My Farmington Adventure began yesterday... (Albuquerque, Roswell: relocate, landscaping, apartments)

[Cathy4017]

Well, after a very long (but uneventful) 10-hour drive from Midland, TX, I am in Farmington...and will call the realtor sometime later this morning to go see a few properties.

Other than getting stuck behind a massive wreck on 550 between Bloomfield and Farmington last night, the drive was easy. The roads are dry, in good condition, and even getting through ABQ on I-40 wasn't that bad.

The drive up was scenic (IMHO) after I left Roswell (scenic being that I could see snow-capped peaks in the distance, probably Sierra Blanca; have to get my map out and look!!). I am familiar with ABQ, so that was nothing new. I really liked Moriarty...but it got really fascinating when I left I-40 and started climbing 550 toward Cuba and vicinity. The elevation got to 7000 ft, and there was residual snow, but it wasn't that cold. The mountains/hills/colors change all the way through, and it was just a beautiful and enjoyable drive. The roads were dry and in excellent condition the entire way.

I'll know more about how I feel as the week progresses. I'm just now getting started.

I'm looking forward to it!

[Towanda]

Cathy! I am so excited to read your report and know you are on the way to finding your home in Farmington!

Keep posting your experiences and impressions. And best of luck finding the PERFECT house for you!

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by Towanda

Cathy! I am so excited to read your report and know you are on the way to finding your home in Farmington!

Keep posting your experiences and impressions. And best of luck finding the PERFECT house for you!

Well......the bottom line is that the RE here is just really overpriced. Two of the listings went under contract while I was on my way up here, in less than a week from when I got them.

It is definitely a seller's market here. I didn't find anything today that said "This is it." I have a very few to look at today, older homes, but I am not particularly enthusiastic at this point.

I saw a newer listing.....stucco. It has been on the market for over 200 days.....I went around to one side of the house, only to find the stucco peeling away at the bottom. You can pick up an edge, and peel more off.

It also had foundation problems, visible to the naked eye.

So far, the only thing that might work for me at this point is to talk to a builder and go a little smaller. But......as hot as this market is right now, I doubt that the builder will be willing to make a couple of changes...he doesn't have to in order to sell.

:-(

[I_LUVNM]

Hi Cathy! I am glad you made it here! Yes be sure any stucco homes to check out the walls inside and out, shoddy work can be easy to detect with small cracks or even larger ones including spider web looking fractures. Notice any patch work which is usually easy to spot. That can be an indication of covering up something.

Did you like Aztec? Have you gone over to Durango for a look? I know, Farmington is overpriced on houses. I honestly dont think Durango is that much more if you look around. Also go up Browning Parkway and up Wildflower and go up on the hill and look around too. Can you give your pros and cons of what you are seeing? Thanks Cathy for your posts! I wish you the best of luck!

Oh Cathy, I wanted to tell you to ask about the new Mesa Vista subdivision. The homes are supposed to be in the 230,000-250,000 range for many of around 1800-2000 square feet and new.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by I_LUVNM

Hi Cathy! I am glad you made it here! Yes be sure any stucco homes to check out the walls inside and out, shoddy work can be easy to detect with small cracks or even larger ones including spider web looking fractures. Notice any patch work which is usually easy to spot. That can be an indication of covering up something.

Did you like Aztec? Have you gone over to Durango for a look? I know, Farmington is overpriced on houses. I honestly dont think Durango is that much more if you look around. Also go up Browning Parkway and up Wildflower and go up on the hill and look around too. Can you give your pros and cons of what you are seeing? Thanks Cathy for your posts! I wish you the best of luck!

Oh Cathy, I wanted to tell you to ask about the new Mesa Vista subdivision. The homes are supposed to be in the 230,000-250,000 range for many of around 1800-2000 square feet and new.

Hey, LuvNM, yes, I did finally get up here....thanks so much for the extra tips...I'll mention it to the agent when she gets here in a few.

I looked at 2 listings each in Aztec and Bloomfield.....for what I want to do (rip out carpet/flooring and replace with 100% tile), I have no room left financially after purchase, LOL!!! I have to stay at 200K, and I know I'll have to go smaller SQFT in order to do that now. I can live with 1350 SQFT easily, so that should not be a problem. Bloomfield is fine....Aztec is interesting, to say the least...has more the look of an old CO mining town. The RE is quite a hodgepodge/eclectic mix!!!

Mesa Vista/Farmington looks like the best option now--new construction, tile instead of carpet...and shower stall in the MBR bath instead of 2 full baths....IF the builder is willing to work with me. Being an (inactive now) agent/TX myself, I'd say he has no real motivation to do so now, since he can sell them almost as fast as he can get them up.

Any purchase I make will be subject to an inspection by a licensed (only one here in town, LOL!!) inspector, so if I miss something, he can fill me in. What bothers me is that these are going up so fast, and in some cases, the foundations are not done properly....and allowed sufficient curing time before they start the framing/building. I also wonder how long it takes for defects in stucco construction to show up.....the one I looked at yesterday was built in 2003 (the peeling on the side of the house)...so that is another issue. I am such a stickler for inspections that I will have termite done, too, even on new. Inspections of all kinds are not cheap, but they are nearly always worth the money spent!

I haven't been up to Durango, since I know I can't find anything for that price that isn't a crackerbox....I may go up skiing in the morning if I feel any better than I do now. The headaches and allergies haven't stopped since I got here, and I have NO energy at all. I know I'd adjust in time, but it won't be this trip, LOL!!!

I'll post more later when I get back....we're supposed to leave at 11 to go see a few older homes.

It's been quite an experience!!! Farmington is not as much desert as I expected. There are a LOT of trees up here--and I believe that it is the mountain junipers that are giving me such h*** right now!

[Cathy4017]

Well, I'm done here for this trip.

I met with a local builder this morning who lives here--and has been in business for a long time. We discussed several things at length. He has a few lots out in Pueblo de Farmington in the NE. Two were corner lots, way too big (the front has to be done in desert landscaping, which is fine to me)....and the other, smaller lots had bad drop-offs out the back. He is going to see if he can buy one of two smaller lots to build.

If he is able to do this, I changed the basic smallest plan to suit me in minor ways...and it's going to take at least 4-6 months, which is fine. I am not in a pressure situation, and I can wait it out. If he increases the price on the lot/home for some reason, I'll look elsewhere later. I really do like the area, and hope he is able to do this under the terms we discussed.

It's ALL overpriced, but old homes are even MORE overpriced for what you get, and the small amount of extra square footage isn't worth it to me, when I will have to do so much to the home anyway, to get it like I want it. Installing tile, repainting, ripping out carpet, et al, really add up, once all is said and done.

So, for me, this appears to be the way it will work out now, though nothing is carved in stone at this point.

I figure if I'm going to get s-c-rewed, it's going to be on MY terms.

Farmington has it all, despite the downsides of some gang problems and crime. That is one reason you want to be in a good area with restrictions. It's worth it in the long run.

I went by the Lions' Pool and the new 50-meter Aquatics Center....verrrry nice indeed.

Skiing is 70 miles away.....all the shopping (Sam's, Walmart, et al), medical services...all available.

So...we'll see. Any questions...ask away.

[I_LUVNM]

Hi Cathy! Good to hear your posts! I know Pueblo de F. and it is a nice suburban area. I agree, I would rather have a new home on my terms too unless the older home was what I was looking for and I definitely think you are right. Get what you want even if the house is smaller. You might can even add on later if needed.

I think Farmington has everything one needs too but obviously from a few posts from some people they dont think it is enough. I guess what shoe fits one, it doesnt the other. I think for NM, Farmington has good shopping, again some want more. NM isnt the state for stores anyhow but Famington is better than most of NM. Albuquerque it isnt but better than most NM places. Yes, there are areas of plain sandy desert but other areas that have juniper and sage. And down on the rivers there are alot of trees. Russian Olives too which may cause your allergies. I dont like living right with sage and it may be what it causing your allergies. A good trick I learned from a local was to flush your nose with water every night to remove pollen. Wash your eyes with water really well and flush them out and flush out your ears from pollen with an ear solution. Funny, I didnt realize ears can affect you too if pollen is in them. It really helps, at least me anyway. And it does take a few days to adjust to the altitude. I do some yoga to help living in a high altitude climate and I also do Pilates and it seems to help keep me in balance. My ex was in construction so that is why I kind of know about homes and yes inspections are worth it. The plus here is I dont know of anyone here that has termite trouble so it isnt common thank goodness! What is something I didnt know existed is box elder bugs and I hate those bugs. They live all year long here. They get in your cracks in your windows and doors and just are a pest. They dont do any damage but are just pesty. Dont plant any box elder trees or maples since they host on those and then spread to houses. I think even ash trees are not good, anything with those winged seed pods. They eat those pods. Another pest is scorpions but I havent had any here in my apartment at least not yet, knock on wood. A Native American friend here had a scorpion bite him on the hand last year and he swelled up something fierce but was ok. There are wasps and hornets in areas and they can be pesty. One went into a friend visting me from Albuquerque her car window and bit her lip and it swelled terribly but she was ok too, just shaken up. She doesnt roll down her window anymore when she visits me! I guess that is all I know on the pest issue. But yes, inspections are worth it. I wish you well Cathy! Keep us informed too!

[tito]

Good luck Cathy:
Getting relocated is not for cowards, you're doing a great job. I might not have been able to do it the way you're doing it, particularly that 10-hour drive from Midland.

[Towanda]

Hi Cathy,

I have been interested in your updates about the property/house search.

I wish it could have gone more smoothly for you, but having been through it, I realize how it is sometimes necessary to pare down what we want and still be able to build/buy what we can within our means in areas that can be pricey......although I never dreamed that even Farmington would be pricey!

Someday (very soon hopefully) we will both get to New Mexico!!!!

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by I_LUVNM

Hi Cathy! Good to hear your posts! I know Pueblo de F. and it is a nice suburban area. I agree, I would rather have a new home on my terms too unless the older home was what I was looking for and I definitely think you are right. Get what you want even if the house is smaller. You might can even add on later if needed.

I think Farmington has everything one needs too but obviously from a few posts from some people they dont think it is enough. I guess what shoe fits one, it doesnt the other. I think for NM, Farmington has good shopping, again some want more. NM isnt the state for stores anyhow but Famington is better than most of NM. Albuquerque it isnt but better than most NM places. Yes, there are areas of plain sandy desert but other areas that have juniper and sage. And down on the rivers there are alot of trees. Russian Olives too which may cause your allergies. I dont like living right with sage and it may be what it causing your allergies. A good trick I learned from a local was to flush your nose with water every night to remove pollen. Wash your eyes with water really well and flush them out and flush out your ears from pollen with an ear solution. Funny, I didnt realize ears can affect you too if pollen is in them. It really helps, at least me anyway. And it does take a few days to adjust to the altitude. I do some yoga to help living in a high altitude climate and I also do Pilates and it seems to help keep me in balance. My ex was in construction so that is why I kind of know about homes and yes inspections are worth it. The plus here is I dont know of anyone here that has termite trouble so it isnt common thank goodness! What is something I didnt know existed is box elder bugs and I hate those bugs. They live all year long here. They get in your cracks in your windows and doors and just are a pest. They dont do any damage but are just pesty. Dont plant any box elder trees or maples since they host on those and then spread to houses. I think even ash trees are not good, anything with those winged seed pods. They eat those pods. Another pest is scorpions but I havent had any here in my apartment at least not yet, knock on wood. A Native American friend here had a scorpion bite him on the hand last year and he swelled up something fierce but was ok. There are wasps and hornets in areas and they can be pesty. One went into a friend visting me from Albuquerque her car window and bit her lip and it swelled terribly but she was ok too, just shaken up. She doesnt roll down her window anymore when she visits me! I guess that is all I know on the pest issue. But yes, inspections are worth it. I wish you well Cathy! Keep us informed too!

Thanks for the tips, Luv......boxelder bugs?? I would not have thought that they'd be that prevalent in such a dry area!

If I do end up building new, the front will be all desert--gravel, cacti, Spanish dagger, etc. Any trees I plant in the rear will be either native or very well-adapted to the area. There is just no other way to go.

We have both scorpions and bees/wasps, but hornets aren't common.

Farmington is not that high--about 5300 ft--but for some reason, it bothered me more than it normally does (we're at nearly 3K here in Midland)....but I'll adjust in time. It was also a high-stress trip and very tiring.

I don't understand about the shopping and services, either. They're all there. The internet has made a huge difference, too. What I can't get there (which isn't very much, from what I gathered), I can get on the net easily. My needs are very minimal, too....and Farmington has it all. There is also a health club there that has yet another 25-meter indoor pool and good facilities.

Apartments? That is one thing that is in relatively short supply there. I didn't notice any complexes while I was there. If it were possible, I would rent, too, and continue to look, but in my situation, it would not work at all. I have to buy something if I want to move there.

I didn't find anything even close to what I wanted in any of the older homes, though some did have a certain charm! Most were not well-maintained at all, for starters. Many had converted garages (which I just absolutely HATE).....I refuse to do without at least a single-car garage.

In all, a good trip, even if with some disappointments.

Your advice is invaluable, thanks so much.

I just didn't find Farmington to be the "armpit" that so many seem to think it is...