My wife and I – when we lived in Denver – drove down to Roswell for a long weekend. The beauty we saw in northern New Mexico was often breathtaking and almost always at least interesting. So I imagine housing demand might be high in Santa Fe due mostly to the beauty of the surroundings and hiking/adventure possibilities: they want access to those things as well as the convenience of city life. And in New Mexico, Santa Fe is one of just a few places where both are available.
One of my best friends is a physicist. She and her BF (now H) moved from HI to Los Alamos. She drives from there to Tucumcarrie (sp?) where her H lives and works, several hours away at least every other weekend and he does the other weekends. She hears a lot of audiobooks in the long commutes. At least when they were raising a family together, they lived in the same household. Seems like s lot of driving to me!
NM does have lovely vistas–interesting rock formations, fascinating lightening storms, etc.
@WayOutWestMom LOL. When we finally got to the top and drove around the town up top, all I could think of was “Holy Crow… we have to go back down” I was a mess. … and then part way up there’s that ‘airport’. If we had stayed long enough at the top, I am sure we would have found an ACME supply company somewhere! All that said, I loved the beauty of it. And wished I had the mental ability to stay longer. Driving through Los Alamos town part was fascinating. It was like time stood still up there.
The Gorge was another very wonderful surprise. The kids walked across. I kind of hung out with a guy carving wood figurines. 
In and around Santa Fe, we found all sorts of interesting churches.
All this discussion…I need to figure out when I’m going back!
Lots and lots of old, interesting churches in NM.
@m0minmd Were you in Los Alamos before or after the Cerro Grande Fire (2000) that destroyed part of the town and burned over 300 homes? That fire and the Las Conchas fire in 2011 really changed the character of the town. Forced it to update.
One of the reason why Los Alamos seems “frozen in time” it totally surround by special use land (National Forest or Santa Clara Indian Reservation) on all sides and it can’t expand. Housing in Los Alamos is surprising expensive and often hard to come by since there’s almost no turnover. Many LANL employees commute from Santa Fe, Espanola or Jemez Springs.
@WayOutWestMom we visited in 2012. D worked at Philmont Scout Ranch and we flew out to see her and do some things locally there while she had an extended break. I must have put 3000 miles on that rental car in the 5 days we were out there. Once you get north of Santa Fe, everything is hours apart. We stayed in Las Vegas one night and stopped at all sorts of odd little places and saw all sorts of fascinating things. I just loved the local roads and imagining what once was and still is.
“What is the attraction?” Even the locals sometimes struggle to articulate it.
“I want to leave New Mexico, but it acts like it owns me…it follows me everywhere like mesquite cologne, calls me señorita in a loud voice in public.” - Joan Logghe, NM Poet Laureate
That is a fantastic quote lonestarmom. The Georgia O’Keeffe museum has an introductory video (narrated by resident Gene Hackman) in which she is interviewed and describes her feeling upon visiting NM. She said it was the only place she felt she belonged.
I was mistaken about housing costs in Santa Fe. One neighborhood is very expensive but the average home price is very reasonable.
Biggest problem with New Mexico is there scary bugs!
I really liked Santa Fe…except for the Georgia O’Keefe museum. I was very underwhelmed! Very. I had seen more of her paintings at shows here in New England than that museum housed.
There is a group of four or five museums up on a hill…I can’t remember what they are called. Excellent! One is a toy museum, one a Native American one. I can’t remember the others. But those were excellent.
Honestly I felt ripped off by the cost of admission to the Georgia O’Keefe museum.
I guess I’ve been spoiled. My sister is a native, and sells her wares at the weekend farmers market. I love the galleries and the food. I loved visiting Taos and Albuquerque and the pueblos. Once I was there at Xmas time, and enjoyed the big crafts show. There never seems enough time.
@momsquad I know you mentioned looking for a retirement spot. Just keep looking for that place where you feel you belong. I’ve had that feeling in a couple places. The planet is big. Sounds like Santa Fe just didn’t do it for you.
Further afield - Crownpoint Rug Auction, Chaco Canyon
You are right @doschicos, I knew exactly the feeling Georgia O’Keeffe described and I have had that feeling on every visit to Pacific Grove CA- especially on the Spanish Bay. There is something about the ocean at that spot that is magnetic to me. However I keep hoping I might find another location soulmate- one more conducive to second home possibilities!
I have a connection to the ocean as well. Guess a lot of folks do which makes it pricey! Have you tried further up the Pacific coastline in Oregon or Washington State?
^^^ We’ve made a few visits to the Oregon coast but it wasn’t the same feeling. Also my husband needs sun, gets sleepy when it’s dark and raining.
Pacific Grove is very special. I lived there for a time, and know just what you are speaking of, momsquad. Spanish Bay was more amazing before they tore all the sand dunes down to make glass. Premium sand. My favorite place to visit as well.
I love the Santa Fe talk. The ex and I planned to move there to spend our lives, but then property values zoomed. A friend from here lived there for a winter. He felt it has become far too exclusive a community. But that sometimes happens in desirable artsy places.
As much as I like Santa Fe, I wouldn’t want to retire there… too small and frankly, too remote. I don’t want to be that far from a major international airport.
I really recommend taking a cooking class in Santa Fe. They have a great cooking school where the classes were not break the bank costly - at least compared to Paris, Tuscany or even the CIA. Not only is technique very different but I purchased spices I could not easily get here on the east coast. Learned more about hot peppers than I ever wanted to know. Its my way of learning about a different culture and what to order in restaurants.
I’ve visited Santa Fe maybe 4 times and enjoyed it each time. Has anybody mentioned the Museum of International Folk Art? We spent several hours there–quite an extensive and diverse collection. It’s a ‘must-see’ in my book!
We visited Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Albuquerque several years ago. Been there, done that. I do not see why people retire there- too boring for me. It was a nice place to visit, am glad we visited but I don’t like deserts et al. There is a reason we retired to the outskirts of a big city. I can name many different areas and climates that are worth seeing but not living in unless you are working. Not all art is likeable by all people, regardless of how “good” it is.
OP- that was a learning trip. You discovered more about what you do/do not like. The desert southwest is not heavily populated for a reason.