Searching for truth about T or C (Las Cruces, Carlsbad: for sale, crime rate)

[lemonade]

to all - what is the "truth"?! I have mostly been "listening in" anonymously but was inspired to write by some recent posts on Truth or Consequences (TorC!). indeed from looking at past posts, there seems to be a noticeable rift regarding t or c - mark s and crackerjack on the one hand (anti) and martya on the other (pro).

crackerjack (whose opinion i have come to value greatly - am probably one of the many who have been tremendously helped by your posts). You said you have never been "impressed" by it. Can you elaborate? In short, what is the matter with it?! Do you see any good aspects? Does anyone else have comments on TorC? We were stirred by its weather and property costs!

it does seem to be changing....but can a place ever truly change, i suppose that it the question???

[lemonade]

to stoke the debate even more, i thought i would attach excerpts from a recent los angeles times artice about torc. the article is sort of inconclusive: quoting locql police, it suggests that the town has more crazies and murderers than one would normally want...but it also suggests that there are some people breathing new life into the place

(i print the excerpts because i seem unable to give the link - apologies for a long post)

---
Truth seekers find it in N.M.
Stop by this sunny, friendly and eccentric high-desert town and you just might wind up staying longer than expected.
By Anne Minard
Special to The Times

March 12, 2006

THE name "Truth or Consequences" jumped out at me from maps of New Mexico for years. But it was only four months ago that I actually landed here.

Moderator cut: Provide a link instead of copying everything here, please

[gretchenpaints]

We are moving to T or C from San Diego, Purchased a home on 66% of an acre with 1900 sq ft, a well, all fenced , needs cosmetic work, for under $50,000.Much is changing in this small town.The new Virgin Space Port will be very close and we hear rumours af a new Nascar track. When we closed escrow in Jan. 06 there were empty store fronts and small motels for sale all over town. As of July 4 they are all sold. Elephant Butte Lake is VERY close and a developer is building a golf course and high end houses. If you are retirement age take a good look at T or C and Williamsburg. Best of luck in your quest!

[Mattie Jo]

Gretchenpaints,

I live in San Diego area. After reading all of this on TorC I have to see the town. When I look at a photo I think, "All rocks, no trees," but who knows? Maybe I will like it. We are looking for the same thing as you, a house that cheap or even $80,000 with at least 1/2 acre. Where you bought property, can your grow trees and plant a vegetable garden or is it all sand?

5 killings in 2 years. That isn't much. I don't care how small the town is, to me that is nothing. I lived in Fresno, CA which was had the highest crime rate per capita for any small town. Two killings a week was nothing. The night of the day we were leaving we woke up to learn that they had a drive by shooting in our neighborhood. I must slept through it.

[winnie]

T or C is rocks and sand. And a couple of lakes which are crystal blue with red rock cliffs in the background. We go for the lakes. and Los Arcos resturant which is quite friendly.

It is hot there. Brutally hot. We went one July and no kidding it was 110 with absolutely NO breeze. Had to keep falling off the jetski to keep cool. You can swim at the lake almost year round because the coldest water temp in Dec is 55 degrees at the lake.

I do not think your prospects of growing a garden down there are very good unless you are a good gardener who can pick heat hardy plants and know how to fertilze them and water them without overdoing it. It is really sandy there so you might have to bring in some topsoil depending if you live near the lake or not. Might be a challenge! But look at Phoenix - in the middle of the desert are pools, gardens and green grass. Goes to show that anything is possible...

But - a few years back I was looking at a 3,000 sq ft ranch house down by the lake on an acre - and it was almost new built. It was 110K. Very nice indeed!

[Crackerjack]

Lemonade, thanks so much for the kind words. T or C is totally a desert town like others have stated and the town isn't in the best shape. I have noticed more people putting in businesses there so maybe it will become a better place. It was on the run down side for many years but maybe it is turning around. That would be good. It isn't the worst city in NM but it is not the best either. I have heard for years about a lot of drugs coming out of there and I personally think may be the factor for the mental conditions? Someone from around there once told me he thought the strange named attracted those with problems. I don't know about that, but it is an interesting theory too. Just theories though.

I think more then anything else is since there isn't a lot to do, people get trapped into drugs and in T or C, there isn't a lot to do. You do have the lake which is fun but really not a lot else. It is very hot like Carlsbad in the summer. It would probably be OK for someone who is retiring and just wants a small town to settle in and you can go down to Las Cruces. I really like Silver City, but I like the mountains and pine trees and that kind of thing. If you like heat and desert, you would probably like T or C.

[Mattie Jo]

interesting that you mention the heat in torc. the ads that i have read say to come there because it has a higher elevation and therefore way less heat. maybe they mean less than some desert communities. ha

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by jessaka

interesting that you mention the heat in torc. the ads that i have read say to come there because it has a higher elevation and therefore way less heat.

Less than the seventh ring of hell maybe.

[Mattie Jo]

just goes to show you Mark, some people will say anything to get you to move there.

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by jessaka

just goes to show you Mark, some people will say anything to get you to move there.

To be fair, I HATE heat. I couldn't live in the desert. The thermostat hits 80 degrees, and I'm ready to join a nudist colony in Nome.

Even so, high summer in T or C is really, really, really hot. Days, even weeks, of 100 degree + temperatures.