better zipcodes (Albuquerque, Belen: best neighborhood, real estate, houses)

[Chowhound]

Hello all,

I was wondering what would be a good zipcode(s) to search for homes in the albuquerque area. I know that sounds kind of arrogant but I'm looking for the cheapest house in the best neighborhood. Any thoughts would be appreciated. I'm looking for something a little newer with a resonable commute to Albuquerque downtown area.

Thanks

[abqsunport]

87122 is the "most elite" almost handsdown. 87111 is good too. However, you can find good houses in probably every zip code.

[Chowhound]

Originally Posted by abqsunport

87122 is the "most elite" almost handsdown. 87111 is good too. However, you can find good houses in probably every zip code.

Thanks for your honesty. In checking MSN real estate I can see the prices. Murphys law is usually right. If something is too good to be true it usually isn't. Thanks for the relpy. I was planning on comming out in jan or feb to check out the weather. I'm a So Cal native so I was wondering what the weather is like. I looked on weather.com and it says that the high in the day is around 45 50 degrees. That doesn't sound bad but the sub 30's at night might be an issue

[ABQConvict]

Almost all houses in Albuquerque are "a little newer". You'd have to look in the valley to find anything more than a hundred years old. Of course my house, built in the '30's is considered by some to be old.

Don't worry about sub-freezing temps. Most houses in town have heating. Gas or electric. Some of the older houses rely on woodstoves, though.

ABQConvict

[abqsunport]

Originally Posted by Chowhound

Thanks for your honesty. In checking MSN real estate I can see the prices. Murphys law is usually right. If something is too good to be true it usually isn't. Thanks for the relpy. I was planning on comming out in jan or feb to check out the weather. I'm a So Cal native so I was wondering what the weather is like. I looked on weather.com and it says that the high in the day is around 45 50 degrees. That doesn't sound bad but the sub 30's at night might be an issue

Well today was the coldest day it has been in a long time. Last week we were seeing high 60's. So Albuquerque weather is plain unpredictable and unusual. Which is really kinda cool.

[nmguy]

Because of its elevation --roughly 6,500 feet, depending on where you are-- the Abq area benefits from the sun. Once Old Sol rises, things start warming up.

I've found that a 60 degree temperature here is comparable to a 70 degree temperature in the Bay Area (where I used to live).

Don't worry about the weather; it's definitely not a deterrent.

[mortimer]

Chowhound worried:

> > 87122 is the "most elite" almost handsdown. ...

> Murphys law is usually right. If something is too good to be
> true it usually isn't.

Murphy's law says [Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong].
I don't think there is a 'rule' or 'law' regarding the "... too good ... " bit.

Nonetheless, the "... too good ... " bit is something the people seem to always forget until after the fact when it comes to investing.

You'll find that the lower priced homes in that zip code are by an intersection or are 'cheapies' that some developer managed to to insert into the neighborhood without someone noticing. These places are still desireable for their proximity to Tramway Road and the foothills, cooler summer temperatures and later freezes than happen in the valley. Probably, their investment value is still good because of the land that they sit on. My guess is that as Albuquerque builds out there might be a suspicious fire or two among these buildings some day.

> I'm a So Cal native so I was wondering what the weather is like.
> ... but the sub 30's at night might be an issue

You can count on a few nights in Albuquerque going down to zero deg F every single year. (Last year, the lowest I saw was 5, but that's so close to zero ...

[mike0421]

Not sure if this helps, but this is a map of the zipcodes by median household income. I am sure there is probably a corollary between incomes versus housing prices:


Someone said the 87122 zipcode was the most desirable for housing. That's up by Tramway. I concur, to me it's the most desirable part of town.

[Zoidberg]

Altitude numbers for Albuquerque are closer to the 5000-foot range than 6500. 6500 is about the highest point in town.

Near the river, I suspect around 4700 feet. Uptown, exactly one mile high. Tramway is about 6000 feet. For every mile of eastward travel, you gain about 200 feet.

That map is pretty much on the ball but there are patches of green in most of the orange areas.

Whatever you pick, please pick someplace that doesn't involve 20 miles each way of commuting.

[mortimer]

Zoidberg poinsted out:

> Altitude numbers for Albuquerque are closer to the 5000-foot range
> than 6500. 6500 is about the highest point in town.

> Near the river, I suspect around 4700 feet.

At the river under the Central Avenue bridge it is about 4949 ft.

By the time the river gets to Belen just East of downtown, it is 4799 under that bridge.

The Big-I is 5050 ft (give or take) with the rim of the arroyo that swings around coming up from UNM and passing under I-40 at 5100.

The intersection of Carlisle and Montgomery is 5204.

The highest volcano on the West Mesa is 6033.