WELCOME TO PERALTA, NEW MEXICO
our other home
our other home
Over ten years ago, we found this 1.25 acres of land in Peralta for sale. I was looking for a place to put a garage for my car hobby, store my truck camper and to garden. I was not looking for a place with a home on it but it had one. In the long run, it turned out to be something good.
For the first 8 years, we rented it out. About two years ago we decided to renovate and use it as a second home. It's located in a semi-rural area with mainly farms , horses and livestock on a dead end road. It had the space to decompress from what Albuquerque has become.
I had an opportunity to visit Albuquerque for the first time in the summer of 1969 and knew right then and there it was where I wanted to live. By 1971 and 1972 respectively, we were both living in Albuquerque. It was a very different place then than now.
At a third of the population and half the developed area, it was much easier to enjoy all that it had to offer. I won't say more as it's typical of what has happened in the southwest US . Just happy I got here early enough to enjoy what it used to be.
I will be adding new pictures as I go from here on this new header page but there are plenty on the other pages listed at the top.
I was recently telling a friend that our whole concept for the Peralta house and property was to take this somewhat run down 48 x 24 manufactured home and turn it into , as much as possible , a home that would look like and feel like a conventional site built home.
So, from top to bottom, it's about 90% all new. New roof, new insulated and stuccoed exterior. New water lines, water heater and furnace and a dishwasher where there was not one before. All new porcelain tile floors and new bathrooms top to bottom. New ceilings and walls textured and painted and lighting. And more. All that was original was the frame of the house and roof joists .
There are lots of pictures on page two (In the Beginning) but I'll add more as I go.
The walkway is in and a very usable space. The low block wall planter is coming as is the rear street side deck.
So, from top to bottom, it's about 90% all new. New roof, new insulated and stuccoed exterior. New water lines, water heater and furnace and a dishwasher where there was not one before. All new porcelain tile floors and new bathrooms top to bottom. New ceilings and walls textured and painted and lighting. And more. All that was original was the frame of the house and roof joists .
There are lots of pictures on page two (In the Beginning) but I'll add more as I go.
The walkway is in and a very usable space. The low block wall planter is coming as is the rear street side deck.
July 6, 2022 and work has begun on the rear (street side ) deck. We have added rugs to the other bedrooms as well as floor lamps. The 15 x 30" x 12" planter in front of the house needs to be finished in stucco and we'll figure out later how to use it as a flower garden. We have also made a decision to remove the 24 x 12 deck in favor of a small landing to the front door and the rest in a concrete patio to the end of the house. The chile is coming along and we should have the first pick in a couple of weeks.
July 14 th , 2022 and a little more progress on the casita. The dining area table and chairs arrived and fit very nicely into that space. I moved the flight simulator from my office in our Albuquerque home to the office space/reading room in the casita.
This coming weekend, the rest of the east side concrete patio is schedule to be poured and the garden is not doing well. The recent monsoon rains have hurt the plants with too much water and root rot. Maybe they recover in time but more plants are probably going to be lost. The hope was, as in past years, we'd have enough for the year but we'll likely have to buy green chile next month. Below is the before pic of the east side of the house. The deck is gone and there will be a 25x12 concrete patio with a 4x4 landing to the front door. Also , time to do an oil change in the tractor.
This coming weekend, the rest of the east side concrete patio is schedule to be poured and the garden is not doing well. The recent monsoon rains have hurt the plants with too much water and root rot. Maybe they recover in time but more plants are probably going to be lost. The hope was, as in past years, we'd have enough for the year but we'll likely have to buy green chile next month. Below is the before pic of the east side of the house. The deck is gone and there will be a 25x12 concrete patio with a 4x4 landing to the front door. Also , time to do an oil change in the tractor.
It is July 27, 2022 and thing are moving along. The east slide concrete patio is finished, and work has begun on the west side deck. The small chile garden that I thought was a lost cause is rebounding and we may have a good pick or two after all.
And now the deck is finished ...almost ... still need the railing and some schrubs and should be good to go.
August 3, 2022 and the part of the house wall , previously hidden by the deck which has since been replaced by the concrete patio , is being finished with the first part of the stucco done , the color will come in a few days. Also note the chile picker.
Today, August 23, 2022 and the end of an era. Although I sold both my Corvairs back in May, the buyer took the convertible at that time and ask me to hold onto the Corsa coupe and I did that until today. Today I , with a little sadness, had the Corsa flat bedded to the new owner. I enjoyed that car for 16 years. Below also see some of the awards from shows.
Before and After
