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Hello,
I love the state of New Mexico and have been from Taos down to Alamogordo and also Hobbs and due west. Been there several times and love it. My husband is taking a severence/early retirement package from the company he has worked 40 years at and we are planning on investing in some land in New Mexico and later building. Prefer country life. I have looked at land for sale in Otero,Lincoln, and Socorro counties where some large ranches are be sub-divided. We are very interested in these. Could anyone tell us the pro and cons of these areas. Weather,snow,crime,whether or not this would be a good investment and why not. Some people have told us that crime is a big problem in some areas especially being robbed and your homes being ramsacked. Really like the area around Alamogordo where the mountains are there behind the desert, prefer an area similar. If anyone can help, it would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Mary
MarMar 58, Alamogordo, since you like it, is as good as any place. It has nice weather, though hot in the summer, but more of a dry heat. It is not like the humid heat you are used to back in Arkansas. If you like it cooler, but the winters more colder, Cloudcroft is nice or Ruidoso. Silver City is another great choice with mild in four seasons weather. These towns don't have much crime. They are all pretty safe to live in. It really depends on do you like the desert or do you like living up in the mountains? Silver City has the best of both worlds. It is desert and arid but right at the mountains and so you have both together.
Thanks Crackerjack for the info. There are some ranches being subdivided in Lincoln and Socorro counties(the windmill, abbes, and pinon ranch) Do you know anything about these areas? I will have to research Silver City. as soon as my husband retires he will be able to go out for several months and find different tracts for sale. I personally am looking forward to wearing a pair of boots and worn jeans on the desert.
You must check into water issues if you plan on investing in these ranchettes. I would consider avoiding windmill ranch if I were you due to the WATER issue.
There is a nice area being developed in linclon county that has been annexed into a small town. You won't have the water issues as you would if you had to plant your own well. When they get done with the roads you should have access to water, sewer, gas and electric fairly easy.
I will send you a PM with the name of the development.
_Yb is right about water issues on the ranchettes. I lived in Moriarty and that area it is the same thing and I tell those interested in Moriarty and Edgewood the same thing too: I would hire a professional inspector and thoroughly inspect the place out, including the well and the water. It costs, but it is WELL worth it, I assure you. I knew of a realtor who told me that the place I was going to buy had water, turns out it had water - only a few months a year! The inspector caught this and saved me money. So don't take the word of the people you are buying from, but get an independent inspector. I would go as far as having the water tested too. If I lived in Alamogordo, I would probably buy in the city or near it, so I could have city water. That way you are safe. Silver City, being up in the mountains, tends to have more water, but I still would get an inspector anywhere in NM. I know some people near ABQ who live right next to each other and one has a great well and the other has no water because he is on a hill. I agree with _Yb, Lincoln would be the better choice of the two counties, in my opinion with the development and water supply.
I would suggest looking at existing houses in the mid Rio Grande Valley. Much of the area is irrigated farm land with either scattered ranch houses or very small to small cities with small existing houses. The water issue, outside of town water, should be much less of a problem in the Rio Grande valley but how much water you would own should be determined. The NM State Engineer's Office has the details.
I am reluctant to recommend any of the converted ranches because of the water problems and the pseudo isolation. After a remarkably short while access to both groceries and medical care become more important than being a long way away from it all.
Makes me wonder whatever happened to MarMar58...no posts since 2006. I hope they're "out there" somewhere enjoying the landscape and not spending their time looking for water...
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