What is a neighborhood watch? A neighborhood watch is a network of neighbors, usually located on the same block, who have agreed to keep their eyes and ears open for one another. Neighbors watch for strange vehicles or strange people in the neighborhood. They then call or email their neighbors, or call the police if needed to investigate. The idea is to stop crime before it happens and make the neighborhood safer.  How do you start a neighborhood watch? Starting a neighborhood watch is not difficult. All you need to do to get started is just a little legwork. 80% of the neighbors have to agree to participate by signing a petition that includes their names, addresses, emails and telephone numbers. Once you have the signatures together you can schedule a meeting to get organized and elect... 09/21/2009

Are you an Albuquerque First Time Home Buyer? You need to do a little home work before you buy a house. Here are some links to resources about Crime, Sex Offenders and schools that you should check before you make an offer on a house.   Albuquerque Crime Statistics There is probably some crime in every neighborhood. Use these links to look for patterns and frequency of crime: www.CrimeReports.com    www.SpotCrime.com Albuquerque Sex Offender Information Sex offenders are required by law to be registered. Here are two sites to check: http://www.nmsexoffender.dps.state.nm.us/servlet/hit_serv.class www.cabq.gov/police/asorna/  Albuquerque School Information The sites below have information on school report cards as well as some demographic information. www.aps.edu www.SchoolMatters.com www... 09/19/2009

Today 8628 Tia Christina NW went up for sale. The home is listed for sale by Campbell and Campbell at $275,000. There are no photos yet, but here is a link to the floorplan. The house has approximately 2110 sq ft, according to plan, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and a three car garage. Las Marcadas subdivision in Piedras Marcadas is a great neighborhood to live in. There is an active Neighborhood Association and local Piedras Marcadas Canyon is located very near by. There is also nearby shopping and easy access to Paseo del Norte to get across town. For more information about this home contact the listing agent or look it up on my website at www.BeautifulNMHomes.com. For more information about the Albuquerque Real Estate Market view my Albuquerque Real Estate Report at www.NWAbq.com If you would ... 09/18/2009

Here's Part 2 of my Albuquerque Real Estate Report: August Supply-Demand Ratio. Since the Greater Albuquerque Association of Realtors started tracking the supply-demand ratio I have found it's the best stat that reflects how real estate feels to me "on the street" as a listing agent.   The ratio represents the number of homes that were available for each pending sale. In august there were 5,299 active listings and 986 pending sales. That means for every house that went nto pending status there were 5.37 houses on the market. This graph illustrates how decreasing inventory and increasing sales have improved the chances of selling in todays market. This is only one way to gauge the strength of the market from a sellers standpoint. Just as important is the average sales price and the absor... 09/15/2009

Here's my Albuquerque Real Estate Report for August 2009.   Total Active Listings The number of Detached homes for sale in August 2009 has decreased 16.96% since since August 2008. The number of Townhomes and Condos for sale has also decreased by 11.84%. The decrease in inventory is a result of fewer new listings hitting the market, not by an increase in closed sales.       New Listings The number of detached homes listed in August was down 17.57% year to date. The number of attached homes listed in August was up 5.10% year to date. New listings of single family homes continue their decline as sellers who have the option of moving or not are choosing to sit tight.        Pending Sales The number of pending sales increased 36.38%, a dramatic increase in the number of houses under contrac... 09/13/2009

This morning I received a call from a neighbor informing me that a House in Las Marcadas  was burglarized. I have not spoken to the homeowners at the house to verify the story, but what I was told is that burglars broke in through the side door during the day, around noon, and items were stolen. Does anyone know more about this incident? Have there been any other recent incidents in our neighborhood to report? The other day on KRQE news I saw a story about a house in Ventana Ranch where Albuquerque Police were able to stop a burglary in process. A white van pulled up in the driveway of a house, a man entered the front door and starting removing a home entertainment system. A neighbor across the street saw this happening, thought it seemed out of place and called the police. The police w... 09/12/2009

With so many of them on the market right now, you might be wondering "Should I Buy a Albuquerque Short Sale?"  View Albuquerque Short Sale Homes or Rio Rancho Short Sale Homes. First of all let me explain, the term "Short Sale" is a bit misleading. What is meant by "short" is that the seller is hoping the bank will accept an offer on the house for "short" of what is owed. It does not mean un any way that the sale will happen quickly! In fact, they can be extremely long and drawn out transactions that can take many months. Here's a common scenario these days-The seller purchased the home recently, say in 2006, at the price peak of the Albuquerque Real Estate Market, and put little or no money down. Once house prices started to decline the owners have found themselves "upside down" on the... 09/10/2009

  Here is my latest Richland Hills Real Estate Report. Richland Hills subdivision was developed by Sivage Thomas in the mid 1990's. The homes are larger, mostly brick, and many have lush midwestern-like landscaping. Although the neighborhood is approximately 15 years old, but it is aging well with most homes being in very good condition with nicely maintained landscaping. Richland Hills is located very near Paseo del Norte for an easy commute to Kirtland AFB, downtown Albuquerque and Intel in Rio Rancho and is located near local businesses, restaurants and shopping. Everyone should consider buying in Richland Hills, especially if they are relocating to Albuquerque from the midwest. There has not been much activity since my last report. There have been only two closed sales and there are... 09/09/2009

9209 Drolet Dr, NW, Albuquerque is being sold by online auction.   The house was built by Kim Brooks in 2004, has approximately 1920 square feet with 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths and a 2 car garage. This was one of the models. Kim Brooks is a local builder (now called Summertree Homes) known for quality construction. Although this is a foreclosure property it is in fine condition. This would make a great home for a retiree or a young family looking for good schools. Currently the schools for this house are Cibola High School, James Monroe Middle School and Petroglyph Elementary School. Bidding will end September 16, 2009.   The current leading bid on this house is $112,000. Update: Now the bid is up to $133,000. $166,000 $179,000. Now the house is sold at $179,900. Bids are placed online, a... 09/08/2009

If you're a first time home buyer you might be wondering "What Kind of Inspections Should I Get in Albuquerque New Mexico?" This is a very important question. There are many different types of inspections, so before you write an offer you need to consider which ones you think are necessary. Types of Inspections: 1. Full Home Inspection The home inspector looks over the house from top to bottom, examining the roof and the major systems like the furnace and air conditioning. 2. Home Warranty Inspection This is much like a full home inspection except the inspection report will state whether or not certain items are warrantable or not. A one-year home warranty is provided by the inspection company or by another independent warranty company. 3. Wood Destroying Insect/Dry Rot Inspection Most ... 09/07/2009

A local Boyscout needs your help with his Eagle Scout Project. He lives in the Las Marcadas neighborhood and is a member of Troop 777. For his Eagle project he is collecting supplies for the Ronald McDonald house.                  The Ronald McDonald House Charities Mission Statement: "The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well being of children." Here is a list of highly needed supplies: Cleaning Supplies: Soft Scrub cleanser 13 gal. Trash can liners Lysol All Purpose Cleaner Toilet bowl cleaner Powdered laundry detergent Clorox Wipes Food Items: Cake, cookie and muffin Mixes Frosting Pop Tarts Soup-canned or dried Canned food Miscellaneous Supplies: Dryer sheets Plasticware (spoons, forks, kni... 09/07/2009

Are you looking for the affordable homes in Northwest Albuquerque? Then you need to consider Paradise Skies. Paradise Skies is located south of McMahon Blvd, west of Unser and north of Black Arroyo in Northwest Albuquerque. The homes in the nieghborhood were built in the early 2000's by Longford and Dr Horton. There is a nice selection of one story and two story floorplans available.  Here are a few of the homes currently available: Come take a look at this beautiful maintained home with designer paint colors thru out the home. The home backs up to 5 acres of undeveloped land with unobstructed VIEWS. Sq Feet:2100 Bedrooms:4-5 Bath:2.5 List Price: $199,999         Listing Provided by Coldwell Banker Legacy   New carpet and fresh paint throughout. Two living areas for separation when ente... 09/06/2009

Every Albuquerque Realtor has their own approach, but Here's How I work. This is the second post in my series "Helpful Information I found in my Email Trash." Every day I write emails like this to my clients and prospective clients. I figured they might be of interest to others too, so I am posting them here on my blog.  Here's How I Work  Just like everyone who meets me, I don't necessarily want to work with everyone I meet either. Despite what some people believe, my job is a very difficult one. I take it seriously, and I do a great job for the clients I choose to work with. I want to work with you, and i hope you want to work with me. Here's what I expect from my clients. I Require Communication from my Clients Did you know one of the top complaints that clients have about the Realto... 09/05/2009

Are you moving to Albuquerque and looking for information on Ventana Ranch Schools? Here is some information from the perspective of a Realtor and a local resident. Ventana Ranch Elementary Schools There are 3 main elementary schools serving the Ventana Ranch area: Ventana Elementary, Tierra Antigua and Sunset View. Ventana Ranch Elementary 6801 Ventana Village Rd, NW Albuquerque, NM 87114 505.890.7375 Opened in 2004  Tierra Antigua Elementary 8121 Rainbow Blvd NW Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87114 505.792.3262 Opened in 2009 Sunset View Elementary School 6121 Paradise Blvd NW Albuquerque, New Mexico 87114 505.792.3254   Ventana Ranch Middle Schools Two Middle schools serve the Ventana Ranch area, James Monroe and Tony Hillerman. James Monroe Middle School 6100 Paradise Blvd, NW Albuquerque... 09/05/2009

Las Marcadas and The Trails at Las Marcadas subdivisions are situated near Piedras Marcadas Canyon at Petroglyph National Monument in Northwest Albuquerque.     There is a parking area just off of Golf Course Blvd south of Paradise Blvd. If you are heading south take the first possible right on Jill Patricia and go about 150 feet. You'll see the parking lot on your right. You can access the northernmost trailhead from this lot.           The trail is 1.8 miles long and is moderately difficult mostly due to the altitude (about 5,000 feet) and due to the unpaved trails. The monument itself stretches for 17 miles along Albuquerque's west side. There are over 20,000 images that were carved into the stone by early inhabitnats of the area.           Here's the trail a few hundred feet from th... 09/04/2009

Met my seller for the first time at closing; she was living out of town when she was referred to me; referred to me by a 'mystery' broker in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I spoke to her at length about her home over the phone (it was listed with another brokerage, but expiring that night) as soon as it expired the next morning.  I sent her an extensive analysis of the market specific to her home's features, not just the 'comps' in the area - an approach I have been using alot once I started putting the 'buyer' hat on.  I realized that not all buyers just look at a neighborhood, so if I am going to snag the next buyer, I have to decide what else they might be looking at...they aren't just looking in that neighborhood....so - Took some fresh new pictures, new remarks "copy"....and away we went.  ... 09/02/2009

We are famous for our "pueblo style" homes - flat roofs, rounded edges, stylish interiors with historical touches. The beauty of a pueblo home is that you can decorate with just about any interior fashion that you desire.  I have seen old world antiques, French style furniture, contemporary finishes - they all take on a new character. The flooring is often made up of saltillo tiles, wood, or brick.  The interior wood finishes add architectural character not found in other styles of homes. Check out these lovely examples of pueblo style homes in the Albuquerque area SEARCH FOR ALBUQUERQUE HOMES   08/25/2009

According to the NM Biz Journal, the Forest Service is going to add 140 new jobs by January '10. These are going to be jobs that pay between 40-70K annually.  They will be looking for new property fo house their facility, and they will be needing up to 100,000 square feet over the next few years. If they can't find what they are looking for, there is a possibility they will build their own facility. Great news for our economy, both in the new jobs and the potential for new building projects to house them! The Forest Service will discuss employment opportunities with interested applicants at a job fair Sept. 9. The fair will be held at Albuquerque's Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center at 501 Elizabeth St. SE   08/25/2009

There are different types of foreclosure properties. In this post I'm going to answer some FAQ's about one type of foreclosure homes, Albuquerque HUD homes. What is a HUD home? A HUD home is a home that was originally purchased with a FHA loan backed by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. The owner did not keep up with their payments, so the lender foreclosed on the house. Now HUD, who insured the loan, owns the home and needs to sell it to recover their money. What are the advantages/disadvantages of buying a HUD home? HUD homes are offered at the as-is FHA appraisal price. So the homes are priced very reasonably to sell quickly and usually do. most within 30 days. However, HUD homes are sold in as-is condition and no guarantees are given as to condition or even zoning ... 08/23/2009

Good news, just in! Stats for home sales: Home resales posted the largest monthly increase in at least 10 years last month as first-time buyers rushed to take advantage of a tax credit that expires this fall. This is the fourth straight increase on home sales.  Although the median price is down, the good news is still there.  Again, it's a great time to buy if you are in the market. In Albuquerque, I have felt sales and activity is up, consumer confidence seems to be stirring.  If homes are priced right and are packaged nicely, homes are selling. Sellers have to be realistic about what they expect to net from their home sale, but take the advice of your broker and price right, clean up and take advantage of buyers getting more excited about buying. I've had 3 new listing appointments th... 08/21/2009