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What about Grants? Mount Taylor is nearby plus the volcanic field and Malpais -- interesting geology. The Bandera volcano is nearby with the ice cave and lava tubes. Mixed desert and forest. Coldest ever temperature is 0 degrees f. Hottest temperature is 106f. So, with very low humidity, the temperature range is typically not too bad. All NM is windy so Grants would be too. Elevation is about 6500 ft. No university but the NM Mining Museum is there. Acoma is to the southeast. Chaco Canyon to the northwest. There is a university in Gallup but not very close.
Reality check! Cortez is in the same Four Corners climate that much of NM is. It gets BOTH very hot and very cold—similar to Moab in that respect. OP described a moderate climate with no extremes whatsoever.
Also, you have no idea how badly the OP’s attitude would be regarded in this region. Actually, in much of the southwestern US. If she reacts so horribly to genuine statements about what things are like as shown in the closed and possibly deleted thread(s), the in-person part will be worse.
I guarantee you she would not like the down-to-earth good folks, never mind the not-so-good xenophobic haters of big-city transplants—especially more flaky stoners who are lefty.
You also forgot THE main reason she gave up on northern CA: wildfire risk. It is HIGHER fire risk in the Four Corners area. It doesn’t rain much, and there is no moderating atmospheric effect from being close to the ocean.
I agree. There aren't many places in the US that are like the OP described. Not feeling NM for the OP at all. Maybe Taos, but it's very expensive, more so than Northern California. If being expensive is not an issue then perhaps don't rule it out. There will be more cultural adjustments in New Mexico than in Northern California.
As someone who lived in San Francisco for many years, and a few more in Marin County I know a lot of people like the OP describes herself. OP should not give up on northern California. Won't be happy elsewhere. Northern California is now a very unique place, actually always has been. Tthere used to be more places like it but not anymore.
I agree. There aren't many places in the US that are like the OP described. Not feeling NM for the OP at all. Maybe Taos, but it's very expensive, more so than Northern California. If being expensive is not an issue then perhaps don't rule it out. There will be more cultural adjustments in New Mexico than in Northern California.
As someone who lived in San Francisco for many years, and a few more in Marin County I know a lot of people like the OP describes herself. OP should not give up on northern California. Won't be happy elsewhere. Northern California is now a very unique place, actually always has been. Tthere used to be more places like it but not anymore.
I agree about not giving up on NorCal/Humboldt for the OP. But I also just looked up not Taos proper, but Ranchos de Taos, just south of Taos, because it's more affordable. And there are properties within the OP's budget (she gave a budget on another thread, now deleted, I guess.) But there have been fires east and southeast of Taos the last couple of years. But Ranchos de Taos would be affordable for her.
She was saying, RE prices in Humboldt have increased to where she's getting priced out, but I'm finding properties there within her budget. She could find something, if she works with an RE agent who could keep an eye out for properties in her range. I don't know if Humboldt nowadays is experiencing the Bay Area issue, of people bidding over listening price, though. I read, there's been a recent rush on properties in Eureka. But I haven't heard that about the other towns.
Reality check! Cortez is in the same Four Corners climate that much of NM is. It gets BOTH very hot and very cold—similar to Moab in that respect. OP described a moderate climate with no extremes whatsoever.
Also, you have no idea how badly the OP’s attitude would be regarded in this region. Actually, in much of the southwestern US. If she reacts so horribly to genuine statements about what things are like as shown in the closed and possibly deleted thread(s), the in-person part will be worse.
I guarantee you she would not like the down-to-earth good folks, never mind the not-so-good xenophobic haters of big-city transplants—especially more flaky stoners who are lefty.
You also forgot THE main reason she gave up on northern CA: wildfire risk. It is HIGHER fire risk in the Four Corners area. It doesn’t rain much, and there is no moderating atmospheric effect from being close to the ocean.
In her Retirement forum thread, people were telling her to stay put in the NE. They were telling her New Jersey's affordable, some one gave an example of available properties, but she wants to leave the area. That definitely wasn't what she wanted to hear; "stay put where it's hot and muggy all summer". She got some odd responses there, considering that she was very clear about moving away and why.
But Taos is no longer the hippie enclave it used to be. It was when I first moved to NM, but that's changed. And the cool hippie hangouts are gone, too; certain coffee shops and teahouses, and whatnot. The rise in commercial rents has caused closures. And Covid didn't help. Some of the fine art galleries have been replaced with tourist trinket shops. The only hippies left are the rich ones, like Goldie Hawn, lol.
Last edited by Ruth4Truth; 06-03-2022 at 04:55 AM..
But Taos is no longer the hippie enclave it used to be. It was when I first moved to NM, but that's changed. And the cool hippie hangouts are gone, too; certain coffee shops and teahouses, and whatnot. The rise in commercial rents has caused closures. And Covid didn't help. Some of the fine art galleries have been replaced with tourist trinket shops. The only hippies left are the rich ones, like Goldie Hawn, lol.
Amen to this. Taos is a rich/poor area. Very polarized. Very few middle class people. Taos is also an elite area, there is a lot of snobbery. Still, OP would likely be able to find the more down to earth cool hippie people. But like you said, there aren't as many anymore. The Taos of 40 years ago is gone. Same with Santa Fe. I've said in other threads that driving in Santa Fe a couple years ago I feel like I'm back in L.A.
Climate of moderate temps without hot humidity is pretty much limited to a few coastal strips. Coastal strips with liberal majority, thriving artsy scene, and old growth trees and mountain trails are expensive. That $400k is not going to get a house, yard, and site like the OP described.
If OP is not a kid trolling, the “type” reminds me of some women in PT, and in a negative way. The same budget barrier applies there as in other mild-climate sea towns. $400k for what the described ain’t gonna cut it in PT, not by a long shot. COL is also high overall. Not someplace to retire on a tiny SS check and nothing else.
Amen to this. Taos is a rich/poor area. Very polarized. Very few middle class people. Taos is also an elite area, there is a lot of snobbery. Still, OP would likely be able to find the more down to earth cool hippie people. But like you said, there aren't as many anymore. The Taos of 40 years ago is gone. Same with Santa Fe. I've said in other threads that driving in Santa Fe a couple years ago I feel like I'm back in L.A.
Covid has changed driving in Santa Fe and on I-25 to ABQ into a mellow experience! It's like a completely different place, where everyone's polite, no red-light runners, no tailgaters or other signs of aggressive driving, little traffic to speak of. Has to be experienced to be believed. Bless work-from-home!
Climate of moderate temps without hot humidity is pretty much limited to a few coastal strips. Coastal strips with liberal majority, thriving artsy scene, and old growth trees and mountain trails are expensive. That $400k is not going to get a house, yard, and site like the OP described.
If OP is not a kid trolling, the “type” reminds me of some women in PT, and in a negative way. The same budget barrier applies there as in other mild-climate sea towns. $400k for what the described ain’t gonna cut it in PT, not by a long shot. COL is also high overall. Not someplace to retire on a tiny SS check and nothing else.
I found some properties in Humboldt and also in the general PT T area, for $400 or under, though some were only 2-br. OP may not get the separate rental unit she needs. A few had 3 Br's, but they were mobile homes, though they looked in good condition (they've been making them in better quality the last 10-15 yrs). South of Taos also had a few options for her. A property in Humboldt had a 2-br. Craftsman with a backyard rental that needs renovation (signs of mold in the rental) for $400. I don't know how resourceful she is about fixer-upper-ing.
IDK, maybe Port Angeles? I've read it's trying to become an artsy town, like Pt T, get into the festival gig, and so on. If she could find something before the place improves its profile in that way, she could win.
Just tossing out ideas, in case she's still reading.
I've said in other threads that driving in Santa Fe a couple years ago I feel like I'm back in L.A.
This is crazy, I've driven in both Santa Fe and L.A. recently and there is no comparison. There aren't even any freeways in Santa Fe, while L.A. is full of them, with bumper-to-bumper traffic, and millions of drivers. Get real.
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It doesn’t rain much, and there is no moderating atmospheric effect from being close to the ocean.
