Retiring to Colorado
Oct 11th, 2015, 01:46 PM
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Retiring to Colorado
Looking for advice about Colorado. My hubby and I will be (happily) leaving Southern CA in a few years and are interested in retiring to Colorado. I want four seasons but mild winters (snow, but manageable). Cost of living is an important consideration and more urban than rural. Our kids will be grown and gone so that isn't a factor. We will be young retirees (55ish) if that matters. Any help is appreciated. We are hoping to take a road trip there this winter to check things out.
Oct 11th, 2015, 02:20 PM
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For a much better website to learn more about relocating anywhere in the US go here: http://www.city-data.com/forum/
Oct 11th, 2015, 03:01 PM
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It is good place for a variety of reasons - cost of living is reasonable, property taxes very low, right how having a bit of a spike in housing prices but nothing like California, very good medial, good cultural and sports scene. Lots of sun shine year around, low to too low humidity most of the time.
We are in one of the south Denver metro areas and really like it. We went through the "Where to retire?" hunt ten years ago. Looked at a lot of locations from CA, to AZ to FL and decided there was no point in moving that far.
We are in one of the south Denver metro areas and really like it. We went through the "Where to retire?" hunt ten years ago. Looked at a lot of locations from CA, to AZ to FL and decided there was no point in moving that far.
Oct 12th, 2015, 10:24 AM
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If you are going to do a road trip this winter, you should plan on spending a couple days in Grand Junction on the western slope. I am not very familiar with the area other than in a general way. Grand Junction has become a retirement area for many. It is a little lower than Denver and does have a milder winter in general. It is the heart of our fruit growing area and our small grape/wine region. Cost of living and housing is less than the Denver area. But I don't know what is important to you. You might find this interesting -
http://www.topretirements.com/review..._Junction.html
http://www.topretirements.com/review..._Junction.html
Oct 12th, 2015, 11:32 AM
#7
Traecey, I spent 4 months in Colorado (this past June-September) after I retired. I stayed most of that time in the Fort Collins area in a condo. The demographic in that neighborhood seemed to be many "young" retirees. I'm from Illinois. My son, DIL and grandkids are in Ft Collins.
I think Colorado is a lovely place to retire. I have my eye on a townhouse development where building will start next spring. I see it as an investment. There is lots of building happening in many areas, and while housing costs are much more than they are in my part of Illinois, the property taxes are much more desirable. Also state income tax according to my kids is a huge improvement over Illinois' (although that would not be hard for most states to beat). Home equity seems to be at a rapid climb, that's why I feel this would be a really great investment. At this point, I am not planning on moving permanently, but would love to have a place to spend half the year in.
It was a very hot summer as native Coloradans will attest to, not much rain. I also know the winters (at least in the Ft Collins area) are much milder than I'm used to. I became much healthier in Colorado, I lost weight, I ate better nutritionally. Everywhere there are walking, hiking, biking paths. It's just a very healthy state with very friendly people, and when you are there you want to be outdoors.
I very much agree with Gretchen, that you should rent and then take road trips to other parts of the state to figure out where you want to settle permanently. The state is very diverse, and it will take a long time to see most of it.
I think Colorado is a lovely place to retire. I have my eye on a townhouse development where building will start next spring. I see it as an investment. There is lots of building happening in many areas, and while housing costs are much more than they are in my part of Illinois, the property taxes are much more desirable. Also state income tax according to my kids is a huge improvement over Illinois' (although that would not be hard for most states to beat). Home equity seems to be at a rapid climb, that's why I feel this would be a really great investment. At this point, I am not planning on moving permanently, but would love to have a place to spend half the year in.
It was a very hot summer as native Coloradans will attest to, not much rain. I also know the winters (at least in the Ft Collins area) are much milder than I'm used to. I became much healthier in Colorado, I lost weight, I ate better nutritionally. Everywhere there are walking, hiking, biking paths. It's just a very healthy state with very friendly people, and when you are there you want to be outdoors.
I very much agree with Gretchen, that you should rent and then take road trips to other parts of the state to figure out where you want to settle permanently. The state is very diverse, and it will take a long time to see most of it.
Oct 12th, 2015, 02:49 PM
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Sorry, barbrn, but I disagree with the above. It was far from a very hot summer. Most days were below average with rain most of June and some very cool days in July. Usually we get a streak of 100 degree days, but none this year. It did not feel like a typical Colorado summer to me.
Sorry, barbrn, but I disagree with the above. It was far from a very hot summer. Most days were below average with rain most of June and some very cool days in July. Usually we get a streak of 100 degree days, but none this year. It did not feel like a typical Colorado summer to me.
Oct 12th, 2015, 06:29 PM
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Ya, this was one of our cooler and wetter summers. Nothing over a hundred and below average number of days in the 90s. However it did turn in Sep with one the hottest and driest Sep on record. So far Oct has been warmer. Well past our average frost day with no cold in sight.
Oct 13th, 2015, 06:00 AM
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Just realized that barbrn might be getting a skewed idea of a typical CO summer; if she thought this summer was hot and dry, she might want to hold off on a townhome purchase.
(I saw a fire in the foothills yesterday, north of Boulder, and thought, "thank goodness it wasn't during that high wind the other day!")
(I saw a fire in the foothills yesterday, north of Boulder, and thought, "thank goodness it wasn't during that high wind the other day!")
Oct 13th, 2015, 06:58 AM
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Especially from Ill. I don't know where in Ill he/she is from but we moved from the Chicago metro area 35 years ago. The thing we still remember and discuss occasionally is the humidity of the mid-west in the summer. If we do have one complaint it is the low humidity - hard on skin and wood furniture.
When we were playing the "Where to Retire???" game, every area had its plus and minus. It is really a function of the minuses you can tolerate. January can be a little tough so we now spend a portion of Jan/Feb in Florida with friends but always back by mid February for spring skiing. After 52 years of skiing I keep thinking that next year could be my last but always one more year. However, my skiing partners are dropping by the way side.
One question for Traecey, Why did you choice Colorado? That might help sharpen the answers.
When we were playing the "Where to Retire???" game, every area had its plus and minus. It is really a function of the minuses you can tolerate. January can be a little tough so we now spend a portion of Jan/Feb in Florida with friends but always back by mid February for spring skiing. After 52 years of skiing I keep thinking that next year could be my last but always one more year. However, my skiing partners are dropping by the way side.
One question for Traecey, Why did you choice Colorado? That might help sharpen the answers.
Oct 13th, 2015, 07:43 AM
#16
One last thing, Traecey, I hope it did not seem like I was complaining about Colorado weather. I was absolutely not. Colorado is a lovely state and I think it would be a great place to retire.
sylvia, the weather would be a very small reason for my purchasing a townhouse in Colorado. Four grandchildren who live in the state is a much larger consideration. Thank you for your advice anyway.
frpden, I am a she. I live an hour west of Chicago on the Wisconsin stateline. I think it is more humid around here too but I could be wrong on that fact too. I will be more careful in the future on what I write.
sylvia, the weather would be a very small reason for my purchasing a townhouse in Colorado. Four grandchildren who live in the state is a much larger consideration. Thank you for your advice anyway.
frpden, I am a she. I live an hour west of Chicago on the Wisconsin stateline. I think it is more humid around here too but I could be wrong on that fact too. I will be more careful in the future on what I write.
Oct 13th, 2015, 12:14 PM
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I don't think anyone here meant to jump on you, barbrn, it's just that we thought this past summer was a relief, cooler and moister, from the usual hot and dry, so we were taken aback to read your comment.
Many move here and are surprised by the weather: in the winter, one week it can snow, and the next you can wear shorts!
Sorry if it felt to you as though you were being ganged up on, and hope you are happy in your townhome with the grandkids near: you picked a nice college town in a beautiful spot, with lots going on!
Many move here and are surprised by the weather: in the winter, one week it can snow, and the next you can wear shorts!
Sorry if it felt to you as though you were being ganged up on, and hope you are happy in your townhome with the grandkids near: you picked a nice college town in a beautiful spot, with lots going on!
Oct 13th, 2015, 12:32 PM
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Barbrn, I don't think anyone intended to make you feel bad. It was just surprising and I'm shocked that a Fort Collins native would have told you that especially after all the wildfires and hot, smoky summers over the past few years ago. I'd be cautious of his/her advice in the future. 
Glad you enjoyed your summer in Fort Collins.
Glad you enjoyed your summer in Fort Collins.
Oct 13th, 2015, 01:18 PM
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Having lived in the Denver area for 35 years, I actually thought this summer was more typical of the summers that we use to have. Summers have become hotter and dryer. When we bought in a new subdivision near Arapahoe HS, none of the homes came with air condition. Maybe a whole house fan but who needed AC. With cool evenings and low humidity, a fan was more than enough. It was rare for summer days over a hundred and can remember many summers when we never had a hundred degree days. That has slowly change. Finally in 2000 when we replaced the furnace we added AC. Still don't use it a lot but we are having more summers with hundred degree days and maybe we are getting older and cannot tolerate heat like we once did.
We are having a great fall. Sep was unusually warm and same for Oct so far. We had a dinner party last week and stayed on the deck till nearly 10pm without a sweater. We are having a wine tasting party on Sat so are hoping the good weather holds. Like to keep all the tasters on the deck.
We all forgot one of the big items for Colorado - NO bugs. Unless you live near some water, it rare to see anything that bits and flies. Bugs and humidity is what we remember the most about Ill and IN.
We are having a great fall. Sep was unusually warm and same for Oct so far. We had a dinner party last week and stayed on the deck till nearly 10pm without a sweater. We are having a wine tasting party on Sat so are hoping the good weather holds. Like to keep all the tasters on the deck.
We all forgot one of the big items for Colorado - NO bugs. Unless you live near some water, it rare to see anything that bits and flies. Bugs and humidity is what we remember the most about Ill and IN.
