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.

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.

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

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

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)

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

Spend this beautiful weekend enjoying the sights, sounds and events in the Santa Fe area!

Here’s a quick list of some fun happenings:

• Santa Fe Southern Railway– It’s a great weekend to ride the Santa Fe if you are a kid or a kid at heart!
  • This Saturday, April 7, ride the Easter Saturday Egg-citing Lamy Train – Ride with the Easter Bunny to Lamy, Easter goodies for the Kids. Easter Egg hunt in Lamy! Departure at 10:30am.
  • This Sunday, April 8, enjoy the Easter Sunday Hot Shot – Ride with the Easter Bunny to the rim of the Galiseo Basin and back. Easter goodies for the Kids. Departure at 2:00pm.

• Spring Gardening Workshop– Get your garden cleaned up from winter and ready to shine!
  • This Saturday, April 7, 1-3pm – Seasonal Chores in the Landscape and the Garden With Michael Clark – Sponsored by Santa Fe Botanical Garden and The Railyard Stewards. Register online at the above link.

• “Our Town”, by Thorton Wilder– Support local community theatre!
  • Watch this classic Pulitzer Prize winning play presented by Ironweed Productions and The Santa Fe Playhouse. Two more weekends to enjoy, from April 6 – 15. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8:00pm, Sunday matinees at 2:00pm.

• Classical Guitar Concert– Hosted by Santa Fe University of Art and Design.
  • Roberto Capocchi  will perform selections from his latest album, Roberto Capocchi Plays Spanish Guitar Music, and the music of several other artists.

The Santa Fe Association of Realtors released its multiple listing service data for the first quarter of 2012, and the statistics indicate that our market seems to be stabilizing nicely. The attached chart shows the first quarter comparisons from the past few years for residential sales in the Santa Fe, NM area. Houses sold in 2012 are up over 12% from 2011, and the average days on the market are the lowest in the first quarter than they have been in the last four years.

These figures coincide with the information I provided in my Feb 10, 2012 post on absorption rates. This trend in 2012 of less time on the market and increased sales will most likely continue during the busier spring and summer quarters. This is encouraging news for sellers, especially potential sellers who may be undecided about putting their house on the market. The opportunity for a quicker sale may be the deciding factor in planting the “For Sale” sign in their front yard. Buyers can also benefit from the prospect of more homes being added to the market inventory with sound list prices, giving them a greater variety of buying options.

If you have questions, or are thinking of starting the home buying or selling process, contact me for more information about current market conditions in your Santa Fe area neighborhood.

Mountain and Valley Views

Introducing 56 Polmood Farm Rd

Contemporary Paradise!

This property features a wonderful contemporary / pueblo style 5,301 square foot main home and a 1,735 guest house with attached studio. Enjoy breathtaking mountain and valley views of the property’s fifteen acres adjacent to the National Forest. The open floor plan of the main 2 bedroom house is perfect for entertaining, with highlights including a tranquil color scheme, hand plastered walls, tile floors, custom wood cabinetry, hand forged iron work, a large library and handsomely equipped kitchen. The one bedroom guest house makes a wonderful retreat for visitors or a serene artist’s getaway with the well-lit studio.

This secluded estate in the hills above Tesuque is available now for $2,399,000.

Contact me today for more information on this gem, or browse through some of my other great listings.

cforms contact form by delicious:days

 Having just completed the first month of 2012, it is encouraging to see that residential absorption rates have continued to improve across all price ranges.  This means that it takes fewer months for a home to sell (provided it is priced properly, etc.), compared the past several years.  At its worst, the absorption rate for all price ranges was at 23.47 months in June of 2009.   At the end of January 2012, this rate had dropped to 12.37 months.     

As always, however, it is crucial to parse data for a clearer picture as the absorption rates vary widely depending on price range.  The best news is with homes priced under $500,000.  This absorption rate has fallen from a high of 17.48 months in June 2009 to 10.22 months at the end of January.  The rate for homes priced over a million dollars has improved; however, there is still a significant time headwind.  At the peak in September of 2009, the absorption rate for home over $1,000,000 was 57.85 months.  Now it is down to 27.49 months. 

Since the number of sales has not increased significantly, the reduction of the number of homes for sale indicated properties are being sold and fewer people are putting their homes on the market.  We do expect inventory to increase over the next few months as spring, summer, and fall are our best selling seasons. Yet, as inventory rises and sales rise seasonally, we do not expect a huge change in absorption rates in the short run.

 I hope this information is helpful.  Just let me know if you would like more in-depth detail!