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We bought a house in the NE Heights not long after we moved to Albuquerque. Although we basically enjoy it, we're in a good school district, and like the location, we are thinking this neighborhood is not quite right for us. We have a two-year-old, and we haven't seen a lot of young families in the neighborhood (or even if they're here, we don't see many kids). The neighbors are not very "neighborly" and, in general and in my opinion, it doesn't have a strong community feel. The neighbors are nice enough one-on-one, but they just kind of keep to themselves--not a lot of neighborly chit-chat. Guess we just kind of prefer an old-fashioned Norman Rockwell-ish neighborhood with kids out playing and neighbors greeting each other and pausing for a chat. Just a community feel that's sometimes hard to describe. Do any neighborhoods like this exist in Albuquerque??
We tend to like older homes with character--we were turned off by Rio Rancho, which seems to be cookie cutter homes and big box stores. We also are looking for somewhere safe and with at least a decent elementary school. We would like a pitched-roof home, as we've had trouble with water pooling on our flat roof.
Any ideas?
Last edited by Poncho_NM; 08-30-2016 at 03:25 PM..
> We tend to like older homes with character ... also are looking for
> ... safe ... decent elementary school. ... pitched-roof home, ...
If you look in the small area between Central and Lead and Broadway and I-25 you can find 'character' and even some Victorian architecture.
It's walking-around safe, but as for friendliness, you might have to walk around yourself and see if people will talk to you. That's what I would do if I was looking for that sort of thing.
I don't know about the schools, but someone else might chime in.
Also, there are unconventional (for Albuquerque) homes N of Central between I-25 and University and then West of Downtown all the way to the river with many structures that have pitched roofs.
East of the University all the way to Carlisle is worth investigating.
Finally, there is the Ridgecrest area East of Carlisle, West of San Mateo and between Lead and Gibson.
These five neighborhoods have the bulk of the "character" house/neighborhoods. You can find such in the valley, but only the homes, the neighborhoods have a more rural feel and don't sound like what you are looking for.
Also, Nob Hill's homes are full of character, but mostly flat-roofed.
Again, there is no substitute for walking around for an hour or so to get a 'feel' for the neighborhood.
People who grew up in suburbs, I guess, tend to gravitate to Rio Rancho because it 'seems' familiar to them. I grew up in a house built in 1928, so I am attracted to pre-1940's types of places.
When I lived in the University area, I could walk to all the neighborhoods just mentioned. I'd pick one and spend an evening visiting one of those and walking around and returning.
There was a time when you could walk Albuquerque from East to West or from North to South (not counting the limited development along Central or
along the river).
These older areas are where you find the bulk of the 'character.'
Albuquerque is not a Norman Rockwell-ish place. Many people in the newer neighborhoods keep to themselves. There is a bit more community in the 'hoods mortimer described.
I live and work in the University/Nob Hill area and I see small groups of "mommies" walking with their kids and strollers. The houses are nice (though shabbier towards the University and nice to mansion-like as you get into Nob Hill and Ridgecrest). Bandelier and Monte Vista are nice elementary schools but they feed into Albuquerque High and Highland High which are inner-city like schools and have a very mixed population (socio-economically speaking).
I don't know too much about the Huning Highlands neighborhood (sometimes called EDo) which Mortimer correctly described as having a lot of Victorian architecture. The houses there are some of the nicest in Albuquerque (perhaps the whole state) but I don't know that there is much of a family vibe there.
Though I agree with Mortimer and ABQConvict that those neighborhoods have a lot of charachter, I would strongly recommend not putting your children in those school districts. You may want to look into older neighborhoods by Sandia High and their Elem Schools. Some older Neighborhoods off of wyoming have a decent amount of charachter.
We bought a house in the NE Heights not long after we moved to Albuquerque. Although we basically enjoy it, we're in a good school district, and like the location, we are thinking this neighborhood is not quite right for us. We have a two-year-old, and we haven't seen a lot of young families in the neighborhood (or even if they're here, we don't see many kids). The neighbors are not very "neighborly" and, in general and in my opinion, it doesn't have a strong community feel. The neighbors are nice enough one-on-one, but they just kind of keep to themselves--not a lot of neighborly chit-chat. Guess we just kind of prefer an old-fashioned Norman Rockwell-ish neighborhood with kids out playing and neighbors greeting each other and pausing for a chat. Just a community feel that's sometimes hard to describe. Do any neighborhoods like this exist in Albuquerque??
We tend to like older homes with character--we were turned off by Rio Rancho, which seems to be cookie cutter homes and big box stores. We also are looking for somewhere safe and with at least a decent elementary school. We would like a pitched-roof home, as we've had trouble with water pooling on our flat roof.
Any ideas?
NW Abq is your place. Taylor Ranch has some great, family-oriented areas. We used to live near Paseo and Golf Course. Lots of kids and parents out. Our old street had bbq's, picnics, and such all summer long. I sure miss that out here in NAA.
I found it interesting you had that experience in the NE Heights. The neighborhood I grew up in is on the border of the Sandia, Eldorado, and La Cueva school districts, and there were always kids out playing and neighbors talking - almost a small-townish feel, and this wasn't terribly long ago (shows my youth ). Not really Rockwell, but as close as you can get in this part of the country, and I can see how the lack of older houses could further diminish that effect (most in my old neighborhood were built in the 80s). Pitched roofs are a tough one around here, but they are out there and the areas between downtown and I-25 and the Country Club area that mortimer mentioned come to mind. Generally, however, old neighborhoods in Albuquerque tend to translate to less desirable school districts, which is pretty characteristic of most cities experiencing growth. abqsunport's suggestion of neighborhoods in the Sandia area might well prove fruitful, although the general consensus when I was in high school was that the schools in that area are getting worse.
I might also add that Corrales definitely has a small town feel, but that is sometimes negated by the very wealthy people there whose concerns don't typically include friendly conversation and socializing with their neighbors.
We moved into a house in an established neighborhood in NAA ten days before Christmas. On Christmas Eve, a neighbor came to our door to welcome us to the neighborhood, bringing a nice plate of cookies. She pointed out a couple of other neighbors, and told me about 4th of July activities, block parties, etc.
While I was putting up some luminaries, another neighbor broke off a game of basketball in his driveway to come over and introduce himself and his son. He reiterated what the first neighbor had said.
Since then I've met five other neighbors who, despite the cold weather, have stopped to introduce themselves. (Okay, one needed to borrow a wrench and I was using tools outside at the time). I think it's because the homes are closer together here than in other areas in NAA...
I just moved from a very friendly neighborhood outside of Boston, and wasn't expecting to be welcomed (at least until the weather warmed up), so this has been a pleasant experience. Of course, coming from the NE, I'm not put off by the cold so I'm outside and around, and I wave and smile at total strangers which tends to make them wave back usually. ;-)
Question for trappedinNM - do you shop at Smith's, Albertson's, or Trader Joes, by any chance?
Trkstp Tina, I suspect that if you can stick it out for a couple of years, you'll find that you'll really connect with the community when your little one starts school. I've found in general that I make the majority of my social connections and really plug in to a community/neighborhood through my kids and their doings.
It sounds as if the three of us might actually be neighbors. Perhaps we can meet sometime at the new coffee shop and introduce ourselves. We've no doubt all crossed paths at one time or another.
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). Not really Rockwell, but as close as you can get in this part of the country, and I can see how the lack of older houses could further diminish that effect (most in my old neighborhood were built in the 80s). Pitched roofs are a tough one around here, but they are out there and the areas between downtown and I-25 and the Country Club area that mortimer mentioned come to mind. Generally, however, old neighborhoods in Albuquerque tend to translate to less desirable school districts, which is pretty characteristic of most cities experiencing growth. abqsunport's suggestion of neighborhoods in the Sandia area might well prove fruitful, although the general consensus when I was in high school was that the schools in that area are getting worse.
