Ft Collins or Austin (Fort Collins, Vail: for sale, houses, schools) - Colorado (CO) - City-Data Forum

where_to_move · 11-14-2006, 09:27 PM

Hi everyone. My DH & I are finishing up our residency training (we are both doctors) & now we are trying to find a place to live.
We both actually met in Vail, working at ski school many yrs ago & always thought we wanted to get back to CO...but we have been doing our residency in Ohio & we hate the winters! I don't know what happened...but I think it is b/c it is soo gray outside all winter long & there is nothing to do in Ohio when it is cold. Perhaps, that is what is giving me a bad taste of winter right now. I remember CO being sunny in the winter, which would help.

We both love hiking & camping & going out to eat in nice restaurants.
So, right now we are choosing b/t Austin & Ft Collins
Both have great markets for our profession...so I just wanted to get anyones opionion, if you could live in either city...knowing the above about us...what do you think?
Advice from random strangers does help soo much, it gives such an unbiased opionion & we really appreciate it! THANKS

.gif · 11-14-2006, 10:51 PM

if you are ok with the heat, choose austin.

Cin · 11-15-2006, 06:43 AM

I can't be real honest here...I haven't lived in fort collins...yet...trying to sell house in AZ and get there. I did live in Austin though but it was a long time ago..however I loved it........really loved it back then. I know it is more crowded now though but so is the fort. The weather rarely seemed too hot...you know 7 bad super hot days during the summer I can deal with. The humidity was there but not like Houston,Kentucky etc. People were friendly and you have downtown and San Antonio not too far and Riverwalk there. It used to be really cool there. You can get a little more land I think there..in fort collins you get zero back yard....so if you don't mind that. (that is one part I am dissapointed about). Consider yourselves blessed to be able to consider 2 places that seem to have good quality of life. good luck!

albinoazian · 11-15-2006, 07:48 AM

My father just retired and moved to Austin after living in CA for 40 years because it was so cheap there. However, he was miserable from May until about two weeks ago. He said the heat never let up. Every day through September was 98 and what was worse was that it never cooled down at night. It would be 90 at bed time. Also, everywhere you go you sweat. He was mad because he couldn't play golf for 5 months it was too hot and humid.

I visited and was thinking of moving there because a teacher can still afford a house there, but there is no way I'd ever live there. It was clean and had had decent schools and restaurants and things to do, but the weather sucks. I was there a week and just got tired of being sweaty and sticky and I was there in April when he said the weather was good.

So, I have been looking to move to CO from SoCal. I figure I can put more layers on than I can take off. Plus, when it snows there are still outdoor activities during the winter. When it is 98 degrees with 80% humidity throughout the summer there aren't outdoor activities. There is only air conditioning. Which, BTW, led to very high electricity bills in the summer as did the cost of water ($200/month in the summer for water).

.gif · 11-15-2006, 12:18 PM

take a trip to austin in the middle of july to determine if it's too hot for you, then make your decision on where to move. personally, i love the heat and humidity of the south and dislike the cold winters in colorado. some people prefer colder, drier weather and can't stand extreme heat. it's a personal preference. go see and decide for yourself.

where_to_move · 11-15-2006, 04:09 PM

thanks guys! hopefully someone will say Ft Collins...I am curious why everyone is saying Austin. Is it b/c the weather is too cold in Ft Collins, or people are tired of all the outsiders moving in? just curious!

.gif · 11-15-2006, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by where_to_move

thanks guys! hopefully someone will say Ft Collins...I am curious why everyone is saying Austin. Is it b/c the weather is too cold in Ft Collins, or people are tired of all the outsiders moving in? just curious!

austin is a really neat city. it has its problems like any other city, but the weather is great (for some people), there's plenty to do, there's a lot of lakes, rivers, and trees. it's a fun place.

Cin · 11-16-2006, 06:54 AM

Well.............I didn't say FC because i don't live there yet! I don't have the option of moving to Austin area...but I would seriously consider it if I had the choice...probobly because it isn't as cold and I do enjoy rain but not Seattle rain and you do see more of it than I would expect to see in FC. But hey...I have researched FC and my husband has a job lined up there and I am nervous but excited about our future there. I have only stated that looking at houses there was a bit of a downer. I thought I would get more for my money and that I wouldn't have a cracker box yard there(I am in Mesa AZ we are not none for having big yards...but mine now seems huge after seeing Fort Collins). That being said...I still want to go there. I think the fresher air and the many trees and lack of towns all blended together with no distinction as it is here will be a literal breath of fresh air. I have never been very far from an airport and big city things though and that may be an adjustment. As much as I can't stand how crazy things are in AZ...there seems to be everything you could ever need within 20 minutes it sure is convenient...but not worth staying here for that. Oh yeah....there aren't many good homes for sale that I see in FC....the great ones go fast..so if you decide on it..just don't steel my future home! Just kiddin!

Crackerjack · 11-16-2006, 07:25 AM

Ausitn is a nice liberal city in the heart of a conservative state. Austin is also very hot a good part of the year. Austin has too much traffic for me. It has a lot to do. It has great restaurants and activities.

Fort Collins is much smaller compared to Austin. It is more conservative, but has a good mix of both. It has nice summers. The winters aren't bad. It does get cold, but it is a dry cold and doesn't seem bad to me. If you like it to be totally mild all year, than you would probably be better off in say San Diego. Fort Collins is a nice city, that isn't too big, but not too small either. If I had to choose, I'd pick Fort Collins because I just don't like really hot weather.

albinoazian · 11-16-2006, 07:49 AM

Like I said, the key is not so much that it is hot, but that it is humid. I grew up in Sacramento, CA and it was hot in the summer 100+ a lot if July/August, but there was no humidity. That is very, very different from Texas. They say Houston is more humid, but that is like saying Detroit is worse than Cleveland, both still suck.

I do agree that the area around Austin with trees and lakes is nice. Also, there is a lot of traffic due to growing pains, but they are finishing up a new freeway. Plus, it is the live music capital of the world. However, it is still Texas and the humidity, unless you are comfortable with that, is a major downside.