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Connecticut bowhunter looking to move to CO in next few years. Will be traveling to Longmont next week and hoping to get a better lay of the land in terms of living areas as well as areas for fishing/hunting while I'm out there. Any suggestions on places I should check out would be much appreciated. Thx in advance
Northern Colorado is a nice place to live. You might check east of I-25 around Johnstown, Frederick, Firestone as prices can be a little less but you are still close to stuff wives like.
Loveland/Ft Collins is nice. The whole area is growing fast which can be hard to see for folks like me who grew up here but its all relative to where you come from. I lived in Denver Metro for a few years for work and compared to that, the northern front range has a lot of years left before its like that.
There is some stuff west of Longmont for hunting and fishing but you run into the Park. That leaves going up I-70 to the south which is the main artery for all of the front range to get to skiing and other mountain activities, Hwy 34 through the Park (gate fee, tourists and some big elk) or Hwy 14 to the north up Poudre Canyon. You can make a circle out of any of them and there are a zillion offshoots along the way.
If you are used to hunting 1/2 hour from the house, that isn't easy along the front range. If you are into an overnighter, central and southern Colorado are full of giant tracts of public with all sorts of critters and some nice smaller towns.
As Glunt said, it's all what you are used to. It scares the hell out of me just to drive around anywhere on the front range. I would go as far north or south of Denver as possible. Overall the whole state is a nice place to live and there is lots of public hunting and fishing, but you will have to drive a bit from anywhere along the front range. Good luck.
From the N Front Range, I can drive 2hrs or less and hunt elk, deer, bear in Colorado [fish most anywhere], 3hrs or less to hunt elk or fish in WY, 4hrs or less and sit in my WT deer stand in Nebraska
Its def not cheap to live here tho - and median houses going for $300k+
Thx guys. Never heard of the term "front range" before ... unless referring to the two front burners on the stovetop... I think I know where you mean though. CT isn't cheap either, so I expect it would be a lateral move with regard to housing. Am used to very high taxes and unbalanced state budgets here, so hoping the grass is greener out your way. cnelk - If I drive 2 hours in any direction here, I will be in another state!
Front range - The I 25 corridor. It is the area when you come off the mountains and the plains begin. It also where most the people (too many) in CO live. If you look on a map more less from Fort Collins to Pueblo .
Saw a real estate mag today......median in Dacona/Frederick area is $359K, Longmont was $379K, in Louisville/Superior you are looking at more like $550K, there is a 600 sq ft home near me that is listed for $469K.......absolutely nuts for anything west of I-25. Taxes are not too bad. Car insurance is stupid high.
Yeah. My county property tax valuation went up 64% this year...
If you can find decent employment the Western half of Colorado is completely different in about every possible way. It's nice to hunt after work or within a half hour of home.
MathewsMan is spot on. Unfortunately that's why I have to live on the "front range" and drive a couple hours to good hunting. But there's some benefit as I can drive 2 hours east and I have great deer and turkey hunting in Eastern CO and KS is only 2.5 hours away.
Thx guys. People much more friendly here than back east. Not sure if that would still be the case if I wear a Patriots hat. LOL. What areas seem to be growing the fastest?
Yes.....LOL All of them. Lots around Superior/Louisville/Erie/Broomfield/Frederick/etc. Alot from Longmont up to Ft. Collins as well. Tons of folks have moved here, lots of high paying tech jobs, limited inventory, hippy retirees moving here in droves and recreational pot is a booming $100M a month business........a great time to rent in my opinion.
20 years ago, I understand things were actually affordable. Now 40% or more higher. Folks are sitting on equity in the 100's of thousands but if they sold they would not be able to replace without stepping down in location, size, quality. Crazy market. I will wait for a correction before even thinking about buying at the top or near the top of a market. It does not strike me as sustainable.
Don't get me wrong. I love living here but the cost of living is painful in some areas like housing and insurance. After almost 2 years here I am still adjusting. I understand the western slope is a whole different story, but outside of Grand Junction I don't know of any real population centers supporting employment for new comers.
Gilpin County has the lowest taxes in the State. The problem is most of the land is in the mountains and an acre lot is $25K+++ and prolly a sketchy building site in terms of rock, slope, drainage, septic, and water is a big deal and big expense. Plus the commute in winter can be a real challenge.
My family moved here in 1977. A lot has changed and is changing but I guarantee if you could travel 30 years forward and talk to your future self, you would say these are the good old days in Colorado.
