We are looking for any advice you may have. We have been looking for a short while and we love the Enchanted Circle area of NM. Red River, Angel Fire, Taos. Maybe down into Santa Fe? Possibly as far south as Ruidoso?

What is your advice in this matter? What parts of New Mexico do you love?

Interested as well. We love Colorado and go there now, but NM is so much closer (1 day drive vs. 2) and cheaper. Main thing that sucks IMO is having to drive a ways to ski mountain (I know there are a few exceptions). I like Santa Fe because, although it may have the least desirable skiing, there is so much more to do in town, great restaurants, etc. TAOS is really cool. Have never skied there, but have driven to ski area and it seemed pretty far from town. It can be pretty rough around the edges too...but I kind of like that. Ruidoso....been a while but the town was not very nice and very limited restaurants, etc.

I probably can't help a whole lot, but I assume as a vacation home and not permanent residence?

The biggest factor is budget. How close to the ski hill can you afford?
Will you use it only during ski season, or year-round?
Will you rent it out on VRBO/Airbnb?

If you believe in global warming, don't buy near Ruidoso. I've been snowless there once for a Christmas trip and heard they were high and dry for spring break several years ago (thankfully went elsewhere that year).

If you decide to look in Ruidoso, call my FIL, Don Lincoln, with Coldwell Bankers.

He's been selling real estate there for 35 years and one of the top agents there.

He will hook you up.

MAS444 said:

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Interested as well. We love Colorado and go there now, but NM is so much closer (1 day drive vs. 2) and cheaper. Main thing that sucks IMO is having to drive a ways to ski mountain (I know there are a few exceptions). I like Santa Fe because, although it may have the least desirable skiing, there is so much more to do in town, great restaurants, etc. TAOS is really cool. Have never skied there, but have driven to ski area and it seemed pretty far from town. It can be pretty rough around the edges too...but I kind of like that. Ruidoso....been a while but the town was not very nice and very limited restaurants, etc.

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Taos is wonderdul! The skiing is a little intense for some of the little ones in our big group but we make due when we go! Santa Fe is amazing as well. I'm thinking it comes down to Santa Fe, Angel Fire, or Red River for us!

Do you have any idea what the general cost to build is in any of those areas?

We are looking into the Angel Fire area as well. But we will probably go ahead and rent out our place on VRBO\Airbnb when we aren't using it. We've kinda settled on that area because it is closer than Pagosa\Durango. They have a great snow making system at AF so even the lower snow years the resort will still draw a good number of prospective renters.If you wanted some variety you are within an hour of 3 other ski areas (Taos, Red River, Sipapu). Property and houses are still relatively affordable.

Here are the possible downsides with AF. If you buy inside the city limits you are required to pay membership to the resort. Which currently runs about $2500 a year. Not a terrible deal if you get up the and use the ski area and the golf course in the summer. But few may not like spending $200+ a month on something like that. If you don't like that but still want to consider the area then maybe Eagle Nest is more your speed. Still puts you close to all the same ski areas but outside the AF city limits.

We will be heading up there in Feb to ski and look at some places. I'd like to buy something this year but we will see.

I've never been to northern NM but will throw in my $.02 about Ruidoso as we've had a place there since my dad was a kid a family grew up in Carlsbad.

The points made above about lack of snow are concerning. It seems every year they have a little less and on spring break '18 it was an absolute disappointment. Our place is way up into the "Upper Canyon" which you will learn is the area of older homes all the way through town. A morning ride to the ski run can exceed 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on conditions from our place which is a bit a pain. My uncle, who live full time in Carlsbad, just bought a place in Alto Lakes which is right out by the ski run road which makes getting to the slopes much easier.

I think we have narrowed it down. Headed out in 3 weeks to check out anything on the Enchanted Circle. We are looking at about 14 properties, and then about 5 different lots (size up to 6 acres).

Missing the good things in life if you ignore Cloudcroft.

My parents live in Cloudcroft and my wife and I own a place up there. it's a great place, still affordable but year over year they just don't get enough snow to consider it a ski area.

WeatherAg, when are you heading up there? We will be there Feb 11-15th. Do you have a size\price range in mind? Any plans on renting it out when you arent using it?

Bro was just at taos and said some rich gazillionair bought it and it putting tons of money in the area.

Plus Taos Air has direct flights from Austin and Dallas

Richline said:

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My parents live in Cloudcroft and my wife and I own a place up there. it's a great place, still affordable but year over year they just don't get enough snow to consider it a ski area.

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Yeah, I wouldn't know. For me it's a summer haven.