Moving to Albuquerque (Rio Rancho, Bernalillo, Edgewood: for sale, real estate market, house)

[janetruppert]

We also are looking to move to Albuquerque after the first of the year. My husband will be working on the base. A realtor I spoke with told us since we'd like to have a little land and live outside the city should consider the East Hills. Is this a good place for land and home? She said it does snow there so we'd need a 4wheel drive. She also said it's only about 10 minutes to base, shopping, etc. How true is this? I'd appreciate any help. What ARE the temps like in the area? We're used to Florida and Georgia humidity and heat, so am a little apprehensive, but excited at the same time. Thanks

[JstmeinVA]

rybert...thank youi for telling me about the albuquerque photo thread....OMG! The pictures are beautiful! Made me rethink NM . I was worried about missing the fall trees we have here, I love the fall, my favorite season, And spotted some beautiful pictures of the leaves changing, no worries any more LOL, my daughter loves winter, which we do not get in VA often so of course her first question was do they have snowboarding? LOL I told my hubby to call the guy and tell him we are considering a move there. So we are waiting for him to send us the address where my hubby will be working so we can start looking for a house. It is a beautiful area. The pictures take your breath away but the way some describe the area can scare the wits out of a person.

[joanie55]

Originally Posted by janetruppert

We also are looking to move to Albuquerque after the first of the year. My husband will be working on the base. A realtor I spoke with told us since we'd like to have a little land and live outside the city should consider the East Hills. Is this a good place for land and home? She said it does snow there so we'd need a 4wheel drive. She also said it's only about 10 minutes to base, shopping, etc. How true is this? I'd appreciate any help. What ARE the temps like in the area? We're used to Florida and Georgia humidity and heat, so am a little apprehensive, but excited at the same time. Thanks

You most certainly do NOT need a 4-wheel drive unless you plan on going up to the mountains frequently during the winter. It snows very little in Albuquerque and it's melted by the sun in the afternoon. I was there once when there was a blizzard and had to drive home from work in it and it was terrible, but that is MOST unusual. When it DOES snow they always have delays in most businesses and schools. With an average total of 8 inches of precipitation annually, people there do NOT know how to drive in it, so be cautious when it does snow. Temperatures are hot but there is virtually no humidity - it can be nearly 100 and you don't sweat - your hair will always look great! I live in Florida now and don't mind the humidity because I've gotten used to it.

[rybert]

Let's see... East Hills (maybe your realtor meant Four Hills? or Foot Hills? or East Mountain?)

A 10min. commute would get rid of the East Mountains.

Here's a map of what I think a 10min commute would render in the East are of the city:



Fourwheel drive... eh... not too necessary, but it might be useful once or twice a year.

Here's my suggestion as far as 4-wheeling goes:

[Mike Horrell]

Originally Posted by janetruppert

A realtor I spoke with told us since we'd like to have a little land and live outside the city should consider the East Hills. Is this a good place for land and home? She said it does snow there so we'd need a 4wheel drive. She also said it's only about 10 minutes to base, shopping, etc. How true is this? I'd appreciate any help. What ARE the temps like in the area? We're used to Florida and Georgia humidity and heat, so am a little apprehensive, but excited at the same time. Thanks

We're retired, have just moved to ABQ's West Side right up against the mesa and Petroglyph park area and based on internet listings,
I'd originally been tempted to seriously consider some interesting houses in that Eastern Mountain area.

It's more remote than it seems and there seems to be very little infrastructure in the immediate areas. If you have kids,
getting them to and from school, social events, etc. might be a real problem. On the other hand, getting them out away from
*BAD* after school elements might be a very good thing...

I would not consider that area to be "suburban". "10 minutes from the base" is a joke. No way is that possible. A half hour in
good conditions seems far more realistic to get to the base entrance and a bit more to shopping.

If those conditions are workable for you, then it might be really worth taking a look at. But you should also be aware that
Eastern Mountain property has been an extremely slow selling market for the last year and, with a very shaky economy, I doubt
that it will get any easier to sell any time soon. That could be a real nightmare if you bought there and then had to transfer
somewhere else in the next couple years.

Good luck with your searching!

[Mike Horrell]

Rybert's post wasn't up when I began typing so I didn't see it.

Excellent work, Rybert!!

[janetruppert]

Thanks everyone. Mike, no kids, just me and hubby, in our mid 50's. We like a place with a little land, and either a big double wide or home, not sure yet. We live in the country now, and think living in a subdivision might be too close for us. I've been looking at maps, pictures of places and at this point, I'm totally confused on what areas to look at. Rybert, those pics are fantastic! My son in CA is a 4 wheeler, and will probably want to move in with us now..thanks...LOL. So what areas would you guys suggest I start researching. Our price range is going to have to be under 150,000. I've seen quite a few in the price range, but not sure of the areas research for real. Buena Ventura? La Cuesta? Chelwood Park? Are there any area in the foothills I should look at? Joanie55, thanks. I don't mind the humidity, but I am glad to hear that I'll still get some heat there. You guys are fantastic. Thanks for helping me. Keep in touch, and let me know anything that will help me out.

[janetruppert]

JUSTME, when are you planning on your move? We're waiting to hear something, but it could be as late as January before we know. I'm thrilled at the prospect, and just wish we could find something out now, because we've got to sell this place, and living out in the country, I'm not sure how long that's going to take. I hate waiting. We've got some best friends who said they're going to follow us if we go, so some realtor will make a good chunk from our two families. They want the same thing we do, a little bit of land with a place on it, be it mobile home or standard home. It's got to be big though. Ours now is 2300 sq feet. Bigger than a lot of homes, and we love it. We basically built it the way we wanted it, and I'm hoping we can do the same thing there.

[JstmeinVA]

Hello not to sure of when we might be moving yet, hubby thinks it will be sometime in January, I have been trying to research the area due to the fact my hubby only has until Wednesday (I thought it was today) to give them an answer. we are in our 40s and have three children 19 yo daughter, 16 yo son and an 11 yo son, who right now do not like the idea of moving way over to NM, all of my family lives here in VA (Newport News), so they will miss all there aunts and uncles and grandparents (my parents are their only grandparents) they are not liking the idea of not seeing them for awhile and my parents say they will not travel out to NM (to far). Once we hear from the guy who offered my hubby a job (military civil service), they will fly us out for five days to check the area out. All we know is hubby will be working somewhere near an air force base (maybe army base?) and, there is a childrens hospital somewhere nearby. That's the description they gave us...LOL we have no idea what area they are talking about. We are just looking for a safe place for my kids, near a base.

[joanie55]

Originally Posted by JstmeinVA

Hello not to sure of when we might be moving yet, hubby thinks it will be sometime in January, I have been trying to research the area due to the fact my hubby only has until Wednesday (I thought it was today) to give them an answer. we are in our 40s and have three children 19 yo daughter, 16 yo son and an 11 yo son, who right now do not like the idea of moving way over to NM, all of my family lives here in VA (Newport News), so they will miss all there aunts and uncles and grandparents (my parents are their only grandparents) they are not liking the idea of not seeing them for awhile and my parents say they will not travel out to NM (to far). Once we hear from the guy who offered my hubby a job (military civil service), they will fly us out for five days to check the area out. All we know is hubby will be working somewhere near an air force base (maybe army base?) and, there is a childrens hospital somewhere nearby. That's the description they gave us...LOL we have no idea what area they are talking about. We are just looking for a safe place for my kids, near a base.

I don't know how old your parents are but try talking them into visiting. I lived in Alb. for 13 years, moved 4 years ago, and my mom is now 87. She came out there (from St. Louis, which I realize is not as far) 3 times a year - she LOVED the place. Now that I'm in Florida she's visited only once - hates Florida! New Mexico is a very unique place - it has its special charms. (I tired of them after awhile but that's me - I started longer for a lusher, greener, more humid climate, among other things.) Anyway, the state is gorgeous - Arizona in my opinion cannot compare. I have travelled to most parts of the country and I would say only California and Colorado can top its beauty. Good luck to you.