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Hi, I’m also considering moving to Rio Rancho and I’m interested in the areas as shown on the map. I would prefer to be closer to the library, parks & elementary school. Closer to the river may be another good thing to us since we like fishing (the landscape might be greener, too). I’ll be working at KAFB and would like to know the commute time between these 3 areas. Schools and crimes are the most important factors. If anyone, particularly Rich, can provide pros and cons over these areas would be greatly appreciated.
Here are the things I’m looking into:
1. Low crimes & good schools
2. Commute to KAFB
3. Close to library, school & park
4. Quiet & family oriented neighborhood. Sleep/college town would be perfect.
My gross income will be around 100K and my wife stays home taking care of kids. Based on the taxes, cost of living…etc in RR, what kind of house/location will I be able to afford?
Thank you.
I wouldn't expect too much when it comes to fishing the river but there are some great lakes around the area and there are the Peco's an hour or so north (except I had no luck when I tried there).
I think that all three areas are good for crime but I belive #3 will fall under Enchanted Hills elementary which is supposed to be one of the best. (Zandyman might know better).
For the commute I think #3 might be best since you can over to I-25 and take that down, depending on which part of the base and travel times your commute can range anywhere from about 40 minutes to well over an hour. #2 would be next best if you went north to I-25 and I think #3 would be the longest.
There is only one library in Rio Rancho, it is off of Northern just above the golf course you can see on your map at the bottom left.
Parks are dotted all over, there are a handful around #1 & #2 and I believe a couple up around #3.
With your income you will probably be able to afford a decent property anywhere in the Rio Rancho and Albuquerque areas. Obviously a forum is not the best place for that question, a mortgage expert would be your best bet for an honest answer.
If anyone, particularly Rich, can provide pros and cons over these areas would be greatly appreciated.
Here are the things I’m looking into:
1. Low crimes & good schools
2. Commute to KAFB
3. Close to library, school & park
4. Quiet & family oriented neighborhood. Sleep/college town would be perfect.
My gross income will be around 100K and my wife stays home taking care of kids. Based on the taxes, cost of living…etc in RR, what kind of house/location will I be able to afford?
Thank you.
All three of those areas are low crime. Rio Rancho has the lowest or second lowest crime rate in New Mexico.
My wife has been commuting to KAFB, about six miles past the golf course, 27 mile comute, she walks out the door at 05:40 hrs and arrives at work, parks her car, walks to the building, unlocks etc, and is in her desk at 06:50 hrs. She has been doing that 11 years. We live in area 2.
Library in previous post all three are kind of close to the new library if you have a car etc.
what kind of house/location will I be able to afford
I hate to guess, I own three homes in two states. But that's another issue. Three of my homes have had loans guaranteed by the VA. My daughter and her family with 3 kids own a small home in Rio Rancho and they make half of what you have. My wife and I live on almost half of that (and are banking a bit for retirement) and all our cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles and airplanes are all paid off. (I have scaled back for the environ people). Our only debt is this house, which we could pay off, one residence is paid off, the other has been covered by tenants. I passed my real estate license in Florida in ~1974. My wild guess, you can afford a $275k home... If I am correct, you owe me a beer... Please have a good real estate agent and mortgage person determine the financial end..
My work place will be around Carlisle and Gibson. Google Maps shows that there’s a gate on Carlisle and my office will be right next it (I don’t know what the name of the gate is). Therefore, I think my commute time might be about 10 minutes shorter than Rich’s wife’s. Is that a reasonable guess? My work schedule is pretty flexible. I can start anytime between 6:00 ~ 9:00. I wonder if there’s a better way/time to avoid the traffic, and what areas are typically congested? A map indicating these areas will be very helpful.
Google shows 30~35 minutes to get to work from any of the 3 places. Apparently it is not realistic. That’s why I believe this forum is more helpful.
Berncohomes, did you actually mean #1 is the worst for commuting?
There’s a sizable reservoir (Jemez Canyon) north of RR. The satellite shows it’s completely dried out. It’s that right? Where does the RR’s water come from?
No I meant that #1 is the best because you can just drive over to I-25 and down from there. I think you are still looking at a longish commute though. Any chance you can go in at 10AM? Google will be closer to being correct then.
Hi, I’m also considering moving to Rio Rancho and I’m interested in the areas as shown on the map. I would prefer to be closer to the library, parks & elementary school. Closer to the river may be another good thing to us since we like fishing (the landscape might be greener, too). I’ll be working at KAFB and would like to know the commute time between these 3 areas. Schools and crimes are the most important factors. If anyone, particularly Rich, can provide pros and cons over these areas would be greatly appreciated.
Here are the things I’m looking into:
1. Low crimes & good schools
2. Commute to KAFB
3. Close to library, school & park
4. Quiet & family oriented neighborhood. Sleep/college town would be perfect.
My gross income will be around 100K and my wife stays home taking care of kids. Based on the taxes, cost of living…etc in RR, what kind of house/location will I be able to afford?
Thank you.
1. Low crimes & good schools: Relatively everywhere in Albuquerque metro has low crime, except for a few select parts of town. Choosing RR on this basis is just plain silly, esp. since your biggest exposure to the criminal element will be near where you work. Good schools (exceeding the quality of RRPS, even) can be found far closer to your job.
2. Commute to KAFB.. I don't think you're serious about this. Really. To put it into perspective, it's like looking for homes in Lincoln MA when your job is in Weymouth. If you want a 25-minute commute, and you want affordable & safe, go with East Mountains/Edgewood. If you want super-affordable, try SW Valley, or Los Chavez/Los Lunas.
3. Close to library, school & park.. if you mean by a 5-minute car ride, most everywhere in Albuquerque metro is close to library, school, and park. By bike or on foot, it's a little harder to get around in RR, due to its subdivision-style planning. The park may be as close if you have a helicopter, but on a bike it's further out that way. In the end it's more this house vs. this house than this city vs. this city.
4. Quiet neighborhoods can be found throughout the metro. If you like family-oriented, pick a short commute so you can orient around your family. Lots of base personnel like the East Mountains, simply because there's big mountains between them and the roads and an easy commute (couple of stoplights and all freeway).
BTW, College Town ≠ Quiet, at least in Albuquerque. Polar opposites.
IMO, good fishing is easier to find in Albuquerque than RR; Tingley Beach, Isleta Lakes, Shady Lakes, etc. are all decent considering you're at 5000 feet and in a metropolitan area. RR may be 5-10 minutes closer to good fishing N of town, and will be 10-20 minutes further away from good fishing W and S of town.
With the pay rate you're looking at, you'll have your pick of anywhere in the metro you want. Don't pick a house because it's cheap (or a good value per square foot). There's a reason some neighborhoods have $250k homes (easily affordable on $100k/yr). One thing Albuquerque affords you is the ability to drop the trappings of a miserable commuter lifestyle. Think long and hard before you bring everything from your old life with you. You actually can have a five minute commute and have affordable, decent housing here (close to fishing!).
We don't live in ABQ yet, but we did visit Rio Rancho while looking for homes. We settled eventually in Edgewood.
I've lived in Tampa, Chicago, and Orange County south of LA, and I can say that Rio Rancho is pretty well congested and that was driving around during the day at non peak rush hours. It wasn't as crowded as the bigger cities above but getting there.
If you move too far into Rio Rancho, getting out of there to get to the highway may be a chore. The closer you are to the highways the better. Apart from the construction on 25, the highways move briskly. (non rush hour). We never did the morning/afternoon commute test from RR.
Just an outsider's point of view.
p.s. We were surprised by the number of people towing boats and water vehicles. We thought we arrived in the desert but there's healthy water recreation in the area.
2. Commute to KAFB.. I don't think you're serious about this. Really. To put it into perspective, it's like looking for homes in Lincoln MA when your job is in Weymouth. If you want a 25-minute commute, and you want affordable & safe, go with East Mountains/Edgewood. If you want super-affordable, try SW Valley, or Los Chavez/Los Lunas.
Yes, lets get serious and realistic, Los Chavez to the intersection of Carlisle and Gibson in ABQ is about 30 miles. Longer than my wifes long commute from Rio Rancho to Kirtland Air Force Base (27 miles).
Los Lunas Middle School in Los Lunas, Valencia County, City-data.com school rating (using weighted 2009 test average as compared to other schools in New Mexico) from 0 (worst) to 100 (best) is 33. http://www.city-data.com/school/los-...middle-nm.html
Los Lunas Elementary School in Los Lunas, Valencia County, NM City-data.com school rating (using weighted 2009 test average as compared to other schools in New Mexico) from 0 (worst) to 100 (best) is 50. http://www.city-data.com/school/los-...entary-nm.html
Yes, lets get serious and realistic, Los Chavez to the intersection of Carlisle and Gibson in ABQ is about 30 miles. Longer than my wifes long commute from Rio Rancho to Kirtland Air Force Base (27 miles).
Los Lunas Middle School in Los Lunas, Valencia County, City-data.com school rating (using weighted 2009 test average as compared to other schools in New Mexico) from 0 (worst) to 100 (best) is 33. http://www.city-data.com/school/los-...middle-nm.html
Los Lunas Elementary School in Los Lunas, Valencia County, NM City-data.com school rating (using weighted 2009 test average as compared to other schools in New Mexico) from 0 (worst) to 100 (best) is 50. http://www.city-data.com/school/los-...entary-nm.html
Note that this was all based on the supposition that a 25-minute commute was mandatory (LL to KAFB may be more miles but they are faster miles), and I did disclaim that it was for super-affordability; this disproves none of what I said.
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