Opinions on Las Campanas (Albuquerque, Santa Fe: sales, real estate, 2015)
Santa FeSanta Fe County
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We are researching a move to Las Campanas in Santa Fe, NM. Does anyone have any experienced opinions on Las Campanas?
We are also researching Las Campanas for a retirement location and have visited there on several occasions over the last few years. Our most recent visit was this February. We are at the stage where we have looked at lots and houses with a realtor, had meals and spent time at the clubhouse and used the exercise facilities as a guest to learn first hand about the amenities. We have also spent time speaking in person with people who live there and have also conducted some due diligence related to water rights for the development, the financial health of both the homeowners association and the club members group, and design requirements when building a home.
Our overall impression is that there is a lot to like about Las Campanas. The biggest drawback for us would be a lack of large department stores, e.g., Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nieman Marcus, etc. There is plenty of boutique shopping, but for large department stores/malls, one would need to travel. There is direct commercial airline service from Santa Fe to Denver, which has good shopping, and there may eventually be direct commercial service from SF to Phoenix/Scottsdale, or charter service is available.
For those wanting a gated, safe, resort community Las Campanas should fit the bill. Many of the lots have lovely views and current prices - for both lots and homes - are very low compared to the highs before the real estate bubble burst. It's about 15-20 minutes into town and there's no local shopping (but a highly rated restaurant outside the clubhouse area). A new shopping center is being developed south, along Hwy 599, and will be about the same driving time away. The relative isolation, dark skies and peace and quiet is what a lot of people want. The club's social and golf memberships require an up-front membership fee, and then there are (to some) also high monthly fees - but owners are not forced into these two levels of membership. There are separate HOA fees for the roads, security and common area maintenance. There had been financial vulnerability issues a few years ago, but that appears to have been overcome thanks to new management and the financial largesse of club members. I'm not sure about today's numbers, but a couple of years ago at least 50% of home owners had their Las Campanas property as 2nd (or 3rd) homes.
Our overall impression is that there is a lot to like about Las Campanas. The biggest drawback for us would be a lack of large department stores, e.g., Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nieman Marcus, etc. There is plenty of boutique shopping, but for large department stores/malls, one would need to travel. There is direct commercial airline service from Santa Fe to Denver, which has good shopping, and there may eventually be direct commercial service from SF to Phoenix/Scottsdale, or charter service is available.
Albuquerque has two each of Macy's and Dillard's - Santa Fe also has a small Dillard's. The Dillard's on the east side of Albuquerque is large and has a good selection of designers such as Eileen Fisher and there are sales almost every month. I travel some in my work and like to go shopping in the evening so shop in Las Vegas, California, Washington DC, etc. While it may not be a Saks, I am impressed at what a great Dillard's we have in Albuquerque given the size of the city.
Albuquerque has two each of Macy's and Dillard's - Santa Fe also has a small Dillard's. The Dillard's on the east side of Albuquerque is large and has a good selection of designers such as Eileen Fisher and there are sales almost every month. I travel some in my work and like to go shopping in the evening so shop in Las Vegas, California, Washington DC, etc. While it may not be a Saks, I am impressed at what a great Dillard's we have in Albuquerque given the size of the city.
I don't understand why someone would expect those types of stores in Santa Fe. SF only has 50k or so people. People don't move to SF to shop at those types of stores.
I don't understand why someone would expect those types of stores in Santa Fe. SF only has 50k or so people. People don't move to SF to shop at those types of stores.
Resident population is not necessarily an indicator of the available shopping. Lahaina on Maui has a resident population of only 11k and a peak tourist population of 40k, and yet it has a Louis Vuitton and other high end stores. I was surprised to learn that the first time I went there years ago. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of Santa Fe was almost 70,000 in 2013, so it is not unreasonable to think that there might be high end shopping there, especially considering it is a tourist destination.
For us, it's not that we would necessarily expect Santa Fe to have these types of stores or that we would move to a particular location to be close to them. We currently live near San Francisco and have great access to a wide variety of shopping options. Access to department stores and other shopping is just one of our criteria for selecting a retirement location. It's not the most important criteria, but it's on our list, just as being within one hour of a major airport is one of our criteria because we enjoy travel and will most likely have two homes in retirement, at least initially. Santa Fe and in particular, Las Campanas, meets many of our criteria and we have always enjoyed our time in New Mexico. In particular, we enjoy the climate (low humidity, four seasons without extremes), the landscape, the opportunity for outdoor activities, the cuisine and the culture.
Last edited by Westcoasters; 04-29-2015 at 04:48 PM..
You might find that living in Santa Fe ,and ones wardrobe may be quite different then what one packs to visit here. Folks here don't even come near to "how one might dress" to be out and about in San Francisco.
This goes for the full range of income/lifestyles here. Some of the local, glossy , magazines can paint quite a fictional 24/7 place.
While Santa Fe doesn't have the large "higher quality" department stores like Nordstrom's and SFA, there are many small specialty shops (primarily in the Plaza and Railyard neighborhoods) that cater to higher-end shoppers. There's also an outlet mall at the intersection of Cerrillos Road and I-25 that has such brand-name stores as Brooks Brothers, Polo, Coach, Tommy Hilfiger, etc.
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