4 Things to Consider before Moving to the Mountains
Moving to the mountains has been the best decision we have made as a family. The peace and quiet, the amazing community and schools, the good food and family actitives - all have made our move an amazing experience.
Let’s be real, though, because there’s some things you need to consider to help you make the best decision for you and your family:
Cost of Housing and Insurance
Moving to the mountains is a dream come true for us, but it didn’t come without a cost. Anywhere that people visit for fun, with lots of recreation and hiking and places they post on instagram, comes with the added bonus of residential appreciation (read: more expensive living and housing). While the housing may be more expensive, it does often come with more land, cleaner air and wildlife visitors on your property, so there’s that advantage. But you do need to consider how much home you can afford and then added costs of higher taxes and increased insurance costs.
Insurance on a mountain home can be tricky. With the high risk of wildfires, some insurance carriers will refuse to insure homes based on general risk, or a particular property based on proximiety to trees and brushfire potential.
Read more on how to prevent wildfires at your home
Read more on how to choose the right mountain home
Read more on how to get home insurance in the mountains.
Snow, Cars and Roads
Well, we all know about snow in the mountains. How much do we really get? It’s not as bad as you may think, mostly because of the immense amount of sunny days we get after the snow. But it’s still a factor when thinking about moving to the mountains.
Does your house have a long driveway going up or down? Will you be able to shovel or do you need a plow? Are the roads to your house plowed by the county or by a neighbor once-in-awhile?
Do you have a four-wheel drive vehicle or will you need to get one (hint: you will need one). Will you need to drive to the store or schools? Are there bus runs for students? Do they make amazon or grocery deliveries to that particular area?
Elevation and Health
Living in the mountains can be serene but not without risks. I grew up in the midwest and then moved to Denver, going from generally sea level to 5,280 feet in altitude. Moving from Denver to Evergreen we increased to 8,000 feet. While that move was not as dramatic as moving from sea level, the higher you go above 5,000 feet the more significant the risks become.
The average elevation of towns in the foothills is between 6,000-9,000 feet, which can be nearly double the mile-high city of Denver. As you increase in altitude, you decrease the amount of oxygen that is in the air, which can result in various health affects.
Altitude sickness: headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and trouble sleeping
Respiratory issues: breathing, coughing, wheezing, dizziness
Trouble Sleeping: Lack of oxygen and trouble breathing can cause fitful sleeps
Dry eyes and dry skin
Higher elevation also brings colder weather and more snow. Despite the increase of snow, mountain air is significantly more dry than other cities in the US which directly impacts respiratory health. You are also closer to the sun, so risk of radiation increases.
Living and sleeping in the mountains full-time is far different than visiting for adventurous get-aways. Be sure that you are in good enough health to consider living in the mountains by consulting your doctor or talking with friends who have made the move.
Schools and Doctors
If you have a family, your child’s education and health are of utmost importance. Are you going to send your kids to public school or private school? Or would you homeschool? How far away are the schools from your house? If you have kids at different levels of school, can you drop off those kids at appropriate times? Are there school buses? What programs or interests do your kids have and what school may offer the best options for them?
For your kids, or just for you, what type of healthcare do you need? What insurance do you have? Are you able to see primary care doctors in the foothills? There are very few options for hospitals or urgent cares in the mountains so how often will you need to go to the hospital or see specialists that may be “down the hill.”
Read more about schools in the foothills
Read more about health care in the foothills
Read more about Veterinary care in the foothills
Let’s go!
Well, that wasn’t supposed to be a downer! Moving to the mountains doesn’t have to be scary, but there are some considerations to make that will help you decide what is best. Knowing what you know, are you ready to go? I’m happy to help with your move or purchase.
Let’s connect.
