Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and misconceptions (Gallup, Las Vegas: condo, homes, buy)

[Gearhound]

The downtown area IS expensive to rent or buy a home in.
The rest of Santa Fe.....not really.
Although if your used to buying a 3 bedroom house for $150K, look elsewhere.
My Sister used to live in Mission Viejo, Ca.
Prices there make much of Santa Fe, look like the cost of living in rural America.
The more affluent suburbs of Washington, DC and New York City have significantly higher housing costs than do much of Santa Fe.
Gasoline is about the same, though food prices seem a little higher in Santa Fe.

My wife LOVES living in Santa Fe!
Hey, she has a 12 minute commute to work, who wouldn't love THAT!?
We used to live right by the Appalachian Trail in Western Maryland.
So yeah, I really miss GREEN vegetation, although I get my green 'fix' by going up to the Pecos Wilderness Area a LOT!
Other than that, I like Santa fe just fine.

Steve

[caphillsea77]

I've fallen in love with Albuquerque, like I'm totally smitten for it and very much looking forward to moving out there. That was after I had done some researching and then visited. My impressions of the city before it was on my radar weren’t really that positive. I don't know why but the show COPS being filmed there always gave me the impression that it was a city filled with high crime. I just thought it was some desert outpost city. Last winter here in New England I really grew tired of all the stormy weather dumping heaps of snow. I wanted to move to the Sunbelt but also like the 4 seasons just not extreme winters, and could do without the summer humidity. Phoenix is just to hot, and too big also so I started giving Albuquerque some thought.

I went for a visit in March. After eating in the restaurants there, exploring the neighborhoods with character like Old Town and Nob Hill, and seeing the attractive neighborhoods along Tramway Blvd and reading about the climate and an agreeable cost of living I became sold on the place. I met some really cool people there too that were on my same wavelength. The setting on the Rio Grande by the Sandias is awesome. The city is just the right size for me at this point in my life. In my 20's it wouldn't have been compatible for me, but in my mid 30's I'm not interested in living in a rat race anymore.

I always knew the kind of draw Santa Fe had to tourists and had a pretty good idea of what type of people it attracted. Santa Fe does really have more notoriety than Albuquerque for people outside of New Mexico. When I lived in Seattle I knew a lady I worked with who would visit her mom in Santa Fe, and every time she went there she would fly into ABQ Sunport and head straight up I-25 to Santa Fe, passing right by Albuquerque. I'm sure many others have done the same. IMO Albuquerque is more appealing for living and Santa Fe is good for visiting on the weekends.

[Stanrice]

Originally Posted by Poncho_NM

For those like me who continue to learn English and who wonder what some people are trying to say:

GENTRIFICATION - The process of renewal and rebuilding
accompanying the influx of middle-class or affluent people
into deteriorating areas that often displaces poorer residents

New Mexico has a shortage of medical facilities and personnel. The Albuquerque area has the majority of facilities.



Rich

That's one definition...Here's another one: (gentrify) renovate so as to make it conform to middle-class aspirations; "gentrify a row of old houses"; "gentrify the old center of town".

It all depends on what is meant by "deteriorating" or "old." Some people believe that gentrification means someone great and wonderful, others believe that it means the destruction of culture and the upheaval of other humans; I think it generally lies somewhere in between the two. I believe what was meant is that some of the newer residents of Santa Fe have completely changed the town because of their sense of entitlement that they should be allowed to change everything to suit their needs. In this case, I most definitely do NOT believe that this paints a rosy picture of "renewal," but in fact paints a bleak picture of the ending of the proud,former culture in exchange for the "culture" of "high-class."

[Poncho_NM]

Originally Posted by Poncho_NM

I do not believe a small house within the Albuquerque Bosque exists.

Originally Posted by Zoidberg

Suppose it depends on what you call Bosque.

I erroneously meant waterfront property...


Rich

[ABQalex]

Originally Posted by loborick

I have lived in Santa Fe all my life and I'm offended by your remarks. I would much rather live in Santa Fe than Albuquerque. The only reason I ever go to Albuquerque is concerts or sporting events. Santa Fe is unique. Arts, music, museums, history...it is a place many more people like to visit than Albuquerque. There is a mystique...a feel about it. I think people from Albuquerque are jealous of the attention Santa Fe gets, thus they put Santa Fe down. Yes, there are elite here, but it is a real community. I am Hispanic and am proud of my heritage here and the way it is celebrated.

I'd like to see your proof on the claim that "many more" people like to visit Santa Fe than Albuquerque. A quick Google search turns up numbers between 1.2 to 1.6 million visitors annually for Santa Fe versus 2.9 to 3.6 million visitors annually for Albuquerque.

[rwjoyak]

Originally Posted by Poncho_NM

I do not believe a small house within the Albuquerque Bosque exists. It is all government owned. Such a house close to the Bosque would most likely be more expensive than a house in Santa Fe.

If you include Bernalillo in the ABQ bosque, there are houses there in the bosque, with river frontage, on the west side of the Rio Grande to the south of the US 550 bridge. For some reason the town of Bernalillo didn't protect the bosque like it is in the rest of the urban area. It's also why the path along the river that runs all the way from ABQ north doesn't make it up to the bridge.

You can argue, and I wouldn't disagree (too much ), that Bernalillo really isn't in the ABQ bosque. I just find the houses there surprising given how the bosque is protected everywhere else around here.

And yes, the houses look very pricey (when I floated by them on the river) and I expect they cost bundles of bucks.

[Poncho_NM]

Originally Posted by rwjoyak

with river frontage, on the west side of the Rio Grande to the south of the US 550 bridge. For some reason the town of Bernalillo didn't protect the bosque

Have seen the houses, picked up sale sheet, way too rich for me...

Originally Posted by rwjoyak

It's also why the path along the river that runs all the way from ABQ north doesn't make it up to the bridge.

Governor Richardson wanted a bike/hiking path to extend from ABQ north (to I forget where). Seems to have died out... Some people in Corrales did not want the extra traffic in their bosque.

Originally Posted by rwjoyak

You can argue, and I wouldn't disagree (too much ), that Bernalillo really isn't in the ABQ bosque.

They aren't even in the same counties... There are some things about Bernalillo which I like... I really don't hate locations...


Rich

[B97701]

Originally Posted by ABQConvict

I don't love Santa Fe, but I admit that it: has a nicer architectural aesthetic, is smaller but not a 'small town', has a nicer climate, is closer to deeper wilderness and good skiing, has a high proportion of good restaurants and evening entertainment options.

Of course there are cons to Santa Fe as well: strange/uptight newcomers, strange/xenophobic locals, older demographic, lacks a larger university (this may be a pro to some), lack of affordable housing, tourist woes.

Geographers say that many small towns under 100,000 like Santa Fe often have a highly unique identity and often have unaffordable housing and liberal politics. Certain personalities gravitate towards Santa Fe, and others are repulsed by Santa Fe.

Often, they cater to a certain demographic, with some really liking the place, and leaving others feeling isolated from the general population.

However, not all small towns are like this, and many have are very diverse, such as Bend, Oregon, Ft. Collins, CO, and Boulder, Colorado.

Southwestern small towns are difficult for newcomers to break into - this includes places such as Santa Fe, Flagstaff, Prescott, Sedona, Palm Springs, Lake Tahoe, Durango, and Ashland, Oregon ("Fiddlehead" had another list above). I like Albuquerque, do not live there, but I would feel isolated and self-conscious in a place like Santa Fe or the other places I listed (except Bend, Boulder, or Ft. Collins, although I've never lived in Bend, Boulder, or Ft. Collins, either).

Small cities are not for everyone, for many reasons. And, one psychologist told me that people generally just don't like each other and need to have personal space at a deep psychological level. A city with 12 to 20 square miles (a small town of 100,000 or less) leaves many people uncomfortable. When I'm in public, I don't want to run into people I know. And, I want my neighbors to be within shouting distance (i.e. a half acre lot), not behind an apartment wall.

Placitas, I think, is a combination of the great elements of Albuquerque and Santa Fe, but it's also unique in its own ways. The larger lots give a feeling of space so there is less pressure to "conform" to political or other considerations in a SMALL town with SMALL lots like Santa Fe. It is amazing how many times political considerations come up on forums for SMALL towns on City-Data, and how heated the discussions become over such issues as urban growth lines and transportation.

Overall, what is often missing in the "Santa Fe vs. ABQ threads" is that both cities and the entire state survive and prosper in the FIRST PLACE because of creative people and inventions. This Creativity and new ideas, from artists, scientists, and other professions, is a highly unique aspect to New Mexico. Neighboring Arizona doesn't have nearly as much of this, for whatever reason.

[gtbguy]

Having lived in Albuquerque for over 20 years and now in Santa Fe, there are differences between both cities that can't really even be compared (kinda like comparing apples to oranges). ABQ is a larger city with more to do, access to better shopping, etc. Santa Fe on the other hand is smaller (easier to get around), great quality of life, and high quality restaurants.

When it comes to housing, for the most part SF will cost more than ABQ. As one poster indicated prices have come down but it is still rather pricey. When we lived in ABQ we lived in High Desert and North Albuquerque Acres which are nice areas. Now living in Santa Fe we are in Las Campanas and in my opinion, there is no community in ABQ that even comes close to this place.

With my job I travel a bunch outside the US and when I'm talking with others (during long flights) that I live in Santa Fe they have either been here or heard about it. Discussions usually involve SF as a great travel destination, opera, Santa Fe architecture, and great New Mexican food. The Balloon Festival is the one event people know best about ABQ.

Both cities are great in their own ways but very different from each other.

[caphillsea77]

I wrote this back in September, 2011 before moving here (I moved here in April, 2012). Interesting thing is my feelings about both cities are pretty much the same, almost ver batum as when I wrote this. When moving to NM, Santa Fe made an easy transition for me as I lucked out with a short term apartment lease and hooked up a job right away. Now I found a better job down in Albuquerque and I'm feeling pretty happy about that as I'll be moving down there by the end of the summer and settling in.

I LOVE Santa Fe, I really do. I see all of it's charms and appeal. But like I said before I think I prefer having it up the road a short way for VISITING. I think it's appeal would eventually ware off if I were to stay here any more than 6 months. I'm looking forward to living and working in Albuquerque and I feel very blessed to have made it out here and have everything working out so well. Everytime I step outside I'm just delighted to be here in New Mexico and one thing I can't say enough is the weather here is fantastic, so much better than back east. I feel healthier, breathe better, and the constant sunshine really uplifts my mood a lot. When settling in Albuquerque I'll most likely be visiting Santa Fe on various weekends dining out, seeing museums, and galleries and so on. For my daily routines I'm pretty sure I'll find Albuquerque a bit more stimulating.

Originally Posted by caphillsea77

I came to NM scouting places to live and had an open mind about both cities. I really liked Santa Fe a lot, but I'd rather see myself living in Albuquerque and visiting Santa Fe often. To me Albuquerque is a perfectly sized metro area, though Santa Fe offers a lot more than your average city of 70,000 would. I think what makes Santa Fe special (architecture, food, history, the art galleries, museums) would ware off a bit quicker if I lived there and would hold it's a appeal more as a weekend destination and getting there from Albuquerque is pretty easy.

I also like Albuquerque's central location in the state a bit more, better access to Southern NM attractions, a major airport, and ABQ has a better climate for me with more balmy days. Albuquerque certainly has character with the University Campus, Nob Hill, and Old Town and the Sandias on the edge of town with the Rio Grande running through the middle of town make it a beautiful place. I can see why tourists would prefer Santa Fe and I'd rather be a tourist myself there as I think Albuquerque has more residential appeal.