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I'm planning on relocate to New Mexico in a month or so and struggling to figure out if there are "bad" areas that should be avoided. I found some threads where people talk about good/bad neighborhoods but a lot of them were quite old, and used neighborhood names that I can't find defined anywhere. I recognize that crime can happen anywhere; I just don't want drug deals happening on my street, etc.
I'll actually be working in Los Alamos but am looking at renting in Santa Fe because the housing market in Los Alamos is actually tighter than Santa Fe (and I've spent time in both places and prefer Santa Fe), so I'm looking mainly on the side of town that provides easier access to there. I would consider the other side if the place is nice enough though.
I've found rentals in these areas:
1. "Casa Solana" neighborhood. This seems to be near 84 (East, the side of the road opposite the DeVargas Center)
2. Just south of the Agua Fria/St. Francis Drive intersection, about a 5 minute walk from the Railyard area.
Casa Solana is fine. The Railyard area closer to St. Francis is ok, but a few blocks east or SE of there, it's not so ok. The area south of Rodeo Rd. you mention is ok. Neighborhoods bordering Cerrillos Road south of downtown should be avoided. The neighborhood in-between St. Francis and Cerrillos at, and around 2nd Avenue, should be avoided, except for the San Mateo apt. complex, at the corner of 2nd Ave. and St. Francis, which is a good complex, if you get the remodeled units turned into townhomes. The older units are small and cramped.
I wouldn't live as far south as Rodeo Road, though, if I had to commute to Los Alamos. Just getting through town to the north end, where St. Francis ends and you're on the highway northward, will add 20-30 minutes of time and traffic aggravation to your commute. Have you looked at rental availability in White Rock, close to LA? Look at Tesuque, as well. It's popular with LA employees, and it's very verdant and beautiful, north of SF. Otherwise, you should look for rentals north of the north leg of Paseo de Peralta, for an easier commute.
Look at El Matador apartments, within an easy walk of downtown, on Bishop's Lodge Road. It's a complex of nice condos, some of which are for rent. Their website doesn't show rentals, but sometimes the units turn up on craigslist or on property management company listings. Anything on Bishop's Lodge Road would be fine.
Do look at property management company listings, but only those related to the main RE companies. Do NOT go with small, local property management outfits! You have been warned.
Thanks for the reply! Yes, I've looked at White Rock but there haven't been any rentals posted in at least the last 2 weeks. I read the the White Rock/Los Alamos vacancy rate is < 1% and to complicate things I have a very large dog, which turns a lot of potential landlords off. I'd rather find a place with at least a small yard rather than an apartment complex.
I'm from an area (New England) with waaaaay worse traffic than Santa Fe, so commute time won't really bother me as long as its not stop-and-go traffic the whole way (which the route to Los Alamos is not once you leave SF). I agree that the Rodeo Rd area is a little far but its one of the only pet-friendly rentals I've found.
Thanks for the reply! Yes, I've looked at White Rock but there haven't been any rentals posted in at least the last 2 weeks. I read the the White Rock/Los Alamos vacancy rate is < 1% and to complicate things I have a very large dog, which turns a lot of potential landlords off. I'd rather find a place with at least a small yard rather than an apartment complex.
I'm from an area (New England) with waaaaay worse traffic than Santa Fe, so commute time won't really bother me as long as its not stop-and-go traffic the whole way (which the route to Los Alamos is not once you leave SF). I agree that the Rodeo Rd area is a little far but its one of the only pet-friendly rentals I've found.
The San Mateo apt. complex I mentioned earlier has townhomes for rent, with a private patio. I don't know what their pet policy is, but your dog could at least enjoy the patio, and the grounds are pretty big for walking him. Otherwise, you could look to rent a 2-br. house with yard. SF has a great dog park in the historic district (east side of town), that's popular. Tesuque rentals may be more dog-friendly, as the area is more rural in feel. People have guest houses they rent out long-term.It's a very nice area, and is closer to LA than Santa Fe.
The San Mateo apt. complex I mentioned earlier has townhomes for rent, with a private patio. I don't know what their pet policy is, but your dog could at least enjoy the patio, and the grounds are pretty big for walking him. Otherwise, you could look to rent a 2-br. house with yard. SF has a great dog park in the historic district (east side of town), that's popular. Tesuque rentals may be more dog-friendly, as the area is more rural in feel. People have guest houses they rent out long-term.It's a very nice area, and is closer to LA than Santa Fe.
Isn't that right down from the Chocolate Maven? If so, that is a whole different brand of dangerous.
I can gain weight sitting in the dining room watching the bakers make things through the glass.
OP: Casa Solana is a good neighborhood. There are quite a few Los Alamos workers who live there and I hear that there are at least a couple of car pools doing the daily commute. A development you might also consider - if they have any open rentals - is The Reserve. It's a condo complex off St. Francis on the northwest edge of the city (north of Casa Solana). Another condo complex just north of The Reserve, close to 285/St. Francis is called Zocalo. Perhaps there may be a rental available in there..... As you may have already seen, it's a tight rental market here!
Just saw a contemporary condo, 2 bedroom, 2 bath with 1-car garage in Zocalo for $1800/mo. If interested, pm me and I'll give you the contact info of the broker handling this.
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