Colorado or Virginia?

[Sloan24]

My boyfriend and I are thinking about where we want to live once we graduate from college, and we can't decide between living somewhere in Colorado or somewhere in Virginia.

Do you know the good and bad points about either of these states, and what cities are best for semi-rural living, which is to say, we want a pretty big house with a lot of land

Any input would be greatly appreciated

[Mergs]

depending on what it is that you want to do with regard to paying bills, and if you want to keep fencing, AND have a semi-rural house and land (whose cost won't look like the national debt, well, the debt pre-Jan '09), my vote would be Colorado, but anywhere that meets your semi-rural requirement, but near large enough cities to support a good fencing community are going to be pricey.

Basically, too little info to advise.

If you would choose VA, then I'd suggest the southwest portion of the state. As a bumper sticker around where I am says 'Welcome to Northern Viginia. Expect Delays.'

[Allen Evans]

...for semi-rural living, which is to say, we want a pretty big house with a lot of land

I haven't seen the land prices in Colorado lately, but "semi-rural" in Virginia is a very expensive proposition. My real estate agent tells me that prices have fallen in VA, but I suppose that's relative: the prices for real estate in VA are still sky high. Most mid-income people have been pushed 15-30 miles outside of the beltway (or more), and prices continue to stay high in those areas.

You might expand your criteria a little bit to consider Idaho and Eastern Washington (since you don't seem to be opposed to Colorado weather) and compare them to places in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia, unless you have specific reasons to be in Co. or VA.

[pacer]

If you want to stay within close distance (30 - 45 minutes day) of a fencing club in Colorado, generally you'll be looking at a suburb of Denver, Boulder or Colorado Springs. (There is a club in Grand Junction on the Western Slope , but I do not know much about them)

Within in 45 minutes of any of these locations, you can find urban, suburban, rural or "mountain" locations. For rural, look at Elbert County (towns of Elizabeth or Kiowa - put you south east of Denver/north east of Colo Springs) or Douglas county . Boulder and Longmont also have some larger lots and newer developments - but I cannot comment on land prices. Close in mountain terrain is in Evergreen (near Denver, but in Jefferson County) Bailey or Conifer, or Woodland Park (west of Colo. Springs).

I don't know what your price range is, but the real estate market remains a buyer's market. Recolorado.com is the public access website for the multiple listing service for realtors.

Good Luck!

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Hmmm...what about Oregon? There are many "rural" properties within an easy drive of the Portland metro area sitting on acres of land. One of the innovative ideas Portland had many years ago was to draw a ring around the metro core, and actively discourage "urban sprawl" housing outside that ring. That means within 20-30 minutes, you can be way out in the boonies, while the inner core stays compact, and is served with a superior light rail mass transit system.

There have been some Portland fencers who have had significant success in the National and International arenas.

Even better: no sales tax, only $80 to register your car for two years, and lots of sunshine!*



* by Oregon statue; "sunshine" is legally defined as a day which may include sea mist, low-hanging clouds, pelting rain, and no actual appearance of the sun.

[Allen Evans]

Oregon is a great place, with all the advantages listed, but the job market (as I hear from my unemployed Oregon friends and family) is still pretty slim, depending (as always) on your field.

AE

[Sloan24]

wow, that's a ton of information and good ideas!! I really appreciate it!!

I have been leaning toward Colorado, and now that you've mentioned about delays and the beltway in Virginia, I'm thinking about crossing Virginia off the list.

In regards to fencing, in Colorado, we're leaning toward Boulder.

In terms of prices, I have no idea what we'll be making by the time we move, because we will be right out of college (Ritt is going for a Theater major, and I'm going for Psychology), so I hope there will be some good priced real estate.

As for including Washington, Idaho, and Oregon, I'll definitely bring those into the conversation!!

Again, I really appreciate all this information, and if anyone else has input, the more information I get on this decision, the better!!

[Nolano]

Oregon is pretty great, and I don't know if I'd want to live anywhere else. I can't really say much about many other places.

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Boulder is a really cool town, or at least it used to be. It also has some of the most expensive real estate on the Front Range, and some of the densest neighborhoods (small lots). Just so you know.

Alan is absolutely right. The Pacific NW, like many places, has some pretty severe unemployment right now, and Oregon is among the highest outside the Rust Belt. Yet, the real estate market pricing has contracted much less here than other parts of the country. Go figure.

If I was independently wealthy--a circumstance unlikely to happen in my lifetime--I'd live in the Idaho panhandle.

[Sloan24]

ooh, small lots, I dont' like that phrase..... and expensive real estate? *disappointed*

[Capt. Slo-mo]

But that's in Boulder. If you jump out 10-15 miles from town, you can get the larger lots and more reasonable real estate. Nice easy drive to go to the Pearl Mall and watch all the buskers doing their buskering.

For that matter, in the center of the western suburbs of Denver, there are pockets of 1/2 acre horse properties. We used to live on one...so there are plenty of options...assuming one can find gainful employment first.

[AndrewH]

Also, remember that Virginia is the home of the $3000 speeding ticket.

[catwood1]

Also, remember that Virginia is the home of the $3000 speeding ticket.

Well thats true at all. (Anymore...)

[AndrewH]

Well thats true at all. (Anymore...)

Oh did they get rid of it? Not that it affects me because it only applied to VA residents, but still, it was pretty silly. Also probably unconstitutional.

[rburch]

Don't forget VA yet, the northern part around DC is pretty bad.

But as you move further west and south it gets much more rural. The drawback is the more rural, the less fencing.

So you'll need to locate clubs and pick areas around them to locate.

I live in Blacksburg VA, on 5 acres at the moment, 3 acres of woods, 2 of field, but we're still about 5-10 minutes from walmart and the malls.

The drawback to me is there isn't a real fencing club in the area, but I've been practicing with two local college clubs, Virginia Tech, and Radford University, Virginia Tech even hosts at least one USFA open each fall, so I don't have to leave home to compete.

So yeah just remember the northern part of virginia isn't the only part of the state.