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NARRATOR: More and more people
are leaving the congestion and crowds of the city behind
in search of a simpler life or even to chase a dream or two.
But is the grass always greener outside the city limits?
300 days of sunshine. Yep.
No more rain.
You can change your surroundings and even your priorities,
but can you find the perfect place to call home?
WOMAN: Wow!
Now, this is what I mean about a master suite.
NARRATOR: It's time to trade the rat race for a dream space.
-- Captions by VITAC --
Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC.
Tech-industry employees Joaquin and Cristina Amador
are fed up with city living.
With days starting at 5:00 a.m.
and sometimes ending at midnight,
the anxiety impacts everyone.
Come on, guys. Let's go. We have to go.
We have to leave your sword behind.
[ Whines ]
[ Chuckling ] Aww.
[ Crying ]
[ Chuckling ] I don't have time for this.
Put this back. Put it back over there.
NARRATOR: Joaquin yearns to replace his dawn-to-dark workdays
with the pace and splendor of his beloved homeland.
My heart is in New Mexico,
and I will never be completely happy anywhere else.
[ Train whistle blows ]
CRISTINA: Do you hear the trains going by?
I know. I can't get used to that.
How?
Everybody says, "Get used to it," but I can't.
I can't get used to the neighbors being so close --
the buildings.
I mean, literally, look.
You can reach over and touch the neighbors' house.
I know. It's just way too crowded.
Yeah, and then in the middle of the night,
when they go to the bathroom,
the light is just blaring into our bedroom window.
And if we have the window open, you can hear the flush.
Oh. [ Laughs ]
That has happened, hasn't it?
[ Laughs ]
NARRATOR: But this escape across five states to New Mexico bliss
comes with emotional costs.
Cristina's family are third-generation Chicagoans.
They gather often over big meals
and Cristina's award-winning cooking.
When you leave here from Chicago and move to New Mexico,
what are you not gonna miss?
[ Sighs ] The traffic.
Slam on your brakes, buddy.
Yep. It's what you're good at.
And another person turning without a signal.
What is this, No-signal Day?
Only in Chicago. My gosh.
By the time I'm done with my commute coming in from downtown,
going all the way home, parking my car, going to get the boys,
I mean, it's a lot, and it's stressful.
Just always go, go, go.
We're ready for a change.
JOAQUIN: There's only one thing missing.
CRISTINA: What's that?
These guys.
Aww.
I'm gonna miss you when you leave.
Aww!
No! [ Laughs ]
NARRATOR: The Amadors think they're trading canals and congestion
for Santa Fe landscapes and lobos.
But they're in for a few surprises.
Everybody thinks it's in the hot desert.
Actually, we're in the high desert.
All within 30 minutes of downtown,
you could be hunting, fishing, Alpine skiing,
golfing, or hot-air-ballooning.
And we have over 300 days of sunshine.
TED: Hey, guys.
CRISTINA: Hey, Ted.
Welcome to Santa Fe.
Hi. Good seeing you.
Good to see you.
Hi, Joaquin. How are you?
Hey, Ted. Good, good.
Great. So, how was your trip?
Our trip was fantastic.
Every time we come to visit, we can feel life slow down here.
I think that's one of the biggest things
we love about this place.
What kind of home are you guys looking for?
I'm thinking four bedrooms and an office.
When we move here to Santa Fe,
I'm gonna be working from home.
Oh, okay.
So I need to have my own dedicated workspace.
And I think the kitchen is gonna be another important factor
only because it's one of our favorite pastimes.
We want it Southwestern-style,
a little rustic, with land and space.
Do you guys have a price range in mind?
Yeah. We're thinking $500,000.
Okay. You have a lot of great options here in Santa Fe.
All right.
NARRATOR: The first house is a mere 10 miles southeast of Santa Fe
in the wide-open community of El Dorado.
This is a '97 Camino Cabo.
This home at listed at $490,000.
It's 2,200 square feet.
It's a 3-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath, and it sits on 2.82 acres.
CRISTINA: Holy cow.
These views are incredible.
This is so much space. I can't believe it.
This is the tail end
of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range.
Those mountains are gorgeous.
Wow.
[ Laughs ]
Look at all the exposed wood. It's beautiful.
Oh, my goodness.
There's a lot of light in this house.
Well, look at it. The kitchen is a little small.
It's not as big as some of the other homes
we're gonna be looking at.
I love the openness.
There's a little serving area.
Uh-huh. We'll need a bell there.
"Order up!"
It is. It really is.
That's what I love about it.
It has all of that Southwestern charm.
I can't get over how majestic the views are here.
I can't.
Oh, they're just stunning here.
They totally are.
It's nothing compared to what you see in Chicago.
Nothing.
Well, except you see the neighbor with his shirt off...
[ Laughs ]
...and hairy back.
Mowing his lawn.
Well, we won't have a lawn here, anyway, to mow, right?
Let's check out the backyard.
Excellent.
Holy cow!
Wow.
Wow!
This is like a city block.
This is spacious.
This is Big Sky Country. Look how beautiful.
I can totally see us here.
NARRATOR: A great backyard setting,
but even here, scary neighbors are lurking.
Do you guys have coyotes?
Well, we're out West, so there are coyotes.
Ooh!
And there's bobcats, an occasional bobcat.
Oh, geez! I worry for the kids.
I think the kids -- They'll be okay, I think.
As long as they hang out together, they'll be fine.
Right.
There's strength in numbers. [ Laughs ]
That's right.
TED: Let me show you guys the master suite.
Wow.
Check it out.
Oh, my gosh. The French doors.
And that view! There it is again.
[ Laughs ] That view is everywhere.
We're outside again.
[ Gasps ] Oh, my goodness.
Nice.
TED: You're gonna have some mule deer,
and I wouldn't be surprised
if, like, a Rocky Mountain elk meandered through here.
Wow.
The master bath.
Oh, my goodness.
[ Gasps ] I really like this tile and the floor.
TED: You have in-floor, radiant heating.
So, in the mornings, your feet are gonna be nice and toasty.
[ Sighs ]
[ Laughs ]
Come on in.
Ooh.
This is a nice space.
I'm thinking office here.
What do you think?
JOAQUIN: It may be too small for the boys,
Yeah.
CRISTINA: I think it's really nice.
I mean, for the $490,000 price
to get all of this space...
JOAQUIN: And I love the outdoor spaces
and the French doors opening out from the master bedroom.
Exactly. There's just so much room here.
It's amazing.
The kitchen is the only thing
that I'm just not sure about.
Yeah, although, we could potentially expand it,
but that's additional expense.
Yeah.
Uh-oh. I already like this one a lot.
Oh, my gosh. This is crazy.
"City slicker"!
[ Siren wails, horns honk ]
NARRATOR: Joaquin and Cristina Amador are on a mission.
They want to escape the Chicago chaos that surrounds them
for a piece of heaven in the high desert.
House Number 2 might be Joaquin's best chance
to replace the hustles and hassles of urban life
with the slow pace and pastimes reminiscent of his childhood.
Next up, an adobe villa
that's only 20 minutes from the Pecos River
and just south of the heart of Santa Fe.
The house I'm showing the Amadors today
is on Camino Teofanio in the Dos Griegos subdivision.
It's listed at $550,000.
It's on 3.71 acres.
it's a three-bedroom, two-bath,
and it has amazing outdoor space.
Wow. Look at this courtyard here.
TED: Fully landscaped.
There's French drains that help conserve water
and water the property.
Uh-oh. I already like this one a lot.
Ah! [ Laughs ]
This is more like it.
Beautiful.
Look at this entryway.
I love it.
It's a kiva-style foyer.
It's got a split-cedar ceiling.
This is like what the Native Americans did
for spiritual worship.
They had rooms like this underground.
Oh, wow.
I love it.
The fireplace.
It's a stack-stone, Anasazi, Native American-style fireplace.
Oh, I'm really liking this one, Ted.
[ Laughs ] This is more our speed right here.
Oh, my goodness -- with the granite.
Cristina, I think you'll love the kitchen.
Oh! I love it!
I see myself here.
Oh, yeah. Lookit. I'm chopping. I'm cooking.
Is there room for both of us?
The kitchen is just fantabulous.
It is beautiful.
And what I love is the granite,
how well it works with this exposed brick.
That's not brick -- that's stone, city slicker.
"City slicker"!
Ooh! Sorry. "Stone." [ Laughs ]
TED: Look at that one viga with the wormholes.
There aren't worms in there now, are there?
I'm sure there are not. I'm sure it's been treated.
[ Gasps ] Wow.
Holy cow. Yeah, this is amazing.
JOAQUIN: This is outdoor living.
You have a built-in gas grill, Joaquin.
Oh, I see you out there grilling up a storm.
You'll just have to keep the coyotes away
because they'll smell those hamburgers
when you're grilling them.
You'll have to have your .22 rifle there behind you.
Oh, my gosh!
Just in case.
I can handle that. I can handle that.
In Chicago, with the humidity, mosquitos, and flies,
you end up being indoors a lot.
We don't have that problem here.
Look at this. This is outdoor living.
It is a little bit out of our budget.
That's the only thing.
But we love every inch of this place so far.
We can negotiate, right?
We can negotiate. I'm a good negotiator.
That's right. I want to help you with that process.
Excellent.
Ooh.
[ Gasps ] Aah!
Wow.
[ Laughs ]
[ Gasps ] Oh, my goodness.
This is a bedroom.
Oh, wow.
Oh, my goodness.
It has its own little patio area.
Oh, my gosh.
This is beautiful.
This is a mansion by Chicago standards.
It is. Big-time mansion.
Oh, my gosh!
Look at the tub.
Jacuzzi jets.
Can two people fit in there?
[ Laughs ]
Imagine you soaking here,
sipping on martinis, or what have you,
with this view.
Martinis, huh?
Why not? [ Laughs ]
That's how luxurious it feels, right?
It's beautiful.
Hey, and you're the one that didn't want to come here.
Ooh!
NARRATOR: The rooms that could work
for an office or the kids' bedrooms
are less spacious, but wait.
I have a surprise for you. There's a bonus room.
[ Laughs ]
Wow.
That is all I can say.
This is bonus galore.
Oh, my gosh.
There's so much we can do in here.
My office.
Wow, this is a little big for the office.
But a family room?
It is big.
Family room, a theater room, something like that.
The only thing I'm thinking is, you know,
how are we gonna grow into those rooms?
Do we have enough space? And how do we do all that?
That's definitely one thing to consider.
How would we maybe extend on the house?
On top of the $550,000 price already.
That's right.
Well, you guys have a lot to think about.
Definitely.
That kitchen is just my speed.
Yeah, it's dynamite. It really is.
It's beautiful.
The landscaping.
The outdoors. The windows.
The views.
I can go on and on.
I am a little bit worried, though,
about how we're gonna fit the boys in there.
We need to think about
how we're gonna handle her family visits.
Ooh.
You know, where would they stay?
You know what, though?
There's plenty of room for a small, little casita
or a guesthouse.
Good idea.
We'd have to consider that in terms of the cost
because we are a little bit above our price range.
Right. I understand. Yeah.
But you know what?
Maybe we can negotiate a little bit on that price point.
[ Gasps ] I hope so.
Okay. Well, I have one more home to show you.
And it literally sits on top of this world.
JOAQUIN: Oh, boy.
Aah! [ Laughs ]
I mean, there's a lot we could do with all this space.
Like, right now, are you kidding?
Everything needs to come down.
Oh, my gosh. This is crazy.
[ Siren wails, horn honks ]
NARRATOR: Long days and crazy commutes are the norm
for Joaquin and Cristina Amador.
Oh, hurry up. Mommy has to catch a train.
These Chicago dwellers can't wait to move to Santa Fe
to slow down and minimize their traffic woes.
But little do they realize
that the route ahead might be just as bumpy
if they choose house number three on Mountain Top Road.
JOAQUIN: This is crazy, honey.
Yeah. [ Laughs ] What are we doing?
Oh, Ted, where are you taking us?
Holy cow.
He did say top of the world.
Literally.
Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi.
Are you looking over the edge?
No. No!
TED: 88 Mountain Top Road in Santa Fe, New Mexico,
is listed at $648,000.
It's over 3,000 square feet, 5 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths.
It's comprised of a main house and a guesthouse
situated on over seven acres.
NARRATOR: A guesthouse that could also double
as a lucrative investment property.
Aah! [ Laughs ]
Are you in four-wheel drive?
Yes.
It better be a beautiful, beautiful house.
That's all I have to say.
What did you think of that drive up?
Well, thank you for the enjoyable ride. Geez.
Ted, what was that? Where are we?
When you said, yesterday, "On top of the world,"
I really meant it. I really meant it.
Cristina, you wanted big views.
You wanted a lot of space for the boys.
This is gorgeous.
And I think we might be even higher than the Sears Tower.
I think I can see Chicago from here, actually.
You can actually see the Jemez Mountains,
the Sandias, Mount Taylor on a clear day,
and the Ortiz Mountains.
I think this might be more my speed, Ted.
I think so, Joaquin.
Come on in.
[ Door closes ]
Well, this is kind of like a cabin, a mountain cabin.
Ooh! [ Laughs ]
TED: It's got slate floors. Look at those views.
Oh, my Lordy, Lordy, Lor'. Wow.
You can't get more secluded than this.
This is great. I could get used to this.
Okay. So, the kitchen.
TED: What do you think?
It's big. It's a lot of space.
It is big.
That's what you wanted, Cristina.
Yeah! But this is -- Hmm.
This is to tear down and rebuild, I think.
Yeah, it will need some updating.
Yeah, I think it has great potential.
It just needs to be redone
in, you know, the kind of finishes that she'd like.
I want something that's just gonna be turnkey.
Come in, and it's done.
Everything needs to come down.
I see dollar signs, dollar signs, dollar signs everywhere.
Money, money, money, and more money, more money, more money.
But we're gonna work the price.
So, what would this room be?
Maybe a playroom for the boys or an office.
Okay, that's a good idea.
It's big enough for both.
Whoa-ho-ho.
The views are fantastic.
These views are absolutely incredible.
This is falling apart.
Yeah.
It doesn't just need some staining.
It might need a whole new face lift.
How much money is that gonna cost us?
Yeah.
Can you imagine?
We could maybe expand
out of the living room into a deck out here.
I mean, there's a lot we could do with all the space.
Are you kidding?
[ Chuckling ] No.
Like, right now, are you kidding?
No, no, no.
How much would that cost us?
Well, we'd have to, you know, really negotiate the price.
I don't know, Joaquin.
I think this could work.
Sort of mountain living.
It's not bad.
Straight-up mountain living.
[ Chuckles ] I don't know. I don't know.
Think about it. Think about it.
[ Sighs ] Yeah.
TED: Double doors leading into your master suite.
CRISTINA: This is nice.
I haven't seen a bathroom.
There's a full bath right near the foyer when you come in.
What? Near the front door?
Yeah. This is a possibility for a master.
Yeah.
Okay, what is this?
[ Laughs ] Dare we open the door?
Yeah, go for it.
[ Laughs ] Okay.
Wow.
What is this? A cave!
It is a cave!
Oh, my gosh. This is crazy.
This is too much bringing the outdoors in.
I feel like there's gonna be somebody tied up
over there.
Oh, my gosh. This is crazy.
Nope, I'm done.
I'm done looking at this room.
I'm done. I'm done.
I'm out of here.
I've already compromised
moving all the way from Chicago to here, and this is too much.
This is too much.
This crosses the line, and this is where I put my foot down.
I actually really like it,
though, you know, Cristina, you know --
she's gonna be tough to convince.
I couldn't wait to get out of there.
I just see death. That's all I see.
I don't like it.
[ Chuckling ] I don't like it.
There's a great guesthouse.
Do you want to see the guesthouse?
Yes, absolutely.
You know, this is so, like, the Old West.
Isn't it?
I like this. This is cool.
Oh, yeah.
It's like an old saloon or something.
Whoa. This is nice.
This is really cozy.
This has been updated and maintained.
The guesthouse could be
a income-producing property for them.
I wonder how much we could get for this.
Probably about 1,000 bucks, I would imagine,
Yeah.
No.
I think that's gonna be our only option.
JOAQUIN: One of the things I really like about this is
it's in the type of environment that I envisioned
in moving back to Santa Fe
that I think would be great for the kids.
It's rustic. It's rough.
But that'll make them tough, as well.
TED: I know the price point's a little high,
but we can negotiate that for sure, you know?
CRISTINA: Okay.
I am.
[ Laughs ]
There's a little road that we have to face.
Oh, no!
Not that road.
Come on.
Can I just be flown down there somehow?
TED: I think I've shown the Amadors
some great properties here in Santa Fe.
I gave them three different choices,
and I can't wait to see which one they decide on.
This big change is something that I've been wanting
for a very long time.
I'm excited to get the family here.
I couldn't be happier.
For me, it's a little bit bittersweet.
It's just hitting closer to home.
The whole fact is settling in...
[ Voice breaking ] that I'll be leaving Chicago
and my family and friends behind.
Gonna be really hard for me.
NARRATOR: Joaquin and Cristina Amador
won't miss the dreaded long days or draining commutes,
but the Amadors' move will impact
something close to Cristina's heart.
Life has always centered around family and food.
This Chicago barbecue champ
now has to win over the Land of Enchantment.
It's really not that spicy.
Man, this one's spicy.
NARRATOR: It's a bittersweet farewell,
but a new life filled with fresh experiences and flavors awaits.
To family and being close always,
no matter how far you may be.
Salud!
All it takes is a change of scenery
and one final decision.
So, have you guys made a decision?
[ Sighs ]
Well, I really like Mountain Top.
I do not see us living there at all.
That road up there is just treacherous.
And not only that, but everything that it would cost us
to just remodel it.
What about Camino Cabo?
The kitchen is a little bit small,
so that would definitely be a problem for us.
And the rooms are also a little bit small.
What about Camino Teofanio?
Oh, now you're talking.
Oh, that one is a beautiful home.
We just love everything about it.
And it has all of that Santa Fe charm
that we're looking for, that Southwest feel.
That's one we really agree on completely.
Yeah. Yeah.
Can we write a purchase offer on it?
[ Inhales sharply ]
Yes! Yes, yes, yes!
Great. Let's do it.
NARRATOR: After a round of counteroffers,
the Amadors secured the keys to their new casa.
We chose the Camino Teofanio house
mainly because we really saw ourselves living there.
As soon as we walked in, it just felt right.
It just felt good.
NARRATOR: The Amadors are finding their stride
in all sorts of new ways.
Hyah!
JOAQUIN: Having access to outdoor activities
and a more serene and safe environment
is actually gonna be very good for our family
and, in a way, for us to bond together.
NARRATOR: While the outdoors are beckoning Joaquin,
it's the kitchen calling Cristina's name.
What do you think? Do you like it?
For Chicago, that's good.
That's really good.
She's found her niche in the New Mexico food scene,
winning first place at the Rio Rancho Pork & Brew Cookoff.
Why don't we have a little cookoff contest?
Yeah?
All right. Let's go.
Follow me.
Now she's ready to take on the local top chef.
What are you smelling, huh?
Smells good.
Chicago-style, baby.
Smell that vinegar right there?
I do. It smells so good.
We're gonna top it on top of the taco.
Oh, that looks beautiful.
Here we go.
So, here, what I made for you, darling, dear husband...
[ Chuckles ] Uh-oh.
...is a pulled-pork sandwich
with my specialty barbecue sauce.
And here's what I made for you, my darling friend.
[ Laughs ]
I have glazed-pork-belly tacos.
NARRATOR: And the winner?
These are both outstanding dishes.
Delicious.
Okay.
But?
I'm sorry. I must go with my wife.
Yes!
Aw, man.
NARRATOR: The Amadors have all the right ingredients --
a beautiful new home