Truth or Consequences (Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Silver City: sales, 2009, hotels)

[designer]

Hi Wisteria,

Sorry but I have been down in LC for the last few days. Well I'm retired
now and I am painting again. I worked in Industrial Design but mostly in
Architecture. Most of the projects I worked on were the larger commercial
types and very few residential. I sudied Art out in California many years ago
and then studied design and Architecture in Chicago but since there is no
architecture work here in T or C I just paint with oils. Actually there is more
art going on down in Las Cruces than here in T or C maybe because it's a larger town. Silver City looked somewhat artsy but it's no Santa Fe. Santa
Fe is the art capital in this state and it appears to me that Taos is struggling.
Most of the people I meet here move here because they want to be a artist
or because it's cheap. I later find out that most of the artists are just wanna
be's and have never studied any type or form of art and have little knowledge
about it. It's a great town to be the great imposter as many keep telling me.
You should possibly try it out and see how you like it. You may love it and fit
right in. I think I've been around the yupees to long and there are not a lot
of those here and I think there might be a shortage of those folks in Silver but
I could be wrong. Now I'm looking at Ashville, NC. They seem to have a real
and high quality art scene but it's more expensive than T or C.

[Wisteria]

Hi Designer,

Thanks for the info. I actually have a friend who is originally from Buffalo, New York, too, who moved to Asheville years ago. She has an adult daughter who is of mixed race, and my friend says that NC -- even Asheville -- still has a lot of prejudice -- even more than in Buffalo and the northeast. She lives there mainly because she wanted to be closer to her sons, one of whom works for NASA, but she wanted to be in a more "liberal," area, although Asheville is not liberal by northeastern standards. She says it's "okay," and she's been there over 10 years now. I guess it just depends on what one is used to and what one needs in life at the moment.

I may take a trip to TorC again in the Spring. I am not looking to be a professional artist, as I have many other interests, as well. Maybe I will run into you in TorC -- it is a small town!

[designer]

you are welcome Wisteria. It's to bad you couldn't come and rent for
a month or so and really check it out and see how you like the people
here. I guess I just worked in the corporate world for so many years it's
very difficult for me to get used to the laid back lifestyle here. I thought
I would really like to move to Las Cruces but after really checking it out
I'm not so sure it would work for me either. When I go down to LC I always
wonder what types of jobs these people find there. You probably noticed
all the nice new expensive houses being built but I see very little hi tech corporate with the exception of white sands. I don't want to live in a community where there is a lage presence of military bases as those can come and go and if they close up it could have a profound affect on the cities economy.

Good luck on your decision.

[stormbringersmom]

Hi
I have lived here for many years. Yes it is economical to live here. Yes medical help is a mixed bag - most everything is sent to Las Cruces or Albuquerque we do not have alot here and there is a big "debate" going on about a new hospital. employment is also a problem. We are getting a walmart in the near future ( the building is almost complete after many delays) The race track is just a proposal and is slated for aprox 20+ miles from downtown - where arts and galleries are abundant and sort of surviving. If you are healthy and have an income its a great place to retire. Not too isolated with small town infrastrucure problems. If you are a nurse or doctor or health care person you are needed but one reason it is cheap to live here is low wages and not alot of jobs.
The climate is mild if a bit hot in the summer with the largest lake in the state ( Elephant Butte) right here and Caballo Lake on the otherside. It is about 30 minutes from high cool mountains, the middle of the desert or the middle of the lake. State parks camping hunting, rock climbing or fishing with day trips to everything from ancient ruins to US Forts & numerous villages ( complete with mining controversy). It can be very interesting and is a photographers dream. It all depends on you and your circumstances.
Hillsboro is a fantastic but isolated place to visit - everything there is for sale (almost) there is even talk of closing the post office there. Very sad.
If you are looking to move here I suggest you come and rent for a couple months to try it out 1st.

[movin Joe]

just returned from researching TorC. If you like art,organic food,secondhand clothing stores, salt of the earth people, hot mineral water and love living without luxury with access to desert and beautiful mountains then T or C may be your place. Real estate is generally lower but don't buy the house we want ! Movin Joe

[desert sun]

where are you guys getting the info about the proposed race track, i cant find anything about it.

[designer]

very well put stormbringersmom. It's certainly not perfect but compared to
most places it's cheap. The climate is pretty good except for part of June
and July. Either I start getting used to the hot in August or it actually does
cool down a little. Medical is not very good here at all depending on what you
are used to. It's a small town located about 75 miles to the next larger town,
Las Cruces and many people find they make many trips down there for items
that they cannot buy in T or C. With gas on the rise again these trips
have become annoying to me and not to metion costly. Now the new Walmart is slated to open in April and it might make a difference and help cut
down the many trips that many T or C folks make. Don't know much about
the racetrack. That rumor has been floating around for quite a while but it
might happen. To me the best thing T or C has going for it is the price of housing, property taxes on the house and a pretty good climate. Southern
Arizona is nicer in the winter but hotter in the summer and not to mention more expensive so if you are on a limited budget this could be the place.
Possibly not owning a gas guzzler would make T or C a very decent place
to live.

[Wisteria]

I'm popping back onto this thread.

Ironically, since I had my visit there in August, I have now run into two other people who are moving (or planning to move) to New Mexico -- one couple to TorC and the other already owns a home in Las Cruces, but is renting out the house right now. Both people work here....in the same agency as I do!! I met one of the women HERE on City-Data (!), and the other I met through someone who knew I liked TorC who works in this agency!

Anyway, since two of us women are single, but older (50s and one 60), but the other is married and already has a built-in companion, we were talking about what it would be like to be unmarried there in TorC -- or Las Cruces.

Any feedback about that? Now, we're not looking for a huge nightlife, but the typical music, art, classes, and get-togethers. We know it's not a hopping big city, and know it is more quiet. Do you know of single people there who get to know other single people? (I think I am wording this awkwardly, but not quite sure how to put it.) I guess I mean more that married people often hang out with each other, but single people are left to their own resources, so it's a bit more challenging.

Because I do teach art, and love teaching it, I wondered where one can teach there -- I couldn't locate any community classes through the city or Parks and Recreation, so I'm wondering if there is any centralized place that offers community classes? When I did contact the Parks and Recreation office, I never did hear back from them -- I don't know if it's just so small, or undermanaged, or what. I didn't see any publicized offerings of classes, either. Or maybe we'd have to put something together on our own...gather together others who want to offer classes in a centralized catalogue.

I hope to get back into some of my own artwork once there, however, I do enjoy the interaction with others and so I would love to keep teaching.

Any thoughts on this??

Oh, and one of us was talking about maybe charging a small fee to people for taking a (maybe monthly) run to Trader Joe's -- use coolers for frozen things, and just gather up items we have become used to buying at Trader Joe's -- do you think that would be viable?

So, you see, I am still seriously considering this, and now that we have our own "tribe" of women here in Santa Cruz relocating to New Mexico, it is much more exciting.

Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks!

[mick3328]

I'm from Colorado but have been spending my winters down in TorC for ten years. In 1998 you could pick up just about any decent house for 40K. I am an artist with some building skills and have purchased eight houses that needed significant remodelling. I've sold them to help my winters away from Colorado habit.
I've been fairly pleased that over the course of passing years downtown has been fixed up. It used to be very run down with many individuals on the edge of barely getting by. All the terrible problems associated with society found a home here,and seemingly thrived.
I've been reflecting on the positives and negatives and have decided that I'm moving on, perhaps to Silver City. The reasons for the move is fairly simple; other than real estate opportunities which have diminished, there is little economic opportunities for an average wage earner. Though Wally World is poised to open, I think they will struggle to fill the positions to keep the store open due to the general apathy of the work force.
There are individuals in town that work hard and do very well. It has just been my finding that there is also a contigent of those who don't, won't and are just fine with it. Perhaps these are factors that reflect the lack of higher real estate valuations. Do check out the specific financial demographics on this website in this regard.
There is talk of all the change that is on the drawing table. The spaceport, etc. The new golf course is fantastic as well as the direction it seems to be heading. There is just an apathy in TorC and seems to have a very tight grip on alot of potential. The population as a whole offers little support for any downtown growth and financially there are real limitations on the part of the citizens.
I sure like the weather and all the wide open New Mexico spaces. Also, like many other parts of New Mexico, the people are very friendly.

[6 FOOT 3]

Wisteria.....
I can't answer whether you'll be successful in T or C as an artist but you could offer classes in a studio that you could create. I think thats pretty good that you have friends moving there and if you move there that may help having a social network there.

Good luck on your search....

6/3