Reside in The City Different?
Among The Best Places To Live and Retire,
Santa Fe is certainly near the top of the list!
Quick Facts:
Population: 72,056 (2006 estimate)
Percentage of retirees: 16.4% in 2006
Cost of living index: Above average (within the city. In smaller surrounding
towns costs vary
according to your lifestyle and other factors)
Public libraries: 17 within 15 miles
Public transportation: Santa Fe Trails Transit System buses cost $.50 per trip
for those 60 and
older, or $1.00 for a day pass.
Access to airports: Santa Fe Airport is accessible only by select airlines from
a connection in
Phoenix, Denver or Albuquerque. Shuttle buses can be arranged
to/from airport.
Albuquerque International Airport is about 1 hour away. Express shuttle buses are available.
Tax breaks: In New Mexico, taxpayers 65 and older may exempt up to $8,000
(single), $16,000
(joint) from any income source if their income is under
$28,500 (individual filers) or
$51,000 (married filing jointly).
Number of museums: 29
Number of cinemas: 8
Cultural Highlights: Rich in museums, galleries, and performing arts.
Access to Healthcare: Good, with the regional medical center for northern New
Mexico; the New
Mexico Cancer Institute, and geriatric care centers.
Climate: Pleasant year-round, with sunny days, low humidity and mild
temperatures; all four
seasons represented.
Annual precipitation: 14.22 inches
Nearby Attractions: Sangre de Cristo Range, ski areas, Indian pueblos, old
mission towns,
Georgia O'Keeffe's Abiquiu home all within a couple of
hours' drive, Taos about 1.5
hours away.
In the Know: "In
deciding on a location to retire to, we always knew we'd go west. But we wanted
to find a place that had a lot of amenities that we like: classical music,
chamber music festival, the opera, wonderful art, wide open spaces and 300 days
more or less of sunshine every year. It's a relatively small city, but for a
town of its size there is just a huge amount going on in the way of culture and
the arts."
-John Webber, volunteer at the Santa Fe
Opera.
Santa Fe is a sophisticated jewel for
those who appreciate superb arts, best restaurants and an ethnic mix without the frantic
pace or anonymity of big-city life. It also embodies the best of the Southwest,
proudly proclaiming its tri-cultural blend of Hispanic, Native American and
Anglo traditions, its stunning natural setting, and its proximity to limitless
outdoor options, from hiking to skiing to mountain biking.
Situated at 7,000 feet in the high desert of New Mexico, this has been a coveted
spot for 400 years, since the Spanish first established Santa Fe as a capital
city. The historic structures from Spanish colonialism are evident everywhere
and the style has extended to the design of the
central plaza, which functions as the social and cultural heart of the city.
Adobe pueblo-revival architecture seen in many of the
structures speaks of even older, Native American traditions of the area.
It's possible to walk from one end of this concentrated town to the other in 30
to 40 minutes, passing along the way four designated historic
districts/neighborhoods and a largesse of first-rate museums—the Museum of Fine
Arts, the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum and the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, to
name only a few.
The city's galleries are concentrated in one of the historic
districts, the Canyon Road area, which draws worldwide dealers and clientele,
particularly during the annual Art Santa Fe festival. Another annual draw, the Sante Fe Opera, holds performances throughout the summer in a memorable open-air
theater. There's also a chamber music festival, and the city has its own chamber
music performances and occasional
symphony.
Only seven miles from downtown, the 1.5-million acre Santa Fe National Forest
preserves high mesas and the alpine wilderness of the Sangre de Cristo Range.
Buying Santa Fe
Where do you want to buy in the Santa Fe New Mexico area?
Santa Fe is mapped out into 4 distinct sections. Each
of these sections has it's own neighborhoods and communities. The character and
charm of each section is determined by the unique terrain available.
With the mountain range Sangre de Cristos to the east, with dynamic peaks including Atalaya, Sun and Moon mountains and Santa Fe Baldy. To the west the familiar desert landscape of juniper and pinon dominate the terrain. Preferences for woods and hills or desert vistas with 360 degree views will help determine which part of the city you'll feel most comfortable buying in.
Northeast Santa Fe
The historic eastside with some homes dating back centuries offer charm, coziness and an unmistakable air of history. Hosting a mix of multi-generational families and newcomers, eastside houses are often hidden behind high walls and flanked by the narrow trenches of the Acequia Madre, bringing to mind Santa Fe's agrarian past.
Guadalupe
Historic District
This quaint neighborhood is a collection of beautifully-renovated adobes and
up-and-comers. The lots are small and tidy, with most properties a short
distance to shops and restaurants.
Tesuque
Ten minutes north of Santa Fe, this village neighboring the
Tesuque Pueblo Indians, was discovered in the 1920s, and continues to be a mix
of old-line families and newcomers who share this natural valley setting. This
neighborhood boasts large layouts and beautiful homes with schools close by.
Northeastside Foothills
There are several scenic neighborhoods that border Hyde Park Road as it ascends to the Santa Fe Ski Basin. A lot of these have sweeping views of the city. These also include gated townhome communities and beautiful homes.
On the newer side of developments and a little further up the mountain are the upscale communities of Los Cerros Colorados on the south and Sierra del Norte on the North. There are always new homes being built and offer fresh landscape and new homes to meet your needs.
Northwest
Santa Fe
There are two major areas of the Northwest, Las Campanas and Aldea.
A premier golf course community Las
Campanas boasts
two signature courses with eighteen hundred lots on five thousand acres. A
central clubhouse with full amenities, tennis and equestrian center, makes this
a wonderful place to retire and settle in.
A New Urbanist development with a Santa Fe twist, Aldea is a Spanish word meaning 'small village'. Built on a series of dramatic ridges, the village has terrific views of the surrounding mountains and features Spanish colonial homes and bungalows. With the terrain surrounding you in, there is a sense of privacy and comfort. Find out what your home could be worth in this or other neighborhoods.
Southeast Santa Fe
South Capital
South Capital is an area located just south of the State Capitol building.
This charming neighborhood was established in the early twentieth century and
features a number of different architectural styles, from red brick to adobe to
wood frame.
Eldorado
Eldorado is a wonderful transition between city life and country living. A
planned community development located an easy fifteen minute drive from downtown Santa
Fe, Eldorado has spacious lots and every amenity one could want.
Arroyo Hondo
This fabulous community is known for being a horse-friendly neighborhood with
most lots sized at 5 or more acres and many properties having horse facilities.
There are protected open spaces and a system of private trails throughout the
neighborhood.
Wilderness Gate
With tall ponderosa pine, pinon and juniper this community ies between the
Historic Eastside and the Santa Fe National Forest. The home-sites
are approximately 5 acres each and there is wonderful hiking and the community
allows horses.
The Museum District
The Museum District derives its name from the four internationally acclaimed
museums located in the area. The Museum
of International Folk Art, the Museum
of Indian Arts and culture, the Wheelwright
Museum of the American Indian, and the Museum
of Spanish Colonial Art. The Museum District is a unique and
beautiful neighborhood in Santa Fe. Western views have beautiful sunsets while
Eastern views are of the magnificent Sangre de Cristo Mountains or the Santa
Fe Ski Basin.
Galisteo
and Lamy
Down the road from Eldorado are two traditional villages, Lamy and Galisteo,
with larger spreads and ranch flavored ambience. Galisteo Village is an old
historic sheep-ranching center and Lamy is a true railroad town where the saloon
is now a museum. This is a wonderful place to come for the day or visit for an
afternoon. Check out our listings to see if there are any properties available
in this area.
Southwest Santa Fe
Casa Alegre
This charming Westside neighborhood lies between Agua Fria and Cerrillos Rd. on
the north and south, and bordered by Maez Road and the Indian School on the west
and east. The neighborhoods boasts parks and close proximity to stores, shopping
and restaurants.
Rancho Viejo
Just south of Santa Fe, Rancho Viejo blends with the Southwestern landscape and reflects the rich cultural heritage of New Mexico. Rancho Viejo creates a sense of living amidst nature complemented by community amenities and well-designed homes. Over 50% of the land is preserved as natural open space and parks. This community also offer miles of trails and recreation activities.
Explore Santa Fe
Santa Fe is the oldest capital city in North America and the oldest European community west of the Mississippi. Santa Fe means "Town of the Holy Faith" and is a fabulous city nestled at 7000 feet in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains .
The high desert of Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico are, of course, physically part of the American landscape but not always strictly of America. The Pueblo, Spanish, and Anglo cultures interweave the old with the new creating a rich, often mystifying "Land of Enchantment".
While Santa Fe was inhabited on a very small scale in 1607, it was truly settled by the conquistador Don Pedro de Peralta in 1609-1610. Santa Fe is the site of both the oldest public building in America, the Palace of the Governors and the nation's oldest community celebration, the Santa Fe Fiesta, established in 1712 to commemorate the Spanish re-conquest of New Mexico in the summer of 1692. Peralta and his men laid out the plan for Santa Fe at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on the site of the ancient Pueblo Indian ruin of Kaupoge, or "place of shell beads near the water."
Santa
Fe offers a wide variety of activities and events for locals and visitors. Attend
a Pueblo dance, shop the celebrated Farmer's Market, and raft the waters of the
Rio Grande. Ski and hike some of the most beautiful mountains on the continent,
then play golf on courses with some of the most dramatic views in the country.
Santa Fe offers classes for beginners and those with advanced skills in painting, pottery fly fishing and dance. Hone your calligraphy, photography and writing skills or study dance steps, archaeology techniques and classic literary works.
Santa Fe has dozens of historic sites where you'll encounter thousands of
years of rich history, from ancient Native American ruins to Spanish Colonial
churches, mining towns and remnants of America's Wild West frontier days. Visit
a Civil War battle site that played a pivotal role in the war's outcome. See a
cattle ranch that once belonged to a 1934s Hollywood star.
Take a walking tour of Santa Fe's diverse architecture, ride a vintage train car into high-desert country, or peer into deep space on an astronomy adventure. Learn about the spirits that haunt Santa Fe on a ghost walk and meet the many birds of our region on a birding tour. Trek through mountain wilderness with a friendly llama or ride a horse or a Harley into the sunset.
You can meander through fragrant lavender fields, explore nature trails at a National Audubon Society center, and attend a wine festival in the country's earliest wine-producing region. Experience The Indian Market, the world's largest Native American art market, and Santa Fe Fiesta, the country's oldest community event. Or take a road trip through some of the most dramatic scenery in the world!
Because Santa Fe is one of the country's hottest art markets, the city is fertile ground for all kinds of work as well as sophisticated shopping. Hundreds of galleries host openings and exhibits year-round and studio tours take place throughout the year. Museums regularly exhibit new shows of work done in the Southwest as well as traveling shows from around the world.
Are you ready to carefully consider a realty purchase? Get the best of professional advice with one of the recommended real estate agents listed below.
Get a Good Look at Santa Fe with the help of a real estate professional who knows what he/she is doing!
visit:
Coldwell
Banker
Before You Leave Home, Start Shopping Here!
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