View Full Version : Talk To Me About Colorado
KDubU
06-14-2020, 01:21 PM
I know there are several of you on here that live in CO. We are looking at moving and out West is our target including NM, AZ, OR and CA (Nothern). I have had friends live in CO, one in Boulder (now lives in Ventura, CA) and another in Fort Collins. Both really liked it although the FC friend was taken back by the snowstorms and cooler temps than what he is used to in Charlotte. The Boulder friend left because he could not afford it and also landed a job at Patagonia. We are looking for the following:
- Nice sunny weather (warm to hot but not Phoenix hot)
- Looking for at least 3 acres+ or a house with a lot of privacy
- Would like to be close to services and not have to drive an hour, more like 15-30 mins
- Small older homes interest over the standard suburbs home
- Has good trout fishing
- Low crime (preferably all types)
- Ideally no snow
Not sure if the last one discounts all CO or parts of it? I know some freak storms can come through late Spring dumping a lot on some places and truly do not want this. Looked at Boulder and home prices are not inexpensive. While I could buy there, I choose not to spend that kind of money.
Just looking for opinions on CO, I am aware of CA issues but love the weather there plus other things that offset some of the bad. NM is high on our list around Santa Fe area which does get some snow so there is that plus there are water issues.
Tks
Kyle
JimLev
06-14-2020, 01:57 PM
Kyle, we just came back from 5 days in Colorado, nice state but almost all of it gets winter snow. The humidity is low compaired to the east coast. Last Tuesday there was snow on I70 going thru Vail and on most of the higher elevations.
Our son has lived in the FC area for 15 years and likes it.
We spoke to a few people that live at 10,000', they said winter lasts for 10 months.
We left MA in 2016 and live 40 miles south of Santa Fe, 20 miles north of ABQ. We considered CO but didn't want their winters, had enough of them in MA.
Santa Fe is a little cooler than at our location as it's about 2000' higher elevation.
Summer days usually are in the 90's and sometimes hit 102F. The heat builds in the afternoon to early evening. Winters are nice, if it snows it melts when the sun comes out. It may be 35 outside but the sun will make you think it's 50+. There are some here that wear shorts year round. It does get windy here, usually in the spring.
There are a lot of car clubs and get togethers here, 10 months of the year. Many locations for cars and coffee too.
KDubU
06-14-2020, 02:14 PM
Kyle, we just came back from 5 days in Colorado, nice state but almost all of it gets winter snow. The humidity is low compaired to the east coast. Last Tuesday there was snow on I70 going thru Vail and on most of the higher elevations.
Our son has lived in the FC area for 15 years and likes it.
We spoke to a few people that live at 10,000', they said winter lasts for 10 months.
We left MA in 2016 and live 40 miles south of Santa Fe, 20 miles north of ABQ. We considered CO but didn't want their winters, had enough of them in MA.
Santa Fe is a little cooler than at our location as it's about 2000' higher elevation.
Summer days usually are in the 90's and sometimes hit 102F. The heat builds in the afternoon to early evening. Winters are nice, if it snows it melts when the sun comes out. It may be 35 outside but the sun will make you think it's 50+. There are some here that wear shorts year round. It does get windy here, usually in the spring.
There are a lot of car clubs and get togethers here, 10 months of the year. Many locations for cars and coffee too.
Hey Jim, thanks for the reply. Too funny you’re in Placitas as I have been eyeing homes there for past several months. Really like most if not all homes have a couple acres or more. I actually saw this house come on the market in the last few days on Camino De Las Huertas. Seen a number of nice homes there and one I had my eye on is now pending. Perhaps if you don’t mind I can reach out to you for more details about the area? Seems like your goal of leaving MA is the same for us here in ME.
Kyle
JimLev
06-14-2020, 02:48 PM
Kyle, we have 4 friends that live just off Camino De Las Huertas. It's a long very windy road with some sharp drop-offs. Great road for a sports car. They get more snow there than here as it's probably a 1000' higher than our house.
From where CDLH road meets 165 it's about 9 miles to most anything you would need, ALbertsons, Walmart, Home Depot, all the regular fast food restaurant, etc.
If you see a house your interested in I could take a few pics of the outside and the surrounding area.
I know there are several of you on here that live in CO. We are looking at moving and out West is our target including NM, AZ, OR and CA (Nothern). I have had friends live in CO, one in Boulder (now lives in Ventura, CA) and another in Fort Collins. Both really liked it although the FC friend was taken back by the snowstorms and cooler temps than what he is used to in Charlotte. The Boulder friend left because he could not afford it and also landed a job at Patagonia. We are looking for the following:
- Nice sunny weather (warm to hot but not Phoenix hot)
- Looking for at least 3 acres+ or a house with a lot of privacy
- Would like to be close to services and not have to drive an hour, more like 15-30 mins
- Small older homes interest over the standard suburbs home
- Has good trout fishing
- Low crime (preferably all types)
- Ideally no snow
Not sure if the last one discounts all CO or parts of it? I know some freak storms can come through late Spring dumping a lot on some places and truly do not want this. Looked at Boulder and home prices are not inexpensive. While I could buy there, I choose not to spend that kind of money.
Just looking for opinions on CO, I am aware of CA issues but love the weather there plus other things that offset some of the bad. NM is high on our list around Santa Fe area which does get some snow so there is that plus there are water issues.
Tks
Kyle
Kyle,
I moved to Colorado in 1995 and have been here since. Let me try to address your specific questions:
- Nice sunny weather (warm to hot but not Phoenix hot)
Yes -- 300+ days of sunshine per year with summers topping out in the 90's with the very rare day or two over 100. Even in the winter if the sun is shining you can usually feel comfortable without a jacket unless you are in the shade. Temps drop in the evenings and even in the summer, it's normal for temps to be in the 50s and 60s at night.
- Looking for at least 3 acres+ or a house with a lot of privacy
There are lots of areas with 3-5 acre lots that can be affordable, but home prices are soaring in Colorado. The further you get from the bigger cities (Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs) the better the prices. I live about 30 miles south/east of Denver on five acres. Homes in my neighborhood are pricy and going up faster than they probably should. Drive another five miles east and prices start dropping quickly. Close-in acreage is really hard to find at a good price.
- Would like to be close to services and not have to drive an hour, more like 15-30 mins
I'm about nine miles from shopping and city services, which is about a 15 minute drive. Drive another 10-15 minutes east and get a lot more for your money.
- Small older homes interest over the standard suburbs home
Don't be surprised if you find even small, older homes to be more expensive than you think. The housing market is definitely a seller's market with bidding wars common and homes selling for more than asking price.
- Has good trout fishing
The best fishing is in the mountains, and I'm about 60-90 minutes from the front range. There is one main highway into the mountains from the Denver metro area, I-70, which can be very congested during peak mountain tourism seasons -- pretty much all year. :p
- Low crime (preferably all types)
Denver has it's share of typical big-city crime, but as you get out of the city, it gets quieter. We've had some petty crime in my area by non-residents. Things like mail theft, dumping, etc. due to our dark, quiet evenings away from town.
- Ideally no snow
Not going to get that anywhere in Colorado, but 95% of the time, when we do get snow, it melts off in a day or two unless you are in the mountains. Roads can be a mess during a storm, but prefect the next day. I have a 35-mile drive to work and I typically just stay home if it's snowing in the morning or over night.
KDubU
06-14-2020, 05:04 PM
Thanks guys! Appreciate it and as NM was and is still our first choice, we’ll focus there first and see what happens.
Thanks Jim! Greatly appreciated and yes I read that the further into Placitas one goes the higher the elevation and change in temps.
Derald Rice
06-14-2020, 05:13 PM
Kyle,
We moved to FC from Kansas on an easy day to remember..........July 4 1976. One of our primary goals was to get where the humidity was lower than the 90 to 100% range. So far, that is working great, today is 89 degrees, 13 % humidity, and a slight breeze. not uncommon to se 30-40% days. Central AC is not a common feature in our homes.
One of the best trout locations in the area is Miracle Mile, in Wyoming. It's a little over an hour's drive from FC. One of the deterrents to trout fishing in Colorado was the historic use of cyianide in the streams during the gold rush days that has left a lot of the steams unable to support much fishing. Couple that with some recent floods through the canyons in the last 20 years or so, you will likely have to get away from the eastern slope of the rockies. Not as bad as it sounds, good spots can be found within range for a day trip.
A word of warning about "The Republic of Boulder"...... Very liberal, very expensive, , with a lot of rules. They even do DNA testing on dog poop to see who isn't cleaning up after their pet.
I will agree with Dave's answers, and I suggest a vacation to see for your self if it may be in your cards.
Derald.
mmklaxer
06-17-2020, 04:41 AM
I'll bump this too the top without hijacking too much, but....
I'm actually moving to Kennebunk (or York, Wells) next month. Any recommendations on where to look? It seems like Maine goes from quaint and coastal to Spruce-N-Moose pretty quickly...
KDubU
06-17-2020, 05:24 AM
I'll bump this too the top without hijacking too much, but....
I'm actually moving to Kennebunk (or York, Wells) next month. Any recommendations on where to look? It seems like Maine goes from quaint and coastal to Spruce-N-Moose pretty quickly...
Yes, Maine does have a variety of places to live and explore, one of the reasons we love it here and will regret leaving. I travel a lot of States for business and honestly ME is one of the nicest, I just wish winters were shorter. Southern ME is all transplants mostly and yes, 5 miles from the coast you’re in woods or farmland but that is a nice thing because you can buy acreage and still be an easy commute to services. My situation is a bit more unique, we live in on just over 6 acres and I can walk to the beach and can be at my local Hanniford grocery in 10 mins or less, 15 mins to Home Depot, Walmart, etc. Our health food store is 5 mins from our house with great food and great beer (it’s healthy you know!). The closer one is to the ocean, the higher the home prices. Most homes closer than I am are $1,000,000+ but going the opposite direction inland one can get a nice house for $400k. My brother lives in York and of the three you listed, Wells is the least expensive for real estate. All three depend on tourism as the top revenue generator and get very busy in the typical summer. Around me as an example, I avoid going into town (Kennebunk) at all costs as streets are jammed with tourists. Instead I’ll take a back road that is longer but usually a shorter commute time. If I had my druthers, I would remain here and buy a second place in a warmer climate to spend Dec-Mar in but having two homes is stressful for my wife and I, we have had two homes before and it was a challenge to our nerves. Who knows, we may do this but go the condo route for the warmer climate but I do hate condos as there little privacy and big monthly costs.
Feel free to send me where you’re looking and I’ll try to give you advice. My brother lives in York and likes it there as well.
KenWilkinson
06-17-2020, 06:18 AM
I have a long time friend that moved to Montrose Co. Loves it. Lives in the country a few miles outside of town. Farm all around. Mountains to look at. Mild weather which really surprised me.
GoDadGo
06-17-2020, 06:33 AM
Kyle,
How Could You Ever Want To Leave Those Lovely Lobsters?
It's like a Louisianian wanting to give up Crawfish.
Good Luck On Your Quest To Move!
Steve
PS: Move near Papa Dave so you guys can build more cars in your spare time.
I have a long time friend that moved to Montrose Co. Loves it. Lives in the country a few miles outside of town. Farm all around. Mountains to look at. Mild weather which really surprised me.
Don't take that "mild weather" comment literally as us mountain folk tend to have a different scale when it comes to weather. It's spring here and that brings wind. It's blowing around 40 MPH right now and we call that a light breeze. When it's in the 80's we refer to that as hot as hell. When it hits the mid-fifties we call that t-shirt weather and shorts are optional all year round and we don't see a fashion conflict wearing snow boots with shorts. Flatlanders think our "mild weather" is colder than the Arctic.
Don't take that "mild weather" comment literally as us mountain folk tend to have a different scale when it comes to weather. It's spring here and that brings wind. It's blowing around 40 MPH right now and we call that a light breeze. When it's in the 80's we refer to that as hot as hell. When it hits the mid-fifties we call that t-shirt weather and shorts are optional all year round and we don't see a fashion conflict wearing snow boots with shorts. Flatlanders think our "mild weather" is colder than the Arctic.
I laughed at my ability to relate to this! Life in the high desert is definitely different when it comes to weather.
KenWilkinson
06-17-2020, 10:27 AM
Don't take that "mild weather" comment literally as us mountain folk tend to have a different scale when it comes to weather. It's spring here and that brings wind. It's blowing around 40 MPH right now and we call that a light breeze. When it's in the 80's we refer to that as hot as hell. When it hits the mid-fifties we call that t-shirt weather and shorts are optional all year round and we don't see a fashion conflict wearing snow boots with shorts. Flatlanders think our "mild weather" is colder than the Arctic.
my friend is from Northern Kentucky -Think Cincinnati. Me too. We're by no means mountain folks! Check the weather for Montrose year round. I'm impressed.
See Link:
https://weatherspark.com/y/3210/Average-Weather-in-Montrose-Colorado-United-States-Year-Round
my friend is from Northern Kentucky -Think Cincinnati. Me too. We're by no means mountain folks! Check the weather for Montrose year round. I'm impressed.
See Link:
https://weatherspark.com/y/3210/Average-Weather-in-Montrose-Colorado-United-States-Year-Round
Yes, I know -- Montrose is not much different than Flag https://weatherspark.com/y/2636/Average-Weather-in-Flagstaff-Arizona-United-States-Year-Round but CO as a whole gets more snow than we do and we get more than Anchorage does. And in spring thru early fall, add ~20F to the temp to understand what it feels like and in winter you have to bake in the wind chill factor to get a better idea. Most flatlanders will not like the Colorado winters and think of them as harsh. But the snow in the west is much different than the mid-west and east -- it tends to evaporate fast in our drier climate and we don't get all the slush like our eastern cousins.
Yes, I know -- Montrose is not much different than Flag https://weatherspark.com/y/2636/Average-Weather-in-Flagstaff-Arizona-United-States-Year-Round but CO as a whole gets more snow than we do and we get more than Anchorage does. And in spring thru early fall, add ~20F to the temp to understand what it feels like and in winter you have to bake in the wind chill factor to get a better idea. Most flatlanders will not like the Colorado winters and think of them as harsh. But the snow in the west is much different than the mid-west and east -- it tends to evaporate fast in our drier climate and we don't get all the slush like our eastern cousins.
Some of our coldest winter storms that produce snow have so little water content that you can blow the snow off your car like powder and simply sweep it off your walkways with a broom.
I laughed at my ability to relate to this! Life in the high desert is definitely different when it comes to weather.
Colorado is beautiful and for those that make it through the first winter, they are going to fall in love with the natural beauty of that state. I've spent time on the front range and of course the south western part when I worked for ADOT. But with that raw beauty comes the reality for many migrating from the heartland and east that this ain't Kansas anymore.
I've lived in other states but can't see living anywhere other than the mountain west. When I worked for Disney in SoCal I had to travel to Florida and it always amazed me how flat that place was. Even when I lived in Alabama I had some hills and great thunderstorms like AZ, but flat land like FL is so strange looking.