“Who needs beaches?” That is the sentiment of Cheapflights in the UK, in their 2011 list of Top Ten Destinations in the Desert, of which Santa Fe was listed. And many other people agree that Santa Fe’s charm, artistic flair and history make it a unique vacation destination and a wonderful place to call home.

In 2011, the city of Santa Fe was named in Travel + Leisure, Trip Advisor, Huffington Post, Conde Nast Traveler and AmericanStyle magazine as a top getaway town for culture, arts and peace and quiet, and an all-around great vacation.

News and business magazines also named Santa Fe one of the most promising housing markets, best places to retire and best visitor bureau. Visit the Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau to find out more about the honors bestowed on Santa Fe in 2011 and earlier.

As we plan our summer vacations and activities, it is also a good time to review our home safety plan. UL, the company known for international safety certification, has a great Home Safety Checklist that focus on electrical, water and fire safety.

Here are a few tips from UL’s checklist and from my own experience with my years in Santa Fe real estate:

• Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors – Be sure they are in working order. Change the batteries every time we switch to Daylight Savings Time.
• Water heater – Check that water temperature is below 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent scalding and save energy.
• Fire Extinguishers – If you don’t have them, get one for each floor and for major living areas of your home (e.g. kitchen, bedrooms). Check that your existing ones are still viable, and review directions on how to use them.
• Fire escape plan – Create or review your fire escape plan with all members of the household. Be sure that your second floor has an escape besides the stairs. Have emergency phone numbers in a prominent place on all floors.
• Extension cords – Check all extension cords to ensure that they are not overloaded. Assure that no cords are placed under rugs or furniture, and that they are not coiled, kinked or frayed.
• Laundry room – Clean out dryer vent hose bi-monthly with a hose brush. Use an aluminum hose instead of plastic to prevent meltdowns and fires. Also check your washing machine water hose for leakage. Not only can old washer hoses pose a plumbing problem, they can cause electrical fires if the water comes in contact with electrical outlets or appliances.

Whether you are an architect, interior designer, artist or just a lover of beautiful home and landscape design, Houzz.com is website worth visiting to enjoy stunning photography, keep up with home design trends or get ideas for your new home construction or renovation. Inman News is even quoting Houzz’s professional members about upcoming trends in popular home design.

On this site, homeowners and professionals mingle, share ideas and build business relationships. Members upload photos to ideabooks and projects to give others a taste of their style, talents and interests. There are discussions about topics such as landscaping, color schemes, fabric combinations and contemporary artwork. Houzz.com is free to join if you are interested in showing off your own home creations or meeting other like-minded design lovers.

Don’t forget to browse some of the Santa Fe area’s current listings to see local home design wonders!

Big News

No doubt about it, Santa Fe home buyers. Now is the time to find your new home. Freddie Mac announced on May 3, 2012 that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage interest rate is at an all time record low. Lowest-ever rates and still-recovering property values mean this a perfect time to make the commitment to purchase.

How it Happened

According to Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist at Freddie Mac, “Signs of slowing economic growth and inflation remaining subdued allowed yields on Treasury bonds to ease somewhat and brought most mortgage rates to new all-time record lows this week.”

The Numbers

The national 30-year fixed rate averaged 3.84%, down from 3.88% last week. 15-year rates averaged 3.07%, down from 3.12% last week. Freddie Mac has been keeping records of interest rates since its inception in 1970. See Freddie Mac’s site for more interest rate history.

What it Means to You

Making a large financial commitment like a home purchase during an unsettled economy may seem like an uncomfortable risk to you. But depending on your current financial situation, this could be the best time to purchase a primary residence or make a real estate investment. Contact your financial advisor, and then contact me to find the perfect home.

214 Polaco Street - Walking Distance to Railyard and Plaza

Grab this tasteful Pueblo style home in the historic district of Santa Fe. This 2 bedroom, 2 bath, 1165 sq ft home is a cozy and inviting retreat, yet open and airy for entertaining.  This gem features a nicely appointed kitchen, kiva fireplace, tile floors and large windows. A heated one-car garage can also be used as a studio or workshop.

This stylish home is convenient to the Railyard and Plaza, and is priced to sell at $387,500.

Contact me today about this beauty, or any of my other great listings in the Santa Fe area.

There is plenty to do in Santa Fe this beautiful spring weekend of April 28-29, including art, music, biking and home design adventures.

Here are a few local events to choose from:

Santa Fe Society of Artists Fine Art Show

Saturday April 28 & Sunday April 29, 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM

It’s the season kickoff weekend of the Santa Fe Society of Artists Fine Art Show. Mingle with local artists and purchase original works of art. Located in downtown Santa Fe near the plaza. Visit their website for more information.

Celebrate! The Santa Fe River Trail and River Renewal

Saturday April 28, 9:30 – 11:30 AM

Celebrate the newest river and trail improvements made by the city of Santa Fe and the state of New Mexico. This free event includes a ribbon cutting ceremony with Mayor David Coss, music, dancing and face painting. Cyclists welcome! See the SantaFe.com website for location.

Santa Fe Pro Musica Mozart Concert

Saturday April 28, 6:00 – 8:00 PM & Sunday April 29, 3:00 – 5:00 PM

Enjoy the music of Santa Fe Pro Musica with special guest, 17 year old Conrad Tao. This teenage prodigy will perform Mozart’s Piano Concertos No. 17 and No. 25. The concert will also include Mozart’s Overture to the Marriage of Figaro (Symphony No. 34 in C Major, K.338). Visit the Lensic Performing Arts Center’s website for ticket information.

National Open House Weekend 2012

Saturday April 28 and Sunday April 29

This is National Open House Weekend, and sellers all over the country are participating by opening up their homes to visitors. Whether you are in the market to buy or sell, it’s a great weekend to check out current Santa Fe listings and get home design ideas. Here is a list of Santa Fe open houses this weekend, courtesy of Realtor.com.

Enjoy an exclusive resort-style lifestyle in the Las Campanas community!

Signature golf courses, an equestrian center, tennis center, full spa and clubhouse await your enjoyment at Las Campanas. It is the best of both worlds; serene and secluded, yet only 10 minutes from the cultural district of Santa Fe.

Outdoor lovers will be able to play to their heart’s content as members of the Club at Las Campanas.  Two highly rated Jack Nicklaus Signature golf courses along with driving, chipping and putting practice areas. The club also features one of the best equestrian centers, with boarding and instruction in all riding disciplines. If tennis is your passion, the beautiful tennis center offers seven synthetic clay courts, leagues for all levels, and instruction by Pro Tour and USPTA tennis pros. Enjoy the outdoor pool with spectacular mountain views.

You’ll enjoy your time indoors at the Club as well, with a well-appointed fitness center with personal trainers, an indoor pool, and a spa and salon for rejuvenation. The stunning 46,000-square-foot Hacienda Clubhouse features peaceful meeting areas, cozy fireplaces and restaurant and bar facilities. Members create lasting friendships with their neighbors and celebrate life with their family and friends here.

Return after your days of activities to the serenity of your own Las Campanas home. The community offers Pueblo and log inspired homes with all of the amenities that you would expect in an sophisticated resort community. Homes prices sell from mid $500,000 to the multimillion dollar range.

There is still land in Las Campanas available to build your custom dream home. Homesites range in size from less than ½ acre to over 5 acres, and are priced from the mid $20’s to over $500,000.

Here are some pictures of current Las Campanas listings. Click the pictures for more detailed information:

Browse more Las Campanas listings on my website. Feel free to contact me to explore this remarkable community.

Here are some links for more information on the Las Campanas community and the Club at Las Campanas:

Las Campanas Owners Association –http://lascampanasowners.com

Club at Las Campanas  – http://www.theclubatlascampanas.com

We are so excited to share this recent news with you! Our team has been named one of Sotheby’s International Realty’s Top 10 Teams for closed transactions in the country in 2011. We are honored and grateful to all of our clients who have trusted our service and experience in buying or selling their home this past year. Without you, we could not have achieved this honor that distinguishes us amongst the 12,000 other Sotheby’s agents in the United States. Thank You!

This recent announcement has us excited to continue working hard for our clients in 2012.  Our plan for the current year is to continue to work tirelessly to help you reach your real estate dreams. We love our work, our clients and Santa Fe.

Contact me today to start your home buying or selling process.

The Santa Fe Team
Moo Thorpe	Chris Haynes	Jennifer Gallagher

Here are the current year to date market statistics for Northside homes in the Santa Fe area. I am happy to announce that our company’s Northside market share is 47.39%, meaning that we know the Northside area and are your best resource for buying and selling in this market.

Sellers, take note, because the chart below shows a stabilizing and increasing in sales prices in the Northside area. Contact me if you’d like an updated market analysis for your home to be sure that your price is on mark for the current conditions.

Potential buyers, notice in the graph below that the price per square foot has fallen again in the beginning of 2012 – a great opportunity to get more house for your dollar. But be sure to start your home search soon, as the average days on the market has fallen as well, meaning that homes aren’t available as long for undecided buyers. Contact me  if you are interested in finding your dream home now.

Browse through our current Northside listings and see homeowners who have trusted us with their home sale, and have given us the 47.39% market share in this area:

View our current listings in Northeast Santa Fe (City)

View our current listings in Northeast Santa Fe (County)

View our current listings in Northwest Santa Fe (City)

View our current listings in Northwest Santa Fe (County)

Congratulations, Santa Fe!

The April 12, 2012 issue of Travel + Leisure has named Santa Fe one of the top ten Greenest Cities in the United States. Santa Fe residents may not be surprised however, because environmental awareness is a way of life here.

Our state of the art LEED Gold certified Santa Fe Community Convention Center, built in 2008 with a majority of recycled materials, is a great example of Santa Fe’s dedication to be earth friendly.  Skylights, rooftop gardens, in-house recycling centers and a recycled rainwater irrigation system are a few of the ways that the convention center has represented environmental responsibility.

Santa Fe was the first U.S. city to sign the Architecture 2030 Challenge, a national effort to systematically reduce and eventually reverse the amount of greenhouse gas emissions created during construction and operation of buildings by 2030. Our city has set the precedent in eco-friendly construction.

Just one more reason why Santa Fe is a great place to live! Contact me for more information about buying or selling in the Santa Fe area.

Keep Santa Fe Beautiful – http://keepsantafebeautiful.org