For those who have been following my recent posts about Albuquerque's Mesa del Sol development and the landfill issue (http://activerain.com/blogsview/641852/Green-Community-Location-Landfill and http://activerain.com/blogsview/644815/Green-Community-or-Toxic ), I've got some good news! Anne Monson, the director of Public Relations and Marketing for Mesa del Sol, apparently saw the blog, and took the time to contact me and provide some additional information about the issue. (By the way, three cheers here for ActiveRain, for being prominent enough that the folks at Mesa del Sol immediately noticed these blogs and responded to the issue!) For those who missed the previous blogs, I had done some research, obtained maps of both Mesa Del Sol's development plan and the locations of several l... 08/24/2008

Daily Real Estate News  |  August 19, 2008 Campaign Launched to Undo Down Payment Ban The Housing and Economic Recovery Act prohibits the Federal Housing Administration from insuring loans made with a seller-funded down payment. This essentially bans the practice since nearly all these loans are made with FHA-guaranteed financing. The ban takes effect Oct. 1, 2008.The Nehemiah Corp. of America, the nonprofit responsible for arranging thousands of these loans, has launched a campaign and Web site to persuade Congress to override this aspect of the housing bill. The site includes a countdown clock tracking the end of DPA to the second, a blog and links to YouTube videos and to its MySpace and Facebook presence.So far, more than 75,000 "letters" to Congress have been generated, according t... 08/19/2008

A couple of days ago I wrote a post about Albuquerque's up-and-coming Mesa del Sol community. The developers are publicizing the green nature of the proposed development, as I had outlined a year ago in an initial post about Mesa del Sol, but last week I noticed that a couple of readers of the post had commented that Mesa del Sol was actually located on an old landfill, and near a nuclear waste landfill! This was a surprising and unwelcome assertion about a development that is one of the current prides of Albuquerque, and a big economic fous right now, as a great deal of new, clean industry has recently announced moves to Albuquerque and Mesa del Sol-- companies like Advent Solar and Schott Solar, who are building new plants at Mesa del Sol. This is great economic news for Albuquerque,... 08/16/2008

Can a community built on a toxic landfill ever really be "green?" Last year, I wrote a blog post (http://activerain.com/blogsview/115441/Albuquerque-Mesa-Del-Sol)  about the new, greatly-hyped "green" development envisioned for Albuquerque's Mesa Del Sol. I've been enthusiastic myself about the concepts Mesa del Sol is focusing on, and wanted to spread the word about the "green" emphasis for the planned housing there. Iimagine my surprise this past week when I suddenly got two comments on this old post, both questioning how Mesa del Sol could possibly be considered green when it is built on an old, City of Albuquerque toxic landfill (according to commentor Patricia Tapia) and adjacent to radioactive waste from the Sandia Labs Mixed Waste Landfill (according to commentor Joe Edwards)! T... 08/14/2008

Tuesday, August 12, 2008 Past 10 Clients - Looking for Referrals for New Clients Current mood: adventurous Category: Jobs, Work, Careers   Recently, I realized that sometimes I need to tell a story about how I was able to help a client for other people to have a "light  bulb moment" and think of other people to refer to me.  In that vein, I'd like to share some brief details of my last 10 clients, and maybe that will help you think of some people you could refer to me, as I am currently seeking new clients. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at; http://www.HomeLoansAlbuquerque.com, or (505) 259-6397 direct.  My email is; melinda@trinitymtg.biz.  I am as ever, Melinda Potcher, Mortgage Maven.         Past 10 Clients (randomized to protect their info); **  He ... 08/13/2008

Didn't you grow up thinking of brick as the solid, secure construction choice, based on that old wolf "huffing and puffing" and blowing down those little piggies' houses made of wood and (gulp!) STRAW?! Maybe it's time to get past those fairy-tale-induced fears, because it turns out that straw-built homes are not only great from the point of view of being green and environmentally friendly, they're also amazing good for the wallet as well, which is increasingly important in our current economy! And New Mexico is at the forefront of the straw-bale movement, perhaps because a straw bale home, finished with stucco, has the same soft lines, earthy look, and permanent feel that our traditional NM adobe homes have. And it's a good deal cheaper! One key, of course, is building with straw bales... 08/09/2008

This afternoon, Governor Bill Richardson spent an hour or so at a community meeting organized and emceed by State Senator-elect Tim Keller, to hear community input about the New Mexico State Fair and what should be included in future plans for the site. Several hundred people were present for the meeting, which was held at the new African-American Cultural Center on the State Fairgrounds, right after Gov. Richardson dedicated the brand-new facility.   Stories have circulated for some time now that the Albuquerque Downs racetrack and casino will be moved to Moriarty, that the State Fair itself may be relocated to another location, and that the existing Tingley Coliseum and horse facilities might be razed. This afternoon was the perfect opportunity for equestrians, 4H members, neighborho... 08/08/2008

The Westside of Albuquerque is a large area that starts at the western bank of the Rio Grande, and extends west up and over the western escarpment, to the north is bordered by the City of Rio Rancho, and south to Central Avenue (Old Route 66). There are great options for housing, education, and recreation. The Albuquerque Real Estate on the west side includes affordable home options such as townhomes, as well as large master planned communities like Vantana Ranch, Paradise Hills, Taylor Ranch, & Seven Bar. Also found on the west side are gorgeous luxury homes and estate properties. It's also possible to get horse property on the west side. One great feature of west side is that some of the best views of the Sandia Mountains and the Rio Grande Bosque can be found here.Several West Side n... 07/27/2008

Whether your visit lasts a day or a lifetime, you'll find Albuquerque, NM is just chock-full of things to see, do and experience, and every so often I like to spotlight one of these Albuquerque highlights for tourists and natives alike here in this blog. Today's choice (a favorite with every dinosaur-loving kid) is the Albuquerque Museum of Natural History. In addition to those perennial dino-favorites, the museum features an Ice Age Cave, an active volcano )OK, Mom, don't worry-- it's simulated!) and a trip back in time to the New Mexico seashore (yes, once upon a time we had one of those in arid New Mexico!). The Dyna-Max Theater brings the latest technology to the presentation of a continuous procession of great features such as "Everest" and "Coral Reef Adventure." Currently playin... 07/25/2008

I try to keep my website updated with information helpful to horse owners moving in to the Albuquerque area, and last week I came up with some great content to add: a searchable list of resources for equestrians! When you and your horses are new to an area, there's a long list of people, services, organizations and businesses you need to be able to find, sometimes on pretty short notice. A good equine veterinarian probably heads the list (who wants to be calling every vet in the yellow pages to see if they make house calls when you've got a mare colicking out in the barn?) Besides the ever-crucial vet, you also might need a pretty prompt visit with a good NM farrier, and access to a good local source of tack, feed, and other equine supplies. To have fun with your horse in a new area, y... 07/24/2008

The Albuquerque area is getting a real "two-fer" in some of the business development underway in Mesa del Sol. There is a heavy concentration of effort towards green, eco-friendly design, along with great economic benefits and lots of job growth. For example, Schott Solar is building a solar energy technology prduction facility in Mesa Del Sol, a unique, mixed-use development in Albuquerque's Southeast area. This German company is building a 200,000 SF facility that will employ 350 in the immediate future, with long-term plans to expand to 800,000 SF and 1500 employees.  Accroding to the New Mexico Business Weekly, Schott  will make receivers for concentrated solar thermal power plants and photovoltaic modules at this facility, and production is expected to begin next summer. This is g... 07/24/2008

There is more great economic news on the horizon for Albuquerque! In addition to the 800+ jobs that HP will be transferring to Rio Rancho, as I mentioned in my last post, even more jobs will be available at the new Fidelity Investments facility. Last January, Fidelity Investments announced that they would be moving to a new, 210,000 SF facility in Albuquerque's Mesa Del Sol mixed-use project, according to Reuters. They expect ultimately to have 1250 jobs at this facility, and now they're beginning hiring!  This is great employment news for Albuquerque! According to the Fidelity Investments website, the company will be holding an Open House on July 29th, from 2:00-7:00 for prospective employees to meet with company hiring managers. At this point, Fidelity Investments is hiring 100 new HR... 07/19/2008

The slow housing market does not stop long term planning... The Lower Petroglyphs development is already moving forward but much larger developments are coming. Suncal owns 55000 acres of land on Albuquerques westside and has a 50 year build out plan. Suncal promises not to follow the normal urban sprawl we have seen in past years and plans to develop the area using the "New Urbanism" model. From the Suncal NM website... "SunCal Companies recognizes there has been no greater opportunity to revive the spirit of this historic concept than at the site of the Atrisco Land Grant. Today, our goal is to couple your feedback with these core urban planning principles to create a remarkable new place that will foster a unique sense of community and belonging that is absent in many modern-day neig... 07/17/2008

Here in Albuquerque, utility companies are encouraging consumers to go green in the most powerful way: by talking directly to our wallets! Yep, there are utility-sponsored cash incentives for doing things that are green and eco0friendly, at least in Albuquerque, NM! Here are some examples: PNM (Public Service Company of New Mexico) wants to help keep those old refrigerators out of the landfills, while simultaneously encouraging the use of more energy-efficient models. Their plan? a $30 rebate plus the free removal of the old refrigerator to PNM's state-of -the-art recycling facility, where almost everything can be recycled and kept out of the landfill. PNM's natural gas customers can get a 25% rebate (up to a maximum of $500) for participating in the Insulation and Weatherization progra... 07/03/2008

Yes, despite all the gloom and doom media info floating around out there, the statistics are in, and home prices were UP in Albuquerque for the month of May, 2008! A recent article in the Albuquerque Journal detailed specifics about this encouraging real estate trend for Albuquerque, NM and surrounding areas. The median sales price for the Albuquerque Metro Area this past June was $205,000, up 3% compared to May of 2007. The average sales price was up as well, from an '07 figure of $246,062 to an '08 figure of $247,295. Part of the good news was that higher-end home sales have improved, with seven homes in the $1 million plus market selling in May. The increase in sales of luxury homes has aided the overall increases in sales statistics. Lest you think we're back in a "sellers' market,... 07/02/2008

Seventeen Albuquerque horse properties, in the North Valley, South Valley, and Corrales areas, will all be on an Open House Tour this Sunday, June 22nd, from 1-4 p.m. This is a fabulous opportunity for anyone who's been kicking around the idea of locating a home for both the family and the horses to check out dozens of homes, all in close-in locations, all on acreage, and all with existing barns or other horse facilities. The properties range in price from the upper $200's to nearly $1 million, and are all in the lush Rio Grande Valley. Not sold on the tour yet? There will be lots of refreshements, and dozens of door prizes donated by local merchants Western Warehouse, Horsemens' Feed and Supply, and The Horsemens' Voice magazine. Register at each home for multiple chances to win some o... 06/17/2008

Making The Best Use of The "Tools" in Your Toolbox Current mood: contemplative Category: Jobs, Work, Careers   This past spring I took on the enormous task of project manager for the city wide membership drive for BNI (Business Network Int'l).  www.bni.com Toward the end of the drive (end of May), I found myself kvetching w/ my counterpart in El Paso Texas.  We discussed what appeared to work, what didn't, and why we thought so. The Texan relayed an insight to me in conversation which later hit me over the head - you can call it my "AH-HA" moment if you want. Basically, he was touting the side benefits of inviting business folk to check out BNI ... whether they came to the visitor's day or they didn't, he had opened a doorway for them to expand their contact spheres & opportunities to c... 06/16/2008

We have been playing around with some different Albuquerque Property searches and have put together a page of these here. Some are curiosity lists like Albuquerque Multi-Million Dollar Homes. And others should be useful like Albuquerque Open Houses and Today's New Listings. We will keep adding more as needed and can set up a custom search for someone if needed. 06/07/2008

Albuquerque, NM offers so many great options for horse enthusiasts to want to forget about paying for expensive boarding for a horse, and for the ever-increasing gas costs to then drive from home to the stable to exercise and ride that beautiful animal. Albuquerque is probably one of the few cities anywhere where one can live right in Albuquerque proper, less than 15 minutes commute from Downtown, Uptown, and the Airport, and still have a couple of acres of peaceful, serene horse property to come home to! Albuquerque's North and South Valley areas offer large numbers of both small, modest horse properties and also large equestrian estates suitable for professional breeding and training. The South Valley, in particular, abounds in reasonable priced beautiful homes that provide space for ... 05/16/2008

Albuquerque, New Mexico boasts one of the top golf courses in the country: the Championship Golf Course at University of New Mexico. This course was rated the #1 course to play in New Mexico by Golfweek Magazine, and will soon be host to the NCAA Women's Golf Championship! May 20-23, 2008 are the dates set aside for the top collegiate women golfers in the country to compete for the championship, and tickets are available for all you golf enthusiasts to come out and watch. Spectators are welcome, and daily prices are only $8 for adults and $5 for juniors. Want to catch the entire event? You can buy full event packages for just $25 for adults and $15 for juniors. The University of New Mexico team was edged out of a team berth for this championship, but UNM will be represented in individu... 05/14/2008