Possibly Moving to Fort Collins (Denver: sales, apartment complex, rentals)

[bill33]

My wife & I are traveling to town later this week for her to interview with one of the hospitals. Couple questions hope y'all can help with. We are 35 & 28, no kids.

Which areas of town would you recommend to look at rentals? Particular communities or neighborhoods?

We are moving from Charleston, SC and will be renting out our home here, so not interested in purchasing just yet. Is there a better side of town to avoid traffic or be closer to amenities?

What is the lifestyle like? Charleston has been named the most polite city in the country for many years, so we are hoping that there is a little bit of the same hospitality awaiting us.

I have read that jobs are tight. Luckily she is in health care and is interviewing for an amazing job. But, I have a sales / engineering background with not a single prospect. Job market really that tough?

We are really looking forward to visiting later this week and appreciate any help you can offer.

[Mike Weber]

People are generally friendly, but sometimes it takes a little while to build relationships here. Lifestyle is pretty laid back, with a tendency for people to like outdoor activities and to be athletic.

West side of town is closer to mountain recreation opportunities, but, at the times of day when traffic is at its peak, it can take a bit longer to get from the west side across town to where many of the health related employers are located. South-east part of town is newest and close to most shopping. North, north-east is closer to Old Town, with many activities and night life.

Jobs are tight, but it sounds like you have a good background.

Welcome to our town! Enjoy your visit. Bring warm clothes, as we have a storm forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Mike Weber

[bill33]

Thanks Mike for the reply. South east side of town sounds attractive. Can you recommend a particular neighborhood?

Or, as an agent do you happen to work in long term rentals as well?

Originally Posted by Mike Weber

People are generally friendly, but sometimes it takes a little while to build relationships here. Lifestyle is pretty laid back, with a tendency for people to like outdoor activities and to be athletic.

West side of town is closer to mountain recreation opportunities, but, at the times of day when traffic is at its peak, it can take a bit longer to get from the west side across town to where many of the health related employers are located. South-east part of town is newest and close to most shopping. North, north-east is closer to Old Town, with many activities and night life.

Jobs are tight, but it sounds like you have a good background.

Welcome to our town! Enjoy your visit. Bring warm clothes, as we have a storm forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Mike Weber

[Mike Weber]

Hi Bill,

I don't deal in rentals. There are a hand full of local property management companies that show available properties on their websites (pretty easy Google find). We also have a very active craigslist for rental property.

As for specific neighborhoods, it will be a matter of taste and availability. Your best bet is to take a bit of a drive when you are here and see what you like the best. Much of the SE part of town consists of single family homes with yards. There are some apartments, condos and patio homes on that side of town as well. Several of the neighborhoods have seasonal neighborhood swimming pools. Harmony Road is the main connector for shopping, dining, and access to the interstate, so you can decide how close you need to be to Harmony.

Mike Weber

[cal5101]

How long are you going to be in town? If you are truly considering moving here, I would suggest you spend a day or two looking at apartments.

Don't get hung up on finding your ideal place to live. First make the move, get settled in, then when you're here, take your time to find a better place that suits you and your wife.

When my wife and I moved here, we ended up on the south side of town on Harmony and Boardwalk in an apartment complex called the Miramont apartments. They were nice and served their purpose while we looked for a home. I would also recommend looking at the Courtney Park Apartments around the same area. I would also suggest getting an apartment on the highest floor. You may have to walk up a flight or two of stairs, but it's better than hearing your upstairs neighbor walk/run/jump around at odd hours of the day/night.

The area was convenient since it was close to the market and the places where my wife runs her errands. Get a 1 year lease to get enough time to get settled in and get to know the city better. Month-to-month leases are typically more expensive.

The Miramont has covered garages you can also rent for about $65 a month if you have a need to park your vehicle in a covered space or if you have things you need to store. Our apartment had a little patio area with a medium sized storage closet. Indoor washer and dryer in its own laundry area next to the kitchen and a gas fireplace. It also had central air and heat. I'm thinking that all apartments at the Miramont have those features. There is a pool and a gym, though the gym is the size of a closet. There is a large private gym next to the apartment complex (Miramont Lifestyle Fitness), which I thought was too expensive.

Traffic during late afternoon/early evening can be bad traveling North/South on College and East/West on Harmony, but you can take side streets.

What kind of engineering background do you have?

[bill33]

Thanks for the response. We will have all day Friday and Saturday before heading back to Denver for our flight home. And will hopefully spend most of our time looking at different areas or neighborhoods. Then probably come back in a month or so after setting up some appointments for homes that we have found on craigslist or through prop mgmt companies.

I think we are leaning towards renting a home just because I have a medium sized dog and need a little extra space so that I can dedicate an area to an office / study.

I work for an environmental firm that helps builders qualify new construction and retrofit older buildings for government energy credits and ratings. We also do wind mitigation inspections in coastal areas and some storm prone areas of the midwest.

How long have you been in Fort Collins? Like it pretty well?

Originally Posted by cal5101

How long are you going to be in town? If you are truly considering moving here, I would suggest you spend a day or two looking at apartments.

Don't get hung up on finding your ideal place to live. First make the move, get settled in, then when you're here, take your time to find a better place that suits you and your wife.

When my wife and I moved here, we ended up on the south side of town on Harmony and Boardwalk in an apartment complex called the Miramont apartments. They were nice and served their purpose while we looked for a home. I would also recommend looking at the Courtney Park Apartments around the same area. I would also suggest getting an apartment on the highest floor. You may have to walk up a flight or two of stairs, but it's better than hearing your upstairs neighbor walk/run/jump around at odd hours of the day/night.

The area was convenient since it was close to the market and the places where my wife runs her errands. Get a 1 year lease to get enough time to get settled in and get to know the city better. Month-to-month leases are typically more expensive.

The Miramont has covered garages you can also rent for about $65 a month if you have a need to park your vehicle in a covered space or if you have things you need to store. Our apartment had a little patio area with a medium sized storage closet. Indoor washer and dryer in its own laundry area next to the kitchen and a gas fireplace. It also had central air and heat. I'm thinking that all apartments at the Miramont have those features. There is a pool and a gym, though the gym is the size of a closet. There is a large private gym next to the apartment complex (Miramont Lifestyle Fitness), which I thought was too expensive.

Traffic during late afternoon/early evening can be bad traveling North/South on College and East/West on Harmony, but you can take side streets.

What kind of engineering background do you have?

[cal5101]

Originally Posted by bill33

Thanks for the response. We will have all day Friday and Saturday before heading back to Denver for our flight home. And will hopefully spend most of our time looking at different areas or neighborhoods. Then probably come back in a month or so after setting up some appointments for homes that we have found on craigslist or through prop mgmt companies.

I think we are leaning towards renting a home just because I have a medium sized dog and need a little extra space so that I can dedicate an area to an office / study.

I work for an environmental firm that helps builders qualify new construction and retrofit older buildings for government energy credits and ratings. We also do wind mitigation inspections in coastal areas and some storm prone areas of the midwest.

How long have you been in Fort Collins? Like it pretty well?

Been here since March of this year, so about 8 months. I feel I should have moved here a long time ago. In truth, the biggest change for me was lowered stress levels and the ability to spend more time at home with my wife. It's amazing how drained you feel because of stress.