At Premier Mortgage Funding, we've worked hard to make
getting a Fort Collins mortgage with us as simple and
efficient as possible. Please take the time to look around
our site and discover how we can help get you the best,
low cost Fort Collins mortgage that will be the right
home loan for you. You can find additional information
about Fort Collins, Colorado below.
Climate
Altitude about 1500 m (5000 ft)
Nearby Rocky Mountains ranging to 4300 m (14 110 ft)
300+ days of sunshine, little rainfall, very low humidity,
moderate climate
Pleasant summers, warm days, cool nights
Typical summer high temperatures would be 24 to 30 deg.C
(75 to 86 deg.F)
Pleasant winters, lots of sunshine, snow rarely stays
on the ground long
Typical winter high temperatures would range from 2 to
21 (!) deg.C (35 to 70 deg.F)
People
The population of Fort Collins is 126 848 (2002 city estimate,
an increase of over 8000 since the 2000 US Census). The
city projects population growth of 2.2% per year for the
foreseeable future.
Fort Collins is officially classified as a metropolitan
area by the Census, and is the fifth largest city in Colorado.
Outside of the Denver metro area, only Colorado Springs
is larger than Fort Collins.
The population includes over 22 000 students at Colorado
State University.
49% of Fort Collins adults over age 25 have a college
degree, and 16% have a post-graduate degree.
The population of Larimer County is about 260 000 (2002).
Most people have immigrated from other states.
The town has been growing rapidly for the last 25 years,
and continues to be one of the fastest growing cities
in the US.
Fort Collins is known for friendliness of people and low
crime rate.
Facilities and activities for seniors are excellent, and
Fort Collins has become a popular retirement center.
Primary downside is the transportation system. Although
the city has an excellent and attractive bike trail system,
public transportation is almost non-existent (a taxpayer-funded
bus system services primarily the students at Colorado
State University), and there are some limited transportation
options for seniors who don't drive. The city experiences
significant pollution from automobile exhaust, and the
city's road system is not keeping up with growth. Constantly
increasing traffic delays are a continual source of frustration
(and more than a few of our friendly people abandon their
courtesy and consideration when they drive).
Population is 89.6% White, 8.8% Hispanic, 2.6% Asian or
Pacific Islander, and 1.0% Black (2000 US Census—adds
to more than 100% because the Census now allows people
to indicate more than one race).
Fort Collins is the county seat of government for Larimer
County (also the largest town in the county).
It is located about 105 km (65 miles) north of Denver,
and about 72 km (45 miles) south of Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Other towns in county are Loveland (2000 population 50
608), Estes Park, Wellington, Laporte, Timnath, Red Feather
Lakes, Berthoud.
Nearby towns (in Weld county) are Greeley, Windsor.
Primary employment is white collar.
Cost of Living
Property values are high, housing is expensive, cost of
living is moderate. According to a 1998 survey published
in our local newspaper (the ACCRA index for the first
quarter of 1998), Fort Collins is 6.7% more expensive
to live in than the average US city. According to the
survey:
Utilities cost 25% BELOW the national average.
Medical care costs over 15% ABOVE the national average.
Housing costs over 20% ABOVE the national average.
Groceries cost almost 13% ABOVE the national average.
In Colorado, Boulder, Greeley, and Gunnison all have a
higher cost of living than Fort Collins.
The survey ranked Colorado cities:
Boulder, +19.7% above the national average
Greeley, +7.1%
Gunnison, +6.8%
Fort Collins, +6.7%
Denver, +6.5%
Colorado Springs, +2.1%
Grand Junction, +1.0%
Loveland, -2.7% below the national average
Pueblo, -7.9%
For comparison, some other western US cities were ranked:
Los Angeles, CA, +17.6% above the national average
Eugene, OR, +8.7%
Albuquerque, NM, +3.1%
Spokane, WA, +2.5%
Salt Lake City, UT, -0.5 below the national average
And let's not forget New York City (+137.7% above the
national average).
Schools
3 public school districts in county
Poudre R1 (Fort Collins, Wellington, Laporte, Timnath,
mountain areas)
Thompson R2J (Loveland)
Park R3 (Estes Park)
A number of private and parochial schools
2 colleges/universities
Colorado State University
Front Range Community College
Local Attractions
Rocky Mountain National Park (1 hour)
Estes Park (1 hour)
Poudre River Canyon (30 minutes)
Fort Collins Municipal Railway historic city streetcar
(trolley rides in summer)
Clydesdale horses at Anheuser-Busch brewery (20 minutes)
Outdoor Activities
Hiking/backpacking in the Roosevelt National Forest and
Arapahoe National Forest
Climbing "14ers" (Colorado's 54 peaks over 4267
m/14 000 ft are all climbable, mostly without technical
gear; the nearest 14er to Fort Collins is Longs Peak at
4301 m/14 110 ft; about a 2-hour drive to the base, 8
hours to climb, non-technical, primarily in August)
White water rafting (some canoeing) on the Cache la Poudre
River
Bicycling (extensive bicycle/pedestrian trail system)
in town, particularly along the Poudre River
7 golf courses in Fort Collins, 12 more in immediate area
Major Employers
[The local economy has been strong (one 1997 book listed
Larimer County as having the 13th strongest economy in
the nation), and county unemployment was at 2.8% in April,
1998. About 6900 employers in Larimer County employ over
132 000 people as of April, 1998. But the area also has
a reputation as one where finding a job can be difficult,
and where salaries for comparable jobs may not be as high
as in some other areas. The recent national recession
has seriously impacted local employers, many of whom have
resorted to significant layoffs during 2002.]
Here are the county's top 12 employers according to the
local paper (10/99):
Colorado State University (8500 employees)
Hewlett-Packard & Agilent (5800 employees)
Poudre R1 School District (3185 employees)
Kodak Colorado Division (2100 employees)
Poudre Valley Hospital (1890 employees)
Thompson R2J School District (Loveland, 1600 employees)
City of Fort Collins (1200 employees)
Larimer County (1200 employees)
Allegheny Teledyne (918 employees)
Celestica Colorado (899 employees)
LSI Logic (900 employees)
Anheuser Busch (700 employees)
Fort Collins Real Estate and Mortgages in Fort Collins,
Colorado
The real estate market in Colorado remains strong and
the demand for real estate and mortgages in Fort Collins is
booming. Colorado continues to attract new residents from
around the country, drawn by Colorado's beauty and economy.
This population growth has resulted in a good rate of
appreciation in the Colorado real estate market. It has
never been easier to get a mortgage in Fort Collins and mortgage
rates are at some of the lowest levels in decades.
If you live in Fort Collins and are looking to buy a
new home or refinance your existing mortgage, we can help.
Also, if you are moving to Fort Collins and need help
with real estate in Colorado or a Fort Collins mortgage,
please don't hesitate to give us a call.
