“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.

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

Sales Up. Days on Market Down.

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

For centuries, Santa Fe has been an important desitination and crossroads in the history of the southwest.  Our history spans from the indigenous Pueblo Indians, the Spainards, to the migration of merchants, treasure seekers, and homesteaders from back east.  Throughout this period, as Santa Fe has grown, its changes have been reflected in its housing and architecture which are truly unique in the United States.   As an example of how lucky we are, I wanted to share with you a blog post on historic homes that our Sotheby’s team put together for us. Just click on this link to read:  http://santafesir.com/featured-properties/10-historic-homes-in-one-of-the-nations-oldest-cities.   Enjoy!

Santa Fe, New Mexico -  A Retirement Haven  -  As Reported in Smart Money Magazine

In a recent Smart Money article by Cathy Hill, Santa Fe, New Mexico was chosen as an underrated retirement jewel that is “relatively affordable, delightful, and full or opportunities to work and play.”   Of course, those of us that live here already know the secret and are delighted the word is getting out!    As for relatively affordable, Santa Fe real estate is full of  amazing values with prices down to levels not seen since the late 1990′s in many cases.  From vacation condominiums to historic Santa Fe style estates, this is a great time to buy!

To read the Smart Money article click here

If faith is defined as “something believed with strong conviction” and hope is “to value a wish with expectation of fulfillment,” then I suspect most of you will join me in seeking a big helping of both in the New Year. Combined with hard work, a bit of luck  and the view that embracing pessimism is simply not an alternative, then I think the stage is set for 2011 to be a better year than the one to which we have just said a fond farewell.

You’ll note that we have a new look to our monthly newsletter. On November 30, 2010 Sotheby’s International Realty (SIR) acquired Santa Fe Realty Partners (SFRP), bringing together the established local presence, global reach and brand recognition of SIR and the well known performance and perspective in Santa Fe of SFRP. Under the Sotheby’s International Realty banner, our combined team of brokers share considerable optimism about the future of the real estate market in 2011.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

Its been a hot summer in Santa Fe and our dog Ellie knows how to handle the heat!   Click here to see how a heeler cools her heels!    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ulC2PCb6wc.   Have a great weekend!

Santa Fe Real Estate Market Update

August 4th, 2010

Bloomberg reported today that Fiserv and Moody’s Economy.com expect Santa Fe prices to increase 25.8% by 2014!    Click on the link below for more…….

http://tinyurl.com/2do94mw

Around the turn of the century, artists, attracted by the climate and the beauty of the area, moved to Santa Fe, and the city soon became popular as an art colony. When New Mexico attained statehood in 1912, Santa Fe, as the capital, entered a period of prosperity; government workers arrived to live in the city and federal and state buildings were constructed around the Plaza. By 1920 the population had grown from 5,000 to more than 7,000 people, and by the 1940s it was over 20,000 people.

In 1957 the city established zoning codes designed to maintain a uniform architectural style. Two types of architecture are permitted: Pueblo, characterized by rounded parapets and rough-hewn woodwork, and Territorial, featuring brick coping and milled, often decorative woodworking.