Gastro Gnome - Eat Better Wherever

Moving in a year. Reno vs Colorado Springs vs Denver suburbs

I know there are lots to consider when making a big move like this, but lets get to what is important. How may Colorado/Nevada nonresident points do you have that in a year or so you can turn into a premium tag as a resident?
 
I know Colorado well. Been doing business there for 25 years. If I were to move to CO it would be in this order

Grand Junction- Has a great airport near by. One of the top elk unit possibly anywhere. Lots of great over the counter easy to get as resident tags or with minimal points.

Evergreen/ Fort Collins area
Colorado Springs- Great airport also nearby.

I have the ability for work to live anywhere in the NW. Lived in Oregon for 30 years. I chose Idaho over all the states I could have moved to. Chose over CO, UT, OR, WA, MT ( WY only because of lack of airport) IF I didn't care about an airport for business it would be WY.

Good luck and enjoy where ever you go.

If you retired then traffic isn't a concern but Denver is getting really really bad.
 
I have been in the Springs for 13 years now. In that time the city has just about doubled. Traffic is only an issue at rush hours, and even then NOTHING compared to Denver. The city here is easy to navigate.

Food and cultural activities here are highly underrated and pretty abundant. Healthcare access is good. The airport here (although lacking the same number of non stop flights) is a breezed to get to and conecct out of. Access to the high country is pretty easy up 24 (although during the summer it is a PITA due to all of the tourists and RVs). From my house on the Westside I can be up to Woodland park in about 30 min.

Politics here I find to be a good mix- fiscally conservative and responsible, socially libertarian with slight liberal leanings. Government services are comparatively good. There is a good chance that the politics will remain stable given to the approximately 80% of the population being directly associated to the military (there are 5 military installations in town). Housing costs are not low (value on mine has about doubled in the las 10 years) but much lower than Denver area.

If you have any questions feel free to PM me.
 
Reno would be my vote. The way things are going you may need that 1-2k per month sooner than you think.
 
I'm new here, and don't know you, and honestly can't tell from your posts in this thread if you're conservative or liberal. I was leaning conservative, until you said you liked Boulder....

If you're conservative = Reno or Colorado Springs
If you're liberal = Basically anywhere else in urban Colorado

I care little if a city is leaning left or leaning right but detest when complex issues restrict an open and robust airing of ideas.
 
I know there are lots to consider when making a big move like this, but lets get to what is important. How may Colorado/Nevada nonresident points do you have that in a year or so you can turn into a premium tag as a resident?
CO wins that comparison. Can draw 4 very good tags as soon as a resident. My odds on moose and bighorn ewe (shot one years ago in CO as 2nd choice that used no points) go up to 10%.

5 years to go on the NV elk wait. NV is the ole Square + 1 dealio so odds improve but hard to say when draw the tags.
 
No, I rarely hunt within 100 miles of Yellowstone.

California still allows elk, deer, pronghorn, and bear hunting too, BTW. No 100 mile buffer around any national parks either that I'm aware of.

Insert all the California politics you want, don't care.

California will also "allow" you to date a supermodel, but that ain't gonna happen.

Move to California tomorrow. You will never see an Elk, Pronghorn, or Sheep tag.
 
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Appreciate all the feedback.

First choice is Reno. Colorado Springs will be it if Reno is a bust. Headed to Reno in two weeks to look at neighborhoods.
I have friends in Gardnerville It's worth a drive down there for lunch dinner or Drinks at the JT.
 
Reno has poored a ton of money in their downtown area to clean it up (and make it smell better). Lot's of good local restaurants/pub type places. The river walk is beautiful.
 
Am close to retiring. Housing prices are not a concern nor is the job market. We will spend 30 to 90 days overseas each year so can avoid those months while healthy enough to travel. I enjoy a nice meal at a restaurant on special occasions. Decent medical facilities are a plus with some "old age issues" specialists available.

Have spent winters in Scottsdale and summers in Portland. Will sell both homes and buy a home in one of three cities: Reno, Colorado Springs, Denver suburb such as Golden.

For any of you with knowledge on any of the above cities, what would be your Top 3 reasons to move and Top 3 to avoid?

I have some bonus points in NV and Preference points in CO. In Colorado could immediately, upon achieving residency, have 100% odds on good elk, deer, pronghorn and bear hunts plus 10% on moose and Bighorn ewe. In Nevada, no real locks to draw with my points.

I no longer mountain hunt (picture below from a decade ago) or solo backpack hunt but can manage okay on an outfitted hunt on horses into back country. I can day hike hunt as well but not very deep and no way can pack an elk out anymore. I like to turkey hunt. Duck hunt. I enjoy fly fishing but have not done so for a decade. I enjoy day hikes. Riding horses. I don't ski anymore.

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Reno pencils out to provide about $1,000 to $2000 more a month of post-tax cash flow, mostly due to having no state income tax. That is not life-altering for us. I think of Reno as Scottsdale but 20 degrees cooler each month plus snow and forest fire smoke.

Colorado Springs is about twice the size of Reno and a bit more conservative. Near Denver if want to spend a weekend in a big city. More snow than Reno.

Denver suburb has tons of non-stop flights via DEN including 14 countries plus pro sports teams but air quality varies from good (Golden) to bad (Aurora) and have 3 million neighbors including some which have issues society is struggling to address yet those folks are drawn to Denver with its outreach services.

I will be happy in any of these three cities.
Tough choice. Good luck.
 
Just came back from a week vacation in reno/Tahoe
Hands down the dirtiest, smelliest, most disgusting city on the west coast. Makes the California homeless situation look like amateur hour. Two major hotel/casinos are being converted into homeless housing which is only going to attract more.. flies to poop or something like that.

Virginia highlands outside reno might be worth looking at. But your stuck between Reno and Carson City, so it's really a losing scenario all the way around.

I spent 3 weeks in Colorado in April this year looking for property to relocate to. Drove that state from top to bottom and east to west, I never realized Colorado was a liberal safe haven. 😳 it's really gone downhill, even the smaller communities...

I visited 22 other states last year for the sole purpose of finding somewhere to move to. I don't think I'm moving anytime soon.. good luck bud
 
Just came back from a week vacation in reno/Tahoe
Hands down the dirtiest, smelliest, most disgusting city on the west coast. Makes the California homeless situation look like amateur hour. Two major hotel/casinos are being converted into homeless housing which is only going to attract more.. flies to poop or something like that.

Virginia highlands outside reno might be worth looking at. But your stuck between Reno and Carson City, so it's really a losing scenario all the way around.

I spent 3 weeks in Colorado in April this year looking for property to relocate to. Drove that state from top to bottom and east to west, I never realized Colorado was a liberal safe haven. 😳 it's really gone downhill, even the smaller communities...

I visited 22 other states last year for the sole purpose of finding somewhere to move to. I don't think I'm moving anytime soon.. good luck bud
22 other states? Where do you live right now? mtmuley
 
22 other states? Where do you live right now? mtmuley
California
I had a very minor back surgery in January of last year and decided to take the year off and travel with the wife to look for properties. It was a fantastic experience but also an eye opener. The "grass isn't always greener" has a whole new meaning to me. Really sad how far some of these states have fallen , I don't want to turn this political, but there are PLENTY of states with the same or even worse problems than CA. All in, I'd say I I have it narrowed down to 3 states I'll consider relocating to.
 
I go to Reno a few times a year. Can't say I'd like to live there. Long drive to anywhere too, so would be really reliant on the airport. I know you did not mention it, but Grand Junction might be a good place to check out for just about every reason you listed (except pro sports).
 
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