Looking to Relocate! Locals help!! (Colorado Springs: renting, houses, buying)

[parrotheadchuck]

Hi guys...My wife and I decided that we want to move to the Colorado Springs area. We know it's cold in the winter and has a nice warm temperature in summer. We know it snows there! It's our passion to enjoy hiking, camping, snowskiing and mountain climbing. Here in Florida, we have the beaches and Disney both of which we have had enough of. There seem to be finer things in life than standing in line 60 minutes to sit on an attraction. We grew up with the beaches but don't go often so it's nothing we would miss.

What we really want is an idea of what daily life in Colorado is like. Do you wake up in the morning and regret living there? Do you wake up and thank the high almighty that you live in such a beautiful place? I took a trip last year that included Yellowstone among other places and realized that maybe my inner peace lies in the natural beauty of this world! I hear Colorado is "god's country" and from what I have seen, it's absolutely beautiful!

Assuming I do come, what are the tips to learn and things to consider that is different from my Florida life? The weather obviously! Thanks!!!

[Mike from back east]

No regrets at all.

City life is pretty much like everyday life anywhere; work, school, church, etc. Most of the same stores and chains of junk food.

A tad slower overall and especially when you get out of the cities and into the countryside. Lots of outdoor sports like hiking, biking, skiing, golf, fishing, hunting, rafting, and always something to do year round.

No humidity to speak of, few bugs and no bug nets around the decks. Almost no private pools in yards and few tans. No massive winter tourist crowds in the main cities, though you will get crowds up in the high-country ski areas during ski season.

Look forward to dining on bison, elk and other game at some of the finer eateries.

No old ladies with blue hair driving down A1A and tooting the horn at everything within a block.

[parrotheadchuck]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

No regrets at all.

City life is pretty much like everyday life anywhere; work, school, church, etc. Most of the same stores and chains of junk food.

A tad slower overall and especially when you get out of the cities and into the countryside. Lots of outdoor sports like hiking, biking, skiing, golf, fishing, hunting, rafting, and always something to do year round.

No humidity to speak of, few bugs and no bug nets around the decks. Almost no private pools in yards and few tans. No massive winter tourist crowds in the main cities, though you will get crowds up in the high-country ski areas during ski season.

Look forward to dining on bison, elk and other game at some of the finer eateries.

No old ladies with blue hair driving down A1A and tooting the horn at everything within a block.

I can't see anything adverse about going there! I certainly won't miss the blue hair ladies either! Or the Fast and Furious drag races from the thugs here down!

[Terytee]

I make a point of looking at Pike's Peak every morning and am truly grateful to be here.

The bright, sunny, days and vivid blue skies always put a goofy grin on my face.

Coming from a place of high humidity, and very hazy summers, I was amazed at how bright everything is here. It's like someone turned the color up.

The mornings here are just glorious......and I don't use that word often.

It's not perfect, but I think you'll love it.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by Terytee

I make a point of looking at Pike's Peak every morning and am truly grateful to be here.

The bright, sunny, days and vivid blue skies always put a goofy grin on my face.

Coming from a place of high humidity, and very hazy summers, I was amazed at how bright everything is here. It's like someone turned the color up.

The mornings here are just glorious......and I don't use that word often.

It's not perfect, but I think you'll love it.

Agree, I often take pix of the Peak when it's something I haven't posted before in the thread on Pikes Peak Pix.

Here, I can look out any window and see for miles and miles in 3 directions. Back east in the DC area, it was flat and all I could were the trees that bordered our lot, our only real view was straight up.

[Terytee]

Mike, if I could give ya' more rep points I certainly would, but the page just won't let me!!

[dennative]

Sounds like Colorado (and maybe Colorado Springs) will be a good choice for you.

Like others, we do indeed wake up with smiles on our faces (especially on mornings like this in the summer and fall).

As others have mentioned, very little humidity (I've heard some from more humid climates complain it is too dry....trouble with dry skin, etc., but it's never bothered me) and almost no bugs (it helps a lot that it gets below freezing in the winter).

Don't be too afraid of snow (though any snow at all may take some getting used to if you've lived in Florida most of your life). We average just over 3 feet of snow a year (usually spread out over a half dozen storms)....it's fairly unusual for snow to last on the streets or ground for more than a day or two, especially in the recent years.

Sunshine almost every day!

Though the population in Colorado and Colorado Springs has increased dramatically over the past fifty years, I'm still amazed how easy it is to find solitude. There are amazingly beautiful and isolated places only an hour's drive into the mountains.....places where you can hike all day and never see a soul, even though you're only 40 miles from home, in spite of all the tourists. If you're willing to get out of your car and walk even a little bit, it's not to hard to find some peace and quiet (and exceptional beauty).

If you do wind up moving here, take some time to explore the different areas of town before renting or buying. There's a lot of variety. One of the real negatives here (IMHO) is the sprawl that's developed over the past 20 or 30 years. From downtown, the city stretches (approximately) ten miles to the south, 15 miles to the north, and probably ten to 15 miles to the east (the sprawl to the west isn't quite as bad because we're at the base of Pikes Peak). So your day-to-day quality of life (neighbors, traffic, view, etc.) can vary quite a bit depending on what part of town you live in. I've always lived in or near the downtown area and west side, and am partial to that area (I can be hiking in the foothills and around the base of Pikes Peak a fifteen minute drive from my house--living on the eastern edge of the city might add 30 minutes or more to your access to the mountains, depending on traffic). But the houses tend to be smaller and older in the downtown area and on the westside--less "bang for your buck." Any local realtor can speak to these differences in much more detail.

Good luck with your decision....maybe we'll bump into each other somewhere along the trail....

[bashep]

I have lived here all my life. I will admit there are times that I take it for granted. But as soon as I go camping up in the mountains with my kids and hubby, I realize that I couldn't do this many other places. You have everything at your fingertips. It is amazing!!

[SheridanL]

I grew up here in Colorado and enjoy the mountains and the views, etc.
Funny thing is....I moved to Florida in 2007 on the beach (Vero Beach).
I thought, I wanted to live the rest of my life there. Wrongo!!
The bugs, humidity drove me nutso!! I was directly on the beach and .....my address was 12300 Highway A1A!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No blue hair here though!! Hahahahahaha I actually got sick of hearing the waves crashing everyday.
I went camping this weekend and, I have to say...WOW!! It's important to love where you get away from it all in your state. You can do it within an hour or two and feel refreshed....every weekend if you want!!
I went to Lake OHavre (site 12 is the best BTW!!)
Although I do enjoy what some would call "snobby resort areas"..I also love the laid back lifestyle too!
No regrets.....glad as heck to be back!!!

[little city max]

Originally Posted by Terytee

I make a point of looking at Pike's Peak every morning and am truly grateful to be here.

The bright, sunny, days and vivid blue skies always put a goofy grin on my face.

Coming from a place of high humidity, and very hazy summers, I was amazed at how bright everything is here. It's like someone turned the color up.

The mornings here are just glorious......and I don't use that word often.

It's not perfect, but I think you'll love it.

Well said! I couldn't have said it better myself. We've only been here 5 months but it feels like home to me. I've visited Florida a few times in my life (I LOVE Tampa) and consider it a great place to visit but nothing compares to here.