can i get some opinions on fort collins, colorado?
Question:
Hi there!
I am looking to relocate from Southern California to Fort Collins, Colorado. I grew up in gorgeous Redondo Beach and due to insanely high rents, moved to Palm Springs a few months ago. Although this town is fine, I am not having a good time here. A lot of the area is dominated by gays or retirees. I have no problem with these people but being a 25 year old straight female, I don't quite fit in. I have been here for almost four months and have yet to have made friends
Although I would LOVE to be able to move back home to the South Bay, I simply cannot afford it anymore. Rents have sky-rocketed and the prices that would make your eyes bug out in disbelief. Areas that I would be able to afford have been taken over by gangs and I'll be damned if I'm going to pay $1,600 a month rent for a place where I have to look over my shoulder and have pepper spray in hand just to walk to and from my car.
I have always had Colorado in the back of my mind, for what reason I don't know. I have never been there, but love the mountains and the type of weather that comes with it. Growing up, I've always gone camping and love the "roughing it" atmosphere. I'm not totally interested in living on a ranch or in a very rural area, but a little dirt and dust doesn't scare me. I have been doing some research on Colorado and Fort Collins seems to be the place to go. I am educated, intelligent, and personable. I am still young enough to enjoy going out here and there but would love to be able to be in a town where I would be able to find a potential someone who I could see myself settling down with
I am looking to live in a SAFE area, meaning low robbery/vandalism rates, no heavy drug use (outside of marijuana, knowing that it is all too common, especially around the colleges), NO gangs (although I AM well aware that it is impossible to get away from them altogether), and a neighborhood where I can feel safe walking my dog down the street at in the evening, without having to buy a tazer
Mainly, I just want to live in a cozy neighborhood with friendly neighbors. I want to be able to say hi to someone walking down the street and have them smile back. In California, you're more apt to get a smug look or be ignored by someone wondering why you're saying hello in the first place. I am tired of the pretentiousness of Southern California and would trade the beach for some snow and a family oriented area. I want to go somewhere where people are involved in outdoor activities or where there are yoga classes or hiking groups/buddies.
I don't mind trading in the hustle and bustle and pimped out SUVs of this city life for bundling up in the winter, building snowmen and snowangels, and riding my bike with new friends!
It's time for a change and I can't express how ready I am for it!! I'm excited to start a new chapter in my life and looking forward to what the future holds
Now, if you've read this far, you've got an idea of what I'm looking for. Or at least I hope so! Let me ask some questions...
I will need a 2 bedroom place that WILL accept a small (12 pound) dog for no more than $1,000 a month. I prefer a house with a yard but am open to an apartment with a patio or balcony.
Where in the Fort Collins area should I look into? Where should I stay away from? From some posts I've read, Greeley seems to have more free standing houses that are in my price range but is the "stay away from" area; Loveland seems a bit of a better area, and Old Town is nice if you can afford it.
I am interested in other people's opinions and neutrally biased points of view.
Any information you may have will be MUCH appreciated!! Considering I've written so much, congrats to you if you've read it all!
Answer:
For what you are looking for you really can't go wrong anywhere from downtown Denver (Lodo) all the way up to Ft. Collins. There are so many great areas in that northern front range. Stay away from Greeley. It has more of a farming community and plains feel than a front range feel. Plus the smell in winter time is uh, less than agreeable. (livestock) As far as rental prices go, typically the further towards the mountains you are, the higher the rent. So while Boulder is a nice city, its housing is much, much higher than Superior just to the east which is higher than Erie just a little further east. Northern Suburbs of Denver like Northglenn, Westminster, and Thornton are all nice but they are suburbs and feel that way. Starbucks and super targets along side master planned communities. If you are considering Loveland I would also have a look at Longmont. It really depends on what you want. All of those communities, except perhaps the northern suburbs of Denver, have older smaller homes that would be affordable and trendy new apartment buildings converted from old brick canneries or the like. What Ft. Collins would offer over the others except for Boulder is that it is a college town and has the feel of a college town. What I did was got a place on a month to month and then explored as much as I could before I eventually bought a house with a killer view in Frederick. I really like downtown Louisville, LaFayette, Longmont, Loveland, and Ft. Collins. Good luck! You will love it out here.
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