ABQ, New mexico Forum

[Anonymous User]

A bit off topic but what are some good neighborhoods in ABQ to buy a house in?

Piggybacking on this, any recommended areas to look to rent for someone who is only gonna be around for a year or two?

[CanadianWolf]

Jeff Bazos (Amazon) was born in Albuquerque (according to Wikipedia bio) and Microsoft started in Albuquerque, yet both ended up in Seattle.

[nixy]

Those are definitely facts I consider when deciding where I want to work/live.

[Bosque]

CanadianWolf, did Senator Heinrich insult you in the airport one time or something? I'm not getting the source of the animosity.

[Bosque]

A bit off topic but what are some good neighborhoods in ABQ to buy a house in?

This depends, as it always seems to for real estate, on whether you have kids in public school. If yes, the clear answer is the NE heights. La Cueva and Eldorado are I believe still the best two in boundry (i.e., not charter you need to apply to) high schools in the city. But as with all decent school districts, prices in the area can reflect that. And if you don't have kids, it is a bit out of the way.

If you don't care as much about schools, that opens up a lot of other areas. If you like the foothills but don't need the schools, you might be able to find a cheaper place farther south (which also puts you closer to downtown and I-40). The Nob Hill area is more walkable than most (nothing is going to be like a big East Coast city though), and is going to be far closer to most of the places you want to go. With the university in the area as well, it's probably your best bet if you are single in your 20s/early 30s. You could also consider something close to the Ballon Fiesta grounds, especially if you are thinking of renting out a room or something on Air BNB. Old town is not bad either.

[Bosque]

A bit off topic but what are some good neighborhoods in ABQ to buy a house in?

Piggybacking on this, any recommended areas to look to rent for someone who is only gonna be around for a year or two?

Assuming you are also young and want access to bars/dating spots, probably Nob Hill and the other areas surrounding the university. Maybe Downtown, if that is convenient for you for work. At only a year or two, I personally would prioritize proximity to work.

[Anonymous User]

Lots of love for ABQ in this thread. When I was thinking about potentially moving for FIRE / early retirement (never did move), ABQ was an interesting option but I never seriously considered it because of high crime. Is that not still a big concern?

Granted, I live in a big city now with somewhat high crime. But the tradeoff of living in a big city with tons of amenities seems worth it. If I were to move to a MCOL city with fewer amenities, I’d be more sensitive to the crime issue.

[Anonymous User]

Lots of love for ABQ in this thread. When I was thinking about potentially moving for FIRE / early retirement (never did move), ABQ was an interesting option but I never seriously considered it because of high crime. Is that not still a big concern?

Granted, I live in a big city now with somewhat high crime. But the tradeoff of living in a big city with tons of amenities seems worth it. If I were to move to a MCOL city with fewer amenities, I’d be more sensitive to the crime issue.

I think crime in ABQ is really really neighborhood specific and can be avoided pretty easily.

[CanadianWolf]

Lots of love for ABQ in this thread. When I was thinking about potentially moving for FIRE / early retirement (never did move), ABQ was an interesting option but I never seriously considered it because of high crime. Is that not still a big concern?

Granted, I live in a big city now with somewhat high crime. But the tradeoff of living in a big city with tons of amenities seems worth it. If I were to move to a MCOL city with fewer amenities, I’d be more sensitive to the crime issue.

Based on FBI statistics for violent crime, Albuquerque was the 9th most dangerous city in the US.

The most dangerous cities in America, ranked.
https://cbsnews.com/pictures/the-most-d ... n-america/

[Bosque]

Lots of love for ABQ in this thread. When I was thinking about potentially moving for FIRE / early retirement (never did move), ABQ was an interesting option but I never seriously considered it because of high crime. Is that not still a big concern?

Granted, I live in a big city now with somewhat high crime. But the tradeoff of living in a big city with tons of amenities seems worth it. If I were to move to a MCOL city with fewer amenities, I’d be more sensitive to the crime issue.

I think crime in ABQ is really really neighborhood specific and can be avoided pretty easily.

It is. What per capita statistics don't take into account is population density. In a large city like Chicago or New York, you are far less likely, statisically, to be the victim of a crime. But because everyone is far more closely packed together, you are far more likely to be exposed to one. Albuquerque, like most cities, has issues. But its far from a war zone, and not a reason to not move there. Unless, like CanadianWolf, someone spat on you once from a hot air balloon (seriously dude, don't get it).

[CanadianWolf]

10 Most Dangerous Metro Areas 2020

https://safewise.com/blog/most-dangerous-cities/

Also based on recent FBI statistics, this website lists Albuquerque metro area as the second most dangerous metropolitan area in the US:

1) Anchorage, Alaska
2) Albuquerque, New Mexico
3) Memphis, Tennessee
4) Wichita, Kansas
5) Lubbock, Texas
6) Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, Michigan
7) Spokane, Washington
Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana
9) Corpus Christi, Texas
10) Mobile, Alabama

Nevertheless, I agree with the above poster who wrote that where one lives in a metro area can significantly reduce the chance of being a crime victim.

[Anonymous User]

A bit off topic but what are some good neighborhoods in ABQ to buy a house in?

Northeast Heights, North Valley, Placitas, and Corrales.

[ESQ92]

10 Most Dangerous Metro Areas 2020

https://safewise.com/blog/most-dangerous-cities/

Also based on recent FBI statistics, this website lists Albuquerque metro area as the second most dangerous metropolitan area in the US:

1) Anchorage, Alaska
2) Albuquerque, New Mexico
3) Memphis, Tennessee
4) Wichita, Kansas
5) Lubbock, Texas
6) Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, Michigan
7) Spokane, Washington
Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana
9) Corpus Christi, Texas
10) Mobile, Alabama

Nevertheless, I agree with the above poster who wrote that where one lives in a metro area can significantly reduce the chance of being a crime victim.

I prefer looking at this list from January 2021 by Forbes of most dangerous "neighborhoods" in the country, rather than cities as a whole. https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurabegle ... 19fb26341f

Los Angeles never shows up on these 'most dangerous cities' lists because the borders are so huge and contain so many suburbs that water down the per capita crime rate. But if you were a young professional looking to move to downtown for work, it would be helpful to know that 4 of the top 10 most dangerous neighborhoods in the country are barely a mile or two away from where you might be living/working.

[Bosque]

10 Most Dangerous Metro Areas 2020

https://safewise.com/blog/most-dangerous-cities/

Also based on recent FBI statistics, this website lists Albuquerque metro area as the second most dangerous metropolitan area in the US:

1) Anchorage, Alaska
2) Albuquerque, New Mexico
3) Memphis, Tennessee
4) Wichita, Kansas
5) Lubbock, Texas
6) Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, Michigan
7) Spokane, Washington
Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana
9) Corpus Christi, Texas
10) Mobile, Alabama

Nevertheless, I agree with the above poster who wrote that where one lives in a metro area can significantly reduce the chance of being a crime victim.

I prefer looking at this list from January 2021 by Forbes of most dangerous "neighborhoods" in the country, rather than cities as a whole. https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurabegle ... 19fb26341f

Los Angeles never shows up on these 'most dangerous cities' lists because the borders are so huge and contain so many suburbs that water down the per capita crime rate. But if you were a young professional looking to move to downtown for work, it would be helpful to know that 4 of the top 10 most dangerous neighborhoods in the country are barely a mile or two away from where you might be living/working.

This is a good illustration of my point on how these stats can be misleading on the actual lived experience.

Also seperately, I read a little of that article and question their methodology for determining the "most dangerous" metro areas, a lot of their non crime stat secondary considerations are just wealth stand-ins. They also seem to have a weird definition of "metro area:"

Note: In most cases, data represented is for the most populous city within the metro area. We selected the largest city within the area as a representative sample of the entire metro area and refer to these as “anchor” cities.

That seems like it has some serious sampling problems, especially for a city like Albuquerque that is really one metro area coridor between it and Santa Fe.

[CanadianWolf]

https://safewise.com/blog/most-dangerous-cities/

From the safewise.com website:

"For the purposes of this report, the terms "dangerous" and "safest" refer explicitly to crime rates as calculated from FBI crime data."

Apparently, FBI crime stats show that the Albuquerque Metropolitan area is the most dangerous area in the continental US (and second most dangerous in the entire country behind Anchorage,Alaska).

[nixy]

I mean significant parts of ABQ are dirt poor (as is the whole state, really). You can still live in ABQ perfectly safely if you don’t have to live in the bad parts (which I doubt people on this site would have to do).

I mean it’s not like I hear people talking about how no one should move to Anchorage because it’s so dangerous.

[CanadianWolf]

I mean significant parts of ABQ are dirt poor (as is the whole state, really). You can still live in ABQ perfectly safely if you don’t have to live in the bad parts (which I doubt people on this site would have to do).

I mean it’s not like I hear people talking about how no one should move to Anchorage because it’s so dangerous.

LOL Are you sure that is why folks are not moving to Anchorage, Alaska ?

[nixy]

I mean significant parts of ABQ are dirt poor (as is the whole state, really). You can still live in ABQ perfectly safely if you don’t have to live in the bad parts (which I doubt people on this site would have to do).

I mean it’s not like I hear people talking about how no one should move to Anchorage because it’s so dangerous.

LOL Are you sure that is why folks are not moving to Anchorage, Alaska ?

I didn’t say that anyone was/wasn’t moving to Anchorage.

[CanadianWolf]

OP: On the positive side, Albuquerque weather is nice year 'round as humidity levels tend to be quite low. Very few flying insects due to scarcity of surface water.

Balloon Fiesta is incredible. I have been many times. Held in October.

Great mountain views.

You can live in a beautiful home in a nice area for about $700,000 which is great compared to east coast & west coast prices.

Albuquerque Academy is a great private day school for elementary through 12th grades.

Purple state = evenly divided between the two main political parties for Presidential elections.

Medical professionals & federal government workers enjoy a nice lifestyle.

[Duck250]

New Mexico is not really a purple state. It's gone D every year since 1992 besides 2004 when Bush won the state by less than 1%. No R since 2004 has even gotten 45%. It is more Republican these days than Colorado though, funnily enough. But besides eastern NM and parts of southern NM, it's a blue state.

Arizona, Wisconsin, Pennslyvania, Georgia, and Michigan (even this is iffy, it's a lean Democrat state) are the purple states right now. Georgia won't be on that list for much longer with ATL's growth. Florida and North Carolina could be argued as purple, but they are definitely Republican-leaning states.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone know how much first or second years are paid at the leading firms or boutiques? Do any offer clerkship bonuses?

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone know how much first or second years are paid at the leading firms or boutiques? Do any offer clerkship bonuses?

I'm a year late to this but randomly searched TLS for New Mexico threads so I'm gonna bump. The "leading" local firms (in terms of pay) are probably Modrall, Rodey, Sutin, BTB, Hinkle Shanor. They start associates between $80-$85k (at least that's what it was when I started a few years ago). Pay increases are fairly minor, expect maybe $5-7k or so per year. There are a few national/regional firms that pay more. I know of a few people who started between $135-145 at some satellite offices, but there are very few of these positions available. I'd bet maybe just 1-3 openings per year, if that.