Relocating to Northern New Mexico

[Devin Bent]

Originally Posted by mmmcgal

Pojoaque (15 miles) north of Santa Fe toward Espanola is reasonable - but is dry, dusty, and hot!

I decided to change jobs and moved to Albuquerque! I now "head north" only when I want to take a scenic drive and escape city life! Good luck on your search!

You live in Albuquerque and you call Pojoaque 'hot'? This takes the cake.

[RatonRetiree]

For living in Northern New Mexico, Raton is the place to be. It is centrally located with easy access to all the surrounding activities (Capulin to the East, NRA Whittington and Cimarron to the Southwest, Trinidad to the North). The water is fantastic, the air is clear, the people are friendly, they have they Shuler Theater (a restored 1914 Opera House where they have all types of performing arts shows throughout the year). They just built a new hospital (my wife is a part of the auxiliary) and are recruiting new doctors (the new ob-gyn just delivered his 100th baby!). Group called Raton MainStreet is working on revitalizing downtown and developing a Master Plan for the City. Give my wife and I a call when you're in town and we'll be happy to show you around. Paul and Marlene Jenkins (575) 445-3130.

[debbie at bouontiful]

I Raton as pretty as say Chama is on the other side of the mountain? The post office lady in my rural area has bought land near springer and says raton is better than where I've been looking which is South of the Chama area.

I think I'll visit your area this September on my way to the cabin we rent each year near Chama. We have 3 years to retirement. Yea..................

[Solidwood]

Grants is a good location for retirees and younger. It has always been the backyard for Albuquerque for recreation in hiking, biking, national forest adventures, and Pueblo culture experiences. Only 75 miles from Albuquerque, you can still have big-town shoppping and theater. Retirees find a nice home for a fraction of Albuquerque or St Fe. There is less traffic and generally the neighborhoods are quiet and safe. Still not a town growing on steroids, Grants has a friendly quietude that is rare in these days of hubbub and hobgoblin.

[backslacker]

None of these are cheep. Cheaper is littler places like Peco's, Arroyo Secco other smaller places. I live in Las Vegas which is not that cheep but cheeper than these places. Sometimes you can find cheep places between these. cheeper is like off the grid on the turquiose Trail but this is rainwater collection and solar. If you like underground there is places north of Toas that sometimes rent out the earth ships over by the bridge. I see these on Craig's list sometimes. Raton is expensive. To me cheeper is under $500.

1) Taos
2) Red River
3) Los Alamos
4) Santa Fe

All four are absolutely gorgeous and provide an exceptional quality of life. Plus you'll only be 1 to 3 hours from the Albuquerque Int'l Sunport if you need to travel.

[backslacker]

I liked Raton until my hotel there burned down. There is not allot of reasonable hosing there but there are alot of owner sales because of the crashing housing market. check out any of the towns in-beteen Las Vegas and Raton for cheeper especially real estate. Who ever recommended Grants are you kidding? There are nice houses but the water supply is questionable. Does the word Uranium Blvd mean anything to you? I would not recommend the racial divided gang land areas of Gallup and Farmington unless you like driving on the worse DUI death highways in America. If they re-open the uranium mines in church Rock Gallup did finally build a cancer center. In the 70's there was a uranimum water dam that broke and sent radioactive water all the way to Arizona. the water has viruses, bacteria and radioactivity. Close to Arizona you have to deal with uranium trails in the dust storms that all ready have valley fever. Rammah is a nice community. has a radical fairy commune and was a Morman settlement but has a active community and camp grounds & nice people. Clayton all those tornadoes and smell of stock yards. I even liked Tucumcari until tornadoes, 104 temperatures with humidity and 60-80 miles winds stuck me in a route 66 motel for 10 days in July. I saw some really cheap realisestate in Maxwell & Springer. Myself I would pick Roswell over Clayton unless you like small towns close to nothing. Housing and cost of living is very reasonable. It gets hot there but it is like a mix of NM and Texas, Clayton & Portales is like Texas which is OK if you like West Texas. Hagerman is nice but I wonder about the effects of fertiziers and pesticides there. Not like they do organic gardening like they try to do in Arroyo Seco. If you like a more on the land kind of life really look at any of the villages and small towns along the Peco's. There are little communities south of Las Vegas collecting rain, using solar and wind and living in cabins and earth ships there too. Sometimes you can find free rent situations on the east side of the mts on Craig's list doing soil conservation stuff. You have to figure out how far you want to live from shopping and whether you are into dirt roads, hauling water and gathering wood. Sometimes the little mining towns on Turquoise Road which is the road on the east side of the mts from Albuquerque has interesting housing opportunities or adventures in living. Albuquerque is doing good for jobs nationally right now and has reasonable housing. I like Rio Rancho. I would avoid Espanola. Grants has great houses but no train stop and limited public transportation. Something to think about if your car breaks down. Santa Rosa is pretty small but ok. Cheap places are to be found even if it is a motel. Has nice lakes close by.

[desert sun]

Originally Posted by backslacker

None of these are cheep. Cheaper is littler places like Peco's, Arroyo Secco other smaller places. I live in Las Vegas which is not that cheep but cheeper than these places. Sometimes you can find cheep places between these. cheeper is like off the grid on the turquiose Trail but this is rainwater collection and solar. If you like underground there is places north of Toas that sometimes rent out the earth ships over by the bridge. I see these on Craig's list sometimes. Raton is expensive. To me cheeper is under $500.

Whats up with that new guy in Taos who wants the Hispanics to change their names and not speak Spanish. Is anyone doing anything about this? I saw it in the paper recently.

Since your from Vegas, I figured you might have heard a lil something from up there.

[ABQConvict]

I heard about that guy. Someone forgot to tell him the '50s are over.


ABQConvict