Area specifics (Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, South Valley: best neighborhoods, for sale, real estate market)

[deesturn]

Can anyone tell me specifics about certain areas? I have been getting listings from a realtor and the majority within my price range/budget are in southwest heights...It seems that there are a lot of or mostly "developments". What is the area like? i.e. deed restrictions, houses close, gated, distance from center of abq, etc. I don't know what specific questions to ask, but I know what I don't favor. I don't favor deed restricted developments (certain kinds of mailboxes, that kind of thing) houses that are on top of one another (really close). I know that some of these developments don't have too much land per house, and privacy can compenstate for that. I just need to get more of a picture of things. It looks also, as though northeast heights is a little higher priced... Only a few came through in the listing within my budget... Why is that does anyone know? What is los lunas like? I got one or two listing in that area too...Thank you so much for taking the time..........

[nm_photojournalist]

This is only my opinion of course, but it's based on 24 years as an Albuquerque resident.

I have a female friend who is planning to move to the Albuquerque area when she retires as a teacher in Ohio. She too, has been "steered" to the SW, and Ladera areas (off Coors Blvd., just north of I-40) of Albuquerque because of her "price range." The SW (and SE) are not that safe in general. Lots of gangs along Central Ave. (old Route 66), and especially in the South Valley along the Rio Grande. Los Lunas has a pretty good gang problem also, by the way. There are some gated communities there however, and it is a more "rural" setting.

My friend has now shifted her housing search almost entirely to the Rio Rancho, NM area, 15 miles from downtown Albuquerque, on our West Mesa. This is New Mexico's fastest growing city, and it has a pretty low crime level. There are also, still some good prices, just south of Rio Rancho, inside the Albuquerque city limits, west of Cottonwood Mall on Coors Blvd. With a map of the "West Side," just stay north of Paseo del Norte Blvd. @ Coors Blvd., and you'll be in pretty decent neighborhoods. Of course, you could find the perfect house, on the perfect street, in the perfect neighborhood, and your neighbor is the worst! :-) Even more true with apartment hunting.

Start searching the Rio Rancho area for homes for sale on the MLS websites, and I'm sure you can find something in your price range there, comparable to the new neighborhoods in the "far" SW area.

On the other hand, the "far" Northeast Heights on the east side of the Rio Grande, contain the best neighborhoods, shopping areas, etc. "generally speaking." There are always exceptions. This area would be bounded roughly by Pennsylvania Blvd. on the west, and perhaps Menaul Blvd. on the south. Anything NE of those two, are pretty nice areas. Prices are higher in the Northeast Heights because the city has literally reached it's physical limits. The Sandia Mountains, bordering the east side are a barrier to expansion, and Tramway Blvd. on the far north side of town, marks the barrier of lands owned by Sandia Pueblo. The positive side of that, is that homes in the far Northeast Heights hold their value better than in other areas.

Good luck with your search! I know it's not fun! :-)

[deesturn]

Originally Posted by nm_photojournalist

This is only my opinion of course, but it's based on 24 years as an Albuquerque resident.

I have a female friend who is planning to move to the Albuquerque area when she retires as a teacher in Ohio. She too, has been "steered" to the SW, and Ladera areas (off Coors Blvd., just north of I-40) of Albuquerque because of her "price range." The SW (and SE) are not that safe in general. Lots of gangs along Central Ave. (old Route 66), and especially in the South Valley along the Rio Grande. Los Lunas has a pretty good gang problem also, by the way. There are some gated communities there however, and it is a more "rural" setting.

My friend has now shifted her housing search almost entirely to the Rio Rancho, NM area, 15 miles from downtown Albuquerque, on our West Mesa. This is New Mexico's fastest growing city, and it has a pretty low crime level. There are also, still some good prices, just south of Rio Rancho, inside the Albuquerque city limits, west of Cottonwood Mall on Coors Blvd. With a map of the "West Side," just stay north of Paseo del Norte Blvd. @ Coors Blvd., and you'll be in pretty decent neighborhoods. Of course, you could find the perfect house, on the perfect street, in the perfect neighborhood, and your neighbor is the worst! :-) Even more true with apartment hunting.

Start searching the Rio Rancho area for homes for sale on the MLS websites, and I'm sure you can find something in your price range there, comparable to the new neighborhoods in the "far" SW area.

On the other hand, the "far" Northeast Heights on the east side of the Rio Grande, contain the best neighborhoods, shopping areas, etc. "generally speaking." There are always exceptions. This area would be bounded roughly by Pennsylvania Blvd. on the west, and perhaps Menaul Blvd. on the south. Anything NE of those two, are pretty nice areas. Prices are higher in the Northeast Heights because the city has literally reached it's physical limits. The Sandia Mountains, bordering the east side are a barrier to expansion, and Tramway Blvd. on the far north side of town, marks the barrier of lands owned by Sandia Pueblo. The positive side of that, is that homes in the far Northeast Heights hold their value better than in other areas.

Good luck with your search! I know it's not fun! :-)

I've moved from NY been to NC, SC and Florida all in the past 11 months. Sounds flakey, but there is a story (won't bore you). Anyway, I've learned so much about the current real estate market, I just knew that something was not right.....

Thanks so much for this information. I couldn't have asked for more detailed specifics. I have had Rio Rancho recommended to me before and I think that would be the best it seems. But now with all of this detailed info including street names, etc. I have a MUCH better idea of what I'm looking at....NO, not fun at all!! Thanks again for the "wealth" of information....It's really appreciated.

[deesturn]

Originally Posted by nm_photojournalist

This is only my opinion of course, but it's based on 24 years as an Albuquerque resident.

I have a female friend who is planning to move to the Albuquerque area when she retires as a teacher in Ohio. She too, has been "steered" to the SW, and Ladera areas (off Coors Blvd., just north of I-40) of Albuquerque because of her "price range." The SW (and SE) are not that safe in general. Lots of gangs along Central Ave. (old Route 66), and especially in the South Valley along the Rio Grande. Los Lunas has a pretty good gang problem also, by the way. There are some gated communities there however, and it is a more "rural" setting.

My friend has now shifted her housing search almost entirely to the Rio Rancho, NM area, 15 miles from downtown Albuquerque, on our West Mesa. This is New Mexico's fastest growing city, and it has a pretty low crime level. There are also, still some good prices, just south of Rio Rancho, inside the Albuquerque city limits, west of Cottonwood Mall on Coors Blvd. With a map of the "West Side," just stay north of Paseo del Norte Blvd. @ Coors Blvd., and you'll be in pretty decent neighborhoods. Of course, you could find the perfect house, on the perfect street, in the perfect neighborhood, and your neighbor is the worst! :-) Even more true with apartment hunting.

Start searching the Rio Rancho area for homes for sale on the MLS websites, and I'm sure you can find something in your price range there, comparable to the new neighborhoods in the "far" SW area.

On the other hand, the "far" Northeast Heights on the east side of the Rio Grande, contain the best neighborhoods, shopping areas, etc. "generally speaking." There are always exceptions. This area would be bounded roughly by Pennsylvania Blvd. on the west, and perhaps Menaul Blvd. on the south. Anything NE of those two, are pretty nice areas. Prices are higher in the Northeast Heights because the city has literally reached it's physical limits. The Sandia Mountains, bordering the east side are a barrier to expansion, and Tramway Blvd. on the far north side of town, marks the barrier of lands owned by Sandia Pueblo. The positive side of that, is that homes in the far Northeast Heights hold their value better than in other areas.

Good luck with your search! I know it's not fun! :-)

Hate to bother you again, but you wouldn't happen to know the "names" of the areas or even the zip codes. It's very hard deciphering the different listings. I keep having to look up the addresses, etc. area names and/or zip codes are helpful....... This is such a hard job. I'm hanging tough, but I get discouraged and frustrated and have to bring my mind back over and over...The realtor I'm working with says that she cannot comment on areas and I understand that totally, but she's really not very helpful other than sending me the broker listings from the innovia site...... which I cannot work with as far as changing the details..... Oh poo..... It'll happen and this will all be a memory...... that will fade.............

[mortimer]

... names of the areas ....

Does this help? ABQREALTORS.com - Official site of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Board of REALTORS®

More specifically:
http://www.abqrealtors.com/i/abqcity-area-map.jpg

If you go to a mapping service and enter some zip codes, it
will take you to the center. You can then manually write in
the code on a printout of the above map. try some codes like
87106 87109 87110 87111 87112 87122 etc.

Rio Rancho is more like 87144 etc.

[NadiaP]

We live in the 87114 zip code. Its a new neighborhood in "the trails" subdivision. Very nice area. Far NW quarant of the city. Builder is Centex and there are lots more homes to be built up here. New HS is now open for 9th grader. Soon to be 2 new Elementaary School and 1 new Middle. The current schools are very crowded though. % minutes from Rio Rancho, where I work

[nm_photojournalist]

Hi Dee:

First of all, thank you for you kind comments.

The previous poster said she lives in 87114 zip code. This is north of Paseo del Norte (Paradise Blvd. west from Coors Blvd.) This is the "far" NW section of Albuquerque that I recommended, just south of the city of Rio Rancho.

"All" of Rio Rancho is in the 87124 zip code area, so listings for properties there should be uniform. Also, F.Y.I.: Rio Rancho is in Sandoval County, while Albuquerque is Bernalillo County. To confuse the point, the county seat of Sandoval County is Bernalillo, NM, 15 miles north of Albuquerque. Bernalillo is where the County Courts, Sandoval Sheriff's Dept., etc. are located.

In the Far Northeast Heights (I think I recommended east of Pennsylvania Blvd, and north of Menaul). Those area codes would include 87109 (the eastern 1/3), 87113 (the eastern 1/3) both east of Pennsylvania. 87112 north of Menaul, 87111 (north of 87112), and 87122 in the "far, far" northeast part of Albuquerque, north of 87111. The "primo" area of all these is probably 87111. (I'm in 87112 just north of Menaul, west of Tramway).

I hope this "confusion" straightens some things out for you. It's no bother...just the frustration! LOL! I finally remembered I had an old (but still current) zip code listing from the post office hidden away in a file cabinet! Have a good one!

[nm_photojournalist]

Rio Rancho is growing so fast, they've apparently added two (if not more I'm still not aware of) zip codes...so...RR now includes87124, 87144, & 87174. I believe these would run from south to north, older areas of RR to the newest areas near US550. All - North from Southern Blvd. @ NM528.

[deesturn]

Thank you all for all the input!! All of the info is tremendous. Lots of research, but without the info -- well each time I've moved on -- it's been the "same" thing.. Have no clue what to look at, where, etc. With this info and it being my solid decision to move to ABQ, this is such a blessing!!!

I went onto that http://www.abqrealtors.com/i/abqcity-area-map.jpg Mortimer -- also found Placitas, Corrales, Bernallilo, and Sandia Park. I know where these all sit on the map but haven't actually heard too much in the way of recommendation for them. I'm Guessing that Sandia Park is expensive as it is "east" and north of cedar crest and Tijeras and northwest of Edgewood which I have been told are ALL "higher" end priced....

Bernalillo seems to be north of Rio Rancho and just past a "reservation" while Placitas is way east of Bernalillo but also in Sandoval County, and seems a bit "remote".. Although city data stats seems to indicate that it is on the high end as far as median income earned and median price on houses....

Than there is Corrales which looks directly east of Rio Rancho and looks like it might be part of Rio Rancho. Are any of these areas worth looking into? Only asking the above site lists these separately......

Thanks all!!

[abqsunport]

Almost all of them are, particularly Corrales (its own village, north of the Albuquerque Valley) and Placitas (about 10 miles to the north of Albuquerque)