Moving to Denver...need help
 

At the present time I am considering moving to Denver (I currently live in the Midwest but have lived in New England and Florida as well). I am in the IT industry and am interested in Denver for a variety of reasons. I've heard about the "brown cloud". Can someone tell me more about it? Is it very bad? Also, any pros/cons of living in Denver would be helpful. <BR> <BR>Thanks in advance!

Hi Ron: <BR> <BR>We moved to Denver a few years ago and we like it, but just one word of warning for you: housing prices. The average cost of a home in the Denver area is $230,000. That's average. And I have never in my life seen houses packed together so closely, with virtually no yards at all, and certainly no trees. If you are an IT professional, price may not make much difference to you, but it does for a lot of other people. Douglas County is the fastest growing county in the entire nation. <BR> <BR>I have never seen the brown cloud, probably because it is so darn dry and windy here all the time. And the wind doesn't just blow, it gusts. <BR> <BR>Why are you thinking about Denver? The Midwest seems like it might be less crowded and more affordable.

Well, it's a long story as to why I want to leave the Midwest. Nothing against it, but I never intended to reside here as long as I have. And, really, I could be making much more if I lived in a more metropolitan region, although I'm not leaving because of my salary. <BR> <BR>Mainly my interest in Denver comes from the fact that I want to be in/near a big city and I like to do a lot of outdoor activities. But beyond that, I've had several companies located there that have expressed interest in me. I have yet to go out there, but I will by the end of the month. <BR> <BR>As for the brown cloud--glad to know you haven't seen it. It didn't sound particularly attractive. Something about the air being heavy in the winter, along with general pollution from cars being the cause. I don't know much more than that though. <BR> <BR>Thanks for your post...

<BR>Ron, <BR> <BR>Try 1-800-THIS-IS-A-TRAVEL-FORUM <BR> <BR> <BR>

Well Ron, what you described about winter can be true. I'm originally from California, Smogville USA, so I guess I'm just used to it. I'd take a brown cloud over high humidity any day, but that's just my own preference. <BR> <BR>You may earn more money in Denver, but you'll most likely spend a much larger percentage of your salary on housing, so do the math. Rental houses are practically nonexistent, and even the most rundown of apartments have outrageous rents. The joke in the local suburbs like Highlands Ranch and Parker is that when a telephone rings, everyone runs into the house or picks up their cell phone, because the houses are packed together so tightly that you can't tell whose phone is ringing. We moved about 60 miles outside of town and bought acreage property to escape that fate, but we have LONG commutes and paid through the nose for our property. It has already appreciated by $40,000 in the six months we've lived here, that's how fast prices are escalating. <BR> <BR>As far as outdoor sports, you will have to drive into the mountains in order to do any meaningful wilderness hiking or skiing. Some people live in the mountain communities, but I'm sure you just saw on T.V. what a risk it can be -- fire is always a threat, not to mention that many mountain communities near Denver consist of million dollar houses. Most regular Joes can't afford it. <BR> <BR>Denver is very developed and urbanized, and the outdoor sports you seek will probably consist of the same type of softball league or bicycle path that you can get in any city. Of course, if you're a spectator, Denver has four professional sports teams, so you can keep busy that way. <BR> <BR>Don't know where you live, but just trying to give you a little heads up about the cost of living here. That and the high density housing are the real drawbacks, but other than that it's O.K.