Low-cost living in Cañon City, Colorado

[kevink]

Our experience with late-model mobile homes has been that because they're built in a factory with tight tolerances rather than stick-built on site they're very tightly sealed...so much so that having a good carbon monoxide detector is much more important than with a relatvely drafty regular home. For those, like us, on a tight budget the realistic comparison even in a low-cost town like Cañon City is between a late-model mobile and a smaller and older stick-built house, many of which are "money pits" both in terms of needing ongoing work and for their high gas and electric bills, need to invest in new double-pane windows, etc. Cañon in particular has a large number of lovely older Victorians for sale at low prices - and those we know who've bought them live in discomfort (few or no closets, drafty, poorly insulated) and seem to put thousands into them every year.

Anyway, both mobiles and manufactured homes on a foundation are always going to be the choice of a small percentage of folks, but for those who plan to travel extensively - wanting a home base rather than all that goes with a home - or for minimalists and/or extreme cheapskates they can make sense. Where I see them really being of benefit is in high-cost places (like our old home of Boulder, Colorado) where they're the only affordble alternative to sharing walls in shoebox-sized condos or apartments with high HOA fees or tying up 400-500K in "starter" houses.

 

[RonBoyd]

Where I see them really being of benefit is in high-cost places (like our old home of Boulder, Colorado) where they're the only affordble alternative to sharing walls in shoebox-sized condos or apartments with high HOA fees or tying up 400-500K in "starter" houses.

Doesn't someone have to die or move away before one can move into Boulder?

 

[kevink]

Doesn't someone have to die or move away before one can move into Boulder?

Pretty much. Current median home price in Boulder according to Trulia is $483,500. Meanwhile lot rent at the nicest mobile home park in the city, Boulder Meadows, is $614 a month and I see late model mobiles for sale there from 29K. No wonder the place is full of not just working families but university professors and savvy early retirees!

 

[calmloki]

Small world. 16,000 population in Canon city, don't recall hearing of it before this thread, and a few days after the thread am watching one of the new Amazon pilot programs and there taking a prominent role, a destination in the plot, is Canon City. Complete with the right location and elevation.
The Man in the High Castle: "Pilot" Review - IGN

I've been checking out the real estate in the area, because that's what we do, and the rents are awful cheap to my eye - like 1200' for $5-550? Bunch of stuff on the market with a long time on the market.

So is the Royal Gorge bridge repaired? Looks like a pretty close in fire...

 

[Sarah in SC]

calm, I saw that as well and thought the same thing: cool! I actually know where that is now.


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[seraphim]

I'm more-than-a-little ambivalent about posting here, given that most who share their stories here seem to have saved millions, have pensions and megacorp health insurance, etc., but perhaps there'll be some benefit for those hoping to retire (or having to do so, through no choice of their own!) on much less.

I want to make it clear at the outset than I'm most definitely not recommending the kind of shoestring early retirement described here to anyone. My wife and I exited the corporate world prematurely and would've stayed with it much longer if we had it to do over. Still I've run across enough people forced out of jobs in their late 50's or early 60's, or with health or family issues who have found themselves having to live on a Social Security-like income long before SS kicks in, and thought that sharing a few experiences might be of some use to that tiny handful of readers. Since like many here I'm a big fan of Mr. Money Mustache's blog, I'll just say that this is the "high class trailer trash" version of what he recommends, from someone with only a fraction of his assets and smarts!

Caffeinated Calm: (mobile) Home Economics

And how do you think a lot of people acquired their million+ portfolios? Most by being frugal. We did a thread here on our cars, and it was an eye opener lol. I also frequent a van dweller site and have friends living VERY frugal existences - some because they wish, others who have no choice. No snobbery here - it's generally not tolerated.

Frugality and wealth accumulation go hand in hand.

Welcome to the forum.


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[Hermit]

The friends who were looking for a house in Cañon City bought a house last week. It one block north of the main retail street which is one block north of the highway. It is an old Victorian. They are thrilled.

Hermit

 

[RobLJ]

We love Canon City (the cabin is up past the Southern entrance to the gorge). However, are selling the cabin to move to Reno to be located closer to old oldest son and his wife in the California Central valley.
The OP is right about the charm of the area, particularly if you like smaller towns, although I grew up in several much smaller towns. Colorado Spring and Pueblo are close. And the brown trout in the Arkansas are big (but wily). Monarch Ski area is a little more than an hour away. Great town.