Trying to decide where. Chama, Silver City, Rudioso, Santa Fe or where? (Albuquerque: apartments)

[jamnkats]

Here are our needs

1) homeschooling community. Our 4 kids (12, 10, 7 and 4) have never been to school. We want to keep it that way and need a support group of other families doing the same. We're not religious but can deal if need be.

2) community college or university within commute. I will be schooling to get my RN.

3) small town, low crime

4) homes under 200K. We might be able to stretch to 250. I want our mortgage payment to be $600-1000 a month.

5) job for hubby. He can do about anything but will need to work 2nd shift or something to provide income while I'm in school (4 years).

6) mountains for hubby to ride (bike) on his time off

7) not horrid winters (we LOVE Chama but it won't fit us for a good long time)

8) Organic or whole food shopping possibilities. We don't have a large food budget, but I prefer our high fat foods to be organic.

We had previously identified Silver City as a possibility, but due to the talk here about lack of jobs I'm not sure that will work. ABQ has incredible homeschooling community but it is very large and the area we would like (the hills east of ABQ) are somewhat expensive. Also ABQ is a Very Large Town. We looked at Moriarity but having to commute daily to school in ABQ would be insane. We love the Trader Joe's in Santa Fe and I think ABQ just got one also but the farmer's market in Santa Fe is astronomically priced. Rudioso is very neon and I think the job prospects are not good, but those mountains are incredibly beautiful. Roswell has a beautiful courthouse but I'm not sure about colleges. Clovis has a nursing program but we've never been there. I keep seeing people recommending Durango and while we were there last year it was very pretty but incredibly touristy. Need to see if they have a nursing program. We're also considering Eugene Oregon (for the jobs, housing prices, university, organic and homeschooling community) but the RAIN! Argh! Rain!

Any advice?

[_yb]

Check into Rio Rancho. Close enough for you to go to nursing school. Your hubby should be able to find a job. Still affordable for families. The Albuquerque area has tons of bike trails. The winters are not all that bad.



As for silver city when the copper prices are high there are often jobs to be found in the mining industries and the support of those industries.

[arizonapeach]

Hi there,

Have you considered Las Cruces, NM? We just moved here about a month ago and really like it. There are farmers markets and plenty of other shopping options. You are close to El Paso, too. It took us 45 min via I-10. It's a pretty good size community, but not overwhelming. It think it's around 74,000.
You are sourrounded by gorgeous mountains, lots of fun outdoor opportunity! New Mexico State University is right in Las Cruces, so you can go there for your nursing degree, or choose the Community College for classes.
The housing market is still affordable. I've seen 3/2 anywhere from $179.000 - to $270.000 and up.
I think it's worth a look.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you need more info.
Petra

[jamnkats]

thanks. ABQ is definitely in the running, but it seems that the commute from Rio Rancho to any job/school would be a real pain. But the resale value of the house would definitely not loose value (I hope).

Las Cruces seemed like such a large town I didn't even look into it; I'll check it out. THanks!

[jonesy]

Las Cruces is much smaller than Albuquerque. You do have some problems with the closeness of El Paso, but it is still nice. Your husband would be able to find a job there, depending on his experience. As far as homeschooling goes, I think Mesilla Valley Christian School organizes a homeschool group. I'm not exactly sure, but they are easy to find. My wife always felt comfortable in Las Cruces, but she cannot stand Albuquerque. The traffic is sometimes brutal. We spend quite a bit of time in Las Cruces when we lived in Lordsburg. Although it was a 110 mile drive, we liked the shopping there. Another person had asked about LC's pollution. Sometimes it is hazy, but so is any other mid sized city. Most of the pollution is from El Paso and Juarez. Deming is only 45 minutes from LC and would fit your needs. The commute is very easy and your husband may be able to actually find work in Deming, depending on what he can do. Don't rule out Silver City yet. It has a very good and affordable University. My wife and I are moving back from TN to complete our MATs there. Although the area has some marked trails for experiencing nature, BLM (bureau of Land Management) has thousands of acres that are accessable. These are sometimes rugged, but always fun. Plus your kids would love the Southwest corner. My boys are 6 and 8 and can't be happier that we are returning. Although, we may be moving to Lordsburg for a commute to Silver City, since most of our friends live there. BTW to find nursing programs in LC look at www.NMSU.edu in Silver www.wnmu.edu There is also a community college system. Dona Ana community college I think.

[paleo99]

Well judging from your criteria, Cruces would almost be ideal except for the fact that the crime rate is pretty bad--I lived there for two years--and I wouldn't suggest anybody raise kids in that town. Even if they are homeschooled, many of the locals are into the gangbanger mentality, and sooner or later your kids would have to deal with that on a regular basis, whether it be a part time job or what not. Although drugs are everywhere, your typical individual is more likely to be a druggie here than in many other places due to the proxmity to the border.

I should probably elaborate examples of crime in Cruces to make my argument more convincing. In the last year, two women were raped by men inpersonated as cops on the side of the road just south of Dona Ana Branch Community college by I-10 in Tortugas. The city has recieved threats of random shootings from what it seems to be a couple of punks, and I've had friends who left their apartments due to the constant harrasment of gangmember types in the supposed good parts of town. In other words, don't pick Cruces, you'll regret it!