What is a nice town in NM to raise a young family? (Alamogordo: ski resort, apartment)

[amongwildflowers]

Hope anyone of you can help...I am a 40 year old married woman with a 6 and a 4 year old who currently live in the on the Hudson River in NY across from West Point. My husband has the opportunity in the next few short months to transfer pretty much wherever we want (how lucky are we)...having been a gypsy my whole life, I've been exposed to some pretty nice places as far as living is concerned, fav's include Park City, Utah, Woodstock, Vermont, spent last 9 years in the Eastern PA where I met my husband and started our family. Having been an IBM child, I moved every 3 years to many different places in the northeast...so kind of been there done that. Am searching for a new and different place that offers a great place for my kids and my husband and I...safe first of all, and beautiful with lots of cool stuff around. Would love to be near a Ski Resort as I was an avid rider before moving to PA, but not necessarily want the cold temps anymore..and want to expose my kids to that now that they are of that age...also want a beautiful modern/green eco-friendly kind of home...we can afford something in the $400's...so I'm hoping we can get something pretty nice with a pool...I'm an avid gardener as well, love wildflowers and planting...and a not so crazy place overloaded with people but with all the amenities...am in the process of checking out Palm Springs, CA area, Scottsdale area of AZ, possibly Taos area of New Mexico Provo, Utah...am just afraid of the temps a bit (how hot it gets) I mean SLC was a desert, but not like where you guys are...I'm thinking we can handle it as long as we have a pool...anyway, any insight would be super helpful...you can only search for so long on the web and besides physically going to all the places, hearing it from you all who live there is the next best thing...so thanks in advance for any help. Take care, Michelle PS I am in the process of trying to plan a vacation to check one or 2 areas out for mid-summer...

[amongwildflowers]

Hello, we are a young family currently living in the Hudson Valley of NY with an opportunity to move anywhere in the US...we like snowboarding, the beach, gardening, may want to start a wildflower farm, good schools, safe environment of course, beautiful climate (not too hot, not too cold) trying to get away from 7 months of cold out of the year, EXCELLENT QUALITY OF LIFE...WHERE WOULD YOU GO? Lived in Utah, Vermont, all over the Northeast...checking out Palm Springs areas of CA, Arizona, New Mexico for a change of scenery. Thanks, any help would be greatly appreciated. Michelle

[Chilegal1]

First off, what about a job? Find the place where that would be accessable.
Where can you afford to live? Have you visited the areas you are talking about?

You have lots of decisions to make and we all can not answer many of them.

[jaxart]

Before anyone can decide this question, there has to be a distinction made between people who are seeking a place to live AND WORK - vs - people who are looking for a place to spend their RETIREMENT years. PS People with no money worries and have no need to worry about a job, who can live anywhere they please, are in another category altogether.

I faced this question when it came time to retire and my answer was to live where I do now - in Ruidoso, NM. I have not had a moments regret about my decision. I could have moved anywhere in the USA (or Mexico) when I retired, but couldn't think of a place I've been (and I've traveled extensively) that I found any more desirable for my money. One test of my satisfaction is the fact that I now find it hard to justify traveling anywhere in the USA just for the sake of traveling - been there done that syndrome!

[tator89]

i really cant answer that for you. you have to decide how much money you want to spend. i mena just think about how far are you willing for job. is there any jobs available in your field of work. for me i know that i really want to go to Alamogordo. i already have a job there when i get there. i dont know the crime or anything about that but i do know that you also have to make sure that with you decision you have to be happy about it.

[songinthewind7]

I'm taking it that jobs don't make a difference to you since you can go anywhere in the states so that said, come out to the southwest and check out the areas.
California sounds like your best bet with the beaches. No beaches in NM and Az.

[Mike Horrell]

We're retired with a good income and moved here after having spent the previous
three years in a huge apartment overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Panama.

I do miss watching the pelicans soar just above the wave tops, but we're very satisfied..

[amongwildflowers]

hi there...my husband can transfer to just about anywhere as far as work is concerned...we are looking for a modern/green home for around $400K...sorry meant to state that in my thread...thanks again

[mortimer]

This post belongs in the General U.S. forum.

Oops, I guess you posted this exact same thread there also.

It was also posted in the City vs. City forum as it was in the [San Bernardino
and Riverside Counties] forum and the [Colorado] and [Oregon] forum.

There were also three identical threads started called: "Which [ forum ]
area is nicest to raise a young family?" which were started in the [Arizona],
[New Mexico], and [San Bernardino and Riverside Counties] forums.

I've said it before and I'll say it again; People should be required to lurk
for at least a month before being permitted to post. It should take a
couple months to be able to start a thread.

I could tell by the subject that this was going to be one of
"those" threads before I started ranting.

[SW Native]

I would move to salt lake city. I love having four seasons, hardly no humidity, big enough to suit my urban side, low crime, good schools, and nice people. The only downside is the dreaded inversion in winter.