Thinking of moving to Alamogordo (Tularosa, La Luz: motels, houses, school)

[mam1996t]

I have been looking at listings online in the over $200,000 range and find that few homes have pools (which is my bribe to get my 11-year-old to move). Is this because the communities have pools or having a pool in that area is not considered worthwhile?

[catman]

I think there is a public pool, and if you had your own pool, it would evaporate like crazy. You'd have a huge water bill.

(Nobody bribed me when I was 13 and had to move!)

[6 FOOT 3]

Hi Mam......I'm not sure how many houses have pools but the water drought over the last 10 years has really had an bad effect on the area. Water rates are very high so having a pool might be tough on your water statement not to mention the electricity to power the pool recirc/filter pump as energy costs have also gone up.

There is a public pool at Washington park and also an indoor/outdoor pool at the Alamo Rec Center.

[mam1996t]

Thanks for the responses. Moving from the cold northeast I thought much of the warm southwest homes had pools. I have always wanted one, but did not think it worthwhile in Connecticut. Why is it that there are so many homes with pools in the Phoenix suburbs? Wouldn't they have the same issues?

[6 FOOT 3]

Originally Posted by mam1996t

Why is it that there are so many homes with pools in the Phoenix suburbs? Wouldn't they have the same issues?

Well Phoenix can get to 115 degrees in the summer months where as Alamo usually gets up to 98 degrees which is still hot but not like Phoenix.

Someone can correct me if i wrong but i believe Phoenix gets its water from the large Colorado River and also the huge reservoir Lake Powell. Alamo gets it's water from Bonito Lake in the nearby mountains and local wells which are running dry do to the decade long drought. It used to get water also from Tuli and La Luz creeks which now run dry

Anyway Mam i'm not trying to discourage you from moving to Alamogordo as i really dig Alamo (my favorate nm city) and the surrounding Mountains there but just wanted to give you my thoughts on the water situation there.

6/3

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by mam1996t

I have been looking at listings online in the over $200,000 range and find that few homes have pools (which is my bribe to get my 11-year-old to move). Is this because the communities have pools or having a pool in that area is not considered worthwhile?

Water is high.....and you are required to cover your pool offseason...and maybe even when you're not using it during the summer (but I'm not positive about the last).

They are very expensive to maintain, and your water/power bills will be a lot higher than otherwise.

I turned down otherwise acceptable homes here that were wonderful other than the fact that they had a pool, which I personally consider a nuisance!!

The only outdoor pool I know of is at the Family Rec Center, a 50-yarder that is covered during the winter for indoor swimming. They remove the cover sometime in May, and leave it off until school starts.

Harry: I don't think that the old pool at Washington Park is used at all these days.

[6 FOOT 3]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

Harry: I don't think that the old pool at Washington Park is used at all these days.

Thanks for the update on Washington Park pool Cathy.....i remember last summer when i was in Alamo and it was hot and some of the motels didn't have any water in their pools. I wonder what happened to the desalinization plant they were building there???

It's sad to see those creeks/mountain runoffs now dry.......

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by 6 FOOT 3

Thanks for the update on Washington Park pool Cathy.....i remember last summer when i was in Alamo and it was hot and some of the motels didn't have any water in their pools. I wonder what happened to the desalinization plant they were building there???

It's sad to see those creeks/mountain runoffs now dry.......

Harry, I'm not yet up on the history of all of that. There is an ongoing court battle between the city of Alamogordo and Tularosa over water rights and such.

It makes my head swim, and apparently it has been going on for quite some time.

And yes, it is depressing to see creeks/other water now dry.