©
Efraín M. Padró |
©
Efraín M. Padró |
Location - Los Alamos is located on
the Pajarito Plateau at the foot of the majestic Jemez Mountains. Located about
90 miles north of Albuquerque and 35 miles from Santa Fe, it is a one-hour
drive from the regional airport at Santa Fe and less than a two-hour drive from
the international airport at Albuquerque. Los Alamos also has an active general
aviation airport, servicing both private and corporate air traffic, along with
air freight service.
Driving to and from Los Alamos has been made
easier by the completion of the Santa Fe bypass highway, which created at least
a four-lane route nearly the entire distance from Albuquerque to Los
Alamos.
History and Population - This small
northern New Mexico town offers both spectacular scenery and intriguing
history. The Anasazi ancestors of current Native American tribes inhabited the
land of Los Alamos as early as 1150 AD. Some 800 years later the Manhattan
Project, which developed the atomic bomb, established its home base in Los
Alamos. When the Manhattan Project evolved into Los Alamos National Laboratory,
it positioned the region at the forefront of technological change. The Los
Alamos National Laboratory currently has a fiscal year budget of over $1.7
billion and employs over 7,000 people (almost half the population of the entire
county)!
As of 2002, the population of Los Alamos
County was around 18,000 people within 109 square miles, at an elevation of
7,355 feet.
Special Attractions - Los Alamos is
noted for its excellent schools, safe neighborhoods and abundant outdoor
recreational activities. Just a short distance away is the Bandelier National
Monument, with over 23,000 acres of wilderness and ancestral Pueblo dwellings.
Skiing is available at the Pajarito Mountain Ski area. And traveling only 35
miles away to Santa Fe, you can find many world-class museums, galleries,
shops, restaurants, and performances.
Education - Los Alamos has a superior
educational system. In 2000, The Wall Street Journal's "Offspring" magazine
rated the Los Alamos Public School system as the number one public school
system in the Southwestern United States. More than 80% of Los Alamos High
School graduates go on to four-year colleges, and SAT scores have historically
exceeded national averages by more than 30%.
Six institutions of higher education are
located within 40 miles of Los Alamos County. The University of New Mexico -
Los Alamos provides undergraduate degrees and coursework in computing,
engineering, and technology in support of local businesses and Los Alamos
National Laboratory. Other schools in the area include Northern New Mexico
Community College, Santa Fe Community College, St. John's College - Santa Fe,
and multiple other New Mexico colleges that offer in-person, online, and
correspondence study.
Healthcare - Los Alamos Medical
Center includes both in-patient and out-patient care, including a birthing
center, acute care, rehabilitation services, and pharmacies. Other smaller
healthcare facilities are available throughout the county, as well a large
selection of hospitals and clinics in the metropolitan areas of Santa Fe and
Albuquerque. Alternative healthcare is readily available in New Mexico, with
several Acupuncture schools in the area.
Interest Rates >Locking in Loan Rates It is important for both new homebuyers and homeowners who want to refinance to understand how to lock in an interest rate when applying for a mortgage loan. Understanding how rate locks work prepares you to evaluate your options.
While you are in the process of applying for your mortgage loan, interest rates will most likely fluctuate from day to day and week to week. If you want assurance that the wonderfully low interest rate on your loan will not increase while you are waiting for loan approval, ask for a rate lock. A conventional rate lock is a guarantee from the lender that your mortgage will carry a particular interest rate, with specific, predetermined points and fees.
The interest rate is "locked in" for a specified period of time, usually thirty days. When you call a lender for a rate quote, ask how long that rate will last for. If you think you might need more than thirty days to complete your home purchase or refinance, tell your lender how many days you will require, and they will give you an adjusted rate quote.
Rate locks are especially useful if interest rates are on the upswing, and you are concerned about ending up with higher monthly payments. If you cannot afford the risk of a further interest rate increase, lock in your loan rate now.
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| Q |
What is the world's most capacious building?
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| A |
The Boeing Company's main aircraft assembly plant in Everett, Washington, has been expanded to a capacity of 13.4 million cubic meters, or 473 million cubic feet. |
 See More Real Estate Trivia > |
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- NUMBER1EXPERT™ 
