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Moving to Colorado Overview

[0:00] Did you know that more people move from California to Colorado than any other pairing of states in the entire country? So, if you're thinking of making that move, you're absolutely not alone. Uh, but there's some things you should know first so you don't screw it up. So, in this video, we're going to break down everything you need to know from cost of living, the lifestyle differences, and some of the biggest mistakes that you could be making. Now, let's just address the elephant in the room right away. Uh, that California is ruining Colorado.

[0:26] Because if you're moving here from California, he's probably already heard that, right? I mean, go read the comments in any video about moving here, right? I've got thousands of them. People blaming California for literally everything. Uh, but here's the truth, and this is important. Uh, because I'm not from here originally either, and most people aren't. Colorado has had more people moving into it than being born here since the 60s. Okay? So, this idea that Colorado was this untouched place until Californians show up is just garbage. It's just not true. Uh, this has always been a state where people have moved to. Now, are there people who don't like the growth? Sure. Of course, that's every desirable place in the country. But here's where I'd caution you. Don't make a real life decision based on what you see online. Because the people in the comments complaining all day, they're not the ones out skiing, hiking, building businesses, raising families, and enjoying what Colorado has to offer. They're just loud keyboard warriors. And the reality on the ground is very, very different. You know, most people here, especially the ones who moved here, are here because they love the lifestyle and they're out actually living it, right? And they want other people to enjoy it, too. So, if you're coming from California, don't feel like you're walking into some hostile environment. You know, that's just not how it plays out in real life.

[1:44] What actually matters way more is this. Do you actually want the lifestyle Colorado offers? Because if you do, you're going to fit in just fine. Now, while making this decision on moving here, there are a ton of questions. There's probably arguments happening in your household right now. And I'd be happy to be the mediator in them. Call me, text me, reach out. I've been helping people move here, relocate to Colorado, uh, for the last 15 years, and I love talking to people about it. And if you're not ready to talk, just download my relocation buyer guide. It's going to answer so many questions that you have mullled around in your head right now. Now, the real reason most people find themselves coming here is because of the lifestyle. You know, Colorado was built around being outside.

Colorado's Outdoor Lifestyle

[2:24] That's the biggest shift if you're coming from California. You know, you've got the mountains, obviously, skiing, snowboarding, hiking, biking, but what people don't fully realize until they're here is how accessible it all is. you know, Denver sits right along what we call the Front Range, right? That's where the Front Range of the Mountains start. Um, and this is where most people in the state live. And from there, you're 20 to 30 minutes, even if you're in downtown Denver, you're 20 to 30 minutes from the foothills. And then to the west, beyond that, you've got hours in every direction of just pure mountains and foot. We're talking thousands of miles of trails, small mountain towns, places to explore where there's no big cities, no crowds like you'd expect. just open spaces and that's really what you're buying into here. Now, yeah, we don't have the ocean, right? You're not going to get that. But outside of that, Colorado checks almost every other outdoor box.

[3:17] And the big difference is you actually use it here. It's not like, hey, let's plan a trip to go do something outdoors. Nope. It's kind of built into your week and it's kind of expected that people will be going hiking and biking and skiing and things like that, right? You're going to see people running, biking, walking dogs, hiking every single day. Um, you can't drive 2 minutes without seeing someone outside doing something. So, if you're moving here thinking, I want to be more active.

[3:43] I want to be more outside, this is one of the best places in the country for that. But if that's not really you, if you're not actually going to use it, then you're going to lose a big part of why people choose Colorado in the first place, right? Uh, you know, even the way people eat here, it's just a little bit different. Organic food is everywhere. Uh most grocery stores carry it as a standard option. It's not something that's a specialty item. You know, I've been here 25 years. Uh when I go back to the Midwest, where I'm from, uh it stands out a lot. You know, there's a lot more fast food. There's less focus on health. It's just a different culture. But Colorado leans the other way where now, yeah, we still do have fast food, right? We're not perfect. Uh, but overall, you know, people here just care more about how they feel, how they live, and how active they are. And that's a big part of the lifestyle shift. So, if you're coming from California, this part will probably feel pretty darn natural to you. Now, let's talk about one of the biggest drivers for you Californians wanting to move here, and that's going to be cost. You know, because compared to California, your money just goes a lot further in Colorado. And this is one of those things that's easy to understand on paper, but it really hit home with me when I was working with some clients moving here from the San Francisco area.

Cost of Living Reality

[4:58] You know, we were driving around looking at homes in the 6 to $700,000 range, 3 to 4,000 square ft, 5 bedrooms, decent neighborhood. Uh, and they were just blown away. They're just telling me out loud and I I I see it on paper and are your medium price compared to ours and yes it's quite a bit higher but until you have someone in the backseat of your car going hey honey that's a $ 1.5 to2 million house from where we're from like what's that thing going for you're like look it up and you're like 675 and they're just in shock and awe right and that's when it clicks because now is Colorado cheap nope not anymore but relative to California especially your coastal markets, you know, San Francisco, San Diego, LA, it's a massive different. And it's not just about the purchase price either. It's your overall lifestyle cost. You know, your housing payment, what you get for that payment, the space, the neighborhoods, it all feels a lot more reasonable for most buyers. Insurance costs, our property taxes are the third lowest in the country. You know, there's a lot of upsides here when you really start breaking down the math uh in comparison to a lot of cities in the country. So, for a lot of people, move isn't about downgrading. It's actually about making an upgrade to your lifestyle. More space, better access to the outdoors, and a lifestyle that feels well, just a bit more balanced without spending what you would in California. And that's a big reason why this move makes so much sense for a lot of people. Now, what mistakes could you possibly be making on thinking of your move here? Well, one big mistake I see a lot of people thinking is, "I'm moving to Colorado. I want to be in the mountains." And they go all in on that idea. And it sounds great at first views. privacy, nature, all of it. But what they don't get about is the daytoday life here. Living in the mountains is very different than visiting them, right? You're dealing with longer drives to get to groceries, fewer services, less access to things like restaurants, hospitals, uh reliable internet in some areas, and then winter hits, and everything slows down, and roads can get tough. snow sticks around longer and just getting in and getting out of your house can become a lot more of a process. So, what ends up happening is people love it for a few months and then realize it's not as practical as they thought. And for most buyers, the sweet spot is actually being near the mountains but not fully in them. The mountains can be tough, ladies and gentlemen. Um, you know, the deterioration of your house is much more rapid. You probably have to paint your house every 3 to 5 years if you're living in the mountains proper. And on a map, you can look somewhere and go, "Hey, like this is a great spot." I mean, I used to live with someone. I was in Rollinsville at the time, which is west of Boulder by about 30 minutes. And by the way, the crow flies, he was getting a call from someone who owned a property in Winter Park, and they were like, "Hey, can you come paint my house?" He was a house painter. And cuz on a map, it's like it looks like it's a 15 20 minute drive. It's a 2 and 1 half hour drive from there to there. Why?

Location Matters Most

[7:52] Because there's these things called mountains in the way, and you got to go way out of your way to get there. So, you really got to be careful if you're planning on being in the mountains. Now, another big one that might seem obvious on the surface is that people just underestimate the weather here. You know, Colorado gets marketed as this sunny place, and it is. And I do believe we have the best weather in the world here, but we do have real winters. You know, you're going to get snow, you're going to get cold stretches that are zero degrees at times, and you're going to have to deal with it. That's it.

Weather Expectations

[8:18] Driving the snow, shoveling, maintaining your home, it's a part of living here. Uh, and it's not just winter. You know, the weather changes really, really fast. We are the hail capital of the world here. So if extreme weather is not your thing, like just check it off your list right now. You know, you can have a 60°ree day followed by a snowstorm the next day. Literally just this weekend, we were 18° on Sunday, we got about 6 in of snow, and today 2 days later, it's 80°. That's just the reality here. Now, the upside is we do get a lot of sun, and snow usually melts really quickly compared to other cold weather uh states. But if you're coming from a place where winter isn't even really a thing, this is a lifestyle adjustment and the people who do best here are the ones who lean into it and not fight it because weather isn't something you're going to beat. Uh, and you just got to embrace it. And I don't know, I just love it here, you know. And if you're making this debate again, uh, feel free, call me, text me, reach out. I'd be happy to talk with you about whatever your goals are. Or download my guide here. It'll answer all the questions that you got. And another mistake I see people make, especially if you're on the younger side, is expecting a strong night life here. Denver does not have a big nightlife scene like California does. And I don't mean there's nothing to do. There is. There's good restaurants. There's good bars. Uh there's some really cool spots, but it's just not on the same level as LA, San Diego, San Francisco. Things close early here. There's way less variety and it's just not as much of a late night culture. That's just the reality of it.

Social Scene Differences

[9:47] Colorado is way more of a wake up early, go do something outside type of place. not stay out till 2 to 3:00 a.m. every weekend. You know, and this is where some people get caught off guard cuz if it's a big part of your lifestyle, uh having that night life, the food scene, events, that kind of energy, you might feel like, uh, something's missing here. Okay? But if you're more into balance, you know, getting outside, having a slower pace, maybe going out, but not living for it, then Denver fits really well for a lot of people. Uh, so it's not that it's bad, it's just different.

[10:19] You're not going to find a place open at 3:00 a.m. You're just not. And if you expect that, like, you're probably going to be disappointed. Now, making this big move, especially coming from California, safety is always a concern. And all my buyers ask me about that. They just do. So, that's why I put together this video about the safest areas you can live in the Denver metro area.