Retirement in MM (Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Los Lunas: sales, real estate, houses)

[JoycieM]

Currently, we are looking for a place to retire. We are looking at 55+ active communities. We received information on the new community of Los Lunas called Jubilee.

I am wondering if anyone here has retired to NM and could provide some information about taxes, cost of living, etc. We are in Pennsylvania. I will retire in June and am looking forward to moving to a new area. We plan another visit ( We looked at a community in Belen a few years ago but realized that one wasn't going to be the one for us. ) perhaps in May. We do want to see Sante Fe as we didn't get there the last time.

I would appreciate any advice or feedback.

Joyce

[Devin Bent]

Originally Posted by JoycieM

Currently, we are looking for a place to retire. We are looking at 55+ active communities. We received information on the new community of Los Lunas called Jubilee.

I am wondering if anyone here has retired to NM and could provide some information about taxes, cost of living, etc. We are in Pennsylvania. I will retire in June and am looking forward to moving to a new area. We plan another visit ( We looked at a community in Belen a few years ago but realized that one wasn't going to be the one for us. ) perhaps in May. We do want to see Sante Fe as we didn't get there the last time.

I would appreciate any advice or feedback.

Joyce

I don't think there are any 55+ active communities in the Santa Fe area. I could be wrong. And I suspect that El Dorado (a planned community south of the city) has a goodly proportions of retires. Tesuque and Las Campanas (the latter another planned community) will also have a high proportion of retirees -- but they are very very expensive. Real estate is typically more expensive in Santa Fe than other places in New Mexico and north SF is more expensive than south SF. But the market is soft here now and it's a good time to look for a bargain. People will tell you that everything is expensive in Santa Fe, but stay out of the tourist traps and that won't be your experience. After all, our Walmart has the same prices as theirs.

You reaction to the cost of living in NM in general will depend upon where you come from in Pennsylvania. It will look cheap in comparison to the Philadelphia area, expensive perhaps compared to the western mountains.

I believe that the Albuquerque area has some 55+ active communities. You could live there, and use the new rail to visit Santa Fe when the mood strikes you.

[Towanda]

From the research my husband and I did when we were first looking at Eldorado, we found that the community there is a split - about half retirees and half younger families, many with children.

Eldorado has its own elementary school, so it is not a 55+ community, but it also has a new Senior Center just getting up and running.

So I would call it a mix - and for my husband and I, that is just what we want.

I guess many people would prefer a strictly retirement community. I am definitely not one of them.

Joycie M ~ Are you looking for a 55+ community only, or would you consider other options? We are really very happy with everything we have found at Eldorado.

[Devin Bent]

As I think about it, there are a number of smaller planned developments scattered around Santa Fe and offering varying amenities. They would have a high proportion of retirees and might meet your needs.

Another thing to think about. Real Estate prices tend to be higher as you get closer to the Plaza. But you wouldn't be a tourist -- so why pay to be close to the Plaza? It's not where you are going to be shopping. Groceries, gasoline, hardware, doctors are not there.

Go a little further south to El Dorado or a comparable distance and you'll usually get a better deal. A little further north, however, won't do anything for you with respect to prices until you get to the Pojoaque Valley and I don't think we have anything up here like what you are looking for. We are an unplanned community.

You should get a Realtor to show you around -- if you come here.

[Devin Bent]

The New York Times has a slide showing comparing 400 K homes in three locations and El Dorado is the one representing Santa Fe.

$400,000 Homes - The New York Times > Great Homes and Destinations > Slide Show > Slide 1 of 16

The slide show is new, but the underlying article is not. So the house may be long sold and prices changed. Towanda can tell us whether it is a good deal.

[Devin Bent]

The New York Times has a slide showing comparing 400 K homes in three locations and El Dorado is the one representing Santa Fe.

$400,000 Homes - The New York Times > Great Homes and Destinations > Slide Show > Slide 1 of 16

The slide show is new, but the underlying article is not. So the house may be long sold and prices changed. Towanda can tell us whether it is a good deal.

[Towanda]

Hmmm. I have been looking at homes in Eldorado online and in person for over a year; I don't remember that house.

BUT ... it is very typical of the homes in Eldorado. Some are smaller, some are larger, some do the Southwestern look well and some do not. The home in this article looks very nice, so I guess the $397,000 price tag for 1616 square feet is about average.

The bigger news is that the cost of houses in Eldorado is coming down very quickly. Homes that were in the high $400s and $500s six months ago have come way way down...I would guess $100,000 less than they were not long ago. Then there are the motivated sellers (like we found) who are asking below the average price in order to sell the home.

Anyway, nice to see Eldorado getting some nice publicity. Thanks for posting the link, Devin.

[Towanda]

P.S. I just checked one of the Eldorado real estate websites, and that house is indeed listed. It is either a new listing, or we didn't look at it because it is smaller than what we were looking for. I think it is a little high priced considering the size and number of bedrooms. They probably will only sell it if they come down some in price.

[debbie at bouontiful]

Been looking at Chama, but after finding out about a few land grant problems and NO GROCERY STORE. I was told by a real estate agent they had retires in that area. Of course, I do not believe real estate people too much.

How about on the other side of the mountain. Any area that has retire type people. After all where we all move, were not looking for jobs. Plugged in a lot of small towns near Taos (not Taos) and would get some nice acreage but off the grid might be a problem. I am bring horses so I will have to have some land.

I want to be within an hour and half from Santa Fe in the mountains. I loved that city but do not want high dessert look, I want trees.

Any ideas and yes I love snow?

[Pintada Kid]

If you like snow and the mountains and country life and small towns and close to Albuquerque and Santa Fe and wonderful people check the East Mountain Area. The East Mountain Telegraph and the Independent can give you prices on Acreage and homes. I love the East mountain area and in the Weekends on nice summer days mingling with the Locals at Flea Markets and Yard Sales and they have so much Activities in the Summer and Fall and Very Little Traffic in the Moriarty, Estancia Area. el pintada kid