El Paso Housing Areas (Upper Valley) (Rice: for rent, price, yard)

[malamute]

The newer subdivisions are being built with tiny lots, the country atmosphere of the Upper Valley is coming to a fast end. You might just as well live close to work because there will be no advantage to living in the UV with the traffic jams and crowded neighborhoods and tiny back yards.

[mistabinks]

That is assuming you have to live in a newly constructed house and you work the standard 9 to 5 work day.

[piyf]

Upper Valley is nice and it seems there's new homes being built closer and closer to Trans Mountain Rd. Me and the wifey went looking when she was down last week. We're going to try a new construction but man on the other side of I-10 on a new looking highway towards NM there's some nice homes being built by Padilla Homes. Just wished it was a bit more west to take advantage of the NM taxes. But that might be stretching my commute to work since I work on the far East side on Montana. But that new hood called Alta Valle Del Sol is nice and you can go into atleast 5 of the new homes and go in and look without anyone bothering you which feels wierd. First I must sell my home back hom and try to save some coin to get as many upgrades as possible.

[Caltep]

...a house with good drainage around the foundation of the house...seriously. We rudely discovered that as our house has settled, we get too much water accumulation around our house. We have had to jury rig a pump and hose system every monsoon season to drain parts of our yard until we figure out and can afford a way to drain off the excess water.

Oh, and check the mortar in any rock wall around your house. We have a huge one in our backyard and discovered that as they went up the wall, the mortar became less cement and more sand. Visually, you can tell when it starts to look more like sand...really granular vs. smoother where there is more cement. We spent a nice amount of $ to have ours "regrouted" because I could literally just poke my finger through the "cement". Our neighbor spent about $10,000 to replace his wall in '06 after it collapsed.

Originally Posted by danieloneil01

Upper Valley is nice and it seems there's new homes being built closer and closer to Trans Mountain Rd. Me and the wifey went looking when she was down last week. We're going to try a new construction but man on the other side of I-10 on a new looking highway towards NM there's some nice homes being built by Padilla Homes. Just wished it was a bit more west to take advantage of the NM taxes. But that might be stretching my commute to work since I work on the far East side on Montana. But that new hood called Alta Valle Del Sol is nice and you can go into atleast 5 of the new homes and go in and look without anyone bothering you which feels wierd. First I must sell my home back hom and try to save some coin to get as many upgrades as possible.

[piyf]

Quick question, but why does every house in El Paso have a rock wall? Isn't a wood fence (that's found every where else) better and cheaper? Plus a wood fence is usually 6ft high and not the usual 4ft high that I see everywhere. Plus a wood fence will last for quite awhile and will only cost 2k to replace if done by a pro.

Originally Posted by Caltep

...a house with good drainage around the foundation of the house...seriously. We rudely discovered that as our house has settled, we get too much water accumulation around our house. We have had to jury rig a pump and hose system every monsoon season to drain parts of our yard until we figure out and can afford a way to drain off the excess water.

Oh, and check the mortar in any rock wall around your house. We have a huge one in our backyard and discovered that as they went up the wall, the mortar became less cement and more sand. Visually, you can tell when it starts to look more like sand...really granular vs. smoother where there is more cement. We spent a nice amount of $ to have ours "regrouted" because I could literally just poke my finger through the "cement". Our neighbor spent about $10,000 to replace his wall in '06 after it collapsed.

Do what?

[malamute]

I think here the wood would dry out and the spring winds can be rough on wood panel fences. Rock wall fences can be very strong and durable but of course it depends on how well they are built.

[Caltep]

I think you are right about wood fences, but my personal theory is-there are so many rocks at every building site it is easier to build a wall out of it rather than hauling it away. Of course, I think the end product of low cost labor and squeezing money out of the process is badly built rock walls. They look strong, but watch out.

Originally Posted by malamute

I think here the wood would dry out and the spring winds can be rough on wood panel fences. Rock wall fences can be very strong and durable but of course it depends on how well they are built.

[EightBelles]

Mosquitos? There's a bad mosquito problem? I am moving from an area with a log bug count.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by EightBelles

Mosquitos? There's a bad mosquito problem? I am moving from an area with a log bug count.

The Upper Valley has West Nile and the mosquitoes are unbelievable. The only thing is if you want to keep the bird and bat population healthy and hear the sounds of frogs at night, it's best to leave the mosquitoes alone. Parts of the Upper Valley are like living in a swamp but it's green and it's horse country.

[Rogarven]

I would not live in the Upper Valley without Refrig. Air. The swamp coolers just don't do work anymore up there. Also, mosquitoes are more of a problem there as well.