Looking for HOME late in life (Albuquerque, Santa Fe: condos, crime rates, co-op)

[lost in america]

I am looking for a spiritual (not religious) and liberal and diverse place to relocate...with lots of sunshine and big sky. Less expensive than the northeast area. I visited Sante Fe 20 years ago and loved it. I visited Albuquerque and Sante Fe in September 06, and was shocked at how developed Santa Fe had become....and how expensive. And how much like a movie set. It didn't seem quite real. I really liked what I saw in Albuquerque. It has the University, so I could take a class or two. It has a few real neighborhoods....not just developments. But would it be friendly to a newly divorced woman who just turned 60? Is it all families and couples? What part of Albuquerque would best for me? How bad IS the crime, for a woman alone?

[nmguy]

I'm 62, and I moved to the Abq area a little over 3 years ago.

Is this area spiritual? Definitely. Is it safe? Depends on the area where you live. Is it accepting of middle-aged, single people? Yes. Is there crime? Yes, but you can generally avoid it by being street savvy.

Depending on where you live now, you may have to adapt to the weather a bit and to the pace of life. The cost of living, the friendliness of the people, and the vistas are all positives.

[wee_sassenach]

lostinamerica, I'm replying to this as someone 30-something years your junior, but - I moved to Albuquerque a couple of years ago looking for something completely different, and that's what I got. I'd never even been to the Southwest before moving here, and I'm glad I took that jump, because I don't think I would have been able to penetrate the sprawling surface enough during a brief visit to really find what's good about the town.

For a spiritual, liberal, diverse place to live, perhaps think about somewhere like Nob Hill. It's very close to the university and within walking distance of the one true pedestrian neighborhood in town. Someone people I know like living in/near Downtown or Old Town for the same reasons (ie. walking distance, diverse community). A good friend of mine, a divorced woman in her 50s, lives in Nob Hill and loves it. I also love UNM and it's a great place to take classes. The Co-Op grocery store has lots of info on various types of alternative therapies and exercises, art groups, meditation etc. I love my life here.

As for crime - although I have a partner I do live alone, and I've never had a problem. The usual saftey precautions apply here as everywhere else.

Good luck with your journey.

[Towanda]

Can a place be liberal and diverse at the same time?

[rainbowrabbits]

Hi, I am almost your age and lived in Nob hill for 13 years. It is close to lots of good things and not as pretentious as Santa Fe [ though headed that way] I lived on Amherst right behind the Nob Hill center and yet had neighbors I knew and a garden in the back yard. There is a lot of traffic and I had a few break-ins but you could do worse. Housing prices are now very high there. E-mail me if you would like some names in the area to talk with.

[dmderosa2k]

Albuquerque/Sante Fe/Taos are the right place for liberal and "spiritual" people. Santa Fe is probably the best place but you got to have some dough to bake your bread up there. Still, like they said the Nob Hill/UNM area in Albuquerque is great for liberal people.

[nm_photojournalist]

I'm 59, a 23 year resident of Albuquerque, and love it overall. Like in any metro area, you just avoid certain areas, at certain times. I have a dear friend who's visited me six times in the last few years from Cincinnati, and she too is 60, "open-mided," and interested in our big skies, and big dreams! In fact, she surprised me by saying she'll retire here! Nob Hill, and the area around the UNM campus is a great place to pick up interesting conversations with total strangers. You'll see all kinds along Central Ave. (Old Route 66!) beside the picturesque campus with its Pueblo-Style buildings. There is mucho-mucho going on here for over 50's, arts and crafts, dancing, field trips to historic and geological sites, etc. Mi amigo is considering Rio Rancho, NM as her new home. One a retirement community, but now booming to about 70,000 population, and "independent" on its own from Albuquerque. It is on the west mesa, about 15 miles NW from downtown Albuquerque, or 30-45 minutes from either historic Old Town, or UNM. It has one of the lowest crime rates in the U.S., and a new hospital. Senior activities, and condos and such are numerous. Many New York retirees here. Give it a look too. If you love moderate weather, and lots of sunshine, Albuquerque/Rio Rancho is your place to live. P.S. Let the Santa Feans snub their noses at us...I can visit there in an hour's drive...but save thousands living here! Ha!

[Dancingearth]

I agree that Santa Fe is a strange place. Lala land. Hard to feel part of a community because of the vast difference between rich and poor and also how much is hidden because it is a tourist town. I loved my time there but if I move back, I don't want to live there. I'm down-to-earth and midwestern by nature--I like real--pretentious is boring. I would also rather drive to visit Santa Fe and live in ABQ. I need to research more about where I could afford to live and still be safe. I don't like driving so I do not want to live too far from where I work. Otherwise I'd move to the Edgewood area--have friends in Sandia Crest. I miss the diversity and the beauty of New Mexico (and the sun in the winter.)

[nm_photojournalist]

Originally Posted by Towanda

Can a place be liberal and diverse at the same time?

I've been to Liberal...Liberal, Kansas a few times Towanda, and found it to be pretty diverse...for Liberal, Kansas! LOL

[Towanda]

Originally Posted by nm_photojournalist

I've been to Liberal...Liberal, Kansas a few times Towanda, and found it to be pretty diverse...for Liberal, Kansas! LOL

hahaha.....good one, nm_photojournalist!

Liberal, Kansas is actually in a very conservative part of the state and I would say the liberals are probably the ones in the minority there. I would have to say that I am surprised that you found it "diverse".

The name Liberal is thought to have come from early settlers finding a "liberal" supply of water there .... not from anyone's political philosophy.