What is the general opinion of Rio Rancho among Alb. people? (Albuquerque: sale, renter)

[Towanda]

Originally Posted by harry o

there are the ''older'' areas around the Intel area where it looks like any other city as trees go.

That is my problem with Rio Rancho in a nutshell.

It looks "like any other city."

It could get plunked right down in the middle of Kansas or just about any other state in the country.

To me, there is nothing "New Mexico" about it.

I realize few people share my opinion. And that's okay. I just know I would never live there.

[rotorhead]

Gonna be lots-O-houses for sale in RR pretty soon, Intel is finally getting aroudn to laying off those thousand employees we've been hearing about. Gonna be a glut of homes for sale in the area....again.

[mmckenna]

Why is that a problem? Are you trying to sell a house or something? If so, I can see why the competition would be a problem. As someone looking to buy in RR in about a year, I am happy about it (but sad for the layoffs.)

[rotorhead]

Yes, in fact, I am! The timing couldn't be worse for me personally as my house goes on the market this weekend. It's a somewhat different market as I'm located in the UNM area instead of the West Side. There's almost 7000 homes on the ABQ/Rio Rancho market already, versus less than 2000 when we bought our place, so every little bit hurts. Of course, it hurts a LOT less than being laid-off and having to sell your home under duress, like the unfortunates at Intel. From what I hear through the real estate grapevine, this batch of a thousand jobs is only the tip of the iceberg.

[mortimer]

rotorhead gave fair warning:

> From what I hear through the real estate grapevine, this
> batch of a thousand jobs is only the tip of the iceberg.

For every Intel (blue badge) employee laid off, there is
probably a contractor (green badge) that will lose their
job. Many of them are high wage people.

Knowing Intel, after the Fab 11 people have been disbursed
to the wind, they will announce the construction of Fab 21
or 31 or 11XX or whatever and start a hiring frenzy.

Chipmakers today are like the steel companies of the 1880's
and will startup and shutdown factories almost on a whim.

[mortimer]

Towanda opined:

> ... Rio Rancho in a nutshell. It looks "like any other city."

> It could get plunked right down in the middle of Kansas or
> just about any other state in the country.
> ... nothing "New Mexico" about it. ... few people share my opinion.

I disagree. I think a lot of people share your opinion.

> And that's okay. I just know I would never live there.

Right. Neither would I. I have nothing against RR in particular,
it just doesn't attract me - despite the weather, views, etc.

I think that since so many people grew up in faceless suburbs
since WWII, that is all they feel comfortable with. I grew up
in a suburb of Dayton built just after the 1913 flood with big
trees and lots of different styles of houses.

I had a girlfriend from the suburbs once that said that she
hated all the bows of big trees hanging over the roads giving
shade and color. There are some people that will rip out a
tree if it gets more than 3" thick because it is crowding the
houses.

Also, Towanda wrote in another thread:

> I have been chastised for this at times on this forum,
> but if weather is a factor for you, then you need to
> know the weather will vary in different parts of the state.

Be not so sensitive young grasshopper.

I think your advice is spot on to let people know that moving
10 miles can put you in a diffent climate. Coming from Ohio,
I thought that was fascinating when places over 100 miles away
almost always have the same weather (unless a front was moving
through).

It is just that someone's definition of [hot] and [cold] can
be very different. Again, coming from Ohio, there is no place
in NM that has either a cold winter or a hot summer. It's all
good with different shades of [good].

[ABQConvict]

Rio Rancho is great for people who grew up in tract housing and don't know what it's like to walk (or bike) anywhere.

Living in the UNM/Nob Hill area I feel fortunate that I can walk to the grocery store, laundromat, well over a dozen restaurants from Greek, Thai, New Mexican, Italian, French, etc. as well as the Frontier if I have a hankering for a juicy green chile cheeseburger at 4 in the morning. I can also walk to Zimmerman Library, Popejoy Hall (symphony, ballet, touring Broadway productions), Nob Hill, several cool locally owned coffeeshops. All within 10 minutes on foot.

I'm very close to Central Ave. so getting from such diverse locales as Downtown, Bio-park, the Malls, even the mountains is easy by bus (at least while they are running.

Best of all, I get to walk to work

The houses in my neighborhood are mostly pre-war and vary from midwestern to Victorian to pueblo style. It can be pretty weedy but many people around here take landscaping (and xeriscaping seriously).

In contrast, Rio Rancho provides housing at about the same cost but is isolated from anything that seems vibrant or cultural or diverse. The houses look the same, the people look the same, the SUVs look the same. If you want anything other than a sea of moderately priced, mass produced "southwest style" housing you will have to look elsewhere. If I lived in Rio Rancho I would probably end up sitting in front of the TV all day because driving anywhere is a pain in the A ss.

I can see how Rio Rancho might look interesting (maybe even exotic) to people from back east but it is an illusion. Also most of the people living out there are not from New Mexico so you end up living in an "ex-pat" community.

Originally Posted by mortimer

I had a girlfriend from the suburbs once that said that she
hated all the bows of big trees hanging over the roads giving
shade and color.

That makes me want to cry.

ABQConvict

[mmckenna]

I don't mind living around other ex-pats. We're not a bad bunch. Since I have to travel a lot for work, I think coming home to Rio Rancho will be just fine.

[rotorhead]

NM is a lot bigger than just the city. If you never get out to see the rest of the state, you're missing out on what makes it worth living here.

I'd agree that most of Rio Rancho is a carbon-copy of the typical suburban-sprawl monoculture. It's largely a generic mass of too-big houses packed too closely together on too-small lots, minus the typical tree cover (it's just too new). That said, it seems to be what a lot of people seem to want, or at least what they can afford.

There is no question that living in Nob Hill or Downtown or Ridgecrest is more convienant to the revitalized and trendy urban core, and definately WAY more friendly to those dependent on public transportation. The older neighborhoods are also the only place you'll find a yard with big trees or any trace of shade, a lot of the trees are at least 50 years old. However, not everyone can afford to live there, and there's only a limited amount of that real-estate to go around. If you want a bigger, newer house but you're on a budget, you're not gonna find it in the UNM area.

Again, I'd posit that the distinction between the E. and W. sides is an artificial distinction, more mental than physical despite the obvious boundry of the river. It's really one extended urban area, no matter who's sending out your property tax bill.

[mmckenna]

Rotorhead - Are you a professor at UNM? If not, you should be! You clearly have strong teaching skills and a way with words. Thanks for all the helpful posts.