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We looked at Mariposa way back in 2007. It was supposed to be a planned community, somewhat exclusive, of custom-built homes on spacious lots. The terrain was a bit hilly and picturesque -- not flat with a grid layout. My wife's reaction was that we were driving to the planet Jupiter. There were a lot of amenities planned or already in place. I liked the concept, but it is quite far out and isolated. We looked elsewhere.
Time passed and the great recession hit, and the Mariposa development went through a long court struggle. The result was (as I recall) the unsold lots were somehow salvaged by other developers who came in and built standard subdivision-style homes at higher density. I drove through there a year or so ago just out of curiosity and there was a mix of high-density standard subdivision homes and the remnants of the original custom home/planned community scheme. It still is isolated. It is 12 miles to the nearest interstate access and closest bridge over the Rio Grande to the east side. The closest hospital is about 8 miles. It's 23 miles to Trader Joe's!
I suspect that someone else might have better or more recent knowledge of the details of the settlement and what the Mariposa plan is now.
Thank you all for the great advice. I now have a better understanding of the area and its development.
As someone relocating from out of state, it would likely take too much time to buy land and build a house. However, I agree with all of you that that would be the best way to go for someone living in ABQ.
On Zillow, I have found many new constructions, such as gated communities, in the northwest areas. In particular, the area with a lot of greens (Taylor Ranch, Mariposa, Boca Negra, Volcano) seem to be 87120, at least from google maps.
Does anyone have experience living there, specifically regarding:
- safety
- proximity to stores
- general vibe of the area
Thank you in advance, as always!
There is nothing really wrong with renting for a year in a nice home/neighborhood. That gives you time to find the right place to buy or build a house. This might be especially a good idea if you haven't spent much time in Albuquerque, or even never visited. The only hassles are you have to move your stuff twice, and maybe your kids have to change schools. That is a lot less hassle than if you find out a year after buying you bought in the wrong place and wish/need to live somewhere else in the area.
As a minimum.... before you move hop on a plane, rent a car, and drive around the metro area.
There is nothing really wrong with renting for a year in a nice home/neighborhood. That gives you time to find the right place to buy or build a house. This might be especially a good idea if you haven't spent much time in Albuquerque, or even never visited. The only hassles are you have to move your stuff twice, and maybe your kids have to change schools. That is a lot less hassle than if you find out a year after buying you bought in the wrong place and wish/need to live somewhere else in the area.
As a minimum.... before you move hop on a plane, rent a car, and drive around the metro area.
Yes, that's a great point that I have taken into consideration. However, the rental market in the area has much less inventory. It seems like everyone either buys an existing property or builds their own.
I will be traveling there next month, so this thread is really helpful in figuring out where to focus my search.
I was also looking to rent a loft or high-end apartment, but it appears there aren't many available. "The Lofts at Albuquerque High" seem to be the only ones available at the moment and the "Allegro at Tanoan" seems to be a nice community, although a little outdated.
Why are you against existing properties? That would open up so many more options. You really need to do your research into builders when shopping for new construction. Because of supply chain issues and increased costs of construction materials, new construction has faced major obstacles and slow-downs around the country, as you've likely heard, and demand is pent-up.
If going the rental route, I'd consider renting a house in one of your preferred areas before choosing one of the large apartment complexes like Allegro at Tanoan. They are run often by out-of-state management companies and just don't care about the residents.
The Lofts at Abq. High are nice, but this is considered a "high crime" area, and it's mainly because it's a higher-density area with lots of activity and people traveling through. I've never had any problems there although panhandling is common. You wouldn't want a unit facing Central Ave. If you try this area first, then you will find the rest of the city very sleepy and tranquil by comparison.
And you've used the term "upscale." Albuquerque is a very "downscale" city. People either like or don't like our unpretentiousness. The pretentious people gravitate to Santa Fe. This will also take some getting used to. A gated community like Tanoan (or Four Hills), with a country club, is seen as snooty by most other residents. The city is "rough around the edges" and there are those of us who love it for that reason, and others avoid it for that reason.
If you are open to an existing home, I think the Primrose Pointe subdivision would suit your needs. The homes have green lawns, there is a neighborhood park and walking trails, and while it's not gated, it has private security patrols. There are no available homes within your price range currently, but homes in that neighborhood in your price range pop up from time to time so I would keep my eye out.
There is only one home available currently. It's above your price range but could give you an idea of the type of home available and if the neighborhood is right for you:
If you are open to an existing home, I think the Primrose Pointe subdivision would suit your needs. The homes have green lawns, there is a neighborhood park and walking trails, and while it's not gated, it has private security patrols. There are no available homes within your price range currently, but homes in that neighborhood in your price range pop up from time to time so I would keep my eye out.
There is only one home available currently. It's above your price range but could give you an idea of the type of home available and if the neighborhood is right for you:
Thank you, this place looks great. I am mostly using advice from this forum to determine which areas to further investigate with realtors, but I greatly appreciate your input
Essentially, I am attempting to identify the nicest (we can avoid using the term "upscale") and safest neighborhoods in Albuquerque and its surrounding areas. Thus far, areas such as Sandia Heights, Tanoan, and High Desert appear to be good options to explore.
To be clear, I am trying to avoid neighborhoods that could potentially lead to situations similar to the one described in today's LA Times article, which discusses the deadly fentanyl scourge in a New Mexico town north of Santa Fe: https://www.latimes.com/world-nation...ew-mexico-town
Please note that this article does not specifically refer to Albuquerque and I am also aware that there are dangerous areas in every city - downtown LA is infamous for its terrible neighborhoods and maybe Albuquerque is much better than what is described in the article.
However, my search for a peaceful and secure neighborhood in Albuquerque, possibly with enhanced security from a gated community paid security or police patrol cars assigned to it, is to try to prevent occurrences like the one described in the following quote from that article:
"I was here last night when my fiance called and told me someone was trying to break into our house. He was at the windows."
I was in San Francisco last year and saw people shooting up in public. This is everywhere. Our country is in a mental health crisis. The article seems like Los Angeles pointing out the speck in the eye of Española while not noticing the log in its own. And certainly privileged rich kids in nice neighborhoods are hardly immune to addiction and overdose.
We live in a country where children get shot regularly in classrooms. And adults don't take steps which would prevent this. How can we as adults expect to live in safety, when we fail to protect our children?
The quote from the article you bolded could describe Anywhere, USA.
I was in San Francisco last year and saw people shooting up in public. This is everywhere. Our country is in a mental health crisis. The article seems like Los Angeles pointing out the speck in the eye of Española while not noticing the log in its own. And certainly privileged rich kids in nice neighborhoods are hardly immune to addiction and overdose.
We live in a country where children get shot regularly in classrooms. And adults don't take steps which would prevent this. How can we as adults expect to live in safety, when we fail to protect our children?
The quote from the article you bolded could describe Anywhere, USA.
Unfortunately and very sadly, you are perfectly right. I saw the bad realities you described in both LA and SF with my own eyes. The good thing is that I now know which neighborhoods to avoid in both cities. So, I am trying to gather similar information about ABQ.
You will be fine, of course, because your budget means you won't be buying in a low-income neighborhood. The only neighborhoods to avoid are ones you would automatically pass up because you won't find houses in your range. So that takes care of it. Find a neighborhood of higher-end houses like you can afford, and your neighbors will have similar preferences and desire for safety.
Don't worry, be happy!
I lived for almost 20 years in the 87108 zip code, and never had a problem. Sometimes I inadvertently left the house unlocked at night, or even a door open, or the garage door open (even once for a weekend when I was away), and nothing was touched, not even bicycles. I was a little insulted, actually.
I was in San Francisco last year and saw people shooting up in public. This is everywhere. Our country is in a mental health crisis. The article seems like Los Angeles pointing out the speck in the eye of Española while not noticing the log in its own. And certainly privileged rich kids in nice neighborhoods are hardly immune to addiction and overdose.
We live in a country where children get shot regularly in classrooms. And adults don't take steps which would prevent this. How can we as adults expect to live in safety, when we fail to protect our children?
The quote from the article you bolded could describe Anywhere, USA.
Solution: armed police officers in every school. If members of Congress have this treatment, then sure as hell the future (children) of this country deserve the same.
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