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My family and I live in La Mesa, but want to move somewhere else in New Mexico. We're both from southern NM and love it in NM, but want to try living in a different area of the state or an area with a different climate. We are small town people, so looking for that. I heard Corona was nice, and maybe Estancia...any suggenstions or input would be greatly appreciated!
And just how are you going to live without Chope's I would ask.
Corona is very small and groceries etc., are a long ways away. Estancia is a little larger and of course you have access to Moriarity and Alb within a reasonable distance for stuffs.
Corona is much prettier though. Estancia is really on the plains and flat, Corona is PJ with rolling hills. Not sure about the character of the people in either place. But there is some decent mexican food in Estancia, not as good as Chope's though.
Lamesa...you might want to look at Carrizozo. Its about 45 miles south of corona on U.S.54. Its population is around 1,000. Its elevation is about 5500 ft and its at the base of beautiful Sierra Blanca Peak (12,003 ft) and about 25 minutes to Ruidoso resort town.
Does have a grocerystore, convience stores, auto repair shops, great mexican resturants etc..Also about 10 miles from historic ghost town White Oaks and it even has a nine hole golf course...
And just how are you going to live without Chope's I would ask.
Corona is very small and groceries etc., are a long ways away. Estancia is a little larger and of course you have access to Moriarity and Alb within a reasonable distance for stuffs.
Corona is much prettier though. Estancia is really on the plains and flat, Corona is PJ with rolling hills. Not sure about the character of the people in either place. But there is some decent mexican food in Estancia, not as good as Chope's though.
Well...luckily my in-laws will still be in La Mesa and my parents in Anthony, so we'll be visiting. Gotta have my Chope's as often as possible. Unfortunately with all of the "booming" growth in this valley, it can be next to impossible to eat-in at Chope's anymore without waiting 2-3 hours. So, we do lots of take-out!
Thanks for the input. We're pretty much looking for a small town that will not be booming in growth and population. We used to live in the country.....not anymore. Our farm is surrounded by developments now making farming a bit of a pain. We always wanted to build our house on it one day, but not now. We'll keep it and lease-farm it, but can't imagine making our permanent home in La Mesa anymore. Kind of a bummer, but what can you do? We're thinking we'll try to make a move in a year to two years, so I have lots of time, just want to make a good decision about where to live, not a HUGE mistake!
Well...luckily my in-laws will still be in La Mesa and my parents in Anthony, so we'll be visiting. Gotta have my Chope's as often as possible. Unfortunately with all of the "booming" growth in this valley, it can be next to impossible to eat-in at Chope's anymore without waiting 2-3 hours. So, we do lots of take-out!
Thanks for the input. We're pretty much looking for a small town that will not be booming in growth and population. We used to live in the country.....not anymore. Our farm is surrounded by developments now making farming a bit of a pain. We always wanted to build our house on it one day, but not now. We'll keep it and lease-farm it, but can't imagine making our permanent home in La Mesa anymore. Kind of a bummer, but what can you do? We're thinking we'll try to make a move in a year to two years, so I have lots of time, just want to make a good decision about where to live, not a HUGE mistake!
I feel for ya. My valley is slowly going away too (I live in Cruces). The day I can't drive through Stahmann's on my way down there is the day I will leave. The Hatch area has started to sound better and better to me. I hate the thought of a commute but things are really getting rediculous here. I envy you the oportunity you have. Wish I could, another 15 years and retirement will be mine and then we'll see!
As for Chope's we got in last Saturday for lunch ok. Nothing wrong with takeout though. Love me some rellenos.
First hand opinion on Carrizozo. The town is safe, small, good housing prices, and some parts have great views. Recent annexation of 3000 plus acres might bring growth. No jobs at all though local businesses have hard time finding anyone willing to work. Small nucleus of activist citizens are totally overwhelmed by the "dont rock the boat" mentality. Grocery store has been closed over a year though there is an attempt to open one. Convience store is closed some nights because they can't find employees. Health clinic in town but real medical care is in Alamogordo [or Ruidoso for some things].
Attempts at creating an art town are focused around a gallery on 12th street
which is subsidized by the owners to keep it going. Many newcomers leave after a few years, perhaps fazed by the undercurrent of resentment from the longterm residents. Corrupt local government continues because no one else will serve. Lining your own pockets or getting paid for doing no work are looked on as admirable. The schools are marginal and the best of the graduates leave and don't come back. This is the truth as I see it, hoping to get out soon
I feel for ya. My valley is slowly going away too (I live in Cruces). The day I can't drive through Stahmann's on my way down there is the day I will leave. The Hatch area has started to sound better and better to me. I hate the thought of a commute but things are really getting rediculous here. I envy you the oportunity you have. Wish I could, another 15 years and retirement will be mine and then we'll see!
As for Chope's we got in last Saturday for lunch ok. Nothing wrong with takeout though. Love me some rellenos.
It is pretty sad to see all of the farmland going to development. I think the Hatch Valley sounds pretty good myself, except I think one day it will be swallowed whole into all of this "development" buzz as the environmental movement against agriculture really takes hold and these farmers can't afford to farm anymore. Some days it just really gets to me......I love this area but don't want to live in metro area, ya know. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who hates the growth....
Glad you got your Chope's fix! Gotta love that food....best you can find I think!
suggestion: live in each of the suggested small towns for a few months each and then settle finally where you like the best....i've had the experience of buying a house in a new town only to find i didn't like it and then was stuck with the property.
i would like to know more about La Mesa....what are home prices like there? are houses selling or is it a buyer's market or ????
Thx
suggestion: live in each of the suggested small towns for a few months each and then settle finally where you like the best....i've had the experience of buying a house in a new town only to find i didn't like it and then was stuck with the property.
i would like to know more about La Mesa....what are home prices like there? are houses selling or is it a buyer's market or ????
Thx
La Mesa was a small farming community for years with generations of the same families living in the community (kind of a smaller version of Mesilla). My husband's grandparents moved from Arkansas to La Mesa in the early 1920's. They bought a farm and early in the depression, his grandmother opened the State Farm insurance agency there. My mother-in-law now is the agent in that agency that is still in the original location in La Mesa. There is Chope's, of course, Severo's (a bar and restaurant), Eagle Grocery and Hardware store and the Post Office. There is still a lot of farming in the area, but not as much as there once was. There is mainly a lot of building going on in La Mesa, not so much selling of existing houses. There are a couple old adobe houses for sale right now (very expensive), but most of the houses on the market are of newer construction or are mobile homes. The town itself is pretty much full, except for the occasional little alfalfa field that will soon become either someone's house or a mobile home "park" (1-3 trailers on the property). The expansion is happening mainly outside of the "town square" where farmland is being sold into development. There is probably more land for sale in the area than homes for sale. I hope I was able to answer your question!
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We're thinking we'll try to make a move in a year to two years, so I have lots of time, just want to make a good decision about where to live, not a HUGE mistake!
lamesa
