Best areas of ABQ?

[PasadenaTrudy]

When I'm in ABQ in Nov. I'd like to look at the different quadrants as I may move there some day. I'm hearing NE and Sandia Heights are nice. Any areas to avoid? I love Santa Fe too, but it is pricier and a tourist town. Believe me, anywhere is cheaper than SoCal. I'm just putting out my feelers. I will be a renter, not a buyer. I'd like to just rent a little house. Studio apts in my area are about $1200 a month just to give you an idea of South Pasadena rents. Crazy.

[Voice for Peace]

1. You will find a place here for half that price.

My casita is 600/mo. It's part of a larger property, and
that's common here. I am in NW and this is a good
deal, I think, for this neighborhood. But trust me there
are lots of cool little places for rent at affordable
prices. The University is in SE, it's an interesting area.
Depends a lot on what you are looking for. I'm not the
best person to give geographical advice or I would
offer you a tour; but I am somewhat house bound and
know little about the city even though I live here.

[PasadenaTrudy]

2. Thanks!

Wow, you have a great deal it sounds like. I'll just drive around with my GPS. I have autoimmune illness so I stay home a lot myself. I can't hike or do much outdoors. I can drive around ok though.

[left-of-center2012]

3. I like my area

I live in South East ABQ just north of San Pedro SE and Gibson SE. Been here seven years.
Other "nicer" areas are also more expensive. There are a lot of retired seniors here.

[PasadenaTrudy]

4. Thanks for replying...

I'll look at SE areas too. I'm betting the area around UNM and Knob Hill aren't cheap either. I don't want to live in a yuppie all white enclave either, if there is such a thing in ABQ...maybe that NE Sandia Heights area is like that, I don't know. I've lived in the Los Angeles area all my 50 yrs so I like diversity. Santa Fe is awfully pretty, but very touristy and pricey. I get uncomfortable around all the wealth up there sometimes.

[SheilaT]

5. People who live in NM think that Santa Fe is expensive.

That's because they don't really know what expensive can be. When I moved here from Overland Park, Kansas, which is considered to be a low cost of living part of the country, I rented an apartment in Santa Fe for exactly what I would have expected to pay for a comparable place in Overland Park. Hmmm. How bizarre.

Please go ahead and look at Santa Fe, also. Yes, it will cost a little more than Albuquerque, but not as much more as people may think. And depending on what kind of a life you want, it may be the right choice.

[PasadenaTrudy]

6. I will..

Santa Fe is cheaper than L.A. too, but then, what isn't I plan to spend 2 months there next year sometime. Just starting to research rentals. I'll be looking at a few places when I'm there in a couple weeks. I'll try to get in touch with you too, if I'm not exhausted.

[SheilaT]

7. Please do.

You might possibly do a little better here with a short term rental than in ABQ, simply because of this city being more attuned to that sort of rental. Not that I know a lot about that, as when I moved here I was looking for a place to live full time, rented my apartment, and then a year later bought my little home. Good luck.