Truth or Consequences (Las Cruces, Socorro, Clayton: hotel, home, transfer to)

[designer]

It's almost comical to read all the posts about T or C and I would have responded sooner but I'm been out of town a lot looking for another place
to move to. I think a lot of what most of you have said is very true. It is
truly a place of little progress and it comes very slow indeed. One business
opens up and then it closes up only to be followed by another person or persons giving it a try. When I move here 4 years ago there were a few
real bargins on houses and I got one but only to find out that the house
was very poorly built and most of the electrical was completely illegal
and all the plumbing had to be replaced. Then comes the incompetent
contractors who are more than willing to rip you off like there is no tomorrow
and you start to figure out that maybe cheap isn't so cheap after all. Now for
some reason home prices have shot up but they are still far below most areas
of the country. I have one friend that gave 35K for a little two bedroom house but he immediately had to put 30K into it to live in it. Well that might have been slightly lower than in other towns in NM but not by much unless you count Santa Fe or Albuquerque or Las Cruces. Also you all should come
and look at the roads here in town. They are not good at all and might never
be repaired. So I guess what I'm trying to say is I know a lot of people who
moved here because it was so cheap but now many of them are looking again
for a new place to to call home. The lake is a great asset and there are a few nice homes being built out there. Also who knows about the spacport? I actually met a guy who said he will vote yes on it. It could really take off and then prices will go thru the ceiling if it really does take off. If that happens I will sell and take the money and run. I guess if you live in New Jersey or Wisconsin the climate here would seem perfect. I gets up to 101 or hotter almost everyday in June and July and we got down to 15 or 16 above this winter. I lived in Arizona and yes the summers were hell but the winters were incredible. Come and check it out. I may soon be in the mood to sell my house. After saying all that I'm sure there are many worse places to live and many are right here in New Mexico. This is a very poor state folks.

[desert sun]

T or C has a weird kind of vibe when I drive through the town,its like a place that would be on the twlight zone,and it is very dead ,its like no one comes out,My girlfriend says it reminds her of a cult town.

[lemon&lime]

I've been through T or C twice and it does have a strange feel when you drive in. There's a cool spa there, in case there are any spa types reading this thread:

Sierra Grande Lodge & Spa - Home

My trip to the spa was kind of spiritual and life changing. I recommend it.

Originally Posted by desert sun

T or C has a weird kind of vibe when I drive through the town,its like a place that would be on the twlight zone,and it is very dead ,its like no one comes out,My girlfriend says it reminds her of a cult town.

[mekitcat]

Me and my hubby have been thinking about moving there also with my 4 kids. How are the schools? and is it safe to live there with kids? And how is it for renting a place as verses buying? I love the look and charm of the small town. And I don't mind the laid back-ness you guys talk about, actually I would welcome it with open arms . I'm just concerned about the schools for my kids.

To me it sounds like paradise!!! We want to move over the summer and we are on a fixed income for the move, we are only looking to rent at first.

Any input you guys can give me would be greatly appreciated


Thanks!

[Wisteria]

mekitkat: And how is it for renting a place as verses buying? I love the look and charm of the small town. And I don't mind the laid back-ness you guys talk about, actually I would welcome it with open arms .

I'm curious about renting, too, as it would probably be wise to rent, first.

Designer, where are you checking into relocating to?? And thanks for the info about the housing -- I've seen those kinds of houses you're talking about -- they're cheap, but you have to put a lot into them, so they're really not cheap....

Thanks!

[RichCapeCod]

my spouse took in 2006. Met some pleasant folks there, not much to do.




Plaque of Ralph Edwards host of TV show, Truth or Consequences. Town was named after this popular TV show from the 1950s (it was a contest).



Main Street I believe.



Saw this sign a block or two off of the main street of TorC.


Rich

[RichCapeCod]

We headed for Truth or Consequences (spoken of as TorC by locals) on Tuesday, February 7th (from Silver City). Using Route 152, which on a map seemed like a short cut, we again found ourselves on a treacherous side of the mountain road. Although only ninety miles away, Route 152 takes forever to drive over. The roadway itself is fine, a fairly wide, well maintained road. The problem is, there are no barriers to the side of the road and the thousands of foot drop-off alongside it. There seemed to be innumerable hair-pin turns and you’d be heading for a curve with nothing but thousands of feet of air between you and the ground if you went over the edge. There are no speed signs on that road except for the 15 MPH warnings at the sharp turns. No speed signs were necessary, as we couldn’t go much faster than 20 miles an hour anyway.

Once we got into TorC we found out that not many local folks use that road. It’s actually quicker to get from Silver to TorC using a route with more miles. Be warned. Don’t use this road at night, period, or during inclement weather and don’t use it if you have a fear of heights.

A word about the how the town of Hot Springs (its original name) got to be called Truth or Consequences. It seems there was a television show in the 1950s which ran a contest. Any town that would change its name to the show’s name would be honored with a yearly event. At any rate, this little town took them up on it and it’s still a big deal there.

After settling into the Sierra Grande Spa, a 1929 building that clearly has been renovated recently, we went off exploring the area. We started at the Geronimo Springs Museum (also the next door tourist information center). It’s a good place to start with lots of local information to be seen. One should remember that it wasn’t that long ago that this was a pretty wild place. It took tough folks to live their lives out here and that spirit of independence continues.

In truth, there isn’t a heck of a lot to do in TorC. We drove over to Elephant Butte (pronounced “beaut”), which has a damn and the largest body of water for may miles. Lots of boats were to be seen, with businesses built around their storage and maintenance. Unfortunately we were informed that the area was in a 500 year draught and the water level in the dam was quite low. I was also told that during their season, the summer (hard to believe due to the heat of the day at that time of the year) 120,000 people come into the area for the boating recreation available.

TorC has two main roads, Broadway and Main Street. Lots of small businesses and a few restaurants are located along these streets. On the side streets are lots and lots of trailer parks, with a handful of private homes situated mostly in the parts of town which afford a nice view of the distant mountains.

Economically the area seems quite depressed. Which is too bad, as the folks were nice and the area has the potential for a productive tourist industry due to its great winter weather. I noted lots of chatter and press about a “space-port” which people hoped would come to the region. This is supposed to bring jobs to the locals and be a boon to the area’s economy. I certainly hope the projections are correct, but it seemed to me that the people there are putting an awful lot of hope into a single, on-the-planning board only, and highly speculative venture.

[GregW]

I'll add Rt 152 to my must drive someday list. Thanks for the post on TorC.

[designer]

Hi Wisteria. I'm not sure where I'm going to end up but I am looking. Tomorrow another T or C person and myself are going down to LC to look at a couple of condos and then I am going to check out Deming which from what I know
doesn's seem like such a great place but it's worth checking out. I've been
there plenty of times but never looked into it for a place to live. I guess one
of the problems I see with T or C is there are so many demographic factions
that it seems nothing ever gets done and so not progress is made.
Now if you are looking for a very sleepy little town with little or no progress
this might be a great place for you to be. I'm pretty sure eventually
it will become a happening place. I'm not sure the art thing will ever amount
to much but with the economy the way it is but it may not amount to much
except in the larger urban areas or possibly Santa Fe. New Mexico doesn't have much of a economy like other states so we have to rely on mostly tourists but with gas
on the rise again it may not happen. I think you have to live in a place for quite a while before you can determine if it's for you or not. Most of the people here are very friendly and perhaps more friendly than LC might be
but there is still a lot of poverty and much of the city needs cleaned up
quite a bit but with time I'm sure this might happen. I'll have a cute house
for sale in two or three months hopefully. Also you need to drive around
and check out the secondary roads.

[dracul]

Interesting to read the observations about the apparent lack of Tor C residents: they are, to some extent, weekenders who normally live elsewhere and visit to enjoy the lakes. Second homes on auto pilot guys. Low population density...just the way I love it!