thinking of moving to Santa Fe area (Los Alamos, Taos: real estate, rent)

[la_leary]

Hi,
I'm from the beautiful state of Vermont. Love the mountains, love the liberal people, but don't love the long, dark, cold winters.

I've never been to Santa Fe, or NM for that matter, but hear it is a beautiful place to be. My top criteria for relocating are: affordability (relative I know), access to outdoor rock climbing (a must), and liberal.

I'm interested in the Santa Fe area due to proximity to mountains, Taos, and greenery in general.

Anyway, I'm looking for feedback about the Santa Fe area, surrounding towns, rock climbing venues and social life in general.

Thanks for the insight!

Lisa

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by la_leary

I've never been to Santa Fe, or NM for that matter, but hear it is a beautiful place to be.

You should definitely visit before you take the plunge.

Originally Posted by la_leary

My top criteria for relocating are: affordability (relative I know),

Santa Fe is the most expensive part of the state. By far. How that compares to Vermont, I don't know. Santa Fe has been a haven for artists, filmmakers, and actors for years. Lots of big Hollywood names have homes up there, and it has driven up real estate prices. Santa Fe is not an affordable place to live, in my mind, unless you are fairly well off already.

Originally Posted by la_leary

access to outdoor rock climbing (a must), and liberal.

Rock climbing shouldn't be too hard to find, and liberal is a relative term. New Mexico in general is a really conservative place (especially compared to Vermont), but Santa Fe is considered one of the most liberal parts of the state.

Originally Posted by la_leary

I'm interested in the Santa Fe area due to proximity to mountains, Taos, and greenery in general.

Mountains you'll have. Taos you'll gave. Greenery? Well, compared to the eastern plains and western deserts of New Mexico, Santa Fe is green. Compared to Vermont? You'll think you're in the desert. Santa Fe is really dry.

If you want to get a rough idea of what the area is like, go rent the old Lawrence Kasdan movie Silverado. It was filmed around Santa Fe. I think the Young Guns films were filmed around there, too, but sitting through those movies is kind of torturous.

I know I suffer from a certain amount of the grass is greener on the other side, but myself, I'd pick Vermont over New Mexico any day of the week. Yes, you'll get a milder winter in New Mexico, but you'll also be getting widespread poverty and high crime. The food is great though.

[Crackerjack]

I agree with Mark S., it is an expensive city so I hope you have the money to live there but if you have the money, it can be a great place to live. About the liberal part. I don't know what you mean by that. It you mean a democrat with a middle of the road type of belief then Santa Fe and NM are good for you but if you mean pro homosexual, pro abortion, ultra left, then NM is not in line with that as most are Catholic here and those are no-nos to the Pope. I know gays though who live in Santa Fe and Taos, so they live here and all but to think the whole state or even whole city is behind that, you will be surprised to see you aren't in the majority. Santa Fe has a lot of culture, art and such. You should rent a place, though it will be high, for a year and see if it is your forte and if not, no major harm done. If you want to live in a liberal city, Durango, Colorado is probably one of the most liberal in the area. It is just north of the N.M. border.

[la_leary]

Hey, thanks for the insight. I will visit at some point at least to check out the climbing. And you're right, the grass is always greener on the other side. I do like Vermont, but the weather can be sort of a downer. Long stretches of cruddy weather make me ancy. Anyway, it sounds like the key is to have lots of money and have lots of vacation homes.

[camesquibel]

If you do not move to Santa Fe, then you must visit in September for the burning of the Zozobra. It is one our favorite annual cultural traditions. It happens every year right before the state fair begins. We build a 30 foot puppet and light it on fire when the sun goes down. You can hear him scream when he is lit. Zozobra is Old Man Gloom and we burn him down to bring better luck.

[SAF150]

well if you want greenery head 35 MI NW to Los Alamos not a cactus in sight up there and plenty of mountains.

[Miami_Dan]

Hey La-Leary.....I grew up just South of you in 'Worsta' MA (Kilington rocks!). At 22 transfered to Arizona State; 14 years later I moved to South FLorida for a job (big mistake). 6 months ago I visited Santa Fe for the first time for +/- 2.5 weeks. I was on my mega 30,509 mile - year long road trip around the US.

As an avid outdoorsman, Santa Fe surprised the heck out of me. High Desert, species of trees including the Aspens seen in CO, mixed climate, alpine Lakes, ski mountains, rivers, culture, arts, etc.

As far as climbing, I know Jackson Hole WY & the Seirra Nevadas are meccas (and amazingly beautiful places), but a little redundant. In other words, in those environment you have to travel far to get out of that geographic element. Beautiful as they are (and by no means am I knocking those areas) I feel I would have to travel a very long distance to experience alternate geographical features.

Conversely one thing I really liked about Santa FE (SF) and the southern Rockies was this convergence of geographical elements. The high desert to the South (Albequrque/Taos); the Colorado feel to the North (actually right there at the Santa Fe ski area or further up to Durango), the Canyonlands to the West (Utah Moab and Grand Canyon AZ); hence places like SF at 7,000' elevations cross at those Latitudes in the US.

Check out my website link. I hiked a trail to Katherine Lake in the Pecos Nat. Forest North of SF. You will see the mountains there, more rubble than anything.

PECOS WILDERNESS - WINSOR TRAIL HIKE 6/10 not 6/11/08

Anyway, life is short...ever touched a 50 foot tall - 200 year old Suharo cactus?.......you can always move back to VT.

Peace On You!

[rybert]

Sounds like you've found what you were looking for all this time. What a great feeling.

[Xavious Orgus]

Miami_Dan,

That is one fantastic website! Incredible photography!!!!!!!

[Miami_Dan]

Hey XO - thanks so much. I had a great time putting it together for my family and friends to track my progress around the US (hooray Mac!). Santa Fe is a super cool place from what I experienced, BUT small.