Property Management in Old Colorado City

Old Colorado City was founded in 1859, more than a decade before Colorado Springs, and voted to join the city in 1917. Today it's a walkable west side neighborhood built around the shops, galleries, and restaurants on West Colorado Avenue, with Garden of the Gods, Red Rock Canyon Open Space, and Manitou Springs just minutes away and an easy drive to downtown.

What renters look for here

Renters here usually care more about character and walkability than square footage. Many are young professionals and couples who work downtown or on the west side and like being able to walk to coffee, dinner, and the trails. Families are part of the mix too. Most of the neighborhood is in Colorado Springs School District 11, which also lets families apply to schools across the district through its choice program.

What owners should know

• Older homes need a closer look. Much of the housing dates to the late 1800s and early 1900s: Victorians, bungalows, and small cottages, with newer infill mixed in. Sewer lines, electrical, foundations, and original windows come up in inspections here more than in newer parts of town, and a sewer scope before you rent is money well spent.
• Lead paint rules apply. Homes built before 1978 need the federal lead-based paint disclosure with every lease. We include it and keep the paperwork on file.
• Parking and events are part of life here. Many homes rely on street or alley parking, and festivals like Territory Days over Memorial Day weekend bring big crowds to Colorado Avenue. We set clear expectations with tenants before they sign.
• Check zoning before planning a short-term rental. Colorado Springs does not permit new non-owner-occupied short-term rentals in single-family zoning districts, and requires a 500-foot separation between them in other zones. For many Old Colorado City owners, a well-run long-term lease is the simpler path. We can look up your zoning first.

A neighborhood with its own history

Old Colorado City sits on the Westside of Colorado Springs, along West Colorado Avenue roughly between 24th and 31st Streets, with residential blocks spreading north and south of the avenue. It was the original Colorado City, a supply town for the Pikes Peak gold rush and briefly the territorial capital, long before it became part of Colorado Springs. That history still shows in the brick storefronts, tree-lined streets, and small lots that give the neighborhood its feel.

Our Westside office: 943 Raymond Pl

Local management, a few minutes away

Our office is at 943 Raymond Pl (80905) on the Westside, close to Old Colorado City. That means we can get to your property quickly for showings, move-in and move-out inspections, and vendor visits, and we know the streets, the parking situation, and the rental comps here firsthand instead of pricing from across town.

We also manage homes just up the road in Manitou Springs, where historic houses, hillside lots, and stricter short-term rental rules call for a slightly different playbook. Curious what a Westside rental looks like when it is managed well? See our current Westside listing.

Housing stock: Victorians, bungalows, and cottages

Most rentals here are single-family homes rather than large apartment complexes. You'll find:

• Historic Victorians from the late 1800s, often with original woodwork, tall ceilings, and additions that have been reworked over the decades.
• Craftsman-style bungalows and small cottages from the early 1900s, popular with renters who want a yard and a porch close to the avenue.
• Duplexes, carriage houses, and small multi-unit buildings mixed into the residential blocks, along with apartments above some Colorado Avenue storefronts.
• Newer infill homes and townhomes on lots where older structures were replaced.

What drives renter demand

• Walkability. The shops, galleries, coffee houses, restaurants, and breweries along West Colorado Avenue, plus Bancroft Park and the seasonal farmers market, are a big part of why people choose to live here.
• Trails and open space. Red Rock Canyon Open Space is just southwest of the neighborhood, Garden of the Gods is a short drive north, and the Midland Trail runs along Fountain Creek toward downtown and Manitou Springs.
• Commute. Highway 24 connects quickly to I-25 and downtown, which works for renters who work in the city core or on the Westside.
• Character. Many renters are specifically looking for an older home with charm and are willing to trade some square footage or a garage for it.

Typical owner concerns we handle

• Older home maintenance. Aging sewer laterals, older electrical panels and wiring, original windows, settling foundations, and older boilers or furnaces. We document condition at move-in, schedule seasonal checks, and get repairs done by licensed vendors with no markup on the invoice.
• Winter readiness. Older homes are more prone to frozen pipes and ice dams. We remind tenants about heat settings and get furnaces serviced before cold weather.
• Protecting original features. Lease terms and move-in walk-throughs that spell out care for original floors, trim, and fixtures.
• Pricing against the right comps. A renovated Victorian and a dated cottage two blocks apart can rent very differently, so we price from comparable Westside homes, not citywide averages.

What it costs

The same published rates apply everywhere we work: 8% of rent collected, a leasing fee of 50% of one month's rent ($500 minimum) when we place a tenant, and $250 for a renewal. See the full fee breakdown.