A Colorado native's view of living in Denver (Craig: how much, new house)

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by Timmyy

So is Colorado slowly becoming California based on your experience or from what you have seen or read in the media?

I partially agree it has some aspects of California but being from there I still think it is a long way off. Most of the "natives" I know despise anything California so they tend to blame everything on us. These days it seems more people are migrating from Florida, New Mexico and Texas.

I agree it is getting crowded and the housing market is insane.

5th generation Coloradan, 4th generation native here.

I like California. I was in San Diego and La Jolla last week. Colorado is not like California except they are probably the only two places I would want to live.

I think the OP wishes Colorado was exactly the same as it was in the early 90s. That's unrealistic....for anywhere in the country.

[Chloe333]

Originally Posted by DenBronco8

Some areas are flat but it's not flat as a pancake like you suggest it to be. The front range is appealing to me. It might be brown 6 months out the year but to me it looks beautiful in its own way.

I'm thinking it's less appealing further East away from the mountains and Front Range. Plus, this season has been unusually dry so it's very brown right now.

[emm74]

Originally Posted by DenBronco8

Some areas are flat but it's not flat as a pancake like you suggest it to be. The front range is appealing to me. It might be brown 6 months out the year but to me it looks beautiful in its own way.

Agree that CO is beautiful in its own way, but I still miss the green of New England. I came here for family reasons and those reasons still apply, but while I like Denver, it's not where I would have personally chosen to live. Whether I stay here after retirement depends on where my kiddo ends up, but I'm rooting for someplace with lower elevation. Despite living here for 10 years, I still do so much better when I've visiting either coast and back at sea level and much higher humidity.

[MZMpac]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Originally Posted by Timmyy

So is Colorado slowly becoming California based on your experience or from what you have seen or read in the media?

My experience. A lot of natives feel the same way, and maybe we're just being dramatic because we dont want it to be like California. I know in reality we are a long ways off but I do notice the same COL creep happening.

Originally Posted by TCHP

Not exactly ground breaking insight and it has all been discussed over and over again in the couple of years I've been on CD. I was hoping you might provide a new angle on it all.

Just my opinion. What would be "ground-breaking insight" to you...if it's been said over and over maybe there is some truth behind it.

Originally Posted by ritapriati

"Population has skyrocketed these last few years."

The Denver metro area (Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area) has grown by a little over 12% in the last 7 years, since the 2010 census.

I think like a lot of things it's relative to where you come from. We are actually #4 in statewide population growth (behind North Dakota, oddly).

Growth is good but locals tend to resent it. The Front Range has changed like crazy in the last 25 years, just in terms of overall development. It is definitely not the same place as it was when I grew up. Not all bad, but not all good either.

Originally Posted by Chloe333

-Colorado continues to be the promised land for especially a lot of young people across the US. The mountain-outdoorsy-earthy-hippie subculture can offer salvation from whatever other place that they are coming from, and possibly tired of and disillusioned with. I think this CO subculture can be quite seductive to absorb as one's new lease on life identity and lifestyle. One should be aware of the pitfalls of getting too addicted or attached to all of this as it may not be sustainable as one ages or has to leave and adapt to other subcultures for jobs, family etc. National Geographic did an article last year about the relatively high rate of ski town suicides in recent years.

I agree completely. In the last 5 years or so "Colorado" clothing, bumper stickers, and other swag has really proliferated. Lots of state pride but the most visual displays are usually the young transplants.

-I'm not really sure if this is just my imagination or actually a real dynamic. It seems there could be this money grab-greedy mentality out here. Plumbers, mechanics, home repair persons, painters, locksmith, etc have all seemed pretty expensive, and at times, gouging compared to back East. The houses seem built for builders to give you the least they can for the max profit. Food seems pricey. I've wondered if maybe there's some correlation to the settlers mentality here with trappers, hunters, miners all hustling to get at the resources, and make away with the most because survival was harder here. Could be my imagination...not sure.

No I dont think you are imagining it. There is a ton of growth here and a fertile economy to make a profit. A lot of this is based on the housing market. Everything is inflated.

-Somewhat homogeneous, but then again a lot of places are like this. In my particularl suburb, MOST of the kids are VERY into soccer, and many families' lives outside of school/work revolve around youth sports. I mean hard core. These people routinely travel out of state to tournaments and competitions and spend a small fortune on their offspring's athletic endeavors. I guess a lot of burbs across the country are like this. If coming from more diverse locales, I could see how Denver may feel too homogeneous to some.

I know what you mean. I used to live in more heterogeneous cities like Boston, etc. Where I work almost all of my patients are white, Lexus-driving, upper-middle class soccer moms with kids names Logan and Bentley who have made-up gluten allergies. Very entitled also.

Originally Posted by illinoisphotographer

I disagree with these points.

Wilderness - Plenty of not-crowded options out there. Golden Gate Canyon State Park often has a lot of people, but it's spread out and not a congo-line. Lost Creek Wilderness near Bailey has been near-dead the now 5 times I've been there. Went hiking there yesterday and ran into only 1 other person on a 4 hour hike. Parts of the Colorado Trail near Waterton Canyon get pretty empty a few miles in. CO Springs has a number of trailheads for day hikes that aren't too crowded.

Backpacking is dependent on your equipment, personal tolerance for weather, and skill level. You can easily go on lower level backpacking trips from April-October. You'd just need a properly rated sleeping system and the right hiking clothing to stay warm.

Well depends on your definition of wilderness and uncrowded. I lived in NH for 3 years and at that time I was a fanatical hiker. I remember I could pick a trail almost blindfolded on a Saturday or Sunday and maybe see 1-2 other hikers.

Lost Creek is a gem, I agree. Still ~90 minutes away, but that's not too bad really.

GGCSP is also nice but hardly "wilderness" and limited by state park rules.

Waterton is the most crowded local trail I can possibly think of. Maybe if you go 5-6 miles in it clears out...

With backpacking sure you can go in the winter but let's be honest there are limited lower-elevation (say under 7,000 ft) locales that are conducive to backpacking. Maybe some parts of Pike NF. If you know of any I'm all ears!

[Chloe333]

Originally Posted by MZMpac

My experience. A lot of natives feel the same way, and maybe we're just being dramatic because we dont want it to be like California. I know in reality we are a long ways off but I do notice the same COL creep happening.

I was just perusing real estate listings in Louisville and it is shocking. Newer town homes with around 2300 sq ft going for $650k range. Very small modest, dated ranch style homes there upwards $600k. In Broomfield, town homes have shot up to the $420k-mid-$400k's range in the last year with @ 2300 sq ft., and often that square footage includes an UNfinished basement. Wow.

[Chloe333]

Originally Posted by MZMpac

Where I work almost all of my patients are white, Lexus-driving, upper-middle class soccer moms with kids names Logan and Bentley who have made-up gluten allergies. Very entitled also.

Bentley, wow. That's a pretty awful name. Sounds like a Trump child/grandchild name.

[2bindenver]

Real Estate is not a back then & now. It's just what is right now.

When I first moved here in 1989, the average house price was $82,000 and average days on market was 9 months.

If you are looking to buy or rent - it is what it is right now.

You cannot expect prices to go up or down because you want them too. Housing prices will not go down because interest rates are rising.

If you want real estate right now, play the game & play to win.

[MsBall]

Originally Posted by 2bindenver

If you want real estate right now, play the game & play to win.

The typical person buying a house isn't doing it to "PLAY THE GAME", they're purchasing a house as a need for shelter for themselves/family.

[Scott5280]

Back in the 80's as a teen, my grandfather would send me out all over Lost Creek wilderness, Kenosha,Geneva and Michigan Creek areas to stake gold mining claims with teams of geology students he hired from School of Mines. I summited the Twin Cone Peaks on average about an average of three times a week during the summer and camped the Jefferson side access to Lost Creek Wilderness. During that time I could hike for days without seeing another soul.
Little known info.about that area is the high altitude cow pastures magic mushroom. The only people I would
Routinely encounter were these hardcore hippie throwbacks floating along collecting nature.
I have returned to some of my favorite haunts in LCW.
It's changed like everywhere.
Natives, locals remember the old Platter River Inn?
Back in the day I had some Hell's Angels take me into town to call the only tow trucker available for miles to haul my broken down Saab out of a deep snow crevice saddled just below tree line cut off.Fun times.
I found it interesting that Lost Creek was mentioned twice earlier in this thread, had not heard those words in a while. I am a fifth generation Colorado native who has lived in Arvada,Boulder,Aspen,Ken Caryl Valley, Littleton and beautiful Fort Carson(co springs)

[2bindenver]

Originally Posted by MsBall

The typical person buying a house isn't doing it to "PLAY THE GAME", they're purchasing a house as a need for shelter for themselves/family.

You are right this is not a game for the sake of playing a game. But it is a game nonetheless. There is a strategy, timing, high stakes, negotiations, win or loose.

game
ɡām/
noun

a form of play or sport, especially a competitive one played according to rules and decided by skill, strength, or luck.