How Easy Is It to Build There?

I’m considering a move to Durango but I’d like to know what would be involved in building my own house.  Is it hard to get a permit?  What’s involved?

Erik Peck, Boca Raton, FL

Hi Erik,

A lot of people come here and build their own home, it’s quite common.  As to what’s involved, that depends on what you’re looking for.  If you’re looking to buy 10 to 30 acres of land with a lot of privacy, you’ll have more to do than if you want to buy in a developed area where the utilities are already available.  Permits aren’t generally an issue, but of course it’s important to do some research once you find a property you like.  If you want to buy a large parcel and build on it, you’ll want to consult with a well drilling company, a septic installer and place calls to the La Plata Electric Association and Qwest to determine the cost of running electric and phone to the nearest pole.  You’ll also want to see if satellite or cable is feasible, and whether high-speed internet will be an option.  Generally these issues can be solved, but you want to do your homework before you buy a particular piece of property.  On the other hand, lots of folks choose to build in a developed area such as Forest Lakes where the utilities have already been run and central water is available.  You may have to settle for 1 acre instead of 30, but it’s still a mountain community and has magnificent views. 

How Harsh Are the Winters?

My wife and I are thinking of moving to Colorado but we’re coming from Phoenix and are worried that we might find it too cold there.  Can you tell me what the winters are like?

Tavis Abrams, Phoenix, AZ

Hi Tavis,

Winters are considered fairly mild here, though we’ve gotten more snowfall than usual this year.  Generally, though, even in winter you can count on the sun to come out around noon and warm things up quite a bit.  Durango has desert to the south and west which tends to temper the colder mountain temperatures and gives us over 300 days of sunshine a year.  I’m an avid hiker and even in the midst of winter I generally go out in the afternoons with only a light sweater or jacket.

Durango on CNBC

You sent me a link to a 3-minute story about Durango on CNBC, but I can’t find it now.  Can you send it again?

Paul Ellis, Rochester, MN

Sure, Paul, here’s the link to the story.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb_izSrNALU

Are there any good restaurants there?

…Are there any good restaurants there?

Bob Gautier, Salt Lake City, UT

Hi Bob,

Many people ask about the restaurant scene in Durango, worried that a small town might not have enough variety to suit them.  Fear not, due to its popularity with well-heeled seasonal visitors, Durango boasts one of the highest restaurant-to-resident ratios you’ve ever seen, with over 124 restaurants ranging from casual to four-star.  Some of the popular cuisines represented are: French, Italian, Steak, Seafood, Sushi, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Mongolian, Himalayan, Indian, Mexican, Pizza, and BBQ.

And if you’re interested in what chains we have, here’s a list of the ones I can think of:

Baskin-Robbins, Coldstone Creamery, McDonald’s, Burger King, Applebee’s, Subway, Quizno’s, Blimpie’s, Del Taco, Dairy Queen, Wendy’s, Denny’s, Domino’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, Sonic, and Taco Bell.

And as long as we’re on the subject, we have two wine bars, eight coffee houses, and four breweries.  Yes, four breweries.  Together they produce over 15,000 barrels of beer a year, and we have 15,000 residents.  (I’m hoping they export a lot of that!)

WE also have our own chocolatier, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Company.  WE have a Farmer’s Market every Saturday morning with local organic produce and grass-fed beef, artisan cheese, and lots of other locally made products.

We also have two natural food stores and three grocery stores.

Is there airport service to Durango?

I sure get this question a lot!  Yes, we have our own airport, it’s about 15 minutes from the center of town and it is serviced by United, Delta and U.S. Air.  You can connect to anywhere in the world through Salt Lake City, Phoenix and Denver.  Check their website at www.flydurango.com.  Advantages to a small town airport: it takes 2 minutes to get through security!  parking fees are cheap!  and your car is never more than 3 minutes from the airport door!

Looking for chain stores!

When I visited Durango a few years ago, I seem to remember there were only local shops.  Is there anywhere else to go?

Tom G., Laramie, WY

Hi Tom,

Geez, we kind of like having mainly local shops!  Still, Durango has a fair number of chains if that’s what you’re looking for.  You have to go north on Main or south on Camino del Rio to find most of them, but they’re all within 10 minutes of the town center.  Here’s a partial list:  

Walmart, Home Depot, Ace, Hallmark, Payless Shoes, Jiffy Lube, Big 5, GameStop, Pier 1, Office Depot, Sears, J.C. Penney, Linens & Things, Sav-On, Rite-Aid and Walgreens.  You’ll also find Ford, Chrysler, Mercury, Lincoln, Dodge, Toyota, Subaru, Nissan, John Deere, Bobcat and Harley-Davidson dealerships.  If you still can’t find what you’re looking for, there’s always Farmington, N.M., an hour south of Durango, which has Best Buy, Target, Sam’s Club and most everything else you might possibly need.

How far are you from Denver?

…my husband and I want to move somewhere close to Denver, as our son and his family live there.  Can you tell me how long a drive it is?

Audrey Nichols, Bakersfield, CA

Hi Audrey,

Denver’s a pretty good drive from Durango, 6.5 hours in good conditions.  During the winter months, there are periods you might not want to make this drive though, as you’re cutting through the mountains and they can get snow.  Here are driving times to the biggest nearby cities:

Albuquerque:  3.5 hours

Phoenix:  8 hours

Santa Fe:  3.5 hours

Salt Lake City:  7 hours

Las Vegas:  9.5 hours

What’s this about bears?

Yes, we have a little problem with bears around Durango.  They tend to come down out of the hills just before and just after hibernation, as they’re looking to pack on pounds at those times and our garbage cans provide an easy meal.  Here are some precautions to take to avoid any unnecessary bear encounters:

• Never feed a bear!
• Secure your garbage so bears can’t get to it
• Take down bird feeders when bears are around or make them inaccessible to bears

Call CO Dept of Wildlife for more tips.  970-247-0855.

Durango Pictures

  Hi to everyone, I just wanted to drop a note in here that after numerous calls thanking me for including pictures in my Durango relocation guide (check it on my website, www.HometownDurango.com, under “Durango News”), I’ve started an online photo album with over 250 pictures of Durango and the Durango area.  I’ve had quite a few clients say they couldn’t get a good enough idea of what the place looked like until they came here, so I hope this helps people visualize what their life might be like in Durango if they moved here.  Check it out at www.DurangoPix.com.  Hope you enjoy it!  (I’m an amateur photographer, so I plan to keep adding to it over the next few months.  If you have requests, let me know… so far it includes the downtown area, a lot of nature and outdoor sports activities shots, Durango Mountain Resort, the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, and of course, a large collection of photos of Durango houses both inside and out.  But current requests include Durango churches, business & shopping districts, kids’ activities, parks, and the River Trail).

Durango Schools

I know Bayfield is cheaper to buy in, but how are their schools compared to Durango?  Is it a different school system?

Martha Keyes, Grand Junction, CO

Hi Martha,

Bayfield is a different school district, and although it’s highly rated it isn’t rated as high as Durango’s (see www.GreatSchools.net which gave Durango’s schools a 9 out of 10).  If you send me your address, I can send you a brochure with more info about the Durango school system.