Kendra Ruminer's Two Cents of Real Estate

Take A Peek At Los Alamos, New Mexico

Category: Uncategorized (Page 17 of 19)

Candy! Candy! Candy!

November 4, 2020 /

I don’t know about you, but even in this strange Covid-19 post Halloween world, I find myself drowning in candy. If you’re like most people, your kids either managed to collect candy from multiple sources, or you bought it in the store yourself. Either way, if you have too much to even consider eating it all, you might try one of these ideas. Be as creative as you want and use as much candy as you can spare!

Turning candy into candy packed cake is always a fun activity. This is also a great way to turn an excess of flavored hard candies or Smarties into a crunchy, gooey, yummy after dinner treat!

Ingredients:

1-2 Boxes of your favorite cake mix.

Plenty of your favorite flavor of icing.

2-4 cups of crushed hard candies. (Smartie sized)

1/2 cup candy bits for icing.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to the temperature recommended on the cake box and prepare cake batter according to directions. Don’t forget to add the extras for high altitude! We don’t want flattened candy cake. (although it’s still tasty)

Use a food processor to crush the candy. If you don’t have a food processor, you might enjoy using a rubber mallet and some wax paper. A rolling pin works well for this too. Just put the candy into a packet made with the wax paper and smack it around until you have bits and dust. A perfect way to get some of that quarantine aggression out in a constructive way!

Choose your pan and prepare it according to the box directions. Put half the cake batter into the pan. Sprinkle the candy bits onto the batter. Use a butter knife to swirl the candy into fun patterns. Then add the rest of the batter to the pan.

Bake the cake as directed on the box. While the cake is baking, mix a quarter cup of candy bits into the icing. When the cake comes out of the oven, make sure you let it cool, but not all the way. Ice the cake and let the icing melt just enough to make it squishy. Sprinkle the rest of the candy on top. You can eat it while it is still warm or wait until later. Either way, it’s going to be a hit!

Layer desserts are a great way to get rid of extra everything. Pudding. Whipping cream. Chocolate sauce. Cake. You name it and you can pile it into the bowl, glass, or hurricane and make it look scrumptiously edible.

For this, I suggest seeing what you have leftover in the pantry after the long lockdown food hoard. Extra pudding mix? Whip it up and get it ready! That box of cake mix or muffin mix that got lost? Whip it up and get it ready! The following items work well for layers. You can make them or arrange them however you like.

Layers:

Pudding – Any flavor, any variety, as much as you want to make.

Cake – Yellow cake makes a surprisingly good contrast to all of the chocolate puddings, candies, and the whipped cream. But you can use any variety you’d like. It’s surprising how good a nice spice cake can be in a layer dessert, or strawberry, or even chocolate muffins! This can be a fantastic way to get rid of leftover cookies, cupcakes from the store, or other forgotten treats too. Just peel the paper off and stuff them in.

Whipped cream – Cool Whip or a spray can or even whipped heavy cream works well. Make sure you save a bit for the top.

Candy – This is where the chocolate and caramel snack bars or minis really shine. Either cut them, put them through the food processor, or (in the case of Butterfingers) whack them with a mallet or a book or something to get smaller pieces. You can even put a bag or two of M&M type candies into this. Gummies are fine. Even Sour Patch Kids.

The Bowl:

I prefer to use a glass hurricane bowl for this dessert, but you can use whatever you have on hand. A big mixing bowl or even a deep baking dish if you only want two or three layers. You can make this as elaborate and huge as you’d like or you can keep it smaller for a quick treat in individual mugs.

The Process:

The trick here is not to get too hung up on neatness. Cake makes a good bottom layer. And the cake doesn’t have to be intact either. Just place each layer using either your clean hands, a spatula, or a spoon. Layers should be no more than an inch or two thick for large serving bowls and maybe only a smear in a small glass or baking pan. You want just enough to make it visible from the outside if you have a see through bowl, but not too much that you can’t get lots of layers in before you run out of room. And don’t forget to put a layer of pudding or whipping cream between the cake and candy for maximum gooey goodness!

Bon Appetit!

Enjoy your recycled candy treats! And if you think about it, snap a quick pic with your phone and post it in the comments of my post on Facebook! I’d love to see just how creative you can get with leftover candy, cake, and some creamy pudding!

Agent, Broker, or Realtor, Oh My!

October 28, 2020 /

It isn’t as if real estate is the only profession that enjoys a good dose of its own dedicated lingo. I think you find that in every industry, sport, or hobby. My daughter recently picked up horseback riding and I’m pretty sure she’s speaking a foreign language when she tries to discuss riding technique with me. But, I thought it might be helpful (or at least of passing interest) to talk about a couple of terms that are fairly basic to real estate in the State of New Mexico.

Yep. Realtor. Lots of people know this one. But, did you know that the word “Realtor” is a trademarked label belonging to anyone who is an active member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR)? While it would be unusual to hear a home inspector or a mortgage broker or an appraiser call themselves a Realtor, they actually could, as long as they’re an active member of NAR. So, while real estate brokers (or agents, we’ll get to that in a minute) can be Realtors, not all Realtors are real estate brokers. If you want to learn a little more about Realtors, you can find some bits and pieces here. Or, you can go to the NAR website here if you’d like to look up a list of Realtors in your area.

Here’s the thing. In New Mexico, we don’t call ourselves agents. If you think that’s a bit odd, don’t worry. You’re not alone. Here in Los Alamos we get a lot of folks moving here from other parts of the country. They’re used to working with real estate agents. And that’s what they’re looking for when they call. Now, if you want to get super technical, there are ways to create agency here in New Mexico. But if you go to the NM Real Estate Commission’s website, they aren’t going to talk to you about agents. They’re going to talk to you about brokers.

And THAT is where people from outside the area scratch their heads. In other states, a real estate broker is a step up from an agent. The broker’s license requires more education, a few more tests, and a lot more responsibility. Never fear. The NM State Board has come up with a way to differentiate between what other states might call an agent and a broker.

Here in New Mexico we are called Associate Brokers (or just brokers) and Qualifying Brokers. The simple explanation is that an Associate Broker is licensed to do just about everything you need to buy or sell property here in New Mexico. I’m an Associate Broker. We go through 90 hours of pre-licensure education that includes not only real estate basics, but also an ethics course. We need 36 hours of continuing education every year to keep our license current. And we have to know a heck of a lot about the local, state, and even national laws that apply to our job.

Now. The Qualifying Broker has that same background, but they also have an administrative section to their educational requirements. From a reciprocity standpoint, the Qualifying Broker is equal to a Real Estate Broker in most other states. But to be honest, New Mexico is pretty strict about their real estate licensure laws. Our state only recognizes official reciprocity with Massachusetts, Louisiana, and Georgia. That means if an “agent” from another state wants to move to NM or just to add a NM State Real Estate License to their resume so they can do business here, they have to go through a minimum of 30 hours of education before they take the test to get their license. And the board doesn’t care how long you’ve been handling real estate transactions wherever you come from either. You’ve got to provide them with your educational background and your license history to apply for your NM State License.

What does all of THAT mean?

Well, it means that we real estate brokers take our job pretty seriously. It means we’re more than capable of handling all of the intricacies of buying or selling property in the Land of Enchantment. Not that any one part of our state is the same as another. Which is why I’m so focused on Los Alamos. This county is unique. Our market isn’t like anywhere else. And that means I’m your Local Real Estate Expert. Give me a call today!

Full Disclosure-A Real Estate Story

October 21, 2020 /

John and Jane Doe were such a nice couple. They’d lived in Los Alamos for decades. Recently John had retired from LANL and with the kids and grandkids living in Florida, it seemed the perfect time to retire to a much smaller home in a warmer climate.

John and Jane listed their house for sale and were eager to see what sort of nice, young family might move into the place and fill it with laughter and children. They’d kept up with the maintenance on their Barranca Mesa home, making repairs when necessary and updating here and there. John was a pretty handy guy and enjoyed home improvement projects.

Enter Mark and Mary Smith. A young family new to the area, Mark had just been employed by LANL and the couple was looking forward to raising their two young children in such a wonderful small community. Purchasing the house on Barranca Mesa would stretch their budget, but Mark and Mary had been looking at real estate in Los Alamos for over a year and this house was the first one they’d really fallen in love with. By crunching the numbers and making some adjustments to the family budget, Mark and Mary were able to make an offer on the house.

The purchase process was a whirlwind! There were a few minor repairs necessary after the inspection, but within sixty days the young family was moving out of their tiny apartment and into their lovely new home. John and Jane Doe could not have been happier for Mark and Mary Smith. The fall temperatures would soon give way to winter and John and Jane were glad to be packing their things and moving to Florida before the first freeze of the year. They were looking forward to a stress free retirement.

Moving is always a bit hectic, but Mark and Mary enjoyed making the new house into their family home. There were a few minor issues of course. Aren’t there always? A week or two went by. The temperatures started to dip a little lower. And Mark and Mary soon started to notice that their hot water heater wasn’t doing a good job with keeping up with their family’s needs.

Mark isn’t a DIY kind of guy, so he called a repairman. The repairman explained that the hot water heater was older and sediment build up inside had decreased its capacity. Mark and Mary had known that owning their own home would come with maintenance costs. The cost of a new hot water heater seemed within their means and they decided to go for it. After all, they could get a newer, energy efficient model and probably cut their energy costs and have far more hot water available for their growing family.

During the Doe’s long years owning the house, John had enclosed the hot water heater into a set of storage cabinets in the back of the utility room. The cabinets created a lot of handy space, but they also made it rather difficult to work on the hot water heater. The workmen disassembled the cabinets and got to work. And THAT is when they found a very unpleasant overgrowth of nasty mold that seemed to be growing beneath the hot water heater and all they way up the wall. The workmen took the rest of the cabinets apart and discovered the mold stretched the entire length of the utility room.

Hot water heater installers don’t do mold remediation. The contractor called Mark at work and told him it was time to call in a professional to handle this issue. Mark hung up with the contractor and called his real estate broker. It had only been two and half weeks since they’d closed on the house. Surely, the seller had some responsibility for this issue?

Mark and Mary’s broker took another thorough look at the disclosure statement for Mark and Mary’s home. There was no mention of problems in the utility room that could have led to a mold issue. The broker then contacted John and Jane’s broker and asked if there had ever been repairs in the utility room or problems with the hot water heater. It took several days for John and Jane’s broker to reach them in Florida.

John and Jane Doe were shocked to hear about the mold in their former home. Of course they’d had no idea that there was a mold issue in the house. After some thought, John remembered that he’d had an issue with the plumbing fixture on the hot water heater, but it had been a simple fix. A few new fittings from Metzger’s had stopped the tiny leak. John couldn’t imagine why he and Jane would have needed to disclose a leak that had happened nearly eight years ago and had been repaired without further incident.

Meanwhile back on Barranca Mesa, Mark and Mary were horrified to hear that their mold problem was going to cost eight thousand dollars to fix. The contractor at the restoration company explained that the tiny leak had only looked tiny. And while the leak was indeed repaired, the water had seeped down into the subfloor and up into the drywall and would require a complete remodel of the utility room and part of the ceiling and flooring above.

Mark and Mary contacted their broker. Surely they weren’t responsible for all of this damage if it came from a leak that happened before they owned the home? Besides, they didn’t have eight thousand dollars to pay for the mold repair!

John and Jane didn’t know what to do. Surely they weren’t responsible for all of this damage if the home inspector didn’t find it during the inspection? The leak was fixed. The hot water heater was working just fine when they sold the house!

That’s the thing. Nobody is right and nobody is wrong. As to who is responsible? That could be determined by the local courts if the buyer decides to take the seller to court for nondisclosure.

Here is the lesson. Disclose. Disclose. Disclose! I cannot tell my clients enough times to disclose EVERYTHING. What repairs did you make to the house while you were there? Did you hire contractors? Were there permits pulled for the work? Were there things done to the house prior to your ownership? So many times sellers are tempted to put their home’s best foot forward. After all, if there weren’t any lingering defects from a project, why is it a big deal?

I think my little story tells you exactly what the worst case scenario could be. Poor Mark and Mary Smith! Had the disclosure statement mentioned a hot water heater leak, the inspector could have been tasked with more thoroughly inspecting that cabinet in the utility room. He very likely would have found the mold problem. Would they have bought the house? Probably. But they would have likely come in with a lower offer that would have left them with the cash to make the repairs.

Poor John and Jane Doe! They’re in Florida trying to enjoy their retirement! If they had just listed the hot water heater leak and repair on the disclosure statement, there was no way someone could accuse them on hiding anything. Did they knowingly hide a mold issue? Of course not. Had they realized that there was a huge home improvement project looming, they could have either fixed it themselves (possibly with the help of their home insurance policy) or they could have lowered their asking price to allow for the repair.

This is the takeaway, folks: The sale STILL would have happened. It just wouldn’t have caused so much upset afterwards. So once again…

FSBO vs Broker: Ready. Set. Go!

October 14, 2020 /

Yes. When it comes to the question of whether or not to use the services of a real estate broker to sell your home or not, I have what you might call a biased opinion. But, having said that, I can also be real with potential clients. And looking at the Los Alamos County real estate market right now, you might be asking yourself, why on earth would you ever need a Realtor to sell your house? Houses are selling like Tickle Me Elmo during the Christmas season of 1996! Everyone you know has heard of someone that they know who has a friend, who has a cousin, whose house had a massive bidding war and went for thousands over the asking price!

Newsflash.

Some of those things are true. But just because the market is moving doesn’t mean the services of a professional broker aren’t needed. In fact, it can mean that you’re more in need of a licensed professional than ever. Here are a few things to think about if you’re considering a FSBO home sale.

FSBO (For Sale By Owner)

The FSBO trend has been around for generations. Stick a sign in the ground, handle all of the phone calls and marketing yourself, and do your own negotiating. You get to find the right buyer willing to pay the right price. You are intimately involved in every aspect of your home’s sale. From the first moment that potential new homeowner gets your number off the sign or the Craigslist ad until you’re handing them the keys and congratulating them on their new purchase. It can sound like a really great idea.

The number one reason why? Well, because you don’t have to pay a real estate commission to the brokers, right?

Let’s think about that for a moment. This can be a big deal. Nobody likes the idea of handing over five or six percent of their home’s equity to a third party. In some markets this can be the difference between breaking even at closing or having to bring money to the table to literally pay someone to take your house off your hands.

But that’s not our market here in Los Alamos. At least not right now. In fact, from a buyer’s perspective, it might be even more tempting to try and purchase a house without using a broker in our local market. It’s tempting to believe that leaving a Realtor out of the equation might result in a lower cost on a house in a market with a hefty median price.

Except those two concepts don’t really go together. Both the buyer and the seller can’t save a big chunk of change. Yes. They can save the commission. I typically charge six percent. On a $300K home that could be $15K. It’s not a small number. And yet, the popular Real Estate Information website, Keeping Current Matters reports that a study by Collateral Analytics suggests that broker listed homes netted an average of 6% more than homes that went for sale by owner.

Even if we suggest that you’re only breaking even in a financial sense by using a broker to sell your home, you might want to really consider what buying and selling a home actually involves.

No really. How much time do you have? If you’re buying a house, there’s a good chance you’re either out of area, getting settled in our beautiful little town, trying to get your kids situated in new schools, navigating a new job, or dealing with another huge life change. Even if you’re local, you’re probably trying to prepare for a move, which can be a logistical game of Twister.

If you’re selling your home, you’re probably doing exactly the same things in the opposite direction. The market here in Los Alamos has a breathtaking turnaround rate. There is a reason why people make jokes about real estate professionals being constantly on the phone. We are.

Marketing

The amount of money I spend every year on marketing would be absolutely ridiculous if it weren’t for the fact that I work in an industry that is almost entirely driven by my marketing. But in reality, it’s like anything else in our modern world. There are databases and networks and subscriptions. Never forgetting the power of social media. I work with companies and professionals in all facets of this giant machine to create a customized marketing campaign for each home I list. Add in the new pandemic restrictions and the realities of selling real estate in a Covid-19 world and online marketing has suddenly taken on a whole new meaning.

My question to anyone considering a FSBO situation is this. Are you honestly prepared to showcase your home in a digital world? 3D tours, Zillow, Facebook, paper marketing, and every other modern advertising concept that can get your home in front of a potential buyer? For some sellers, the answer might be yes. So many Average Joes out there possess digital savvy that I truly envy. If that’s not necessarily you, I realize that it’s easy right now to comfort yourself with the notion that you could probably skip all of that and just stick a few signs outside and advertise an Open House.

Perhaps. But do you really want dozens upon dozens of people wandering through your home and your family’s personal living space during a time when we’re not even supposed to gather in groups of more than five people whether we are indoors or out? More and more homes are selling sight unseen. Buyers realize what a pandemic means and they’re making adjustments. If you’re selling your home it means getting creative. If you’re buying a home it means navigating the world of airbrushed photos, professionally produced 3D tours, and flowery language as you try to decide if this space is right for you while essentially shopping online for your next home. Let’s just say the return policy on a house can leave a little something to be desired.

Okay. The last thing I want to talk about is the negotiating. Buying or selling a home can be tense. It’s sometimes tempting to think you’d feel better by having all of those little things under your control. After all, if you can see everything that’s happening you might feel less stressed. Right?

It’s easy to forget that part of what you’re paying your broker for is their network of “people to get that done”. Are you ready to negotiate with a potential buyer or seller about home inspections and appraisals? Even if you’re selling your home FSBO, you’re likely to get plenty of brokers calling you about your home. In a market like ours where every house matters, that’s a given. Are you prepared to negotiate with a professional who is working hard for their client? It might be tempting to think to yourself that it’s like paying half the commission you would have otherwise just to have someone deal with the paperwork. But remember that the buyer’s agent is working for them and not you, or vice versa. It’s like representing yourself in front of a judge in a legal matter when the other side has an attorney.

Speaking of legal matters, that’s another thing to keep in the back of your mind. In our modern market, the legalese and requirements surrounding things like disclosure (I’ll talk about that in another blog, I promise) and lending practices can be more than just tricky. Dealing with lenders and title companies can leave the most levelheaded individual spinning in circles. Don’t ask me how much time I spend on the phone making sure someone emailed someone else regarding paperwork labeled X,Y,& Z that is absolutely required to be at Location A before a 3:00 PM closing appointment.

Maybe You’re Ready

I’m not going to tell anyone that they aren’t ready to dive into this process if that’s what they want to do. That’s not my intention at all. If you’re chomping at the bit to try your hand at buying or selling a home without using a broker, then I’m the one standing on the sidelines cheering you on. I’ve known plenty of people on both sides of that equation. Those who have had excellent FSBO experiences and those who haven’t. If you’re ready, do your research and go to it! These are just some things to think about when you’re considering a real estate transaction. If you’ve ever experienced a FSBO situation, you’ve probably got a dozen more bits and pieces of advice to add.

As always, happy house hunting! And if you’ve got questions, please give me a call! I would love to chat with you and sometimes the first part of making the choice to work with a broker or go with a FSBO is to talk to a local real estate professional and see what your options are. You might be surprised how much information you can get from one phone call…

Winter Survival Tips (For Your Yard)

October 7, 2020 /

Winter in the desert. It actually sounds like a break, right? People typically think of the desert as being hot and dry and maybe windy. So, winter would be cooler and maybe include some moisture. Not that we’re going to get rid of the wind…

But the reality of winters here in Los Alamos County isn’t always about cooler temperatures. I don’t think I have to remind anyone of that crazy 2018-2019 winter when you couldn’t even entice a tow truck to come up here to pull your car out of a snow drift and we were suddenly learning about things like “back up snow removal storage sites”.

Snow might or might not be on the horizon. If you’ve been a long time resident of Los Alamos or even someone who has gone through several winters here, you know that predictions are rarely spot on or even close. Some winters we have moisture, others are dry as a bone. But somewhere in all of those maybes are a few good thoughts about how to get YOUR yard ready to weather the coming winter whether it is wet, dry, or other.

Mulch

Many people have a bit of a love hate relationship with mulch. It’s not as polished looking as rock. It comes in a variety of qualities, colors, sizes, etc. You can get it for free at the Transfer Station here in Los Alamos (and they’ll load it onto your truck or trailer for $3.00/yard). But no matter how you feel about mulch, there is a good chance you can use it to help your outdoor plants survive the winter looking their best.

For starters, mulch is all about insulation and moisture. Because of this, you want to apply mulch BEFORE the ground freezes for the winter. Now. I realize that we had that bout of snow already, but the ground has warmed sufficiently that you could get out there and mulch around your shrubs and trees before the winter weather is here to stay. Applying mulch to your plants is only the first step though. After that you want to soak the ground as much as you can (while remembering the water rules) up to the point where the mulch and the soil freeze. The idea is to promote as much root growth as possible and to keep the plants from doing the freeze and thaw cycle. Adding mulch too late or too early in spring, can cause the ground to thaw and the plants to start their spring heave toward the surface only to be smacked down by another cold front.

Pruning

I have to say that I can totally understand the desire to clip off all of the dead growth on your plants in the fall. But you can increase the health of your plants and help them better survive winter by waiting until late winter or early spring to do your pruning.

Exception!

If you have a tree or large shrub that has limbs in danger of breaking off during a heavy snowfall, then you should certainly get out there and take care of that. Another situation that requires pre-winter pruning are rose bushes or other flowering shrubs with long stems or “canes” that get whipped around in the wind. Trim those back so the plant doesn’t damage itself in bad weather.

For the most part though, the long stems, even though they’re dead, are used by the root system to stay healthy in bad weather. Stems and dead foliage can also catch and hold excess snow to promote insulation of the core of the plant during severe cold spells. So as much as you might be tempted to whack everything off in the fall, you might want to consider putting off that chore until spring.

Leaves

Here in Los Alamos, we don’t necessarily have an excess of leafy trees like you might have seen in others areas such as the Midwest. But we do have some. Here is a thought when you’re trying to decide whether or not you want to bother with raking up the mess. A thick bed of leaves might work as an insulator for your plants, but it also makes a fantastic breeding ground for plant damaging insects. While mulch tends to harbor a “healthier” variety of insects dedicated to the decomposition process and adding nutrients to the soil, leaves provide a great place for problem insects to winter. Their eggs and larvae stay cozy and fed and erupt in the spring to become an even bigger nuisance.

Soil Deficiencies

If you have any fruit trees on your property, you might want to think about iron deficiencies in your soil. An iron deficiency can be responsible for not only yellowed foliage on certain plants and shrubs, but also poor tasting and sparse crops of fruit on fruit trees. Fall is the perfect time to add something like Greensand to the area around the base of your plants. Check out the information here for more about iron deficiencies.

No matter how you choose to get ready for winter, I hope you enjoy this gorgeous fall weather that we’re having. And remember, for all of your local real estate tips, questions, and especially answers, feel free to contact Kendra via email or phone.

Holidays in Los Alamos

September 30, 2020 /

I know. You’re thinking to yourself that it’s ONLY the very beginning of October. You don’t want to think about how many shopping days are left before Christmas and you REALLY don’t want to think about the kids being off school for the holidays either.

But come on. Let’s be real. We are ALL looking forward to the end of 2020. Why not focus on one of the seasons that is by far a GREAT thing about living in our community. If there’s something that Los Alamos does well, it’s the holiday season. And I’m here to tell you that Covid hasn’t changed that. Promise.

Monster Madness and Big Time Munchies!

Oh yes. Los Alamos Halloweekend is ON! Scheduled for October 29th through the 31st, the Arts Council has us covered, Los Alamos. Get the full schedule of events HERE. But what I can promise you is that while things are going to look a little different than they have in past years, we are still going to have a Pumpkin Glow, a Scarecrow Contest, and of course, Trick or Treating in the Main Street District. This year will be Monster Munchies to avoid the crush of humanity that we’ve all become accustomed to for Trick or Treat Main Street. Grab a hanging bag or two of goodies from an obliging tree on Friday or Saturday all day long.

Now. I think we’re all waiting to see what traditional Halloween trick or treating is going to be like in this Covid world. So, I cannot promise that the neighborhoods of Loma Linda in Los Alamos or Brighton Drive in White Rock will be offering their usual mega candy treats. But if you’ve never truly experienced Halloweekend in Los Alamos, check out this wonderful article by Kate Nelson of NM Magazine that describes just how awesome it is to celebrate Halloween in “the city on the hill”.

A Place to be Thankful

As the season of thankfulness approaches, it’s a perfect time to be grateful for what we have here in Los Alamos. As of September, our community was ranked the No. 1 Healthiest Community in America. You can read the article HERE, but I’m sure as you look over the criteria and read the testimonials from residents of our beautiful town, you won’t be surprised by what they’ve got to say. We are truly blessed to call this home. Sure. It’s not all wine and roses, but it’s pretty darn awesome.

With this in mind, and also given that it might not be the greatest plan to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday. It might be time to focus on what we have and do some donating or some volunteer work with one of the many organizations here in our community.

Stuck at home? Why not organize the family and put together a Thanksgiving Purge Project? Local Charity Shop Casa Mesita has just moved to a new storefront near the Bradbury Science Museum, which means they have more space for your unwanted stuff. Or, maybe its time to pass on some of the items you might have over purchased during the initial pandemic. CALL LA Cares and check with them about donating paper or canned goods.

This is a chance to come together as a family and talk about priorities and necessities and maybe even have a chat about accumulating too much stuff. Period. Goodness knows we’ve all been stuck at home with our stuff for long enough now that we might have some really new ideas about what’s important and what isn’t. If you want to know my thoughts on stuff, check this blog post from back on August 20, 2020. But seriously, at the end of it all, let’s take a moment to be grateful for our homes and the opportunity to live our lives in this beautiful community.

Winterfest Los Alamos

Never fear, Covid didn’t kill off our beautiful holiday lights parade or Winterfest Los Alamos. Some of the events are still up in the air, but one thing is certainly scheduled. Winterfest has been officially scheduled for December 4-6 with the Holiday Lights Parade on Saturday December 5. The theme this year is Toyland on the Mesa and there’s no doubt that a chance to get outside and celebrate will be more welcome than ever as 2020 draws to a close. Check out the details of Winterfest HERE.

The Holiday Lights Parade, the tree lighting at Ashley Pond, ballets, concerts, and the annual Creche Show at the Church of Latter Day Saints are all part of the Christmas Season in Los Alamos. While it’s uncertain whether or not all of these events will go on or be unchanged by this new Covid reality, there are a few things I think we can probably count on.

Over on Garver in White Rock, there will be a Santa peeking through the attic window in the garage. North Mesa will be lit by the glow of Luminarias on Christmas Eve. And we might even have another bonfire and lights set to music over on Brighton Dr. As we all contemplate the upcoming Holiday Season, I encourage all of you, friends, neighbors, and fellow residents of Los Alamos County, go all out this holiday season. Decorate your homes and businesses, your barns, your cars, and maybe even yourselves (if you’re inclined to wear an elf hat). This will be a year to climb in the family car or SUV and enjoy some hot cocoa as you cruise through the neighborhoods enjoying the displays and feeling warm and cozy as we bid farewell to the Year 2020.

Some Thoughts About Relo Companies

September 24, 2020 /

There is no doubt about it. Moving is stressful. Whether you’re hung up on the current home you’re trying to sell, the one you’re trying to move into, or the temporary housing situation between the two. Add in a job change and you’re probably ready to throw up your hands!

This is why the “Relocation Package” is such a thing. Not just a thing, but a thing that is spoken about in an almost hushed tone of reverence when people talk about job changes or moving from city to city.

“What’s that? Your company offered a… (wait for it) RELOCATION PACKAGE?”

A relocation package can be a wonderful and helpful opportunity for anyone who is moving. Moving is a stressful time. If you’re moving to Los Alamos to work for LANL, you will typically find that LANL relocation has one of the most competitive packages out there. Depending upon the package, it can include closing costs, moving costs, two months of temporary housing, and sometimes it includes a reimbursement of closing costs on your previous home. Typically, you do have the responsibility of selling your previous house and depending upon your employment situation (LANL employee or contractor) these offerings can vary widely and might even include the cost of storing the bulk of your household goods while you find a new home.

No matter if you’re getting one or all of these incentives, it can amount to thousands of dollars in assistance with your move. For families coming into the Los Alamos County housing market, this can be especially helpful. Navigating the housing market here in Los Alamos can be tricky. A relocation package can help mitigate some of the financial burden while you’re doing your best to settle into temporary housing, get the kids into a new routine with schools, and maybe even search for a new home into the bargain.

When You’re Leaving Los Alamos

Whether you’re a contractor or a LANL employee going elsewhere, there is one really important thing to think about if you’re considering the perks of a relocation package. First of all, while LANL typically handles their own relocations, many companies contract those services through a third party. A Relo Company. Make sure you are fully aware of who is going to be handling your move when you negotiate your relocation package with your employer. The services can vary, but you don’t always have a choice when it comes to who is calling the shots. Sure. Packing, moving, travel, and temporary housing reimbursement are never a bad idea, but you might want to rethink that “buy out” option when you’re leaving Los Alamos. Because?

Houses in Los Alamos County are selling quickly.

Now. This is RIGHT NOW. In our current market as things stand right now, it doesn’t take a long time for a home for sale to go under contract. This means you might want to hold off on the buy out offer. There is a good chance that you will get more cash in your pocket from selling your current Los Alamos home the old fashioned way. In my more recent experience, I’ve had homes go under contract before the relo company can even get the paperwork completed. In a few cases, the relo package was changed mid stream and my clients would have had less hassle just selling their home in the traditional way and letting the company pay for the move.

The truth is that a relocation home buy out is really designed for a sluggish market and not an active one. If the market in our community changes, (as it has been known to do in the past), then the buy out might once again become a really great opportunity for those leaving the community.

Still like the idea of a buyout? There are likely a few paragraphs worth of small print you should really pay attention to before agreeing to a buy out. Make certain you fully understand what your responsibility is as far as repairs to your home prior to the buy out. Even newer homes will have a surprising number of small repairs crop up on an inspection. It’s likely that you’ll be expected to fix that list before the deal can close and you can move on. This can affect the amount of money in your pocket. Sometimes your company will offer to reimburse you for these expenses, but that can also take time. Know exactly what you’re responsible for and what perks you’ll be getting in return.

How do Realtors Feel About Relo Companies?

I love anything that helps my clients. But I will tell you that from a Realtor’s perspective, a relocation company isn’t necessarily our best friend. For one thing, they require a Realtor to pay 35%-42% of our commission to them as a fee. And that doesn’t guarantee that they hold up their end of the bargain either. In some cases, this doesn’t mean that we do less work. In many cases, it can means we do more. Beyond that, when dealing with a relocation company moving you to other areas, be aware that a relocation company will often contract with brokers or agents who aren’t necessarily familiar with an area or neighborhood where you’re looking. Sometimes they’re semi-retired or brand new and in either case it can result in a less than stellar customer service experience.

When considering a moving or relocation package as a whole, you might want to look at the projected expenses of your move and ask your company for a lump sum option. This can be a great way to come out ahead while also making sure that you choose your travel methods, your Realtor, your packing and moving company, and might even save you some cash.

At the end of the day, I want what’s best for my clients. Buying and selling a home, and then moving, is a big event! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out and call! If you’re considering a relo package or if you’re trying to do it on your own, I’d be happy to talk resources, logistics, and of course, property!

Make Your Home Improvements Count!

September 16, 2020 /

The subject of home improvement is always a tough one. After all, a home is one of the largest investments we can ever expect to make in our lives. Our home is our castle. And if you’re living in Los Alamos County, chances are you waited, watched, and eventually were so thrilled to move into your home, that the space itself has become nearly sacrosanct. Of course, there’s also a chance that you’re itching to get started on modernizing your house! If that sounds familiar, then let’s discuss a few important points when it comes to recouping cost on a few common home improvement projects.

Data is one of those valuable tools we’ve all become accustomed to looking at when we talk about anything these days. It may (or may not) surprise you to know that there are entities out there collecting data on remodeling projects. One of the most comprehensive reports out there is the Cost vs. Value report. The data is collected by Remodeling Weekly, a publication that caters to contractors and other construction professionals. But the data itself is compiled by surveying Realtors, lenders, appraisers, and other real estate professionals. The purpose, of course, is to help contractors tailor their advertising in a way that helps them push the kinds of projects that homeowners might be more interested in paying for.

That said, we can also spin that report. It’s based on geographical information. And while Albuquerque is the closest metropolitan city that they take into consideration, that still makes it very useful to us here in Los Alamos County. So, the question still remains. What ARE the kind of home improvements that really pay off by increasing your home’s eventual price point in the market?

The Projects That Count

  1. Manufactured Stone Veneer
  2. Garage Door Replacement
  3. Minor Kitchen Remodel
  4. Siding Replacement (fiber cement)
  5. Siding Replacement (vinyl)

It’s not surprising to find things like a kitchen remodel or adding a bathroom or even remodeling a bathroom further on down the list. In fact, you can see that the minor kitchen remodel is number three . According to the “Remodeling” website, if you spend $23K and change on the job, you’re likely to get as much as 78% of that cost back in added value to your home. This is the way the list works, by the way. It speaks in terms of percentage of dollar spent that you might be likely to see added to the value of your home at resale.

“But Kendra, I don’t even HAVE a garage!”

Let’s look at this list in terms of our community, shall we? While adding a manufactured stone veneer to the area around your front door or garage might look fantastic and dramatically increase your curb appeal, that kind of project, along with replacement of garage doors, isn’t always right for homes here in our area.

Reading Between the Lines

Updating is important. That’s a common theme demonstrated by the data trends. Buyers care about updated windows and exterior features like steel entry doors. There is also an element of energy efficiency here. We all know that the old windows in those quads and duplexes in Western Area are paper thin and don’t do much of anything to mitigate heating and cooling costs. If you’re considering doing any of those home improvement projects for yourself, then the good news is that they’ll pay off in the future when you go to sell your home!

Flash doesn’t get much of a return. This is a REALLY important point, folks. We constantly hear and see photographs or layouts of kitchen and bathroom remodels that are out of this world! These projects can cost thousands upon thousands of dollars. And yet the data suggests that buyers don’t really WANT your Tuscan Style Kitchen.

Neat. Clean. Updated. That is the rule of thumb for these projects. A modest kitchen remodel includes updated countertops, flooring, cabinets, and appliances. A bathroom needs a new vanity, sink, countertop, lighting, and paint. While that may seem like a lot, it doesn’t have to include marble tile, imported countertops, and hand hewn cabinets. Just head to your nearest DIY store and see what they have available. You’ll be comfortable in the home while you’re there, and the next potential owner will fall in love faster.

Outdoor living spaces are hot! The bottom line here is that a deck is still a great investment. Especially in our community. Patios aren’t going to net you nearly as much return on investment as a deck, but investing in your landscaping and making the exterior living spaces of your home inviting is always a good idea that gets a high return on investment.

It’s Okay To Suit Yourself

In the end, it’s really important to think about your plans for your home when you consider home improvement projects. If you’ve purchased the home as an investment property, then by all means, carefully choose the identity and scope of your projects to maximize the value. But if it’s your HOME? Don’t forget to be comfortable in your own space. It’s okay to change something to suit YOU. Whether its the gourmet Tuscan Style Kitchen you’ve always dreamed of, or a master suite that comes straight from the Royal Boudoirs Collection. Dream as big as your budget will let you. Love your home! And if you’re ready to turn that investment house into a property for sale, then give me a call. I’d love to talk to you!

Add Some Rot To Your Life

September 9, 2020 /

Oh yes. As we come to the end of a particularly hot summer here in Los Alamos County, it’s time to start getting outside again. Not that we aren’t outside nearly every month out of the year here in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. But with the uncertainty that has become a daily part of our lives, there is wisdom in the idea that new projects aren’t a bad thing at all.

With that in mind, fall might just be the perfect time to start a composting project. Yep. That’s right. Compost. And no. I’m not talking about that pile of stinky, rotting vegetables and yard waste you forgot to gather up and deposit in your brown yard waste bin either.

The truth is that compost can be “done” outdoors or indoors. So, don’t let being in an apartment, condo, or other dwelling without a lot of yard space keep you from having that compost pile. Another thing. Compost done right does NOT smell. If your compost is smelling icky, it means you’ve put something in the pile that doesn’t belong. Eggs, for example, or perhaps dog poop, meat scraps, or other taboo items.

For a full list of items that either belong or DON’T belong in your compost pile, visit the EPA’s website. There is a whole list of do’s and don’t’s for your compost project. Or, the NM Environmental Department has a handy brochure you can view HERE.

Of course, the most important thing to ask yourself when considering a compost pile is whether or not you’re ALLOWED to have a compost pile on your property.

For the most part, here in Los Alamos County, we ARE allowed to have a compost pile on our property. If you’re living in a covenant community such as Elk Ridge, or you’re renting an apartment or even renting a duplex or other single family residence, simply double check with your landlord or property management company regarding their rules for composting.

Composting Basics

There are three things you need for composting. The formula is often described as brown plus green plus water. And of course, you’ll need plenty of air. But before we start with the actual stuff, you need to have a suitable container.

If you don’t want to purchase a bin from a retailer, you can make one. I suggest picking up four wood pallets and wiring them together. You can also make a three sided enclosure using straw bales, providing they’re held together with string and not wire. Or, you could go old school and just make a heap somewhere out of the way in your yard. Make certain you have good access to your compost area since you’ll have to be out there turning it in order to help the process along.

Next Up: The Ingredients
You need four things to make your composting project a success. Brown. Green. Water. Air.
Brown = Yard Waste. Green = Food Waste.
And by the way, grass clippings are considered green and not brown. Water is pretty self-explanatory. Air is also an obvious thing, and yet it’s one of the items that so many people don’t really understand when it comes to successful composting.
Compost is basically the natural breaking down of organic material. Your yard waste brings carbon to the mix. Your food waste brings nitrogen. Water or moisture is a necessary component, and you need to turn that pile at least daily in order to allow air into the mix.

Now, you might be wondering whether composting is really the type of activity you want to be out in your yard doing. After all, composting is for gardeners, right?

Not necessarily. If you’ve spent much time at all trying to grow anything in our county, you know that our topsoil isn’t the greatest. In fact, I’m probably being generous saying it’s not great. The truth is that it isn’t suited to growing things at all.

That being said, even if you DON’T want to garden, you can take your compost and work it into your yard. The end product of the composting process is basically sweet smelling soil. Good, FERTILE soil. Adding that to your fall or spring grass seed mix could really give those green spots in your yard a helpful boost! If you’ve xeriscaped and don’t have grass, put the compost around the base of your trees. If you started a compost pile this weekend and committed to working that pile at least a few times per day, you’d have viable compost in three to four weeks. That would mean you’d have a nice mixture of soil just in time to winterize your yard.

On the subject of working that pile…

Composting can be great exercise. It gets you outside in the yard. Not only are you picking up leaves and brush, you’re carrying your kitchen scraps out to the pile several times a day. That’s an activity to add some steps to the daily total! And in order to move the compost process along, you have to be out there turning the soil. It’s like adding a little bit of cross fit to your daily routine. And I don’t know about you, but with the kiddos learning at home and most jobs involving some kind of hybrid work from home scenario, anything that involves going outside and doing something physical is a bonus for your mental and physical health.

Compost Troubleshooting

A few things to keep in mind when you’re playing in the pile.

  1. If your compost pile stinks, you’ve either put in some no no items, or you’ve got too much moisture. Try adding dry material like leaves or dry grass clippings to get your moisture a little more balanced. If that doesn’t do the trick, check the EPA’s list HERE.
  2. If your compost pile is dry and flaky in the middle, you need more water. Try watering each layer of the pile as you turn it, and then cover it with a plastic sheet or a scrap of carpet to increase the moisture content. (Think greenhouse).
  3. If it’s taking too long to get from your compost starter to a usable product, increase the number of times you’re turning that pile. This is a way of getting air into the mix. More turning=more air=equals faster composting.

All right. I’ve given you resources and information. It’s time for you to add the rot and get composting! As always, I’d love to hear from you. Whether you’re buying, selling, or just looking for Tips to enjoy life in Los Alamos. I’m here for you!

Those Big Ticket Items

September 2, 2020 /

The words “Big Ticket Item” can be applied in so many ways. But they do seem to have a rather broad application when it comes to home ownership. A home is one of the biggest investments you’ll make in your lifetime. The amount of planning that goes into the initial purchase of your home is nothing compared to the satisfaction you get from walking through the door at the end of each day and just knowing you’re HOME.

But as with any investment, you might want to keep a few things in mind when it comes to maintaining and protecting your home. Whether you’re considering the purchase of a new or new to you home, or trying to make some vital decisions about necessary maintenance on your current home, these are some things to keep in mind.

The Roof

Architectural shingling is the most common roofing material used in the United States. However, here in Los Alamos County and in the Southwest in general, we see a lot of flat roofs on adobe style homes as well as metal roofing options.

Asphalt shingling comes in 20, 30, 40, and 50 year ratings. These ratings are established by the manufacturer, but they don’t necessarily take into account the brutal UV rays experienced here in our community. Lighter colored shingle roofs will last longer than darker colors, and choosing a lighter color for your shingles can also cut down on cooling costs in the summer.

Flat roofs tend to need repair or even replacement in 10-15 years. They require frequent inspecting to make certain that puddling of water doesn’t occur. In some cases, older flat roofs need a buildup of fiberglass or other material to create a slope to encourage appropriate draining.

A metal roof such as Pro Panel roofing can last from 40 to 70 years. Though some homeowners mention that metal roofing can be “louder” during rain or hail storms, proper insulation in your ceiling can eliminate this issue. Metal roofing also comes in a variety of colors and has a better fire rating than other roofing options, which sometimes makes it attractive in communities like ours.

Now. When considering your roofing options, whether the roof is on a house you want to purchase, or your current home, think about age. Age of the home. And how long are you planning to stay in that house? Metal roofing is more expensive than shingles. Sure. You might get 70 years out of the roof, but if you’re only planning to be there for ten years, you’re not going to be the one truly benefitting from that large investment. When pondering the options for replacing your roof, really be honest with yourself about your budget, your expectations, and how long you intend to be in this home. You’ll be glad that you did.

Siding

Saying that our town is filled with an eclectic collection of colorful dwellings isn’t just talk. A strong part of our town’s identity is in our individuality and sometimes that comes out in the paint choices. Even if it means that one half of a duplex is blue and the other is brown.

Some of these color choices come down to what sort of siding is covering the exterior of a home. We have brick, vinyl and hardboard siding, and also plenty of stucco. The durability of these choices is largely affected by whether or not they were properly installed to begin with. Vinyl siding has a 60 year lifespan, hardboard siding tends to be less, 40 years or so, and stucco will last you approximately 50 years. All of these estimates are affected by weather and climate. Replacement costs have more to do with your home’s size, construction, and whether or not the current exterior material must be removed. If you ask Google, the average cost of replacing your siding falls somewhere between $8K and 12K$. Truthfully, this number is generally higher here in our zip code, sometimes because we are located in a remote area, other times because of our tax rate.

In the end, what you choose to put on the exterior of your home should be influenced by your personal preferences and your budget. It’s also drastically affected by how long you intend to be in your home. Be aware if it isn’t your direct concern, it could be a concern for the individual who purchases your home from you down the line.

HVAC – The hot and cold in YOUR life

Air conditioning was not part of the original equipment in a good number of Los Alamos homes. If you’re considering the purchase of a home without A/C, don’t make the assumption you can just add that in later. Ask your Realtor or consult with your building inspector and get all the facts. If that home doesn’t have a central heating system, adding “aftermarket” A/C can be problematic. Ventilation systems and ductwork can be costly or impossible to install if there’s no place for them to go.

Many homes in Los Alamos have hot water baseboard heating. This tends to be a very effective heating solution for many homeowners. Combined with a wood stove or the use of a fireplace, it can be cost effective and cozy. Many homes in our area have passive solar features as well thanks to the brilliant sun that shines an average of more than three hundred days a year.

If your home DOES have A/C, you can expect that system to last 10-15 years. Your furnace and A/C do need regular inspections. Inspections for gas furnaces can be free, so take advantage of this service to avoid costly repairs down the road. If you do need to replace a unit, you can expect to spend between $5K and $10K depending on the size of your home and your family’s needs. When purchasing a home, make sure to ask when the system was last serviced and if the A/C unit has needed “recharging” (a refill of the system refrigerant). Then begin budgeting for any repairs or replacement well in advance. This is one situation where a little bit of planning can avoid some uncomfortable days and nights waiting for emergency service.

Appliances

When it comes to a modern home, there are a LOT of appliances! Here are some basic stats regarding how long those suckers are likely to last.

Hot Water Heater – 6-13 years

Stove 13-15 years (gas stoves tend to last longer)

Refrigerator 10-18 years (the larger the longer lived)

Dishwasher – 10 years

Microwave – 7 years

Some things to think about when it comes to replacing appliances.

First? NOBODY wants to be without hot water. Know how old your hot water heater is and what kind of shape it is in. The water in Los Alamos has a lot of minerals that tend to collect inside a hot water heater reservoir. While these don’t necessarily kill the hot water heater, they can diminish the amount of space inside the tank and effectively create situations where you simply don’t have enough hot water to handle more than one shower in an hour. This could shorten the number of years your hot water heater can handle your family’s needs.

It’s also important to consider the new options for hot water that don’t even require a tank. On demand tankless hot water systems can be a viable option here in Los Alamos. Many of our homes already have gas powered hot water heaters and that can decrease the cost of installation on a tankless system. In the end, it comes down to your family’s needs and your budget. While a tankless system can cost a lot less per year, they tend to cost three times as much up front. That means you need to be in your home for a number of years to break even on that expenditure. Talk to a qualified dealer or a highly rated plumber to find out if this option is the right one for you.

We’ve all seen those older refrigerators, stoves, ovens, etc. that seem indestructible. They’re ancient, and they’re some bizarre color like bright red, golden yellow, or avocado green. Remind yourself that all of those colors were popular at one time. When choosing your new appliances, try to go with a color and finish that is easy to clean, light, bright, and appealing. Even if you’re only replacing appliances one at a time as they need it, plan ahead and think timeless and not trendy.

I hope this information has given you some ideas about your home ownership journey. As always, if you have more questions or any comments, please feel free to Contact Kendra. I’d love to hear from you!

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