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In a perfect world, you would own a nice house in the NM Tech area where there is a built-in rental for
a ( mature ) student. The student is for security when you are away, not to provide income ( so much ).
You could visit the house for a month twice a year with the spouse and on other occasions by yourself. You keep a motorcycle here.
You get to spend time in NM. Maybe spousal-unit will fall in love with NM, or, at least, make a firm decision on NEVER moving here(?)
The rental helps pay for the cost of coming back-and-forth, but would do little to help the house expense. Buying a fixer-upper could be an option.
Another possibility ( that I just thought of ) is to have the house be the summer destination for a Phoenix Snow-Bird. ( I'm just brain-storming here ...... )
That is a great idea, mortimer. A rental apartment would be ideal.
We found out from a friend of ours studying NM law that with a housesitter living for free on our property after X number of years (10?) that person could claim rights to our place. So after 8 years or whatever, we started charging minimal rent.
Yes! I don't like skiing on rocks! Crossing my fingers for the system moving in tonight/tomorrow.
The only snowbirds I know in NM live in Michigan and have a daughter in ABQ. They bought a house in downtown ABQ which they occupy in the winter. Their daughter handles renting it out the rest of the year. It works out great for them.
Based on the Weather Channel it looks like winter in NM. Snow in the mountains and rail in the valleys.
Next week our area is supposed to have rain, slush, snow and drizzle for a few days with the temperatures around freezing. Typical early winter in NH except it is about two weeks late.
Hi GregW,
I"ve read many of your posts on this forum but, for some reason, I never saw or read your snowbird thread. My lovely wife and I are (listen up, mortimer) committed snowbirds, traveling between NW Michigan and Mesilla NM, and have done so for 9 years.
We were not looking for orange trees in the back yard or poolside living in the winter months, but also didn't want to see snow more than a few times in one winter either. Mesilla works perfectly for us. I don't hate snow or cold weather, but I seriously dislike (after 53 winters) the endless cloud cover of our part of Michigan in winter. Here, near Las Cruces, I get sunshine most every day, moderate winter temps for a couple months, and a very early spring and a lovely late fall.
We arrive in very late October (Michigan is unforgettably beautiful until then) and usually depart for the Great Lakes State around the first of May when leaves are just popping in NW MI. It's perfect.
Until Michigan started it's Pure Michigan tourist campaign my friends in New Mexico couldn't understand why I'd go back to the midwest, but once they saw the beautiful images on the PM TV ads they realized why I had always regarded their expectations that we'd move to NM full time upon retiring as a joke. I wouldn't give up 78 degrees on the beautiful lakes during the summer anymore than I'd forgo New Mexico's sunshine in the winter.
We worked hard, saved our coin, and own our NM home. We don't rent it out when we're not here, as it's full of personal and precious possessions. We have a security system in the house to protect it, and have friends who do a walk thru once ever couple weeks and/or after big time weather events. On one occasion we had hail damage that our friend contacted us about and roof & skylight repairs were made, but normally all is peaceful and well.
Renting for a winter is not a bad idea at all...it just wasn't our choice. We like being close to Las Cruces but not in a subdivision, but rather in a real town with long-term local neighbors, who couldn't be nicer to us.
Snowbirdism works well for us, and I wish you luck with your similar adventure.
We could be considered snowbirds... BUT, my DH still farms in Illinois, so its here in the summer and winter. And I love it. I am staying here more now as I have a business in Timberon, Yes we get snow and cold, but it has never been like the IL winters. And as for the homes in both places, I have never had a worry. Neighbors know we are gone, and they keep an eye on it. The kids are in IL and go by the place a lot.
Call me crazy, but I am enjoying everything about NM.
The last couple of posts raise my hopes. Last night we had the "works" - freezing rain, sleet, snow turning into frozen slush. Ah, early winter in New England.
I do not mind driving in this stuff but I am wary of folks that do not have a clue about driving on very slippery roads on worn out four season radial tires.
When we get ready to try this I think I would talk with local realtors in Socorro
I am a scientist specializing in environmental studies. I would like to attend classes at one of the best universities in the country to learn what changes have happened in my line of study since I went to school 40 years ago. In the late 1960’s continental Drift was still a forbidden idea in Geology. Now it is called Plate Tectonics and a fundamental concept for all geological studies. My wife and I also like a college environment for the social and cultural opportunities that are available.
That is why Socorro.
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Socorro Temperature
