Can some kind New Mexico DUer recommend a real estate agent...

[TygrBright]

...in the Santa Fe area?

My spouse has been offered a job in Santa Fe and we are coming out there on Thursday to look things over. We'll only have a couple of days (Thurs-Mon) so I'd like to make the most of the time. I've already gone over some of the MLS listings in that area but they are a bit confusing to someone who doesn't know the area.

We understand housing IN Santa Fe is pricey, especially compared to where we are now (very rural area of MD,) so although we are including the city itself in our search area, we'd also like to look at other areas along the I-25 corridor. The job is actually located just south of town a little ways off I-25. Seton Village Road off the Old Las Vegas Highway, if that means anything to anyone.

Since the current commute-to-work time averages two hours plus with many heavy traffic encounters, etc., (and that's 3-4 days a week, a total of 16 hours or more on the road some weeks) we are pretty inured to commuting, which is to say that anything up to half-an-hour or forty-five minutes away will seem like PARADISE to us!

Living in a very rural area is alright for us here, because we have friends locally, commute to the Big City regularly, and don't feel isolated or cut off from things. While I find all those huge lots out in the boonies with gorgeous vistas of mountains and sunsets and "horses allowed" wonderfully appealing, I don't think it's best for us right now. We would like neighbors. We're not overly gregarious, but I'm a gardener and like to swap chat over the back fence, meet familiar faces down at the library or coffee shop, etc.

I cannot STAND "McMansion" developments. I don't care if they DO have vigas & beams, kiva fireplaces, tile floors, and spa tubs on a landscaped half-acre lot, they give me the creeps. It's like living in one of those mass-produced plastic tupperwares or something. I like houses that are lived-in and friendly, with personality--but not fixer-uppers since neither of us is handy and I can't stand living in a construction zone.

So what towns/areas/neighborhoods should I be looking in, to find something in the $200-$300K range?

Referrals to real estate agents who can do a lot for us in just a couple of days would be much appreciated, too.

hopefully,
Bright

[Payback Time]

1. I'm a Realtor in another state

but my company, Prudential, has a referral network that should land you a good realtor...if nothing else comes your way, email me at [e-mail] and we'll find one for you. Also, an architect friend owns a 2nd home in the Santa Fe foothills that he may want to sell...but he at least would know of a good Realtor. I've been there and it's cute. Lucky you. I love Santa Fe.

[newyawker99]

22. Hi Payback Time!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[newyawker99]

24. edit

[phylla]

2. Hello Bright,

I am an agent with Re/Max in Virginia. I would be happy to interview Re/Max Agents in Santa Fe and find someone that has expertise in the areas that you mentioned and that I know that I personally would like to work with. Then I can refer them to you for your approval.
Please contact me and I will get busy.
Thanks.
Phyllis

[e-mail]

[TygrBright]

3. Thank you both very kindly...

If you'd like to PM me a name or two I will certainly consider your colleagues. I guess what I was hoping for, though, was referrals from people with actual experience (as sellers or buyers) with particular agents.

Likewise, I was kind of hoping that New Mexico folks with a knowledge of the area could clue me in on the neighborhoods, etc. Y'all still getting over the big party on Thursday?

I know New Mexico is a small state and the New Mexico contingent among DUers is correspondingly small, but I'm hoping at least some of you check this forum from time to time...

Maybe I'll post a copy & link in the Lounge...

hopefully,
Bright

[all.of.me]

4. check your pm - i sent you someone's name

i also meant to add to check out madrid and cerrillos south of santa fe.

[TygrBright]

5. I shall have to learn to say "muchos gracias" with the proper panache...

...I can tell. Having grown up in a French-Canadian family, "Merci beaucoup" comes more naturally.

But in any language, thank you!

appreciatively,
Bright

[all.of.me]

6. you're welcome

which is 'de nada' in spanish.

[LeahD]

7. Did you check out Eldorado near Old Las Vegas Hwy.?

[TygrBright]

9. El Dorado

LeahD, our realtor(s) didn't show us anything in El Dorado, possibly because we'd told them firmly "no new subdivisions," and that appears to be a large part of what's on the market out there.

But I'm now better-oriented as to where that is, and if there are other options, it would work geographically for us. We'd be happy to have one of the realtors we are working with check out any specific listing(s) anyone can recommend. We gave them more than enough feedback to have an idea of what we're looking for, and they seemed to 'get it' pretty well.

appreciatively,
Bright

[TygrBright]

8. Just an update, and a question...

Just got back from Santa Fe yesterday. Y'know, that area doesn't get NEARLY the positive buzz it merits. (Yes, I know it gets a lot. The point is, with the minor exception of no major lakes or oceans, it is The Perfect Place, and I'm astonished, not that its rate of growth is so fast, but that it's not FASTER!)

Yes, we were a bit altitude-dizzy the first 36 hours or so. Minor headache, a little difficulty sleeping the first night, breathing wasn't as thoughtlessly automatic a process as usual. But by the second night we weren't noticing it at all. What we were noticing was how deliciously, delightfully DRY it was compared to the thick, swampy stew engulfing Maryland. And how gorgeously cool the morning air and evenings on the decks of restaurants were.

A great many words have been written on the subject of how transcendantly beautiful the skyscape and surrounding landscapes are, by people far more eloquent than I will ever be. Suffice to say that I, too, fell under their spell.

And the food... The delicious dilemma-- red or green? The tangy edge of green, or the rich warmth of red? I confess, I often took the easy way out and had (wait for it....) Christmas in July. (Sorry.)

We looked from El Rito in the North down as far as Golden along the Turquoise Trail. Many thanks to the DUers who referred us to places and especially to real estate agents, who did truly heroic service in setting up quantities of showing on very little notice and were patient with our back-East ignorance and faddy quirks. (Yep, a "swamp cooler" is an air-conditioner, works just fine.)

Oddly enough, though we fell in love with a couple of really great properties in the Espanola area, we are leaning towards the city itself. Yes, it's a bit more expensive to get the same square footage, but not that much so if you look in the older, established neighborhoods southwest of downtown rather than in the new close-in subdivisions, and if you avoid the chi-chi renovated lofts and pseudo-'studios' ringing the Plaza and the downtown area.

The only problem is (as a real estate agent warned us,) because of a building moratorium from the mid-80s to the early 90s, there is a "gap." Lots of new houses (seven years old or less) on the market, but not much in the 10-20 years old range.

That narrows our choice, since we're committed to "recycling" rather than adding yet another unit of housing to an already overdeveloped region, but we did find a couple of nice ones in our range.

So, now we have some more practical questions.

First, does anyone know of inexpensive and not too hard to use options for capturing "gray water" and re-using it in the garden, rather than putting it back in the sewer system? Principally waste from the shower, bathtub, and washer?

Second, does anyone know of any good low-water-use commercial/household laundries with pickup/delivery services?

We like the luxury of clean sheets 2x a week, but with a king-size bed that's a lot of water to wash sheets. Currently we have a "green" laundry/cleaners that has pickup and delivery (they use environmentally-friendly cleaning agents.) When I asked them about low water use, they explained that commercial laundry is more water-efficient than household washing in general, but since water is less of an issue in Maryland they don't have any of the "low water use" machines installed. They thought they'd be more common out west.

Anyone from out there know more about this? What should we be looking for?

verdantly,
Bright

[all.of.me]

10. hiya!

i thought about you all weekend long! it was some fabulous weather, although friday was a bit toasty. i was in abq and suffering! but the nights cool right down.

if you read up on mike reynolds' earthships, you will find out about graywater.

http://www.earthship.org/

as for laundry, i imagine you can find a service in santa fe. but all front end loading washing machines are water friendly, and this is what is installed in laundromats. they use a fraction of what a top loader at home does, but i don't know if you want to do your own laundry. there are a couple of alternative newspapers in sf where you could possibly find ads. i can't think of the names of them off-hand, but if i find one, i'll let you know. look through the yellow pages. did you bring home a phone book? also, ask your realtor. she should be happy to help out.

when will you know about the job? is all this still very tentative?

isn't el rito gorgeous?! my choice of living area, but too far from everything with children. i looked at several places there and go hiking and camping up there when i have time. i just love it.

[TygrBright]

11. Thanks!

Will look up on the graywater thing.

The job is looking LESS tentative but MORE lead time, thank heavens. They confirmed they want el esposo, but need more time to do the internal shuffling needed for the reorganization. Some talk about an interim "consulting" arrangement, which offers useful possibilities for facilitating a better-planned relocation. It's actually an encouraging development, because the specifics of the employer's concerns revolve around how to do things in a way that will be "win-win" for everyone concerned--IOW, they'd rather do it right than do it fast. We can definitely live with that, would rather work for those kinds of folks than damn-the-torpedos types.

So we may not actually move until mid-to-late fall, which suits me fine. We adored the El Rito area, but it is a bit of a hump to commute, and escaping the commute is one of the big attractions in this opportunity. It is truly gorgeous up there, and the realtor showed us some wonderful properties with astounding 360-degree views. And we had the best chile of the whole trip at the little wayside cafe in town.

Espanola looked more likely if we don't actually go for in-city itself, there were a couple of houses there that were excellent value and had plenty of space and light. (My two big requirements.)

I am starting to read books on xeriscaping and dry-climate gardening; the possibilities are fascinating. Chamisa is a gorgeous plant.

anticipatorially,
Bright

[all.of.me]

12. did you eat at El Farolito?

sweet. yeah, el rito is quite a commute to sf. great retirement option, though! ;)

i am a landscaper. been here almost 20 years, and i use only native and adaptable plants. the books i refer to all the time are by Judith Phillips - 'Natural by Design' and 'Plants for Natural Gardens'. These are really all you need to understand the various ecosystems here.

i'm glad the ball is starting to roll for you!

[TygrBright]

13. El Farolito, yes...

Lordy, lordy, lordy... I'm a-gonna be good for the rest of my life, because if I go to heaven when I die, I know the meals will all be catered by El Farolito. My tummy was thanking me all DAY for that one.

Well, if you're a landscaper, you'll know why I'm interested in a graywater diversion system. Depending on which of several properties we end up with, I'd like to do three different "areas" of landscaping: A larger xeriscape, a smaller pleasure garden with some moderate water-users mixed in, and a veggie garden. Of course, much depends on the site, but I will check out the Judith Phillips books to get started.

Hope we can get together and swap landscaping stories at some point-- remind me to tell you about my first attempts to contain raspberry canes in a small bed...

ruefully,
Bright

[all.of.me]

14. containing raspberries! hahahahaha

not possible! haha

yes, we should get together and talk plants. that would be great, fun for me, beneficial for you. keep me posted on what is happening!

[TygrBright]

15. I was young...

..and stupid. I thought mere edging would do the trick. You can probably write the ending.

Anyway, yes, will stay in touch. Thanks so much for the advice and encouragement already!

appreciatively,
Bright

[ClubFDRorg]

17. Xeriscape Golf, anyone?

Concern for water conservation, here in New Mexico we've started a new industry:

Xeriscape Golf Courses.

Imagine putting to the hole in 14-inch tall buffalo grass.



kidding

chuckle

snort

[newyawker99]

18. Hi ClubFDRorg!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[ClubFDRorg]

16. I'm a New Mexico Realtor

Hi,

Still looking for a New Mexico realtor?

I'm 50 miles due south of Santa Fe & can handle realty in in Colorado, too.

See my http://www.CastleHomes.US

Andrew Homer
c 505-440-6818

[TygrBright]

19. OK, time for an update...

So much has happened in the last few weeks! The best laid plans, and all...

El esposo has started work, and his commute shatters household records, as he has to go from Baltimore to Santa Fe via Albuquerque to get to and from, now. And we thought a two-hour drive was bad!

However, only a couple more weeks of that, we hope, as we have a contract in on a house, and financing, etc., are moving forward reasonably well. In spite of our hopes to "recycle" an older house, we ended up being the second owners of a very new house. I have mixed feelings about contributing to the building boom but not about the house, which is a classic "lucky find." The current owner's plans apparently changed radically and suddenly. He bought the house new a year ago, and now needs to go elsewhere. He's a single guy who apparently used the garage (for his motorcycle and two vehicles, car AND SUV, sheeeeeeesh...) more than the house, because it was done up like some professional decorator was turned loose on it ::shudder.::

However, underneath all the decorator chi-chi it's a well-constructed house without a lot of cutesy-wootsy nonfunctional 'kitschina' details (hee-hee, love that word. One of el esposo's new co-workers uses it to describe tacky trendy-touristy Southwestern decor and "art.")

I resisted subdivisions kicking and screaming until I realized that the controls Santa Fe City and County have put on subdivision developers are a big part of the regional strategy for minimizing human impact on a fragile ecosystem. So we are in a sub, but it's a pretty nice one, fairly old but with some new "phases." And our house backs up against an open space easement, muy bien.

So, Mom asks "what color is your new house?"

Brown, Mom.

They're ALL brown, in infinite variations on that shade from pale tan/cream to chocolate, with forays into reddish-brown, yellowish-brown, and just plain brown brown. Mind you, I understand the reason and actually applaud it-- it helps keep you from being distracted by signs of human habitation when you're looking at the gorgeous landscape all around you-- but it does make it difficult to tell people how to find your house. ("It's the brown one in the middle of the block" could describe all the houses except those on the corners, y'know.)

And... (pant-pant)... Mr. Single Guy Previous Owner never did DIDDLY to the yard! There's a little landscaping out front doubtless installed by the builders (a buddleia bush, a tree I couldn't identify properly, and a couple of small innocuous-looking shrubby things under an aggregate mulch) but once you pass the little pony wall that divides front from back it's virgin territory.

Oh, my... I am going to have SUCH fun.

Did I mention that one of the house's amenities is a state-of-the-art Rainbird irrigation control system? Hooked up, at the moment, to a single line with a couple of drip emitters by the shrubs and a bubbler by the tree. In other words, as my old elementary school teachers used to say, it's not "working to potential." I think it's my duty... my DUTY, I say... my solemn and sacred responsibility, even!... to do something about that.

Lessee... put a patio outside the dining area... a little rock-bowl fountain in a rock basin by the edge of the patio blending into a dry-stream rock drain winding down to the drainage canal... an oasis patch by the kitchen window for a couple of veggies... a moderate-water strip by the living room side of the patio for some ornamentals... and a couple of fruit trees... blending into a terraced xeriscape in the rest of the yard out to the block wall in the back. Oh, yeah, a little trellis screen along the drainage canal easement that separates our property from the neighbors...

For starters, anyway... wheeee!

So much to do, though. Get the soil tested, map the climate zones (it's a small yard, and pretty flat, but even so, there's distinct areas,) track the sun and wind exposures. Talk about starting from scratch!

In the mean time, I'm also trying to locate various goods and services in the area. Anyone know a reliable geek service that can help me sort out the local Internet access options and put together a household LAN for our office 'putes and the laptops? How about where to buy a swamp cooler system at end-of-season sale prices? (House has wiring & ducting for a system but Mr. Previous didn't put one in.) Reliable handyman?

If I don't go crazy, this'll be fun...

excitedly,
Bright

[LeahD]

20. How to find your brown house?

In NM, balloons lead the way...red ones, blue ones, yellow ones...on stop signs, street signs, mailboxes.

SF Nursery or Plants of the SW will be able to answer your questions about plants for your microclimates.

Although I lived in SF for seven years, it was long, long ago, so I can't be of any help re the swamp cooler/handyman.

Welcome to the Land of Enchantment!

[hippiegranny]

21. we are going to be in the area

right after Christmas (visiting from AZ) and will be looking for some real estate there. We'd like to find a nice area outside of ABQ but not quite in Santa Fe. Any ideas? Any good realtor tips? Any areas to avoid at all costs?

[TygrBright]

23. Happy to refer you to my SF-based realtor...

...she did a great job for us. PM me and I'll put you in touch with her.

I'd never tell you to avoid ANY particular area after having been through our long home search here. We looked around and in Santa Fe and during the process all my expectations were confounded. It is a very unique market.

The advice I'd give you is think hard about *how you want to live* and come up with a few key things to describe THAT, then explore a few houses with your realtor to give her/him an opportunity to see how you respond to various types of housing situations. Once s/he gets a feel for what you *really* want, they'll be able to line up some showings, and the results might surprise you.

We ended up exactly where I initially thought I DIDN'T want to look... but are very happy indeed with the results.

The key points for me were that we didn't want to have to do a lot of fixing-up (neither of us is 'handy',) we didn't want to trash the environment or stress the fragile ecosystem here (we ended up with an Energy Star home in a fairly new community planned to minimize environmental impact,) and I needed lots of light and space. Going in, I initially thought I didn't want a newer home, didn't want to be in a high-density community, didn't want a lot of things that ended up as adjunct to what we got. But it turns out our realtor had a better "read" on what I really wanted and where to find it than I did, after a few showings.

bemusedly,
Bright