Why Colorado

We are moving to Colorado in about a month. Although we're excited (very, very excited) there is a lot to do! It's so different to move now than the last time I moved. Moving with an almost 4-year-old is very different than moving as a single person or even a couple. It's important to note that this is not a relocation. My husband (WS) is leaving a job at the medical center with the best reputation on the west coast for a new job at a University hospital in CO. However, he very willingly applied for the job in CO because he and I both have had a desire to move out of LA. We have felt very unhappy in LA for quite a while. The real deciding factor came during our summer vacation to Colorado. That trip convinced us that we had to move back there.

We loved living in LA before we had our daughter. There are great bars, restaurants, and so much to do. BUT everything changed when we had our daughter (E). The biggest problem that we have is housing. We live in a 2 bedroom condo. That was fine before E came along, but now we have no room. We are a typical middle class family and it's difficult for us to even consider buying a home in our area. I know housing prices have gone down since last year, but nice homes are still like $750,000 in the neighborhood where we live. There's no way that we could afford a home where we live. What about the suburbs? I actually really like some areas that surround LA. We have some friends in Simi Valley and in Santa Clarita. The commute would be way, way too much for us. WS is just not into it. He has to drive into Westwood every day. A major commute from anywhere. He doesn't want to spend hours in his car every day.

Schools in our neighborhood are your typical LAUSD schools. The elementary schools nearby our condo is not bad, but there is no way that I would send E to the public Jr High or High School. So, I had already made up my mind to send E to a local Catholic school when she was ready for Kinder. That is just another added expense.

Everything is more expensive in LA. When we have had family visit, they comment on how pricey everything is compared to CO. Likewise, when we visited CO last summer it was noticeable.

Traffic is a nightmare in LA. There is traffic all of the time. Weekends and weekdays. ALL THE TIME. I'm so tired of it. It takes 3 hours to drive down to see friends in Orange County. That's not right. It also seems like its getting worse.

Our summer trip to CO really pushed us to the point of making it happen. We realized that we could live a better life. We could actually buy a house. We were both convinced without much convincing. When we returned to LA we decided that it was something to pursue. And here we are. It seems that it was meant to be. There was a job opening for WS and he was hired. That part worked out so well.

Our CO pros and cons lists:

CO Pros

1. We can afford a house, not just a condo.
2. Not as much traffic as LA.
   
3. Job market is better for teachers. I hear it's still tough, but not as bad as California. Getting a teaching job is impossible here.
   
4. E can go to a public school.
   
5. WS has family (parents and sisters) in CO.
6. Better skiing (that's a pro for WS).
   

CO Cons

1. There is no beach.
2. My family doesn't live there.
3. Less diversity of population.
4. No Trader Joe's
5. Snow in the wintertime.
   

For us the decision was not difficult. We both feel completely certain that we want to live there again. WS grew up there and I spent 2 years of college in Boulder. Now we just need to figure out what we're doing!