Relocating Dallas, TX to Santa Fe, NM (Albuquerque, Galisteo: real estate, HOA) - New Mexico -Santa Fe County - City-Data Forum

wyddltx1964 · 03-19-2013, 05:19 PM

Hello All!

My partner and I are a professional gay couple in our late 40's to late 50's, considering purchasing some property in/around the Santa Fe area to eventually build a new home and retire.
With the realization that there is NO perfect place to live, what is good about living in SF, and what are the bad things about living there?
We will be visiting SF first week of April to get a feel for the city, people, etc.
Any thought or recommendations will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
J & K,
Dallas,TX

beezle1 · 03-20-2013, 07:59 AM

I have a second home in Santa Fe. I love Santa Fe for the cultural history, art, weather, food, etc. You must have an appreciation for desert landscape - some people miss the lush green of other areas of the country.

Be sure to drive around all the areas of town (not just the plaza area) when you come out in April, so you have a feel for what the whole area is like.

wyddltx1964 · 03-20-2013, 11:42 AM

Hi beezle1
Thanks for your input.
We are drawn to SF because of the mountains, weather, and the pueblo style architecture of the homes. My partner loves the theatre and museums. I love design and great restaurants. So, SF sounds like a good fit on both of those fronts. I have also read a lot of negative comments re: crime, racism, alcohol, drugs, gangs, too expensive, etc. We certainly have that here in Dallas. As a part-time resident, what is your take on all that?
Ideally, we would like to find a couple of acres within the city proper which doesn't fall under a HOA. We live in a townhome in downtown Dallas, which is great except that the HOA board is the worst we have ever experienced.
And, we don't want to allow anyone to have that type of control/power over us again. Can you recommend any areas to look at or stay away from?
Thanks again.
J. in Dallas, TX

beezle1 · 03-20-2013, 12:32 PM

I think Santa Fe has its share of crime, gangs, drugs, etc - no city is immune to that. However, I have never felt unsafe there in any area I have been in. I did install security cameras in my home so I can keep an eye on it while I am away - gives me a little piece of mind. I have never personally experienced any crime there (knock on wood...), but I know there have been break-ins in my neighborhood.

Finding a place without an HOA may be difficult. I was going to suggest Eldorado, as they have large lots, but they do have an HOA. An area I like, but have not really looked at property out there, is the Galisteo Basin area. If I ever move out there full time, I may look out that way.

When you visit, pick up the real estate books you find at the entrance to the grocery stores - there are some beautiful homes out there (and some VERY expensive ones).

funkymonkey · 03-20-2013, 02:15 PM

I see no reason why you wouldn't enjoy living in Santa Fe, provided the snowy winter doesn't bother you. I'm not sure of any areas in the city limits with large lots, especially without HOA. You may need to look 10-15 minutes out of town, but a realtor can give you better info on this.

GreatSantaFe · 03-20-2013, 03:16 PM

Hi J&K -
I wouldn't get too worked up about those negative comments. Sure, we have a mix of them all - but what community doesn't? We're a relatively small city and crime, drugs, etc. exist - but they are also on a relative scale. In my 6-7 years since moving to the area I haven't experienced any of those issues personally. On the other hand I've experienced all those positive aspects you and your partner find so appealing. I just think this is a great place to live - period.

As for finding a lot to eventually build on that's not in an HOA, there are actually quite a few choices. There are still available lots within the city, and close to Canyon Road and the plaza. Needless to say, they're not cheap on a per acre basis but if you want to be in a really close-in location, then bite the bullet. A bit further out of town - say in the Old Santa Fe Trail corridor - there are also lots to be had that are not in an HOA. Remember, we're a small city, and you can be "out of town" and still within 15 minutes of the plaza.

Off-hand I can think of 2 very desirable lots - one on the historic east side, the other down Old Santa Fe Trail - that are not only in great non-HOA areas, but which can be subdivided for great future investment potential (the latter one is not yet on the market). Once you get to town, seek out a knowledgeable Realtor (like me - but, although I hate to admit it, there are others

), discuss your desires and budget and have them show you the spots that have the potential to fit your requirements.

wyddltx1964 · 03-20-2013, 04:42 PM

Beezle1 and Funkymonkey, thanks to both of you for your honesty and insight into the city.
We have been surfing the web for property and have pretty much come to the conclusion that we will be outside SF which is certainly OK with us.
Cold and snow actually sound like a breath of fresh air. Here in Dallas, we have Hot, Hot, Hot, more Hot, and then in winter, ice storms which shut the entire city down.
Thanks for the words of encouragement . We are excited about our upcoming visit to Santa Fe.
J & K

wyddltx1964 · 03-20-2013, 05:00 PM

Hi GreatSantaFe,
Glad to hear that you love Santa Fe and where you live. Unfortunately, we aren't able to relate to that here in Big D.
And, thanks for the tip on the two Non-HOA lots. We have an appt. set up with a gay realtor in SF, but if that doesn't pan out for us, would definitely like to talk to you in more detail about the properties you referred to.
We're hoping to find 2 acres of land with some mountain views to build a 2600 sq. ft. pueblo revival style home.
Our price point is between 50-100k for the land portion and perhaps 400k to 500k on the house itself.
The house is about three yrs. down the road at this point; having to do this in stages....
Thanks again,
J & K

GreatSantaFe · 03-21-2013, 11:49 AM

One thing your Realtor will tell/has told you is that it is very difficult to find loans for raw land; not impossible, but hard. So, be prepared to pay cash for a building lot. As an alternative, your Realtor can also help you find owners of lots that would be willing to carry the mortgage (called a Real Estate Contract) with a sufficient down payment and mutually agreed-upon terms.
And if you don't already know, whether LGBTQ or straight (yes, we have some of those too!) Santa Fe is a very inclusive place; in my experience no one comfortable within themselves feels any less comfortable here.

wyddltx1964 · 03-21-2013, 04:23 PM

Hey GSF,
OMG, there are STRAIGHT people in Santa Fe? Didn't they send all of them down to Albuquerque in the late 80's.... : ) Just a joke folks....
We will be buying the lot outright, so no mortgages with that transaction.
Nice to know that Santa Fe is an accepting place. I'm a family practice physician and my partner is my office manager. We're both out to all of our patients and business associates, although we don't wear signs that say, "Look at me, I'm GAY."