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I wish I knew

[0:00] Have you ever dreamed of dropping everything and starting fresh in Denver? I did 25 years ago, and that's why I'm here today. But there were some things no one told me that do really matter. So, in this video, I'm going to show you the seven key things I wish someone had shared with me so your Denver move feels like home from day one. Number one, and this one is really interesting, but people here call themselves native if they were born here. Now, we're not talking about indigenous people here.

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[0:28] We're talking about people that call themselves natives because they were born here. And it's really strange. Now, this is generally followed by them complaining about traffic or complaining about people moving here and ruining the state, blah blah blah. You wouldn't believe these keyboard warriors and their hate. I mean, just look at some of these comments on one of my videos. This is real. And you'd think I'd kick their dog or something with how aggressively they say that they're a native. So, here's the thing. Colorado has never had more than half of its residents born here. Today, about 6 in and 10 people are transplants. Even the peak in the 60s was 49% of people in Colorado were born here. But here's what this really means. If you're new here, you're not an outsider. you're part of the majority.

[1:22] And the truth is the people who are actually out there building community, volunteering, hiking, skiing, starting businesses, they're not the ones yelling in comments section. So don't stress about whether you belong in Colorado. Lot of air quotes right off the bat. But if you're showing up, if you're living the Colorado lifestyle and you love it, you are already a part of it. So don't let this bother you. I really think we need to do away with the whole Colorado native thing because it just I don't know. It seems a little ridiculous at this point. In Colorado, it can be a tricky place to navigate. But if you are thinking of making the move here and want help sorting things out, feel free.

[2:01] Shoot me a text message right here. My number's below. Or you can stay fully up todate on what the Denver market is doing by scanning this QR code and getting on my weekly email list. Number two, the homeless issue. You know, we need to talk about this because this one actually matters. It's impossible to ignore. In parts of Denver, you're going to see tents along some bike paths. You're going to see clusters of people downtown. And there are some blocks around town that feel like they've been entirely taken over. And if you're new here, yeah, it can be a little bit jarring, but you move here for the mountains and the lifestyle, and then suddenly you're navigating encampments on your morning run. M, it seems a little bit odd. But here's the thing.

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[2:42] This isn't just a Denver problem. Cities across the country are dealing with the same exact thing. And what makes it more visible here is a mix of our mild weather, right? We've got progressive policies in Denver and a housing market that's just gotten brutally expensive. Denver's rent and home prices have skyrocketed. And when people fall through the cracks, there's not much of a safety net to be able to catch them.

[3:06] And look, everyone has an opinion about what should be done. Some want stricter enforcement, others push for more resources and housing programs, but no one's really cracked the code yet. And what's important to know is that this is a complex issue, not some reflection of the city falling apart. It's not all good. It's not all bad. It's just real and how it is. And if you're moving here, it's something you'll have to navigate with a little bit of awareness and a lot of grace. You're going to see it more in Denver central, but once you get a little bit further out to the suburbs, you won't even notice it.

[3:39] Number three, our political range here is pretty vast. Now, Denver might feel super progressive when you first arrive. Bike lanes everywhere, plant-based stuff, vegan food, protests in Civic Park, but drive 30 minutes in almost any direction, and the energy changes fast. You're going to start to see lifted trucks, a lot of American flags on tailgates. And yes, it's not at all uncommon to walk into a gas station or grocery store and see someone open carrying a handgun on their hip. Now, you might have to be a little bit further out for that, but it's not in a threatening way. It's just there, a little bit more normal, completely legal, and totally unbothered. And that's the thing about Colorado politically. It's a patchwork. You've got a liberal city core wrapped in a pretty libertarian outer shell. And that contrast surprises a lot of people moving here expecting it to feel like a mini California. It's not. This state voted to legalize weed and also routinely elects gun right advocates to statewide office. It'll pass green energy initiatives and also fight tooth and nail over water rights and property taxes. It's not a good thing or a bad thing. It's just the reality. You get both of the mountain hippie and the rancher with a sidearm often shopping at the same Costco. So, if you're moving here with a certain expectation of how Colorado people think or act, just be ready to see the full spectrum. Number four, the weather. And I think a lot of cities can take claim to weather being crazy in their city, but here's what no one warns you about in Colorado. The sun does not play around. Yes, we get 300 days of sunshine a year. Yes, it's absolutely beautiful. 30 degrees here can feel more comfortable than 50 degrees back east because of how dry it is. And when it's 90 in July, it's still very bearable and you can go outside and do stuff. There's almost no humidity, right? You'll be outside like this is amazing. Why did nobody tell me it could be this perfect? I believe we literally have the best weather in the world. But here's the catch. That sun will burn the crap out of you fast. We're a mile closer to it. And that thinner air doesn't filter UV rays the same. You'll go on a short hike or sit on a patio for brunch and end up looking like a lobster without even realizing it. Cloudy day, doesn't matter. Winter, even worse. Some of the gnarliest sunburns I've ever seen came from people skiing without sunscreen. And here's an interesting one. If you're skiing and you're skiing with your mouth open because you're breathing through it, the roof of your mouth can get burned. Ask me how bad that is and ask me why I know. And it's just not about the sunburns. It'll dry your skin out like a lizard if you're not constantly hydrating and moisturizing. So, if you're moving here thinking it's all about fresh air and sunshine, you're not wrong. Just make sure you throw on some SPF 100 in your glove box and chapstick in every jacket pocket. Trust me on this one. Number five, it is shockingly easy to make friends here in Colorado. And we know as an adult it can generally be hard unless you live in Colorado and you have an even remotely active lifestyle. But seriously, if you're into hiking, skiing, biking, climbing, CrossFit, yoga, pickle ball, unicycle, mountain biking, whatever it is, it's literally like a social cheat code here. Join one group run or hit one climbing gym and you're very likely going to walk away with two to three new friends and probably an invite to a weekend camping trip. Not exaggerating. People here build their social lives around being outside. And it's not about going to bars or swiping endlessly on apps. It's about shared experiences in the mountains. And it doesn't have to be hardcore either. You don't need to be some ultramarathon freak or own a sprinter van. You just need to show up.

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[7:26] And you're going to find people who are down to go at your own pace. Even recently, I took a 15-year hiatus from mountain biking. I was pretty good at mountain biking back in the day. I got back into it a little bit. I posted one post on a Facebook group. Hey guys, I'm in South Denver now, not in Boulder anymore and I'm getting back into mountain biking. Where should I go? I kid you not, within one to two days, there were about 60 comments and half of them were like, "Dude, welcome back.

[7:51] This is awesome. We go here on Tuesdays, here on Fridays at 4:30 and 5:00. Come on by. Don't only just go, but come join us and we'll go at your pace." I was I was pretty floored at how open everybody was. and I'm 43 years old. So, I'm not exactly young, not easy to make friends, but man, I forget how open they were. You just got to put yourself out here. Now, on the flip side, if you're not active, if you work from home and you don't really get outside much and you keep to yourself, it can be pretty lonely. A lot of people struggle to connect in Denver because they haven't tapped into the one thing that brings everyone here together, the outdoors.

[8:28] But the good news is, if you're even a little bit curious, there's a group for you here. And once you find your crew, that feeling of I don't know anyone here disappears fast. Number six, which might be the death of all of us, which is mountain traffic. This will 100% test your patience, and it'll test your resolve. You picture yourself moving to Colorado, waking up Saturday morning, grabbing coffee, and cruising into the mountains for a peaceful hike or a powder day. And yeah, that is possible, but only if you leave at 5:00 a.m. or if you have a helicopter because I7 on a weekend, it's a war zone, which should be a 75 to 90 minute drive to brick or veil can easily turn into a three-hour standstill because one person tapped on their brakes wrong. And don't even get me started on Sunday afternoons coming back into town because you're going to be crawling bumper to bumper with 40,000 other people who had the exact same brilliant idea as you did. It's not just skiing season either. Summer traffic heading into the mountains for hiking, raftings, or even just a drive along the front range can be pretty brutal. Locals even plan their entire weekends around avoiding I70s at certain hours. I know we do. If we're going skiing on the weekend, we'll go up Friday evening, but even that's starting to get busy. So, we might head to Thursday evening, right, and stay there for a couple more days uh just to avoid a lot of the traffic.

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[9:52] There's apps, there's Facebook groups, there's even live tech threads that are dedicated to sharing back road routes like it's classified intel. But the bottom line is Colorado's mountains are absolutely incredible. But the secret's out and there's a lot of people who live here now. So if you're not willing to be strategic about it, you'll spend more time in your car than on the trail. So plan early, leave late, or just embrace weekday adventures if you can swing it.

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[10:18] And number seven, and you thought I'd avoid what all of you are wondering about. Look, Denver is not cheap, but when you break it down category by category, it's often more reasonable than you think. And I will fight you on this and I will die on this hill. I am from Chicago originally, and Chicago's home prices are 50% of what they are here in Colorado. But when I've done the math on it, I've done the tight math on it, it's marginally more expensive than living in a place like Chicago. And where would you rather live? Colorado or Illinois? Right? I It's the simple decision. Now, overall, the cost is about 9 to 12% higher than the national average. But I ask you again, for another 10%. Would you rather live in Colorado or Iowa or Florida or Washington? Washington's pretty nice.

[11:06] Montana, no. They're going to be way more expensive and they don't want you there anyways. So, you just got to ask yourself that logical question. Is it worth spending a little bit more to live in one of the best places in the world? Now, housing roughly is about 23 to 27% more expensive than the national average. Utilities are actually cheaper, about 10 to 11% cheaper. Groceries, we're on par with the national average.

[11:30] Transportation about 4 to 5% cheaper. Healthcare about 10 to 14% more expensive, right? For doctor visits, prescription, things like that. Vet bills particularly. So, what's the real story here? Housing is the big bite, but everything else mostly right in line with national averages or even better. Denver's dry climate helps keeps utilities down. Groceries, transportation costs haven't gone through the roof like in some of the coastal cities. But here's the thing, income does matter in Denver. And Denver's median household income ranks high. It's around 67,000 per person, which does absolutely help in the affordability category. And if you are looking at different areas and wondering what the affordability is like, again, just feel free shoot me a text message or a phone call or just scan this QR code, get on my weekly email list, and I'll keep you up to date on what's going on in the Denver market. Now, if you are thinking of making the move here and have been exploring these different areas, you'll really need to check out this video.