High Rental Cost!!!!!!

[nevada1427]

I moved to Fort Collins from Long Beach, Ca in May of 2010 and agree that in the short amount of time I have lived here, rent prices have gone up. I recently had to move due to my old apt being sold and torn down to make room for new apts ( Shields and Plum ) and had a really difficult time finding affordable apartments ( I'm a Nurse as well) in my price range. For a 2-3 bedroom the average rent was 1200-1400. I found that shocking because that was the price i was paying in East Long Beach, also across from the beach. However here in FC you do get more SQ for the same price. I agree that one of the reason's prices have gone up is because so many people want to live here/ stay here. Fort Collins is paradise for many people. It's hands down the safest place I have ever lived, have beautiful and clean parks, and is very family oriented. Unfortunately the trade off is expensive housing and low pay. I guess it just depends on what your willing to sacrifice to live here. I know many people who have moved here from SoCal and feel that the cut in pay is worth it.

[Yakscsd]

Originally Posted by LilRicky911

Would love to hear opinions on this matter. We really would love to move to Fort Collins some day.

You and thousands more just like you. Hence high demand and high rental prices.

[feanix]

Flooding in the past year, also, drove up rental prices and limited housing options. Folks are even struggling trying to find an available storage unit for their items because there are so many living in-between housing. The last I read we had a 3% available occupancy but someone I know said it's down to 1%, so I don't know which, if either, is currently accurate.

We moved here around 4 years ago and bought a mobile home. In that short time our home has nearly doubled in value so I can only imagine how expensive rentals have become. Friends have told me that the waiting list for rent controlled units is long and the Coloradoan did an article on how the city's housing costs are driving out our service industry workers.

Fort Collins' working class moves out

Yes, the town is lovely for those interested and I find myself smiling just leaving my house and seeing the mountains. I have zero regrets for moving here, but Fort Collins is a town struggling with growing pains due to overpopulation. I would tell folks interested in moving here and renting to do so with that in mind as we are a land locked town and housing will continue to be an issue as both CSU & the town's population continues to boom.

[Sunderpig2]

I'd have to disagree with at least a few of the comments preceding. In my opinion, the town isn't facing overpopulation, and isn't experiencing growing pains. I've lived in places where the growth is fast and mindless. Here, the growth is steady, and there is a lot of review before new projects move forward. The town is also hardly landlocked, with land available in all directions. I also see places in town where older areas are refurbished or updated into wise usage. The flood last year mostly affected only the northern parts of town adjacent to the river; hardly a wide-scale impact. It is true though that available rentals are hard to find. That goes with the "Best Place to Live" stuff bringing people in, even though those ratings are from years ago and a lot of factors have changed.

The big problem I see is that there are way more people than available jobs. There have been a few expansions with a few companies, and little startups, but not the big companies moving in (which is really needed).

[jwiley]

Originally Posted by Sunderpig

I'd have to disagree with at least a few of the comments preceding. In my opinion, the town isn't facing overpopulation, and isn't experiencing growing pains. I've lived in places where the growth is fast and mindless. Here, the growth is steady, and there is a lot of review before new projects move forward. The town is also hardly landlocked, with land available in all directions. I also see places in town where older areas are refurbished or updated into wise usage. The flood last year mostly affected only the northern parts of town adjacent to the river; hardly a wide-scale impact. It is true though that available rentals are hard to find. That goes with the "Best Place to Live" stuff bringing people in, even though those ratings are from years ago and a lot of factors have changed.

The big problem I see is that there are way more people than available jobs. There have been a few expansions with a few companies, and little startups, but not the big companies moving in (which is really needed).

Actually in many ways Fort Collins is land locked, to the south and east of town is designated open space which cannot be built on, to the West is Horsetooth reservoir and the hills, meaning the only place where new subdivisions are supposed to be started in Fort Collins city limits is the north end of town.