From CA to CO...Your Thoughts Please!
 

Hi Everyone,

My wife and I have been thinking about moving to Colorado for quite some time, to be near my wife’s parents, find better schools for our three kids and to experience a new place. We like the mix of boundless outdoor recreation and larger city cultural activities that the Denver area appears to offer.

I grew up in Santa Barbara, where we currently live and own a house. As far as moving to a colder climate goes, we love the mountains, hiking and skiing, and the seasons are a nice plus!

We’d like your thoughts on the following:

1) Advice from locals on safe, more established neighborhoods with homes under $500k and good schools. Golden, parts of Lakewood and outlying Boulder are interesting so far. Colorado Springs? Newer or older homes are ok, we just prefer a bit more land (>0.3 acres) than many of the very new developments seem to offer.

2) Advice from transplants to Colorado, especially from California. Any culture shock, difficulty adjusting, advice/concerns? Changes in quality of life?

Looking forward to your comments!

Sorry I can't help with your questions but I wanted you to know that there is a good relocation website called City-Data. Here's the link:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/colorado/

There is always lots of discussion about Californians moving to Colorado.

Good luck!

Today on the radio I heard that Boulder is the smartest city in America (based on BS, MS and PhD's per capita). If you like California, you're likely to be happy in Colorado. It really is beautiful. Do your research though. Some parts are very blue, others very red. You may want to find a place that reflects your views.

Hello Fab5,
Your post hit close to home as I grew up in Northern California and went to school down in Southern California. I lived in Kansas and Illinois before moving with my husband to Colorado (he's a native). I love Colorado and am very happy we live here now. The weather is fabulous...abundant sunshine and mild temperatures, even in the winter. We live south of Denver and were able to buy a house, which I know we couldn't have done in California. We are very active and love all that Colorado has to offer. We go hiking, biking, skiing, etc., almost every weekend. I love the wide open spaces (something you don't have in CA), and the varied landscape. The mountains are beautiful and you can be there in just over an hour from Denver. I wouldn't live in Colorado Springs, but that is just my opinion. I know many who enjoy living there. I like the activities that are available closer to Denver. Boulder area is definitely more expensive. I like areas south of Denver - Littleton, Highlands Ranch, Castle Rock, etc.

As far as culture shock, I find Colorado very similar to California. I lived in the midwest and that was culture shock! Colorado is great. The altitude, I suppose, is an adjustment. It is very dry here and I've had to adapt. However, it doesn't take long for your body to adjust. I think it's a great place to raise a family. Good luck with your decision!

Well, if you're wife's parents are already here, I suppose we could let you in. There shouldn't be any culture shock since there's already plenty of Californian's here already.

Hum, more than 0.3 acres on the front range for under $500K, that's a tall order and will take some looking.

Someone else mentioned the political differences. People's Republic of Boulder (both city and county) is a very different place from Colorado Springs and El Paso County.

Boulder is liberal and green, although is softening as businesses are relocating out of the city and county because of the government. If you manage to find your 0.3+ acres in Boulder County, be ready to hassle with the paperwork if you want to build or add-on to anything.

Colorado Springs is a fanatasic place to move to if you are born-again Christian. Plenty of employment with various missionary and church organizations. If you will start your own business, its great in that wages are lower than other parts of the front range due to all the military "dependents" who need to find work to put food on the table. However, it doesn't offer the cultural activities of the Denver area and is 1.5/2 hours away through heavy traffic (even without snow and ice).

fab5, I can only comment on the first although I would (and do) miss the ocean. Just so you know, Denver is a huge sports place, baseball, football, hockey, basketball(?),some culture(enough for us). We live in southern Douglas County on 5 acres & I think you could find property in our area for under $500,000. My first question is where would you be working? The commutes have gotten better but personally, I would rather spend my time enjoying our great outdoors rather than on the highway. I would draw a circle from that location & then look at neighborhoods & school districts. Within a district, the quality can vary by school. Even at our school, we have had good years & some not so, changing principals seems to have made a big difference. I would come visit & drive around quite a bit.
Betsy

Thanks for the responses so far. AustinTraveler, I look at city-data all the time, but wasn't aware of their forum, which has some very good information.