socorro NM (Roswell, Navajo, Elephant Butte: lease, crime, hotel)

[zencottage]

Originally Posted by keeperk

Catman,
There is a backway to Magdalena from Alb. but can't say it's a decent backway.
Better have a good map with county roads if you try it, do it early in the day, not if it's been raining and take an SUV with meaty tires.

HWY 6 out of Los Lunas heading west a little ways there is a road that heads south and connects to FS 123. It's dirt road boonies all the way. I've not tried it, but some of my lot owners have. They say it's ok if it's not raining.

Also for a country drive, out of Bernardo past the RV park on the westside, there is a county road, again in the boonies, same as above, I think county road 12.
It will take you thru Riley, then on down to Mag. Have tried that one. It was ok. After once, it was enough.
It's is a backway, don't try it unless you're prepared to spend the night in the boonies in case you break down.
Little or no cell phone access, little or no neighbors, easy to get lost.
Also there is a dry river that will run if it's raining. If so, you'll have to go back.

Had some folks recently came to my office, they told me of their adventure out there for 2 days lost! They had just found Mag and stopped in.
As they described where they had been I followed it on my map, good greif they were driving circles and on the indian reservations.
They sure didn't want to do that again!

Hi Keeperk,
My husband and I are going to NM for a week to plan for our retirement. We will spend 2 and 1/2 days in Socorro, driving thru Magdalena, Datil, Reserve, Silver City, Alamogordo, and Carrizozo. To explore and get a feel of the SW area in NM. If you don't mind, we would like to contact you when we get to Socorro. We were planning to call some real estate agents in town anyway. We'll be leaving for NM in 2 weeks, Sun 10/7. Hope you get this message in time.

[GregW]

Zencottage - have fun. My wife and I visited SW NM about three years ago and fell for the place. We visited Alamogordo; Stayed in San Antonio at a neat B&B called La Casa Blanca and drove to LC, Silver City and Rts 180, 12 & 60 back to Socorro with a detour to the Catwalk and the ghost town of Mogollon on the way. There is a really nice diner in Glenwood. Be certain to visit the VLA radio telescope west of Magdalena.This will be a spectacular trip this time of year.

Oh - envy, envy - looks like a few more years until we can aford to retire.

[GregW]

I just reread this thread from the Socorro page of the website. We have had to postpone out next recon trip to next summer for financial reasons. We still plan on staying in Socorro for a week to get a good look at the area and maybe set up some future real-estate arrangements. We intend to visit in summer to experience the heat. After that we want to drive around the northwestern part of the state and spend at least one day on the Cumbres & Toltec railroad.

Ducksbiurg - did you get accepted at NMT and if so how do you like it?

[stanzeno]

I am a traveling nurse coming to Socorro for a 3 month assignment.
I am looking for a small apt for my wife and I that would be close to the hospital. No pets, no smoking, no drinking. Just a quiets middle aged couple needing a place to lay our heads. Thanks, Stan

[Zoidberg]

The hospital's basically outside of town to the southwest on US 60 (Spring St).

There are some rundown places on the way out of town there, but I don't think you'd like them (somebody ran off the road and killed somebody in their house along there not too long ago). Socorro isn't big though. Driving around town ought to yield a number of vacancies now that this is about the time the college dropouts leave town.

Though the commute is longer, a stay in Magdalena (about 20 min W) might be much more to your liking. There would be no traffic lights on your commute if you lived out that way. Might also consider looking at state road 1 as far south as San Antonio NM. There are places to live along that way if you crave rural.

[DropZone]

I keep my houses nice, and pay water, sewer and garbage. I am at the far north end of town (quiet) 800 sq ft with small back yard and 10x10 storage shed for $500 a month. $600 a month for a 2 bedroom adobe with a big garage and lots of shade. Needless to say, they are all full and I have had a 98% occupancy rate over 10 years.

I will have one 800 sq ft rental available in July, pets welcome if well mannered.

[DropZone]

[quote=GregW;1169917]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? quote]

My main house appraises at $310K and the 4 rentals are on the same tax parcel and appraise at about $250K for the lot of them. This years tax bill.....wait for it.....
$1011.00

[catman]

Originally Posted by DropZone

My main house appraises at $310K and the 4 rentals are on the same tax parcel and appraise at about $250K for the lot of them. This years tax bill.....wait for it.....
$1011.00

Wow! Now I know I want to move. My house in Ft Worth is appraised at about $116K and the taxes on it are about $2800!

[keeperk]

Originally Posted by ducksburg

And I'm concerned with the rent rate in socorro.I've heard that the rent rate is higher than expected

Rentals are hard to find and yes expensive usually.
When you get to looking for a rental call Kathy Huff(phone book) she has about 40 units, all takin right now. Also Security Title, ask for Rebecca, they have cheap rentals sometimes. There is Wagon Wheel trailer park, then Hattie. Hatti you'd have to look up. She has nice apartments next door to the library and lives there. Once in awhile the real estate offices might have a rental but not often.

[rsren]

Socorro is a wonderful place to raise your family if your concerned about the inner city/city life, however if your looking to retire you have the option to gulf, fish, visit the Bosque Del Apache (bird-lovers paradise), lots of outdoor avtivity ie. (four-wheeling, nature walks, hunting) or take an hour drive up North to Albuquerque to explore NM culture. For the most part Socorro is very quiet. There is a Wal-mart which is fairly new to the community. Small town politics is an issue to think about. Socorro has had the same mayor for about the last 20 years. There aren't very many opportunities for recreation for people of young ages. There IS a huge drug problem in Socorro (meth, crack use). I personally chose to move for the fact that Albuquerque fits my lifestyle: quiet yet city-life. One last note, Manny's burgers are the best in town. It's been featured in the GQ magazine as one of the best burger joints in the country #7 I beleive; just ask my aunt Lydia who works there, she'll tell you!! Good luck! Feel free to ask me any questions.