Possible Move to Colorado

Noble Savage

Noble Savage

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Hoping my rerolled brethren might be able to provide some guidance here. I currently live in Cincinnati and have for the last 20 years. Pretty much hate it here and have been ready for a change of scenery for the last few years. A comfortable job and a home mortgage that was underwater prevented me from seriously looking at a relocation. However things are changing and it looks like there might be an opportunity to leave here if I wish. I recently went on a road trip to Colorado and spent a week in Colorado Springs. Needless to say I loved it out there, I saw it as a place that I could really see myself living. Does anyone have any advice as to places to avoid moving or places they would highly recommend? Colorado Springs was very laid back but Denver looked awesome as we drove through it, seemed to be a lot happening there. I work in IT so being able to get a job fairly easily is a must. Not knowing anything about the job markets, cost of living, attitude of the locals of the different cities I am looking for some advice.
 
Alex

Alex

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For IT jobs, Denver and Boulder are probably your best bet. There are a ton of startup-ish companies in Boulder and the ones growing in size all need that support. I've spent a lot of time in Denver, Boulder, and Ft. Collins. Of those places, Ft. Collins is my favorite. It's a college town, but it's big enough to not make that the focus. It's also only an hour away from Denver so trips to the city aren't all that inconvenient. I have no idea what the IT job feasibility is there though.

As a city, Denver is OK. The public transit is bad and it's current population boom is causing everything to spread out. There are a lot of new "towns" where they just have a shopping mall/center and they're waiting for the rest of the town to build around because developers know it will. But the outdoor stuff is awesome. It's hard to beat. The convenience to the mountains for camping/hiking/skiing is silly. Also, if you're into beer, Denver is probably one of the better cities in the country for that. The Great American Beer Festival is held there every year and it's the biggest of its kind. Another big plus of Denver is that for a city of its size and importance (fuck St Louis, Denver is the true gateway to the west), it is relatively cheap to live in.

Politically, the state is very divided. You have Denver, Boulder, and Ft. Collins which are, for the most part, left-leaning. Then Colorado Springs is very red. Then most people who live outside of the cities are also right-leaning. It leads to political ads being everywhere all the time. Not sure if that's important to you, but it is to some people.

Glad you're deciding to get out of Cincy. I lived there my entire life until I up and moved to SF a few years ago. I don't hate Cincy. I enjoyed living there (I used to live on Main St in OTR), but I'm really glad I don't live there anymore. One huge plus of CO is the weather is so much better. No more winters when it's so cold it hurts and the summers don't get absurdly humid. Also, it's sunny almost everyday. If I didn't love the west coast so much, CO is definitely where I'd want to be.
 
Miguex

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Went college in Boulder, its an amazing place if you are outdoorsy, even remotely into the environment/hippy shit, and are still youthful or young at heart.
 
Noble Savage

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Alex_sl said:
Glad you're deciding to get out of Cincy. I lived there my entire life until I up and moved to SF a few years ago. I don't hate Cincy. I enjoyed living there (I used to live on Main St in OTR), but I'm really glad I don't live there anymore. One huge plus of CO is the weather is so much better. No more winters when it's so cold it hurts and the summers don't get absurdly humid. Also, it's sunny almost everyday. If I didn't love the west coast so much, CO is definitely where I'd want to be.
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Honestly I can't say I hate Cincy, its been very good to me over the years. But there just isn't a lot here for me anymore. Ironically enough within the last couple of years things have really started to grow and Cincy is starting to be not such a shithole anymore. Your old stomping grounds OTR is thriving now. Its become this rejuvenated food and beer district. A lot of little restaurants and bistros and the hipsters have moved in. If you make it back anytime soon you will find things are much different in that hood. Plus the local music scene is really on fire now.

Ever since I was younger I always wanted to move out west. I just feel like that's where my soul belongs. Plus I am looking for a bit of a clean start and that's hard to do in a town where you run into someone you know basically anytime you go out.

I am also open to other suggestions, what about Cali? Any places there where cost of living isn't ridiculous?
 
Alex

Alex

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I went back to Cincy over a year ago and OTR was certainly different. On a weekend night it reminded me more of Mt Adams than the good ol' hipsterfied OTR I remember. Also, the area around the stadiums is excellent now. It's nice to have actual bars you can head to before/after a Reds game.

SoCal isn't as expensive as the Bay Area (really the only area of NorCal worth living unless you really enjoy outdoorsy sparsely populated areas), but it's pricier than Denver. LA actually isn't all that expensive. Just finding a neighborhood that fits your personality could take some time because it's so fucking big. I'm not sure how expensive San Diego is. I'm not familiar with that city at all. I really enjoy some of the smaller beach towns/cities north or LA. Ventura and Santa Barbara are great. If live music is your thing, then Ventura will blow your mind. I swear almost everyone who lives there is involved in the music industry somehow. Plus, many of the music venues in Ventura are free. Which is just unheard of in LA where you're spending at least $10 to see a local show.
 
Alex

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I think this should be moved to the Travel thread. It will likely get more traffic there. I'm not a CO native and there are plenty people here who could provide insight on this forum. If it was in the Travel forum, they would probably see it.
 
Palum

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CO is gorgeous. Just visited Colo Springs two weeks ago and man, that city is showing its age. That said there's a ton of cool stuff, but also very interesting geographically... completely flat until giant ass mountains. I do like Denver though this is from someone who has only visited and never lived there. I have to imagine if you like skiing it's probably one of the best major cities to live in with access to amazing ski mountains.
 
D

Dabamf_sl

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Been to Denver several times. It's my favorite american city. Reasonably priced, clean, safe, amazing food everywhere, mountain vibe (aka fun, friendly people), lots to do, nearby mountains.

First time I went there I thought "how could I ever live in the Midwest again?" That thought gets stronger every time I go

Plus it's the sunshine state. GORGEOUS
 
Sludig

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I'd stay the fuck outa boulder. Work there but not live maybe. Hippies, onerous city regulations. (Bag fee's, one way roads, ordinance prohibiting walmarts etc, it and Ft Collins somewhat are lil California/Jerseys.)

Ft Collins is developing some tech type stuff. Just South of Denver is the Tech center so the Denver "region"/sprawl is likely the most work opportunities.

Depending what you like, planning on some commute is good. When I worked in Loveland, I drove 20minutes from Milliken. Was great kinda fast back road no traffic. Rented a pretty big house for much cheaper than a 2 room apartment most places these days. Milliken is basically the out in the sticks small town while still having basic amenities (few restraunts and a grocery store) Has a lot of new housing and development. But much better prices than trying to get a place in the burbs around Denver.

Currently work more towards Boulder in Lafayette and commute to Frederick (part of Frederick/Firestone/Dacono mini try city area). Likewise love it for being relatively small town though definately way bigger than Milliken. I have easy commute anywhere from Ft Collins/Wyoming to Boulder to Denver due to being in between I25 and Hwy 85.

If you went down south I'm sure there are similiar outside the sprawl smaller towns with easy highway access. That's what I'd suggest if you wanted to buy a house and get more for your money. Heck even renting, housing is tight these days and you'll have more luck with your money renting also. (May even know some places available here in next year.)


Granted, I absolutely hate big cities. Out of big cities Denver is better than most, we dont really have that much true gang issues. (Unless you hang out in wrong parts of Commerce City/Greeley/Longmont)




Actually, retract all that it's horrible, don't move here. A lot of natives are getting fed up with the huge influx in recent decade from failed state California/Jersey. Resulting from that is a lot of new laws passing and putting dumb regulations on everything. (Mentioned bag fee's in some areas above.)

If I had to move one place I like and I think it has some tech stuff is washington state. Great wilderness stuff, I personally like the moist gloomy vibe. Same with parts of Oregon.
 
Palum

Palum

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What is a bag fee in a city? Or do you mean regional airport bag surcharges?
 
wormie

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Sludig_sl said:
I'd stay the fuck outa boulder. Work there but not live maybe. Hippies, onerous city regulations. (Bag fee's, one way roads, ordinance prohibiting walmarts etc, it and Ft Collins somewhat are lil California/Jerseys.)

Ft Collins is developing some tech type stuff. Just South of Denver is the Tech center so the Denver "region"/sprawl is likely the most work opportunities.

Depending what you like, planning on some commute is good. When I worked in Loveland, I drove 20minutes from Milliken. Was great kinda fast back road no traffic. Rented a pretty big house for much cheaper than a 2 room apartment most places these days. Milliken is basically the out in the sticks small town while still having basic amenities (few restraunts and a grocery store) Has a lot of new housing and development. But much better prices than trying to get a place in the burbs around Denver.

Currently work more towards Boulder in Lafayette and commute to Frederick (part of Frederick/Firestone/Dacono mini try city area). Likewise love it for being relatively small town though definately way bigger than Milliken. I have easy commute anywhere from Ft Collins/Wyoming to Boulder to Denver due to being in between I25 and Hwy 85.

If you went down south I'm sure there are similiar outside the sprawl smaller towns with easy highway access. That's what I'd suggest if you wanted to buy a house and get more for your money. Heck even renting, housing is tight these days and you'll have more luck with your money renting also. (May even know some places available here in next year.)


Granted, I absolutely hate big cities. Out of big cities Denver is better than most, we dont really have that much true gang issues. (Unless you hang out in wrong parts of Commerce City/Greeley/Longmont)




Actually, retract all that it's horrible, don't move here. A lot of natives are getting fed up with the huge influx in recent decade from failed state California/Jersey. Resulting from that is a lot of new laws passing and putting dumb regulations on everything. (Mentioned bag fee's in some areas above.)

If I had to move one place I like and I think it has some tech stuff is washington state. Great wilderness stuff, I personally like the moist gloomy vibe. Same with parts of Oregon.
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Heres is hoping more "natives" move the fuck out so more of those people from "failed" (lol) states can move in and the place can get even better for me to visit.
 
Alex

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Palum_sl said:
What is a bag fee in a city? Or do you mean regional airport bag surcharges?
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Bag fees are used to encourage grocery shoppers to bring their own reusable grocery bags. They charge you 10 cents or something for a bag if you want one. It's a ridiculous thing to bitch about.
 
Palum

Palum

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Alex_sl said:
Bag fees are used to encourage grocery shoppers to bring their own reusable grocery bags. They charge you 10 cents or something for a bag if you want one. It's a ridiculous thing to bitch about.
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Oh. They just have discounts for having them here. Same thing I guess.
 
Sludig

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Says the schmuck from Faggit fucking California. Same place suing my state over the water they've been stealing/underpaying on for decades and now trying to say that since we cheated for so long, we shouldn't be accountable for it.

Some of the governments around here are imposing bag fee's on busines. (Vs your usual bag discount kind of thing.) Affects more than walmart and groceries. Some drama around it and how it's basically being used as a tax that didn't have to pass voters.
 
Chysamere

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Colorado Springs? Not sure that's the safest place to really be. Weird stuff was always happening around the town.

Stargate.JPG
 
Alex

Alex

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Sludig_sl said:
Says the schmuck from Faggit fucking California. Same place suing my state over the water they've been stealing/underpaying on for decades and now trying to say that since we cheated for so long, we shouldn't be accountable for it.

Some of the governments around here are imposing bag fee's on busines. (Vs your usual bag discount kind of thing.) Affects more than walmart and groceries. Some drama around it and how it's basically being used as a tax that didn't have to pass voters.
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You're a very angry person.
 
Sludig

Sludig

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Funny Colorado weather, car window iced over needed scraping, 78degrees in the afternoon.
Dabamf_sl said:
Aren't the fees charged to the customer?
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Often it's passed on yes. But say small time shopper, though it does create overhead of having to track bag use and charge. Then deal with paying the government. So sure the .10cents customer pays, but there is now an extra administrative overhead. Easy for a big grocery store, but smaller businesses (Including convenience stores lumped into this) have to implement it.

For the shopper, say small time user, average 5bags a week groceries and one bag somewhere else. 52x6 = About $32 a year, not counting a bunch of extra bags from holidays.

Even a pretty poor person that shouldn't be too catastrophic, but it still amounts to another tax another nickel and diming by the government. If this was a tax resolution passed at a vote ok whatever. Again point is it's something a council of a few people are passing without a vote. So it's a principles of the thing problem. If they can do this without due process, what else will they continue adding to the list.

Goes to looking at states Like CA, Jersey, NY, et al who are seeing a move out of businesses due to extroardinary levels of taxation/regulation. (CNN articles about Sillicon Valley even seeing some move out). Even if you look on a national level, if you follow Car industry. Some people clamor for bare bones utility trucks like old S10's and original Tacoma, and basically consenus is that it's impossible to make a basic truck like that for $12k because of Cafe and other regulatory initiatives. Granted some of that is the american consumer is obsessed with big and +sized trucks are the new SUV.



I'm big on folk believing and doing what they want for the most part. (until you start negatively impacting others rights) I don't like the types that come in and start deciding for you what they think you can and can not have, what you can and can not do, etc.
 
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