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THe roads are terrible, driving on these interstates in so depressing, usually nothing to see. Dont believe me take a road trip from Santa Fe to Ruidoso (yuck!) and then take a trip from Flagstaff via winslow, payson, show low, Globe, Mesa, Casa Grande, and then to Tucson (Wonderful).
Or better yet lets take the exciting arizona road trip on I-40 from Gallup to Flagstaff or another real thriller is I-10 from New Mexico/arizona state line all the way across the state of arizona to California.
Hi there,
I wanted to reply because my husband and I thought long and carefully about where we wanted to move and build our home for our future. We started looking in Las Vegas, when it was affordable and then we went to Arizona, he's sick of the cold (we've been in MA for our whole lives), he also will be retired military, so moving near an Air Force base was in the cards. We wanted a dry place for my allergies, anyway, we chose Alamogordo, NM. Why? We've got the Air Force Base and it's amenities for our use. Alamogordo is beautiful, since we first built our house, it's grown immensely. We won't be there for another 3 years, but the price was right and the location, well, we couldn't ask for a better view of the mountains and sunset. (see attached). We can't wait to move and live there. The weather year round is amazing. Arizona, we found too too hot and even the natives told us that they don't come out during the really hot months, it's too hot for them.
I lived for many many years in New York, then Scottsdale, and am now living in Albuquerque. Unless you absolutely hate the cold and an occasional snow, then definitely consider Albuquerque over Phoenix. Though I have some very fond memories living in Phoenix, the city has gotten terribly overcrowded, polluted, and completely ungracious. I think it has gone out of control (but probably once was a sleepy attractive city decades ago).
Albuquerque has always been a much underappreciated city, but it is a city with considerable character. Quirky at times, but full of flavor and character. Just big enough to be manageable still, but not overwhelming. People are very friendly and relaxed and easy going. Traffic is not a problem and there is very little road rage when compared to NYC or Phoenix.
Although it's not a trendy city like Santa Fe, the attractions of Santa Fe are close by. There is a lively cultural scene here with the mixed cultural traditions of anglo, hispanic, and Native American. And artists and writers priced out of Santa Fe are moving into Albuquerque.
It's not fair to compare it to the big cultural centers of the country like NY or San Francisco or Boston, etc. but you have to take the city on its own terms. It's not a cultural wasteland.
Crime is higher than it should be as it is throughout the Southwest , but violent crime is in decline and it is all somewhat localized. There are lots and lots of safe and very pleasant areas in the city, great neighborhoods to raise a family.
The job situation is improving, more diversity of opportunities.
And the city is growing and prospering, but not hurtling into the future like Phoenix.
I've lived in Calif the last 40 years...San Diego...prior had lived in NM for 4 years...lived in Phoenix in the 90's for 7 years.......let me put it simply...if you want the billions and billions of people on top of you...move to Phoenix...if 115-120 degrees in the summer works for you...go to Phoenix..,.if you like smog go to Phoenix...
On the other hand...as my Mom once said (we came to NM from Kansas) New Mexico is God's country....The flavor of Albuquerque is so different....people talk to you easily, people are so friendly, people here show and interest in you and do things for you...the changes in the weather and the skies and the Sandia Mountains are like having the best seat at you own drive in theater with a beautiful picture showing all the time, you have true 4 seasons here..actual turning leaves in the fall, touch of snow in the winter, and what a great place to raise kids....in the out of doors....not on concrete slabs and at the circle k's or 7 11's like in phx and ca.............
My best girlfriend and my brother both live in Phoenix. I went for a visit last year and it took me over an hour to get from the east side to the west side of that mammoth population....takes 20 minutes over here to go cross town...and lastly.......if you don't fall in love with the New Mexico food you're nuts. Even all the years I lived in California I always imported my Chili Powders from New Mexico.........
Last word of advice.....should you decide on Albuquerque.....stay away from the west side..........Rio Rancho and north is densly populated with all the newer homes on smaller lots and restrictions as to how much of a patch of grass you can plant in your front yard. I live in the NE Heights which has always held it's value and we have real yards and large lots.
I moved back here almost 2 years ago.........I wake up feeling rejuvenated and alive in this city..........in Phoenix I went to bed every night worrying if I could survive the next days heat and making sure I had my A/C ready to go in my car by March......by the way...reason I lived in Phoenix those years is my father retired there from Colorado and he was ill with Parkinson's for several years...he passed and my stepmother lived a few years longer with Alzheimer's. Once she was gone...I was gone...
The heat in Phoenix is not my Cup of Tea but New Mexico is the Land of Enchantment with Wonderful people. I suggest renting or renting to own if you like a place and exploring New Mexico for a few months or years before buying where you want to Settle for the Rest of your life possibly. Ive been all over N.M. and the East Mountain Area half hour from Albuquerque is a Great Area with lots of Activities in the Summer and Fall and lots of Friendly People and Small Towns and little Congestion. The mountains for hiking and skiing are close by and Santa Fe and the temps and snow in that area is great if you like Summers where it Rarely gets to 100 degrees but at night they can get in the 40s. First snow in the East Mountain are is in October and the last one the end of May and temps sometimes can get to 0 or below but its rare. Rio Rancho is getting real Congested and sometimes it can take half an hour or more to get into Albuquerque from there when the Traffic is Bad. East Mountain Telegraph and the Independent are two newspapers from that Area. Moriarty and Estancia used to have good Schools also and i myself prefer living away from the Trees and mountains because of Forest Fires and wild Animals like bears and mountain lions. I like going into the East mountain area and now they have a Wal mart and walgreens and Smith at Edgewood. Buy west of 41 if you like that area the Water is better West of 41 then east. Water is about 150 feet down. el pintada kid
The Thing to remember about moving to N.M. rent before you buy and explore N.M. for a Few months or years because N.M. is a wonderful place to live most anywhere. From the Center of N.M. to the Northern Part we get snow and rare 20 below or Colder Temps in the Winter. First Snow in the Center of N.M. is in October the last one the end of May. Temps in the center of N.M. rarely get to 100 in the summer and night temps get in the 40s sometimes and we have a Dry Climate rarely Humid. From the Center of N.M. to the Southern half the Temps are 10 15 or even 20 degrees warmer and they get snow but it doesnt stay on the Ground long. Places with warm Weather are Roswell which is a nice place with low prices on real estate and its my favorite place i go there a couple of times a month. You Have Choices of Las Cruces and Alamogordo also as far as warm weather goes. el pintada kid
Phoenix is one of the last places I would ever consider moving,Im just glad that everyone else from all the other states are moving to Phoenix and leaving other places in the southwest uncrowded,Phoenix is too spread out,the heat sucks,too many people,too many crazy and rude drivers and not much there that a smaller city dosent have,I think everything in Albuquerque is alot more conviently located and easier to get to.You have most everything you need all on one major street.If you were to compare Denver with Phoenix you would actually see how much Phoenix dosent even compare to a real city.
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New Mexico over Arizona
