How are the towns of Questa & Carson?

[Broke Brenda]

I've got some real info on Questa. It is pretty but NOT a place to make a living! We all live near poverty level here. We invested our life savings in a business in Questa 9 years ago, and it went under. The politicians here are wicked and they will make you go broke if you are not a Native. They will put you off with lies and the "Manana" attitude. And keep in mind, most of the population in Questa are Hispanic and relatives, and they are very clannish. We are so broke we can't afford to move. As Anglos we were better off in Red River, even though it might be a little "redneck". The schools here in Questa are terrible and they just "pass them through the system" and your child will be left behind. If you are Anglo, your kids will get picked on and abused. The best schools are the Charter schools in Red River and Angel Fire. The dirt roads in Questa are horrible and they only get plowed or graded once every 4 years when it is time for elections. Your vehicle will require a ton of maintenance.The only grocery store in Questa is a rip-off. Try paying $5.60 for a gallon of milk. Economy here sucks, with low income and high cost of living. They don't call this the Land of Entrapment for nothing. If you are Anglo, Christian or conservative, move to Angel Fire or Red River. If you are Hispanic then you may be ok in Questa, but watch your back. Taos has more to offer with shopping. You'll love it there if you are a Liberal nut or New Age. There is only one Wal-Mart in Taos County, and it is NOT a Super-Walmart! For internet there is DSL in Questa through the Telecom company in Taos. There is only one hospital in the area and it is in Taos. If you move to Questa get ready for the Pioneer lifestyle and be ready to do without a lot of things unless you come with supplies. If you don't live near easy access to pavement, then get ready to be stranded in snow storms. Do NOT invest your money in that village. It will suck you bone dry, and it is not very "user friendly". It is pretty here but very depressing not being able to put enough food on the table. We live on one meal a day because of the high cost of groceries. Gas is also sky high in this area. Your best shopping deals are about 70 miles away in Alamosa Colorado. So give this some thought... How do you leave NM with a million bucks??? Come with 10!

[Jade Calldero]

Dont' do it Questa has a drug problem that is huge! Outsiders are not welcome and your kids will hate it! Not even the churches are very welcoming! Winters are terrible!

[GregW]

OP -

Before you do much more use Google and Google Street view to recon the area. Then get all the information you can from the state and local chamber of commerce websites and buy a copy of the "New Mexico Road and Recreation Atlas" by Benchmark Maps.

I have been studying New Mexico for a few years looking for a place to retire. Questa or anywhere north of Albuquerque, is not on the list. We live in New Hampshire and moving to a colder place would be absurd. The Northern new Mexico mountains can get very cold in the winter. From what I have been reading Chama might be a better choice and, as you would be looking for work, Taos even better. The night sky from Taos is spectacular. I have read that trhe Taos school system is better than most.

Before you move have a job arranged. Law enforcement is pretty universal and you would want a place with enough money that people actually redesign their interiors instead of shopping in used furniture shops. In any case take some time to really investigate the area.

Good luck and please keep us informed about your adventure.

[Towanda]

This is a very old thread. It was started in 2007 - going on FIVE years ago, and the OP has not posted since then.

I wonder what the outcome was and where NM Bound decided to live, or if she even moved to New Mexico as planned.

[mortimer]

Originally Posted by GregW

OP - Before you do much more use Google and Google Street view to recon the area.

Originally Posted by Towanda

This is a very old thread. It was started in 2007

Was there even such coverage in 2007? I don't think so.
We moved into our house in mid-2007 and don't remember checking
if it had our adress mapped correctly until, maybe, 2009.

Yeah, you have to be a real dork not to check google street view "how's it like" questions these days.

If you street view Carson, you get a barren road, but just W of there, is a friggin' post office!

Addendum: It was launched on May 25, 2007, originally only in several cities in the United States.
Now you can street view places where I lived in Taiwan and Japan.