Albuquerque vs. Tracy

I visited Albuquerque, NM, to scope out the place for a possible move.

The first impression is that every house has a second rebar door and barred windows, all across the city. In Northern California, you have to live in Oakland or East Palo Alto before such measures become necessary (I think even most of Union City gets by without). We ranged far and wide, and the only district without bars was in the north, along Alameda. Single story houses there are about $400,000, however.



Crime is much lower across the Rio Grande in Rio Rancho, but there is no freeway, so commuting is probably difficult, and is going to get worse.

So, I added two and two, looked at the map, and went to Las Lunas, about 35 miles south by I-25. It's fabulous.



Firstly, they have a Walmart Supercenter. Yes, the very thing our blockheads in the city council denied (it was before Mr. Ives became the mayor though).

Secondly, the same house as we have is $189,000, new. Nobody has barred windows, of course. So, living in Los Lunas and commuting looks better than living in Tracy and commuting. Crime rate in Albuquerque proper is high, but it's not much higher than in San Francisco, so work should be manageable. I think we can do it.

I'm going to pay a visit to Mr. Barringer just as soon as I can.