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Northwest other than Rio Rancho. (I don't have anything against Rio Rancho except its distance from my husband's commute....uhmmmm - El Paso at it's furtherest point.... ugh!!)
For that reason, we're leaving Rio Rancho as our absolute last resort. I guess if we had to move there, we would, but would like to exhaust all other options first.
If you had to put the above 3 areas in a list of Best to Worst (or "least best" ha!!) what would the order be?
Based on:
-crime/safety
- traffic/time involved in getting to the interstate
- house values/resale value (There's always the possibility that I will miss "home" and family so much I will want to sell and return to Oklahoma...I need to keep that option open....sorry, but it's the truth....)
- At least some GRASS! - even if it's only a 12 x 12 plot ha!! You can take the girl out of Oklahoma, but you can't take Oklahoma out of the girl. (please don't be offended by that...it's certainly not my intention....
the best--
1.Rio Rancho (if you like the suburbs,a long drive and its the 2nd safest city in NM)
2.Northeast
3.Northwest
4.Southwest
5.Southeast(there are a few good neighborhoods in this area but most are bad)
I just recently gave kind of a 'run down' of quadrants, zips, etc., so rather than retyping essentially the whole thing for you, I am just going to more or less paste in my response that hit on what you are alluding to (with a few edits on when I posted this a week or so ago):
Quote:
Originally Posted by EnjoyEP
Albuquerque recommended zip codes:
NORTHEAST
87109 - Portions...generally more northern and/OR eastern (generally north of Montgomery and/or, east of Louisiana)
87111 -
87112 - Portions...generally more northern and eastern
87122 - (Pricey)
NORTH VALLEY
87107 - Northern areas most desirable, especially near Rio Grande Blvd.
87113
NORTHWEST
87114
87120 - Northern 1/3 or so of this zip
SOUTEAST
87123 - Predominantly in the "Four Hills" neighborhood, although this is pricey, as well as most all areas on Tramway Blvd. or east
RIO RANCHO (suburb on far North West)
87124
UNM / NOB HILL area
87108
DOWNTOWN
87102 - There are some very nice residential areas (perhaps a bit too pricey though) off of Downtown near the river
Probably my personal favorite in the quadrants I mentioned. Older and more established in general than the Northwest, and thus more retail, restaurants, established infrastructure, etc. You will get many decades-old well established residential areas, as well as still some newer areas on the northern and eastern edges.
IN GENERAL, this is a pricier area in the quadrants I mentioned. However, it all depends on the size / age of home, type of neighborhood, etc. I owned a modest sized (1200 square foot) 35 year old (but remodled) home - 4 bed rooms (fairly small BRs!), in an older neighborhood square in the heart of the NE Heights and I was WELL within your price range. You can find houses like this. And the house I owned actually had a large grass yard in the back (rock / xeriscape in the front) which is more possible in the older developments than in newer ones (which use lawn much less).
But indeed, compared to what you'd get on the Northwest, you'll be paying more $ per square foot.
For all of these things though, who knows? The way the real estate market is still currently, steals / deals can always be found.
The Northeast is to me semi-"suburban" in feel, yet fairly urban still. A wide blend of people - long-time New Mexicans (including native ABQeans), cops, retired military, empty nesters, renters, young families with kids, affluent sorts, working professionals, elderly, families with high school aged kids, some working class / blue collar families, etc.
The Northwest tends to feel a bit more "new suburbia" with tons of fairly new (or recent) development - both in terms of retail, as well as residential homes and neighborhoods. If you are looking for "bang for you buck" per square foot in a newer home, this is the place to look. For many, it lacks the "authenticity" or "real Albuquerque vibe" that other areas of the town have - and I don't necessarily disagree (I prefer the NE in a perfect world) - however, I likely would buy here due to all of the younger families that reside here. It has its pluses and minuses - big pluses are the home sizes / ages for their dollar. Minuses involve less established infrastructure (eg: more traffic) and maybe less of an authentic "feel".
Rio Rancho is a popular, rapidly growing suburb on ABQ's northwest side, and if you'd consider ABQ's NW side, you probably should throw Rio Rancho in that mix, too, as RR is in feel largely an extension of ABQ's NW side.
The North Valley is one of the nicest parts of ABQ...by the Rio Grande. Hotter on summer days and cooler on winter nights due to being in the valley. More "green" than most of ABQ due to its proximity by the river. The nice areas of the Valley are some of the pricier areas, but if you can fit the area in your budget, say, Osuna Rd. or Rio Grande Blvd. in the Valley, it has its real pluses - one of which is being so central in the city to everything. It has a similar urban/suburban kind of mixed vibe that the Northeast Heights has.
The Nob Hill/UNM/Downtown areas I noted zip-wise are more what you'd associate with a more classically "walking friendly" or "younger" or more "hip" area of the city...definitely quite urban. This is the place you'll find more nightlife, more music, more revelry. Lots of authentic and unique shopping. There are some quite affluent areas in this area as well, typically more liberal-leaning folks. There are some beautiful green, wooded areas in these neighborhoods, too, that seem again somewhat unlike the remainder of the desert city. To me, this was a great place to visit (but preferred living in the NE Heights), but to others on the board they wouldn't live anywhere else if they had the choice.
Probably the areas you'd want to stay clear of as a newcomer coming in would be the 1. Southwest, 2. most of the Southeast (except for pockets that would include areas like the affluent Four Hills area in far Southeast ABQ - lots of trees and the like - and anything on Tramway Blvd. & east), and 3. some of the Northwest that is closer to I-40.
----
I hope this helps you. If you have follow up questions, feel free to shoot. Partially it would be akin to where you'll be working, if you want more "city" or more "home with yard", etc.
Good luck!! And CONGRATS on getting to move to ABQ!!!
Crime/Safety from safest : I know crime can happen anywhere but personally I believe the following:
Four Hills: Pay $50 month and you will have your own private security company, all off duty/ex Police/Military, armed, knowledgeable and can be on scene under 3 mins - I called and no kidding they were there in less than a minute. Worth every cent if you ask me.
East of Tramway : Less through traffic and therefore less crimes of opportunity since people don't usually drive up that way unless for a specific reason.
Ridgecrest : Smaller older neighbourhood, residents have their own community thing going on.
North Albuquerque Acres/La Cueva district, wealthier neighborhoods.
Uptown : There is a great little neighbourhood which is almost hidden just north of Menaul, older Mossman homes and it doesn't get much traffic.
Nob Hill/Far North East Heights : More traffic and more opportunity crimes.
Lower NE Heights/Downtown : Closer to bad areas
Resale value :
La Cueva, La Cueva, La Cueva : Every parents go to school keeps prices up.
Four Hills/North Foothills/Ridgecrest : Older established neighbourhoods, classic Albuqeurque favourites.
South Foothills/Nob Hill/Downtown : One is east of Tramway so more peaceful the other two are in the most popular areas.
Uptown hidden neighbourhood: Classic Mossman homes.
Grass/Greenery :
Four Hills : Drive through and you will see why.
Ridgecrest : Beautiful tree lined street
Foothills/Nob Hill/N Albuquerque Acres : Mixed green and natural landscapes
Hi rgmacm -
Originally Posted by EnjoyEP Albuquerque recommended zip codes:
.........
3. some of the Northwest that is closer to I-40.
---- :
That was going to be my next question...those areas in th NE around I-40... So...where's the "cut-off" between "acceptable" and "unacceptable". I've found some nice homes that would fit our needs just south of Paradise Hills/Ventana Ranch.
Because my husband's job is going to be travel....and 90% of his travel is going to be south (as far as ElPaso and Lubbock TX) ---the further north we get, the longer his drives become.... When we FIRST began this search, i was looking at Los Lunas/Belen. I quickly found out on this board that I should keep looking!!! "Location-wise" it would have been so convenient, but safety and security come first. I know RR is "suburbia heaven" but we're still a little concerned about how very far north it is - adding as much as an hour to hubby's drives. We will have to keep it open as an option, but for now, we're still in the mode to try to find something a bit closer to .....ElPaso....(isn't that hysterical???? ) I told my husband that if this job REQUIRED us to live in ElPaso, we should just stay unemployed a while longer! I just can't live there! However, he WILL have to go there on a regular basis.
BERNCOHOMES: What a very informative post. By the way, I'm printing this entire thread....to take with us when we come to town in a few weeks.... East of Tramway sounds intriguing to me too... looking at the map, my husband could get south without ever going through the I40/I25 interchange...possibly that is a betteer option as far as traffic congestion...My thoughts are that i either want a home that is old enough to be "classic" and already remodeled as my husband has said he REFUSES to do the whole "fixer-upper" again. (Been there, done that! ---with our current home and now that we have it just the way we want it, we're selling and moving. ugh ugh!!!) OR a new home that has all the special wonderful things that only new homes can have. ha!!!
I am so grateful for all the information/help I have gotten here. I'm slowly 'adjusting' to the idea of moving to albuquerque....As long as I don't think about memories or "roots" or family, I handle this whole move pretty well....It will be an adventure (Say 10 times every morning while looking in mirror!!!)
Your husband could get south without going the the Big-I (I-25/I-40 interchange) but it would take longer and if he wasn't driving at peak times then it would not be worth it.
I had assumed the NW, NE, etc... in a home address denoted the quadrant that home was in...then found one that said NE on the address but when I went to the map, it was actually south of I-40......confusion!!!
Where are the dividing lines between these sections...perhaps I've been selecting and eliminating houses based on the wrong information....
The "official" quadrant dividers are Central Ave which runs East-West through town, and the railroad tracks which run North-South. (For example: south of Central & west of the railroad tracks = SW.)
I-40 and I-25 serve as convenient unofficial dividers, but do not always jibe with an actual physical address designation.
That was going to be my next question...those areas in th NE around I-40... So...where's the "cut-off" between "acceptable" and "unacceptable". I've found some nice homes that would fit our needs just south of Paradise Hills/Ventana Ranch.
Because my husband's job is going to be travel....and 90% of his travel is going to be south (as far as ElPaso and Lubbock TX) ---the further north we get, the longer his drives become.... When we FIRST began this search, i was looking at Los Lunas/Belen. I quickly found out on this board that I should keep looking!!! "Location-wise" it would have been so convenient, but safety and security come first. I know RR is "suburbia heaven" but we're still a little concerned about how very far north it is - adding as much as an hour to hubby's drives. We will have to keep it open as an option, but for now, we're still in the mode to try to find something a bit closer to .....ElPaso....
I've noticed that you've said that your spouse will spend quite a bit of time on the road, mentioning destinations like El Paso and Lubbock. In respect to a comparison of additional travel time between Los Lunas and Rio Rancho, an extra 45-60 minutes is probably fairly accurate.
But if you're eliminating the Los Lunas area from the equation, then the commute time differences between Rio Rancho and the NE & NW parts of ABQ to destinations 300 (or so) miles away is almost negligible (particularly if the comparison is made between RR and Ventana Ranch/Paradise Hills). We're likely talking about a difference of 15 minutes or less as a part of a 3.5-6 hour commute.
Unless your husband is going to have to deal with typical daily intra-city commutes, I would highly recommend reducing the focus of your new home search in regard to commute time, and aim more for the most family friendly area that fits your budget and your family's comfort level.
Chap
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ugh!!)
Wow
"Location-wise" it would have been so convenient, but safety and security come first. I know RR is "suburbia heaven" but we're still a little concerned about how very far north it is - adding as much as an hour to hubby's drives. We will have to keep it open as an option, but for now, we're still in the mode to try to find something a bit closer to .....ElPaso....(isn't that hysterical???? 
) I told my husband that if this job REQUIRED us to live in ElPaso, we should just stay unemployed a while longer! I just can't live there! However, he WILL have to go there on a regular basis. 
