Any Washington transplants? (Denver, Colorado Springs: sales, real estate, house)

[psdzd]

I currently live in Washington state and am considering a move to either Denver or COS area in a couple of years after my son graduates high school. I am interested to hear from anyone else who has moved to CO from western Washington - how does the weather compare? I am sooooo sick of the gray, damp and windy weather!

[josher_m]

I'm not native WA but we lived there for 3 years and are now in CO. We are hoping to get back to WA as soon as we can afford it. Yeah, the rain gets a little old but we miss the scenery and mild weather and coastline. It's definitely colder here in CO than we expected, however we just moved here right after Thanksgiving and had one of the worst winters in a while--or so everyone tells us I have to say, the snow is just beautiful when it covers everything tho. Not so beautiful by the end of the day when it's been trampled by dirty cars. lol

It's also not as green as we expected. Definitely more of a plains feel to it but it is greening up with springtime here. I guess we expected more of a mountainous feel and it feels like we are more in a 'bowl' type atmosphere with the mountains surrounding us. They are continuous mountains too. There's some great views, but it's not like the big giants like Ranier, Adams, Helens & Hood poking into the sky!

Cost of living seems fairly comparable unless you're smack dab in the Seattle area, then I'd say it's less. Really just depends on what you like and what you want. Everyone we asked and know now just loves the Denver area. To us, it doesn't even compare to the beauty of the Pacific NW. But . .that's just our opinion.

Good luck!

[Topaz]

We moved to Colorado Springs after 9 years in Seattle - we were really weary of the rain and gray skies when we decided to move. But the past winter here was horrendous. Everyone says that it was the worst winter in a decade but I also heard a meterologist say that the successive blizzards is the norm and that the only reason it wasn't so bad the last few years is that there was a drought. I personally have found that I dislike the inconvenience of the snow. After I was literally snowed in my house four different times, I started surfing the Web looking for somewhere new to move.

When the sun is shining here, it is glorious, especially the view of the mountains. But we find ourselves missing the beauty of the Northwest. And the culture of the Northwest is more sophisticated and progressive...we miss that, too.

We are concluding that the optimal lifestyle would be to live in the Northwest but spend significant time each winter somewhere sunny.

Topaz

[Katarina Witt]

Everyone says that it was the worst winter in a decade but I also heard a meterologist say that the successive blizzards is the norm and that the only reason it wasn't so bad the last few years is that there was a drought.

I have lived in CO for 27 yrs. "Everyone" is correct. The meteorologist is wrong. Most winters there are weeks of dry, sunny weather between snows, and many years there isn't even one storm heavy enough to close the schools.

[sberdrow]

I know this is a colorado board, but as a person who just left vancouver for Austin (and is looking at Colorado). Take a very strong look at Redding California. Its the 2nd sunniest place in the usa, and has the advantages of being next to the shasta forest. In fact, if you can get a job there (I could not), then I think its the greatest secrete on the west coast. You have a nice city, clean air, lake shasta, views of mt shasta and mt lassen. Your close to sales tax free Oregon. Hope that helped. By the way it does snow there every once in a while.

[High Altitude]

And it is hot as hell in the summer :-)

[northcountystooge]

Originally Posted by sberdrow

I know this is a colorado board, but as a person who just left vancouver for Austin (and is looking at Colorado). Take a very strong look at Redding California. Its the 2nd sunniest place in the usa, and has the advantages of being next to the shasta forest. In fact, if you can get a job there (I could not), then I think its the greatest secrete on the west coast. You have a nice city, clean air, lake shasta, views of mt shasta and mt lassen. Your close to sales tax free Oregon. Hope that helped. By the way it does snow there every once in a while.

Muy hot in the summer, indeed. I wonder about the air quality in summer, too. The Redding demo page says: Meets all Federal standards; meets all State standards, except moderate standard for ozone and particulates.

Average high in July: 98.8

[High Altitude]

I have lots of memories of playing outside when the temps where 118deg :-)

Lots of great scenery and outdoor activities, not very progressive, terrible economy.

[josher_m]

Have to agree with most of the comments about Redding. I lived there for several years and have some family that still lives there. It is beautiful, IF you can stand the hot summers. But, the economy is repressed, wages are low and it's really like a small town with a huge population! There's only a community college, the university is not sectarian, no airport, no major sports, no theater . .so if you're looking for diversity and such, Redding is not the place for you. Sure, it's grown a lot but nothing really major has changed.
If you love the outdoors, then the Redding area has plenty to offer, provided, as a pp stated, you can find a job and live there. As in most cities in CA, real estate is highly inflated and Redding is catching up in that area as well. Really just a matter of preferences and lifestyle choice.

I always recommend Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site or Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site to compare cities and lifestyles. Find your spot gives you a quiz and then gives you cities based on your answers. It's very accurate. Homefair will give you cost of living comparisons and demographic info, which is also fairly accurate. I've used it for every move when we change cities.

Good luck!!

[Mike from back east]

Thanks for info on Redding, 'nuff said.

Now, back to Washington Transplants to Colorado/Denver.

Thank you.