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My wife and I are contemplating a move to the Tijeras area and I was wondering if any residents could give us a sense of the area and answer a few questions we had. We want to get away from the congestion of city life and while we will be moving from California, we are NOT "Californicating" people who try to turn a rural area into a horrible restrictive urban area. That's what we're trying to escape from!
- What's the biggest thing you think the area needs more of? Less of?
- What's the vibe? Are people happy, angry, depressed, etc.
- What are the internet options?
- How off-grid friendly are the local authorities? Can you build a house without being forced to tie it into the electrical grid and plumbing system?
- How friendly are the authorities to alternative housing? I'm looking to build an earthship-style earthbag house and I'd like to do it legally.
- Is this a "live and let live" sort of area, or a "call the cops, someone drove 2 miles over the speed limit" sort of area?
- What's the weather like up on the Sandia mountains? How much snow is there on average? Is a 4-wheel drive vehicle a necessity for the winter?
- How feasible would it be to harvest rainwater? Is it reasonably safe to drink untreated, or would it require filtration?
- What's the biggest thing you think the area needs Less of?
Californians. Heh heh. But seriously..
Quote:
- What's the vibe? Are people happy, angry, depressed, etc.
Tijeras is a few miles of major interstate, an exit, and a tiny village with some houses. It is very close to Albuquerque. The people are indistinguishable.
Depending on the part of California you're from, imagine living next to the 405 between LA and the valley.
You may also want to define "Tijeras" in more detail. You can live 30 miles southeast of Tijeras and some people will still call it Tijeras. Others only consider parts within the village limits. Once you define it, you'll get meaningful answers to the more detailed questions, because it depends on exactly where you are.
That said, most of the people I know who are from Tijeras don't live in Tijeras. Come to mention it, I don't know anybody who actually lives in Tijeras proper.
[quote=Pointedstick;25573042]
- What's the vibe? Are people happy, angry, depressed, etc.
Probably a little of all. Most I know are live and let live type people much like most of the rest of New Mexicans
- What are the internet options?
Depends. If you are close to Tijeras proper you probably can get Comcast or CenturyLink, if not satellite is going to be it
- How off-grid friendly are the local authorities? Can you build a house without being forced to tie it into the electrical grid and plumbing system?
Again, if you are away from the town of Tijeras you will need your own well for water and a septic system. Much of rural NM is like this. With solar technology and our abundance of sun it is feasible to be off the electrical grid but it can be expensive to do so. Using solar and tie-ing into the grid would be less expensive
- How friendly are the authorities to alternative housing? I'm looking to build an earthship-style earthbag house and I'd like to do it legally.
As long as it meets building codes you are fine.
- Is this a "live and let live" sort of area, or a "call the cops, someone drove 2 miles over the speed limit" sort of area?
live and let live. Police department is small.
- What's the weather like up on the Sandia mountains? How much snow is there on average? Is a 4-wheel drive vehicle a necessity for the winter?
12" is average in the town of Tijeras. The further away the further up in altitude you go with more snow.
Thanks guys! As for being a Californian, I'm not actually a native; I'm a recent transplant who's hated it and wants to get out. I'm originally from downstate Illinois and my wife is a native New Mexican. She sees it as coming home! As for codes, I've read the NM Earthen Architecture code; does anybody know if anyone's built a code-permitted earthbag house that complies with it? Earthbag is basically easier adobe, but it's not specifically called out in the code so I'm hoping there isn't too much hassle associated with that.
We also looked into this area before moving. It's like being close to the city but not being in a city. I heard that some of the water needs to be hauled in. Yes, you need a 4 wheel drive as they don't clear many of the roads in the winter.
Personally, I didn't really care for it because I felt closed in a couple of subdivisions I went into. A lot of keep out signs too didn't impress me.
On the positive side, they had a nice steak house and the food was great.
You really just need to come check it out and make sure it's the right place for you. We can all give our opinions but because I don't care for a place doesn't mean you won't.
The Tijeras "AREA" is like most of New Mexico. Housing runs the gamut - pig sties to McMansions. Solar arrays are in evidence on many of the more upscale properties in the area. As others have already advised, this is one area where a visit prior to relocating is a must.
I doubt anyone who can afford to live in one of the upscale developed areas would look twice at living in Tijeras proper.
The Tijeras "AREA" is like most of New Mexico. Housing runs the gamut - pig sties to McMansions. Solar arrays are in evidence on many of the more upscale properties in the area. As others have already advised, this is one area where a visit prior to relocating is a must.
I doubt anyone who can afford to live in one of the upscale developed areas would look twice at living in Tijeras proper.
Thanks guys! As for being a Californian, I'm not actually a native; I'm a recent transplant who's hated it and wants to get out. I'm originally from downstate Illinois.
I'm a down-state Illinois native too (glad I'm not there now), and lived in California for a few years (and other places).
Tijeras is green with a lot of pine trees, as is most of the land on that side of the mountains. It turns pinion/juniper and grassland a few miles east though. It will be fairly cold in winter TIJERAS RANGER STN, NEW MEXICO - Climate Summary, but according to the stats they don't get a lot of snow... and like most of NM it doesn't stay on the ground long if the sun can hit it.
I like your idea of going off grid. I investigated that area a few years back and the land isn't that expensive if you don't have utilities. But you might as well hook up to whatever utilities are available... it's cheaper... especially for electric. Unless you are cool with a very bare-bones PV system, it's going to be expensive and complex and require maintenance.
The land that doesn't have utilities will generally be a longer drive to Albuquerque. Don't know what you are thinking about for jobs, but it would make no sense to live in the boonies off-grid and do long commutes... just plain silly as well as expensive.
IMO NM building codes are fairly simple and sane... but it really depends on the local inspectors... always a good idea to get to know them and make them a friend. I doubt earthbags would be a problem, but don't know for sure. It's usually a good idea to build something like a pavilion with post and beam and then put in the walls later... that way they aren't required to hold the roof up.
Water and sewer are the big things. As I recall wells over there didn't tend to be horrendously deep (~300ft) but that is something to check thoroughly before you buy a parcel! You can get data on all the surrounding wells. Even then there are no guaranties. Around Ruidoso the water tends to be very hard and full of strange compounds and some places there is sulfur. Don't know about Tijeras though.
Septic... you need at least 3/4 acres *and* your soil needs to be tested and found to be suitable if you want to put in a conventional septic. Else you will need one of those expensive and horrendous aerobic things...
Just saw this post. Hope you moved here. If not, you would love it here! I have lived here almost 3 years. winter is sometimes hard but the spring and fall and summer, yummy!
area needs: more restaurants, stores
people are mountain people and the best you could hope for!
internet options - depends on where you are. I40-Sedillo Hill-not good. satellite only. other areas-it depends.
off grid friendly? VERY. Wind power is big here.
your earthstyle home would fit PERFECT here.
noone will call for going over the speed limit. except in the center of the village. they are sticklers on speed and keep highway patrol close by for those who choose to speed.
Weather-good, most of the time. be prepared that the higher elevation you are, the more snow you will get dumped on you.
4-wheel drive is preferable but not necessary.
you could harvest rainwater if we got enough, but the winters have been sluggish lately.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pointedstick
Hello everyone!
My wife and I are contemplating a move to the Tijeras area and I was wondering if any residents could give us a sense of the area and answer a few questions we had. We want to get away from the congestion of city life and while we will be moving from California, we are NOT "Californicating" people who try to turn a rural area into a horrible restrictive urban area. That's what we're trying to escape from!
- What's the biggest thing you think the area needs more of? Less of?
- What's the vibe? Are people happy, angry, depressed, etc.
- What are the internet options?
- How off-grid friendly are the local authorities? Can you build a house without being forced to tie it into the electrical grid and plumbing system?
- How friendly are the authorities to alternative housing? I'm looking to build an earthship-style earthbag house and I'd like to do it legally.
- Is this a "live and let live" sort of area, or a "call the cops, someone drove 2 miles over the speed limit" sort of area?
- What's the weather like up on the Sandia mountains? How much snow is there on average? Is a 4-wheel drive vehicle a necessity for the winter?
- How feasible would it be to harvest rainwater? Is it reasonably safe to drink untreated, or would it require filtration?
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move already!
