socorro NM (Albuquerque, Alamogordo, Los Lunas: rv park, for sale, work)

[catman]

designer: I haven't decided to move anywhere yet. My first two choices right now are Socorro and Alamogordo, but Moriarty, Silver City, Timberon, Capitan, and Carrizozo are also in the mix. I'm 61, so I'm probably not going back to school. But I would like to be able to find other musicians to perform with and make a little money...that's an advantage of Socorro (and Moriarty), being fairly close to Albuquerque. I would basically have to retire to move to any of the others, as far as I can tell. But I might just do so!

[designer]

Have you had a chance to come and see all the towns you mentioned yet?
Silver city is nice but a little more pricey and it's pretty far from almost
everywhere. Moriarty might be good as it's not all that far to Albuquerque
but still far enough away to be out of the suburbs. There are a lot of mobile
homes on land in the moriarty area. There isn't much of a town there
and I think it might have started as a truck stop. It is growning and
it is interesting with the flat eastern views and also lots of wind. I guess you
would just have to come and see them all to decide. To me logistics is
important especially with the gas prices as they are.

designer

[catman]

I agree, logistics are important. I've been to Alamogordo, Capitan and Carrizozo before, but not the others. I've been right past Moriarty before on I-40, but never actually in it. I've been to Ruidoso and Cloudcroft several times, but never quite to Timberon. From a purely climate and natural surroundings perspective, I'd probably pick it, but it's not very practical unless I just retire. Silver City is much the same. I've read a lot online about Socorro, and it sounds good to me. I understand that in winter, the drive from Moriarty to Albuquerque can get dicey, and I've also heard that the road is being worked on a lot of the time. There are a lot of things to consider.

[keeperk]

I've lived in Socorro for about 7 years now. I find the people friendly and never treat you like an outsider. Never noticed anything about negative treatment of the techies either. I live in Socorro and work in Magdalena. Socorro is hot in the summer so I like being in Mag better during the day.

There is a lady that has some really cute rentals across the street from the library and courthouse. They don't look like much on the outside, but are really nice on the inside. She does not advertise. Her name is Hattie.

I am in the real estate business, and find it is difficult for folks to find a decent rental. If it's under $600. a month it's usually a dump. Most of the trailers for rent at $300. are dumps too. I'm renting one for my daughter and last winter it costs over $400. per month just to keep it heated with propane and space heaters. Watch out for those! I usually suggest folks to run an ad in the paper if looking for a rental under wanted and see what pops up. Sometiems you can find a great place in the country cheap enough.

Trying to find someone to show up to do any work for you is usually an impossible task. Hopefully you're good at house repairs.

I find the hospital nice and small, and if you need services, they are usually not too busy to see you. The doctor's offices on the other hand w/ or w/o an appt. are usually pretty busy. I think it's a rule if you make an appt with any doctor, you have to sit for 2 hours past that time anyway to be seen.

I like Socorro, you can get anywhere in 10 minutes and little traffic. But eventually I would like to move to Magdalena only because of the cooler summers and it's more rural.

Socorro is a small enough town that even at the DMV they are friendly and helpful. Never in my life had I experienced that in other places I've lived! I asked them call my friend when he moved here from Ma. to tell him they know he's moved to NM and will be coming in. Please bring a stand in for the drivers license picture. It was a riot!

If you're used to a fast paced life. Leave it behind! There is nothing you can do in NM to speed things up. It took me about 2 years to come to terms with thinking I was going to get something accomplished the same day it was NO way going to happen. No matter what. It was either stay crazy over it or come to terms. I've come to terms.

Socorro is a nice place and low crime. Come on down!

[catman]

keeperk: I hope you will understand if I take your glowing endorsement of the area with a pinch of salt, as you are a real estate agent. That being said, it sounds great to me! The heat in Socorro would most likely be bearable for me, since it is almost certain to be much less taxing than the humid heat in Fort Worth. I suppose a swamp cooler would work fine there. Thanks for the information.

I have a couple of questions: (1) How much longer does it take to get to Albuquerque from Magdalena as compared to Socorro, and (2) do they both have broadband internet services available?

[keeperk]

I have Wildblue(satellite) for internet, DsL does run thru parts of Magdalena. I got fed up with the phone co there so switched over.

Magdalena is 27 miles from Socorro which puts it about an hour and a half from Alb.

I've lived in the Dallas area, Lewisville and Carrolton for years. Then Maryland, Oklahoma and North Carolina. I know all about heat, humidity and traffic jams. I'm staying put.

As for being a real estate agent. I live in Socorro, and don't keep up with the housing market much, nor do I keep up with it much in Magdalena either. Not trying to sell you real estate, just a word from a local here.

I sell mostly vacant acreage in the boonies. Datil, out of Mag., Carrizozo and Santa Rosa. I only sell houses by special request, and I don't do rentals. Just try to hook people up if they need with numbers of who might have some.

[keeperk]

oh, and yes, I think DSL is in Socorro too.

[catman]

Thanks, keeperk. I meant no offense with my little joke about about your being a real estate agent. It certainly doesn't behoove me to make animosities happen with you guys...I may well need your services! I'm sure you can relate to my desire to get out of the humidity and traffic (and air pollution).

I like Carrizozo and Capitan too. But they are a long way from the big city.

[GregW]

I am planning a retirement in Socorro or the surrounding area. Here in NH I have to pay over $2500 in property taxes on a modest condo. How high are the taxes in Socorro for a modest, around 100K, house? I am wondering just how much it would cost to live around there. Thanks, Greg W

Keeperk - buying some land for really isolated camping is also a possibility. Please PM me.

[InTheDesert]

Greg, the property tax rate is about 1.15%. Unfortunately you won't get much for 100K in Socorro right now. (I know because we are trying to buy our first home right now). Magdalena is quite a bit cheaper but is definitely coming up in prices too.