Farmington, NM (Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Espanola: high school, restaurants, prices)

[Cathy4017]

Los Alamos is a very nice place to go to.

Well, after a lot of research....and having taken the paper for a few months, there are a few things that make me very uncomfortable. This is strictly MY OPINION....and may or may not have any basis in fact. So, having said that, here goes.

For one, the entire area depends on Los Alamos National Laboratory....and their funding has been cut, keeps changing, et al.....they're getting ready to lay off a number of subcontractors, and the number ranges from 350 to 600.

Is this just editorial hype, or does this sort of thing always hang over the town? It's sort of unsettling to think what would happen if the lab REALLY seriously cut back.

I get the feeling that the area is spoiled rotten from the traditionally high government funding for the salaries to which they are accustomed. I wonder how they would cope should much of this dry up? Would LA become more or less a ghost town?

There are always articles on contamination/cleanup/projects that need to be done.

The real estate is very expensive, because they are basically landlocked, and there is not much room for expansion. You will pay at least $200K for a matchbox, crammed in on all sides by other matchboxes. There are some gorgeous, gorgeous homes that are not condos......with prices ($375-600K) to match.

They have two things that I consider just really great--an aquatics center and a ski area right there. It was those two things that initially led me to check the area out seriously.

The other upsides are the low crime rate (easy to see why, but I won't get into that here) and the passion that so many of them seem to have for the area. They all seem to be very involved in their community.

The elevation and the stunning natural beauty of the area are definitely a draw.

Having to drive everywhere else to get major services is not.

They sent me a relo packet for which they charged $10. It was nothing to write home about. I guess they really don't want to encourage any more people moving in.

I got excellent, very much more informative and helpful packets from Las Vegas and Farmington.

I talked to an agent in Farmington the other night, and she is to send me some listings. I hope to go out sometime after Christmas.

[ontheroad]

Hi Robin, I live in Taos.

We have a reasonably good health food store (Cids), and 3 other markets. Cid's is the most expensive, on many items, but seems to have good quality.

Taos ain't cheap. Petrol is generally 30-40cents more per gallon than many other NM towns, and higher than the country's average. It is one of the items I try to look at to compare where I am and where I may be.

It is rather low crime--except for auto accidents, mostly attributed to DWIs.

You'll certainly get the higher elevation, and reasonably low humidity. If arthritis is one of the reasons your medical team suggested a move, you will experience symptoms here (or at least I do, but many not as severe or frequent as more humid regions, and less barometre change).

Housing is on the high side, but with persistence, good rentals are available. Cost for buying are "very" high, but seem to be coming down some as the colder weather approaches.

Originally Posted by grainwreck

I'm moving to Taos, temporarily, for health reasons. I was supposed to go to a high elevation and somewhere where there is low humidity so I picked Taos -- it was before I found this cool site..

Anybody know anything about it? It must be more expensive than most because it's a ski resort type of place. Low crime (I hope) I may have to move somewhere, full-time, and so I'm looking for places with clean air and low humidity and some good health food type stores. Any ideas? Thanks. ~Robin

[Chamisa]

I loved Farmington, best place I've ever lived. I made great friends, it was easier to do there than in a big city. We're from the DFW area of Texas and are now back here. I would move back to Farmington in a heartbeat-- it's a day's drive or less from the most varied and fantastic places. But then, we lived in the "rich" area near Ladera school, close to Pinon Hills... I know well how hard it is to find safe places to live in NM; I would totally stay away from Chama, Espanola, most places in Albuquerque (and I love Albuquerque but I know some hair-raising stories concerning the gangs), etc.

Drunk drivers from the reservation are a problem, but not too much if you stay off the roads away from town at night.

[Tim Rankin]

I couldn't vote because the poll was closed, but of those three choices I would pick Silver City.

The three cities you mention have very different flavors. if you like Santa fe, you may also like Silver, although population-wise it's smaller. But they do have the Gila Regional Medical center and a university, so it's definitely on the map.

Some people don't like Silver because it's "too liberal" but when I was there I didn't get that vibe at all. I like it because everyone seemed very friendly, and for me personally, the scenery blows either Las Cruces or Farmington away. Also, it has much less of a "sprawly" feel than either Cruces or Farmington.

[domino]

Silver City is very different from Cruces and Farmington. Cruces and Farmington are bustling, growing cities, very much commerce oriented. Silver City is a smaller, slower paced tourist-oriented town.
Cruces and Farmington are for working and living, SC is for fun.

[catman]

Cathy4017: Are you considering moving to Farmington from Alamogordo? I thought you really liked it there. Too hot in summer?

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by catman

Cathy4017: Are you considering moving to Farmington from Alamogordo? I thought you really liked it there. Too hot in summer?

Catman, that post was written before I ever even visited Farmington.....10/2006.

I first drove up there in Feb 2007 or so.....and looked at several places. I made another trip up there (while also researching other areas, as well as Alamogordo) in April 2007, made an offer on a house that was accepted.....and went home. Since I had been researching Alamo, I decided to check it out, so I took another way home....spent a night there....and I really, really liked it.

The property inspection (with some very negative items) came back on the house in Farmington, and the seller wasn't particularly negotiable, so I terminated the contract. My original plans were to go back to Alamo, look around....I didn't expect to really find anything, but.......the rest is history. I went back to Alamo in May, spent 2 days looking, made an offer that was accepted, and went back home. My original plans were to go on back up to Farmington and work with a builder, but I found this place here, so...they finished it in July, I closed here in July....went back to Midland, sold and closed my house within a week or so....and came here in August!

As long as my parents are still alive...and I have to drive back and forth, I will be here. I can get home a lot sooner on I-10 at 400 miles than I ever could from Farmington at 800 miles, and a hard road on top of that.

So, it ended up working out for the best. I do love it here, even though I know the summers are going to be hotter and longer than they are in Farmington....and I will see within a couple of years or so if I want to stay here permanently (it is very beautiful here) or go on farther north where it is colder.

So....we'll see!!

[mmposting]

Fortunately my wife and I aren't staying in NM so I don't have to choose between bad and worse.

Unfortunately in NM you can't get away from crime or drug use. It's sad that someplace, for example, as small and historic as Chimayo supposedly has one of the worst drug problems in the country. Well, that's the rumor anyway.

I wouldn't recommend Las Cruces because there's a lot of crime there due to proximity to the Mexican border.

The only places in NM I could maybe recommend would be Los Alamos or Rio Rancho, which are "upper end" communities. Los Alamos is mostly scientists and engineers at the Labs, so it's got a higher standard of living. Actually a decent little town if you don't mind the smallness or geekiness of it.

I wouldn't recommend Las Cruces. There's a lot of property theft, street gangs, and other crime due to proximity to the Mexican border.

Why would you want to live in a dry, dusty, small town like Alamagordo which has the same problems as Farmington or any other place in NM?

El Paso, safest place in the country? Who said that? Give me a break. El Paso has street gangs, drug trafficking, huge property theft and myriad of other crimes.

[mmposting]

you know, it probably won't happen. NM police are jaded. they have a "defeatist" mental attitude.

Several years ago, I published an op ed piece in the Albq. Journal saying that basically what Albq. needs to do is hire someone like Bratten, the former NYC police chief.

That's the only way to improve things.

Originally Posted by Crackerjack

I agree. For Portales to be as small as it is, it sure has a high crime problem and so does Hobbs. My sister's best friend had to flee out of Hobbs because she was afraid to even walk down a street. Portales and Rosewell are just the same as well. There needs to be a crackdown on crime by the law. It is time the citizens at these high crime towns say "enough is enough" and demand action by the police to stop the crime, drugs, outlaws and gangs. New Mexico would be a great place to live if they would stop the crime. New Mexico is still a great place to live, but why should only the rich towns be safe while those less fortunate towns have to deal with all the crime? I hope New Mexicans will start crime watches on every block in every town.

[backslacker]

I would not wish Farmington or Gallup on my worst enemy even though I have wonderful friends over there. If you like Portales maybe you would like Roswell. Rent is cheap and there are jobs growing. I would not recommend Espanola or Albuquerque though I like Rio Rancho on the edge of the grid. I live in Las Vegas but it never seems like home to me here. It has a nice hot springs and 3 universities but good luck getting a job here or feeling like you belong if you don't speak Spanish though most people are very nice here. The crime is high a 7 to the US average of 3.

Raton nice town with cheap places to buy since the realty market fell but prescription pain pills and coke and crack a big problem with bored teenagers galore. Just cause there parents don't spend time to take them in a paradise outdoor setting. There is no good shopping on the east side of I 25 anywhere. You have to go to Trinadad, Pueblo or Santa fe or Albuquerque or order on line. Real estate is cheap after you leave Las Vegas NM going North to Raton. Some little towns like Springer but there is bored teenagers and drugs no matter where you go.

I like Toas but the jobs and housing are limited. There are some interesting places to live on the edge of the grid along towns next to the Peco's river and the Tourquoise trail on the east side of the mts between Santa Fe and Albuquerque but many off the grid there also.Justice is lacking in NM. It is the same people a small group committing the same crimes over and over. I am a diabled widow that has been a victim of crimes in Gallup, Albuquerque, Espanola so mark those places off your list. If you ever have a period without a car then you would know how truely bad some areas are on foot. I liked Raton when I lived there. My hotel burned down & I had to move to campus. You are going to be hard pressed to find any place better than Santa Fe. It has the best of what NM has to offer at a steep price I think.

Just wandering around looking for someplace to live myself.