Had enough of Maine and want to move... (Albuquerque, Las Cruces: school, living in)
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If your pockets are reasonably deep and can afford it you can "steal" a home down near Harlingen, Texas. Not far from South Padre Island and you'll never have to worry about the winters ever again. My brother has lived down there for about 35 years and only had one significant hurricane to deal with. I visited with him recently and it was "paradise." It is flat, however, where he lives. That might be a turn-off.
I anticipate a lot of people will want to abandon the NE. This winter was ridiculous to put it mildly. We didn't see the ice or snow where I live but it was still plenty cold. I simply couldn't put up with it at my age where we used to live in Missouri. A few ice storms and 2 foot snowfalls will do that to one.
I see Arkansas popped up four times in your list. That might be a clue. Plenty of mountains and lakes if that is what you like. Some of it is just stunning to drive through. This will be our final stop before we check out.
rruff.. Where are you located?
I am currently a substance abuse counselor. I work with teens with addictions. I have also worked with Alzheimer patients.
Ruidoso. NE of Alamogordo.
Best to come out for a look, and research the job prospects. Use the resources on this site also.
IMO this is the worst tome of year in much of the state since it is dry and windy generally. We get most of our rain in July-Sept.
You might like TorC even though it is desert. It's a funky mix of old hippies and retired people and a bunch of other things. Low budget town. I like it. It has a big lake, the Rio Grande goes through it, and it is near the Gila Forest which is very nice.
Alas.. My pockets are pretty shallow these days.
It bloody snowed again today. Jeez it's depressing.
I have been pouring over info for NM over the last few days. And it's looking more and more likely that I will be heading south west within the next couple of months. I have nothing to lose and nothing holding me here anymore. No house to sell, just a month to month rented apartment.
I'll probably be driving down. Me, my dogs and whatever I can fit in my car. Which won't be a lot.
I probably should come for a visit first but it seems the world is my oyster right now. I am free to go wherever I want.
I will be doing a lot of serious thinking over the next few weeks as to where I want to end up. I will have a little money to keep me going for a couple of months too.
I should get a map of NM and throw a dart at it whilst blindfolded and head there. lol
Any other advice or tips would be gratefully received
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocatah
I'd like to be in a rural area if possible, within a 20 mile radius of a city.
You may consider Los Lunas, it's a small town with some farming, a river bosque grove of trees, and there's a lot of open space around it and it's about 20 miles south of Albuquerque. There's also the East Mountain communities of Tijeras, Edgewood, and Cedar Crest east of Albuquerque which has more greenery with ponderosa pine forests. One thing you really come to appreciate in New Mexico is all the elbow room, and the SKIES. You'll never see skies in New England like you do out here, the most amazing clear blue skies, and frequently. When I go back east and visit I feel hemmed in by all the trees. Out here you see the horizon with epic sunsets.
Last edited by Champ le monstre du lac; 03-22-2014 at 11:00 PM..
I suggest looking at Socorro, about 60 miles south of Albuquerque, the home of NMT university. Of all the places we have investigated we like this town most.
If you thought this winter was bad so far just wait to tomorrow and Wednesday. Nor'easter coming.
T or C certainly isn't forested. No trees at all really. However within an hour you can be in some nice forests. It also isn't really close to a large town.
I can't think of any place in New Mexico that fits all the criteria that you have mentioned. However there are some great little towns there.
T or C is ok but it is kind of tacky. Ruidoso is nice but kind of touristy (but is in the forest). Alamogordo is 15-20 minutes from the forest and a little bigger community.
Silver City and Socorro are lovely college towns with temperate weather and are 10-15 minutes from forests. Socorro is better located but Silver is more upscale and trendy.
The Los Cruces area is about 200K and is about 45 minutes from El Paso. It is sort of a poor man's Tucson, Az.
In Northern NM you have the afore mentioned Albuquerque and it's suburbs, upscale trendy capitol city Sante Fe, Espanola. I've always liked the little college town of Las Vegas but for some reason others don't.
Then there are the four corners cities of Farmington and Cortez that a lot of people like but it is a long haul to anywhere.
Lot's of neat towns to check out with your pooches.
If I were you, I would come out to Allbuquerque and strike out from there. You may well find that living within a half hour drive of one of NM's larger cities (Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces) is a good way to live 'out of the way' but not find yourself isolated in the desert equivalent of a depressed Appalachian hill town with a two hour drive to the nearest hospital and surly and/or weird neighbors. (Not saying that rural New Mexicans are especially surly or weird)
At the very least. Come out and visit before putting money down on a property no matter how nice the pictures look.
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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To Rocatah, what kind of community are you looking for besides away from the city and forested area. Name some New England towns that you're fond of and that might paint a little picture on what a good match for you out here could be.
Some great suggestions. Thank you all, very much appreciated. Heading to Albuquerque seems a good idea. See where we go from there. I'm looking at Las Cruces also. Actually the more I look at Las Cruces the more I like it .. What are your thoughts/opinions on this town?
I'm getting excited... Scared but excited
But I did it before, moving from the UK to Maine in 99 with my son and my dog.
We have yet another snow storm heading this way this week as GregW pointed out, which I am not looking forward to. Humph.
To Rocatah, what kind of community are you looking for besides away from the city and forested area. Name some New England towns that you're fond of and that might paint a little picture on what a good match for you out here could be.
Hmm... well Hallowell is very nice, a little expensive though. I lived in Gardiner for 15 years and liked it very much, then moved to Mercer. Mercer is so out of the way I don't want to be that far away from anything again. (nearest store was 7 miles away)
I'm in Winthrop now which is about 10 miles from Augusta, it has everything I need right here. Shops, gas station, eateries right in Winthrop etc...
Thanks for your help caphillsea77
Tracy
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Jeez it's depressing.
