When was the last time you did something for the first time? At least, that is what some of my garden plants are thinking today. It is January and they have decided to tell me it is spring with some new buds. How could this be happening? It appears my lilacs believe our winter in Santa Fe has indeed been a mild one. Is it mild enough to think differently now when it comes to gardening?Fortunately, the US Department of Agriculture thinks something is changing. Using new mapping technology, the USDA has revised its plant hardiness zone map this year. This is the first time since 1990. By using weather data, the have created an interactive map by state, county and zip code level. This amazing resource now provides more than an estimate but exact information about the average coldest tempe... 01/29/2012

It is January 2012 and already there are some new signs of life in our local Santa Fe real estate market. It looks like the answer to if not now, when? to buy, might just be now or very soon. After three years of the average home sale price steady at near $400,000, there does appear to be a trend of balance in play. In the last quarter of 2011, there were 22 home sales of over one million. And there were 3 sales of over three million. These were not new record numbers, but they have been a solid pattern. Home sales in the price range of below $150,000 have been consistently above average.The stable sales in the high price range tell me confidence has returned to the Santa Fe real estate market. A second factor is always the number of homes sold in each quarter. Here again, there is bal... 01/27/2012

Do you love Art? Food? Wine? Fashion? Homes? Santa Fe? Then, it is time to mark your calendar now for the upcoming 15th Annual Santa Fe Art Feast weekend happening on February 24-26, 2012. Good things happen when a community supports the imagination of our youth. Your participation in ArtFeast benefits the nonprofit ArtSmart which has donated $972,000 to support visual art programs in Santa Fe. Perhaps this is why we continue to be a community where art makes a difference and imagination rules. Tickets for the Edible Art Tour are available from www.ticketssantafe.com. The self-guided Home Tour is sponsored by Santa Fe Properties. The home tour is on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 PM and is free. We are thrilled our livable sculpture home on at 7468 A Old Santa Fe Trail has been sel... 01/22/2012

November to November numbers always give me a good indicator as to any market shifts in play before the holidays, especially in Santa Fe real estate. Why? The holidays are when our city appears to just double in size with people. It feels like two months of Indian Market. Given this new landscape of real estate, it is important to step back and look at the numbers to get a handle on if what I see is actually really happening. From experience, it did appear home and land buyers were continuing to jump off the fence. In Santa Fe, this could be a coyote fence (shown here) which is not comfortable to be on in the first place. Here are is the number story for November 2011. If you are a buyer or seller still on the fence it is time to see what happened. Here are some important facts: The to... 01/15/2012

In this new landscape of real estate online, everyone seems to be asking about what buyers and sellers are actually doing in the real estate market place. The 2011 National Association of Realtors (NAR) Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers is a resourceful guide when looking for trends in home buyer and seller preferences and behavior. Here are some interesting results which stood out for me about buyers and sellers. The median downpayment for all buyers was 11 percent. The range was 5% down for lst time home buyers with a range of up to 15% for repeat buyers. Buyers searched a median of 12 weeks and looked at 12 homes. This was the same as in 2010. Forty (40%) of buyers said they first learned about the home they purchased on the internet. Ninety-one (91%) of the buyers who used the int... 01/08/2012

The great thing about snow is how snow in Santa Fe helps tell people we are not a community where palm trees surround swimming pools and people live and work in a hot desert climate. Santa Fe sits at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in a high desert climate rather than one that is hot. It is hot as a destination visitor and relocation market for people seeking a Santa Fe lifestyle or to finish a dream. This photograph happened a few minutes ago just outside my studio door. I love the way the snow makes our native southwest Chamisa, also know as Rabbitbrush plant look like it is growing cotton. Enjoy! **************************** 01/08/2012

Sunrise Springs-The Neighborhoods of Santa Fe, New Mexico Sunrise Springs, located in the richly soiled region of the Rio Grande basin and La Cienega Valley, can be traced back as far as more than three thousand years. American Indians were attracted to the nourishing springs that seep throughout the valley where they took refuge under the high desert cottonwoods and willow trees at Sunrise Springs. This highly fertile land has always been used for raising gardens, sheep ranching and other livestock grazing. Pottery chards and stone foundations of nearby El Alamo and Las Golondrinas reveal a substantial history of the cultural settlement and trade in the La Cienega area.   By the time of the Spanish arrival in the late 16th century, there was mention of at least two large Indian Pueblos... 01/03/2012

This Speechless Santa Fe moment comes from one of those priceless events during Santa Fe's celebration of July 4th on our Historic Santa Fe Plaza. The morning begins with a performance of traditional dances by the students from a dancing school who practice all year for the opportunity to perform. My favorites are the littlest ones as they dance from the heart with so much spirit and energy. This image happened as we all waited for their performance to begin. What I love about most about Santa Fe is simply living every day here to the fullest and telling our stories in another speechless moment. ************************  01/01/2012

Today is the first day of the first month of 2012 and we all feel everything is automatically different. If you are a Santa Fe homeowner wondering if 2012 will be a good opportunity to catch the wave of improving real estate sales and news stories, then now is a good time to check on your home's market value, current solds and overall trends in your Santa Fe neighborhood. Remember all real estate is local and it is foolish to compare our market with what is happening in Miami, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle or even London. And all you have to do is use the Market Snapshot tool we provide to Santa Fe homeowners. You can find out how homes are selling within a five mile radius of your home? Do you often wonder how asking prices are compared to selling in your neighborhood. Those a... 01/01/2012

  On January 6, 1912, President William H. Taft signed a proclaimation admitting New Mexico in the United States as our 47th state. This commemorative Centennial Ornament was created by the Governor's Mansion Foundation to celebrate our history and unique blend of cultures, heritages, languages and lifestyles. All proceeds from the ornament sales benefit the Governor's Mansion Foundation, a non-partisan, non-profit organization of volunteers responsible for the design and preservation of the Governor's residence. To purchase this 24 KT Gold with Rhodium detail ornament and support the good works of the Foundation, visit this website in collaboration with the Santa Fe New Mexican.   It was in our statehood year of 1912 that many civic leaders adopted a plan to encourage architects to uni... 01/01/2012

Working with a Santa Fe real estate broker is the only way to sell your home that makes sense. You hear about all of the fear and uncertainty that a lot of people go through when purchasing their first home, well a lot of them are trying to do it on their own. But I want to save the commission fees...Of course you do! You probably could fix your own transmission on your car too if you took a mechanics course and you would save a lot of money by doing it on your own. But is it really cost efficient?  How much time would you have to take to learn enough about fixing a transmission to really tackle the job? In the meantime would you rent a car? Take taxis? Hmmm. You can see that it really doesn't make a lot of sense.Well… fixing a transmission is technicalSo what? Selling or buying a house... 12/30/2011

It is easy to get distracted when viewing a Santa Fe house for sale. There is so much to take in and it can seem quite overwhelming. Here are a couple of tips to help you stay focused when walking around a home so that you can use your best judgement and see the house as it really is.Look don't listenUse your eyes to judge for yourself what is actually wrong with the home you are viewing. The homeowner may tell you stories about the problems with the house that you shouldn't necessarily always believe. See for yourself what the problems are and in cases where you need help, hire a home inspector. If, for instance, you see puddles on the basement floor, don't automatically believe that there is only a small crack allowing some moisture in if this is what you are being told. Ask to see th... 12/29/2011

When it comes to contractors you'll have a garden variety to choose from when buying or selling Santa Fe real estate. Unfortunately, there are some contractors in Santa Fe that just aren't up to snuff and should not be promoting themselves as a legitimate business. There are others that have pride and put everything they have into each and every project. Your job is to sort through the contractors and find one that is reliable, affordable and delivers quality results.Avoid large down paymentsAny contractor that asks for a large down payment before the job can be started should be avoided. No matter how good his reputation is, he should not be asking for an exorbitant amount before the job starts. While it is common to put down a down payment, you should never be asked for anything that ... 12/29/2011

If you are thinking of a second home or planning to relocate to Santa Fe, New Mexico for our culture, blue skies, clean air, low taxes and four seasons of recreation, it is time to get started on taking advantage of our real estate market. Why? US and News Report just named Santa Fe as one of the top 10 best places to retire in 2012! What is important to remember is to plan ahead, especially if you are an over age 55 buyer or boomer interested in making a lifestyle change. There are a lot of things to consider especially if you will need to sell your home first or obtain mortgage financing to purchase a home in our destination community. One of the ways we help our relocation buyers is to provide you with a relocation consultation and then an exclusive buyer web page tailored to your i... 12/26/2011

True or False? All things based on our experience elsewhere fail in New Mexico. At least, this was what Lew Wallace believed when he was the Territorial Governor of New Mexico in 1881. Of course, he was writing Ben Hur at the same time while living in the Governor's quarters on our now historic Santa Fe Plaza. My answer is false. Why? Santa Fe has some of the cleanest air in the country along with blue skies most of the year. We are continually rated as a top destination for travel and also for living. In fact, Case Shiller recently reported Santa Fe to be one of the top 15 housing markets in the USA for the next five years. And this month, US News and World Report, named Santa Fe a top retirement community. OK, I am biased. I live here. I love Santa Fe. And I sell Santa Fe. Of course ... 12/26/2011

I love to cook with the camera especially around the holidays when I am spending extra time in the kitchen and then in my studio. For those of us in real estate these days, our world is usually more like 25/8 instead of 24/7. This Christmas I decided to gift myself a day with my imagination. After all, this was one of the reasons why I relocated to Santa Fe, New Mexico many years ago. This image is more of a recipe for a balanced life over these holidays.  Enjoy your imagination this holiday! ----------------------------------------------------------------- 12/25/2011

  This fine home at 4208 Silent Wing in Santa Fe, New Mexico is SOLD. Located in the Nava Ade subdivision, in the heart of Santa Fe's southside, this home features included 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, a two car garage, 2017 sq feet all on a cul-de-sac with nature as your neighbor. This home was purchased by a buyer relocating to Santa Fe for our Santa Fe lifestyle from Delaware. By the way, this community has a swimming pool as well! Now, if you are a seller seeking to tap into our network of relocation buyers for the coming 2012 new year, let's get started with a seller consultation in the near future. Santa Fe continues to be a destination market for buyers seeking clear air, blue skies and lower property taxes. And, if you are a buyer reading this blog do not be disappointed. Instead, cont... 12/25/2011

This snow covered Pinyon (Pine) tree whispered Merry Christmas to me this morning when the sun revealed the four inches of snow left behind last night. Her pine cones, now emptied of her treasured edible pine nut seeds, hung on the tree like hand-carved ornaments. Underneath her soft needles, I could see the footprints of two coyotes who traveled past her in the night on their way home into their deeper arroyo (dry stream bed) that makes a horseshoe mark across my land off a dirt road not far from the Santa Fe Plaza.  In the distance, the Sangre de Cristo mountains were hidden from view by another blanket of falling snow. From Santa Fe, Merry Christmas and Feliz Navidad! -----------------------------------------------------------------------     12/23/2011

Have you been looking for cheap Santa Fe land and having a hard time finding something that fits your price range? Have you explored the possibility of looking further outwards on the edge of Santa Fe to compare prices? The further you move away from the city, the cheaper the land sells for. If you could stand a half-hour commute into the city you'll see an even bigger price drop. There is cheap land available but it is located on the fringe of this fair city and outwards.Can I find land inside the city?Yes, you certainly can, but it won't be cheap. Land is land whereas homes can differ from each other resulting in various prices. The only thing that changes the price of land is the location and inside the city you will find the higher prices.Unless you are looking at some type of inves... 12/23/2011

To participate in Santa Fe real estate investing you have to think like an investor. You need to have the certain mindset that accompanies being a go-getter and always be ready for opportunities. This is how they fall into your lap and how large profits are made. You need to set your mindset into profit mode by following the following 3 principles.Think positiveSometimes things may not fall into a perfect line when you first start Santa Fe real estate investing. This is true for anything that you begin, and there is a certain learning curve involved. The more positive you remain the faster you will achieve results.Keep your eye on the goalNever lose sight of what you are trying to accomplish. Sometimes in life things come up that have to be handled, but this does not mean that you shoul... 12/23/2011