Ruidoso growth (Albuquerque, Farmington, Ruidoso Downs: ski resort, for sale, rentals)

[Rogarven]

We just came back from Ruidoso. I hadn't been there in about 10 years. I am always amazed at how it has grown into city from a village. The highway to Capitan is really improved and not as dangerous. I am wondering if the prices of houses there have fallen much since the downturn this last year.

[JDTH]

Originally Posted by Rogarven

We just came back from Ruidoso. I hadn't been there in about 10 years. I am always amazed at how it has grown into city from a village. The highway to Capitan is really improved and not as dangerous. I am wondering if the prices of houses there have fallen much since the downturn this last year.

I had never been to Ruidoso before August 2006. I think of it as a very small village rather than a city. The year round population base is around 10,000 to 12,000 residents. I really don't think of it as a city. To me it is a small village in pretty much a paradise location.

I have nothing to compare Ruidoso to before 2006 as I never knew it existed before then. I assume it has experienced many growing pains over the years as I have read a lot of history about Ruidoso.

We live most of the year in Tempe, AZ but Ruidoso is our little get away 4-6 times per year. We certainly could not afford a place in northern AZ and when we stumbled upon Ruidoso a few years back it was just heaven.

We bought our place in Ruidoso in February 2007 and I really don't think prices have dropped too much, but there are many places for sale, so you may be able to find a really good deal. I am sure it is a buyer market. I am always looking for another place in Ruidoso.

[rruff]

Originally Posted by Rogarven

I am wondering if the prices of houses there have fallen much since the downturn this last year.

Not much... the oil and drug money is still flowing...

I think this is going to boom like crazy in a few years when it finally gets big enough to hit that critical mass of being "viable" to the average person.

[rruff]

Originally Posted by JDTH

I really don't think of it as a city. To me it is a small village in pretty much a paradise location.

It is nice... but I keep thinking how they are ruining one of the major assets... the river... which is more like a small stream really. But anyway, it flows right through the middle of downtown and parallels the north side of Suddereth for a long way, yet most people who come here don't even know it exists. IMO, it should be a park on both sides for a couple hundred feet, and at least a couple miles long, with walking paths and benches and pavillions. Resturants and other business would wish to overlook the park instead of the highway, since this would be the most pleasant place to spend time... stroll, have a picnic, shop around, etc.

Since we had floods last year, they are now concreting in and painting the river in gawdaweful colors, in the name of flood control... kind of the polar opposite of what seems sensible to me...

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by Rogarven

We just came back from Ruidoso. I hadn't been there in about 10 years. I am always amazed at how it has grown into city from a village. The highway to Capitan is really improved and not as dangerous. I am wondering if the prices of houses there have fallen much since the downturn this last year.

After having gone to Ruidoso off and on most of my life since the late 1950s, I visited for the first time last year since 1984--24 years later. I was just amazed to see it as a small town rather than a sleepy little ski resort.

No, the housing prices aren't much better now than they've ever been, but the availability is there. I get new listings daily.

[Rogarven]

Well, perhaps I am thinking of it in terms of the ski and tourist village that it was when I first started going up there to my grandparent's cabin in the '50s. Bennetts was the only place to buy groceries and there may have been one lumberyard in Ruidoso Downs. With the "metro " area of Alto, Bonita, Capitan, Spencer Theater, the new airport and Ruidoso Downs, it just doesn't seem like a village to me. Perhaps a "town". :-) I have known a couple of people that have had trouble selling their homes there in the area. That is why I wondered if there might be a slump in the market.

[Cathy4017]

There may be a slump in the market, compared to years past. Since I never even considered Ruidoso as a place to live, I didn't check it out again when I retired and left Texas.

I wish I had.

But that's water under the bridge, and one can but go forward. I would probably love northern NM, but outside of relatively conservative Farmington, I doubt that I could stomach the liberalism. I'm one of those conservative Texans... :-)

This coming ski season at Ski Apache will have a lot to do with whether I continue to look in the area.

Right now, I have to be fairly close to Texas, as I'm having to go back and forth. It will be that way for the near term. After that, all bets are off, and I'm liable to head for WY...LOL!!

[JDTH]

Originally Posted by rruff

It is nice... but I keep thinking how they are ruining one of the major assets... the river... which is more like a small stream really. But anyway, it flows right through the middle of downtown and parallels the north side of Suddereth for a long way, yet most people who come here don't even know it exists. IMO, it should be a park on both sides for a couple hundred feet, and at least a couple miles long, with walking paths and benches and pavillions. Resturants and other business would wish to overlook the park instead of the highway, since this would be the most pleasant place to spend time... stroll, have a picnic, shop around, etc.

Since we had floods last year, they are now concreting in and painting the river in gawdaweful colors, in the name of flood control... kind of the polar opposite of what seems sensible to me...

It seems the Village planners don't have much of a vision for how they would like Ruidoso to be it 20 years. Growth is inevitable, but they need a vison, a plan, something. I don't have much faith in the Mayor and Council either. I agree that the area around the Rio Ruidoso should be more open, but instead the tried to build the River Crossing debacle and Ruidoso River Resort should have never been built.

Our place is located just north of the Upper Canyon. It is up off of Brady Canyon, about a mile west of Mechem. It is a nice little place, but we could not afford it if it were not for the tourists. We rent it out when we are not there. Last year we rented it out 167 nights. This year it looks like it will be closer to 140 nights. We will see how much it snows this winter. From what I hear it should be an El Nino year which means more precipitation for the Southwest and more snow for Ski Apache. More snow means more nightly rentals.

[finmqa1]

Originally Posted by JDTH

I had never been to Ruidoso before August 2006. I think of it as a very small village rather than a city. The year round population base is around 10,000 to 12,000 residents. I really don't think of it as a city. To me it is a small village in pretty much a paradise location.

Obviously someone like yourself from the 5th biggest metro wouldn't consider 10-12,000 people much of anything, but here in NM it is a city. Heck by Phoenix standards Albuquerque isn't much either.

[JDTH]

Originally Posted by finmqa1

Obviously someone like yourself from the 5th biggest metro wouldn't consider 10-12,000 people much of anything, but here in NM it is a city. Heck by Phoenix standards Albuquerque isn't much either.

I guess I don't understand your comment. It is the "Village of Ruidoso" not the City of Ruidoso.

See link below.

http://www.ruidoso-nm.gov/index.html

There is nothing wrong with being a village. I really like Ruidoso. I wouldn't have bought property there is I didn't like it.

I grew up in the Village of Arlington Heights and I currently live in the City of Tempe.