My College Grad Getting 1st Job in Albuquerque...i have questions about the area (Rio Rancho: apartments, rental)

[Momof4cuties]

Hi....my 21 year old son will be moving to Albuquerque (from Washington State) to start a new job as an electrical engineer. I have so many questions about the area. Maybe some of you can help us. I would like to know of a nice apartment building or condo (or even a house...if it is within that rent range...or maybe a tiny bit more) in the $600-$800 range in a nice, safe area. I will have to begin looking very soon and don't know if we should house hunt while we are there or if I should risk getting him into one before we arrive. I fear that if we do not get a good look, we may get worked over. I would like a place that would offer garaged parking as i have read a lot about car theft. Is the far north valley a good place? Or, is the the north east heights area better? Has anyone heard anything good about any of these apartments: Presidio at NE Heights, Casa Tierra, The Beach Apts. (LOL), The High Ridge, La Ventana, The Enclave, Las Kivas, Camino Real. Some are rated on the apartment rating site.....but others I can't find there. Most of these look to be very nice, but it is so hard to really say. Any other suggestions on good apartments or condos would be very nice.

Other questions: Is there a Costco in the NE section of town? What other major grocery stores, restaurants and businesses are in that area?

I have read that many of the apartments have cockroaches.....are they rampant in this area? Are there any other bugs or poisonous insects or snakes? I am sure there are and may seem like a stupid question, but I am just wondering!!

I have also read that the water quality is bad.....is this true?

What areas of this city are best to stay away from?

I know that some of these questions seem silly......I just want to have my son be safe and happy.

Thank you so much for any input!

[im4fsu]

I live in the NE Heights at Spring Park apartments. They are at Eubank and Layton. I really like my place. The grounds are well-kept and I've never felt unsafe. It sits right along a nice park, so there are some that actually overlook it. I pay $688 for a one bedroom and that includes water. I don't think they are on that apartment site.

There are two costco's in town - both of which are about 20 minutes at most from the Heights. There are plenty of grocery stores and restaurants, and overall it's just a very safe area.

The other thing you might try is to look on craigslist in the rental section. He might be able to find a house to rent on there. But if he's new in town, I would stick with an apartment because then he can sign a short lease and get to know the city before he commits to a long-term lease (which most houses I looked at had). Plus, there are pretty steep move-out costs on rental houses, and that might be more than he wants to take on for the first time so far from home.

And I've never had trouble with any bugs in my apartment. Think that's part of the good groundskeeping we have.

[LLD]

Okay as a mom of a 28 year old -- if my son thought I was posting on a board to get information about his place to live when he was 21 he would have killed me! LOL

As a mom though, I understand you wanting him to be safe and happy. Don't worry. Albuquerque is a good place. No place is perfect. We aren't overrun with cockroaches that I'm aware of. We have unsafe areas just like any other city.

[Momof4cuties]

Hi and thanks for the info....the insight to nicer apartments buildings, especially. He really doesn't mind me asking questions as his dad and I are making the trip with him to get him moved. I think a 21 year old still may need his parents in lots of ways!! It is just a long way from home and we do not know a soul in that area. There is never an age limit to how much you care about your children.

[Chaparral]

I will quickly chime in and say that you'll probably want to shy away from The Beach apartments. Just not a part of town I'd recommend a newcomer to stay in.

I can't speak to any of the others on your list, but I can suggest Allegro at Tanoan (on Tennyson NE). My family stayed there short term when we moved back to ABQ a couple of years ago. Very nice, garaged parking, and I believe the rent included (or significantly discounted) broadband internet and DirecTV.

Chap

[mortimer]

Momof4cuties asked:

> ... would like to know of a nice apartment building or condo ...

Where is the sprog going to be working - geographically-speaking?

You'll get better advice on locations from there. Albuquerque is not
big and you can live on one end and work on the other, but why
would you want to?

BTW, doing a search using [apartment + albuquerque] will give you
lots of (instant gratification) answers on apartments here.

> ... place that would offer garaged parking ...

I rented in one place that is still good:
Albuquerque New Mexico Apartments - Home - Pinnacle At High Desert
Fantastic city views, hiking out your back door, attached
and detached garages, nice neighborhood in general.

> Is there a Costco ...

For questions like these, try here: Yahoo! Yellow Pages: Yellow Pages, Maps, Directions, Addresses, Phone Numbers
You can find businesses and maps to places that you are interested in.

> ... apartments have cockroaches .....

I just moved out of one in March and another in June and neither
had them. I assumed they would, but they did not. Be sure so ask
some tenents before plunking down a rental deposit.

(I assume there were no cockroaches because I was being exposed
to huge amounts of carcinogens due to liberal applications of
pesticides, BTW.)

> ... water quality is bad.....is this true?

I drink right out of the tap and consider it good. Most people use
bottled water which is just tap water bottled up from somewhere
else and sold at a premium. When I was in Phoenix, I drank filtered
water because the tap water tasted bad, but wasn't unhealthy.

> What areas of this city are best to stay away from?

The bad places.

Seriously, use Search using [Albuquerque + unsafe/bad/dangerous]
and you'll get a lot of information. Generally, when I am in unfamiliar
territory, if I see Payday loan places, then I know I'd better lock my
car and look around before sticking my key in the lock when I return.

Also, you get what you pay for. If you decide to move into an apartment
that is $600/month vs the one that is $900/month, you are probably
going to be seeing more crime or putting up with not-as-nice neighbors.

One exception would be the funky areas near UNM where there are lots
of cheap places with cool ambience.

[Chaparral]

Additionally,

I've lived in the near and far NE Heights, the West Side, Rio Rancho, Old Town, and the North Valley for a total of 30+ years. Any bad experiences I may have had with water supply have usually been a function of the condition of the pipes in each respective location. My only gripe about local water would be its hardness. Unsoftened, it definitely takes its toll on water heaters, and bathroom/kitchen surfaces.

And since you didn't specify what part of town your son will be working, I'd generally recommend the far NE Heights and the West Side (Paradise Hills, Taylor Ranch, etc.) as safe bets for people just moving to town. However, if the job is on the east side, you can avoid the sometimes frustrating commute if you get a place on the same side of the river.

Chap

[Momof4cuties]

Thank you so much and please keep the tips coming! He will be working in the south east area. He already has informed me that he does not want to have to cross the bridge to commute, as I was thinking Rio Rancho might be a nice area. So it will probably be better to stay on the east side of things. Also, I forgot to ask if anyone knows of some nice moderate priced hotels in the same area? Thanks again.

[LLD]

Rio Rancho is north and west of central Albuquerque. I live there and it's very nice but not where I would recommend a single 21 year old to live. Too far away from the nightlife and other central Albuquerque amenities.

I'd suggest the NE heights or around Nob Hill -- the trendy area close to the university.

And I was only teasing you -- didn't mean to imply you are too old to care about your son. I'm the same way. I was just chuckling thinking how my sone would react if he knew I was checking out "safe" places for him. So my apologies if I offended.

[mortimer]

Momof4cuties advised:

> He will be working in the south east area. ...

How about two cross-streets?

The Southeast area is bigger than most towns in NM. If you are out
by Juan Tabo and Central, there are some nice areas around there.