Rural life (Fort Collins, Loveland, Berthoud: apartment, rental, HOA)

[Vdhgrafx]

Considering moving to Fort Collins. We have a park like setting home now in MN but our job is moving us. I like privacy. It looks like everyplace has a 500k and up price. How far outside of town does on need to move to have 3 bedrooms and land?
How bad is the drought?
How much snow does Ft. Collins get in a year?
I have 3dogs, 2 cats, 2 rabbits, & 2 chickens now. The yards are tiny.
Are there and areas with Victorian or arts and craft like homes in town?
Or, large farm houses with a little land?
We have 2 grown college kids and one 8th grader.

[StealthRabbit]

Take a look at Berthoud 30 min south of Ft Collins "garden spot of Colorado", it has a nice smaller town setting with older homes. Much fo Ft Collins is very suburbia. Loveland has nice older area, directly west of Bill Reed school (4 blocks west of downtown,)

[Vdhgrafx]

Thank you will do.

[Sunderpig2]

Originally Posted by Vdhgrafx

I like privacy
How bad is the drought?
How much snow does Ft. Collins get in a year?
Are there and areas with Victorian or arts and craft like homes in town?

- You'll find less trees and "tree density" here. The land is very open (think "edge of the great plains"). So privacy will mostly come with plenty of space and acreage around you.
- There is no drought currently, though this part of the country is very dry on a continual basis
- I don't have statistics in front of me, but the snow in this area might average roughly 40-70" annually
- I haven't seen any Victorian or artsy homes in this area. The homes are very simple and plain.

[sunsprit]

Originally Posted by Vdhgrafx

Considering moving to Fort Collins. We have a park like setting home now in MN but our job is moving us. I like privacy. It looks like everyplace has a 500k and up price. How far outside of town does on need to move to have 3 bedrooms and land?

define "land" ... you're seeking acreage, right? how much do you want to have?

Keep in mind that many of the "nearby" housing areas on the outskirts of Fort Collins are very mixed use. You may find many home-based businesses at the residences along those corridors. Everything from farm equipment repair to various trades services to automotive repair shops to industrial suppliers to retail shopping to auto dealerships, etc.

How bad is the drought?

currently, no drought in the area. but drought cycles are not uncommon and can last for years.

How much snow does Ft. Collins get in a year?

can vary widely. most years will get breaks in the winter conditions and due to ambient temps/bright clear sunshine, chinook winds ... can clear quite a bit between storm fronts. The snow may not necessarily melt, but it will disappear by sublimation.

I have 3dogs, 2 cats, 2 rabbits, & 2 chickens now. The yards are tiny.
Are there and areas with Victorian or arts and craft like homes in town?

the area has a strong presence of Sears Craftsman (or similar) mail order catalogue houses. In addition to those in the Fort Collins city limits, you'll find many of these in the outlying areas. "Craftsman" style (arts & crafts) houses (bungalows and two-story) are common in the older areas. IIRC, one of the 4 sold of the largest Sears Craftsman houses was built in this area and is a local landmark house listed in the national register of Craftsman houses for those who want to see such a structure.

Be careful when looking in the various zoning townships or HOA controlled subdivisions. You may find limits on domestic pets as well as livestock exclusions ... rabbits and chickens, for example.

Or, large farm houses with a little land?

Some show up in the marketplace from time to time. Mostly where the original farm was sold off/subdivided for a housing tract but the farmstead house may yet remain. Of the few that I looked at in 1999 when considering a move to this area, all needed extensive work to be habitable. Most were pretty ramshackle affairs, built in bits and spurts by the families as they needed room to expand. What's available today may be different, but don't expect a really nice structure without issues in today's marketplace.

We have 2 grown college kids and one 8th grader.

I'd look in the areas North of Fort Collins ... maybe Wellington or east from there. Some acreage properties there and reasonable access to I-25. In the rolling hills there, you'll find more privacy and separation from the adjacent neighbors than you'll find in the more closely built-up area subdivisions.

[StealthRabbit]

I was gonna mention Carr, or Nunn, and in fact had friends recently move to Nunn and love it. ('Watch Nunn Grow" ). I've been watching for 50+ yrs, and there have been a few newcomers, and many have left. Not too, MN 'park like', so come prepared for Colorado 'brown'.

Prairie centric, I love it, my spouse (MN) would be horrified. Come check out the area. Timnath, CO would have been a natural choice 5-7 yrs age, but retail growth / big box suburbia took over some great gardening soils, and a sleepy little town. La Porte might still have some options for large parcel with older home. My favorite 'park like' homes are on Hogan Dr. (Near S College and Harmony Rd, adjacent to ponds). There are a few more select streets northwest and east FtCollins. Most are 1970s vintage, Berthoud is more 1930's

If you are a gardener, do get a place with water, and with good wind shelter, decent soils.
Snow is really quite infrequent and minimal from MN perspective. It is usual quite light an blows away, or melts by noon. 1-3 major snows / yr; 2ft, lasts one week. Generally very pleasant winter climate. Occasional ice, frequent winds (some cold, some hot).

Very nice location and quality of life. Good social and art / music culture, pleasant biking. Access to recreation.

Your animal population dictates rural / semi rural. That will be expensive close in. Depending on job location / commute you need to property hunt on your own. Realtors / stuff already on the RE market will be 30% overpriced. You probably need to find a sow, and make your own silk purse. I look for trashed mobiles and homes on nice, but messy acreage. Most buyers and realtors do not want these. A bulldozer or excavator and 40 yd dumpster weekend rental will take care of it. Used, repo, presold modulars are a cheap and fast replacement. Or I build a shop and add a nice apartment, about 1 month to complete. Build house at your own leisure, or not at all.

[dittoCO]

I don't know much about the market or prices, but if I were moving that direction I'd look around Bellvue, Masonville and LaPorte.