Retiring to Santa Fe from New Jersey (Albuquerque, Las Vegas: how much, home)

[nmguy]

Before moving to NM four years ago, I figured I'd be living in Santa Fe. Then, I discovered the price of real estate there and settled for Placitas instead.

I like Santa Fe and visit it a couple times a month. But I think I got more for my buck in Placitas. There are other areas of Albuquerque that are equally as pleasant.

In my opinion, Albuquerque is a growing city and is offering more amenities as the months go by.

Santa Fe is beautiful. If you can afford it, go there. If not, there are lots of other possibilities.

[young&restless]

I agree totally with Sarahvm_76. New Mexicans in general and Santa Feans in particular are exceptionally unfriendly and rude to new comers.

[sarahvm_76]

Thank you young&restless. I think I know something about SF, as I lived there 7 years. In fact, I lived in El Dorado. My sister lives in Las Vegas, NM and I absolutely HATE it when she needs to make a run to SF when I visit, as I know we'll be flipped off at least once on the trip. Nice.

[Julia2sf]

There's plans for a Super Wal-Mart Center, but I'm not sure where those (the plans) are at now. The current Wal-Mart is within reasonable distance, actually not that close to the I-25 interchange. The town is moving southward.

I don't get this "authentic Santa Fe" thing either. First everyone complain it's too touristy and over-priced, and then when we have some of the lower-priced big box retail, they complain that it's not "authentic."

Like they said. Can't please everyone.

[Towanda]

Originally Posted by sarahvm_76

My sister lives in Las Vegas, NM and I absolutely HATE it when she needs to make a run to SF when I visit, as I know we'll be flipped off at least once on the trip. Nice.

I guess I must lead an extremely boring life....I have been to Santa Fe many many times in the last 38 years .... and I have never been flipped off one single time.

[Towanda]

Originally Posted by young&restless

New Mexicans in general and Santa Feans in particular are exceptionally unfriendly and rude to new comers.

This is a rather extreme statement to make.

I am very puzzled by it.

I have been a visitor to New Mexico many times and have traveled all over the state and have found New Mexicans (including Santa Feans) to be very friendly people.

Maybe you get treated the way you treat others.

[designer]

The authentic Santa Fe look is the little stucco box houses. Maybe if the new Walmart is going to be built they will have to stucco it and paint it a
tan color to fit in. Also I don't live in Santa Fe but I'm there at least two
or three times per month and compared to the people in a lot of other cities
I have lived in I find the santa feans to be very laid back people. I go to the
galleries all the time and they never ask to see my credit card to just look
around and usually they are quite friendly. In San Francisco and NYC they
are not quite as friendly if you look like a tourist coming in to just look around.
I think Santa Fe is a little too touristy but I guess it wouldn't be Santa Fe without all the tourists and their economy would be poor except for the rich
already living there and the state employees.

[Bougainvillea]

Santa Fe is a great place to visit and thousands get seduced by the charm of the place and move there only to leave within a few years. I was one of them.

Here's the thing. Yes, great arts, galleries, shopping, museums. Charm by the bucketload. But everyone (like you two) comes from someplace else, the natives have all been driven out by California real estate dollars, no one knows anyone else and there is no sense of community. There is no industry except the hospitality industry (hotels and restaurants) hence no young businesspeople come here. There are no jobs for them. Women come in droves and far outnumber the men. The men that ARE here are artsy and poor, make turquoise necklaces, are lost, gay, trying to find themselves, trying to lose themselves, trying to heal themselves, are stoned on something or are just plain weird. This is not the place to find the man of your dreams, but if you are in a committed relationship you may fare better than most. There are a few professional, reasonably grown-up people in architecture and construction. A large percentage of the population occupies vacation homes and are only there occasionally.

Real estate, and housing in general, is outrageously high, on a par with California, so come with LOTS of money. Think about Taos. Much more authentic, lovely people and a landscape that is powerfully beautiful and utterly magical. A much better place to live, though somewhat hard to get to and a lot colder.

[Castaway]

Originally Posted by Bougainvillea

Santa Fe is a great place to visit and thousands get seduced by the charm of the place and move there only to leave within a few years. I was one of them.

Here's the thing. Yes, great arts, galleries, shopping, museums. Charm by the bucketload. But everyone (like you two) comes from someplace else, the natives have all been driven out by California real estate dollars, no one knows anyone else and there is no sense of community. There is no industry except the hospitality industry (hotels and restaurants) hence no young businesspeople come here. There are no jobs for them. Women come in droves and far outnumber the men. The men that ARE here are artsy and poor, make turquoise necklaces, are lost, gay, trying to find themselves, trying to lose themselves, trying to heal themselves, are stoned on something or are just plain weird. This is not the place to find the man of your dreams, but if you are in a committed relationship you may fare better than most. There are a few professional, reasonably grown-up people in architecture and construction. A large percentage of the population occupies vacation homes and are only there occasionally.

Real estate, and housing in general, is outrageously high, on a par with California, so come with LOTS of money. Think about Taos. Much more authentic, lovely people and a landscape that is powerfully beautiful and utterly magical. A much better place to live, though somewhat hard to get to and a lot colder.

Taos is headed down the same path as Santa Fe, too many Californians. Though, I am originally from New York, I see many people moving here and wanting to make NM like the places they have just left. Santa Fe was a small city when I moved here in 1978. It was quaint and unpretentious. There wasn't many venues for shopping, the arts, or even restaurants. Didn't bother me in the least. I enjoyed the great outdoors and the richness of the cultures found only in NM. I never once wanted to change anything like so many newcomers do. It was perfect as, perhaps, only I and a few others could see. Today, I see people trying to change NM into something other than what it is. It is a state that is inherently beautiful , there was room to breathe (people keep moving here and the traffic and urban sprawl, especially in SF & ABQ, are getting worse & worse) , the skylines were crystal clear (still are for the most part, except ABQ), there was a live & let live attitude (now it's more centered around it's all about "me"). These are things that outsiders brought. They have brought their ways to NM, along with their unhappiness. Enjoy NM for what it is, simple and uncomplicated (this will soon be a thing of the past).

[Towanda]

AMEN, Castaway!

Love your post!!! I totally agree.