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Looking for a large piece of land with beautiful mountain views. We'll be completely new to nm, coming from "humidity haven, over populated,
over rated florida"!
We want small town but close enough to big city for shopping & schools then head back home to our country living! Any suggestions? We've been looking at Questa so far. We want to stay in the Taos area. Anyone out there living the country life, with the same idea!
Taos is hardly a 'big city', but it certainly thrives on shopping, by tourists at least.
I haven't been there for several years, but moving to Questa isn't such a bad idea for what you want. You just might be ahead of the curve. There wasn't much to it last time I was there, except a fabulous place to eat (I wish I could remember its name). It does have real winters.
hi catman,
By "ahead of the curve" you mean I would be moving there just it time, before the big boom in the area? That doen't sound that bad. Someone told me that the locals are a tough bunch. They have a hard time getting ajusted to new comers.
Do you know if that's true. We are a hispanic family and that might help us fit in better, maybe. So are the winters cruel up there?
Looking for a large piece of land with beautiful mountain views. We'll be completely new to nm, coming from "humidity haven, over populated,
over rated florida"!
We want small town but close enough to big city for shopping & schools then head back home to our country living! Any suggestions? We've been looking at Questa so far. We want to stay in the Taos area. Anyone out there living the country life, with the same idea!
Help!!!
First of all, Taos,NM is one of our most beautiful areas in the state. But, it is tiny itself (pop. 5,000+)! The entire Taos County is only a bit over 25,000. Questa has always been a small town, formerly totally dependent on the mine there (which hasn't helped the ground water.) You say you want to stay in the Taos area, but the nearest "big city" is Santa Fe, about 100 miles southwest. Taos Pueblo has been around as it stands now since the 15th Century, and Taos (the town) was a sleepy little Spanish village in the 18th Century. If they haven't "boomed" by now, I don't think they are going to...even more so for poor Questa.
If you can tear yourselves away from the Taos area. I'd advise you take a look at acreages SE of Santa Fe, in the Lamy area...or South of Santa Fe, off NM14. Also, the Edgewood/Moriarty area, east of Albuquerque has many homesites w/acreages quickly expanding. Albuquerque is only 30-45 minutes from these communities via the interstate. They also (like Taos) get plenty of snow in the winter. The areas south of I-40, between Tijeras (15 miles east of Albuquerque), and Edgewood, are especially nice, with rolling hills of pinon trees.
Being Hispanic, you would probably be more easily accepted in the more traditional, rural Hispanic areas of Northern New Mexico than Anglos, but that varies from community to community. If you want big city shopping and especially schools, there is nothing in the Taos area. School busing in the areas I've mentioned above would probably not be more than 30 minutes, there are new elementary and mid-schools in the Edgewood area...but High Schoolers still have to be bused either to SE Albuquerque (Manzano High School), or Moriarty High School to the east.
Don't want to rain on your parade, but your criteria, and the Taos area do not seem to be "simpatico" mi amigos. I know how hard it is to have our dreams and realities come together. :-)
I too escaped the humidity 23 years ago to move to Albuquerque, and have loved every moment, especially it's mild winters, and summers.
Your advise has helped us spread our search area. We are taking a trip to NM mid August, and I'm officially scared to death not knowing a specific area to dedicate our search time. We will have about 4 days to look around.
I do know I REALLY don't want to live near to a busy city. I want to be at least a 30 minute drive to one. I want to leave Florida due to the hype and busy life. I'm wanting true open land and quiet environment. I'm a Graphic Designer and I also work at my local library, so I definetly want to be close to possible work. I will check out those places you mentioned and also pass them over to our realtor.
Thank you for you kind comment Towanda. (Were you in "Fried Green Tomatoes?") LOL.
Now, NM-Bound. If you want "space," but also a 30-minute drive to the city, I again recommend the area north and south of I-40, between Tijeras (15 miles east of Albuquerque...where NM14 goes north to Santa Fe), and the Edgewood and Moriarty areas. Lots of room to grow out there, some with pinon covered hills, some with flat-plains. I enjoyed another Sunday drive this weekend out through this area, specifically so that I may "get out of town to the country too," without having to drive over a 50-mile round trip!
:-) Plains, pinons, and cool pines, all within 25 miles of Albuquerque!
Check out these websites NM-bound, I think they will help y'all out.
www.homes&land.com (try a search for "Edgewood" and you'll see many listings) www.homesillustratedalb.com (this is the immediate Albuquerque area, but the website will allow you to spread out to surrounding towns).
Have a good week. Keep dreaming, keep looking, keep hoping above all!
Your "special place" is out there somewhere! You just haven't found it yet!
I hope this helps a bit in your search.
P.S. If you come to the Albuquerque area...and east of the Sandias/Monzanos off I-40...especially drive NM217 (north and south from I-40)...but you'll need to be on old U.S.66 to do so. Going east from Albuquerque on I-40...just take the Tijeras Exit, then "stay" on that frontage road on to the east. Better yet, when you get in: pick up a copy of a "New Mexico Road & Recreation Atlas" at a Walgreens or Walmart (auto dept. usually). They have much more detailed maps of all New Mexico (each is about 100 miles x 100 miles), which you'll be able to use over and over in your search.
Last edited by nm_photojournalist; 07-23-2007 at 02:13 PM..
Reason: additional P.S.
Don't forget to look souhwest toward Silver City. The weather is about as good as you can find. Not too hot, or not too cold. Small University of about 2000 students and 50 mile north of I-10
I will definetly put that on my search mission. This has been quite an adventure already. I'm learning so much about NM now, that soon I'll be giving out the advise! You have been great help. By the way, do you know someone looking for a Graphic Designer? Don't mean to toot my own horn, but I make awesome advertising materials. Just a thought, if you know of anyone looking.
Again thanks a lot for info, I will let you know what I find.
Take care
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Big City Schools & Shopping in the Taos Area?
Thanks NMPJ
