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I use to live in Albuquerque. I can't help but laugh at people thinking it's a pain to go from the west side of abq to the se side. Come to DC & then we can talk about traffic!
I second Taylor Ranch. A lot of people are drawn to it because the landscaping & trees are more mature.
I have to agree! I'm from the Northern VA/DC area and the traffic there is sheer HE**!
Perhaps, Around Juan Tabo and Eubank/ Montogmery. Houses here might suit you well. Much of the far-north east heights would meet a great deal of your requirements. Look in the north valley, there can be some really great properties in there.
Let me tell you a little bit of what we like. Larger lots because we have big dogs, don't really like the "suburb look" where houses all look the same and too close together. We have a baby on the way, so safe parks and such things are important. We also come from a very small town and HATE traffic, I have been reading that the commute from the West side is a pain... We like the mountains and trees. We are looking to spend around $250,000.
From the sound of things, it looks like something is going to have to give. Generally speaking:
NE ABQ (Heights) = Bigger lots, less "suburby" look, houses not so close together, "safest" areas, short(er) commute, close proximity to mountains. And the more any particular NE property has in common with the above attributes the faster and further it gets above $250K.
NW ABQ (Heights) = Tons of homes in nice, safe areas in the $250K range. But most are on smaller lots, closer together, and the commute to SNL is considerably longer can be frustrating at times.
Sounds like if you could increase your housing budget, you'd be happier in the one of the various neighborhoods in the NE Heights. Maybe in one of the neighborhoods north of Sandia HS.
Congratulations on your husband's new position and welcome to Albuquerque!
As a former Sandian who lived in Taylor Ranch, I can only advise that the traffic is terrible. It can easily take 45 minutes from Paseo and Golf Course to get through the Eubank gate. On bad days it took me an hour to go through the Eubank gate, through the Eubank/Chico area, onto the freeway, south on I-40 to I-25, north to Paseo, and West to Taylor Ranch. Moving to the East side took 30 minutes off the commute in the morning, and and average of 40 minutes in the evening, as well as almost 20 miles a day. Ask yourself how much an hour a day is worth. Factor in the convenience of leaving during the day to attend school functions and kids sports functions before you buy across the river. Using $3.50 a gallon, you can expect to spend an extra $70 per month ($3.50 x 20 days per month) driving the 20 extra miles (10 miles R/T) each day. That is ~$1000 a year at 20 mpg. For an average $80k a year Sandian, that is like a 2% pay raise if you avoid the commute.
West-side schools: Cibola or the new high school. LBJ Middle. Chamisa Elementary. Look them up. Generally the schools on the west side are more crowded and do worse than the height schools. There are good schools there, but the consensus is that the NE height's schools are better.
Sandians that I worked with lived in Willow Wood, Glenwood Hills, as well as NAA, and other La Cueva, Sandia, Manzano, and El Dorado neighborhoods. Some of the old-timers lived in Four Hills. I worked with one guy who lived in Ventana Ranch and it took him well over an hour to get home, but this was before Paseo was punched through. I snuck out the back way, down JT to Eubank, down to Paseo, and could be home in NAA in 15 minutes.
Traffic is relative. If you live in a city where 1 hour is the norm, then 1 hour is nothing. But if you live in a city where it could be 15 minutes, 1 hour sucks, especially if the schools are worse.
Also, remember that Abq is a city where you can actually enjoy the outdoors. It sucks being in a car when you could be walking with the kids.
> Originally Posted by BrazilianSue
> > ... Larger lots ... big dogs, don't really like the "suburb look" ...
> > too close together. ... commute from the West side is a pain
> > ... We like the mountains and trees.
> > ... looking to spend around $250,000.
> ... looks like something is going to have to give. ...
Truer words have not been spoken.
> NE ... Bigger lots, less "suburby" look, houses not so close ...
> ... short(er) commute, close proximity to mountains. ...
I think the whole NE looks like a suburb, but a suburb with the Sandias looming in the background and city/valley views on the other side. Just my opinion.
According the the description above - except for the trees, BrazilianSue is describing N Sandia Acres where the entry price is on the order of $700k. I've seen some bare lots for sale for as low as $250k.
Four Hills is nice - if I were buying, that's where I'd buy. Definitely has personality. And is convenient to I40.
As for rentals that will take St Bernards, try renting from private owners (not apartments). You'll be surprised at how reasonable private owners around here will be if you have decent credit, a job already lined up, and can provide references for the dogs (seriously). You might have to pay a little higher security deposit, however.
I never said I know nothing about traffic. You think DC has traffic try Sao Paulo, Brazil where I am from. 19 million and poor planning. Anyways, just thought I would clarify that I understand the difference just dont dont want to deal with it at all.
You don't know about ABQ traffic though and anyone who tells you it is bad, doesn't know about REAL traffic. Get it?
You don't know about ABQ traffic though and anyone who tells you it is bad, doesn't know about REAL traffic. Get it?
Define real traffic. An hour in a car to go 18 miles seems bad to me.
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