As a Colorado Springs Military Relocation Specialist, I find I'm answering a lot of the same great questions.

So I've decided to put a list together of the most common ones I hear to help give you a headstart on your move.

1. How cold does it get in Colorado?

This is kind of a trick question. If you asked me when I was 22 (and had lived only on the Gulf Coast of Texas and New Orleans) then I'd say pretty darn cold. It gets below 20 F sometimes!

After doing a 5 year stint in Montana, however, I now think it's quite a decent middle ground. Below 0 temperatures are few and far between...and before you Southerners go running for the hills, let me tell you that the LACK OF HUMIDITY makes a HUGE DIFFERENCE! I now think it's hot anytime it gets over 85.

The winters are pretty mild...snow melts fast and real blizzards are few and far between. The good news is that we get about 5-10 days of delayed reporting every year (that's when you get to sleep in and come to work after the snow plows have done their thing!)

2. What's the best place to live for my base?

I'll answer this one in phases. If you're moving to Peterson AFB, then you'll probably want to check out the Powers Corridor. It's the big hotspot for new construction and lots of great retail stores (movie theaters, restaurants, Best Buys, etc.) To get a feel for the different neighborhoods and commute times, I've made a quick list of areas surrounding Peterson AFB Real Estate.

Schriever AFB is close enough to Peterson and far enough away from everything else (it IS in the eastern plains, with nothing for miles around) that you'll end up in the same area. The one differnce with Schriever is that you're likely to consider homes a little farther east, such as Falcon or new homes in Banning Lewis Ranch.

Fort Carson is in a completely different part of the city. It resides in the Southern tip of Colorado Springs. There you'll still find new restaurants and retail shopping, but you're also closer to the mountains. That means if you're into hiking, mountain biking and camping, you're all set. And if you're not...give it a try! This is one of the best places to be active in the country. In fact, Men's Fitness rated Colorado Springs as America's Fittest City for 2008. It doesn't get any better than that! For housing, you'll want to look for homes in Fountain as well as the other areas listed under Fort Carson Real Estate.

The Air Force Academy is nestled in the foothills of the Rockies. It's at the northern edge of town, so if you're looking for homes close to the Air Force Academy, then you'll also have quick access to Denver and a lot of Skiing. Your best bet for housing will be in the Briargate, Gleneagle, Rockrimmon and even Powers Corridor areas. The good news is that you'll really have a great selection as far as variety of neighborhoods and type of housing are concerned.

3. How far away is Denver and Skiing?

After being stationed in Montana, this was definitely a high point of my own Colorado Springs military relocation. Denver is about an hour north of the Springs. The scenery is great and it really feels a lot shorter than that...except when you're coming home from a late night out in LoDo (Denver's famous Downtown Area.)

The Ski Hills are a little farther. You'll average a 2 1/2 hour trip to get to A-Basin, Keystone and Breckinridge. If you want to venture further north or west, then you've got a whole slew of moutains to choose from. It makes for a long day. I've always either car pooled up to split driving (always work it so you can RIDE on the way home!) or rented a condo with several friends and spent the night. One year, I even went in on a condo for the season...paying monthly rent....and then going up as much as I wanted. (Note: if you do this pick REALLY clean friends!)

4. I'm not really into the Outdoors...what else can I do in Colorado?

Well, being a big foodie myself (C'mon...I lived in New Orleans for 4 years!) I can safely say there's a lot of great local restaurants. The Blue Star (Fusion) and Jake and Telly's (authentic Greek) are 2 of my favorites. And there's lots of familiar fare with The Outback, Applebee's, TGI Fridays, Bennigan's, Chilis, the California Pizza Kitchen and more. If this is an area of concern, or you want a few more recommendations, drop me a line and I'll make sure you have some great dinners here in town.

We also have a lot of shopping...2 big malls, The Promenade Shops at Briargate, and The Outlets at Castle Rock (30 minutes north.)

Last and certainly not least is DENVER! Go see the Broncos, Nuggets, Avs, or Rapids and make a day of it! Take the whole family and catch lunch beforehand....or hit a game with your buddies and then The LoDo District for a night out on the town. And then there's the rest of what a big city has to offer, with museums, theater and concerts. Speaking of concerts, you MUST see a show at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre while you're here. Such an increadibly amazing venue (I saw John Mayer and Ben Folds Five there last year....sooooo worth it!)

5. How much do Houses cost?

The average house in Colorado Springs is about $225,000. You can find a LOT of single family homes in the area for $175k - $250k. Most of my Colorado Springs military relocation clients find homes they're really happy with in that price range. I've even found a few of them brand new homes for that much. If you want to spend less, I recommend looking at townhomes or condos. You won't have as much yard, but you'll be putting BAH in your own pocket instead of somebody else's.

I hope you found this FAQ helpful!

If you think of any other big questions that I missed or should be in here, then please let me know! I'm happy to answer them and make this a better guide for our military service members!

Contact me if you have more questions about your upcoming PCS and want to work with a Colorado Springs Military Relocation Specialist.

Jamie Mades, REALTOR
Keller Williams Clients Choice
Office: (719) 535-0355
Direct: (719) 322-4645

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Jamie is a residential Colorado Springs real estate and Colorado Springs Military Relocation specialist, providing buyer and seller services for Peterson AFB real estate, Fort Carson real estate, Schriever AFB real estate and Air Force Academy real estate.

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