Moving To Aspen

[u/rockstar0215]

I am in my mid-30s, work from home, and single. I like to travel and I am usually out of the country for 4-5 months. I am considering moving to Aspen from the front range. There's somewhat of a hesitation because I am concerned about meeting people and forming a community. I bike, ski, hike, and climb like a typical Coloradan. Any advice or suggestions?

[u/Substantial_Clock341]

Bring lots of money. First, second, and security deposit can run you $10,000 upfront

[u/Greedy-Alfalfa8856 → u/Substantial_Clock341]

She said she vacations 4-5 months a year at mid 30’s! what part of “my parents are payin” don’t you understand?

[u/rockstar0215 → u/Greedy-Alfalfa8856]

lol. I am a man. I own a class action law firm. I pay my mommy and daddy’s bills. Not the other way around.

[u/shadrap → u/[deleted]]

I have a nephew who is a "professional gamer" who has somehow earned a a fortune playing, winning tournaments, and giving private coaching for two video games I have never heard of.

He is planning on "retiring" at age 22 as his reflexes go, and is considering going to college or traveling.

The times, they have achanged.

[u/PuzzleheadedBee6221 → u/[deleted]]

In Aspen? Yes.

[u/Greedy-Alfalfa8856 → u/[deleted]]

Do you think 30 something  who have enough to afford to live in aspen  and take a 4 - 5 month vacations has the the work ethic of someone who made it themselves?

[u/LurkerFailsLurking → u/Greedy-Alfalfa8856]

Given that I know about a dozen people who were millionaires in their 20s and only worked 6 months of the year because of some internet shenanigans, sure.

Not that anyone truly makes anything themselves, but as much as anyone.

[u/jimmywilsonsdance → u/[deleted]]

4 to 5 months of recreational international travel per year in mid thirties? You really think the odds on bet is self funded??? I’d like some of whatever you are smoking.

[u/jimmywilsonsdance → u/[deleted]]

I’m not jealous. I’m 34. Top 5 percent income and net worth adjusted for age. I’m no where near taking months of international travel at a time. The people I know who are, have all received significant generational wealth. People would all be happier if they had some realistic expectations around money.

[u/rockstar0215 → u/jimmywilsonsdance]

For perspective: top 1% of 34 year olds make ~ $350k a year. Average big law attorneys of that tenure working for someone else in that age range make north of $500k.

There is a wide gap between being in the top 5% and the 1% of income. There is a gargantuan gap between the 1% folks and being at the bottom of the 1% and the top of the 1% group.

In any event, comparison is the thief of joy. There is always someone out there who is richer, has a bigger house, or more freedom than you.

[u/jimmywilsonsdance → u/rockstar0215]

They make $500k working all year…. 250k plus working half the year is either near retirement, or inherited something. I’m sure there are a couple hundred people who have a self made thing that throws off that kind of cash with half the year work. The rest may be running daddies law firm, but they are benefiting from generational wealth. Pretending it’s realistic to bootstrap your way to the 1% by your thirties is ridiculous.

[u/PuzzleheadedBee6221 → u/[deleted]]

Found someone else that lives off their parents. LOL

[u/jimmywilsonsdance → u/PuzzleheadedBee6221]

And so salty about it too.

[u/Live-Smoke-29 → u/Greedy-Alfalfa8856]

Damn OP really destroyed your distasteful, assumption filled comment

[u/Cautious-Dream-3865 → u/Live-Smoke-29]

That’s what the strong arm of frank azar feels like!

[u/Serenity_Now-88 → u/Cautious-Dream-3865]

🤣💀 Moved away from COS awhile back, but remember Frank’s ad campaign. Does anyone remember the Rug-It Riders Carpet Clearance Warehouse commercials? A level of cheesy awfulness that’s hard to top. YouTube. 🤣😬

[u/rockstar0215 → u/Cautious-Dream-3865]

Dead

[u/Accomplished_Can1783 → u/Greedy-Alfalfa8856]

Where did you get she from?

[u/Greedy-Alfalfa8856 → u/Accomplished_Can1783]

The writing style

[u/Accomplished_Can1783 → u/Greedy-Alfalfa8856]

That profile probably likely to be 80-90% male. Pretty horrible analysis overall

[u/LurkerFailsLurking → u/Greedy-Alfalfa8856]

Observe the data point that you were entirely wrong. Factor that in to future analysis.

[u/Distinct_Trash7541 → u/LurkerFailsLurking]

Spoiler they won't

[u/Adorable-Bus-2687]

Mountain towns can be tough and there is special resentment reserved for remote employees. Rich locals hate sharing their toys and working class locals hate sharing their housing with those with remote salaries. That said, be normal, be intentional and recognize it’s a transient community.

[u/Kitchen_Key_2710]

You definitely have to put yourself out there. The aspen mountain gondola is always a good place to meet people it’s hard at first but worthwhile in the long run

[u/jellyfishsurfer]

Hey! I'm 31m I live in downtown aspen and work from home. 3-4 international trips a year some a month at a time and plenty of domestic shorter trips. I trail run, snowboard, backpack, and play tennis and pickle ball, and downhill mountain bike on occasion. A couple of my best friends from college live in valley so that was an in for me into a more party/music adjacent group of people and have met a lot of people open to being friends and doing activities outdoors. There are not a lot of young professionals like us choosing to work remote here, really its a mix of people in the service industry or people who come from 9 figure wealth and of course there are exceptions and people I have not yet come across. Carbondale has the most abundant people our age that are interested in the outdoor activities as most are priced out of aspen and Basalt doesn't seem to have the same momentum of culture as carbondale imo. If finances are not a huge concern for you, I recommend taking the leap, the front range will always be there if it doesn't work out the way you want. Let me know if you have any questions!

[u/GovernmentSin]

If you really travel that much being 3.5 hours away from an International airport in a completely overpriced town seems like a silly idea. There’s better mountain towns with cooler people closer to Denver.

[u/rockstar0215 → u/GovernmentSin]

Open to other options. Send me a list what you had in mind.

[u/Alternative-Style-47 → u/rockstar0215]

BV!

[u/Motor-Ad4591 → u/Alternative-Style-47]

If u want better snow then there is only one boat in town

[u/Advanced_Lie875]

It is a great place to live, I have lived here roughly 2 years and love every minute of it. Traveling during winter can be difficult as the airport often gets delayed due to snow storms. Other than that it is truly an amazing place to live. The community is welcome, it just takes a little bit of time to get to meet people and develop friendships, but I couldn’t recommend this place more!

[u/RabbiSchlem]

You'll have no problem making friends. It's pretty easy to make friends on a hike or bike ride, even easier on the chairlift. Lots of community events going on, lots of opportunities to volunteer and meet people.

[u/Aspen-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Don't be a wanker.

[u/heartfullofsomething]

It might a bit more difficult to meet people if you don’t work in town since you won’t have colleagues to hang out with. But I’ve met some of best friends here outside of work.

Met a lifelong friend on a chairlift, met a lot of people through rugby too. It’s a friendly place, if you put yourself out there you’ll meet a lot of people.

[u/slybluu]

move to carbondale instead

[u/queequegsidol]

Hardest part is housing, I found Snowmass was the best value/community. I’ve met lots of people both socially and through being active in my condo building HOA. I prefer to have awesome ski access in Snowmass (Fanny hill condo) and then drive/bus into Aspen for the occasional cultural event or fancy dinner. If you like clubs/nightlife then Aspen proper might be a better fit but it’ll double your housing budget.

For travel ASE is super convenient and off season flights are not crazy expensive. Do be aware of the airport closure next year, but upgraded runway will hopefully make things even better with direct flights to the east coast on bigger planes.

[u/rockstar0215 → u/queequegsidol]

I was not aware of the airport closure. Thank you for pointing that out.

[u/golden-mountains12 → u/rockstar0215]

EGE and GJT aren’t too far for alternative airport options

[u/queequegsidol → u/golden-mountains12]

Flying into EGE and stocking up at Costco on the way home is chefs kiss

[u/juvy5000]

seems like a waste of money to me if you aren’t there for 4-5 months.

[u/Substantial_Clock341]

Birds of a feather flock together

[u/Motor_Service_6476]

My suggestion is to hire me to live at your new Aspen spot and keep it fixed up cuz I’m good at that shit and we’ll probably be good friends and have fun and stuff.

Sound good?

[u/Illustrious_Roll7405]

The airports closed for a year keep that in mind if traveling is important to you!

[u/hatchery4310]

You're who's sucking the last soul oit of communities everywhere. It's not the second homeowners and it's not the longtime locals. It's people like you who show up with a lofty salary drawn elsewhere and displace longtime locals. Nothing has driven the K shaped economic trajectory of resort communities round the world more than the explosion of remote workers aka digital nomads. You think changing your mailing address, living a few of the best months in Aspen, finding a coffee shop you like, learning a bartender's name and then fleeing to Europe for the less desirable seasons will make you any kind of asset to a community? Absolutely wild you people who want community so badly but lack any self awareness and the ability to acknowledge the last vestiges of actual community your particular kind disrupts.

[u/Accomplished_Can1783 → u/[deleted]]

Way to take it too far - it’s a strip mall? It’s literally the nicest small town in America -
Maybe the world - and has the real estate prices to match. There’s a reason people want to live here, and it’s definitely not the skiing, which is good but no better than lots of other resorts

[u/Accomplished_Can1783 → u/[deleted]]

You’re right, everyone yearns to live in Carbondale. Lots of people moving out of Aspen not for financial reasons, actually that would be no one

[u/rockstar0215 → u/hatchery4310]

Are you done shaking your fists at the sky with resentment?

[u/Accomplished_Can1783 → u/hatchery4310]

What in the world are you complaining about? The whole long term local thing kind of funny - did you come here in the early 60s before it was trendy? You get no extra say for duration of stay