Considering Moving To Santa Fe (2 Viewers)

[GTV]

Hey y'all, I'm Zach. Born and raised in Prescott, AZ, currently residing in Boise. I like it well enough but I've recently come to the conclusion that Idaho is just too damn cold. So I began to look south... and the Santa Fe area really checks a lot of boxes for me. I visited briefly on a road trip two years ago, just one night in Santa Fe, but it made a big impression. I've nearly convinced myself to go forward with this and I'm seriously considering relocating before next winter.

So I thought I'd touch base here and see if you locals have any advice. I'm planning on getting my boots on the ground there later this spring/summer. I work as a residential electrician, I really enjoy the trade and I'll be looking for a well respected contractor to work for. I work for an independent shop now but would consider union if it's a good fit.

All comments appreciated, thanks!

 

[krazykat69]

Hey y'all, I'm Zach. Born and raised in Prescott, AZ, currently residing in Boise. I like it well enough but I've recently come to the conclusion that Idaho is just too damn cold. So I began to look south... and the Santa Fe area really checks a lot of boxes for me. I visited briefly on a road trip two years ago, just one night in Santa Fe, but it made a big impression. I've nearly convinced myself to go forward with this and I'm seriously considering relocating before next winter.

So I thought I'd touch base here and see if you locals have any advice. I'm planning on getting my boots on the ground there later this spring/summer. I work as a residential electrician, I really enjoy the trade and I'll be looking for a well respected contractor to work for. I work for an independent shop now but would consider union if it's a good fit.

All comments appreciated, thanks!

View attachment 3544312

Good move to make. Nice ride!! We will show you around NM and you are going to be right in the middle of off road heaven and better climate too.
We have monthly breakfast get togethers. And adventure rides local, and regional
Can't suggest any job ideas, but there's always a need for another "Sparky" PS thanks for the pic of your Toyota.

 

[swhme]

I live in SF and love it here! Previously lived in Albuquerque for 10 years, and Durango before that.

The big downside with SF is housing— house prices and rents are high, so you may have to do a bit of hunting. It’s also worth looking at the East Mountains (cerrillos, madrid, sandia park, cedar crest, tijeras) and at ABQ, as well. Albuquerque has some really nice areas, and is about 10º warmer than santa fe year round, so it can be a bit hot in the summer (but usually not terrible) but a bit milder in the winter.

 

[peneumbra2]

As mentioned, SF is a terrific place to live - which is why a lot of people want to live there.
Which is why real estate is so expensive.
Which is why the traffic (in some parts of town) kinda sucks.
So come on down, stay a couple of weeks, and see what you think.

PS: your rig needs some window stickers, no?

 

[AmericanKing]

Nice looking cruiser. Love the TRD RW wheels. Great Choice. I'm located just south of ABQ in Los Lunas. Houses and rent are a bit cheaper compared up north. There is still construction going on at the FB data center. I heard that project is based on Union contracts. BTW what centers caps are those?

 

[GTV]

I live in SF and love it here! Previously lived in Albuquerque for 10 years, and Durango before that.

The big downside with SF is housing— house prices and rents are high, so you may have to do a bit of hunting. It’s also worth looking at the East Mountains (cerrillos, madrid, sandia park, cedar crest, tijeras) and at ABQ, as well. Albuquerque has some really nice areas, and is about 10º warmer than santa fe year round, so it can be a bit hot in the summer (but usually not terrible) but a bit milder in the winter.

I'm expecting housing to be a challenge. I'd like to rent until I figure out exactly where I want to be, but finding a rental with a garage (an absolute necessity for me) is gonna make it even harder. I'm just one guy so I don't need/want/can't afford a big place.

As mentioned, SF is a terrific place to live - which is why a lot of people want to live there.
Which is why real estate is so expensive.
Which is why the traffic (in some parts of town) kinda sucks.
So come on down, stay a couple of weeks, and see what you think.

PS: your rig needs some window stickers, no?

I did six years in Seattle, traffic can't be worse than that!
Still working on collecting them all

Nice looking cruiser. Love the TRD RW wheels. Great Choice. I'm located just south of ABQ in Los Lunas. Houses and rent are a bit cheaper compared up north. There is still construction going on at the FB data center. I heard that project is based on Union contracts. BTW what centers caps are those?

Thanks! Caps are domed TRD's, needed to clear the dust caps because I'm only using 1/4" spacers.
Yeah the big commercial projects are almost always union. There's a FB/Meta thing happening in Boise now as well.

 

[swhme]

I'm expecting housing to be a challenge. I'd like to rent until I figure out exactly where I want to be, but finding a rental with a garage (an absolute necessity for me) is gonna make it even harder. I'm just one guy so I don't need/want/can't afford a big place.

I just leased an office in a building that can be used for live/work space that has a 9’ roll up door for $1900. If that fits budget, lmk when you’re in town and I can intro you to the owner. Really prime location in the middle of town

 

[GTV]

I just leased an office in a building that can be used for live/work space that has a 9’ roll up door for $1900. If that fits budget, lmk when you’re in town and I can intro you to the owner. Really prime location in the middle of town

I like the sound of that a lot. I would have to know what my pay is going to be before I could commit though. I will contact you when I know I'm headed there, thank you!

 

[alia176]

oh man NM is an awful, awful place to live. Try UT or AZ maybe?

 

[GTV]

oh man NM is an awful, awful place to live. Try UT or AZ maybe?

I'd probably move to my hometown... If I wasn't so familiar with it, and the rest of AZ for that matter. I'll be happy to be closer to southern Utah but I don't have the requisite underwear to live there.

I spent the winter/spring in Silver City two years ago and really grew to appreciate NM. The rest of the US has its differences but is generally very homogenous. NM is it's own thing and I dig it.

 

[alia176]

I'd probably move to my hometown... If I wasn't so familiar with it, and the rest of AZ for that matter. I'll be happy to be closer to southern Utah but I don't have the requisite underwear to live there.

I spent the winter/spring in Silver City two years ago and really grew to appreciate NM. The rest of the US has its differences but is generally very homogenous. NM is it's own thing and I dig it.

Silver City is a really cool place, I must say. That whole area is worth visiting/camping at least once or twice annually.

 

[peneumbra2]

Silver City is really cool, BUUUUT --
It's a long drive to anyplace bigger, like Tucson or Las Cruces.
If you don't need anything in the city, you can just hang out on your porch and watch the clouds drift by.

 

[marcfj60]

You mentioned that Idaho is too cold. I don't know that Santa Fe is going to be much different from a cold perspective. Speaking on a global sense, there are going to be more warm places in NM than Idaho. I've spent a few days here and there in the winter in SE Idaho and it was definitely colder there than most of NM. Santa Fe sits at 7,000 above sea level and just because NM is really far south, the temps here are not similar to AZ. We are generally 20 degrees cooler than the PHX area. Santa Fe has weather that's kind of similar to Flagstaff. Make sure you look at average temp data over the year and you're ok with that. Also, Santa Fe is a very liberal place, politically speaking, so make sure you're ok living in that environment. I would say it is probably the exact opposite of Boise from a politics perspective.

 

[peneumbra2]

You mentioned that Idaho is too cold. I don't know that Santa Fe is going to be much different from a cold perspective. Speaking on a global sense, there are going to be more warm places in NM than Idaho. I've spent a few days here and there in the winter in SE Idaho and it was definitely colder there than most of NM. Santa Fe sits at 7,000 above sea level and just because NM is really far south, the temps here are not similar to AZ. We are generally 20 degrees cooler than the PHX area. Santa Fe has weather that's kind of similar to Flagstaff. Make sure you look at average temp data over the year and you're ok with that. Also, Santa Fe is a very liberal place, politically speaking, so make sure you're ok living in that environment. I would say it is probably the exact opposite of Boise from a politics perspective.

Well, Santa Fe is a bit warmer than Flagstaff because there's more SALSA used in SF.
Just ask me anything...

 

[GTV]

You mentioned that Idaho is too cold. I don't know that Santa Fe is going to be much different from a cold perspective. Speaking on a global sense, there are going to be more warm places in NM than Idaho. I've spent a few days here and there in the winter in SE Idaho and it was definitely colder there than most of NM. Santa Fe sits at 7,000 above sea level and just because NM is really far south, the temps here are not similar to AZ. We are generally 20 degrees cooler than the PHX area. Santa Fe has weather that's kind of similar to Flagstaff. Make sure you look at average temp data over the year and you're ok with that. Also, Santa Fe is a very liberal place, politically speaking, so make sure you're ok living in that environment. I would say it is probably the exact opposite of Boise from a politics perspective.

Boise is only a few degrees colder in the winter than SF. But it's in a valley and I really want to live in the mountains again. The mountains in Idaho are, IMO, brutally cold. I'm not into it. SF is also slightly cooler in the summers, which is fine by me. I love riding bikes so the milder climate plus over 300 days of sunshine sound very appealing to me. Average SF temps are right in-between my hometown of Prescott and Flagstaff. So I feel like I know what I'm getting myself into there.

I survived Seattle, that was an experience politically speaking. Can't be much more extreme than that. Idaho is red obviously but Boise is blue, so in that respect it's a good balance, IMO.

I really appreciate all the comments guys!

 

[Skillet Liquor]

I love riding bikes so the milder climate plus over 300 days of sunshine sound very appealing to me.

What type of riding do you like to do?

 

[GTV]

What type of riding do you like to do?

I've got a bunch of vintage bikes, couple rigid MTB's, a fixed gear. I just love to ride.

 

[Skillet Liquor]

I've got a bunch of vintage bikes, couple rigid MTB's, a fixed gear. I just love to ride.

Nice. I never seem to be able to get to a point where I have fewer than four bikes for some reason...

Lots of great riding out here either way.

 

[marcfj60]

Boise is only a few degrees colder in the winter than SF. But it's in a valley and I really want to live in the mountains again. The mountains in Idaho are, IMO, brutally cold. I'm not into it. SF is also slightly cooler in the summers, which is fine by me. I love riding bikes so the milder climate plus over 300 days of sunshine sound very appealing to me. Average SF temps are right in-between my hometown of Prescott and Flagstaff. So I feel like I know what I'm getting myself into there.

I survived Seattle, that was an experience politically speaking. Can't be much more extreme than that. Idaho is red obviously but Boise is blue, so in that respect it's a good balance, IMO.

I really appreciate all the comments guys!

Sounds like you've done your homework. Our mountain ranges are smaller and lower so you can spend more of the year in them than the much bigger ranges in ID and MT

 

[5speed addict]

I'm in Los Alamos so ~40 mins up the road from santa fe. Even with all the bad or annoying things about this part of the state its still hard to beat the access to the outdoors in New Mexico and being close (but not too close) to some real gems in southwestern colorado and surrounding states