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We are likely going to be moving out of the state of GA within the next year or so and are strongly considering New Mexico. When we move, we will have one child in high school and one in college. My husband is sure that Rio Rancho is an embarrassment of a neighborhood mainly because his friend lies in ABQ and he and his wife don't like "tract homes". They would rather live in ABQ in an authentic home with some history to it. To them, Rio Rancho is just like how it was painted in the film "Glengarry Glen Ross" film. All sparkle. Little substance.
So here's my question: I've read that Corrales, NM is a good option as is La Cienega, NM. We will rent before buying wherever we land. I was just wondering if you all could suggest some areas to consider that would be appropriate for families who still have high-school aged members of the family.
I am a Social Worker, so of course employability is a big concern. My husband can work from home, so really it'd just be me that needs to make sure she can find a job.
Welcome to the NM forum. May I ask why you're considering NM? Your friend is encouraging you? Have you ever visited here?
Rio Rancho is a city in its own right, not a neighborhood. But it is essentially an extension of Albuquerque and part of the same metropolitan area. Much of Albuquerque is considered tract housing also. Most cities in the West consist of suburban sprawl with tract housing, designed for the automobile.
A lot of people have been moving here, so there is a housing crunch. If you're considering Corrales and La Cienega (the latter is closer to Santa Fe) it sounds like you have a healthy budget for housing. What about private school? What kind of neighborhoods and schools are you coming from in GA?
I would visit and see for yourself. Rio Rancho is your typical suburban town. Ever been to downtown Rio Rancho? It's in the middle of nowhere. Albuquerque is the big city of NM. Don't go off of what your friend says. Home is where you make it. If you want to live a commuter nightmare live in Rio Rancho. You could also get a very nice home in Rio Rancho too. If you want to be glued to your car live in in Rio Rancho. I'm sure that they're a lot of Social Services work. The pay will be shockingly low though. Here's some relocation info.
Rio Rancho is growing fast -- 3rd (or 2nd by now) largest city in NM and there are tract developments but very many custom homes as well, but they may not be affordable as prices are rising. There is a housing shortage in the metro area. The RR school system is independent from Albuquerque and very good. The city fathers (for some reason) decided to establish the city hall and civic auditorium in the northern part of the city hoping that businesses would follow. Some have. There is a hospital there. The city's densest development is close to the huge Intel facility and located near access to the bridges. It developed toward the west. The north part of the city, closest to Bernalillo, is built up as well. Rio Rancho and Corrales are all or mostly in Sandoval County. Albuquerque is in Bernalillo County.
Corrales (village) is wedged in between RR and ABQ and has a mix of housing -- old and new, some quite old. It is part of the Albuquerque school system. There is something of a community spirit with a full calendar of local events. There are apartments at the south edge of Corrales. There are some in Rio Rancho as well.
La Cienega is near Santa Fe so someone more familiar with that area might comment. It is near the airport and the El Rancho de las Golondrinas "living history" attraction.
Placitas is another community in Sandoval County near Albuquerque.
The statement "They would rather live in ABQ in an authentic home with some history to it" implies that they would probably like to be fairly close to downtown or the university. Remember that Albuquerque's population was less than 36,000 in 1940 and now is 562,599 so the majority of residences are newer homes and fewer with much history and that distinction comes with a price.
Rio Rancho is growing fast -- 3rd (or 2nd by now) largest city in NM and there are tract developments but very many custom homes as well, but they may not be affordable as prices are rising. There is a housing shortage in the metro area. The RR school system is independent from Albuquerque and very good. The city fathers (for some reason) decided to establish the city hall and civic auditorium in the northern part of the city hoping that businesses would follow. Some have. There is a hospital there. The city's densest development is close to the huge Intel facility and located near access to the bridges. It developed toward the west. The north part of the city, closest to Bernalillo, is built up as well. Rio Rancho and Corrales are all or mostly in Sandoval County. Albuquerque is in Bernalillo County.
Corrales (village) is wedged in between RR and ABQ and has a mix of housing -- old and new, some quite old. It is part of the Albuquerque school system. There is something of a community spirit with a full calendar of local events. There are apartments at the south edge of Corrales. There are some in Rio Rancho as well.
La Cienega is near Santa Fe so someone more familiar with that area might comment. It is near the airport and the El Rancho de las Golondrinas "living history" attraction.
Placitas is another community in Sandoval County near Albuquerque.
The statement "They would rather live in ABQ in an authentic home with some history to it" implies that they would probably like to be fairly close to downtown or the university. Remember that Albuquerque's population was less than 36,000 in 1940 and now is 562,599 so the majority of residences are newer homes and fewer with much history and that distinction comes with a price.
I had to go into Wikipedia for the bolded because I didn't believe it, but you were right. What's astonishing is that between 1940 to 1960, Albuquerque grew from your stated number to over 200,000. In 20 years.
I had to go into Wikipedia for the bolded because I didn't believe it, but you were right. What's astonishing is that between 1940 to 1960, Albuquerque grew from your stated number to over 200,000. In 20 years.
That is true of all the southwestern cities. In 1940 El Paso was about twice the size of Phoenix at 100K. Phoenix was 65K. Tucson and Albuquerque were small college towns. Las Vegas, NV had less than 10K population.
... so the majority of residences are newer homes and fewer with much history and that distinction comes with a price.
Well, in the "historic" parts of town there are still good deals with much of the housing needing work, and older houses tend to be small, with no garage, since they didn't have or need cars when they were built. Barelas, Martineztown, South Broadway neighborhoods are historic but not the best housing stock. Same in Old Town, Wells Park, and West Downtown. Not to mention the homelessness and higher crime (was that the "price" you were talking about?).
I guess it depends on how someone defines "historic."
I'm a preservationist and former city planner (not in ABQ). The actual historical footprint of Albuquerque is quite small and scattered. Barelas actually predates Albuquerque. There are some outstanding historical and classic residences but those do not come up for sale or else are unaffordable. There are some classic neighborhoods. The homeless problem is already driving people out of some long-established neighborhoods.
I was considering buying a nice craftsman-style fixer-upper that had been vacant for a few years. The pigeons had gotten into the house. The built-in wood cabinetry was gutted. Someone had stolen the hardwood floors and was trying to remove the pocket doors. The price was still too high. It has since been rehabbed, sort of, and dumbed down to look like a modern characterless apartment. The cost of doing the job right was prohibitive.
There are the Historic Protection Overlay Zones where any renovations have to adhere to historic standards, and with approval from the Landmarks Commission. I got to see the work a friend of mine was doing on a house in the Fourth Ward (west of Downtown), which needed a lot of rebuilding, both interior and exterior. I almost bought a house in Huning Highlands in livable condition, very affordable, did a lot of house-hunting in the area, but eventually decided against it. Some friends lived in a historic house in that neighborhood. They believed the neighborhood was going to be gentrifying more quickly, and were dissatisfied that it was slow-as-molasses.
Alas, our OP seems to have lost interest. Probably decided against moving as abruptly as she decided she wanted to move.
I can't believe no one mentioned all the dirt roads in Rio Rancho. Some of them are so bad, you can get stuck in the dirt - some of it has the consistency of sand.
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