Relocating to SF/ABQ area...where? (Galisteo, Lamy: homes, camper, shop)

[WasSoggyInSeattle]

Another question - probably more toward recent transplants but natives might have some advice too.

For those of you that relocated from out-of-state and not lucky enough to be retired or tranferred by your current employer. How was job hunting? I've heard that it is better to get an in-state address for your resume/contact info when job hunting outside your home state. Did any of you find that necessary?

[santafescribe]

Eldorado does have covenants, and one of the most strictly enforced is against parking RVs at the house. I believe they have a big communal RV corral for people who have them, but definitely they frown on RVs @ homes.

re barns/garages - some of them do, especially the ones owned by artists, who would have studios. The permitting process is pretty standard - you go through the architectural committee at Eldorado and then file your application with the county.
If Eldorado proves too restrictive for you, you can always look further south towards Galisteo or on Highway 14 - the Turquoise Trail - where there are fewer constraints, and (espec on Highway 14) larger lots to build barns, etc. on.

[santafescribe]

Originally Posted by SoggyInSeattle

Another question - probably more toward recent transplants but natives might have some advice too.

For those of you that relocated from out-of-state and not lucky enough to be retired or tranferred by your current employer. How was job hunting? I've heard that it is better to get an in-state address for your resume/contact info when job hunting outside your home state. Did any of you find that necessary?

I arrived here not knowing what I was going to do, but wanting to live here. I applied for a State job - there were many choices at the State for people with my marketing/communications background - and the process was relatively quick. I definitely think you should have an in-state address - you should probably set up a mailbox to get that address.

Santa Fe's job opportunities are basically tourism, real estate, State and financial services/legal. Albuquerque has a much broader, more traditional mix of job opportunities. I believe a State job, especially in Santa Fe, is a great way to just get connected - you don't have to stay there forever (I didn't.....), and it allows you to get a sense of how the place ticks.

[Devin Bent]

Originally Posted by santafescribe

Eldorado does have covenants, and one of the most strictly enforced is against parking RVs at the house. I believe they have a big communal RV corral for people who have them, but definitely they frown on RVs @ homes.

re barns/garages - some of them do, especially the ones owned by artists, who would have studios. The permitting process is pretty standard - you go through the architectural committee at Eldorado and then file your application with the county.
If Eldorado proves too restrictive for you, you can always look further south towards Galisteo or on Highway 14 - the Turquoise Trail - where there are fewer constraints, and (espec on Highway 14) larger lots to build barns, etc. on.

Where's Towanda when we need her?

I read the Eldorado covenants pretty closely when we were considering covenants for this immediate neighborhood.

I'd suggest you look at them for yourself. Do a Google search.

But as I remember

1..RV's can be screened. But you would need to get approval in advance.

2.. Outbuilding. Has to look like main house -- you can't just bring a shed in on a truck and plop it down. You would -- I think -- have to submit drawings for approval. Again, I think an 800 square foot limit on size.

An existing house might already have approved and constructed screening and outbuilding. in the current market, probably cheaper to buy what you are looking for rather than buy and build.

Towanda will correct me if I am wrong.

[Towanda]

This is what the Eldorado covenant says about storage sheds, barns, etc.:

No structures shall be erected, altered, placed, or permitted to remain on any residential lot other than single family dwellings, accessory buildings such as studios, garages, greenhouses, recreational facilities and storage sheds, and stables on lots on which horses are permitted to be kept. No trailer, mobile home, tent, shack, garage, barn or other outbuilding, nor any temporary structure erected on any residential lot, shall be used at any time as a residence, either temporarily or permanently.

Section 2. Placement of Accessory Buildings. Large accessory buildings, such as studios and garages, shall be located close to the dwelling house, and shall be architecturally integrated therewith. Small accessory buildings, such as storage sheds and greenhouses, shall be located so as to minimize their visual impact on the surrounding neighborhood, and shall be obscured by screening in some reasonable manner, for example by the dwelling house and/or with plantings or fencing.

I am not really familiar with the covenant requirements about RVs since we don't have one and I never checked. Here is what the covenant says:

Section 13. Storage and Screening of Vehicles and their Accessories. a) Recreational vehicles, such as motor homes, RVs, campers, camper shells, vehicle accessories, trailers, horse trailers, airplanes, boats and the like, when stored on a lot shall be located so as to minimize their visual impact on the surrounding neighborhood and roads, and shall be obscured by screening in a reasonable manner, for example by the dwelling house and/or with plantings or fencing./ No more than three such vehicles shall be stored outside on any lot at any,time. No more than one additional vehicle shall be parked temporarily on a lot for a period not to exceed three weeks. This paragraph shall be applicable to recreational vehicle accessories, such as camper shells and the like.

Here is the link to the entire Eldorado covenant document.

[GregW]

I have lived far too long with condominium restrictions, so I'll give Eldorado a pass thank you. I am looking for something with some town services like water and sewer but without too many restrictions like regulating what I can do in my back yard.

[Towanda]

The covenants aren't for everyone. It is a personal decision. If anyone likes the fact that Eldorado has many amenties and that the covenants exist to protect the views, the night sky, the appearance of the neighborhood and the quality of living, they could check out Eldorado without discounting it outright.

For us it works. It is a very attractive area. Everyone I have met who lives there loves it. I haven't met anyone who dislikes the covenants...but that is probably because everyone knows they exist when they make the choice to live there. If they reject the idea, they go elsewhere.

Of course we all would love to live in complete freedom to do what we want on our own property. (My choice would be to live on 100 acres out in the middle of nowhere but financially and because we are aging it's not the right choice for us.) But if we insist on freedom to do our own thing, maybe we should not make the choice to live in an area with 2600 homes in fairly close proximity. I just happen to be one who likes the look and feel of the area and which in almost 40 years of existence, has not gotten trashy.

[Devin Bent]

It is essentially a question of taste.

Are you worried more about:

1) the eyesore in your neighbor's yard or
2) the right to put what you please in your own yard?

Important thing is that people are informed about the nature of the choice they are making. People who are familiar with zoning but not covenants should do a little research.

[mortimer]

Devin Bent said:

> It is essentially a question of taste.

1) the eyesore in your neighbor's yard or
2) the right to put what you please in your own yard?

I was taking a little walk last week and observed, from the bike trail, looking down into some yards that many people have a serious accumulation problem.

One house had a few abandoned cars, appliances, and a bunch of miscellaneous junk with bottles and other trash strewn about.

OTOH, my sister wanted to screen-in her porch, but the architectural committee vetoed her tasteful plan. Unfortunately, many other residents of her community have done things that are *not* conforming without permission and apparently without consequences.

> Important thing is that people are informed ...

You need to know what you are getting yourself into.

[WasSoggyInSeattle]

Great info and we'll look into the covenants a bit closer. Thanks for the link. We are sort of those in-between people. Coming (originally) from a very rural area in TX where 10 junked out cars, 12 dogs, a sagging porch, etc is the norm, we very much appreciate living in a more uniformed "kept-up" space. Currently we have a large shop (2000 sf) that is ample room to store our slide-in truck camper, tractor, truck and various other implements to keep up our 5 acres. Although we are planting trees in front of the shop because to us, IT is a bit of an eyesore... useful but not attractive. :-) And while there are covenants here - can't plant or build anything that will block a neighbor's view, etc no one really cares what you do to your property but everyone keeps everything tidy. We just assume (naively, we know) everyone will be as courteous. :-) And no one complained when my parents, who are full-timers, came up to visit for a couple of months. That's our main concern. We can certainly screen the camper, we keep a decent yard, just don't want to get 'in trouble' for having my parents visit in their 5th wheel.

I think you are right, if you understand what you are getting into you just adjust. When we first read the covenants on our current place we were like... uh, whatever. But really, they've never been an issue.

Thanks again, and keep the info coming. Looking at the pics in the forum, makes us even more anxious to get there.