Ruidoso here we come! (Santa Fe, Las Vegas: fit in, real estate, 2010)

[White Mountain]

I have started a few threads asking about the weather in Ruidoso/Cloudcroft, and also about those areas of NM, and it seems like Ruidoso is the best bet.

I am self employed so I will not be looking for a job there, but, my wife who is a Clinical Medical Assistant will look for employment once there.
One of the main reasons we are looking there in Ruidoso is that I am a business partner with a guy who lives in Lubbock Texas, he knows I have no intentions of moving to Texas, so he mentioned Ruidoso/Cloudcroft as he knows it is the type of area I like and we are only a few hours drive away from each other, so we can do some work in the same building from time to time,,,and,,go golfing from time to time!!!
Another reason for looking in Ruidoso is housing cost, we live here in California and we are in our 50's with no hope of buying a home ever, and it has always been important to me to buy my own home.
So we will do our due diligence and rent prior to buying a home as we will do our research and find the best area and place to buy at the appropriate time.
I have always looked for a smaller town were you find folks that are friendly and not suspicious of newcomers that only want to live a life of peace and quite, as well as blend with the community and find a place to call home..From what I have heard, Ruidoso though not perfect, is a great place to look..

We are hoping to move things along where we can move up there the summer of 2010, so it is very exciting to look forward to a move to Ruidoso soon..
Any advice about rentals, real estate people that are honest and won't take you for a ride, a great dentist, best places to eat, and some of the fun activities to do in Ruidoso. Or any advice or info you would like to share I would greatly appreciate it!!!!

I see from another thread that long term rentals are difficult to find, if this is so, are there surrounding towns that have better long term rental possibilities?
It is just going to be my wife and I, and our sole purpose to rent is to do our research prior to buying a place, not to skip out on rent or trashing a place that someone has trusted us to take care of and not to destroy the place.

many blessings and much peace
White Mountain!

[songinthewind7]

When we were first looking into Ruidoso, we were thinking about rentals but at the time, Ruidoso had short term rentals only and sounds like they still do.
Ruidoso has some good restaurants - Log Cabin being my favorite. They serve breakfast and lunch.
If you're into yoga and sweat lodges and stuff like that, check out this link -
HMHC
It's in Alto but it's up the road from Ruidoso.

[White Mountain]

Originally Posted by songinthewind7

When we were first looking into Ruidoso, we were thinking about rentals but at the time, Ruidoso had short term rentals only and sounds like they still do.
Ruidoso has some good restaurants - Log Cabin being my favorite. They serve breakfast and lunch.
If you're into yoga and sweat lodges and stuff like that, check out this link -
HMHC
It's in Alto but it's up the road from Ruidoso.

Songinthewind7..You are my hero!!!!!
HMHC is exactly up our ally, a place that I find serenity and peace in...
Thanks so much!
Living in Texas while I was a boy, getting a lot of good food was not hard to find, but, out here in Ca where I live now getting GOOD food and lot's of it is not like it is out in your area, I look forward to sitting down to some real good food....
Be well
White Mountain

[White Mountain]

Ahhh, I almost forgot a most important question.....Cockroaches...They give me the willies. Had them in Texas, but, have had nary a problem with em in Ca..Are they a problem there?
Be well
White Mountain

[Towanda]

Have you ever actually been to Ruidoso? Your post does not say.

I always strongly suggest anyone thinking of moving to the state without having seen the area first is taking a bit of a risk.

[White Mountain]

Drove through there 20 years ago.
But, yes, there are trips planned before the move
Take care
White Mountain.

[songinthewind7]

I haven't seen any cockroaches but I have seen mice around this time of year.

[White Mountain]

Funny thing that I don't mind mice as much as I do cockroaches.
To answer Towanda a bit more, For my wife and I because of how we live as we do not have anyone else to be responsible for except ourselves, and we are not leaving a great job etc, the risk are minimal. We are not strangers to moving to different places and seeing and experiencing new peoples and cultures as a matter of fact, we quite enjoy it as we get to live a life of adventure.
The worst thing that can happen is we don't find the place to be what we had hoped for and then move on,,,no biggie.
Some people want to have all their I's dotted and T's crossed, for others, you do what you can in preparation then throw caution to the wind and enjoy the ride...Nether way is wrong....
I appreciate your caution and thank you for the advice!
Blessings
White Mountain

[Fiddlehead]

Hi WM,

I am glad you are honing in on a place that you are excited about. It is wonderful to plan, dream about new beginnings, so long as you do your homework!

I have not heard it mentioned yet, but another place not too far away that is a bit larger town, and in a very scenic setting is Las Vegas, NM it is about three hours north I would guess. I interviewed for a teaching job out there last year at Highlands University, and I loved the people, food, well just about everything! It is a largely hispanic town,sitting at the edge of the high plains and mountains about 1 hour northeast of Santa Fe. It has some poverty and such, but also fabulous historic homes and buildings, access to the east shoulder of the Sangre de Cristos, and very affordable real estate. I have the feeling the town is up and coming, and the setting is gorgeous, and I think low key people like yourselves would fit in fine. If I had been offered that job, I would there now!

Not to steer you from Ruidoso, but just to give you another potential gem to check out in your scouting trip.

I love the climate stuff, so here are the stats for Las Vegas:

July temp:83.2/54.0
January temps:45.5/18.3
Annual Precip.: 16.40
Precip. Days: 74
Days above 90 F:8.3
Days below zero F:3.4
Frost Days: 160.6
Snowfall:37.7"

If you are curious, you might want to start another Las Vegas thread. People certainly have mixed feelings about the place, but....well, I loved it, leave it at that and find some more opinions if interested.

[jaxart]

Originally Posted by White Mountain

Ahhh, I almost forgot a most important question.....Cockroaches...They give me the willies.

One of the MAIN REASONS I chose Ruidoso as my retirement home is because of the absence of MOST insects - especially mosquitoes and cockroaches a good second. Biting flies can be problematic in some areas where the days get hotter than in the forested parts - for example, out in the county's former ranching areas. Most worrisome are the spiders - a good variety. I suffer at least one spider bite a summer. I assume that's what it is but have never seen what bites me. Regular spraying around the outside of the house with one of the brands of "Home Defense" insecticides in the summer months keeps them under control.

Of course there are the usual "critters" who can be troublesome, depending on where you live and what you make available for them. Skunks, racoons, coyotes, an occasional puma, deer (yep, they can be pests), and even the elk if you have an orchard or other attractions for them.

I've mentioned in another thread about mice being a potential problem. I've had two occasions in my 13 years of living here full time when I noticed an "invasion" of them - about five years ago and this fall. Worrisome is the chance of "Hanta Virus" (high human mortality rate) carried by some species of mice. But I don't know if there have been any cases at this elevation - most I've heard of have been in the high plains areas of central NM.

Poison ivy, oak and sumac are something to be aware of when hiking in areas near the creeks and drainages.