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We have been bouncing all over the place to find a place to retire to. I have a chronic illness (we're both disabled vets) and need to leave TN, because I can't handle the weather - humidity, overcast, etc.
At first we looked at Arizona for several months and have given up because it's too expensive.
We started looking at New Mexico because it offers the same climates, and I spent a few days here before in ALB, Santa Fe and Taos. We looked further south, but it wasn't quite fitting the bill.
We would (ideally) love high desert, meaning mountains, meadows, pines. I fell in love with some real estate I saw in Angel Fire, Taos and Questa. I can handle the minimum amount of snow, because the weather is still moderate. Ideally we'd love a house with anywhere from 1-10 acres of land. I've lived in the city long enough and long for quiet. Taos has basically everything we need for everyday purposes - grocery store, Wal-Mart, etc. PLus, many great restaurants. It also has a VA clinic and Veterans groups to get involved in. I don't mind driving 30 minutes to shop in Taos - more than that might be pushing it. We'll be looking for a house under $200k, and it looked like that was not unreasonable from what we saw.
Good broadband is a necessity. Hubby works with computers and that would not be an option not to have.
For those who live there, are we seeing things correctly? Are those areas as beautiful to live in as we saw? We have a couple of years before we move, and right now we can't afford to fly and visit again. But, after being all over the map, we want to focus on one area and start keeping an eye on the real estate.
Are there any areas I've mentioned that we need to be aware of potential problems?
I read a blog from an older guy that has lived in Taos for years. I love NM but from reading his thoughts Taos in winter is not for me. According to this writer it sounds like a frozen outpost with roads that go from bad to worse depending on the thaw. I think for most of us we have fallen in love with a place we visited for a short time. That time usually coincides with vacation which also tends to be during the best times of the year weather wise.
Some people love winter, cold, snow. You may be one of them. I too am looking at a move in a few years to NM and have seen most of the state west of the Sandias. For practical and personal reasons, family in ABQ, I am leaning toward ABQ or RR. I've looked at homes all over the place but while many of them look like grand settings in reality they are not for me. It may sound enchanting but when I'm in my upper 60's heating my home with wood stoves is just not my idea of a good time. Start looking at the details on these outback homes under 200k.
I would suggest investigating the area east of the Sandia Mountains. It has a rural setting yet is at most about a 30 min. drive to most of Albuquerque. Prices vary as with most locations. There are nice places at reasonable cost. It snows a bit more than the city, however in most years not a significant problem.
Last edited by Pretzelogik; 02-12-2015 at 11:48 AM..
There are 15 VA clinics scattered around the state so you can look almost anywhere in NM. Taos and northern NM is beautiful and, yes, some roads can be tough if there's a good snowfall, but I wouldn't let that stop you from looking in that area. We're a rural state, so the same can be said for any part of it if bad weather comes in - but that's a rarity. You might also want to check out Las Vegas, NM (although it doesn't have the "great" restaurants like Taos does).
The snowfalls are much lighter now than they used to be, and in Santa Fe, have almost disappeared altogether! Have you priced land in the area, OP? Check real estate listings to get a feel for prices. Taos is a beautiful area, and the town is nice, but it has certain aspects of the typical resort town; cost of living doesn't jibe with the low wages. Locating a distance outside of town, as you've surmised, is a way to cope with that.
We have priced the housing and we found some out of town that we like. We're looking for anywhere from 1-10 acres alpine land and a house. A log cabin or chalet would put us over the top in our dreams.
We've been going back and forth between the Taos/Santa Fe area and Cloudcroft. An alpine setting is a must. This is our retirement home - our dream home - and are willing to wait and get what we want. We don't want to live in town. Within thirty minutes is fine. I'm tired of town life and want the mountains, trees and meadows to be my neighbors.
There are 15 VA clinics scattered around the state so you can look almost anywhere in NM. Taos and northern NM is beautiful and, yes, some roads can be tough if there's a good snowfall, but I wouldn't let that stop you from looking in that area. We're a rural state, so the same can be said for any part of it if bad weather comes in - but that's a rarity. You might also want to check out Las Vegas, NM (although it doesn't have the "great" restaurants like Taos does).
Great restaurants are not a must for us. We don't eat out that much. What's more important for us is our property, since this is our retirement home. We want 1-10 acres, and it has to be an alpine setting. The trees, mountains, meadows. I'll wait however long I have to to find what we want. And I'll go wherever I need to in NM to get that. I was born and raised in Germany and have had the opportunity to live in many parts of the world. Now, I want to end where I started, if that makes sense.
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