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Do you have any idea why when I look at your post and only yours, do they string out all right justified giving me 7 pages of ads before even getting to your name?
Just asking.
Thanks
That's peculiar, I have no idea. I don't see any ads or right justification.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NunnaUrbiz
Edgewood is a bit too far from UNM, VA Medical Center and a vibrant art scene. It's hard to include all the nuances of a personal choice without the post becoming TL;DR. Life is a series of compromises so my choice is to find an area close to town populated by younger, more liberal, progressives. To offset my aversion to too many people, I'm looking for 1/2 to 1 acre lots.
How far from UNM and the VA are you willing to be? Because lots that size are very rare in that area.
Is Corrales too far? I see a house for sale there a bit larger than you want on 1 acre, in the $600-$700K range, no casita. How do you like roosters crowing?
The East Mountain area around Tijeras and Cedar Crest has homes for sale with larger lot sizes in the $400K range although the homes may require some work. It is a more liberal area and not that far from ABQ. North Valley homes (area near the Rio Grande river) are closer to $600K. Rio Rancho has larger lots than ABQ but it is conservative and crossing the river bridges into ABQ can be a pain. A casita will be more difficult to find. Good luck!
Thanks, I saw some homes around Tijeras and Cedar Crest. As I keep telling the VA, at my age, I'm going to die sooner than later so let's not spend a lot of time seeking perfection! I can pay people to do basic remodeling around the house (painting, landscape, replace windows and doors, etc.) I don't want to rebuild a disaster. In fact. if the price is right, I might build a casita/studio on the lot.
How far from UNM and the VA are you willing to be? Because lots that size are very rare in that area.
Is Corrales too far? I see a house for sale there a bit larger than you want on 1 acre, in the $600-$700K range, no casita. How do you like roosters crowing?
Right now, I'm driving 65 miles up a mountain to the VA and there aren't any colleges/universities within 70 miles so 20 miles to Corrales is slam dunk simple. But, have to admit, I'm not crazy about livestock including chickens.
Edgewood is a bit too far from UNM, VA Medical Center and a vibrant art scene. It's hard to include all the nuances of a personal choice without the post becoming TL;DR. Life is a series of compromises so my choice is to find an area close to town populated by younger, more liberal, progressives. To offset my aversion to too many people, I'm looking for 1/2 to 1 acre lots.
I live in Rio Rancho and rarely have any reason to venture far into Albuquerque. There are probably dozens of places in Rio Rancho with large lot sizes and comfortable homes in your price range. You might have to build a casita. People claim RR is conservative, but it depends on who you know or associate with. I know only liberal/progressive folks but I'm sure there are other persuasions. It has a lot of transplants from other states so there is a variety. Younger residents will probably be more concentrated nearer to UNM due to the student population.
The bridge situation will be a bottleneck if you commute across the river, either way. It typically is a rush-hour thing.
Residential density is not a problem in much of RR unless you choose a dense new subdivision or an established area near the bridge crossings or Intel. I have 1.3 acres and one adjacent neighbor, but the area is growing with new construction.
The most vibrant art scene will be about an hour away in Santa Fe. You can take the RailRunner train or else I-25.
The VA Medical is inconveniently located near the airport.
There are some interesting residential areas around UNM but not with the lot size you are wanting.
Corrales is an interesting option and there is an active art scene there. There are a few burros and goats and maybe an occasional alpaca. Mostly I see horses there.
Placitas will have larger lots and homes in your range and an arts scene. Horses there tend to be wild.
Tucson and Albuquerque both had around 35,000 population in 1940 so they exploded after WW2. Post war development was a bit haphazard so the earlier neighborhoods will be somewhat mixed in style and quality.
Rio Rancho, Placitas, and Corrales (Albuquerque's northern neighbors) have larger lot sizes available, but I wouldn't describe these towns as populated by younger progressives. Rio Rancho is very family-oriented and its city council is 5/6 Republican. It has no art scene to speak of, but is close enough to art scenes in the region. Corrales has a lot of wealthy retired liberals. Placitas is popular with wealthy retirees from a broad political spectrum. When I say "wealthy" I mean by New Mexico standards, although they may not see themselves that way.
The younger progressives will be more concentrated in Albuquerque, which, while still very sprawling and low-density, is more dense than its northern neighbors.
Four Hills Village in far Southeast Albuquerque could be an option for larger lot sizes, as well as North Albuquerque Acres and Sandia Heights, but the houses also tend to be much larger than you want. And here again, large lots do not tend to correlate with younger progressives. Usually it means families and retirees.
...I know only liberal/progressive folks but I'm sure there are other persuasions. It has a lot of transplants from other states so there is a variety. Younger residents will probably be more concentrated nearer to UNM due to the student population.
The bridge situation will be a bottleneck if you commute across the river, either way. It typically is a rush-hour thing.
Residential density is not a problem in much of RR unless you choose a dense new subdivision or an established area near the bridge crossings or Intel. I have 1.3 acres and one adjacent neighbor, but the area is growing with new construction.
The most vibrant art scene will be about an hour away in Santa Fe. You can take the RailRunner train or else I-25.
The VA Medical is inconveniently located near the airport.
There are some interesting residential areas around UNM but not with the lot size you are wanting.
Corrales is an interesting option and there is an active art scene there. There are a few burros and goats and maybe an occasional alpaca. Mostly I see horses there.
Placitas will have larger lots and homes in your range and an arts scene. Horses there tend to be wild.
Tucson and Albuquerque both had around 35,000 population in 1940 so they exploded after WW2. Post war development was a bit haphazard so the earlier neighborhoods will be somewhat mixed in style and quality.
Thanks for the well considered, balanced response. I'll put RR on a list of areas to check when I visit later this year.
The bridge is not an issue for me bc I'm way past commuting. If I ever had to commute in those conditions, I'd prob just kill myself. Subdivisions are an anathema to me. I hate the "Stepford" vibe.
I don't know anything about RailRunner but the thought appeals to me as long as it's not overrun by "interesting" riders cadging change and whatnot.
Right now, I'm driving 65 miles to the VA so crossing the bridge a few times a year is no biggie. One of the best features of today's VA is telehealth. I've had consults with specialists all across the country who all agree I'm half bat-crap crazy! (jk) If needed, I can always stay overnight in a hotel.
The map shows Corrales is just 10-15 miles from RR. I'll have to check that out as well when I visit. I'll look for an RV park on the NW side of ABQ. I like burros, mules, goats and alpaca, horses not so much. Placitas also sounds interesting.
Rio Rancho, Placitas, and Corrales (Albuquerque's northern neighbors) have larger lot sizes available, but I wouldn't describe these towns as populated by younger progressives. Rio Rancho is very family-oriented and its city council is 5/6 Republican. It has no art scene to speak of, but is close enough to art scenes in the region. Corrales has a lot of wealthy retired liberals. Placitas is popular with wealthy retirees from a broad political spectrum. When I say "wealthy" I mean by New Mexico standards, although they may not see themselves that way.
The younger progressives will be more concentrated in Albuquerque, which, while still very sprawling and low-density, is more dense than its northern neighbors.
Four Hills Village in far Southeast Albuquerque could be an option for larger lot sizes, as well as North Albuquerque Acres and Sandia Heights, but the houses also tend to be much larger than you want. And here again, large lots do not tend to correlate with younger progressives. Usually it means families and retirees.
Thanks again. I like "wealthy, retired and liberal." I'm not wealthy but two out of 3 ain't bad! While it would be nice to live near UNM, I understand the economics. Living within 20 miles of UNM and art events would be great. Right now, I have to drive 50 miles and stay overnight bc my night vision is shot. I actually want a balanced neighborhood where neither party dominates. Theoretically, a large house sounds good but I know from experience that what I really want is a 1/2 to 1 acre lot with a 1500-2000 sq ft house with a 500 sq ft casita/studio and room for an RV shelter. Like most Americans, I don't want a lot, I want everything!
New Mexico is a "poor" state, and many retirees come here from other states to "cash in" and buy bigger houses and properties than they could afford where they came from. So they look wealthy to the locals but were middle-class where they came from. Your situation sounds similar. Santa Fe is the magnet for the pretentious elites, where rich Texans and Californians converge.
Corrales and Rio Rancho border each other. Rio Rancho is huge, extending far to the north and west of Corrales. There is a lot of traffic congestion at the southern end of both where they empty out into the Alameda/Coors Blvd. area on ABQ's West Side. Route 528 where it enters Rio Rancho I think is the widest road in New Mexico (I count 11 lanes on Google Maps), and still gets congested.
Anyway, there are lots of neighborhoods we don't have time to get into, and areas of the South Valley that may or may not suit you, plus new developments on the West Side I have no familiarity with. Even if you come to visit you will only scratch the surface. Nobody in this forum will have the most current information (mine is admittedly dated) which is why I recommended a realtor, since it's their job to know these things.
New Mexico is a "poor" state, and many retirees come here from other states to "cash in" and buy bigger houses and properties than they could afford where they came from. So they look wealthy to the locals but were middle-class where they came from. Your situation sounds similar. Santa Fe is the magnet for the pretentious elites, where rich Texans and Californians converge.
Santa Fe attracts a totally different transplant crowd than Albuquerque. Many of the Albuquerque transplant retirees (not rich Texans or Californians) are here to take advantage of the lower COL and (former) home affordability because they were downsizing and trying to escape weather or density. We have a goldilocks climate and there are places to live with a little room to breathe.
Quote:
Originally Posted by aries63
Corrales and Rio Rancho border each other. Rio Rancho is huge, extending far to the north and west of Corrales. There is a lot of traffic congestion at the southern end of both where they empty out into the Alameda/Coors Blvd. area on ABQ's West Side. Route 528 where it enters Rio Rancho I think is the widest road in New Mexico (I count 11 lanes on Google Maps), and still gets congested.
Anyway, there are lots of neighborhoods we don't have time to get into, and areas of the South Valley that may or may not suit you, plus new developments on the West Side I have no familiarity with. Even if you come to visit you will only scratch the surface. Nobody in this forum will have the most current information (mine is admittedly dated) which is why I recommended a realtor, since it's their job to know these things.
Rio Rancho is 3rd largest city in the state and will probably surpass Las Cruces in a few years. My daughter is looking for a house, so we have been looking at neighborhoods on both sides of the river but in a reasonable price range (not too many of those). There are some nice established areas. There are a few not so nice.
I hear a lot of complaints about traffic but if you come from a bigger metro area, this is not congested at all. The only problem is that folks like to run red lights -- not red enough to stop -- so it pays to be cautious when the light turns green.
New Mexico is a "poor" state, and many retirees come here from other states to "cash in" and buy bigger houses and properties than they could afford where they came from. So they look wealthy to the locals but were middle-class where they came from. Your situation sounds similar. Santa Fe is the magnet for the pretentious elites, where rich Texans and Californians converge....
I think that's the natural state of a free, capitalistic society. People go where they can get the most for their money. That's why marginalized groups keep losing economic ground bc they were never afforded the opportunities available to others. The GI Bill paid nearly 100% of my undergrad. Today's GI Bill will hardly get you through the first year.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SunGrins
Santa Fe attracts a totally different transplant crowd than Albuquerque. ...We have a goldilocks climate and there are places to live with a little room to breathe.
Rio Rancho is 3rd largest city in the state and will probably surpass Las Cruces in a few years. My daughter is looking for a house, so we have been looking at neighborhoods on both sides of the river but in a reasonable price range (not too many of those). There are some nice established areas. There are a few not so nice....
I like the "Goldilocks" analogy. I used to live in San Diego and retired to AZ where I could buy 3x the house but climate change over the past 15 years has caused 30 straight days of 110F temps. Plus the extreme politics of the last 4 years has made this place untenable for minorities.
On a different note, if I look at ABQ as four quadrants bisected N/S by I-40 and E/W by I-25, it seems the SE quadrant has a lot of homes with bars over the windows and doors. Should I read anything into that?
Thanks again to all who have given feedback. BTW, I decided to check out Kirtland AFB FamCamp (RV park) as a place to stay when I visit later this month (assuming the house isn't in escrow.)
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Subdivisions are an anathema to me. I hate the "Stepford" vibe. 
