Santa Fe – An Unparalleled Place to Live

There are so many wonderful things about Santa Fe, New Mexico, it’s hard not to fall in love with it. Santa Fe is one of the world’s great destination cities. With its rich history, multicultural tradition, ideal four-season climate, crisp clean air, and virtually no traffic, Santa Fe is an unparalleled place to live and do business.

• Santa Fe was rated one of the Top Ten Places to Retire by Money Magazine in July 2000.

If you’re a senior who’s searching for a healthy lifestyle, business opportunities and a stimulating cultural environment, Santa Fe’s clear, healthful air and peaceful surroundings offer everything you need. First-class culture, golf courses, Indian gaming casinos, tennis and social clubs and low crime let adventurous people live a creative, relaxed lifestyle amidst the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. If you’re a food aficionado, you can enjoy over 200 restaurants featuring cuisine from all over the world, including the popular northern New Mexican fare found only in this region. If it’s art that you’re after, you’ll find the finest entertainment in Santa Fe’s many creative spaces including the world-class Santa Fe Opera.

• Santa Fe was named one of the 15 best places in the country to reinvent yourself by AARP Magazine in April 2003.

Known as “The City Different,” people from all walks of life come to Santa Fe to change their lives. When considering a new location for you or your business, look at the opportunities offered by Santa Fe and ask yourself, "Do I deserve a better quality of life?"

• Santa Fe was named second best city to visit in the United States by Conde Nast Traveler for 2004.

Founded in 1610, Santa Fe is the oldest state capital in the country and the seat of government in New Mexico. Nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an altitude of 7,000 feet, the city occupies 33.4 square miles in a valley above the Rio Grande amongst mountains that reach over 12,000 feet. The city is surrounded by thousands of acres of National Forest and wilderness, yet it’s only an hour to the Albuquerque International Airport. Santa Fe supports both historic culture and modern technology, while offering an outstanding quality of life for both young and old.

• Santa Fe was named one of “Ten Dream Towns” by Outside Magazine in its September 2001 issue.

Before New Mexico became the “Land of Enchantment”, it was called “The Sunshine State” because every part of the state receives sunshine 70 percent of the year with low humidity. On average there are 283 sunny days per year.

For a city of its size, Santa Fe offers a multitude of year-round recreational activities for all ages. There are championship golf courses, active tennis clubs and miles of wilderness to explore. Cross-country and downhill skiing, river rafting, swimming, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, camping, rock climbing, horseback riding, fishing and hunting are all close at hand. City recreation centers have indoor and outdoor Olympic-sized swimming pools, an ice rink, soccer, rugby and softball. The Santa Fe Horse Park has polo, dressage and other equestrian facilities. Whatever your recreational desire, you’ll find it here.

• Santa Fe was voted number two in the Top Ten Art Destinations for 2002 by American Style Magazine.

Santa Fe boasts the second largest art market in the U.S., relative to dollar value. Over 200 art galleries, 22 performing arts organizations including the world-class Santa Fe Opera, a collection of museums, numerous art events and hundreds of working artists bring visitors and investors from all over the world. Every week new shows open featuring the best in modern, Native American and Western arts, and residents have a multitude of choices of performances and showings.

Every August, the town’s central Plaza and surrounding streets play host to Indian Market. Indian Market is the largest Native American art gathering in the world with over 1200 artists represented in over 600 booths. During this time, Santa Fe’s population of 65,000 plus grows by another 100,000 visitors.

Also in August and December, Santa Fe celebrates Spanish Market. Like Indian Market, Spanish Market gives visitors the true history of many generations of people who continue to celebrate their faith, culture and art style. The Spanish style is typically very religious and replicates artwork from the Spanish Colonial period.

• Santa Fe appeared in the "10 Best Places for Business and Careers" as determined by Forbes magazine in the May, 2003 issue.

When you work in Santa Fe, your longest commute is about twenty minutes. That’s the time it takes to traverse the city, and there’s rarely, if ever, any traffic to hold you up. Many people choose to work at home making things easier still.

• Santa Fe was rated the second best place to live for general wellness by Outside Magazine for 2006.

As the capital city, Santa Fe’s largest employer is state and local government. The economy is also based on a strong hospitality industry and the influence of Los Alamos National Laboratory, which employs over 8,000 in the area. Santa Fe’s reputation as a world-class destination has created a strong tourist and high-end retail economy, and the art market remains a very strong draw. The Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce represents over 1200 businesses in Santa Fe County. Through its energy, the Chamber helps business owners through shared resources, and works toward strengthening the local economy.

• Santa Fe was rated America’s Healthiest City by Organic Style magazine in September 2003.

Santa Fe has a long tradition as a healthy city. It boasts among the cleanest air in the United States with virtually no pollution. Modern technology, combined with many alternative therapies, has helped establish the city as a center for healing the body, mind and spirit.

With everything it has to offer, it’s hard not to fall in love with Santa Fe. At BT Homes, we certainly have. We absolutely love living and working here.