No one loves Las Cruces more than I. Come for the green chile, stay for the politics. But with that said, please don’t encourage Texans to move there. They exist in a permanent state of denial over impending water supply shortages, as residents wait for releases from Elephant Butte Reservoir down the course of the Rio Once-Grande and pecan growers engage in the irrigation practice known as “flooding,” and excuse it as that’s-what-we’ve-always done. El Paso claims almost half of its annual water supply from those same flows, so all of the water in that reservoir—currently sitting at 12.2% full—won’t be exclusive to Las Cruces. It’s a situation that will only worsen as temperatures continue to climb. And they have been doing exactly that.
So, while I know that the siren song of Las Cruces is very enticing, a dose of climate realism has to be injected here. And perhaps a dose of real estate realism, too, because prices there have risen sharply in the last few months and houses are snapped up quickly unless they have serious flaws.
There still exist many small towns in Texas with real estate bargains. And most of them have water, for today and tomorrow.
Good points, Alyssa. Elephant Butte has been in drought crisis stage for years. And the Rio Grande is a pathetic mud puddle even before it gets to Cruces. In a relative sense, though, real estate there is remarkably affordable, even as it continues to rise. There aren't many small Texas towns left, though, with water and infrastructure that is reliable and has the general necessities of life we've come to expect. I move around a lot and see many of them and abandonment is more of a problem than water, I suppose, but they lack certain appeal.
Ah, but it only takes a few outstanding citizens to create appeal—look at the cultural renaissance in Lockhart, which had formerly been known only for oil and barbecue.
Speaking engagements have sent me all over the state in the last 19 years too. There are some real gems out there, within driving distance of an H-E-B and at a price that harkens back to, oh, at least 2019. Perfect for Millennials and Boomers alike. Perhaps I should start a referral service.
No one loves Las Cruces more than I. Come for the green chile, stay for the politics. But with that said, please don’t encourage Texans to move there. They exist in a permanent state of denial over impending water supply shortages, as residents wait for releases from Elephant Butte Reservoir down the course of the Rio Once-Grande and pecan growers engage in the irrigation practice known as “flooding,” and excuse it as that’s-what-we’ve-always done. El Paso claims almost half of its annual water supply from those same flows, so all of the water in that reservoir—currently sitting at 12.2% full—won’t be exclusive to Las Cruces. It’s a situation that will only worsen as temperatures continue to climb. And they have been doing exactly that.
So, while I know that the siren song of Las Cruces is very enticing, a dose of climate realism has to be injected here. And perhaps a dose of real estate realism, too, because prices there have risen sharply in the last few months and houses are snapped up quickly unless they have serious flaws.
There still exist many small towns in Texas with real estate bargains. And most of them have water, for today and tomorrow.
Good points, Alyssa. Elephant Butte has been in drought crisis stage for years. And the Rio Grande is a pathetic mud puddle even before it gets to Cruces. In a relative sense, though, real estate there is remarkably affordable, even as it continues to rise. There aren't many small Texas towns left, though, with water and infrastructure that is reliable and has the general necessities of life we've come to expect. I move around a lot and see many of them and abandonment is more of a problem than water, I suppose, but they lack certain appeal.
Ah, but it only takes a few outstanding citizens to create appeal—look at the cultural renaissance in Lockhart, which had formerly been known only for oil and barbecue.
Speaking engagements have sent me all over the state in the last 19 years too. There are some real gems out there, within driving distance of an H-E-B and at a price that harkens back to, oh, at least 2019. Perfect for Millennials and Boomers alike. Perhaps I should start a referral service.