Albuquerque sits at more than 5,000 feet, which means stronger UV than most of the country, big temperature swings between day and night, and air that's dry almost all year. All three break down exterior paint. South- and west-facing walls fade and chalk first, and wood trim dries out and cracks long before the stucco does.
Prep is most of the job. Chalky paint needs to be washed off, loose paint scraped, cracks in stucco filled with a flexible patch, and bare wood primed. Paint applied over chalk or dust simply peels off with it. A good painter spends more time preparing the surface than putting color on it.
Choose the right product. Exterior coatings made for high-UV climates, elastomeric coatings for stucco, and lighter colors that reflect heat all last noticeably longer here. Dark colors on sun-facing walls look great the first year and fade fastest.
Timing matters too. Spring and fall are ideal in the Albuquerque area, avoiding hot afternoons when paint dries too fast and cold nights when it can't cure. With proper prep and the right product, a quality exterior paint job should give you many years before the next one.