Las Cruces for retirees? (White Sands: sales, real estate, condo)

[nancy thereader]

I am a new retiree who is looking for a place to settle. I live in the cooooold Northeast on Long Island where we still do not have any spring as I write this (April 7th). Has anyone else made that move? Is it difficult to adjust to the climate and cultural differences?

Are there specific communities where many retirees live in Las Cruces? Here, I do have a condo because the upkeep of a home involves cutting grass and shoveling snow and all, but that might not be true there. Would that be right?

How is the shopping there ? And, the public transportation (in case I get to old to drive.... not soon , I hope) ? Are there programs for seniors in the local college? Are there walking trails and parks there ?

I am so anxious to move to a place where I can feel the sun during the day and where the night skies are filled with stars.

Thanks for any help that you can give me.

[6 FOOT 3]

Nancy, since i live east of Las Cruces i can only answer the general questions and not the specific one's as like the locals there can so hopefully they'll chime in to help you out.

I do know that snow will not be a concern for you as we had ''one'' day of snow this winter. Outside of Florida, southern New Mexico is the only area i'd ever live in for the rest of my life as i too HATE the cold and snow and love super hot weather.

LOL...yes you almost always see the sun shine in the day and almost always see the stars at nite as cloudcover is rare here in southern New Mexico.

6/3

[weroses]

I heard real estate is less expensive there than Az especially less taxes Anyone know anything about this?

[gabygirl]

Originally Posted by weroses

I heard real estate is less expensive there than Az especially less taxes Anyone know anything about this?

I can definitely speak about this. I moved here from Phoenix just in January. I rec'd a refund on the "unused" portion of my AZ license plates ($300). I registered my car in LC: $65.

The tax rate is 8.something % in AZ, here it's 7.something %. Does make a difference.

Looking at the stars outside my window every night is only one of the reasons I thank God every day that I moved here & left a place like Phoenix behind....

[6 FOOT 3]

Originally Posted by nancy thereader

Are there walking trails and parks there ?

There are parks and trails in and all around Las Cruces Nancy as there's the trails along the Rio Grande (Bosque trails) and just north along the Rio Grande Leasburg Dam and Percha Dam state parks. Up on the west side of the Organ mts are the Dripping springs trails and on the east side are the Aguirre Spring trails. White Sands National Monument is about 45 miles east.

leasburg
percha
Organ Mountain Trails in New Mexico
White Sands National Monument (U.S. National Park Service)
Las Cruces, New Mexico recreation

[ibarrio]

The property taxes are cheaper in AZ...Some retirement communities do not pay a school tax (Sun City, Parts of Sun City West)

There is no food tax in AZ...However, I think New Mexico recently moved to a no food tax?

The sales tax is cheaper in LC

There is public transportation in LC and you will never have to shovel snow.

[nancy thereader]

So far, it sounds wonderful and thank you, six-three for the links.

[6 FOOT 3]

Nancy....at 6:30 P.M. it's 76 degrees right now. I went to the park earlier today and played some hoops (basketball) and everybody was cooking out and enjoying themselves and all the trees have their spring leaves looking full and nice with the sun shining and the sky as blue as it can be as it was a great southern New Mexico april day.

[lawmom]

Wow, I cannot fathom that! How's the wind?

And I've read mention of the "monsoon" season -- what's that like?

[ibarrio]

Originally Posted by lawmom

Wow, I cannot fathom that! How's the wind?

And I've read mention of the "monsoon" season -- what's that like?

Lots of Wind and a little rain...when the Thunder Storms do hit they are really impressive.