Do you recommend Santa Fe given what I am seeking?
Santa FeSanta Fe County
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It sounds like you might want to look in the East Mountains area east of Albuquerque. Very convenient to a huge potential customer base in Albuquerqe and a quite reasonable (and intensely scenic) commute to Santa Fe as well.
It sounds like you might want to look in the East Mountains area east of Albuquerque. Very convenient to a huge potential customer base in Albuquerqe and a quite reasonable (and intensely scenic) commute to Santa Fe as well.
Indeed. That view when you start heading down toward Madrid is still one of the best.
Good advice, lovehound. I am now thinking about buying a used small trailer RV and live out of that to find where I am really happy before committing to rent or house. I know I want the Southwest, just unsure where exactly I will find home. But I hear you about moving to a small city. I am so used to walking out my front door and having things to do. It will be a lifestyle change for sure, but I think it will fit me better. We shall see!
That's exactly what I did. I highly recommend Trailer Ranch in S.F. as a place to stay, I lived there almost 6 months. If you are going there, reserve well in advance and ask for one of the spots with lawns on the north side. Otherwise you stay in the dirt and get on the wait list. People who get on the nice side are those who intend long stays or wait weeks like me until you get an opening. T.R. is on the south end of Cerillos which is also near the south end of town.
And Pancho, thanks for the update on Cerillos. The construction was my most hated thing about S.F. It impacted me every day during my stay.
That's exactly what I did. I highly recommend Trailer Ranch in S.F. as a place to stay, I lived there almost 6 months. If you are going there, reserve well in advance and ask for one of the spots with lawns on the north side. Otherwise you stay in the dirt and get on the wait list. People who get on the nice side are those who intend long stays or wait weeks like me until you get an opening. T.R. is on the south end of Cerillos which is also near the south end of town.
And Pancho, thanks for the update on Cerillos. The construction was my most hated thing about S.F. It impacted me every day during my stay.
I know the permanent part of Trailer Ranch is restricted to 55+. Is that not the case with the nightly rental spaces? OP said she was in her mid-30s.
Thanks so much Ruth4Truth! This is super helpful and making me think I better not live there. Sad but better to figure it out now...
As far as licensing, here in PA we have the same requirements for hours every two years and it look slike my license would simply carry over whereas my other choice I need 50 more credits. Oh well, I'll iron that out.
Looks like I'll be living in my car, yes car! out of a camper so that I can go where the jobs are until I find the perfect place out west and buy land.
I don't suppose Sante Fe has a need for nannies? Sigh. That's my other gig.
ABQConvict, I'll look there on my trip this summer as well! As far as the camper idea, looks like I need to redraft my entire plan!! I thought that using a small pull trailer on my car was a genius idea so I can travel where there are jobs and feel out neighborhoods in both NM and AZ at my leisure until I know and then build a home on land but come to find out my car doesn't even pull anything, so I would need a new car. There's money... Then the pull campers that you would WANT to live full-time in? They re more than the car. $37k! Soooo looks like this is all out. Might just need to take an extended vacation and camp in a tent the whole way for a month or two then go modular on land. I'll interview the heck out of other massage therapists to get an idea where the money is. AND the scenery. And like-minded folks cause a girl needs some sort of social life
So I'll check out Sante Fe, Taos, and East Mountains area of Albuquerque? What towns exactly would you recommend? Any others you guys think I should check out? Also THANK YOU SO MUCH for all of your help! Keep it coming!
I sold my 32 foot 5th wheel trailer (two sliders) used for $12.5K. It was about 5 years old. You would need probably a 250 class pick-up with in-bed 5th wheel hitch to pull such a trailer. It was pretty comfortable to live in.
Your alternative would be a small hitch type trailer pulled by a pick-up or SUV, again bought used.
I doubt you would be able to afford to stay long enough even in the least expensive motels.
It took me about 5 months living in Santa Fe before I decided that it was nice but not for me. Note also the importance of experiencing the city in different seasons. I started SF in early summer and left late fall. Even at that I didn't see all the seasons, but by then I had realized I just don't like small towns and so it was the size of the town not the weather that decided me to not locate there.
BTW I really enjoyed the monsoon! I really enjoyed the feel of the atmosphere, almost a feeling of expectancy, and the days that huge thunder storms loomed and often incredible thunder and lightning, yet evenings were mild and there was sunlight in at least part of each day. If anything I think I miss the monsoon and the Hatch chilis more than anything else.
Thanks so much Ruth4Truth! This is super helpful and making me think I better not live there. Sad but better to figure it out now...
As far as licensing, here in PA we have the same requirements for hours every two years and it look slike my license would simply carry over whereas my other choice I need 50 more credits. Oh well, I'll iron that out.
Looks like I'll be living in my car, yes car! out of a camper so that I can go where the jobs are until I find the perfect place out west and buy land.
I don't suppose Sante Fe has a need for nannies? Sigh. That's my other gig.
Yes, I think your license would carry over, as long as you have the same or more number of massage school hrs. as NM requires. Perhaps take a look at Ruidoso; it gets a lot of vacation clientele, and the COL is lower there. I've heard good things about it, but I don't know how many massage businesses are there. If there aren't many, you might manage.
RE: nanny jobs--actually, I've seen job listings for that occasionally. Do you have references? Where there are wealthy residents (SF attracts them), there will be some demand for nannies.
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