East Mountains (Santa Fe, Bernalillo, Edgewood: rental car, fit in, apartment)
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Septic systems and good well water....can be big problem...check it out well.
Thanks for mentioning that. I probably wouldn’t have paid attention to this without your info. I guess the public services can be a problem there, am I right? That could be a big problem… Is there any map that shows where the services (water & sewer, if any) are available?
I have been to ABQ several times, but have never been to the East Mountains. I will have opportunities visiting there before the actual move. Therefore, I’m trying to gather as much info as possible, so I will be able to use my time more efficiently once I’m there. I found this forum to be more useful than just visiting the official ABQ sites or from the real estate agents.
Thanks for mentioning that. I probably wouldn’t have paid attention to this without your info. I guess the public services can be a problem there, am I right? That could be a big problem… Is there any map that shows where the services (water & sewer, if any) are available?
I have been to ABQ several times, but have never been to the East Mountains. I will have opportunities visiting there before the actual move. Therefore, I’m trying to gather as much info as possible, so I will be able to use my time more efficiently once I’m there. I found this forum to be more useful than just visiting the official ABQ sites or from the real estate agents.
Thanks.
One development PaaKo has community water and a quasi septic system....other than that no sewer...some wells shared among small developments.
I know that if I lived in New Mexico for three years I would never leave. I am somewhat familiar with both Lexington, MA and "surburban NM" near Albuquerque. Once you have been trained to drive in Mass you will feel, as a friend expressed it, "Like a shark in a guppy tank", about western drivers.
FWIW - I would suggest you buy or rent nearer the AFB for a while. I think it will feel like country compared with Lex. Good luck.
One development PaaKo has community water and a quasi septic system....other than that no sewer...some wells shared among small developments.
Yes, some East Mountain homes are on wells, but a much larger percentage of us outside Paa-Ko are on the Entranosa water system (EWWA Home Page), which is a non-profit cooperative. And no, there is no sewage system anywhere out here. We're all on septic systems; Entranosa maintains them for its customers.
No hospitals out here (nor in Rio Rancho). Both areas offer emergency care centers. I know of two out here, Cedar Crest EmergiCenter (Cedar Crest EmergiCenter) and Pineridge Medical Surgical Urgent Care. I'm sure there are others, but these are the two closest to us. No, we've never had such an emergency (knock wood).
I think that if you're considering Rio Rancho vs. East Mountains, you're truly looking at polar opposites ... and I wouldn't describe either choice as "small town". Rio Rancho is high-density subdivisions, while the East Mountains are low-density rural. "Rural" and "small town" are different, IMHO.
Either would be a major lifestyle change from an area as urban as Lexington - Wilson Farm doesn't count, right? - but rural living more so I'd think (insert theme from "Green Acres" here).
Either way, you're looking at a minimum 25-minute commute to KAFB, it's just a question of whether you want to spend that time bumper-to-bumper year-round, or on mountain roads with potential snow and ice every third winter or so.
For us, two of the most significant considerations in choosing the East Mountains were land and climate. We wanted acreage for peace and quiet and scenic beauty, and we enjoy the cooler temps over here in spring, summer and fall. (I enjoy the winters, too, but hubby had never seen snow before in his life & believes it is unnatural & evil!)
But even up here in the Sandias the winters are SO much milder than what you've endured in metro Boston , believe me!
Oh, sorry, I overlooked your Internet service question ... I'll be brief as I've spouted off about this many times: when we first moved here choices were few & expensive (we had better options in Central America!) but things have truly improved in the past 5 years.
Qwest now offers 1.5 and 7 Mbps DSL to most East Mountain homes, or there's satellite via DirectTV or Dish, plus Verizon broadband cellular (my current choice). Paa-Ko and Cedar Crest can get Comcast, plus there are some local outfits offering microwave wireless.
It varies by area, so that's something you should ask about when looking at houses.
Rio Rancho has one hospital which has been functioning quite well (Presbyterian), six members of my family have used it, (From broken arm to carpal tunnel to emergency "Presbyterian Urgent Care" it is less than four road miles from my house, walking distance to a Dion's Pizza, what else could I need? Presbyterian also has a day surgery clinic in Rio Rancho (not sure what it does). There is another hospital under construction in Rio Rancho.
Rio Rancho has one hospital which has been functioning quite well (Presbyterian), six members of my family have used it, (From broken arm to carpal tunnel to emergency "Presbyterian Urgent Care" it is less than four road miles from my house, walking distance to a Dion's Pizza, what else could I need? Presbyterian also has a day surgery clinic in Rio Rancho (not sure what it does). There is another hospital under construction in Rio Rancho.
Rich
We've used the hospital here in RR several times and have been more than satisfied. Our heart doctors also have offices here.
I do not find the traffic in ABQ bad at all. Nothing is as bad as traveling 428 in Mass. My husband commutes daily and finds it a piece of cake compared to back east.
Commuting from the East Mountains would be a hassle in the winter, as often times storms close down 40, and you're either stuck in the city or in E. Mtns.
Check out RR, you might be pleasantly surprised. We're just a short drive from ABQ via Corrales Road.
Well now, I wouldn't say that I-40 is "often times" closed by snow storms.
According to my weather diary, there have been 5 snow closures in the 5 years we've lived out here: Dec 29, 2006; Dec 23, 2008; March 27, 2009; and Feb 3 and 10, 2010. And don't forget, old 66 is usually open as an alternate route.
In the New Mexico forum, there's another discussion of the I-40 commute. Tijeraswoof said:
Quote:
I've been here for twelve years and can count on one hand the number of times I couldn't make it into town for work. The highway is plowed usually very quickly and proficiently and MOST of the people here know how to drive in snow. The drive on the nice days (which are about 99 percent of them) is very relaxing.
And I agree.
But it's all relative, isn't it? I perceive Rio Rancho (not ABQ) as having heavy traffic, while RR residents perceive constant snow over here. As my granddad used to say, "That's why they make chocolate AND vanilla." I think we're lucky to have such a wide range of choices in and around ABQ when picking a new home, something for every taste.
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, believe me!
