Relocating in 4 weeks, looking for a rental, advice and suggestions (Albuquerque: extended stay, apartments)
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I'm going to be relocating to Albuquerque in roughly a month with my dog, two cats and my significant other. He is accepting a job at UNM and I am in the process of getting a job there as well. I am coming from Cincinnati, Ohio and have never visited Albuquerque though I have been looking for quite some time.
We have located a few places near the campus in our price range but have found some cheaper downtown. What is the area like near the BioPark, particularly around Lead Avenue? I currently live in a densely populated area (though not downtown) and I am used to the small crime and the occasion panhandling. Is the area good for walking?
Is it customary here that landlords will allow you to break up the deposit instead of one large sum? With our pets the up front amount will be a bit out of our reach as we have many other costs associated with the relocation. Here many property owners will allow tenants to pay it over 3-5 months.
I am also looking for suggestions on things to do to experience the city and to meet people. We will be alone in New Mexico. We hope to start hiking and enjoying parks with our husky mix. We also play a lot of video games and table top gaming. Bars and nightlife isn't really interesting but I like to visit history spots and love trying new food.
Congratulations on his job at UNM and your upcoming move to ABQ! Lead Avenue is a mixed bag between downtown and biopark, with rundown but cute little duplexes mixed in with nice old bungalows and some new construction. You are basically downtown, which is a bit sketchy at night.
The neighborhood is much much cuter at least six blocks north (beautiful craftsman houses) or at least six blocks east (Albuquerque Country Club neighborhood, which reminds me of modest parts of Beverly Hills).
Uptown is also newly walkable because they've built and are continuing to build some very nice new shopping centers (ABQ Uptown and Winrock) that mimic walkable neighborhoods.
I've made lots of friends in Albuquerque through meetup.com groups. Surprisingly easy to make friends in Albuquerque. People are humble and nonjudgy.
The neighborhood is much much cuter at least six blocks north (beautiful craftsman houses) or at least six blocks east (Albuquerque Country Club neighborhood, which reminds me of modest parts of Beverly Hills).
Correction – I meant to say Albuquerque Country Club neighborhood is about 6 blocks WEST
I think I am leaning toward the UNM area especially with coffee shops.
What is the area just north east of the airport like, particularly around Claremont? I can't tell if that's considered close to south UNM or not. Wish I had the time and money to visit before picking a place.
I'm really looking forward to the new culture. I'll check out the meetup for sure.
I'm not familiar with a Claremont near the airport. Do you have a cross street or address?
I usually tell people that for an urban person, crime in Albuquerque is so mild but that it need not factor in to where you live in most cases. This is particularly true for areas north of the 40 freeway, which is most of Albuquerque. The exception is for cases like yours, where you are looking for bargains in older areas around Central Avenue because most crime in Albuquerque is concentrated in certain pockets East of San Mateo Ave., both along Central Avenue and just northeast of the airport.
Fortunately, things are much better West of San Mateo Ave., especially around elegant Ridgecrest Drive. It's one of my favorite neighborhoods anywhere, and I'm writing this today from Palo Alto, California, where I split my time.
Last edited by Poncho_NM; 01-19-2015 at 12:04 PM..
I think I am leaning toward the UNM area especially with coffee shops.
What is the area just north east of the airport like, particularly around Claremont? I can't tell if that's considered close to south UNM or not. Wish I had the time and money to visit before picking a place.
I'm really looking forward to the new culture. I'll check out the meetup for sure.
Enchanted Park area? Claremont Avenue and Chelwood Park Blvd area? Way Northeast of the airport. Almost to Tramway. Candelaria and Juan Tabo is a major intersection. That's a nice/decent area.
I think I am leaning toward the UNM area especially with coffee shops.
What is the area just north east of the airport like, particularly around Claremont? I can't tell if that's considered close to south UNM or not. Wish I had the time and money to visit before picking a place.
I'm really looking forward to the new culture. I'll check out the meetup for sure.
I live west of Downtown and walk to numerous coffee shops, here are some less than a mile from my house and, for the most part, an easy walk.
- Java Joe's
- Flying Star Downtown
- The Brew
- Espresso Fino
- Zendo
- Starbucks
There's a few others but they're a little harder to walk to from Lead without needing to cross Central at unpleasent places. Of course the coffee shops near UNM have a lot more students than the ones downtown.
Be careful with rentals on Chelwood Park. That road has more bad pockets than good areas. The UNM area off Central and off Lomas, between UNM and Presby Hospital is pretty neat, IMO.
OP, is there anyway you can come down and stay in an extended stay hotel for a week or three while you look? Many are pet friendly. I stayed at the Studio 6 on Osuna, just off I-25/San Mateo. Good area and easy to explore from. Pet friendly.
You're in for some culture shock, moving here from Ohio, and there is so much variety in neighborhoods that you might like the city overall much better from Day One if you can rent in an area you've seen firsthand and like. Especially since you haven't visited here first.
What is your price range, and will you need public transportation? We might be able to recommend good areas with a little more info.
Enchanted Park area? Claremont Avenue and Chelwood Park Blvd area? Way Northeast of the airport. Almost to Tramway. Candelaria and Juan Tabo is a major intersection. That's a nice/decent area.
We would like to stay under $900 for now. The hard part is having a fenced in yard. My dog is pretty active and doesn't care for other dogs. We have actually been looking further out the last few evenings particularly in Los Lunas and toward Edgewood. We are both more accustomed to a 30-40 minute drive. All of the space for the price is nice. Do you have any suggestions heading out in those directions?
I came from Ohio myself a year and a half ago. It'll be a shock. Some good, some bad.
Also, rents (for houses) are higher overall than for similar properties in Ohio. Apartments? Don't know. But I do think you get less for your money housing-wise in ABQ than in Ohio. All part of the trade-off.
But welcome aboard. No Skyline Chili locations here, but they'll ship to you, right? ;-)
You'll also love ABQ's numerous dog parks. North Domingo Baca dog park in northern ABQ is terrific, in a great neighborhood. We don't live there but we always stop out there with our little dog, sometimes even later at night. Bring that dog out and get it socialized!
Best of luck.
Last edited by kpl1228; 01-20-2015 at 04:21 PM..
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