? about living in Santa Fe area (Albuquerque, Las Cruces: homeowners insurance, high crime, hotel)

[brickboy240]

Greetings all!

My wife keeps getting job offers from a company in Santa Fe. Since they really want someone with her skills, the keep increasing the offer and now added payed moving expenses and a big sign on bonus. This makes a move to the Santa Fe area more tempting.

We live in Houston, Texas and are sick of the congestion, hellishly hot humid climate and the horrible traffic. I read your horror stories about crime in Albq. and laugh...you have not seen crime like we have. Nothing in NM could scare us. We are sick of Houston...its unbelievably crowded and not as inexpensive to live in as it was 10-15 years ago, either. The sprawl is unbelievable and it takes hours to navagiate this city and we're sick of it.

We have visited northern NM several times and always enjoyed it. The main thing that keeps us from moving to the Sanat Fe area is the fact that it appears to be very expensive to own a home there. Still, the cooks, maids, mechanics, hotel desk people and others that make "normal" middle class wages have to live somewhere, so I don't think we HAVE to spend 300 grand on a house.

Sooo...I have some questions about us moving to the Santa Fe area, as we are seriously considering it as the offer keeps getting better and our disgust over living in Houston grows...

Can we find a nice little 3 bedroom house in the Sanat Fe area for around 150-175 grand? We now live in a solidly middle class area...is this do-able? I don't mind driving in a little ways to work - the commutes in Santa Fe could not be nearly as long and miserable as Houston. Could we find a house like that and have maybe a 30 minute commute perhaps?

How about outlying areas like Loa Alamos or Espanola for housing? Again, I don't have to live right in town, if it means lower house prices.

What are the schools like in this area? Do you have to go private to get in a decent school in Santa Fe? (I hope not)

In the winter, do you have to have a 4WD vehicle to get around? We have two Volvo sedans and got rid of our 4x4 SUV and pick-up years ago due to the high gas prices. Will we be able to get around in January?

Most of the other things I can live with as far as Santa Fe goes. I am familair with the city and since I grew up in West Texas, I have a western atttitude and I think we'd fit right in. The housing and schools for my 7 year old daughter are my main concearns. I will not have a job right away, but I am college educated and have done several things, so I am not worried on that end. I am an economic conservative but socially I am fairly liberal and can get along with anyone.

We're fairly middle or the road people with some conservative and some liberal views, but don't sit firmly on either side of the political fence, really.

We do look foreward to living in a drier and cooler climate, living with less congestion and sprawl and getting away from the rat race pace of a large megaopolis like Houston. I think the setting and lifestyle change would benefit us emotionally and I would love for my daughter NOT to grow up in a crowded big city with all the crime and traffic and dangers.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

- Brickboy240

[Crackerjack]

Santa Fe is a nice city that is expensive to live in but if you can afford it, it is a nice place to live. I love out toward Pecos. More mountain type climate but really pretty. I wouldn't recommend Espanola. Los Alamos is nice too but it is a ways to drive. Your Volvos should be fine. The weather isn't harsh in the winter, there is some snow but it melts quickly. I hate Houston too. I visited there for a few weeks while my grandfather had surgery, (great hospitals there) and a man stole my grandmother's purse, snatched it right off her at the hotel. I couldn't wait to get out of there. SO HOT too. I live in Phoenix and I think this place is an oven but Houston is right next to it in heat. Good Luck on your move.

[Mark S.]

Santa Fe is the most expensive city in New Mexico. I would think you'd have a very hard time finding a 3-bedroom home in a decent neighborhood for under $300k, but I could be wrong. My advice: Call a local realtor and ask them. They should be able to get you a rough idea and offer some suggestions.

Santa Fe does have a rather high crime rate, but as you said, it's nothing compared to Houston.

You can definitely get around in the winter without a 4WD. Santa Fe definitely gets snow, but it's not like it's Montana or anything. If things get extraordinarily bad, people just stay indoors. It never lasts long. Most main roads are usually cleared within 12 hours.

I don't know about the schools. Sorry.

My advice: Santa Fe would definitely be a step up from Houston. A big step. But it isn't paradise.

[huntress-nm]

Your Volvos are fine, even if you wind up living on (some) dirt roads. And yes, you can find a home (albeit a bit of a tract type) in a safe, decent neighborhood. Espanola - no! Los Alamos - yes, but a bit of a commute and windy roads. My biggest warning to you is realtors. There are too many in Santa Fe and competence is not their strong suit as a rule. (Exceptions to exist, but.................and they really are much worse than elsewhere...)

[kaforeman]

If you're used to driving in Houston you probably wouldn't mind commuting from Albuquerque to Santa Fe, especially since there will be the RailRunner connecting the two places. You can probably find a fairly decent home in ABQ for the price range you quoted. Of course, I'm prejudiced because my husband and I love Albuquerque, but it really is within commuting distance and reasonably priced.

[pgkramm]

I would be surprised if you can find a decent place to live for under $200K in Santa Fe. Ditto for Los Alamos but for different reasons.

New Mexico public schools, in general, have a very bad reputation. Obviously, an individual school may be significantly better than the norm. However, the Los Alamos schools (no doubt because of how highly educated the parents are of the kids going there) are supposed to be the best in the state.

[roslein]

Hi We're in the same boat (job offer - don't know where to live if we take it). We're in Florida right now and are a little apprehensive about moving so far away. (Neither my husband nor I have ever been west of the Mississippi!)

How is the Rio Rancho area? It seems like houses are a bit more affordable, and I keep reading online about how great the schools are there. Are the schools decent in Rio Rancho? Are there things to do, especially for kids? How are the taxes and homeowners insurance in NM? (We are struggling with the insurance here in Florida, especially after the hurricanes!)

Also - what grocery stores are in NM? We have Publix, Albertson's Wal-Mart (of course). Where do you all shop?

Thanks so much!! (And sorry if I have seemed to hijack your thread - thought this stuff would help all of us "relocators")

[Chaparral]

Originally Posted by roslein

How is the Rio Rancho area? It seems like houses are a bit more affordable, and I keep reading online about how great the schools are there. Are the schools decent in Rio Rancho? Are there things to do, especially for kids? How are the taxes and homeowners insurance in NM? (We are struggling with the insurance here in Florida, especially after the hurricanes!)

Also - what grocery stores are in NM? We have Publix, Albertson's Wal-Mart (of course). Where do you all shop?

Generally speaking, most folks would consider the Rio Rancho schools superior to those in ABQ. Very nice school system. I don't know the full range of kids activities in RR, but I do know they have a decent indoor soccer and ice skating facility out there. I can't speak to Rio Rancho specifically, but I would think that insurance in central NM would be lower than Florida, but that is pure conjecture. Best to contact a local insurance agent.

As far as standard grocery shopping goes, ABQ/RR is served by Raley's, Smith's, Albertsons & Wal-Mart Supercenters. We also have Whole Foods, Wild Oats & Trader Joe's for organic/health foods. Additionally, we have 3 major shopping malls (the largest, Cottonwood, is right down the hill from RR), Target, Costco, Sam's Club and 2 new Kohl's stores opening later this year.

Sorry to assist in the hijacking of this thread!

Chap

[nmguy]

Excellent post, Chaparral.

One store that I might add, for those so inclined, is Trader Joe's in Albuquerque.

Although I've only been there once, it does make for interesting conversation.

[tito]

I wanted to move to Santa fe as my first choice because I'm an artist, but I was told by my realtor than the medium price for a regular size home was $450,000. So I gave up right there and went to look into Las Cruces where I bought something, not cheap but definitely under $450,000. Believe me, I have lived in Chicago and I tought that New Mexico was going to be a lot less expensive, but actually there is only a small difference. I should have bought something 20 years ago.