Scotch Pines/Utility Costs (Fort Collins: apartment, renters, HOA)

[1BigMike]

Hi everyone I have been reading this forum for a few years now, really interested in moving to Fort Collins (is it ok to call it The Fort?). My wife and I both think the Scotch Pines area would be a good starting point. Any opinions? One of the reasons we like it is that the HOA includes heat. For a 2 bedroom condo, any ideas on what the utilities would average? My better half can work from home, and I'd really like to go back to school for green engineering.

Thanks for any information you can provide, and thanks for making this forum a great place to go.

Mike

[Mike Weber]

Hi Mike,
The listing agent for one of the currently available 2 bedroom / 1 bath units is reporting that the seller's monthly electricity bills for the last year fell into this range:
High: $38
Low: $26
Average: $35

An agent in the office adjacent to mine currently has a listing in the complex, so I can check with her to see if her seller has similar numbers.

Are you looking to purchase? I understand the HOA is currently having some issues that will make financing a purchase in the complex difficult. Therefore, unless you are paying cash, you will want to make sure your agent checks into that carefully prior to making an offer.

Good luck in your search,
Mike Weber

[1BigMike]

Thanks Mike. I imagine the problem with financing is to many renters in the association. I have been on the HOA board where I live for 5 years, and know this can be a problem.

In any case my wife and I won't be moving for a while. We plan on taking 2-3 vacations to FC during different seasons to get a feel for the place. Plus she has to get the okay for the work from home program, but we don't see this as a problem. Is the Scotch Pines a decent area? It seems pretty centrally located.

In your opinion what would be the average of all utility costs? In case we decide on somewhere else?

Cheers,

Mike

[Mike Weber]

Originally Posted by 1BigMike

Thanks Mike. I imagine the problem with financing is to many renters in the association. I have been on the HOA board where I live for 5 years, and know this can be a problem.

In any case my wife and I won't be moving for a while. We plan on taking 2-3 vacations to FC during different seasons to get a feel for the place. Plus she has to get the okay for the work from home program, but we don't see this as a problem. Is the Scotch Pines a decent area? It seems pretty centrally located.

In your opinion what would be the average of all utility costs? In case we decide on somewhere else?

Cheers,

Mike

The area in which Scotch Pines is located is close to many amenities in the central part of town, and access to most of the town is pretty easy from there. I grew up within blocks of the Scotch Pines complex.

The owner occupant / non-owner occupant ratio is always an important number in financing, particularly with FHA loans. In this case, there are some other factors working, as well.

Your utility costs will vary depending upon whether the HOA pays for water and sewer, whether you have gas or electric heat / hot water and whether you take long showers and keep a warm house, whether you have A/C and if you run it often, and if you have lots of electric gadgets and leave them on.

Definitely visit here at different times of the year. Anyone who visits now will see a beautiful town, but may be surprised at how brown it is in the winter.

Mike Weber

[1BigMike]

Thanks again Mike, you have been most helpful. One of the reasons I may seem to be so focused on the utilities, is that in the 23+ years my wife and I have been married we have never paid a single utility. W ether in an apartment or our current condo, utilities have been completely covered.

I have tried to check things out at the respective utility websites, but when you don't know what your usage is, it's kind of hard.

I was a little worried that being so close to the college would mean a lot of noise complaints, vandalism etc. But Looking at the crime map from the FCPD, it doesn't appear to be anything we can't handle.

We will definitely be paying a couple visits next year, maybe we'lll look you up. If that's okay.

Cheers,

Mike C