Commuting to Sandia Labs (Albuquerque, Rio Rancho: real estate, high crime, house)
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Southern coastal state, yep. Husband has been a software engineer for many years, I've been working/teaching at universities, we don't have kids, our parents are still relatively healthy and independent, and we do have old used cars, so we've been able to save a lot. We were trying to move to the Boulder area before making this decision, so we were prepared to spend a ton on housing. Having grown up lower middle class in the Midwest (cornfields for me, rust belt for him), we are pretty weirded out about the prospect of living in a fancy house in the desert in Placitas, but I expect we'll get over it--though I was hoping not to be considered part of a hated invasion, the way people from California seem to be in CO (where I've been for the last academic year; husband is still back East). I'll be looking for work, and I know it may not be easy to find. We wouldn't have moved without one of us having a good job already. I admire people who have the guts to choose that when they've got other alternatives, or to survive it when they don't, but it's more of a risk than I'd willingly take. If y'all have ideas about how we could do good in the local community rather than harm (other than "don't move here"), I'd be glad to hear them. And if you were hoping to make me really sad about not fitting in, mission accomplished!
Squeakycats - I was totally kidding. I have a horse in the race, but, I'm a medical worker way down by the border in a smallish town of 38,000 people called Alamogordo. You guys will love it in New Mexico! I grew up in Edmonds, a suburb town of Seattle. Seattle has priced me out, it's so expensive, and it's so crowded with people. Seattle is in King County, and it is now said that approximately 1,000 people move in to King County every day now!
Plus, because of the city's liberal viewpoint, they don't want to turn away the homeless campers. It is one of the West Coast city's that welcome drug-addicted people to live. They don't work, they don't pay rent or a mortage, they just live in tents all over the city. Sad, Providence, Rhode Island, now has a plan in place where these addicted people are arrested, put in jail and literally forced to dry out and become clean. But, they don't just leave them. They get them ready to go to work. And, if they become addicted again, they get thrown back in jail. Perfect! Seattle needs to wise up and learn from Providence, RI.
No, you'll be happy in New Mexico. Some others with knowledge of your area of New Mexico are going to have to chime in because I'm real ignorant of the northern tethers of New Mexico. I know that Albuquerque is a great resource, a large city, but, a decent city I think. Good ta have for car purchases or for roaming a record store or something. Other than that I'm happy I'm not living in Albuquerque. But I'd rather have the one large city in New Mexico than not have it.
Didn't know all of that about Seattle! It's such a unique and special place that I can easily see why folks would want to go there, but that situation sounds unsustainable. Hope you are enjoying Alamogordo It's been fun reading here about all of the different areas and towns; it seems like NM is a very diverse state with something for just about everybody.
I admire people who have the guts to choose that when they've got other alternatives, or to survive it when they don't, but it's more of a risk than I'd willingly take.
Sorry, but people with a $700k housing budget don't live "risky" lives.
If you want to make a good impression on NM, do your part to give where it matters: contribute to local charities, mentor and teach local kids so that they acquire skills that will help them get good jobs, use your money to start a business and employ local people, etc.
Don't just go in, buy the expensive home and live the "good" life at the expense of everyone else. That's not cool.
Don't listen to people who don't actually live in Albuquerque. People in Albuquerque are very welcoming and friendly to people who move here from other areas of the country. As for helping the community, you don't have to do anything other than live your life and be as good a person as you can be. If you want to donate or volunteer, then excellent, but it's not more required here than any other place and it is certainly not a requirement in order to be welcomed into the community. Albuquerque is not an entirely destitute town unlike what some are trying to portray. As a low income person myself, I can tell you that I don't begrudge others for their success and having $700,000 housing budgets. Albuquerque is the kind of place where even lower income people like myself donate or volunteer in charitable endeavors. The heart of Albuquerque is in the right place and that's why the city is special.
Sorry, but people with a $700k housing budget don't live "risky" lives.
If you want to make a good impression on NM, do your part to give where it matters: contribute to local charities, mentor and teach local kids so that they acquire skills that will help them get good jobs, use your money to start a business and employ local people, etc.
Don't just go in, buy the expensive home and live the "good" life at the expense of everyone else. That's not cool.
Bringing out-of-state money to an economy that needs it is hardly "at the expense of everyone else." A ridiculous thing to say. Most folks don't tell other people how to spend their money or spend their time.
Oh, I get it about coming in and not contributing anything substantive; agreed that that's not cool and could be all too easy to slide into. It helps that we did not grow up in the world of $700,000 housing budgets. This time where I don't yet have a job is going to be weird, but it's also a great opportunity to figure out where I could be useful. I was already planning to work with veterans--I found the "Sandoval Signpost" newsletter online and saw that there's some kind of gathering twice a month (in Bernalillo, I think?) where, if the organization accepts volunteers, I could help with resumes, cover letters, and practice interviewing. And I'm sure the schools have a variety of programs--if any of you all know of particular places where a writing coach might be useful, could you message me? I haven't done much work with children, but I've done a ton with college students and could help with application essays for sure. My husband is hoping to do some kind of tutoring to help kids get into STEM fields. I think Sandia actually offers community service leave--seems like they are trying, and we will, too. It makes me really happy to hear that "the heart of Albuquerque is in the right place and that's why the city is special"--thanks, @abqAlex! That's just about the nicest thing anybody could say about a city. Everyone has been very friendly when we've visited. Folks here in the Boulder area have been kind, too, but the town has a surreal feel about it--nearly everyone is thin, white, and extremely fit. I'm living in Westminster, which is a little more down to earth, but it was kind of a relief to go to restaurants in ABQ and see more of a range of people...
Don't listen to people who don't actually live in Albuquerque. People in Albuquerque are very welcoming and friendly to people who move here from other areas of the country.
This is true, but in general I have a problem with richer people moving into poorer areas (gentrification and that sort of thing) which affects things in ways that make it difficult for the local people.
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As for helping the community, you don't have to do anything other than live your life and be as good a person as you can be.
Bull. Somebody with that kind of money has a reponsibility to the community.
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Albuquerque is the kind of place where even lower income people like myself donate or volunteer in charitable endeavors.
You shouldn't be doing that. People with money, like the OP, are the ones that need to be doing this.
Bringing out-of-state money to an economy that needs it is hardly "at the expense of everyone else." A ridiculous thing to say.
It usually has a negative impact on local people. Look at what's happened to Oakland and similar places where gentrification has occurred, resulting in, among other things, forcing local people to move out of an area that they, and their families, had been in for generations. There's even a NFL football player, I can't remember his name, who has been so upset by this that he started buying apartment buildings in Oakland (his home town) so that he could let local people continue to live there.
It usually has a negative impact on local people. Look at what's happened to Oakland and similar places where gentrification has occurred, resulting in, among other things, forcing local people to move out of an area that they, and their families, had been in for generations. There's even a NFL football player, I can't remember his name, who has been so upset by this that he started buying apartment buildings in Oakland (his home town) so that he could let local people continue to live there.
This discussion is about Albuquerque, New Mexico, not your Oakland, California...
The Topic of Discussion is "Commuting to Sandia Labs"...
That is just your worthless opinion about Oakland, California... "Gentrification is a process of renovating deteriorated urban neighborhoods by means of the influx of more affluent residents."
This has nothing to do with a "NFL football player" which you can not remember their name.
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It's been fun reading here about all of the different areas and towns; it seems like NM is a very diverse state with something for just about everybody.
