Poll: Durango vs. Montrose (Grand Junction, Cortez: homes, neighborhoods, luxury)

[GStone777]

My house would cost about 130,000 to 150,000 more in Durango than in Montrose. With my household income that is a substantial amount. If we were to move to the big city we would make enough to afford a place like Durango. Living on the Western slope or in the Durango area is a lifestyle choice. I grew up in the country but I could still live in a big city if I really had to. I lived in Arizona and Southern Utah when places like St. George, Flagstaff and Prescott were small towns and I have excellent memories of those times. It is difficult to see places grow substantially, become much more polluted and not affordable to the local residents. It makes me sad to see areas where I once hunted for pheasants and ducks become overrun with cookie cutter homes, strip malls and lodging establishments. My grandpa first went to Sedona in a buckboard in 1915 at the age of 30. The Indian Wars were just ending when he was born. Maybe this country was a better place when Chief Ouray, Buckskin Charley and Chief Seattle were running around. From what I've read, even the natives used to fight each other over the land and the land always went to those strong enough to hold it. Chipeta, the wife of Chief Ouray, was forced to relocate from Montrose to Eastern Utah by the European invaders. Now we are being invaded again by people with more money. Until a mutant virus or some other disease kills most of us off people will keep coming here and displacing those already here. It may be very affordable for someone from the outside to move here but their children and grandchildren will more than likely be forced to move at least 5 hours or more away to make a living. When I'm ready to follow my children and grandchildren I hope somebody with a lot of money will overpay for my house.

[parfleche]

Originally Posted by CosmicWizard

parfleche wrote: we will own your greatgrandma's house yet and build condo's little person.

I've tried to make sense out of this, but nothing comes to mind. Would you please elaborate? Thanks.

Seen it happen especially on the south side of Durango. The old folks kids couldn't turn down the big bucks and sold for what? what are you gonna replace it with? I trimmed out the Mears House in durango where 2 beautiful Vistorians stood and were bulldozed down for a plastic pile of junk.I only did the cabinets with crown and asked the builders do you wan't me to install the crown upside down like you did on this fake mess or do it the right way. go visit and check it out it is all upside down,execpt for the cabinet's. Them 5th gen Durangoans are down in NM or wherever wishing the money never came.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by GStone777

....the land always went to those strong enough to hold it. ....

Well then, nothing has changed; money is strength / power.

[CosmicWizard]

MFBE wrote: Well then, nothing has changed; money is strength / power.

Today, instead of aggression with weapons, financial aggression is the rule of the land. The USA has always been a country where some type of aggression is the norm. A peaceful people we are NOT!

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by parfleche

Seen it happen especially on the south side of Durango. The old folks kids couldn't turn down the big bucks and sold for what? what are you gonna replace it with? I trimmed out the Mears House in durango where 2 beautiful Vistorians stood and were bulldozed down for a plastic pile of junk.I only did the cabinets with crown and asked the builders do you wan't me to install the crown upside down like you did on this fake mess or do it the right way. go visit and check it out it is all upside down,execpt for the cabinet's. Them 5th gen Durangoans are down in NM or wherever wishing the money never came.

I recently Zilowed my great great grandfather's Durango home on Third ave, built in 1892 and it's worth about the same as mine of similar size in the expensive dc suburbs.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

I recently Zilowed my great great grandfather's Durango home on Third ave, built in 1892 and it's worth about the same as mine of similar size in the expensive dc suburbs.

And I would bet that you make a much better income in the DC area than you could in Durango . . .

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

And I would bet that you make a much better income in the DC area than you could in Durango . . .

I'm a bad example as my spouse and I work virtually so can live anywhere we want. Theoretically I could buy his house and maintain our lifestyle, but you're right that there are no local jobs there like the ones we have. It would be interesting to know what kinds of jobs the folks in that neighborhood do. I'm sure they're much different than they were in 1892.

[DurangoJoe]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

I'm a bad example as my spouse and I work virtually so can live anywhere we want. Theoretically I could buy his house and maintain our lifestyle, but you're right that there are no local jobs there like the ones we have. It would be interesting to know what kinds of jobs the folks in that neighborhood do. I'm sure they're much different than they were in 1892.

I raised this point last year. It's how I worked for much of the last 25 years. Doesn't matter for me anymore since I'm now retired, but having worked in telecom for 37 years, I have a very good understanding of the power of internet technology & how pervasive it has become. It is entirely possible to live in Durango or Montrose, or any fairly remote area and still have a bigger city income. Local jobs are of course another story. Nobody should ever move anyplace they can't afford if they don't have or can't generate the income necessary. If they move without having done the research to know if they can afford it on their income, and can't...... then shame on them. Not a smart thing to do.

[GSXRScott]

Originally Posted by GStone777

I lived in Phoenix, (hell),

Man your aren't kidding. I cant wait to get out of here and get back to Colorado!!! Sick of the heat, the traffic and all of the ghetto white trash here. I'd like to take one the chrome spinners off of one those fake white trash' big black SUVs and shove it up..........well you get the idea. It's to bad too because Phoenix is in such stark contrast to the rest of Arizona. Prescott and Flagstaff are beautiful, laid back and really are great places to live and work.

Originally Posted by GStone777

Actually, I would rather take on the stacks during rush hour in Phoenix than try to get through all the confused tourists in Durango or Flagstaff.

That surprises me. While traffic in small touristy towns that do not have any major thorough fairs can be pesky, I would think the traffic stopping car accidents that happen twice a week on I-17 and I-10 would be worse.

Sorry, I know I strayed from the thread topic a bit. My vote would be for Durango just because of the scenery although I've heard (emphasize heard) Montrose gets a little less snow.

[GStone777]

Originally Posted by GSXRScott

Man your aren't kidding. I cant wait to get out of here and get back to Colorado!!! Sick of the heat, the traffic and all of the ghetto white trash here. I'd like to take one the chrome spinners off of one those fake white trash' big black SUVs and shove it up..........well you get the idea. It's to bad too because Phoenix is in such stark contrast to the rest of Arizona. Prescott and Flagstaff are beautiful, laid back and really are great places to live and work.



That surprises me. While traffic in small touristy towns that do not have any major thorough fairs can be pesky, I would think the traffic stopping car accidents that happen twice a week on I-17 and I-10 would be worse.

Sorry, I know I strayed from the thread topic a bit. My vote would be for Durango just because of the scenery although I've heard (emphasize heard) Montrose gets a little less snow.

The only accidents I've ever been in have been in the Flagstaff area with tourists and none of those accidents were my fault. I will admit it is a miserable experience sitting in the Deck Park Tunnel waiting for an accident to clear but I never got into an accident in Phoenix because as aggressive as people are they seem to have a better of idea of where they are going than in the tourist towns. I was in Durango recently dodging tourists who couldn't decide which way to turn. Montrose does get less snow and despite the cold from December through February it seems like a relatively mild climate. The only thing I might miss about Phoenix is December and January but I still would rather be in Montrose even during those months. Good luck getting back to Colorado.