21 HONEST Things To Know To Know About Living In Santa Fe, New Mexico

[@bobbresnahan8397]

The Indian Market is by far the best open air art festival in the U.S. By the way, the oldest public building in the U.S. is the Taos Pureblo -- Taos NM.

[@barbaraolson6783]

Loved fiestas and Zoozobra' it is great to have the community together celebrating.

[@Livinginsantafe]

Zozobra is definitely a lot of fun! It has a complicated past, there’s several of versions of history on how it came to be. Something for you to research if you’re interested!

[@barbaraolson6783]

Loved working in Santa Fe, N M. I lived north of Santa Fe, N M though , the snow in winter can be a problem, beautiful but the commute is bad at times.

[@Livinginsantafe]

I wish it snows like it used to when I was a kid growing up here. Snow is not nearly as much of a problem as it used to be. Northern New Mexico, especially up towards Taos, it piles up a lot more then it does in Santa Fe. I live for those snow days. When school gets cancelled and you have your 4x4 ready to get to the top of the ski basin for power days! It’s all about perspective. Snow day problems for some are snow day heaven for others.

[@NathanWind99]

Great video guys. We love the culture, cuisine and architecture of Santa Fe. There's no other town like it!

[@Livinginsantafe]

We agree!

[@Esmeralda-Bee]

Love this video! Thanks so much. Thinking of moving to Santa Fe from Salem, Massachusetts (main reasons: cold climate, high real estate prices). I was very happy to hear that there is a spooky community as I love this about Salem. And of course to try the food! Woo hoo

[@Livinginsantafe]

And we love your comment! You’re welcome for the video, glad you liked it. When you decide to come visit to see if Santa Fe could work for you, just reach out to us and we will show you around. :)

[@michaeldooley6804]

#22 Grab a coffee and a chocolate croissant at the French Bakery and go sit and people watch in the square while listening to Johnny Lloyd jam out. Walk back to the crib and figure out where to hike for the day! Rinse and repeat. Been coming every two weeks for the last three years while the little lady is finishing up at Southwestern and am coming full time in the fall. Pumped beyond belief! Greet video guys , thanks 🙌

[@Livinginsantafe]

Best response we’ve had in awhile! You just can’t beat those chocolate croissants. You’ve got a pretty sweet routine going there. Congratulations on making the full time move to Santa Fe in the fall. Please let Benjamin or I know if we can be of any assistance. Thanks for watching!!

[@michaeldooley6804]

Thanks fellas, will do! I’m opening a meal prep location in town in the fall and will come give you some samples!! 💪🏻

[@ezpatari]

Really good stuff. Keep it coming. I know these must take a h*** of a lot of time. You can do shorter vids that focus on one thing: A tour of an upcoming listing, flash notice of a private listing, putting on a new roof, typical issues in buying a 50+ year old adobe, plumbing, adding a natural gas line, when do you recommend a new sewer line, going to a New Mexico United match, getting fire wood, hiring a housekeeper, going solar, constructing walls: where can it be done and typical costs, adding a garage, bobcats, snakes, spiders, and … the margarita trail, one responsible margarita per day. Short and sweet. Glad to see you with your own agency! Best wishes.

[@Livinginsantafe]

haha! You're correct! It does take a HECK of amount of time. But we are starting to get in a groove and working out all the technical details to make it easier. Thanks for the tips about shorter videos and for all the good ideas on topics. Thanks for the feedback and the best wishes, appreciate it.

[@sylvisterling8782]

@@Livinginsantafe Perhaps one video you can do would be to focus on SF as a *retirement* destination! Hit the MEG Center (Maria Gonzales Senior Center) and ask THEM. They will put you in contact with three or four videos' worth of leads to retirement in the City Different.

[@All5AJz]

Las Vegas NM loves Santa Fe, explore every time we go.

[@Livinginsantafe]

That’s awesome to hear! Las Vegas, NM, and Santa Fe have such a great connection. We’re so glad you enjoy exploring Santa Fe every time you visit. There’s always something new to discover, so we hope you keep coming back!

[@peppa30]

What a beautiful city! Thank you for your video!

[@Livinginsantafe]

Our pleasure! Thanks for watching.

[@AngelsTurbo]

I 100% approve of this message, you guys nailed it! The Green Chile and the difference of Farolitos and Luminarias specifically were made clearly and very well stated. Thank you guys. I will refer people to this video as an accurate credible source.

[@Livinginsantafe]

Appreciate you watching and recommending!

[@manuelsanchezdeinigo3959]

¡Que Viva Nueva México!

[@Livinginsantafe]

Que viva!!

[@vickyagnew1651]

Wonderful, charming, and informative video! Thank you.

[@Livinginsantafe]

Thank you!

[@kerricorser4562]

Loved your tour. Great report. Thank you.

[@Livinginsantafe]

Thank you so much! We’re glad you enjoyed the tour and found the report helpful. We appreciate your kind words and hope to bring you more great content soon!

[@LivingontheEmeraldCoastFlorida]

Great video guys! I can’t wait to come visit soon! 🎉

[@Livinginsantafe]

Thanks man!!!

[@richardi-cn1iv]

I was taken in by Santa Fe- walking over to the Ziva restaurant and having the meat loaf with green chili and going to the library and reading about the Dominguez expedition.

[@Livinginsantafe]

Ah, the Zia Diner! We miss it too, especially the meatloaf with green chile-it was such a classic dish that really captured the flavors of Santa Fe. It’s always sad to see local favorites close, but we’re grateful for the memories they left behind. Thanks for sharing that with us!

[@edwardedmundson4356]

I love to visit Santa Fe, but love living in Las Cruces.

[@Livinginsantafe]

We have family in Las Cruces. I went to NMSU for two years and then finished up at UNM. We really enjoy visiting Las Cruces also.

[@RABPWarrior]

Awesome job! Thank you for being so thorough and positive. We would like to consider retiring there as seniors, and so would you be able to provide a video of healthcare for example, hospitals, doctors government services, like Medicare. Is there 55+ living communities? Apartment living information would also be truly helpful.

[@Livinginsantafe]

Thanks for watching and for the question about videos for seniors. We’ve added it to our list to do in the future. In the meantime, if you’d like to have a conversation, please reach out to us.

[@SMElder-iy6fl]

Hope you have a lot of money. Taxes are so high they've run all the natives out.

[@brittanymcmcmc9730]

I just looked this up because I want to visit here - this video now makes me just want to move here!!

[@Livinginsantafe]

We hope you have the chance to come visit in person sometime!

[@cavalrycop1]

Excellent video! What a beautiful city!

[@Livinginsantafe]

Thank you!

[@toMCsh]

Visited SF for the first time in Dec 2020 and fell in love with everything. The only downside is the housing costs. Pretty insane. Still, I want to move there so bad even if it's living in a camper. How about a video of apartment living (average costs based on bedrooms, types of leases, amenities, affordability in general)? Diversity in religious houses (Catholic, Baptist, Judaism, Protestant, etc)?

[@Livinginsantafe]

Doug, thanks for dropping by. We agree, housing costs are definitely a challenge and above average. The past couple of years working through Covid unfortunately have had a big impact on rental rates as well. Everything across the board is becoming more and more expensive. But this is happening across the country, not just isolated in Santa Fe. On the religious front, and types of churches here, that's a good suggestion.

[@sylvisterling8782]

@@Livinginsantafe My suggestion: Santa Fe has added low cost housing to its priorities. One excellent example is the Casa Villita Apartments, which are tax-incentive property. Meaning that they get a tax discount for providing rental subsidies to elderly tenants. There are several such communities in Santa Fe. That is one place to start. Ventana DiVida is another subsidized community and we have a thriving and active group of senior Centers such as the Maria Gonzalez Senior center. There is a netowrk here that will find you anything you need! Just ask!

[@markkrispin6944]

Outstanding video guys. Very detailed and informative . Good job!

[@Livinginsantafe]

Thank you!

[@kimortizportraitart]

I am ready to move now after watching this video.

[@artisaprimus6306]

Santa Fe is a special place in all the world. Maybe, Rome or Florence offers more history, incredible art and food. Fall is the best time to visit. The air is cool and it's sunny. You can smell the pinion wood fire burning.

[@Livinginsantafe]

Completely agree with you. Fall is one of my favorite times of the year here. Weather is unbeatable. And yeah, when those kiva fireplaces get stoked up the smell in the air is intoxicating! Instant nostalgia, transports you to another time.

[@PhxVanguard]

"people will fight you if you disrespect their chile..." loved the whole chile segment of this. lol, when my cousins visit us here in AZ from NM they literally travel with a tupperware of their own hatch green. it is truly the best.

[@Livinginsantafe]

Seriously! Mocking the chile or the food here, those are fighting words!

[@wandasanchez551]

I went to Santa Fe in 2001 and was there when 9/11 happened. I had gone to do some genealogical research to trace my ancestral origins. (I have New Mexican roots.) With 2 years left to go until retirement, I might consider a move there to slow the pace down from the hectic pace here in the SF Bay Area. Will visit again soon. The home prices aren't as insane as in the SF Bay Area. I love the the preservation of traditions.

[@Livinginsantafe]

I visited San Francisco last year in November. I couldn’t believe how many people there are. I couldn’t imagine living in a big city with all that traffic after growing up in a small city like Santa Fe. It’s like a system shock! We had a great time visiting San Fran, but there’s just no place like home. Compared to California prices, Santa Fe looks like affordable housing!!!

[@sylvisterling8782]

@@Livinginsantafe Oh, I do miss San FranDon'tCallitFrisco... but Santa Fe has many of the same attractions! And you don't have to break your back climbing hills! Santa Fe also doesn't have the microclimes of SF. We lived in San Francisco for 12 years and were sad to move away, but Santa Fe is wonderful!

[@LemonySnicket-EUC]

It's a great place to visit and I do so often. Major tourism for sure. Far too expensive to live there though. Housing prices are rediculous.

[@Livinginsantafe]

Yeah, cost of living is pretty high for sure. It’s especially rough for younger families trying to get started. What about Santa Fe keeps bringing you back to visit?

[@sylvisterling8782]

Beautiful video! I'm a 5th generation native Californian (ancestors came slightly before the gold rush!) but I can no longer afford to life there. Here, I've been in Santa Fe for 18 years, and it's the best place to live! Something you didn't touch on was that Santa Fe is a Liberal town! Not only multicultural, but accepting of ALL walks of life, from conservative to liberal, from straight and cis to LGBTQ and trans! And yes, tourists are welcomed in a friendly atmosphere. More than once, I've seen locals stop to aid newcomers, and we (my partner and I) have done this, ourselves! Either a cheery "Hi! Need help?" to someone standing there studying a map to "Welcome to Santa Fe!" called as we drive by a group of tourists on the sidewalk. If you can't find what you're looking for in Santa Fe... you're just not looking!

[@jimjohnson6944]

Yuck, that's a MAJOR con!

[@GriffinWarden]

Love this comment

[@Livinginsantafe]

Thank you so much for sharing your incredible perspective! As a 5th generation Californian turned long-time Santa Fe resident, it’s great to hear how much you love living here. You’re absolutely right-Santa Fe’s welcoming and inclusive vibe is something truly special. It’s a place that embraces all walks of life, and the way locals are always ready to lend a hand to newcomers really adds to the charm. Do you have any favorite spots or hidden gems in town that you think newcomers should check out?

[@sylvisterling8782]

@@Livinginsantafe I do! Atrisco's restaurant in the DeVargas Center. This is NOT a tourist joint... it's where the locals eat! Serving food that is good old New Mexico comfort food! No pretense, just great food AND great prices. If you want GREAT Italian food, check out cafe Grazie. Exquisite! For Greek food, the best in town is Yama's on Cerrillos. I highly recommend the lamb souvlaki!

[@lkasdlf]

Nice promotional video...if you ever do another one, I wouldn't put art as #19 - I lived there and is all about the art.

[@Livinginsantafe]

Yeah… we didn’t really rank them in any particular order. But I agree, Santa Fe is one of the leading art markets in the world!

[@bobbresnahan8397]

Not room 311 == it's 209. The favorite question in Santa Fe is "how do I get to Taos?"

[@MAOgem1985]

Good stuff, except for the use of stock footage that’s obviously not Santa Fe or NM 🥴 Why not use actual footage of Dale Ball trails, SFNF, etc?

[@Livinginsantafe]

We’ve gone out and shot as much of our own footage as we can. But sometimes, we have to use stock just to get a video live. But as we keep shooting, we will be getting close to 100% of all our own footage.

[@donaldinnewmexico]

LOL. Bash Colorado chili.

[@Livinginsantafe]

We have to represent the real chile capital of the world. Not that weak Colorado stuff. 😆

[@motherearth1979]

Can I see a video about Santa Fe school for kids . I take it the majority of the population are retirees? Is this true . Also transportation,

[@Livinginsantafe]

Hi there! Thanks for the comment. Yes, we will cover Santa Fe schools for kids in future videos. If you need information right away, feel free to give us a call and we are happy to discuss with you.

[@Livinginsantafe]

Santa Fe does have a good amount of retirees, but there are plenty of people raising families as well. It’s a good mix. We are covering transportation in an upcoming video and we will be covering school options also.

[@yoyo-dx6xy]

Nothing but old people here...

[@yoyo-dx6xy]

And public transportation sucks! But it is Beautiful here ☺

[@All5AJz]

Christmas 10:01

[@thebigskyguy]

Can one find a 2 bedroom/ 2 bedroom condo under 300K? I heard there's bad crime?

[@Livinginsantafe]

Yes, you definitely can find a 2/2 condo for under $300K. For crime, what I recommend people do is use a crime comparing website like BestPlaces.net, put where you’re coming from and compare it to Santa Fe so you have a sense on if you’re moving into worse crime, about the same, or perhaps Santa Fe is safer. It really all depends on where you’re coming from.

[@candicemacdonald3993]

No way😮

[@hughjeassis5301]

Please stop encouraging people to move to Santa Fe. There is no more room here. The infrastructure is horrendous; the medical system is about 50% less prevelant than most other cities in the US, the police force is severely understaffed which lends to the high crime rate along with the high traffic fatality rates, the housing crisis has caused a disproportionate homeless crisis, and the domestic migration to Santa Fe has caused a major discord with local inhabitants that have ancestory that goes back for decades. There are so many issues that I can list (including the numerous issues with the priority of pet welfare here - hint: there are no emergency services for your pets outside of normal business hours within the city limits and many vets stopped taking new patients years ago.)

[@Livinginsantafe]

I hear where you’re coming from. But your mindset is filled with limiting beliefs. If I follow your logic, humanity should pretty much pop a cyanide pill and get it over with quick and painless. Every city in America is facing their challenges, it’s never going to be the way it used to be. So what are we going to make it look like? The picture in my mind and what I’m working towards is different then your version.

[@brightharbor_]

I’m moving back in a week-at least I won’t be a dreaded “outsider” that some SF natives can’t stand. I just can’t take living in Appalachia anymore (the region has every problem you mentioned times ten - the town I lived in doesn’t even have a police force, and you have to drive 2+ hours for a veterinarian). The cost of living in big cities in the Northeast or California is astronomical, Florida isn’t environmentally or politically sustainable, and thought of going somewhere flat and Midwestern like Iowa or Indiana just feels bleak to me (hiking, rock climbing, skiing are my passions, and I appreciate the cultural diversity of NM). I loved living in New Mexico, it was diverse and accepting (important to me as an LGBT person of color), creative, and close to gorgeous nature and outdoor adventure. My career did well there, and it still feels like home in ways other places just don’t. I’m sorry I’ll be another face in the crowd, but I’ll take SF’s growing pains over the problems that come with declining communities like those in Appalachia and the Midwest.

[@BlueBeeMCMLXI]

Could it be that living in any place is different for any two people? So, why typify? GO THERE. Right? See what YOU think.

[@Livinginsantafe]

You’re right! It’s going to be a different experience for every person visiting here. But just because it’s going to be different for everyone… that’s not going to keep us from sharing our experiences, because people learn from others experiences and then they can decide for themselves what they like / dislike if they come to visit. Thanks for watching!

[@danymanchster1759]

i have never heard of this santa fe before lol

[@Livinginsantafe]

Well, there’s a first time for everything!!! Hopefully we peaked your interest enough to come check it out for yourself.

[@EMVelez]

Where are you from?

[@danymanchster1759]

@@EMVelez now i live in santa fe, how about that

[@tomhall9983]

New Mexico became a state in 1912 not 1911.

[@Livinginsantafe]

You sir are 100% correct! Good catch.

[@dinkaboutit4228]

Yes, you need a car. No, there is not parking.

[@Livinginsantafe]

Definitely not a walking city, unless you’re just enjoying the downtown area on the historic plaza, or taking a stroll down canyon road. But yea, you’re definitely gonna need a vehicle to enjoy everything around town. Parking is actually not that bad unless it’s during one of the many events taking place. We eat downtown all the time, there’s always a meter spot that’ll open up. But during the Indian art market or Spanish art market … forget about it.

[@charliebognar5276]

You have mma, you have the goat bones jones

[@Livinginsantafe]

The great Bones Jones!! You’re right! We’ve had some of the best mma fighters come out of the Abq camps, Jackson Wink gym is legendary!

[@adriancozad8308]

Institute of American Indian Arts: *(Class of 96)*

[@Livinginsantafe]

That’s awesome! Class of ‘96 here too, but from Capital High School! Great to connect with a fellow ‘96 grad, especially from the Institute of American Indian Arts. Such a awesome place!

[@johnbarroll1120]

Artist colony, new Yorkers rudeness, money, opm money money, markets and gossip and vice.

[@Livinginsantafe]

Santa Fe certainly has a unique blend of art, culture, and diverse influences from all over, including folks from New York and beyond. Like any community, it has its mix of personalities and dynamics, but many people also find it to be a place of creativity, beauty, and connection. We appreciate you adding to the conversation!

[@marvwatkins7029]

No tengo dinero. Asi adios.

[@Livinginsantafe]

Vaya con Dios amigo!