Where to live in the Springs?

[90 TSI FWD]

So I'm getting stationed at Schriever AFB in a few months, and I'm thinking I should start looking for a place to live. I've been asking around, contacting everyone I could think of, but the more input I can get, the better, so I'm asking here.

I'm pretty open right now on what I want. Probably rent a townhouse, apartment, or house. If I have the time to really look, I might decide to buy a house. It all depends. What I mainly would like to know are the following:

What are good areas to live?

Where should I avoid?

I'd love to avoid places that have frequent theft/break-ins of course. My price range would be maybe 800-1100/mo.

On another note, any good drag strips in the area? How is the DSM/car scene there?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Albanator]

Hey tsi how is it going? I am army and my wife is AF. I am at Carson and she is at Peterson, we live in the middle of the two close to schriv. If I were you I would look around the south powers area close to the airport. If you get on the site zillow and look around the areas they have quite a few house new builds and old as well... Look for the intersection of powers and bradly and powers and grinnell. Anywhere along markshuffle would not be bad ether but that is getting kinda far from base. The crime Rate is down around these areas compared to further north or west. Stay away from circle or anything west of academy for living, crime and that would put you pretty far from base in that area. Your price range of 800-1100 can get you a pretty nice appt or a smaller house... Housing here is pretty pricy for houses in nicer areas. If your looking to get that low you might consider buying. We pay 1100(1090something)for our house but buying it, the people across the street have the same house and renting pay 1375. It is 2,975 sqft, and a 1,100 sqft basment,. While we where shopping for homes we have saw some small ones go for 1200 in rent and well some were just run down houses in other areas for sim alter prices. Really depends on what your looking for yard garage etc......

The dsm screen here is okay, lots of them around but not a lot of people show up at the meets. Degenerate area has a few hot spots and I think the closest track is south by 35 min. Do get your hopes up though because you will probably run a full 1.3 seconds slower (nara calculation from ssae level)up here at altitude. But welcome to the springs area when do you get here?

 

[90 TSI FWD]

Hey tsi how is it going? I am army and my wife is AF. I am at Carson and she is at Peterson, we live in the middle of the two close to schriv. If I were you I would look around the south powers area close to the airport. If you get on the site zillow and look around the areas they have quite a few house new builds and old as well... Look for the intersection of powers and bradly and powers and grinnell. Anywhere along markshuffle would not be bad ether but that is getting kinda far from base. The crime Rate is down around these areas compared to further north or west. Stay away from circle or anything west of academy for living, crime and that would put you pretty far from base in that area. Your price range of 800-1100 can get you a pretty nice appt or a smaller house... Housing here is pretty pricy for houses in nicer areas. If your looking to get that low you might consider buying. We pay 1100(1090something)for our house but buying it, the people across the street have the same house and renting pay 1375. It is 2,975 sqft, and a 1,100 sqft basment,. While we where shopping for homes we have saw some small ones go for 1200 in rent and well some were just run down houses in other areas for sim alter prices. Really depends on what your looking for yard garage etc......

The dsm screen here is okay, lots of them around but not a lot of people show up at the meets. Degenerate area has a few hot spots and I think the closest track is south by 35 min. Do get your hopes up though because you will probably run a full 1.3 seconds slower (nara calculation from ssae level)up here at altitude. But welcome to the springs area when do you get here?

Thanks a bunch for this info! Definitely helpful. I don't enter active duty and leave Florida until 30 Sept as I recently commissioned. I have 2 months training at Wright-Patt Ohio Oct to mid-Dec, so I won't really be in the springs until mid-December. I'm still not sure if I'll be given a place to store my things, or will have to find a place to live before they send me to Ohio, so I'm looking now to be safe.

I would just like at least a 1 bed 1 bath and a garage. I'm not wanting too much; just somewhat spacey for visitors, and a garage for my car/motorcycle. If I could find a house to buy for what you're paying, I'd love to do that!

I'm expecting my 1/4 times to drop with the move to 91 octane and the altitude. I'm going to get ECMLink once I get settled to hopefully keep my times. I've been getting by with Jeff O's keydiver chip, but now that I might have more time, I think I could learn to tune myself.

 

[chinexican]

I bought my house near the area that Albanator was talking about (off of Milton Proby). I pay $791/mo for a 3BR/1.5BA/2 Car garage. Similar houses in the area rent for around 1100.

 

[Albanator]

I am sure they will give you a place to store your things..during any pcs process your house hold good shipment can be placed in a temp storage at the gaining installation during a TDY in route. I came from Germany and was TDY in route from may till sept and all of my house hold goods where here in the storage. Just make sure when you do your house hold good move point out that you will be TDY for those months. They should be on your new orders saying that but just to be on the safe side let them know.

 

[90 TSI FWD]

Thanks alot! I'm going to call TMO and get more information. I should be getting my orders by the end of this month. Then I can really start planning.

 

[Awd-laser]

Haha switch to e85 when you get here...you'll love everything but the milage...my dad works at schriever and live is the area or austin bluffs and rangewood which has some really nice looking apartment and brand new town homes that are 3 bed 2.5 bath 2 car garage...i'm not sure on the price but the crime rate is very low in this area and anywhere further north. Avoid security/widefield and fountain also. Colorado is an open carry state i just thought i would add that part in so dont be afraid to walk around with your piston on your hip...the car scene isnt huge but its pretty big here, you'll like it. We have tracks that are decent distances away. Bandimere speedway and pueblo motorsports park.

 

[90 TSI FWD]

Haha switch to e85 when you get here...you'll love everything but the milage...my dad works at schriever and live is the area or austin bluffs and rangewood which has some really nice looking apartment and brand new town homes that are 3 bed 2.5 bath 2 car garage...i'm not sure on the price but the crime rate is very low in this area and anywhere further north. Avoid security/widefield and fountain also. Colorado is an open carry state i just thought i would add that part in so dont be afraid to walk around with your piston on your hip...the car scene isnt huge but its pretty big here, you'll like it. We have tracks that are decent distances away. Bandimere speedway and pueblo motorsports park.

Good to hear! It's funny because I currently have 11 tabs on google chrome open on places to live, and switching to E85! Haha, I'm planning on getting link soon, switching to SD, and getting bigger injectors (currently on 780's). Is E85 easily available there? I'll look up those places you mentioned. I'm all over zillow.com right now looking for places.

 

[Awd-laser]

E85 is everywhere right now and currently i believe its $2.49 a gallon...i'm in ft walton beach, FL so i dont know the current prices but i will in like 5 hours when i'm back home in the spring...i may be in te wrong part of florida but i've only seen like 2 2nd gens here

 

[90 TSI FWD]

That sounds worth the switch to E85 to me! I just need the funds for injectors and ECMLink first. There are plenty of DSMs in the Orlando and Jacksonville area. I'm finding so many places online, but I would really like to see them in person. I'm just going to save what I'm finding to look at when I get there. Because the time it may take to close on a house, I am probably leaning towards renting a short lease apartment, then buying a house early or mid next year.

 

[chinexican]

Homes in the Springs don't stay listed very long. With the new unit standing up on Fort Carson, tons of new families are coming in and buying everything up.

 

[90 TSI FWD]

Hmm, well I guess I have to just hope for the best. I'm not very knowledgable about buying a house and mortgages and stuff yet, but I don't think I'd be able to close a house with the week or so they'll give me. Maybe I could live in extended housing til I can close on a house.

 

[Albanator]

The security/fountian area has a few rough places but as for the most part it is nice. The Austin bluffs area is nice as well but will come at a cost to the commute. Rule of thumb if your west of powers and north of Milton probe or your south of messa ridge park way your in the ghetto!

 

[chinexican]

It took us about 30 days to close on our house. Mortgage rates are pretty low right now but they're going up because the supply and demand is their. My wife and I couldn't stay at the post inn because we had dogs but we found a real nice extended stay play in Monument. It's quiet, nice, and only $750/mo during winter (a lot better than the $370/wk we were paying for a hotel in the Springs).

 

[90 TSI FWD]

So you're saying in between is best?

 

[90 TSI FWD]

So I'm leaving in a couple weeks, and I'm pretty set on renting - at least for a year so I can get to know the area. Then I'll think about buying. I'm looking around Constitution on the east side closer to Peterson AFB. Is that a good area?

Also, how is the weather there? I'm bringing my DSM, but I also plan on buying a new/used car when I get there. Does it snow heavily? I heard the snow usually melts quickly, but I will be driving out where the roads may not be maintained as well as the city to Schriever AFB. Should I invest in something like a Subaru? SUV? I was originally going to get something reliable and settle for a Honda Accord as a DD. Would that be okay? Any input is appreciated. Thanks guys!

 

[chinexican]

If i'm thinking about where you're talking about, the area is still being somewhat developed. You'll have a more "country" feel, being in that area. As for snow, Powers, Academy, and 25 get plowed rather quickly. It takes them a little longer to plow the side streets. This past winter, most of the snow melted within a couple hours. The stuff that didn't, was plowed. They spray the roads with magnesium chloride for ice. It's not as corrosive as salt but still corrosive. Most car washes have the under carriage spray option to minimize the effects. AWD is not a necessity but, in regards to my Durango, it helps. If the weather is really bad, the posts will have a 2-hour delay, at a minimum, for non-essential personnel. Most of the snow and ice will be gone by then.

 

[Albanator]

Anywhere on constitution east of powers will be okay....west of powers is not a bad area but not the worst.... If your close to mark shuffle then you will be good.

 

[WES_393]

I'd have to say my favorite part about modifying cars in Colorado Springs is the lack of emissions/safety inspections. It makes car life much easier. My Talon doesn't have an ounce of emissions equipment, a straight 3" pipe for an exhaust, and burns nothing but E85. It's none of Uncle Sam's business whats under my hood or what comes out my tail pipe.

My least favorite part is the lack of car scene and local tracks. All you really find is a bunch of riced out Honduh's that aren't even worth the fuel. Car meets outside of the DSM scene are pretty useless to attend, and the weekend Academy cruising scene is pretty ridiculous as well. I always find myself sitting with a small group of friends in the parking because someone yelled "cops" and everyone drove away. 99.999% of the time, the cops don't give a shit. Teenagers just need something to get upset about I guess.

And when it comes to tracks, I always end up spending hundreds in fuel, tickets, and safety equipment just to drive for 4 hours and get 3 runs. Pueblo only has an 1/8th mile track if I'm not mistaken, and Bandimere is over 80 miles from my House in Black Forest. Needless to say, I don't hit the track or hang out with the locals very often. I'd rather cruise on my own out here in the forest and catch the occasional GTR or Porsche to have some fun with.

 

[Awd-laser]

Actually PMP has a 1/4 mile track that they just resurfaced last year. Everyone shows up a the Best Buy and the cops told us we cant be there past 10:30 but they havent been bothering us if we stay after that.

 

[90 TSI FWD]

Well maybe we could organize some meets. After I get back from training and get settled in, I should be good. It will be winter, however, so I don't know if meets would be a success during December/January. I decided on staying at a friend's apartment for the three weeks I'm there before training, then put all my stuff in storage until I get back in December. I'll be rooming with my old college roommate as she's buying a house off of Marksheffel.

As for a new daily, I think I'm pretty set on getting a Subaru Legacy as it has some luxury at an affordable price. Even though mileage is 19/25, I think it will give me a little more confidence driving to Schriever when it's snowing. Anything really is a step up from the DSM, but I think I really like it. The DSM will be stored until I move into the house. Then I'll be upgrading the fuel system for E85.