Great podcast! As a snow-embracing Boston area native whom visits my daughter’s young and active family in the Boulder area, I’d add … 1. The air’s so dry in Boulder, every day is a good hair day! 2. As much as Boulderites complain, Property taxes in Boulder and Colorado at large are ridiculously low. While at first glance it’s great for housing costs, it means fewer municipal and county services, as well as caliber of public education. And it shows. 3. Boulder’s homeless population is growing, everpresent, and alarming - it’s become commonplace to have homeless riddle your mailbox, sit on your porch, try your locks, and rummage through and sleep in your car if it’s unlocked, leaving a cloud of sickeningly stale sweet pot smoke and worse behind. More and more properties are getting monitored security systems. 4. The K-12 public schools are incredibly underfunded. I think those whom can afford it and care go private. 5. The city doesn’t plow its side streets during snowstorms. But the air is so dry and the sun so strong, it doesn’t last for long. 6. The altitude takes getting used to - especially for those with COPD or seniors. Take it very slow, drink lots of water, and rest as nec.. 7. Not only the restaurants, but the supermarkets have extraordinary organic produce and meats - Sprouts, Alfalfa’s, King Soopers, and more. I cook major dishes (whole chickens, chile rellenos, that sort of thing) whenever I visit, and delight in Boulder’s local fare every time! BTW, most recipe times and temps need to be adjusted for the higher altitude! 8. Nothing is cheap in Boulder except the public’s access to nature and most public events 9. Drivers are incredibly polite and civil compared to Boston. The little side street rotaries are charming and remind drivers to stop, ‘mind the gap,’ and smell the roses. 10. The diversity of architecture is unparalleled, and ranges from bright colored humble bungalows with book drops and flower gardens out front to stately historic mansions behind grand iron and red rock entrances. 11. Many people don’t wash their cars. Maybe the air’s so dry, the DPW doesn’t use as much salt on the roads, rust is slower? 12. The resident population and local businesses are keenly earth-aware - sustainability is assumed, as is recycling. 13. Pearl Street shopping and dining are easily a great full-day adventure, from the wonderful and independent Boulder Bookstore to the distinctly-Boulder Liberty Puzzles flagship store, to Island Farm to countless arts and crafts stores and my favorite - the amazing Peppercorn. Eateries dot the way. Pearl Street’s core pedestrian walkway is filled with benches, other respite areas, sculptures, and flowerbeds. 14. No deep-dive Boulder visit would be complete without dropping into Boulder Furniture Arts (on Pearl for decades but now on 26th street) for the finest custom-crafted heirloom pieces west of the Mississippi. 15. Boulder housing, whether buying or renting, is very expensive, even for high income techies. For buyers, my best advice is to buy as close to downtown as soon as possible just short of going over your financial head. Never take what your lender claims you can ‘handle!’ Lenders don’t give a damn about your financial reality, and are in business to make money off you at any cost. Distill the madness, trust your gut: plan a big down (20+%), no HOA (HOA fees are uncappable, will eclipse your mortgage payment, and cede real ownership), and get a fixed rate 15-30 yr mortgage. Have your ducks in a row and be ready to pounce for the right listing.
All very good and insightful points, thanks so much for posting! I will add that the drivers in Boulder are much nicer than those I lived with in D.C. as well, and a dirty car in Boulder can be seen as a source of pride. It shows you went into the mountains or did something located by dirt roads, taking advantage of the landscape. Thanks again for posting!
Wow I truly appreciate "every day is a good hair day", thank you for noting this because I am always considering "how well will my blowouts last" when I'm considering destinations, ty!
As someone who lives nearby, I would say this is a pretty accurate description of Boulder, as viewed from someone who does NOT actually live there, but passes thru a good bit. Its a quirky town, good nature and hiking, but the town itself it getting a little too crowded and dense for my taste.
Boulder is also very deep blue politically. If you are not so comfortable with that consider the neighboring Weld county, next county over to the East. Conservative, sensable. Lots more space, less traffic, less expensive housing, and depending on the neighborhood, larger lots and homes. Same climate, but high plains (not mountains)... also, agriculture opportunities, if you are into that or want to have your own cows/chickens/horses. Boulder itself is 20-45 min away depending on where you locate.
I loved boulder back in the late ‘90s. A word on homelessness: every summer, entire tribes of transients would move into the parks in town and live there until the weather turned. These are professional homeless and they’d be everywhere in town, panhandling. I can’t vouch for whether they still do this, but it was a major culture shift every year that was fine for me when I was in my 20s, but I didn’t feel like they got along so well with older people.
Thanks for this! I was thinking about Boulder as a great place to own a starter home but too bad how expensive it is! The video was super informative so thanks again!
Thanks so much for watching & commenting. Boulder does have some starter homes on the northern side, and then you can also go a bit further north or east to find some options while still being near the Boulder lifestyle. Let me know if I can help with any questions on areas
This is an excellent overview thank you! The open and accepting vibe sounds AWESOME, the farmer's markets sound so good and I love that you phrased it as a playground for the outdoors. I looked up kayaking in Boulder and the Boulder Creek (I think) looked super charming for kayaking. I am considering investing in a property there, I think would be a smart investment spot. And could make a nice home base while constantly traveling - it would be a relaxing base to come home to after being on the road.
Thank you so much for replying with a positive comment! Boulder is great for the reasons you mentioned and I have helped several people find investment properties up there as well. Lots of ways to rent an investment property up there. Let me know if you ever want to chat off line, just call/txt/email me. Cheers!
We lived in Boulder from 1977 to 1980 .It was wonderful.But at first we felt it had something against blue collar workers. But we finally got factory and machine shop work . My wife worked at Barcarde and sons steak house.( Is it still there?) The world needs regular people you know. It all can't be high tech. Please have a video on where regular people might work. How can I get this video to play for people again. Don't want to go on to your next one without being able to show this one. The only reason we left was because wife got to missing her family back hear in Missouri. Thank you . please reply if you can.
Hi Randy! Thanks so much for watching and commenting. This video can be shared and rewatched on the RUclips channel via the playback controls youtube provides. Feel free to txt me directly or call if you have any issues with playback. I do not believe the steakhouse where your wife worked is still there, the name is not familiar to me unfortunately. There has definitely been a food/bar boom in the Boulder area providing some high paying service positions and great opportunities for chefs, hosts/hostesses, entrepreneurs, etc.
Thanks so much for watching & commenting! Boulder is currently gearing up for the new school year and the energy levels here are fantastic! Glad to hear you had a positive experience while living here!
This is highly variable based on your preferred location for living and any stipend earned via work, graduate studies, etc. I unfortunately do not work in rentals or stipends, so I would recommend checking with your contacts at CU, guidance counselor, or colleagues to see what they are doing. Thanks for watching!
Great video and just looking to maybe retire or second career but you didn’t mention that it’s really cold. I like the cold weather snaps but does boulder have nice seasons all year round? I’m from Palm Beach County, Florida
Hi David! The weather in Boulder gets all 4 seasons, and it definitely does get cold there, but nothing outlandish. Since we have low humidity in CO our winters have dry cold, unlike anything in the midwest where it is a bone cold that seems to freeze every part of you. Dressing in layers will help mitigate most anything we have for our fall and winter seasons here.
@@TalonMerlin777...Lived in Boulder for 35 years and this man's evaluation is really weak. He does. NOT live in Boulder and is using this video as a advertisement to SELL real estate. !!! Beware. !! .....Note :: Wintertime is the Windy part of the year. Lots of cold wind and blowing dust. Starts in Nov. allthe way through April. 14:34
Public transit is never perfect, but we are grateful to have several options in place. I know a lot of people who commute to the DTC via the light rail. It is especially helpful in the winter when the roadways are slow from any snowstorms.
If you aren't the kind of person who wants to spend hundreds on a meal then the best food in boulder is probably the occasional taco truck. There are a few local places like Rincon Argentina or Tiffins that are worth a visit but in general eating out in Boulder is such a bad value proposition that I now exclusively cook my own meals. I live across the street from Santo and cannot believe this place has a Michelin star.
I have been a fan of Tangerine for a healthy brunch spot and BarTaco for simple a la carte options with a good margarita. The Buff is fantastic for breakfast and a reasonable price and there has been an influx of places like Torchys, Wahoos, and various Pho restaurants that wont break the bank. I am a sucker for a solid Pho place on chilly fall and winter days.
I despise the place, and I was born there and lived there 45 years. Born at old Community Hospital. Closed now. Right in the shadow of Sanitas. Which is terrible to hike anymore due to the foot traffic. Everywhere is traffic, pretense, and terrible people. Boulder was great. Once. When it was working class. California and the plague of locusts ruined it. Don't let the view fool you. It is crowded. If you want real outdoors, you have to travel for hours in Colorado. Boulder is accepting? I am a native and coined the term 'liberal fascism.' They will enable anyone and their 'culture' except for people who actually live there, work there, and pay taxes. Diversity? 98.5% of one demographic. You had better make at least $25-30 bucks an hour to afford an apartment. There are entire neighborhoods owned by people of a certain faith. It is not a place for you if you work for a living, were ever told 'no' as a child, don't smoke pot, dont have a trust fund, actually want access to the outdoors that doesn't resemble a Los Angeles health club, mind your downtown being overrun with homeless, rats and the smell of urine or if you make less than 200k a year. Oh, and I promise anyone moving into that city that all the local moving companies charge higher rates for Boulder jobs. Just for having to deal with that city and the people in it. They won't tell you that. Yet they do. I moved to Idaho. They still put criminal vagrants in jail here. The outdoors is 5 minutes away. With a fraction of the traffic and none of the pseudo intellectualism.
Thank you for watching and for your comment. While I do not necessarily agree with your viewpoint, that is one of the things that makes this area wonderful. We can agree to disagree without issue. I meet my retired parents in Boulder routinely with my wife and kids where we go on nature hikes just west of the Chautauqua neighborhood. Several of our friends live there in homes that back to open space or blocks to it, none of whom are rich. Some of our friends are from out of state, some who move there from Denver suburbs. It is a walk of life that is for some and not for others. Thank you again for providing your viewpoint.
I agree, getting authentic cuisine can be a challenge. That said, there are a lot of places which are getting accolades for having authentic Mexican food like Adelitas Cocina Y Cantina, La Doña Mezcaleria, Venalonzo's Tacos, and Ocho's Mexican Cocina.
I have seen coffee mugs sold in Boulder stating "Keep Boulder Weird". The area definitely is unique with its own fit and feel for various people. Some of my favorite things about Boulder is its history, amazing homes, and close proximity to the foothills. Myself, I like the unique vibes from the area but understand it is not a fit for everyone.
Great podcast! As a snow-embracing Boston area native whom visits my daughter’s young and active family in the Boulder area, I’d add …
1. The air’s so dry in Boulder, every day is a good hair day!
2. As much as Boulderites complain, Property taxes in Boulder and Colorado at large are ridiculously low. While at first glance it’s great for housing costs, it means fewer municipal and county services, as well as caliber of public education. And it shows.
3. Boulder’s homeless population is growing, everpresent, and alarming - it’s become commonplace to have homeless riddle your mailbox, sit on your porch, try your locks, and rummage through and sleep in your car if it’s unlocked, leaving a cloud of sickeningly stale sweet pot smoke and worse behind. More and more properties are getting monitored security systems.
4. The K-12 public schools are incredibly underfunded. I think those whom can afford it and care go private.
5. The city doesn’t plow its side streets during snowstorms. But the air is so dry and the sun so strong, it doesn’t last for long.
6. The altitude takes getting used to - especially for those with COPD or seniors. Take it very slow, drink lots of water, and rest as nec..
7. Not only the restaurants, but the supermarkets have extraordinary organic produce and meats - Sprouts, Alfalfa’s, King Soopers, and more. I cook major dishes (whole chickens, chile rellenos, that sort of thing) whenever I visit, and delight in Boulder’s local fare every time! BTW, most recipe times and temps need to be adjusted for the higher altitude!
8. Nothing is cheap in Boulder except the public’s access to nature and most public events
9. Drivers are incredibly polite and civil compared to Boston. The little side street rotaries are charming and remind drivers to stop, ‘mind the gap,’ and smell the roses.
10. The diversity of architecture is unparalleled, and ranges from bright colored humble bungalows with book drops and flower gardens out front to stately historic mansions behind grand iron and red rock entrances.
11. Many people don’t wash their cars. Maybe the air’s so dry, the DPW doesn’t use as much salt on the roads, rust is slower?
12. The resident population and local businesses are keenly earth-aware - sustainability is assumed, as is recycling.
13. Pearl Street shopping and dining are easily a great full-day adventure, from the wonderful and independent Boulder Bookstore to the distinctly-Boulder Liberty Puzzles flagship store, to Island Farm to countless arts and crafts stores and my favorite - the amazing Peppercorn. Eateries dot the way. Pearl Street’s core pedestrian walkway is filled with benches, other respite areas, sculptures, and flowerbeds.
14. No deep-dive Boulder visit would be complete without dropping into Boulder Furniture Arts (on Pearl for decades but now on 26th street) for the finest custom-crafted heirloom pieces west of the Mississippi.
15. Boulder housing, whether buying or renting, is very expensive, even for high income techies. For buyers, my best advice is to buy as close to downtown as soon as possible just short of going over your financial head. Never take what your lender claims you can ‘handle!’ Lenders don’t give a damn about your financial reality, and are in business to make money off you at any cost. Distill the madness, trust your gut: plan a big down (20+%), no HOA (HOA fees are uncappable, will eclipse your mortgage payment, and cede real ownership), and get a fixed rate 15-30 yr mortgage. Have your ducks in a row and be ready to pounce for the right listing.
All very good and insightful points, thanks so much for posting! I will add that the drivers in Boulder are much nicer than those I lived with in D.C. as well, and a dirty car in Boulder can be seen as a source of pride. It shows you went into the mountains or did something located by dirt roads, taking advantage of the landscape. Thanks again for posting!
Wow I truly appreciate "every day is a good hair day", thank you for noting this because I am always considering "how well will my blowouts last" when I'm considering destinations, ty!
@@electriquenikki Seriously, I have 2c-type hair (think Roseanne Roseannadanna in humidity), and Boulder made every ‘do’ I did a sleek 2a!
Very clarifying video.....thanks a lot
I would love to be there!! :)
Thank you for this beautiful video. It was well put together.
I love Colorado and this city in particular! Lots of love from Edinburgh, Scotland!
Much appreciated Carlo!! Thanks so much for watching and posting a positive comment. Cheers!
As someone who lives nearby, I would say this is a pretty accurate description of Boulder, as viewed from someone who does NOT actually live there, but passes thru a good bit. Its a quirky town, good nature and hiking, but the town itself it getting a little too crowded and dense for my taste.
Boulder is also very deep blue politically. If you are not so comfortable with that consider the neighboring Weld county, next county over to the East. Conservative, sensable. Lots more space, less traffic, less expensive housing, and depending on the neighborhood, larger lots and homes. Same climate, but high plains (not mountains)... also, agriculture opportunities, if you are into that or want to have your own cows/chickens/horses. Boulder itself is 20-45 min away depending on where you locate.
I loved boulder back in the late ‘90s. A word on homelessness: every summer, entire tribes of transients would move into the parks in town and live there until the weather turned. These are professional homeless and they’d be everywhere in town, panhandling. I can’t vouch for whether they still do this, but it was a major culture shift every year that was fine for me when I was in my 20s, but I didn’t feel like they got along so well with older people.
Good stuff, keep it up. Peace
Great video
Much appreciated and thank you so much for watching/commenting. Cheers!
Ty for loading
Thanks for this! I was thinking about Boulder as a great place to own a starter home but too bad how expensive it is! The video was super informative so thanks again!
Thanks so much for watching & commenting. Boulder does have some starter homes on the northern side, and then you can also go a bit further north or east to find some options while still being near the Boulder lifestyle. Let me know if I can help with any questions on areas
@@LivinginDenverBillKnapp That sounds promising! Thank you and I will! :)
This is an excellent overview thank you! The open and accepting vibe sounds AWESOME, the farmer's markets sound so good and I love that you phrased it as a playground for the outdoors. I looked up kayaking in Boulder and the Boulder Creek (I think) looked super charming for kayaking. I am considering investing in a property there, I think would be a smart investment spot. And could make a nice home base while constantly traveling - it would be a relaxing base to come home to after being on the road.
Thank you so much for replying with a positive comment! Boulder is great for the reasons you mentioned and I have helped several people find investment properties up there as well. Lots of ways to rent an investment property up there. Let me know if you ever want to chat off line, just call/txt/email me. Cheers!
We lived in Boulder from 1977 to 1980 .It was wonderful.But at first we felt it had something against blue collar workers. But we finally got factory and machine shop work . My wife worked at Barcarde and sons steak house.( Is it still there?) The world needs regular people you know. It all can't be high tech. Please have a video on where regular people might work. How can I get this video to play for people again. Don't want to go on to your next one without being able to show this one. The only reason we left was because wife got to missing her family back hear in Missouri. Thank you . please reply if you can.
Hi Randy! Thanks so much for watching and commenting. This video can be shared and rewatched on the RUclips channel via the playback controls youtube provides. Feel free to txt me directly or call if you have any issues with playback. I do not believe the steakhouse where your wife worked is still there, the name is not familiar to me unfortunately. There has definitely been a food/bar boom in the Boulder area providing some high paying service positions and great opportunities for chefs, hosts/hostesses, entrepreneurs, etc.
Lived here from 2012 to 2018 cool place
Thanks so much for watching & commenting! Boulder is currently gearing up for the new school year and the energy levels here are fantastic! Glad to hear you had a positive experience while living here!
How much could a graduate student spend on housing per month? And what is the average stipend that can be okay to live in boulder?
This is highly variable based on your preferred location for living and any stipend earned via work, graduate studies, etc. I unfortunately do not work in rentals or stipends, so I would recommend checking with your contacts at CU, guidance counselor, or colleagues to see what they are doing. Thanks for watching!
date spot idea: roof of jamba juice on 28th 😎
Thanks so much for the idea and watching! Cheers!
@@LivinginDenverBillKnapp.....
Bill ...Go back to Denver. !!
Bye Bye.....
Great video and just looking to maybe retire or second career but you didn’t mention that it’s really cold. I like the cold weather snaps but does boulder have nice seasons all year round? I’m from Palm Beach County, Florida
You would probably freeze to death.
Hi David! The weather in Boulder gets all 4 seasons, and it definitely does get cold there, but nothing outlandish. Since we have low humidity in CO our winters have dry cold, unlike anything in the midwest where it is a bone cold that seems to freeze every part of you. Dressing in layers will help mitigate most anything we have for our fall and winter seasons here.
@@TalonMerlin777Denver native, retired Navy, lived in FL 12 years; your comment-priceless 😂
@@TalonMerlin777...Lived in Boulder for 35 years and this man's evaluation is really weak. He does. NOT live in Boulder and is using this video as a advertisement to SELL real estate. !!! Beware. !!
.....Note :: Wintertime is the Windy part of the year. Lots of cold wind and blowing dust.
Starts in Nov. allthe way through
April. 14:34
The traffic: that’s why there is public transportation! Let’s utilize that! Ack! Commuting to the tech center?!😮
Public transit is never perfect, but we are grateful to have several options in place. I know a lot of people who commute to the DTC via the light rail. It is especially helpful in the winter when the roadways are slow from any snowstorms.
If you aren't the kind of person who wants to spend hundreds on a meal then the best food in boulder is probably the occasional taco truck. There are a few local places like Rincon Argentina or Tiffins that are worth a visit but in general eating out in Boulder is such a bad value proposition that I now exclusively cook my own meals. I live across the street from Santo and cannot believe this place has a Michelin star.
I have been a fan of Tangerine for a healthy brunch spot and BarTaco for simple a la carte options with a good margarita. The Buff is fantastic for breakfast and a reasonable price and there has been an influx of places like Torchys, Wahoos, and various Pho restaurants that wont break the bank. I am a sucker for a solid Pho place on chilly fall and winter days.
to rainbow, many bumps, trials are unsafe many tents.
Help me
Same.
Me too!! 😂
promo sm 🤩
I despise the place, and I was born there and lived there 45 years. Born at old Community Hospital. Closed now. Right in the shadow of Sanitas. Which is terrible to hike anymore due to the foot traffic. Everywhere is traffic, pretense, and terrible people. Boulder was great. Once. When it was working class. California and the plague of locusts ruined it. Don't let the view fool you. It is crowded. If you want real outdoors, you have to travel for hours in Colorado.
Boulder is accepting? I am a native and coined the term 'liberal fascism.' They will enable anyone and their 'culture' except for people who actually live there, work there, and pay taxes. Diversity? 98.5% of one demographic. You had better make at least $25-30 bucks an hour to afford an apartment. There are entire neighborhoods owned by people of a certain faith. It is not a place for you if you work for a living, were ever told 'no' as a child, don't smoke pot, dont have a trust fund, actually want access to the outdoors that doesn't resemble a Los Angeles health club, mind your downtown being overrun with homeless, rats and the smell of urine or if you make less than 200k a year. Oh, and I promise anyone moving into that city that all the local moving companies charge higher rates for Boulder jobs. Just for having to deal with that city and the people in it. They won't tell you that. Yet they do.
I moved to Idaho. They still put criminal vagrants in jail here. The outdoors is 5 minutes away. With a fraction of the traffic and none of the pseudo intellectualism.
Thank you for watching and for your comment. While I do not necessarily agree with your viewpoint, that is one of the things that makes this area wonderful. We can agree to disagree without issue. I meet my retired parents in Boulder routinely with my wife and kids where we go on nature hikes just west of the Chautauqua neighborhood. Several of our friends live there in homes that back to open space or blocks to it, none of whom are rich. Some of our friends are from out of state, some who move there from Denver suburbs. It is a walk of life that is for some and not for others. Thank you again for providing your viewpoint.
I lived there for the better part of the decade and the mexican food there is not authentic. Best hispanic food there is Efrains II.
I agree, getting authentic cuisine can be a challenge. That said, there are a lot of places which are getting accolades for having authentic Mexican food like Adelitas Cocina Y Cantina, La Doña Mezcaleria, Venalonzo's Tacos, and Ocho's Mexican Cocina.
Boulder had weird vibes. Do not like. High strung people. Love Colorado but avoid Boulder.
I have seen coffee mugs sold in Boulder stating "Keep Boulder Weird". The area definitely is unique with its own fit and feel for various people. Some of my favorite things about Boulder is its history, amazing homes, and close proximity to the foothills. Myself, I like the unique vibes from the area but understand it is not a fit for everyone.
Think it’s the point 😂 sounds like an incredible city! 👏
The boulder and denver are just way to liberal. Colorado Springs is ten times better.
sounds like a wokie paradise😂😂 not for me
Overrated! Trust me!
So conservatives aren’t accepting hmm? 😂 weird dude weird video
Great video
Much appreciated! Thank you for watching and leaving a comment.