someone might pick up that vibe. Please know that the responses you're reading aren't intended to be hostile. Rather, they are intended simply as frank, forthright information about the realities of the area that many people aren't aware of when they first have ideas of moving to Denver. It's not uncommon to see questions like yours from people who don't even really understand the geography of the area or how significant the weather differences can be between Denver and the upper foothills.
Fortunately, you seem to have a reasonable head on your shoulders and, most importantly, a willingness to listen, hear, and then evaluate what you're hearing without emotion getting in the way. Sometimes, I see a different response in questions like these. In those cases, posters appear to be pushing back and rely on sentiment rather than thoughtful consideration. Their response to feedback suggest they think "it can't really be like that", "surely it's not that bad to get time up in the mountains", or other things that discount the examples and experiences of people who have lived/live in the area.
None of us want to see someone move to Denver with stars in their eyes and preconceived notion of Denver as a "mountain town", only to be frustrated, disillusioned, and angry in a few years when it turns out to be harder/different/less rewarding than their misplaced expectations. That said, we generally love what Denver has to offer, and welcome people here who love it just as much. I'm speaking for others here, but I think we want people to be happy and satisfied with their choices, which comes from being well-informed and making knowledgable decisions. I think that's why you're getting so much 'unvarnished' information.
Thank you all for the replies. I heard there was a lot of snow out there! We plan to go back again soon so we’ll see if we coincide with a snow storm. I appreciate all the information and warnings.
In terms of school criteria, we are mainly looking for a smaller school with a relaxed vibe where kids can participate in many sports and activities without being cut or too stressed to enjoy the HS experience. We want them to thrive in a smaller environment as opposed to competing with a ton of kids for everything in a HS with 3,400 kids like our current school. We visited golden, evergreen, clear creek and conifer. CC felt very cozy and inviting. They do have AP classes and the sports my kids play but obviously not as many as the others. Conifer was my personal favorite. My older son loved it as well. Seems like a great mix of academics and sports in a still fairly small setting. The facilities and setting there are incredible. The students and staff seemed super friendly.
We would like to leave IL to (1) allow the kids to go to a smaller more inviting HS, (2) pay less taxes, (3) have better weather, (4) leave the snobbiness of the Chicago burbs. There are not many places we would consider but this area fits the bill due to its beauty and milder weather. My husband would be ok permanently moving to our home in WI but that’s not an area I want to live in permanently.
I almost feel like I am being told not to move there though which is odd. We might stay here if our house doesn’t sell which is a distinct possibility since our housing market and state are in shambles.
Conifer sounds like a good fit.
I don’t think anyone is telling you not to move here. We just want you to be aware of some of the challenges of mountain living. Many who aren’t from the West don’t realize what life with elevation and without humidity means. As long as you’re fully aware, go for it!
Summers and winters are both cooler in Conifer. If that's your preference then great, but the winters at that elevation are not exactly mild. There are only four months with an average low above freezing. January's average low is 7F, compared to 18F in Chicago. All-time low is -48F, vs -25F in Chicago.
I agree that no one is telling you not to move here. There are realities of living somewhere that locals know that aren't apparent when looking from afar.
Realtors love mountain buyers. They won't tell you as a prospective buyer but they know statistically you are good for 4 sales if you are from Denver and 3 if you are from out of state.
If from Denver metro, the sale of your Denver metro home, the purchase of your mountain home, then a couple of years later the attempted sale of your mountain home and the purchase of your Denver metro home.
If from out of state, the purchase of your mountain home, the sale of your mountain home and the purchase of your Denver metro home.
Take a look at the sales history of the homes you are looking at. Before Denver got super popular it was usually decades to sell a mountain home. Just for grins I looked up Conifer high school and clicked on a home in the area, in your price range. Looks like the type of thing you are looking for. For sale since 2008. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...13840893_zpid/
I must admit to being a bit shocked. Most would have drastically slashed the price by now. But a decade was not unusual when I first moved here. Things have picked up quite a bit due to the popularity of the metro area but that isn't a guarantee that you could sell what you bought if there is a fire or things slow down.
Alot of the people on the forum could move the mountains if they wanted to but don't. We all know people who have tried it and moved back down. So people are just trying to be helpful. Not warn you off or anything. Just give you a bit of inside information so that you make an educated decision.
If you are determined to try it consider renting. The owner would probably love to sell it to you later if you decide you love it and want to make it permanent. But you have a low risk way to experience the reality of mountain living and an exit plan if you find it doesn't suit you. The property I linked to above is an ideal candidate as they have rented before.
Just for grins I clicked on a few more in the area in your price range.
To me this one is better due to having an attached garage. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2...13842101_zpid/
But why no mention of Internet? With work from home that is important. Also notice the last buyer lasted a year. The one before that 3 years. Internet is very important to people today. And with expectations of work from home I imagine it is important to you.
Now this one may (or may not) be sold from the original owners. But a detached garage will put a damper on sales. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...92435014_zpid/
Alot of mountain homes are positioned for view and no thought given to how you get to them in a car. With your groceries. In the middle of winter. This next year will have alot of homes for sale in the mountains due to our very short summer. Right now the market is probably at a complete stall because people won't be going up to look at homes at this time of year. The homes really only show well in the summer.
Now this one has an attached garage and wired Internet. But do be sure to check that speed. It may or may not be enough for your intended purpose. No mention of water source though. Cistern or well? If well then what quality? If delivery to cistern then how big a tank? Underground propane tank for gas? Things should be addressed in the listing. But they often won't be because they are counting on people (from out of state) to fall in love with the (summer) view and make a hasty purchase. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2...30543141_zpid/
Our daughter attends EHS and doesn’t find it cliquey at all. The school is well rated and I like the fact that the Sheriffs department is just a couple blocks down the road.
We choose Evergreen because it felt more like an actual town, whereas Conifer always just felt like an exit off the highway, but both areas have some very nice neighborhoods.
I would avoid Clear Creek county since the area has a history of meth production, although I’ll probably catch some flack for pointing that out. Additionally, areas like Floyd Hill and Saddle Back Mountain are fire traps.
Fire is always a consideration in the foothills, but some areas are far more defendable than others.
I know three people who moved back to Denver from Evergreen/Conifer. Their reasons: it's still far to the 'real' mountains (i.e. big ski areas, and the better hiking/mountain biking trails) and not real close to Denver, either. Not many walkable areas, you're car-dependent, and that car has to be mountain-worthy. Many of the big highways in and out of these areas are jammed with commuters, so the driving can be tricky not just because of the mountain conditions. In the end, one friend felt like she was neither here nor there - not in the mountains, not close to the city, with all the negatives of both. But I'll say - they had pretty views...
PS Finally: if you DO move to these areas, strongly consider enrolling your children in additional driving lessons. They will be driving everywhere. You want them to have the skills to navigate black ice, sudden storms, white-out conditions, curvy roads and overconfident low landers who have no business driving in the mountains, much less at speeds they're used to in the burbs.
I understand why someone might pick up that vibe. Please know that the responses you're reading aren't intended to be hostile. Rather, they are intended simply as frank, forthright information about the realities of the area that many people aren't aware of when they first have ideas of moving to Denver. It's not uncommon to see questions like yours from people who don't even really understand the geography of the area or how significant the weather differences can be between Denver and the upper foothills.
Fortunately, you seem to have a reasonable head on your shoulders and, most importantly, a willingness to listen, hear, and then evaluate what you're hearing without emotion getting in the way. Sometimes, I see a different response in questions like these. In those cases, posters appear to be pushing back and rely on sentiment rather than thoughtful consideration. Their response to feedback suggest they think "it can't really be like that", "surely it's not that bad to get time up in the mountains", or other things that discount the examples and experiences of people who have lived/live in the area.
None of us want to see someone move to Denver with stars in their eyes and preconceived notion of Denver as a "mountain town", only to be frustrated, disillusioned, and angry in a few years when it turns out to be harder/different/less rewarding than their misplaced expectations. That said, we generally love what Denver has to offer, and welcome people here who love it just as much. I'm speaking for others here, but I think we want people to be happy and satisfied with their choices, which comes from being well-informed and making knowledgable decisions. I think that's why you're getting so much 'unvarnished' information.
Well stated!
Nobody has said “Don’t move to the foothills.” More like “Open your eyes to the difficulties as well as the benefits of living there.” Such difficulties are a big reason that after major snowstorms (such as 2003 and 2006-2007), we saw forests of For Sale signs sprouting up along the canyon roads in late spring. At no other times did such a plethora of signs appear in concentrated areas, as if a big block of homes on or near the same road were being run from.
Summers and winters are both cooler in Conifer. If that's your preference then great, but the winters at that elevation are not exactly mild. There are only four months with an average low above freezing. January's average low is 7F, compared to 18F in Chicago. All-time low is -48F, vs -25F in Chicago.
I am not in Chicago and the temps are colder where I live but this still sounds great compared to polar vortex after polar vortex! I thought my house would collapse after the last one because it was cracking and popping so much. And more sun to boot!
Last edited by Winterraven; 11-26-2019 at 09:24 PM..
I agree that no one is telling you not to move here. There are realities of living somewhere that locals know that aren't apparent when looking from afar.
Realtors love mountain buyers. They won't tell you as a prospective buyer but they know statistically you are good for 4 sales if you are from Denver and 3 if you are from out of state.
If from Denver metro, the sale of your Denver metro home, the purchase of your mountain home, then a couple of years later the attempted sale of your mountain home and the purchase of your Denver metro home.
If from out of state, the purchase of your mountain home, the sale of your mountain home and the purchase of your Denver metro home.
Take a look at the sales history of the homes you are looking at. Before Denver got super popular it was usually decades to sell a mountain home. Just for grins I looked up Conifer high school and clicked on a home in the area, in your price range. Looks like the type of thing you are looking for. For sale since 2008. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...13840893_zpid/
I must admit to being a bit shocked. Most would have drastically slashed the price by now. But a decade was not unusual when I first moved here. Things have picked up quite a bit due to the popularity of the metro area but that isn't a guarantee that you could sell what you bought if there is a fire or things slow down.
Alot of the people on the forum could move the mountains if they wanted to but don't. We all know people who have tried it and moved back down. So people are just trying to be helpful. Not warn you off or anything. Just give you a bit of inside information so that you make an educated decision.
If you are determined to try it consider renting. The owner would probably love to sell it to you later if you decide you love it and want to make it permanent. But you have a low risk way to experience the reality of mountain living and an exit plan if you find it doesn't suit you. The property I linked to above is an ideal candidate as they have rented before.
Just for grins I clicked on a few more in the area in your price range.
To me this one is better due to having an attached garage. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2...13842101_zpid/
But why no mention of Internet? With work from home that is important. Also notice the last buyer lasted a year. The one before that 3 years. Internet is very important to people today. And with expectations of work from home I imagine it is important to you.
Now this one may (or may not) be sold from the original owners. But a detached garage will put a damper on sales. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...92435014_zpid/
Alot of mountain homes are positioned for view and no thought given to how you get to them in a car. With your groceries. In the middle of winter. This next year will have alot of homes for sale in the mountains due to our very short summer. Right now the market is probably at a complete stall because people won't be going up to look at homes at this time of year. The homes really only show well in the summer.
Now this one has an attached garage and wired Internet. But do be sure to check that speed. It may or may not be enough for your intended purpose. No mention of water source though. Cistern or well? If well then what quality? If delivery to cistern then how big a tank? Underground propane tank for gas? Things should be addressed in the listing. But they often won't be because they are counting on people (from out of state) to fall in love with the (summer) view and make a hasty purchase. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2...30543141_zpid/
Thanks for the helpful post. We actually toured one the properties that you included this weekend to get a better sense of the market there (we toured 5 homes to be exact). The driveway was challenging so that was informative (oddly enough we have a crazy steep and curvy driveway in IL so we sometimes drive on the front hill because it's so icy that it can launch your car into a steep drop). It was great to see houses with snow on the ground as we could see which routes were more challenging. We have been tracking the market for a few months and most homes we really like go quickly. The market is certainly way healthier than my current market! In any event, I'm pretty confident we could find a place to meet our needs if we research the market well (since we have time to do so), but I was indeed thinking about renting first. To be honest, the whole appeal for us is the mountains. If I wanted pretty flat land I would stay in my current IL suburb, which is a gorgeous area, has all the conveniences one needs and is within commuting distance of one of favorite cities. I have no interest in moving to Denver itself or one of the dense suburbs around it.
Last edited by Winterraven; 11-26-2019 at 09:33 PM..
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