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Looking at retiring somewhere in/around Albuquerque. Where in Albuquerque, looking at the N, S, E, W does one find an area with a small town feel? We have lived in smaller places over the last 20 years (have lived in places like Anchorage, AK and Woodland Park, CO to Clovis, NM) and looking to have that kind of feeling but have access to the kind of culture that Albuquerque provides as well as Santa Fe and Taos. We are originally from Texas; love the weather in NM.
I would say in the WestSide, its more spread out but more suburban in feel, big box stores and tract homes. To me the whole East Side of ABQ is busy compact. Im from a small town too so I know what yall are looking for.
The South Valley offers a small town feel but is not a good place to live.
Looking at retiring somewhere in/around Albuquerque. Where in Albuquerque, looking at the N, S, E, W does one find an area with a small town feel? We have lived in smaller places over the last 20 years (have lived in places like Anchorage, AK and Woodland Park, CO to Clovis, NM) and looking to have that kind of feeling but have access to the kind of culture that Albuquerque provides as well as Santa Fe and Taos. We are originally from Texas; love the weather in NM.
Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, Corrales, Placitas, towns in the East Mountains (Tijeras, Cedar Crest, San Antonito, Chilili etc) and parts of the North and South Valley have a smaller town / community feel.
Corrales, the South Valley, the North Valley and maybe Placitas would give you more of the small town feel. Definitely not the West side, which is mostly soul-less suburban sprawl.
While I enjoy where I live in Albuquerque, east of Tramway near where the open space starts, I would say it is not a small town feel area.
There are many trails, so it is friendly to walkers in that context. But you really can't walk anywhere. Any errand needs a car and most cars are secure in garages (rare to see any parked on the street) and most doors/gates closed. What there is here that makes it appealing is nature. I hear coyotes most nights, (had one one in my yard once; unfortunatlely have had raccoons too) and have had orioles, grosbeaks of many types and flocks of cedar waxwings.
We went out for a look last weekeend to take a albeit brief look at some housing areas in Albuquerque. We liked the looks of Cedar Crest as well as Tijeras. We drove up around Placitas and after visiting with a real estate agent in the area, discovered that that area won't work for us $$. A friend here in Clovis told me about South Valley. Another friend told me about going out to Paseo del Norte westward; we did that and proceeded to get lost. Was told we were in Paradise Valley. For some reason didn't really care for it the short time we were there; of course, we weren't there very long. We drove to the (I guess it was) the NE Heights area. I thought that area looked nice. We'll take another weekend in a month or so and take a look at Edgewood, N Valley, Corrales, Bernalillo....
Another question.... Since we want to lease a house before we buy, what is the best source of finding a house? Newspaper ads? Craigs List?
We went out for a look last weekeend to take a albeit brief look at some housing areas in Albuquerque. We liked the looks of Cedar Crest as well as Tijeras. We drove up around Placitas and after visiting with a real estate agent in the area, discovered that that area won't work for us $$. A friend here in Clovis told me about South Valley. Another friend told me about going out to Paseo del Norte westward; we did that and proceeded to get lost. Was told we were in Paradise Valley. For some reason didn't really care for it the short time we were there; of course, we weren't there very long. We drove to the (I guess it was) the NE Heights area. I thought that area looked nice. We'll take another weekend in a month or so and take a look at Edgewood, N Valley, Corrales, Bernalillo....
Another question.... Since we want to lease a house before we buy, what is the best source of finding a house? Newspaper ads? Craigs List?
The east mountains are nice with a lot of beautiful scenery. You will find Corrales and much of the North valley to be pricey like Placitas. I can't imagine anything close to what you're looking for heading west on Paseo. The NE Heights is a nice area, but doesn't really have a small town feel.
Sorry I don't know about where to look for rentals. Probably the places you mentioned, plus I know there are property management companies that offer a lot of rentals - hopefully someone else will have insight into this.
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