Today for some unexpected reason I stopped here to look for pioneers. It was another typical beyond chaotic day in the trenches of Santa Fe real estate where things appear to either go right or wrong all at the same time. When those events seem to collide, I head for the road to experience the land and all the reasons why I love this magical place. About six miles from the Historic Plaza on the Historic Santa Fe Trail my imagination kicked into gear when I caught the mountain looking at me. How could I race past this place? After all, this was where pioneers and traders traveled to finish dreams and find riches of opportunity in the early eighteen hundreds. They moved in wagons without Facebook or an ipad or twitter for weeks along a 900 mile trail from Missouri. Their ability to dream... 05/13/2011

  Being a second homeowner is great, but the truth is it can be challenging getting home projects done when you don't live in Santa Fe. So what can you do when you want an important landscaping project done right before you arrive for your summer holiday?   Hire a home tender like Home Sweet Home Tending, LLC to serve as a project manager to be your "eyes and ears on the ground". We can do the due diligence of gathering estimates and contacting just the right firm for your job. This is SO very important because you want the job done right and you whenever people work at your home you want someone you can trust. Here are 5 tips to follow when hiring a landscaper: 1. Define your needs. Take time to think about what you want done in your yard. Is the job a complete overhaul, an installati... 05/13/2011

The Neighborhoods of Santa Fe, New Mexico- Fish & Chips Posted on May 5, 2011 by Michael Umphrey   I took a quick walk for lunch today to The Second Street Brewery for the best Fish & Chips you will find anywhere.  My office is about 200 feet away and my house is about a block away.  I walked to work this morning hoping to take my first rail trip on the Rail Runner.  It’s been in operation for about two years and I thought I’d take the morning for a round-trip excursion.  When I got to the station I  determined that the sun was too low on the horizon for gazing at the scenery and that an 11:30 am departure will be better sometime next week.  I had my camera with me so here are the Brewery, the train and my lunch. SECOND STREET BREWERY AT THE RAILYARDFreshly Brewed Beer & Pub FareNightl... 05/05/2011

What is there to tweet about tonight on this first night in May? It is snowing in Santa Fe, New Mexico, that's what! Of course, we are the city different. Plus, it was only 83 degrees 48 hours ago. And that was the day I packed away my sweaters for next winter! I think the moral of the story is Mother Nature has her own calendar and sometimes it is wildly unexpected especially in Santa Fe in our 401st year. I remember when it snowed here in April 2009. Now, it's May 2011! Could this be a trend? Perhaps, it's a dream. In any event, it is something to tweet about tonight.  Just another reason why I love Santa Fe or for you to follow me on Twitter. 05/01/2011

The American Lung Association completed their 12th Annual State of the Air Report ranking both Santa Fe, NM and Honolulu, HI as the cleanest in all three air pollutant categories. To find out the grade for your state click here.  Breathing clean air is one of the best ways to stay healthy according to the American Lung Association. Their annual State of the Air survey is one of the best resources for reporting and ranking air pollution in the United States. The more you know about the air you breathe every day, the more informed you will be about protecting your heath.  Air pollution may not only worsen existing diseases, breathing polluted air can increase the risk of developing new chonic conditions in both adults and children. Clean air does increase life expectancy. If this is impo... 05/01/2011

Posted on April 29, 2011 by Michael Umphrey Michael Umphrey Finds a New Home at Barker Realty I am pleased to announce that I’ve taken an important step in my career and have joined Barker Realty. Barker Realty stands out as a medium-sized firm by design and maintains a personal and in-touch management style that is felt in every transaction that passes through the office. My choice of Barker Realty was based on the fact that Barker has made dramatic forward-thinking changes and is now one of the most progressive companies in town.  There is a reason why Barker Realty’s sales grew 34% in 2010 , recently celebrating their best first quarter in three years. I am privileged and excited to have been invited to join this dynamic, productive team of Realtors. I look forward to continuing to ... 04/29/2011

If you're a second homeowner this is a friendly reminder that it's time to buy your season tickets to the Santa Fe Opera. The season runs during July and August and this year's lineup is no less spectacular than before.   The Santa Fe Opera will be doing  "Faust", "La Boheme", "Griselda", "The Last Savage" and "Wozzeck". I've already purchased ticket to see "Wozzeck when we have out-of-town guests visiting.     So, check it out. If you need assistance to make your visit to your home here in Santa Fe even easier, contact me at www.HomeSweetHomeTending.com. We can serve as project managers on repair projects as well as see to it that you have your house fully cleaned and stocked with goodies upon your arrival. 04/28/2011

I don't know how they did it or even came up with the question to ask people in a survey, but the folks responsible for U.S. News and World Report put Santa Fe, New Mexico on one of their 10 Best Maps again. Santa Fe, New Mexico is now one of the 10 Best Places to Reinvent Your Life in Retirement. It must be our dirt roads, endless blue sky, clean air and now our rare buyer's market which is appealing to so many baby and echo boomers. I confess, I am a boomer and I did reinvent my life here with a lifestyle change by the simple act of relocating over 15 years ago.  Looking back now after moving from Capitol Hill inside the Washington DC beltway even before becoming a baby boomer, it is impossible for me to find anything disappointing about living here. After all, we still have lots of ... 04/24/2011

Property taxes are on every homeowner's mind today. Will they go UP in when the market is going down? How are property taxes calculated? Are there any tax payer exemptions? Santa Fe County has taken the lead this year in providing an informative set of tips on the Santa Fe County Tax Assessor's web site. Why? Every year Santa Fe County re-appraises property values and mails to every property owner a "Notice of Value."  These are typically sent in April. The Santa Fe County Tax Assessor mailed out their notices on April 15, 2011. The good news is this is NOT a tax bill. The rest of the story is this notice gives the homeowner ONLY 30 days from April 15, 2011 to file a petition of protest with the Santa Fe County tax assessor. Frankly, there is no time to waste or file away the notice fo... 04/24/2011

  In a home market that has seen its share of downturns, sellers are looking to get the best selling price on their properties. The condition of a home plays a major role in the closing price.  Many homeowners are faced with the burden of having to make a sudden move out of state and leave the sale of their home to a real estate agent to sell the property "as is". Bringing in a home tender who can work closely with the realtor can bring a fresh eye to see what is needed. Perhaps landscaping needs to be spruced up or maybe a home stager should be brought in to freshen up a home with outdated furniture. Do you have clients who are no longer living in Santa Fe? Does the property need projects done before it's market ready? Contact us now at www.HomeSweetHomeTending.com. We'd love to partn... 04/23/2011

I really don't think anyone loves moving day. You may love being settled in your home, but the process of packing and unpacking can be very stressful. The goods news it that there are some simple tips to make it easier. Making a move can be quite smooth as long as you simplify and get organized. Here are my favorite tips to make your move easier: When packing: Pack up one room at a time. Pack all items from that particular room, whether it be the kitchen or downstairs bathroom, together so that they stay together and are easier to unpack. The ease of this is that when you're unpacking you don't have to waste time moving from room to room and figuring out where things go. Label like a demon.  Label, label, label in big, bold letters for each box. Make sure to mark "fragile" on any boxes ... 04/21/2011

Little did I realize or even ever expect when I heard The Temptations sing these words in the last century as I learned to dance by watching American Bandstand that their music would come to mind every time I experienced something like this moment working in this new landscape of real estate. I guess the answer is you would say "what can make me feel this way?"  My town... I'm talkin about my town... Santa Fe. After all, we do get sunshine even on a cloudy day.  And when it's cold outside, I even have the snow tips on the mountains in the month of May. Now if you want to feel like I feel every day and have sunshine on a cloudy day... remember blue skies and views like this are only made in Santa Fe.  This view plus the horse property home on five glorious acres will be on the market so... 04/19/2011

When you’re on vacation or a business trip, the last thing you want to worry about is what’s happening to your home in Santa Fe while you’re gone.  While it’s not good to be obsessively anxious about what could happen, it’s wise to protect your home as best as you can. Don’t you just hate to come home, perhaps after a long drive or grueling flight schedule, to your home in Santa Fe to find things like this?  flyers on the door cobwebs across the entryway shrubs shriveling up and dying newspapers piling up on the driveway mail spilling out of the box swimming pool filled with debris garbage cans rolling across the yard Not only are these unsightly, but they’re also signs to criminals that the house isn’t occupied.  You don’t want a thief breaking in and stealing from you or vandalizing y... 04/13/2011

Starry Night-The Neighborhoods of Santa Fe, New Mexico, 87501 by Michael Umphrey on April 11, 2011 Starry Night-The Neighborhoods of Santa Fe, New Mexico, 87501    Last night I received a call from a neighbor of a vacant home I have listed for sale. She lives in a neighborhood of  luxury homes and it was a friendly call to say that someone had forgotten to turn off an outdoor porch light.  She went on to say that she'd give me a couple of days to have it turned off or she would call the sheriff. Of course, I immediately went and took care of the problem.   On January 1, 2000, the New Mexico Sky Protection Act was passed.  There is also a Santa Fe County Low- Light ordinance to "preserve and enhance the state's dark sky while promoting safety, conserving energy and preserving the environ... 04/11/2011

It seems like every house regardless of how small or how luxurious or who lives there has a view. Sometimes the occupants are shy or not home at all or perhaps circling the neighborhood waiting for me to leave or put my camera away. This scene happened by accident as most images do when I take a moment away from the details of Santa Fe real estate and focus on the beauty and surprises in our landscape and light and endless blue sky. The image was made yesterday in between a conversation about listing a much bigger home for sale. Often it is not at all about the house that makes a home in Santa Fe ever so special. Stay tuned for the rest of the story.  04/09/2011

  It's Springtime here in Santa Fe! That means it’s the perfect time to make some minor repairs now by investing a few hundred bucks in minor fixes to preserve your biggest asset — your home — in order to save yourself some pricey repairs down the line. Here are 4 Money-Smart Repairs for Spring: 1). Check your canales to make sure they are in good repair and draining several feet from your house to prevent damage to the foundation.  One of our www.HomeSweetHomeTending.com clients repaired all three of their canales early in April  — a wise repairs vs. having water begin to pool and cause damage to the roof. Estimated Cost: $300. 2). Hire a pro to tune up your air conditioning system and furnace, otherwise you're wasting electricity and putting more wear and tear on those units.  Estimat... 04/07/2011

In this new landscape of real estate, it is more important than ever to start with the right Realtor®. Home, land and condo sellers cannot afford a lack of marketing ability, minimal internet savvy, weak negotiation skills or minimal resources to market and advertise their properties. This is especially true when their agent changes brokerages like I did ten days ago. No seller can afford their representative to miss a beat in marketing their property. Everyone agrees the internet is an inexpensive way to market real estate today because 9 out of 10 buyers are beginning their search online. However, when the message is important, it is critical to use a media mix to drive future buyers to the right Realtor® - the one selling your home. Why? Not all homes on the market are sold. Sometim... 04/04/2011

This photograph was made steps from the Santa Fe Historic Plaza by Emily Medvec ©2011 All Rights Reserved. This photograph may not be reproduced in any form or reprinted without written permission from Emily Medvec. It is available for purchase. The photograph may be reproduced on ActiveRain only by re-blogging this post. Emily Medvec is an Associate Broker with Santa Fe Properties in Santa Fe, New Mexico when she is not behind the camera.  04/03/2011

Santa Feans know spring is here when the Santa Fe Historic Plaza comes alive again. Four-hundred and one years later, it remains the meet and greet destination for visitors, locals, vendors, dog walkers and people watchers of every age, size and shape. For most of our four centuries of history, the Plaza has been both the heart and pulse of Santa Fe's outdoor social life. You will have to use your imagination to see the Plaza in 1610 when it was a military presidio or the hear the sounds of the horses and wagon trains rolling into this end of the Santa Fe Trail in the mid-1800's. Today, the Santa Fe Historic Plaza continues to absorb and reveal all that happens here everyday. See you on the Plaza...   04/03/2011

I was out for a walk in my new Santa Fe neighborhood recently and saw a vacant house for sale. I do what most of us do and peeked in the window! I quickly realized that this homeowner had a serious problem on their hands. There was a foot of water in the house! I found the number for the Santa Fe real estate agent and called to let them know what was going on. The next day repairmen were on the site. But it was clear thousands of dollars of damage had already occurred. How much worse would it have been if I hadn’t of given in to my curiosity and peeked in the window? This has got to be one of the worst nightmares for a Santa Fe real estate agent.  Especially in today’s economic climate the market is already flooded with foreclosures so the number of vacant houses is escalating.  Think a... 04/01/2011