Furnished housing for NMSU visiting faculty and post-docs
NMSU's main campus has no dedicated visiting-faculty housing. Most short-appointment hires end up in 12-month apartment leases they can't fully use, or vacation rentals that don't allow stays past 30 days. This property fills the gap between those two.
The site is a private home in the Picacho Mountain neighborhood, ~20 minutes by car from the main campus. Two rental options, both furnished, both with all utilities included.
Detached casita ($2,000/month). Fully detached structure, private entrance, California King bed, private bathroom. The casita is what most faculty visitors choose because it preserves the privacy needed for academic work. No separate kitchen inside the casita, but the main-house kitchen is fully available, and a hot plate plus electric kettle inside the casita cover daily routines.
Private bedroom in the main house ($1,200/month). Queen bed (new Tempur-Pedic mattress), private bathroom, walk-in storage, kitchen and laundry shared with the household. Better fit for early-career post-docs or grad-program visitors on a tighter budget.
Reduced-rent option on the bedroom: $1,000/month in exchange for an agreed household-help plan averaging ~5 hours/week (kitchen reset, dish cycle, light common-area tidy). Agreed in writing before move-in. Useful for post-docs or grad-program visitors stretching a stipend.
Lease structure
90-day minimum (HOA policy), then month-to-month. Works cleanly for one-semester, two-semester, or sabbatical assignments. The lease doesn't auto-renew or trap you into 12 months. If the appointment runs from August to December, the lease covers August through November on the initial term, then converts to month-to-month for the remaining time. No 12-month penalty if the semester ends earlier than expected.
Semester-to-semester continuity
If you book the casita for fall semester and decide late in the term to extend through spring, just give 30 days' notice; we'll hold the unit. Visiting faculty have done this in past appointments without rebidding the rent.
For J-1 scholars and other visa categories
A landlord housing letter for the consular interview or DS-2019 file is available on request. The letter confirms the lease term, address, and rent. We can issue one before you sign, contingent on a completed application. NMSU's Office of International and Border Programs has seen this format before.
About the household
Jerry Prochazka and his husband Jordan. Both work from home in tech and consulting. One dog (Merlin, a miniature schnauzer). The home is quiet during workdays, which matters if you're teaching a remote section, recording lectures, or running a Zoom seminar from the casita. No daytime music, no construction, no kids. Quiet hours 9 PM to 6:30 AM.
Weekend background to know about
Two small standing hobby groups meet in the main house: board games Saturday 10 AM–4 PM and tabletop RPG Sunday 11 AM–4 PM. Audible from the bedroom unit on those afternoons. The casita is fully detached and unaffected — most faculty visitors choose the casita partly for this reason.
About the neighborhood
Picacho Mountain is a low-density subdivision on the west side of Las Cruces, near Picacho Peak Recreation Area (15+ miles of trails with Organ Mountains views). The property is a 20-minute commute to NMSU, 15 minutes to downtown Las Cruces, and ~50 minutes to El Paso International Airport. A vehicle is required — there is no walkable transit between Picacho Mountain and the NMSU campus.
House rules to know up front
No pets (HOA + resident dog). No smoking. No overnight guests — visiting partners, family, and collaborators stay at a hotel; we can recommend nearby options. 90-day minimum, then month-to-month.
What we'll ask
A short intro call (we want to meet anyone living in our home), a letter from your NMSU host department confirming the appointment, basic income or contract documentation, and references (background and credit check is run through Avail or RentSpree). The intro call also lets you ask anything about fit before applying.