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Hi everyone! I am a single woman in my mid thirties (need to say I am realizing, marriage isn't on my itinerary so no worries about finding a man to settle down with, though dating is nice) that enjoys a busy social life- which really just means going out to eat with friends or hiking and/or camping with them. I am a massage therapist and am hoping that Santa Fe might be the right place for me career wise as well. I am also very liberal and love the arts.
I am drawn to the area because I love the southwest. I am from Philadelphia and need mountains! I can't wait to move out in the four corner area.
What can you tell me about this area and would it be a good move for me? Would I have a good chance here for a successful massage therapy practice? Massage opportunities?
Are there a lot of like minded peers (arts, free thinking yada yada)? (I generally have friends from ages 25-45) Are there a lot of things to do? Is it safe as in no direct threat to myself and home (remember, I am coming from Philly and from the maps, I was like, "oh wow, Philly actually isn't that safe" so I guess in comparison.. ha, houses get broken into in Philly though I don't know a single person. My car was broken into. Really, all you need on your house is a lock though, No alarm system, so I guess I'm wondering if it's less safe than Philly- do you need alarm systems and land mines out front of some areas? That's a joke, but you get the gist. I read there are a ton of break ins and that freaked me out but unsure if they were used to a suburban Wisconsin type issue)
Any areas you recommend I go towards or that I stay away from? Any places to check out when I visit this summer to get a feel?
I do believe that you have to pass a state board exam to be a licensed practicing massage therapist in New Mexico, but there may be reciprocity. Something that you should research if you want to be working in massage therapy right away.
That said, spas and massage are fairly popular in New Mexico and a lot of people seem to make a living off of it. But realize that Santa Fe is one of the highest cost of living cities in the state.
Oh, and I wouldn't read too much into crime rate statistics. There are safe areas and not so safe areas. Like anywhere.
Thanks ABQConvict! Yes I'll have to get licensed there as licenses don't carry over. But that's great news that it's fairly popular. My other career has been a nanny but I don't see any need for that there, according to the websites I've found jobs on. Do you know if there's a need? Always a good backup.
As far as cost of living, it looks like it's slightly above Philly by 16 points. Hope that's not too much realistically.
Hi everyone! I am a single woman in my mid thirties (need to say I am realizing, marriage isn't on my itinerary so no worries about finding a man to settle down with, though dating is nice) that enjoys a busy social life- which really just means going out to eat with friends or hiking and/or camping with them. I am a massage therapist and am hoping that Santa Fe might be the right place for me career wise as well. I am also very liberal and love the arts.
I am drawn to the area because I love the southwest. I am from Philadelphia and need mountains! I can't wait to move out in the four corner area.
What can you tell me about this area and would it be a good move for me? Would I have a good chance here for a successful massage therapy practice? Massage opportunities?
Are there a lot of like minded peers (arts, free thinking yada yada)? (I generally have friends from ages 25-45) Are there a lot of things to do? Is it safe as in no direct threat to myself and home (remember, I am coming from Philly and from the maps, I was like, "oh wow, Philly actually isn't that safe" so I guess in comparison.. ha, houses get broken into in Philly though I don't know a single person. My car was broken into. Really, all you need on your house is a lock though, No alarm system, so I guess I'm wondering if it's less safe than Philly- do you need alarm systems and land mines out front of some areas? That's a joke, but you get the gist. I read there are a ton of break ins and that freaked me out but unsure if they were used to a suburban Wisconsin type issue)
Any areas you recommend I go towards or that I stay away from? Any places to check out when I visit this summer to get a feel?
Thanks in advance for all your help and tips!
I dont think you will have any problem finding politically like-minded people.Santa Fe is a big arts town.What is your budget for housing?You are welcome.
Well, I'm looking to rent first. I saw a couple studio apartments or one bedrooms for under $800/month. Not sure if the area is safe though. Las Palomas and Vista Alegre were two apartment places. I was then planning on buying land and building a modular home once I get a feel for the area and how far out from the city I'd want to be. My budget is low but doing it this way I could have a small home to my liking for about $150k vs looking for a home already there that's twice as much. Not doable for me. Thoughts?
I was then planning on buying land and building a modular home once I get a feel for the area and how far out from the city I'd want to be. My budget is low but doing it this way I could have a small home to my liking for about $150k vs looking for a home already there that's twice as much. Not doable for me. Thoughts?
I know so many people who thought they could beat the market that way, including me. Easier said than done? They say the building codes in Santa Fe are tough. Then you start further out and the commuting...
But see what the situation really is after you are here a while. We live about 60 miles south of Santa Fe. So, I really do not know what the Real Estate situation really is in Santa Fe.
Beware the move from a big city to a small city. That was the reason I lived in SF for perhaps 6 months then moved back to the big, bad city. Didn't like the small city.
Did they ever finish the reworking of Cerillos Blvd.? I was there in 2013.
For those not familiar with SF, Cerillos is a major N/S artery. It was choked with closed lanes, road construction equipment, detours, etc. while I lived in SF.
Good advice, lovehound. I am now thinking about buying a used small trailer RV and live out of that to find where I am really happy before committing to rent or house. I know I want the Southwest, just unsure where exactly I will find home. But I hear you about moving to a small city. I am so used to walking out my front door and having things to do. It will be a lifestyle change for sure, but I think it will fit me better. We shall see!
Beware the move from a big city to a small city. That was the reason I lived in SF for perhaps 6 months then moved back to the big, bad city. Didn't like the small city.
Did they ever finish the reworking of Cerillos Blvd.? I was there in 2013.
For those not familiar with SF, Cerillos is a major N/S artery. It was choked with closed lanes, road construction equipment, detours, etc. while I lived in SF.
Lots of thoughts.
Your budget is impractical, even outside of Santa Fe. Take a look at RE listings for the villages outside of Santa Fe: Glorieta, Madrid, Cerrillos, and see what the prices are like for buying.
Renting: a 1-br. for under $800? That sounds very iffy, like not in a good nabe, or possibly out in the county somewhere. The latter might be ok, depending. Or it might be off of Airport Road, which could be ok.
Santa Fe is glutted with massage therapists, and some have moved on to other work. The economy throughout NM has never recovered from the 2008 Great Recession, so demand for massage has fallen off. One big employer/spa has been closed for a couple of years, as the hotel it was attached to has been undergoing extensive remodeling. One of the two massage schools in town is closed and gone. Several smaller massage businesses that employed a few therapists regularly closed years ago. Massage is still happening in Santa Fe, but the demand has shrunk significantly. Even back when things were busier, many massage therapists had other sources of income, and weren't able to support themselves solely through massage.
Other than that, Santa Fe meets your other criteria. You'll find a lot of like-minded people here, and it's a community dedicated to the arts, but some people find it hard to make a living, as wages vs. higher COL don't jibe.
I think that as long as you've taken the national massage exam and maintain your certification with them, you won't need to take a state exam. I don't think there is a state exam. But maintaining your licensure can be expensive, as the state requires you take a certain number of hours of massage classes every two years to maintain your license. One way to keep this cost down is to take your CE classes from the community college north of town, that has a massage program. Those classes cost 1/10 what the private massage schools charge.
This is the report from a former massage therapist. Santa Fe would be great if the economy were booming, but I'm afraid that's not going to happen again. I'm worried for the economic outlook for the US in general, into the future.
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