You know it's a windy day in Albuquerque when...

Your brand new very expensive kite breaks under the pressure of a sting gust of wind.

Posted on Albuquerque Real Estate-Albuquerque Homes For Sale

Beautiful Albuquerque days fill the golf course - Albuquerque Homes

The weather is beautiful in Albuquerque today. The first day in many that we've had a reprieve from the dust and wind. Arroyo Del Oso, one of my favorite Albuquerque golf courses, is full today. What a beautiful day!

Posted on Albuquerque Real Estate-Albuquerque Homes For Sale

A Great Goal - To go GREEN Albuquerque!

Given the pressing environmental challenges facing the world, one day just doesn’t seem like enough to celebrate the earth and make long-term environmental changes. Why not use this month as inspiration and make a commitment to do environmentally friendly activities throughout the year?

Here are just 10 ideas, along with some online resources, that you could try.

Green your office–Establish a green team with colleagues to address ways to reduce your office’s impact. A recycling program is obvious. Other strategies could entail ridding the kitchen of disposable goods, replacing equipment that hogs energy, improving lighting and HVAC systems, installing a bike rack, and replacing grass around the office with a vegetable garden or native plants. For more information, visit www.greenyour.com/office.

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Shop locally–Swear off buying stuff from faraway places, even if it saves some pennies. Just consider the impact that packaging and shipping your goods has on the environment. Instead, shop locally. Walking to shops saves energy and you also help neighborhood businesses thrive.

Make mini moves–Build new habits that will have an ongoing impact. Those could include the basics, such as switching to CFL bulbs, fixing water leaks (www.epa.gov/WaterSense), or cutting the phantom power at home.

via rismedia.com

This is terrific advice that if each one of us implemented just a little bit to our every day lives, would make a huge impact on our environment.

A lot of Albuquerque home builders are already taking initiatives and making full on commitments to going green, by using low VOC paints, installing only compact fluorescent bulbs, tankless water heaters, increased insulation, etc. For a list of these home builders, please contact me.

Posted on Albuquerque Real Estate-Albuquerque Homes For Sale

Albuquerque Gas Prices Are Rising - Take the National Survey - Albuquerque Real Estate News

A recent New York Times article reported that the average gas price is $3.77 a gallon nationwide, and already more than $4 in California, Hawaii and Alaska. Many experts wonder how this spike will affect the recovery as well as how it will compare vs. previous oil price spikes. As a real estate company, the Coldwell Banker brand wants to know if and how this is affecting home buying decisions for consumers. Thank you in advance for your participation in this survey.

via surveymonkey.com

I just filled up my take for $3.60/gallon at Costco. Costco has become my preferred dealer for gas. As a Realtor, my car acts as my second office and I need to have a full tank at all times. Here's hoping that they don't go up too much higher, here in Albuquerque or elsewhere. Take the survey and I will post the results when they become available.

Posted on Albuquerque Real Estate-Albuquerque Homes For Sale

New Albuquerque Home Permits Are Up In March

New home permits rose nearly 77 percent in March from February, but were well below March 2010's figure of 179.

There were 115 permits issued to Albuquerque-area home builders in March, according to DataTraq's New Housing Market Letter, published by Jan DeMaggio.

D.R. Horton pulled 28 permits in March, followed by Pulte's 25. Vista Vieja and Presidio were the two most active subdivisions in March, as lower-priced homes dominated the market. Of the permits obtained, 68 percent were for homes priced between $90,000 and $200,000.

In the past 12 months, Horton has pulled 343 permits, leading all builders, followed by Pulte's 238. Paul Allen Homes has been the most active locally owned builder, with 80 permits.

via bizjournals.com

This is great news for the Albuquerque real estate environment. While the number of new homes being built is one indicator of how the overall market is doing, we don't want too many homes being built, as causes the purchaser's older home to become vacant. Unless there is a commensurate amount of first time home buyers or Albuquerque transferees entering the market, it causes an over supply of homes, which can affect home values.

These numbers show a steady growth over last month and one that I feel is healthy - neither too many new home permits, or too few, but just right.

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Stage Your Albuquerque Home - Call Homes In Transition

Among the most insidious impacts of the recession is “foreclosure stripping.”

When homes sit empty, vandals frequently invade. The damage they do runs an ugly gamut, from spray painting cabinets to removing everything but the studs.

To combat the problem, Homes in Transition was created in February 2009. Its caretakers house-sit about 10 percent of the more than 2,000 empty homes in the Duke City. The concept has been so successful that the company will open a second office in Phoenix in May, where there is a much larger vacant home inventory. Phoenix has 140,000 empty homes, said Tom Schmidt, the company’s founder, a veteran builder who ran Teko Custom Home Builders LLC for a decade.

“I saw the economy heading south and realized it was going to crush all of us. We all love this business we created, but know it’s built on the back of hard economic times and people’s troubles, and that’s the catch-22 of it,” said Schmidt, who describes himself as a religious man who has a sense of guilt as the business has grown.

Homes in Transition isn’t a private security service. It’s more of a staging company that keeps homes occupied until they are sold. The key to the business is recruiting “caretakers” to live in the homes until a sale. These caretakers are in transition themselves, as some have lost their homes to foreclosure.

via bizjournals.com

This is a great article about a great Albuquerque Real Estate related company. I have shown many of the homes Homes in Transition caretakers occupy. Often these homes show better than vacant homes or homes where the owner still lives. Homes in Transition is a great asset especially to sellers who can no longer live in their Albuquerque home, perhaps because they've purchased another home or have been relocated out of the area. The side benefit to having a caretaker in the home besides it showing nicely, is that it shows the home as being occupied which will help prevent the buyer from getting the impression that the seller is overly motivated, which then leads to a very low offer that doesn't have a chance of reaching a contract. If you have an Albuquerque home for sale, and you're no longer able to occupy it, I would strongly consider calling Homes in Transition

Posted on Albuquerque Real Estate-Albuquerque Homes For Sale

Albuquerque Isotopes - Albuquerque Entertainment - Albuquerque activities

See the full gallery on Posterous

A great way to spend a spring or summer day is at the Albuquerque Isotopes. They are a great AAA Baseball team and the farm team for the Los Angeles Dodgers. They recently built a first class stadium, have great concessions, and fun activities and rides for the small children.

Go 'Topes!

Posted on Albuquerque Real Estate-Albuquerque Homes For Sale

Happy Birthday To The "LIKE" Button

Happy birthday to you....
Happy birthday to you...
Happy birthday Facebook "LIKE" button... Happy birthday to you!!!!

This week is Facebook's "LIKE" button's 1st birthday. In the spirit of celebrating its birthday, would you visit my Facebook Albuquerque Real Estate Page at www.Facebook.com/theQhomes and click on the "LIKE" button? Thank you for supporting my business and helping me celebrate the "LIKE" button's birthday.

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PNM begins using Solar Power - Albuquerque News - Albuquerque Housing News

Public Service Co. of New Mexico will inaugurate its first utility-scale solar photovoltaic system April 20 at the Reeves Generating Station in north Albuquerque.

The Albuquerque Solar Energy Center encompasses 30,000 panels spread over 20 acres next to the Reeves natural gas generating plant. The new facility will generate 2 megawatts of electricity and will be the largest solar PV plant to date in Albuquerque.

It’s one of four PV plants that PNM will build this year under its renewable procurement plan. The other facilities will be located in Los Lunas, Deming, Alamogordo and Las Vegas.

via bizjournals.com

This is terrific news! New Mexico receives, on average, 310 days of pure sunshine per year. The fact that we hadn't been harnessing the sun's energy seemed like such a waste. I hope PNM will begin to install more photovoltaic systems in and around Albuquerque to provide generations of sustainable energy.

Speaking of solar energy, several Albuquerque Home Builders are now offering solar systems as upgrades to their homes. There are many options including solar powered water heaters to full photovoltaic systems, which if used properly can actually yield positive energy gain, which means that you don't pay the power company one penny for electricity. In fact, there's a strong chance that the power company could send you a check for producing more energy than you consumed. How great is that!

Posted on Albuquerque Real Estate-Albuquerque Homes For Sale

Albuquerque Entertainment - Albuquerque Zoo announces it's 2011 Zoo Music Schedule - Albuquerque Attractions

For nearly two decades, the Rio Grande Zoo has entertained visitors during the summer months with the Zoo Music Concert Series. Zoo Music showcases regional, national and international talent playing a variety of music, including country Latin rock, Afro-Cuban, Celtic, bluegrass, Cajun and pop-rock.

2011 Zoo Music Performers

Tickets will be available for purchase online soon.

Date	Performer	Genre	Tickets
June 17	The Blasters	Rock
June 24	James Cotton "Superharp" Band	Blues
July 1	The SteelDrivers	Bluegrass

via cabq.gov

The Albuquerque Zoo offers an excellent venue every summer to see the animals, have a picnic, and listen to some great music. Bring the family, some friends, or take a date - Trust me this is a great time!

The Albuquerque Zoo will allow visitors to bring in food and drink (non-alcoholic), chairs, and blankets. The music can be heard throughout the zoo, but it's particularly moving to watch the performers play in the huge amphitheater, which is surrounded by a large lake, from the comfort of your blanket or chairs on the zoo's amazing lawn.

Always a good time and you can count on seeing me there.

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Intel Releases First Quarter Earnings - GREAT News the Albuquerque Community

Intel Corp. on Tuesday reported net income of $3.2 billion, or 56 cents a share, up about 30 percent over the year-ago quarter's $2.4 billion, or 43 cents a share.

Santa Clara-based Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) reported revenue of $12.8 billion, up 25 percent from $10.3 billion in the same quarter last year. One of the firm's largest chip manufacturing facilities is located in Rio Rancho, immediately northwest of New Mexico's largest city, Albuquerque.

Excluding items, Intel would have earned $3.3 billion, or 59 cents a share, on $12.9 billion in revenue.

Analysts expected, on average, earnings of 46 cents a share on revenue of $11.6 billion.

via bizjournals.com

Intel released today that their first quarter earnings were up 30% over 2010. With Intel being one of the largest employers in the Albuquerque area, this is fantastic news.

I am often asked "where do all these people work???" as we look through homes in the rapidly growing west side and Rio Rancho. Well, many of them work at Intel. So when Intel reports positive earnings, this is good news for the entire community. Way to go Intel

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New Mexico Leads the Nation in Joblessness Decline in March - Albuquerque Economic News - Albuquerque Real Estate News

New Mexico’s unemployment rate fell to 8.1 percent in March, down from 8.7 percent in February, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. New Mexico’s .6 percent decrease in the jobless rate in March was the largest percentage drop of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The state was one of 34 that saw its unemployment rate decline in March. It was the largest number of states reporting falling unemployment rates since June. In seven states, unemployment figures were higher and in nine states and the District of Columbia, the jobless rate didn't budge from February's rates.

via bizjournals.com

This makes me proud of New Mexico. All the time I am asked "What makes New Mexico exempt from the huge decreases in home prices?" The answer is simple. We do not have the HUGE industries that dominate any one geographical area, or mega employers who if their doors were closed would be catastrophic to our communities. We have smaller employers relative to other metropolises, and of our big employers like the national laboratories, Intel, the City of Albuquerque, the Air Force bases, etc. they are all pretty secure and stable.

This is a great statistic for New Mexico and the beginning of what I hope will become a trend.

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The Albuquerque Botanic Garden Announces their "Summer Nights Music" Schedule - Albuquerque Attractions

Summer Nights musical concerts are performed by local and regional talent in the beautiful setting of the ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden.

2011 Summer Nights Performers

Tickets will be available online soon!

Date	Performer	Genre	Tickets
June 16	Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams	Rock-a-billy
June 23	Incendio	Latin Guitar/ World Fusion
June 30	Kort McCumber	Country Folk
July 7	Syd Masters & the Swing Riders	Country Swing
July 14	Seamus Kennedy	Celtic
July 21	Po'Girl	Folk/Blues
July 28	Le Chat Lunatique	Swing/Jazz

via cabq.gov

I just announced the Albuquerque Zoo's music schedule for the Summer Zoo Music, but the Albuquerque Botanic Gardens ALSO offers a music series. Theirs is called "Summer Nights".

The Botanic Gardens is an amazing venue for listening to music. The all glass green house and Albuquerque bosque offer an incredible backdrop and make the music listening experience all the more enjoyable.

Join me and many others this year at the Albuquerque Botanic Garden's Summer Music Series.

See you there!

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Population Growth in Albuquerque and Surrounding Counties - Albuquerque Homes News

Population growth is occurring more rapidly on the fringe of America’s metropolitan areas than anywhere else.

The nation’s 428 metro-outlying counties expanded by 16.8 percent between 2000 and 2010, according to an On Numbers analysis of new U.S. Census Bureau data. The metro-outlying counties, taken as a group, had 21.5 million residents in 2010, up from 18.4 million 10 years earlier.

Metro-outlying counties are located on the outer edges of the nation’s metropolitan areas. They have economic ties to the cores of their areas but are more sparsely settled.

Valencia County, just south of the Albuquerque metro area, added 10,400 residents between 2000 and 2010, an increase of 15.72 percent.

The economic hubs of the country’s metro areas -- the 672 metro-central counties -- also grew at a brisk pace of 10.3 percent during the past decade. But they still trailed their outlying neighbors by more than six percentage points.

via bizjournals.com

As the major city in New Mexico, and particularly central New Mexico, it is great to see Albuquerque and Albuquerque's suburbs and surrounding towns grow.

In contrast to Valencia County's 16% growth, Bernalillo County (where Albuquerque is located) grew over 19%, and Sandoval County (where Rio Rancho is located) grew over 45%. Way to go Rio Rancho!

Posted on Albuquerque Real Estate-Albuquerque Homes For Sale