Please help me with some info about relocating to NM (Las Cruces: rental, house prices)

[catman]

I live in North Central Texas, and it's definitely hot and humid. The Panhandle gets nearly as hot but is a bit less humid, although the winters are considerably colder (and it's usually windy). My favorite part of TX is Trans-Pecos (sometimes called "Far West"), including Fort Davis, Alpine and Marfa. It's the part just south of New Mexico and the northern part of it quite nice, dry and not too hot or too cold. If you like isolation, you'll love it. The southern part includes Big Bend National Park and is very hot in the summer.

[jonesy]

Silver City and Lordsburg are two constrasting cities only 45 miles apart. There are some vacant restaurants near the interstate in Lordsburg that would be great to open up. The locals would give you a good base and the interstate traffic would keep you busy since Lordsburg is an equidistant oasis between Tucson and El Paso. Silver city seems to fit your description a little better. You could buy a house in Tyrone was a development of the local mine. The houses are nice and for a few miles out of town you could save $$$$. Silver City is a nice artsy college town. However, it already has its share of coffee houses, etc. I suggest a trip down to check it out. You can fly Southwest into El Paso for a small amount and rent a car for the 3 hour trip to the bootheel.

[sanjon]

I have lived inn NM all my life. Areas around Albuquerque and Santa Fe are very expensive. Try the eastern part of the state. We have alot of opportunities and land is cheap. Hope you come to NM and would be glad to assist you.

[Ytrsh]

Do Not, I repeat, DO NOT go anywhere near Mountainair!!! If you do, do not be fooled into thinking it is "quaint," "rustic," "laid-back," or any other genteel description. It is an isolated, backwards, time warp of seriously misguided, inbred, impossibly ignorant people. It is a haven for rejects from other places who espouse these same principles. Yes, the land and houses are unbelievably cheap--for good reasons! You will pay in other ways!!

[maimazda]

try to buy a small small piece of land and put on new manufacture . it might work.

[winnie]

You still might be able to find something around Elephant Butte lake but then I wonder what you would do for work...It is hot there but it is also very dry. It does get somewhat uncomfortable there in the summer but I would take that heat anyday over a humid day in the North East anytime.

Tucumcari is very quiet and the real estate market is not going anywhere that might be another possibility. No mountains or attractions there except for the 2 lakes up north.

Another thought would be the outskirts of Tularosa I was recently looking at higher end properties there (online) and you might be able to get by with a small ranch home on a little land. There are the mountains, White Sands, Apache reservation and casino and Ruidoso Downs. Also a neat little winery named Tularosa Vineyards. If you ever do go down there stop by for a tour. They have a pretty good Merlot. And McGinn's Pistachio stand on 54/70 is a must stop for pistachios and more wine (arena blanca). I have a bag of those heavenly pistachios in front of me now LOL!

[Naima]

I live in Taos. There are 200 restaurants here and also 200 non-profits. It is most definitely not only for skiers. There are mountains, rivers, lakes. It is tough to find a livable place for $125K but NOW (Dec. -07) it is definitely a BUYER'S MARKET. I must disclose I am a REaltor, but I am a person first, and I am certainly willing to share my insights and experiences with resettling here (after most of my life in Ca). I came for the amazing beauty, the clean air, the diverse cultures. I am one of those people who absolutely loves it here. And yes, it's economically depressed, but that's one reason it has not turned into a cookie-cutter, overly-developed place. There are definitely affordable condos out there, and even other little places. If you are good in the food service industry, here is one thing I will say: even though many places are minimum wage, if you are reliable, you show up, you do a good job, and you have a good attitude, you can definitely make it in Taos. At least come visit. Oh, and it's not all desert, it's not at all too hot, nor is it too cold. The climate is just perfect!

[murenberg]

Naima, you claim that today it's a buyer's market - would that also go for remote acreage? We're looking for some 30 acres + within 100 miles of either Taos, SF or ABQ, as remote as possible, price per acre not more than say 3k - any chance? TAL!

[New West 2020]

Check out Portales where there are some good homes under $100K, a 2.7% unemployment rate, a decent small university and a "#9 in the nation" small town quality of life rating from bizjournals.com. Its a sleeper but worth checking into. Eastern New Mexico University has a good Fine Arts program and a growing international student population, and the city is putting $2 Million into downtown renovation in 2008. You can get a nice brick home withe acreage in town or a whole section of land 20 miles out of town for under $200K.

[mortimer]

There's nothing wrong with renting. It's people who were financially unprepared to "buy" a place who have contributed to the current real estate mess that the country is in now.

It's *not* throwing away money and paying someone else's mortgage. If you just *have* to buy a friggin' house, rent below your means and save your money for a decent down payment.

Life's too short to live where you *don't* want to live - just so you can afford property.