La Luz

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by shaddow

There have been a number of posts from people eager to escape the heat of West Texas in particular. I came home to New Mexico from Virginia to live in Laborcita Canyon. Everyday and every way I am happier and happier. Here's the problem. All of the homes in Laborcita are on well and septic, which is okay if there is enough ground water. Some of the wells run dry seasonally if there isn't enough rain and snow. Before buying, check the history of the well that provides water to your prospective dream home.

Oh yes, and another thing. It is pretty common to share a well with a nieghbor. Be sure that if you are sharing that your rights are explicitely spelled out and the neighbor is not a horses "neck."

Shaddow

Thanks for the heads up. Several in Midland County, TX, had the same problem with wells really going dry...and having to have water hauled in.

It's scary. It's one reason when I moved here that I refused to look at properties on well/septic, opting for city services.

Well...almost a year later.....I'm now looking in Laborcita Canyon, CC, etc. When I started reading about water rights and such in NM (very different in TX)....my head was swimming. I will get the information I need from the agent, and call TPTB before I make an offer.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by Sparkey

Cathy ~

I hope your house hunt will extend outside Cloudcroft village proper. I looked at houses for a little over a year. There are plenty of good housing values on the mountain.

I love the village, I just needed more room. I live about nine miles outside CC. The drive times are just a little longer, but WOW! the scenic views make those extra few minutes most enjoyable.

Sparkey, I liked the village itself, but DANG. I hate the closed-in feeling. It just gives me claustrophobia.

So, yep, I will be looking at outlying areas.

I'm just so ambivalent about septic sytems/wells...and all of the issues they bring.

Ditto services such as internet and TV. In the outlying areas, it has to be the more expensive (not that Baja cable services are anywhere near cheap) Dish or DirecTV.

But. One step at a time.

[Fug™]

This is my first post here but once I read this thread, I had to register so I could reply.

I was stationed at Holloman from 1981-84. I was a Still Photographic Specialist so I got to travel the entire basin a lot.
I was one of the Photographers at the STS3 landing at White Sands. The only shuttle to ever land anywhere other than Edwards or Florida.

Anyway.... like I said, I traveled around the entire area, a lot. It has to be one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to.

I settled on the edge of the desert in a trailer in La Luz while I was there but I also spent a few months in a house in Alamo and I spent 6 months living in Cloudcroft.

Alamogordo...taken by itself, might be considered a 2nd rate city but when you add in the surrounding areas, the beauty of the basin, the great camping, exploring, hiking, biking and the overwhelming feeling of freedom you get when you are out doing those things in that area, Alamogordo becomes a very great place to live.

I only lived there for the 3 years I mentioned. I am now back home in Ohio but I have very fond memories of the area, the people and the land.

I hope to go back and visit it again one day.


Oh...one funny thing I saw there I won't soon forget. Like I said, I'm from Ohio. I see snow every year. Folks in Alamogordo only see it if they look towards the mountains.

Anyway, one Feb. day, it snowed 2 or 3 inches down in Alamogordo! It was all melted by noon but the results were the most fender benders I have ever seen in my life.

The locals were totally out of their element. No one got hurt but it was comical to witness as a native Ohioan.

[GregW]

The Alamogordo area is our second choice. Socorro still tops the list.

A major problem developing is my significant other simply does not want to leave NH because of the social contacts. One posible solution is for me to fly to NM, get a motorcycle and live in the cheapest hovel I can find during the winter and fly back to NH for the summers. OH well, time will tell and we will see what happens.

[ollieburger]

To Ironman. We are also hoping to move to Laborcita Canyon next year (just have to sell our property in Florida (not going to be easy!!)

We're headed out to Alamogordo to look some more in August. Almost bought 10 acres in Laborcita last October, but the market crash put a stop to that.

You're lucky to be moving there in Dec.

[ollieburger]

Our experience last October was with a property we almost bought on Rolling Hills Road. The landowners on Rolling Hills have their own water association, and I imagine there are other areas in Laborcita that have the same arrangement. Quality of the water is something you will want to check carefully.

[ollieburger]

Elevation about 2/3 the way up is right at 6,000 feet.