Taos NM, Retirement or new beginings???? (Albuquerque, Las Cruces: real estate market, apartments, for rent)

[Heartland_girl]

I Think that Taos NM would be perfect for my family, the weather is perfect, and the location is wonderfull. Its right between my family in Az and my husbands family in Tx so we are never too far away from either. (and right by colorado which is our favorite vacation state!) my questions are,


1.) are there apartments there, because we are not ready to buy a home yet.

2.) If there are apartments, are they affordable? (to me, affordable is 600 or less)

3.) Is it mostly for retirement, or are there people of all ages there?

Any help is Appreciated!

[mortimer]

Where do you live now?

Have you ever visited Taos?

Just picking a spot out on a map seems kinda nuts.

[Mike Horrell]

Originally Posted by mortimer

Just picking a spot out on a map seems kinda nuts.

What the heck; it worked for the Pilgrims...

If you can't afford a house, Taos may not be for you. My impression is that it
is much like many other "trendy" places; a wealthy upper class driving up the
price of everything and a working class who can't afford to eat or shop in many
of the places they work in.

Just a thought from a guy who's visited there several times in the last few months,
but hasn't really checked out the local economy / real estate market.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Heartland_girl

I Think that Taos NM would be perfect for my family, the weather is perfect, and the location is wonderfull. Its right between my family in Az and my husbands family in Tx so we are never too far away from either. (and right by colorado which is our favorite vacation state!) my questions are,


1.) are there apartments there, because we are not ready to buy a home yet.

2.) If there are apartments, are they affordable? (to me, affordable is 600 or less)

3.) Is it mostly for retirement, or are there people of all ages there?

Any help is Appreciated!

I think there might be places that would work better for you. Taos is a resort and recreational area which means bucks!!!! It isn't a retirement area either. I am sure you can find some other spot in NM that would work better for you.

What would you do for a living if you choose someplace like Taos? As I mentioned it is pretty much a resort area with upscale everything. As for the weather, do you really like freezing cold winters? Of course many of us do, but I wonder how many times you have been to the area..

Good luck whatever you decide.

Nita

[jiminnm]

You can start here: Taos News |

I strongly suggest a visit, as Taos may not appeal to everyone. Nita mentioned the weather. Remember that Taos is at 7,000 feet elevation, so winters are real but sunny. A 35-40 degree temperature difference between day and night is not unusual.

[mortimer]

Originally Posted by Mike Horrell

What the heck; it worked for the Pilgrims...

They did that? I thought they just sailed West.

In any case, it would still help if the OP said where they were coming from and if they had ever seen the place. It appears that the answer is no.

I agree with your answer, however. Coming to Taos with a $600/month housing budget might be OK for a single person who just wants to plop for a while, but I'd add $1,500 to that number ( just for housing - not including utilities, et al ) if I wanted to retire there.

[Mike Horrell]

Originally Posted by mortimer

They did that? I thought they just sailed West.

In any case, it would still help if the OP said where they were coming from and if they had ever seen the place. It appears that the answer is no.

They were headed for Scottsdale but ran aground...

[mortimer]

Originally Posted by Mike Horrell

They were headed for Scottsdale but ran aground...

Scottsdale was a lot less snooty back in 1620.

After 1800 or so, all the nouveau riche kinda ruined the area.

[Heartland_girl]

No I have never been there, and would never move anywhere without visiting the area and doing extensive research first. I figure a good place to start would be here. I graduate in may and will be in the nursing field and my husband is in law enforcement.

Im looking for a town that is small, yet close to a bigger city, and in the mountains. we arent really big on "nightlife". Fresh air, cool weather, LOTS of outdoor activities like hunting, fishing, hiking, camping... thats what we are looking for.

we currently live in San Angelo TX. Its too hot in the summer and winter is hardly ever below 55. We hate it, and want to start over somewhere new when I graduate.

(When I said 600, I meant no more than 600 for rent alone, not including utilities.)

[mortimer]

Originally Posted by Heartland_girl

I'm looking for a town that is small, yet close to a bigger city, and in the mountains. ... [ other stuff ]

Have you looked into Grants?

Originally Posted by Heartland_girl

we currently live in San Angelo TX.
Its too hot in the summer and winter ...

... and humid ...
You didn't mention that.

Grants can be 90's, but it cools off nicely and has a nice
cold winter. Humidity is pretty much nil, so every summer
night is comfortable.

You'll have access to Albuquerque in about 1 hour vs. hours and hours from Taos.

Originally Posted by Heartland_girl

... no more than 600 for rent alone, ..

Again, Grants. It's much more reasonable.

Mt. Taylor is not just one huge mountain, but a plateau full of
hunting and hiking and stuff that provides cool relief from summer temps.

There are other towns in NM that meet your criteria, but are not really
in the Mountains like Deming, Gallup, or Tucumcari.

You might want to consider Silver City, also.
( Note also that I'm refering to Las Cruces as a "city." )

Also, search the forum for stuff like Chama, Red River, Raton, Las Vegas.
These places have their own "issues" and are far away from the city, IMO.