This article is syndicated from The New Mexican, click here for the original article.

By Bob Quick | The New Mexican
Posted: Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Lower prices and even lower mortgage rates propelled Santa Fe home sales in the second quarter of 2010, increasing 40 percent from depressed levels a year ago.

“It’s a nice little perfect storm for anyone who wants to get into the real estate market,” said Lois Sury, president of the Santa Fe Association of Realtors.

Sury spoke at Santa Fe Association of Realtors’ quarterly news conference to discuss residential and commercial real estate sales in the second quarter of 2010.

“Santa Fe homes are selling across all price ranges during the second quarter of 2010,” Sury said. “During April, homebuyers were still taking advantage of the federal fax credits, but sales remained strong in May and June.”

Alan Ball, a title company executive who publishes a newsletter about Santa Fe real estate, agrees the real estate market got a boost from the federal homebuyer tax credit, but it was not as popular here as elsewhere, where home prices are lower.

Ball’s concern is inventory. “We’re not making much progress. That’s because there’s so much inventory combined with very difficult conditions for lending approvals these days.”

At the same time the number of Santa Fe home sales was up, the median sales price of houses sold in the city dropped from $307,500 to $288,000 in the second quarter of 2010.

In Santa Fe County at the same time period, the median price of a home fell to $411,250 from $450,000.

In addition, the 2010 second-quarter home sales volume rose by $36 million when compared to the home-sales volume in 2009.

Total city/county condo/townhome sales numbered 58 in the second quarter of 2009, compared with 57 last year in the same time period.

And total city/county land sales showed some sluggishness, with 27 lots sold in the second quarter of 2010 compared with 32 for same period in 2009.

Overall, “everything appears to be selling,” Sury said, “The signs are all positive.”

For her part, Judy Balch, vice president and mortgage lending manager at First National Bank of Santa Fe, confirmed that residential rates are low, with a 30-year mortgage fixed at 4.5 percent with no points.

“That’s excellent,” Balch said, adding that the rate for a jumbo mortgage ($427,000) was just over 5 percent.

Balch said the bank expects rates to remain low for the rest of 2010.

Ball agrees that low rates are helpful, but he points out that buyers are nevertheless lethargic because they’re afraid homes they buy might drop in value.

“It doesn’t matter what a house is worth a year after they buy it,” Ball said. “They need to hold the house for seven to 12 years. It will be worth more then, but not six months or a year.”

Ball has some expectations as Santa Fe moves through the prime real estate season, which runs through October, that sales could pick up.

“It’s not just the three summer months” when the most Santa Fe residential real estate is bought and sold, he said. “It’s too early to pass judgment on the year, but I don’t see any big leaps forward. There will be some very small steps.”

As for commercial real estate, John Shepler, who has his own real estate firm, said sales and leasing “are still fairly slow. We’ve seen some small movement in the downtown corridor.”

Shepler expects the rest of the year to be much the same.

The real estate downturn has turned some very popular retirement destinations into bargains. To determine where the prices are most attractive, U.S. News & World Report examined price-to-income data for 384 metropolitan statistical areas. This expresses the relationship between owner income and home values. 

Here are 10 retirement havens where homes are most affordable by this measure:
1. Bend, Ore.
2. Napa, Calif.
3. Fort Meyers, Fla.
4. Fayetteville, Ark.
5. Las Vegas
6. Santa Fe, N.M.
7. Punta Gorda, Fla.
8. Phoenix
9. Santa Cruz, Calif.
10. Burlington, Vt.

Source: U.S. News & World Report, Luke Mullins (07/08/2010)

View of Santa Fe Outlet Mall from West Frontage Road location

MLS #201002570  $1,450,000

Approximately 4.92 acres.  Highly desirable location 1 mile south of the intersection of Cerrillos Road and Interstate 25, on the south side of Santa Fe,  facing Interstate 25.   The lot was included in the City of Santa Fe’s Phase II annexation of county land and is zoned as C-2 commercial property.  

View of Interstate 25's Cerrillos Road Exit from West Frontage Road location

 The City will honor the Santa Fe County Extraterritorial Zoning Authority’s approval of a Master Plan for a 156,530 square foot self storage facility in 6 two-story buildings, with an office and caretaker’s unit attached to one of the 6 buildings until February 21, 2012.

One of the fastest growing areas of the City.  This elevated lot has enhanced visibility from Interstate 25 and premium  access to Highway 599 and Cerrillos Road.  

Approximately 1/4 mile south of The New Mexican, across the street from Santa Fe National Tobacco and next to Paw Print Kennels.  Near the Santa Fe Outlet Mall. 

Appraised in 2010 for $1,450,000.  $6.77 per square foot. 

The property can be divided into 2 lots.  Available utilities: electric/water/propane/telephone.

View of Interstate 25 towards Exit for 599 from West Frontage Road location

Directions:  Cerrillos Road South to stop light before I-25 on ramp. Right on West Frontage Road. Property is approximately 1 mile on left.

Co-agent:  Renee Edwards, Prudential Santa Fe Real Estate, (505) 470-7773.

By: Luke Mullins, Posted May 25, 2010

This article is syndicated from U.S. News & World Report, click here for the original article.

Although the financial crisis has hammered retirement accounts, it has also converted a number of popular retirement destinations into bargains for home buyers. Indeed, the very states that took the brunt of the housing bust—like Florida, California, Nevada, and Arizona—also contain some of the nation’s most enviable markets in which to retire. This development has handed today’s seniors a chance to scoop up properties in many top-notch retirement spots at attractive prices.

To get a sense of which retirement markets offer the most compelling valuations, we obtained price-to-income data for 384 metropolitan statistical areas from Moody’s Analytics. The price-to-income ratio—a key yardstick of housing affordability—expresses the relationship between home values and earnings. For example, in a market with a price-to-income ratio of 2.5, median-priced homes sell for 2.5 times average household incomes. By comparing a market’s most recent price-to-income ratio with its longer-term averages, we can pinpoint areas that have become particularly affordable. Here is a look at 10 cities that are currently offering retirement property steals:

1. Bend, Ore.:   Stiff demand from second-home buyers helped nearly double median home prices in lovely Bend, Ore., between 1999 and 2006. But the subsequent real estate collapse has dragged the area’s price-to-income ratio from 3.4 in the third quarter of 2006 to 1.7 in the fourth quarter of 2009. That’s below Bend’s average price-to-income ratio of 2 for the 15 years ending in 2003. This increased affordability makes retirement property in Bend particularly attractive today, says Lester Friedman, president-elect of the Central Oregon Association of Realtors. “Central Oregon has always been a place where people came to get away,” Friedman says. “And, of course, that is kind of the definition of retirement.” Friedman points to a number of activities that can keep seniors busy in Bend year round, including hiking, mountain biking, skiing, fishing, boating, and volunteering. “We have wonderful college facilities, so continuing education is easy,” he says. “You name it, we’ve got it.”

2. Las Vegas:  After speculation and risky loans juiced Las Vegas home prices by more than 141 percent from 1999 to 2006, the housing bust hit this desert playground with tremendous force. But the steep price declines have pulled down the area’s price-to-income ratio from 3.2 in the fourth quarter of 2005 to 1.4 in the fourth quarter of 2009. For the 15 years ending in 2003, the average price-to-income ratio in Las Vegas was 1.9. SalesTraq President Larry Murphy says the return of affordability has created a great opportunity for seniors looking to spend their golden years in a sunny, low-tax community surrounded by golfing, gaming, fine dining, and entertainment. “There hasn’t been a better time [to buy residential property in Las Vegas] in the last 12 years,” he says.

3. Phoenix:  From 1999 to 2006, home prices in Phoenix more than doubled, sending the area’s price-to-income ratio to an inflated peak of just under 3. The subsequent meltdown in the residential real estate sector has dragged the price-to-income ratio in Phoenix to 1.5, which is below its 1.7 average for the 15 years ending in 2003, and has created opportunities for retiring seniors who are looking for bargains. “[In Phoenix] you have fairly good medical care, you don’t have the snow and the cold and dangerous weather here, and you have a lot of nearby shopping centers and other things that make it easier for people to sort of carry out what they want to do,” says Jay Butler, an Arizona State University associate real estate professor.

4. Napa, Calif.:  Home prices in Napa, Calif., exploded during the housing boom, more than doubling from 1999 to 2006. But the real estate crash has reduced the sky-high price-to-income ratio of 3.9 it reached in the third quarter of 2005 to just 1.7 in the fourth quarter of 2009. For the 15 years ending in 2003, the average price-to-income ratio in Napa was 2.6. DataQuick President John Walsh says Napa’s beautiful wine country offers “an extraordinary quality of life.” And with home prices having retuned to 2002 levels, the area is ripe for seniors hunting for deals on retirement property, he said.

5. Fayetteville, Ark.:  After a 40 percent increase from 1999 to 2006, median home prices in Fayetteville, Ark., have slipped about 21 percent through 2009. The recent decline has dragged Fayetteville’s price-to-income ratio from 1.8 in the third quarter of 2005 to 1.2 in the fourth quarter of 2009. For the 15 years ending in 2003, the average price-to-income ratio in Fayetteville was 1.6. While the area may not have a reputation as a retirement hot spot, Fayetteville’s low real estate taxes, natural splendor, and university affiliation make it a compelling option for retiring seniors, says Steve Clark, president and CEO of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce. “What we are finding is that the retirees that are beginning to focus on us are people who have done that first career for 25 or 30 years,” Clark says. “They are not ready to really quit, they’re just ready to quit what they are doing.” In addition to its plentiful arts and outdoor offerings, Fayetteville is home to the University of Arkansas, which provides seniors an additional outlet to challenge themselves, he says. “If you are over the age of 60 in the state of Arkansas, you can attend our public institutions of higher learning at no charge,” Clark says. “And that’s graduate programs as well as undergraduate.”

6. Punta Gorda, Fla.:  Home prices in the quiet community of Punta Gorda, Fla., dropped more than 50 percent from 2006 to 2009, dragging the city’s price-to-income ratio down to 1.4 by the end of last year. The area’s average price-to-income ratio was 1.7 for the 15 years ending in 2003. The small town on Florida’s southwest coast has long been a popular spot for boating and fishing. The recent price declines have provided seniors the opportunity to buy into this pleasant community at a discount, says Jack McCabe of McCabe Research & Consulting. Punta Gorda is “very nice, very laid back, very quiet, [and has] excellent fishing,” he says.

7. Burlington, Vt.:  Home prices in this tiny city increased significantly during the first part of the previous decade, which pushed the area’s price-to-income ratio to 2.3 for the fourth quarter of 2005. A modest home-price decline since then has helped drag Burlington’s price-to-income ratio to 1.7 for the fourth quarter of 2009, below its 1.9 average for the 15 years ending in 2003. Although the winters are long, Burlington provides retirees with “small-town comforts and small town values in [a] community where [they] can also enjoy arts, fine food, [and] performances that you wouldn’t expect in a community of 39,000 people,” says Yves Bradley of Pomerleau Real Estate. “There is also, I have to say, a very strong outreach to retirees to be engaged as volunteers, and that is pretty important here.”

8. Fort Myers, Fla.:  Home prices in the Fort Myers, Fla., area surged more than 180 percent from 1999 to 2005, thanks to investors and easy lending practices. But because of the market crash, area real estate prices have lost about two thirds of their peak value. Meanwhile, the price-to-income ratio of Fort Myers-area houses has declined from 3.2 in the fourth quarter of 2005 to 1 in the fourth quarter of 2009. For the 15 years ending in 2003, the average price-to-income ratio in the Fort Myers area was 1.5. McCabe says the Fort Myers area has a great deal to offer retiring seniors. The area has “more of a relaxed, laid-back, slower-paced environment with Midwestern values [that would be] very appealing to that kind of core of the country—Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota,” he says.

9. Santa Fe:  A 24 percent decrease in median home prices over the past two years has helped drag the price-to-income ratio in Santa Fe to 1.8 for the fourth quarter of 2009, which is below its 2.5 average for the 15 years ending in 2003. Lois Sury, president of the Santa Fe Association of Realtors, ticks off a number of reasons why seniors should consider taking advantage of this increased affordability and buy property in the area. Attractions include great skiing, hiking, medical facilities, arts, as well as a rich cultural history. “Here we have this beautiful, sometimes cobalt-blue sky that sits on your shoulders,” Sury says. “That’s what people come here for—it’s the sun sets and the mild climate, [and] the friendly people.”

10. Santa Cruz, Calif.:   Median home prices in the California costal community of Santa Cruz have plummeted more than 57 percent since 2007, reducing its price-to-income ratio to 2.8 for the fourth quarter of 2009. The average price-to-income ratio for Santa Cruz was 4.3 for the 15 years ending in 2003. Like Napa, Santa Cruz offers seniors a pleasant environment from which to launch their golden years, and the recent home price declines make it all the more attractive, Walsh says. “Santa Cruz [and Napa]…are trading at the exact same price they were eight years ago,” he says. “That’s a heck of a deal.”

By Fred A. Bernstein
Published: May 23, 2010
This article was syndicated from The New York Times, click here for the original article.

THE Plaza, the heart of old Santa Fe, hasn’t changed much since the Spanish settled here 400 years ago. But surrounding the Plaza is an increasingly cosmopolitan city. Sure, it’s possible to focus entirely just on the historic center, where Native American handicrafts are for sale on every corner.

A Weekend in Santa Fe

But the rest of Santa Fe now offers groovy contemporary art spaces, hot Asian restaurants and a park by a pair of trailblazing architects. Accept that Santa Fe isn’t just tacos and turquoise anymore, and you’ll find yourself loving the New Mexico capital not for what it was, but what it is.

Friday

5 p.m.
1) PUBLIC SPACE

For a beautifully curated introduction to Santa Fe, visit the New Mexico History Museum (113 Lincoln Avenue; 505-476-5200; which opened in 2009 and includes a gripping display about Los Alamos, where the Manhattan Project was conducted in secret during World War II. A large courtyard with ancient walls and shady trees separates the museum from the Palace of the Governors, the Spanish seat of government in the early 1600s and now a small museum of Colonial and Native American history. The two-museum complex is free on Fridays from 5 to 8 p.m.

7 p.m.
2) WHITE WALLS AND WINE

You’d have to be crazy to pay for a glass of white wine on Fridays. Canyon Road, which angles up from the center of town, has more than 100 galleries, and there are openings every Friday night. According to canyonroadarts.com, the largest category is contemporary representational (think brightly colored paintings of the desert). Check out Eight Modern (231 Delgado Street; 505-995-0231; where you’ll find the geometric scrap-metal constructions of the Santa Fe artist Ted Larsen. The backyard sculpture garden is a great place to marvel at New Mexico’s amazingly clear sky and savor its piñon-infused air before heading to dinner.

9 p.m.
3) AHI MOMENT

Martín Rios is a hometown boy made good: Born in Mexico and raised in Santa Fe, he apprenticed at the Eldorado Hotel and the Inn of the Anasazi — two local stalwarts — and made a brief appearance on “Iron Chef” before opening his own place, Restaurant Martín (526 Galisteo Street; 505-820-0919)  in 2009. The main draw is the food — dishes like ahi tuna tartare ($14) and duck breast with smoked bacon polenta and Marcona almonds ($25) offer hints of the Southwest, with a dash of global aspiration. But the homey décor makes you want to stick around even after finishing the bittersweet chocolate truffle cake ($8).

Saturday

10 a.m.
4) SPICE MARKET

The Santa Fe Farmers’ Market (1607 Paseo de Peralta; 505-983-4098; dates back a half-century, but it stepped up a notch when it moved to a permanent building in 2008. Everything sold here, including dried chilies, yogurt and grass-fed meats, is produced in northern New Mexico. The market is part of a bustling district that includes the new Railyard Park by the architect Frederic Schwartz and the landscape architect Ken Smith, both Manhattanites whose taste is anything but quaint. As you wander around, be on the lookout for the Rail Runner, a gleaming new passenger train scheduled to pull in from Albuquerque at 11:08 a.m.

Noon
5) SUSTAINABLE SALADS

Santa Fe residents — as you learned roaming the Farmers’ Market — care where their food comes from. No wonder Vinaigrette (709 Don Cubero Alley; 505-820-9205) was an immediate hit when it opened in 2008. The brightly colored cafe has a menu based on organic greens grown in the nearby town of Nambé. Choose a base — Caesar, Cobb and Greek are possibilities (around $10) — then add diver scallops or hibiscus-cured duck confit ($7) for a satisfying meal. Wines by the glass start at a very friendly $6.

2 p.m.
6) RIDING THE SPUR

Thanks to Santa Fe’s sometimes depressing sprawl, it’s getting harder and harder to find wide-open spaces. But drive (or bike) to the corner of Galisteo Street and West Rodeo Road, where there’s a small parking lot — then begin pedaling due south, in the direction of Lamy (about 12 miles away). What starts as an asphalt path morphs into a dirt bike trail that swerves around a 19th-century rail spur. There are some pretty steep hills, but they’re short, and the momentum from a downhill is usually enough to handle the next uphill. (If only life were like that!) The scenery is always gorgeous, especially in late afternoon, when the sun is low in the sky. Mellow Velo (638 Old Santa Fe Trail; 505-995-8356; rents mountain bikes starting at $35 a day.

7 p.m.
7) TAPAS WITH STRANGERS

La Boca (72 West Marcy Street; 505-982-3433) is one of downtown Santa Fe’s most popular new restaurants — thanks to its contemporary tapas, plus larger dishes like cannelloni filled with crab, scallop and Manchego ($11). You’ll find yourself sharing tips on what to order — and even forkfuls of delicious eats — with strangers.

10 p.m.
REGGAE FOR ALL AGES

Santa Fe isn’t a night-life town, but Milagro 139 (139 West San Francisco Street; 505-995-0139) is helping to change that. A building that had housed a coffee shop was recently converted to a restaurant that becomes a club on Friday and Saturday nights. There’s no cover, and the drinks, including a house margarita called Beginner’s Luck ($5), are delicious. A recent visit coincided with performances by Rubixzu, a local band that performed a blend of reggae and Latin hip-hop to a diverse crowd, aged 9 to 90. For a trendier vibe, head to Meow Wolf (1800 Second Street; 505-204-4651) an alternative art space, or check its Web site for other parties hosted by Meow Wolf artists.

Sunday

10 a.m.
9) FREE-RANGE PEACOCKS

For a big breakfast and an early start, drive south on Cerrillos Road about 10 miles past the Interstate, until you see a handwritten cardboard sign that reads, “Pine wood stove pellets sold here.” You’ve arrived at the San Marcos Café (3877 State Road 14; 505-471-9298). Dozens of peacocks, turkeys and hens roam the property (which also houses a feed store), providing an Old McDonald-like backdrop for crowd-pleasers like eggs San Marcos, a cheese omelet in a bath of guacamole, beans and salsa ($12).

Noon
10) KITSCH TO CONTEMPORARY

If you ever thought that item you found at a roadside stand was one of a kind, Jackalope (2820 Cerrillos Road; 505-471-8539) a sprawling, indoor-outdoor flea market, will disabuse you of that notion. There are hundreds of everything, including punched-copper switch plates and tote bags that depict Michelle Obama smiling on a swing. If you need to shake off the kitsch, head to SITE Santa Fe (1606 Paseo De Peralta; 505-989-1199) a contemporary art space where the 2010 biennale, focused on moving image technologies in contemporary art, will run from June 20 to Jan. 2, 2011.

1 p.m.
11) YOUR OWN ADOBE

It’s difficult to spend time in Santa Fe without thinking about buying a home (or second home) here. So check out Zocalo (Avenida Rincon; 505-986-0667) a striking development by the Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta. He is known for crisp geometry and super-bright colors — a welcome sight in this city of browns and terra cottas. Consider it real estate voyeurism, combined with a crash course in contemporary architecture.

IF YOU GO

Santa Fe has a tiny airport, which offers nonstop service to and from Dallas and Los Angeles on American Eagle. Most visitors fly into the larger Albuquerque airport, about an hour south. A recent Web search found round-trip fares from Kennedy Airport on Delta, from about $260 for travel in June. Sadly, the Rail Runner doesn’t run to the Albuquerque airport.

The Hotel St. Francis (210 Don Gaspar Avenue; 505-983-5700) billed as the oldest hotel in Santa Fe, completed a top-to-bottom renovation in 2009, and it looks spectacular. Doubles from $120.

The El Rey Inn (1862 Cerrillos Road, 505-982-1931) is a retro-chic 1930s-style motel, with nicely furnished rooms and beautifully landscaped grounds to go along with the kitschy Native American-themed architecture. Doubles from $99.

Hilton Santa Fe Golf Resort & Spa (30 Buffalo Thunder Trail; 505-455-5555) is part of a new casino complex, about 15 minutes north of town. Doubles from $159. Hilton also built a less-expensive Homewood Suites nearby (10 Buffalo Thunder Trail; 505-455-9100), with doubles from $109.

Spacious Pecos Mountain Retreat

Built in 2006.  Beautiful custom built home.

Gourmet kitchen with custom maple cabinets, tiled counters and eat-in dining

Features:

• Gourmet kitchen, formal dining room and butler pantry

• Large master bedroom with sitting area

• Two walk in closets off master bedroom

• Two sinks and make up counter in master bath

• Separate large office room ,could be a 4th bedroom

• Air conditioning

• High ceilings and hardwood floors

• 3 plus 1 car garages

Formal dining room easily accommodates large parties

Large master bedroom with sitting area and two walk-in closets leading to master bath

The master bedroom is designed for a king size bed and features two walk-in closets.  There is a sitting area with space for a television to the right of the bed as well as  a large bay window.  The wall to wall carpeting in master bedroom and master closets provides comfort and warmth.

Master bathroom

The master bathroom has a deep tub and a separate shower.  Enjoy two separate sinks and a make up counter.

Immaculate attention to detail.  Clean and bright!

Enjoy your morning coffee or dinner surrounded by the peace and tranquility of the forest!

The patio is enclosed on three sides to protect from the mountain elements.  Experience the pleasure of outdoor dining at its best.

Terraced, open back patio

Spacious back patio surrounded by forest terrain. The flagstone patio is waiting for your next party or barbeque

Detached outbuilding

There is also a detached outbuilding that is completely insulated and allows space for the fourth car. It could be converted to an artist studio or guest casita.

Front of outbuilding

Front of outbuilding.  Endless opportunities.

28 Vista De Dios Pass, Pecos, New Mexico

By Bruce Krasnow| The New Mexican
Posted: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 – 4/

Article syndicated from The New Mexican, click here for the original article.

Home sales bounced a bit in the first quarter of 2010, with sale volumes increasing across all sectors of the Santa Fe market, according to several measures.

The Santa Fe Association of Realtors reported Wednesday that the total volume of city-county detached home sales increased 16 percent from a year ago to 205. While the median sales price in the unincorporated area fell, prices of homes sold inside the city were up some 50 percent to $464,000.

The numbers are year-over-year comparisons, and 2009 was the worst year for home sales in at least a decade. The number of sales in the first quarter is still down more than half from its peak in 2006.

But considering Santa Fe’s cold, snowy weather in January, February and March and that overall prices lifted, the statistics show the market has come off the 2009 bottom.

“All segments of the market at moving,” association president Lois Sury said. “It seems to be across the board.”

Like elsewhere in the United States, the federal government’s homebuyer tax credit — up to $8,000 for new buyers and $6,500 for current owners buying again — helped first-quarter sales, though it will be months before anyone knows the number of buyers in each state who have claimed the money.

Homes must be under contract by April 30 to qualify for the tax break — and that sent March sales up 34 percent in Albuquerque and 54 percent in Rio Rancho, according to the New Mexico Business Weekly. In Santa Fe, the quarter was more even, with volume increases all three months.

In Santa Fe, the incentive has helped many empty-nest couples who may have wanted to sell a larger home and move into a smaller house, condo or townhome, said Sury, as sales of those units more than doubled from a year ago.

“I’ve helped families like that,” said Sury. “They want something small here. We’ve seen those buyers come back into the market.”

Alan Ball said the March sales numbers in Santa Fe are “kind of a big deal” because the 2010 number beat both the 2009 and 2008 sales numbers. He also said the high-end market showed momentum for the first time in two years, with 18 sales over $1 million.

Some of it is the homebuyer tax credit, said Ball, who publishes a monthly newsletter on the Santa Fe real estate market, but it’s also a sign the market is righting itself.

“What some people wanted last summer (in asking price) is now even lower,” Ball said. “That’s what buyers are seeing and acting on.”

There were some wide fluctuations in the county’s median prices. Some of that is because the new homes in Rancho Viejo are being targeted to first-time buyers, with some selling for under $200,000, to take advantage of the tax credit.

The other big decline is Las Campanas, where luxury home prices have reset.

Sellers are more realistic, said Kay Sutt, a real estate appraiser. “The closer to balance our market comes, the quicker we’ll recover,” she said.

The fact that sales volume was strong despite terrible weather is another plus, Sutt said about the first quarter.

She is not seeing a “a magical healing” of Santa Fe’s market from the federal tax credit, but a lot of things going on are positive, including low interest rates, cheaper land and labor costs.

On that point, Donna Reynolds, chief executive of the Realtors Association, said the number of inquiries coming into the association office were the highest they’d ever been after The New York Times published a travel story about Santa Fe style reinventing itself and a large image of the new Railyard Park.

Sill, longer-term numbers compiled by the Realtors indicate how far sales tumbled from earlier years.

The number of single-family homes sold countywide in 2009, for instance, was 966, which was less than the 1,437 sold in the year 2000 and half the 1,996 sold at the 2005 market peak.

Likewise, the total sales volume in 2009 was $540 million, slightly higher than the start of the decade, but a huge decline from the $1.2 billion in 2006.

Median sales prices started the decade at $235,000, peaked at $425,000 in 2007 and stood at $356,000 at the end of 2009.

New single-family home permits in the city of Santa Fe were flat in the first quarter, 48 in the period, up from 44 a year ago, said city planner Reed Liming. Eighteen of the 2010 permits were for multifamily attached homes, he added, with six of those going to a new complex at Paseo de Peralta near Washington Avenue.

By Anne Constable | The New Mexican
Posted: Thursday, April 15, 2010

Article syndicated from The New Mexican, click here to view the original article.

Cermamic Figurine by Magdalena Martinez

At a dinner in Mozambique last year, the people around the table were deconstructing the International Folk Art Market held in Santa Fe the previous July.

The market, presented annually for the last six years, is already the largest of its kind in the world and a major contributor to the Santa Fe economy — to the tune of almost $16 million (including gross receipts tax on artists’ sales and visitors’ purchases, payroll and contracts, lodger’s tax and spending by tourists who attend the event).

The discussion included staff, local artists and some people from Santa Fe on the market’s Folk Art Safari. Out of that exchange of ideas — and requests from artists — came the decision to allow them to sell their traditional handmade goods during the market’s Friday night opening party.

“When you’re far away you can (sometimes) see things more clearly,” said Charlene Cerny, the market’s executive director.

So, while munching on snacks, partygoers this year will be able to do some shopping in the lighted booths. A good part of Milner Plaza, where the market takes place, will be tented this year, just in case it dares to rain. And there also will be dancing to TradiSon, a Cuban band that plays at La Bodequita del Media, a popular Havana restaurant that was a haunt of writer Ernest Hemingway. Tickets are $125.

The Friday night sale is just one of the things that’s new at the 2010 market, set for July 9-11.

TradiSon

Founders Cerny, Judith Espinar (creative director) and staff work year-round to make each market better and different from the last.

Nearly half of all the participants, who are chosen by an independent selection committee, will be new. They include people from Cameroon, Ethiopia, Israel, Kazakhstan and the Ukraine. Among the items for sale this year are felt rugs from Kyrgyzstan, tribal garments from China, recycled metal sculptures from Haiti, tie-dyed bandhani garments from India, filigree jewelry from Spain, rebozos, or shawls, from Mexico, and woven silk textiles from Laos.

One of the new artists is Magdalena Martinez, a physician from Oaxaca, Mexico, who makes ceramic figures fashioned from clay. When sculpting the figurines, she begins with the face, then builds a scaffolding for a traditional costume by flattening a length of clay like a tortilla and folding and forming it to the shape of the body. Martinez, whose father was also a well-known ceramicist, presses the details of the costume into the torso, adding the arms and legs before firing the piece.

Jubulile Nala is another market newcomer. She learned to build her hand-coiled and painted clay pots from her grandmother and her mother, Nesta Nala, in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Although the family’s work is in museum collections, Jubulile and other artisans from her region have trouble making a living. She uses clay dug from local riverbanks that is dried, mixed and hand ground to fashion the beer pots symbolizing hospitality and community which are used at Zulu weddings, births, marriages and burials. With knives, stones, corncobs and even umbrella spokes, she makes decorations such as beading or nipples on the surface. After firing, she rubs the pots with animal fat.

To kick off what is now billed as International Folk Arts Week, the Museum of International Folk Art will open an exhibit of the work of women’s cooperatives from Bolivia, Rwanda, Peru, Swaziland, India, Kenya, Laos, South Africa, Morocco and Nepal that are represented at market. The Gallery of Conscience exhibition highlights weaving, beadwork, painting, baskets, embroidery and other traditional folk arts.

The exhibit “Empowering Women: Artisan Cooperatives That Transform Communities” is guest curated by Suzanne K. Seriff, chairwoman of the market’s artist selection committee, and is devoted to what Seriff describes as “the issues that threaten the survival of the traditional arts.” Tours with the curator and a representative of the women’s co-ops will be offered.

Later in the week, Diana Baird N’Diaye, a cultural anthropologist with the Smithsonian Institution’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, will moderate a colloquium for artists at which they will exchange information on topics (selected by participants) such as preserving cultural traditions, expanding market access, leadership and management skills and product development.

“We’re listening more to our artists. What do they think? What do they want to learn?” Cerny said. That, Espinar added, is “a very new way for nonprofits to work with their constituents.”

On Wednesday, the market is co-sponsoring a presentation by Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof. Kristof and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, published a book last year titled Half the Sky about how women around the world who have been abused and oppressed have, with a little financial help, survived and become part of the economic life of their communities. Tickets for that event went on sale April 1.

Besides providing income for the artists (who take home 90 percent of their sales revenues), the market supports whole communities in their home countries and helps ensure the continuation of traditional crafts. At the same time, Espinar said, making folk art can have a profound effect on the future of the family. “Passing on all of these cultural things goes along with being there for their children,” she pointed out, “and very often makes a difference as to whether their children go to school.”

She predicted that one day, “One of these women is going to be president of some country.”

Normally the market provides financial support only to first-time market artists, but given the disaster in Haiti, the organization is paying all the expenses for four Haitians, including the two who created the awards for last year’s Clinton Global Initiative.

Dressing up the market is always a priority. Each year, there is another layer of decoration added, often inspired by Cerny’s and Espinar’s travels around the world to find new treasures to bring to the market. This year, because there is an Afro-Cuban theme, volunteers will be covering poles with African fabric, gathered like a Roman shade and wrapped diagonally with tinsel.

Tesuque is located 5 miles north of Santa Fe, east of Highway 285 on Bishops Lodge Road.  Tesuque is known for its beauty, verdant landscape and traditional adobe structures.  Tesuque owes its grassy fields and leafy orchards to Tesuque Creek which runs the length of the village. Many acequias nourish the yards of the houses that line the creek, creating a green oasis in the middle of a high country desert.  Abundant trees such as cottonwoods along the banks of the creek provide residents with soothing cool shade in the summer.

 At the 2000 Census, Tesuque had a population of 909 with 541 housing units in a  land area of 6.96 sq. miles giving it a population density of 130.61 people per square mile.  Tesuque has its own post office and an elementary school.  

Tesuque Village Market

Homes for Sale in Tesuque

If you are interested in living in Tesuque, click here, to contact me for a market report about homes in Tesuque.  If you own property in Tesuque and would like a free comparative market analysis to see how much it is worth, click here to contact me.  

Prices for homes in Tesuque range from the mid $400,000s to several million dollars.  

The popular Tesuque Village Market  sits in the center of the village.  Built to resemble a trading post and stocked with grocery items, it serves breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week.  A fun feature about Tesuque Village Market is that for a $15 corkage fee you can  buy wine from the wine section inside the market and drink that wine at the restaurant.  Outdoor dinning on the porch (weather permitting) provides diners with entertaining people watching.  The breakfast burritos and green chile are particularly noteworthy at Tesuque Village Market and the pasteries are delicious.

Fresh pasteries at Tesuque Village Market

Tesuque’s other restaurant El Nido  has just experienced a change of management.  On January 24, 2010 Dennis Dampf and Don Scharhag, who operated El Nido for 27 years under a lease agreement, ceased operations.  Owner Carlton Colquitt, a part-time Santa Fe resident who also resides in New York, has stated that he will reopen El Nido after a short hiatus. El Nido, built in the 1920s, has a colorful history.  It first started out as a roadhouse and dance hall and was reputed to have been a brothel at one point.  In the past El Nido was popular with opera goers due to its proximity to the Santa Fe Opera.

Tesuque is also home to one of the top bronze art foundries in the United States, Shidoni Foundry, which was established in 1971.  Shidoni pours 3,500 pounds of bronze per week to make their bronze sculptures.  Shidoni holds weekly public demonstrations on sculpture making. Call (505) 988-8001 for the pouring schedule and plan to arrive a little early.  The pouring starts when the bronze is heated to 2000 degrees and ready to be poured into ceramic shells, which can be up to half an hour before the scheduled time.

Glass Flowers

The foundry has an 8 acre outdoor sculpture gallery showcasing sculptures in styles ranging from contemporary to traditional as well as two indoor galleries. Also on site is the Shidoni Arts Gallery which features works in glass and wood and Tesuque Glassworks where visitors can watch daily glassblowing demonstrations.  

Tesuque Pueblo lies north and west of Tesuque, just 9 miles north of Santa Fe.  Archeologists believe that this pueblo has existed since at least 1,200 A.D.  Comprised of just 424 residents, this tiny pueblo is one of the most traditional Tewa speaking pueblos, with a great reverence for its traditional religious ceremonies.  Their dances are known for their authenticity and costumes.  Public dances include the Kings Dance held in January, the Corn Dance held in June, Harvest Dance held in November and the Deer and Buffalo Dances held in December.  The pueblo is closed to the public during certain days of the year, so call the pueblo before planning to visit. (505) 983-2667.

Inside Tesuque Village Market

Tesuque Pueblo also operates the Tesuque Pueblo Flea Market, 6.5 miles north of Santa Fe, just off U.S. 84/285 at Exit 171, next to the Santa Fe Opera every weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) from March to December.  Call (505) 670-2599 for more information.