Recommendations for moving to Colorado

[ThorOdinson13]

I know we have several Pokes on this board that live in Colorado. A decent rental will be the first thing to look for followed by looking for a place to buy in the future, don't want to rush into a buying a home, plan to be very picky.

That said, what are the best towns/locations to look at for the following?


Location must be in one of the following counties for work purposes:

Adams
Arapahoe
Boulder
Broomfield
Clear Creek
Denver
Douglas
Elbert
Gilpin
Jefferson
Larimer
Park
Weld

Personal preferences:

Prefer smaller more rural towns/locations (not a big fan of the neighbor only being 20- feet away
Would like to be as close to the mountains as possible
Need room for 3 medium sized dogs
Trees are highly preferred the forrest is awesome
Would like it not to be a high wind area
Fly a lot so it needs to be within an hour of the airport (even within an hour of Colorado Springs airport would work)
The less crime the better (gone frequently do not want to be worrying unnecessarily about the wife/kids)
Kids are homeschooled but should they decide to go to school when they get older we'd like them to be decent

Finally, budget the most important factor:

The most I want to pay for rent/mortgage is $1,300/month

Don't really want to go above that at all. Honestly, I think the cost of renting/buying there will be the lone issue that prevents a move to the location. This is one of two I have as an option for work and family. The family really wants Colorado, really wants it. I just don't think we can make it happen without living in a shanty that costs an arm and a leg with no room for the muts because it is Colorado and everything is so damned expensive. However, this board is a good source of information so I figured I would see what you all have to say.

 

[HighStickHarry]

I think you would have to rent something east of I25 to be in a safe neighborhood and save up for mountain living. Our first apartment was 1200 a month and it was as southeast in the Denver metro as you could get at the time. Right around south lands mall in south aurora. I would look at renting/buying a condo in that area. It's cramped as far as neighbors go but just remember you are two hours from being pretty damn secluded in one of the best places in the country. Also this area is right on E470 which is a toll road. It's expensive to use everyday and I don't know where your commute is but it is the best maintained road in the country when snow hits. I paid five bucks a day to use it and never had to mess with all the cars on fire and uninsured drivers on the main interstates.

Other than that I would just head north on the eastern side of aurora. The light rail was supposed to go out there and they were building a new school. The recession put a pause on that but it is hopefully on its way now.

 

[HighStickHarry]

Cherry creek school district is what you will want to ask for in this area. I can give you the name of a realtor in the area. He is a real hustler and knows the area as good as someone possibly could. Even if you tell him you aren't buying at this time he would probably still love to help you.

 

[trapped_in_tx]

Based on your airport needs, rural preference, and budget, I would recommend rural Weld county, perhaps near fort lupton or dacono.

I don't see serious issues with your $1300 number in more rural locations. The issue I do see, however, is school district. If you ever want/need to wind down home schooling and go with public schools, you are going to have some issues with many of the districts serving more rural areas.

However, I have been very impressed with the resources for home schoolers here. My wife attends a group for home schoolers that meets in various locations along I-25 north of Denver twice a month. Many of my co-workers (current and former) are home schoolers also.
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[trapped_in_tx]

Can't edit on mobile..

I would add that the Springs might be a better fit, but I have way less knowledge of schools, real estate pricing, etc down that way.
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[ThorOdinson13]

Thanks guys. We kind of figured we would have to rent in a rural town to find a place that met the budget and would allow for the dogs. Then once we were there and more established we could start looking to buy and have the luxury of being very choosy about what we buy. Rural Weld county is one of the places we had considered along with rural Larimer county. I keep getting mixed advice on Aurora. I'm starting to wonder if it is one of those places you either love or hate. One person will tell us that it is a great place to live, low crime, decent schools, and reasonable cost. The next person will tell us that the crime is getting awful and that living there sucks.

I wish the springs area was an option for work but it is not. The springs area is more affordable, just as pretty, and is a closer drive to see family. We love Woodland Park and have actually found some rentals that meet our budget. Honestly, Woodland Park would be a pretty ideal location for us, it's just not ideal for work.

 

[dtspoke]

The closest town to our place is Woodland Park, and that's about 45 minutes drive time. Our kids go to The Classical Academy on the north side of the Springs which is an hour forty five. Finding places in your budget is possible, but you will almost always be east of 25.

Occasionally you can find a deal toward Evergreen and Conifer, but that's because folks don't want to drive off the mountain for work.

Rural Weld is probably your best option.
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[ThorOdinson13]

How bad is the wind on a daily basis east of 25? The times I've visited it was never as shitty as the panhandles but I've also never had an extended stay. My fear about going too far east of 25 is that it will basically be like we are still living in the Oklahoma/Texas panhandle but with a mountain view. Honestly, I'm sick of the weather out here. the wind blows constantly, we have no trees to offer a windbreak, very little moisture, and the summers seriously suck.

 

[dtspoke]

Wind varies. It blows hard in the foothills just like the plains.

I'm at 7500 feet and we will get serious wind in the late winter and early spring.
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[EvilPOKES]

Are you always at that elevation?! Where are you dts? That's the kinda weather and altitude I'd love to live in.
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[dtspoke]

Yeah, our place is about 70 miles SW of Denver as the crow flies
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[Colorado_Poke]

I would say the wind is usually worse closer to the foothills than on the East side of Denver. Thor, you could also take a look at Parker, which is south of Aurora. I know back 10-15 years ago there were places in Parker where you could find a place meeting your criteria, but I think prices may have gone up in recent years. Roxborough (sp?) Park is a good area as you can get more house for your money. The downside is that you'll be right next door to your neighbors unlike what you wanted, but there are several decent-sized public dog parks in the area.

If you decide you want to send your kids to public schools, Cherry Creek and Douglas County both have FANTASTIC schools. The Jefferson County district also has some great schools, but not quite as strong across the board as the other 2 districts.

I'd be leery of moving to Larimer County as it is further north than most people realize.

 

[EvilPOKES]

Awesome. Was hoping the boss got the job in Greeley, but it didn't happen. Looks like KC, Minneapolis, or Lafayette (IN) for us now.

As long as it isn't College Station lol
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[HighStickHarry]

Aurora is two different cities. The middle old part is as bad as places like commerce city but aurora and centennial have been in an annex race over the last decade and the southern part and what will be the extreme eastern part are all pretty new. Cherry creek school district is pretty well respected.

If we would have stayed we probably would have lived outside of Parker or possibly Elizabeth.

 

[dtspoke]

Elizabeth is a great area.
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[trapped_in_tx]

Larimer county is interesting... Southern Larimer (Berthoud) really isn't that far north. However, affordability is an issue. To really get what you are looking for budget-wise you end up far enough east to be in Weld or you end up far enough north or west that access to DIA within an hour gets to be very difficult or impossible.

I would love to live near Woodland Park. No conceivable way that can jive with my current work situation. Office is in Longmont and remote work is not OK in my current position. Maybe someday...
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[dtspoke]

The schools in Woodland Park are not very good. Serious drug issues.

Palmer Divide, Black Forest, that area is awesome with access to district 19 on the north side of the Springs. Colorado has some of the best public schools I've ever seen.
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[Sooner in KS]

Originally posted by trapped_in_tx:
Based on your airport needs, rural preference, and budget, I would recommend rural Weld county, perhaps near fort lupton or dacono.

Sooner chiming in. I used to live in Weld Co, near Greeley and loved it there. I rented a house right on the S Platte River, I was 10 minutes from the center of Greeley, an hour from Denver a little more than that from Rocky Mountain National park. Lots of options in Weld County, Ft Lupton and Dacono as mentioned, or go a bit more north to LaSalle area which is where I lived. or even go north of Greeley to Eaton. Lots of options in the country, just make sure you see where the prevailing winds are as there are lots of dairies and feedlots.