Kendra Ruminer's Two Cents of Real Estate

Take A Peek At Los Alamos, New Mexico

Tag: Living in Los Alamos (Page 12 of 14)

Bridge the Gap

October 23, 2021 /

The brilliant colors of autumn are beginning to wane. There is a distinct chill in the morning air and all too soon Daylight Savings Time will be over. We’ll roll back our clocks and enjoy an extra hour to stay snug in our beds. Yes. Fall is here. Halloween is almost upon us, Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and – not to freak you out- but there are only 63 shopping days left until Christmas 2021.

For those of you still searching for that perfect home or those considering selling one that no longer feels perfect, the market here in Los Alamos County still continues to be a seller’s market. A week or two ago there were actually over twenty homes available on the market, an unprecedented event in recent memory. However, we’re starting to see some signs of “buyer fatigue”. There aren’t quite so many offers for each home prior to sale. Many people have taken a pause and aren’t so sure they want to shop for a home right at the moment. There is certainly something happening here in our local market. And no. This doesn’t mean you’ve missed your window. LANL is still hiring. Homes are still in high demand. And this demand for homes is nationwide and not just here in Los Alamos. Which brings me to a few interesting points about the market of “as is”.

Bridging the Appraisal Gap

Many of you have heard this phrase before. We’ve touched on it a few times in past posts. The appraisal gap. The distance between what a home is valued at by a licensed appraiser and the bank willing to offer the mortgage, and the price the seller is asking or the buyer is willing to pay. Traditionally, this gap was seen as being in the buyer’s favor. If a bank determined that a home wasn’t “worth” what a seller was asking due to recent comparable sales in and around the area, then a buyer would lower their offer accordingly. At that point it became up to the seller as to how badly they really wanted to sell their home. Either they lowered their asking price or they waited for another buyer who really wanted to buy the property. Most of the time, they lowered their price and the sale continued. This isn’t the case anymore and it isn’t just the home markets seeing this trend. Have you tried to purchase a vehicle in “high market demand” lately? Dealers are adding up six or seven thousand dollar “market premiums” onto their MSRP because certain popular models sell out and create a supply/demand issue. The way that we buy and sell things in general has most definitely changed!

However, something that has affected that appraisal gap in recent months is the fact that we are seeing most of the homes selling in our county appraise at a level consistent with what – at first glance – might seem like a steep purchase price. Why? It’s actually both simple and very complex. See, we’ve been in a seller’s market for a long time now. There have been a lot of buyers bridging that appraisal gap for more than a year. I’ve seen clients bring more than thirty thousand dollars plus their down payment to the closing table in order to secure the home of their dreams. But this has effectively created a market that supports the purchase prices we see now. Why would House A not be valued at X when Houses B, C, D, & Z have sold for right around or even more in the last six months? Once enough sales have taken place, an appraiser has enough comparable sales to establish a higher value. Of course that’s great news for anyone who had to bridge that appraisal gap in the beginning.

A home is worth what a buyer (or 3 buyers) is willing to pay for it in an open market. Even if it does not appraise to value, it is still worth what someone is willing to pay for it, and the worth is not dependent on the appraiser’s opinion of value.  This is the reason people are making their offers with the appraisal gap language.  They are stating that this home is worth it to me, and I’ll put my money where my mouth is.

I often get asked what happens when a buyer suddenly decides that they’re not quite so willing to bridge that appraisal gap. After all, there are reasons writing an offer for a home is serious business. The offer is a contract, a binding legal contract. When my buyers decide that an offered purchase price is no longer in their best interest, I always tell them they need to consult an attorney. It is possible they could be held to the contract with their signature on the dotted line. This is and continues to be a serious risk. Legal action, consequences, and keeping your word are par for the course. Certainly there could be issues with financing, qualifying for a mortgage, and plenty of other concerns when it comes to closing on a home. But if you agreed to pay X, then you’d better be prepared to pay X. Sellers have often made plans based on the offer they accepted, maybe made an offer on another home, or even just scheduled movers. Sellers typically choose the offer based on the chances of it closing on time, for the agreed upon price, and under the agreed upon terms.  It is a big deal for a seller to have to go back on the market for many reasons, people wonder what happened (is something wrong with the house?), they’ve lost time, and interested buyers.  There is no guarantee of multiple offers when going back on the market after a deal falls apart, and no guarantee that they’ll get as much money with the first buyer.  There could be legal and monetary ramifications for defaulting on a contract even in a seller’s market when the house could sell again. 

What would make a buyer change their mind about bridging the appraisal gap? The other aspect of “as is” has a huge impact on that. The home inspection. But we’ll talk more about that next week. For now, I’m going to sign off and remind you that I’m always here ready to answer questions about appraisal gaps and every other aspect of home buying and selling here in Los Alamos. After all, I’m your home town real estate agent. So give me a call! I’d love to chat with you.

Live on the Edge in Los Alamos

October 14, 2021 /

If you’ve spent much time driving around Los Alamos getting to and from the homes of friends or maybe just walking your dog, you might have missed taking a tour through Ponderosa Estates. The neighborhood isn’t unlike Los Alamos itself. You have to intend to go there. You deliberately drive to the corner of Diamond Drive and Range Road and make the turn by the fire station and head down and out of sight. Either you’re trying to get to the Guaje Pines Cemetery, you’re headed to Ponderosa Estates, or you are set to leave the map entirely. The terrain is gorgeous. The trees are tall and thick. And in some cases, residents have decks that are perched upon the edge of the map. One step and the forest awaits.

The first homes in Ponderosa Estates were developed in 1993. The original proposal was for 222 single family homes on 111 acres of land. The development was set to take place in 4 phases, each phase being completed before another was set to be started. After 27 years, the next phase is finally in the planning stages. Phase 3 consists of 49 homes proposed to occupy 11.62 acres.

Why So Long?

A good number of residents here in Los Alamos probably assumed that whatever had been built down in Ponderosa Estates was the end of it. Why wouldn’t we have thought this? It’s been going on thirty years since any construction took place in what was originally an area designated for access to forest land used for everything from ATV riding and camping to wood cutting. The answer that has been suggested is the economy. Once phases 1 and 2 were completed, there was less demand for new homes in Los Alamos. The market was variable and development was expensive. There are also several other issues to address, some of which were brought up at a February 26th meeting of the Planning and Zoning Committee.

One thing that isn’t commonly known is that responsibility for maintenance and snow removal on the streets of Ponderosa Estates isn’t a clear cut thing. Theoretically, once all phases of a proposed subdivision are completed, the streets are dedicated to the county and the county then becomes responsible for everything from snow removal to water service and traffic issues. Right now, this is not the case.

Other issues under discussion are possible park or green space areas to give neighborhood children a safe space to play, and of course, traffic. If you’ve ever driven around Ponderosa Estates, one of the first things you notice is the winding and often steep nature of the streets. Some of the driveways themselves are incredibly intimidating to maneuver in bad weather.

The good news though, is that talks are underway regarding the approval of developing a variety of dense residential options to help alleviate some of the housing pinch here in town. The proposal is for phase 3, but that means there’s another phase to come and that’s great news! Not only are they proposing to maximize the number of units in order to provide housing to as many residents as possible, but planners are paying attention to the terrain in relation to aesthetics in order to create an attractive street view to the properties that will really be an asset to the landscape of Los Alamos County.

Ponderosa Estates is just one of several upcoming new construction developments here in Los Alamos. That means even if you’re not ready to sign on the dotted line for your new home right this second, there’s a good chance that when you are, Los Alamos is going to have a home for you. Give me a call and let’s talk Real Estate in Los Alamos! I love to chat with residents whether they’re coming in or going out. We’re all a part of this community and that makes us neighbors in this unique place!

Get Ready for Winter in Los Alamos

October 2, 2021 /

When the clouds lifted off the mountains and we finally said goodbye to this last storm front, not only were we soaking wet from a LOT of rain, but our mountain peaks got their first visible snowfall. Snow. Since we’ve only just said goodbye to a couple weeks of rather warm weather, it’s difficult to immediately turn our attention to winter. What happened to fall, right? It’s October! We should be thinking about Halloweekend in Los Alamos. It’s pumpkin season, people! But here in the Secret City on the Hill, it isn’t unusual to find yourself slogging through knee high snow drifts when Trick or Treating. And as Mother Nature reminded us very forcefully only a few years ago, she’s still got a few epic winters up her sleeve.

So, here are two categories to at LEAST glance over before you find yourself stepping outside one morning to find Santa’s Reindeer nibbling on your Jack o’ Lantern.

Your House

I’m not suggesting you pull out the snowblower and park it by the front door. But, if you have a snowblower, at least pull it out and make sure it starts. Does it need maintenance? Is it parked behind the golf clubs and an entire year’s worth of yard care tools?

While you’re locating and servicing that snowblower (if you have one), check the status of your snow shovels. Are they still in decent condition? Are you likely to pull a muscle just trying to get the raggedy thing to push a path from your front door to your car? More importantly than that, if you depend on a stack of firewood to keep your home warm, do you have a snow shovel handy to clear a path from the door to the wood pile? Do you depend on heated water bowls for your pets? Find them and make sure they’re still functional. If you have chickens at home, be real about the amount of insulation in their coop. Do you need some extra straw or other bedding? What about a heat lamp for those really cold nights? Don’t wait until you’ve got snow in your bedroom slippers to plan for the cold weather.

Get ready right now! If your snow removal equipment is in good shape and ready to use, then take a look around your storage area. Imagine you woke up to the first snowfall. It’s not just a dusting of the white stuff either. But it isn’t enough to cancel school and prevent you from having to go to work. Ask yourself how long is it going to take you to unbury and untangle your snow removal gear from the garden shed or garage? Be realistic. Asking this question now is likely to save you a whole lot of frustration and maybe a late morning later in the season.

If your snow shovel is a lost cause and that brand new bag of snow melt you were sure you bought at the end of last winter is either almost empty or missing entirely, DO NOT WAIT TO PURCHASE MORE. You heard me, friend! Most hardware & home improvement stores begin stocking these supplies in the early fall. Be the first to replenish your stock. Don’t be the guy standing in a nearly empty aisle playing last man standing just for the right to purchase an overpriced container of snow melt or the very last snow shovel! Sure. We’re always playing a bit of Russian Roulette with the amount of snowfall we’ll actually receive. But the winter of 2019 taught us it’s better to be safe than sorry and we should probably all remember that lesson!

Your Car

Yes. That’s right. Your car! Fall is the time to check your antifreeze levels. Consult your owners’ manual (or the Internet) for instructions on how to do this important chore. If you’ve got a four wheel drive, when was the last time you actually tried to use that feature? The appropriate time to hit that button is NOT when you’re stranded in a parking lot feeling smug about getting home in your 4×4. Oddly enough, back in 2019 when we had all of that snow, I heard from more than one frustrated SUV owner that the SUV they thought was a 4×4 actually wasn’t one at all. Not all SUVs have the same features. And full time all wheel drive is not the same as four wheel drive. Know your vehicle’s capabilities. Check your tires. Some front wheel drive cars can be amazing beasts in the snow if they’ve got good tires. It’s much better to know before you go. That way, you can opt to just stay home if that’s the wiser choice.

Even if you think you’re completely prepared, there is always the possibility of getting stranded in your vehicle. It doesn’t take much to be prepared for this, but preparation is key. Now is the time to put together a small box of emergency supplies and keep it in your trunk or perhaps the cargo area of your SUV.

Space blankets make a wonderful start to any cold weather emergency box. They don’t take up much space and you can find them in the camping or outdoor department of the store. You might want to add a fleecy blanket of some kind too. These are comforting and can keep you warm for a short period of time when you’re waiting for a ride.

Hand warmers are something a lot of people don’t think about and wish that they had. Hot Hands makes a variety of chemical warmers that work like first aid ice packs. You pop them and they heat up. You can buy a multi pack on Amazon for less than twenty bucks and keep it in your emergency box. Having toe warmers in your shoes can make sitting in a rapidly cooling car a lot less frightening.

It isn’t a bad idea to put some kind of food rations or snacks in your emergency box as well. Protein bars work well, or fruit snacks for the kids. And its always a good idea to have some bottled water in there too. Most inexpensive bottled water can freeze and thaw without breaking through the plastic so it shouldn’t be an issue with your car sitting overnight in the driveway.

The other key ingredient to the emergency box is to keep checking it to make sure you’ve got what you need. Maybe you used all of your snacks waiting in the car the other day for the kids to get done with sports practice. Or one of the kiddos grabbed the blanket for a nap in their seat and took it into the house with them. The truth is that we live in a town, but we don’t live in a huge metropolitan area.

Most of us who grew up here in Los Alamos remember parents nagging us to have extra clothing in the car or a spare pair of shoes or boots. Maybe we’re in the habit of keeping half a dozen jackets or sweatshirts in our backseat at any given moment. This is because Los Alamos is still pretty rural in some significant ways. You are NOT going to be able to call a tow truck in a snow storm. If you’re stranded somewhere in the county you can call the police or the fire department to come and get you out of your car, but that’s going to take time. And in some cases, you’re going to be better off leaving your car and walking to the nearest neighborhood for help. So be prepared and have boots and jackets for everyone with you! Put some waterproof gloves in your emergency kit. Maybe some extra socks or even an entire dry set of clothing. It’s always much better to be prepared than be sorry.

Remember, Los Alamos is an awesome place to be! But when you’re this close to the bonafide wilderness, there are both benefits and costs. Sure. You can curl into a cozy chair at night and listen to the bull elk calling like a bunch of third graders learning to play the recorder or hear a pack of coyotes howl at the moon as they sprint past your yard. But we also have to think about bear proof trashcans, bobcats in our chicken coops, and getting stranded in a snowstorm. So be prepared! And when you’re preparing to buy or sell your home, give me a call! Rain or snow, I’d love to talk to you!

Water Rule W-8 in Los Alamos

September 16, 2021 /

What could be more precious than water in the desert?

Here in Los Alamos, we’ve enjoyed some unexpected and most definitely welcome moisture over the summer. All over town you’ve heard people chatting about missing the blue skies but being so grateful for the rain! That’s because Los Alamos is located in the high arid desert. Water conservation is something we take pretty seriously, enough that we actually have a specific water conservation rule about the way in which you use water in and around your home.

Here are a few things you may not know about Water Rule W-8:

Water is classified in 4 Ways

Produced Water: The “potable” stuff produced and sold to you for human consumption.

Gray Water: The stuff used in your home that winds up in the sewer system that did NOT come from your bathroom or your kitchen sink.

Non-Potable: The stuff sold to customers for industrial or other irrigation purposes that is NOT for human consumption. (By the way, this water is used for the golf course, athletic fields, and other green spaces in parks.)

Reuse Water: The stuff released from the treatment plant sold for non-potable purposes.

From May 1 – September 30 You Can’t Water Your Yard Whenever

Many residents don’t realize this and others blatantly ignore it. Regardless, the rule has been in place since May of 2006. The bottom line is that it is not permissible to irrigate plants, trees, or grass on your property between the hours of 10:00AM and 5:00 PM. Before 10AM and after 5PM, the following rules apply:

If your address is an even number, you may irrigate on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

If your address is an odd number, you may irrigate on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.

Nobody is supposed to irrigate anything on Mondays.

And FYI, for the purposes of Rule W-8, irrigation means using a hose, drip system, or a sprinkler system. It does NOT include a watering can. If you need to water your flowers or garden plants the other days of the week, use a watering can.

Wasting Water

Here’s something that might surprise you. There is a fairly comprehensive description of what it means to “waste water” in Los Alamos County included in the language for Rule W-8.

Sprinklers or hoses that water in a way that cause water to run off and run down the street into the sewage system is considered waste.

Sprinklers or hoses that are misaimed and spray the street instead of exclusively hitting dirt or vegetation are considered wasteful.

Washing your driveway, your home, your vehicle or even your lawnmower without somehow managing to recycle the water and use it to water your plants or lawn is considered wasteful. And using water to do any of these things when your address isn’t scheduled to consume water is also considered wasteful.

Now, these restrictions might seem a little tedious and maybe even a little unfair. After all, during peak water season – May to September – you’re paying more for the water you use anyway. According to the Utility Company’s tiered system, you could be paying nearly $2.00 more per thousand gallons.

But that really isn’t the point.

It’s about conserving water in the desert. The water used in a carwash is sold as reused and non-potable. It’s basically recycled water. The stuff that comes out of your hose is potable. It’s much better to wash your car or other equipment at the carwash instead of wasting gallons of potable water.

Get a rainwater barrel or some other receptacle for catching runoff. Get creative with your gutters or find a way to catch water that drains off your driveway or away from your yard in an effort to funnel it to where it is needed instead of letting it run into the storm drains where it will need to be processed and it goes from potable to non-potable.

This is a community full of innovative people and ideas! Get creative with your water conservation! As we come to the end of the W-8 Water Rule for 2021, spend some extra time in the off season coming up with your awesome plan for water conservation in 2022. And if you’re ready to make your home here in Los Alamos, give me a call! I’d love to talk with you!

The Family YMCA of Los Alamos

September 10, 2021 /

“The Family YMCA’s mission is to build community strength by focusing on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, and to ensure access to all. Board leadership long ago recognized the diverse population of the community, and chose to respect the religious beliefs of their community members, and to be inclusive to all.”

~Excerpt from a history compiled by the Family YMCA in June of 2020

Do you actually know what YMCA stands for?

If you’re struggling to remember, it might help to know that the organization itself began in 1844 when a 23 yo white Christian man named George Williams and 11 of his closest friends decided they wanted someplace to hang out that did NOT involve the bars and red light districts of industrial era London. With that in mind, they formed the Young Men’s Christian Association so they could have a quiet place to meet and chat about their Bible studies.

In 1851, a retired sea captain named Thomas Sullivan decided that Boston needed a place for the same kind of quiet pursuits. He formed the first YMCA in Boston and the organization had a firm foothold in the United States. Ever since the Y bloomed in Boston, it has been a voice for change and inclusivity. Whether it was the first YMCA charter established in Washington DC in order to teach young black boys to read, the charter in 1875 San Francisco to serve the growing Chinese population, or the 1917 charter ~ also in San Franciso ~ to serve the Japanese population, the Y provides the framework for communities to better serve their members.

Here in Los Alamos, the Family YMCA was established in 1955 to offer families a place for recreation. No kidding, the charter here in Los Alamos was the very first “family” YMCA and were actually granted permission to use the title “The Family YMCA”. Since the beginning, the Family YMCA has charged forward with programs for families.

Sports

Sure, kids can learn typical sports like basketball and soccer at the Y. Did you know that they offer Jr. Roller Derby and even Fencing? If you check out their website, you can find links to sign up for everything from Irish Dancing to Shoshin Ryu martial arts. These Y sponsored sports are a fantastic place to try something out in a fun, supportive environment that allows everyone to participate regardless of their status as an Olympic hopeful.

Safe Places to Just BE

The Family YMCA is the powerhouse behind the Teen Centers in both Los Alamos and Espanola. If you’ve got a kiddo aged 12-19, this is where they can hang out with their friends under the watchful and yet very cool eye of staff hand picked for their ability to relate to teenagers. The purpose is to promote the Y’s core values of Caring, Honesty, Respect, & Responsibility. Not such a bad thing for someone to be suggesting to your teenagers.

First Aid

Trying to update your CPR or First Aid cards? The Y is home to many of the Red Cross’s Certification courses for First AID/CPR/AED. And don’t forget to get your potential babysitters enrolled in the Y’s American Red Cross Babysitting Course. This is the place to learn basic child care and safety skills as well as first aid and critical emergency skills that every parent would love to have in their babysitter.

Financial Assistance

The Family YMCA is an organization dedicated to better serving the community. This means if your family is struggling to make ends meet and you need a safe after school care program, the Y can help. Go to the website and download the application or pick one up the next time you stop by. The Family YMCA is a family organization dedicated to providing community services. They don’t believe anyone should be turned away because of financial hardships. In this day and age of uncertainty and stress, it’s so important to support our Los Alamos Local organizations trying to make our community a better, safer place.

Whether you want to work out, pick from dozens of different available fitness classes, or have access to a climbing wall, don’t forget to check out the Family YMCA. This is just one more important piece of the tapestry that is Los Alamos. From family sports in 1955 to the families of 2021, people still need a place to grow. And if you’re ready to talk about living in Los Alamos, call ME! I’m your Los Alamos Local Real Estate expert!

Run with the Dogs in Los Alamos

August 31, 2021 /

Let’s face it. We in the Los Alamos Community LOVE our dogs! Everywhere you go in town you see people walking, running, and playing with their dogs. We’ve got a very accepting attitude toward emotional support dogs, therapy dogs, and dog training. And when dogs are present in the home, they are a HUGE part of the family!

Given the limited yard space in most Los Alamos dwellings, here are a few ways to maximize your yard space for your pet. Of course, the larger the dog, the less you have in options for modular play yards. But take a look at these ideas and see which might apply to you and your canine companions.

The Dog Run

When it comes to dog runs there are plenty of options to choose from. If you’re ready to make a permanent spot in your yard, then a traditional chain link or metal fenced run can be purchased at stores like Tractor Supply. You can even order some of these online at places like Chewy.com and have them delivered to your door!

But here in Los Alamos, yard size isn’t the only pressing issue when it comes to Fido’s play area. We’ve got strange terrain, odd dimensions, and the need for outdoor living space for humans to consider. With this in mind, there are some interesting alternatives to the permanently placed dog run.

White Picket Fence

Interestingly enough, these sections of fence can be purchased at many outdoor emporium or home improvement stores with a no dig installation option. The fence sections include long metal stakes which can be driven into the terrain. This makes the picket fence not only perfect for bizarre terrain issues like hills, but also moveable. If Fido has worn down the weeds in one section of the yard, why not let him play in another area and stomp those weed to oblivion too? Or the reverse, if you have grass. You can move this dog pen periodically to keep your pet from wearing out the grass.

Modular Puppy Pens

If you’re not keen on storing picket fence panels when they aren’t in use, you might check into one of the multiple options for moveable “dog corrals”. These sections of fence can be purchased from multiple online and in store outlets and can be expanded if you buy more than one set almost like a video game expansion pack for your dog run. The good news about these is that they tend to fold up for storage. The less than good news is that they really aren’t appropriate for dogs over about 45 to 50 lbs. So if you’ve got an 85 lb pet, make sure your animal is content to hang out and nap in a shady spot and isn’t determined to leap your enclosure in a single bound.

Chain Gang Pup

Remember when homes had clotheslines strung from pole to pole in the yard and Dad’s undershorts were flapping in the breeze? Now imagine a single line much like a clothesline with what amounts to a dog leash zipline whipping back and forth while your critter runs laps to his doggy heart’s content. Yes. This is a thing! In fact, if you shop around online for aerial dog runs, you can find DIY ideas that will blow your mind and make your strange backyard terrain a non issue.

Dog Turf

A constant issue here in the high arid desert of Los Alamos is topsoil and growing or maintaining grass. When it comes to trying to get grass to grow in an animal enclosure like a dog pen, you’re likely to be doubly frustrated.

Specially manufactured pet grass could be the answer to your mud and flat dirt backyard problems. Artificial K-9 turf is created to withstand the wear and tear of your pet tromping and rolling on it. It also makes a soft carpet for Fido to lounge on. It can be hosed down and raked to keep it clean and free of biological debris, and it doesn’t bleach out when your dog wees in the same spot for weeks on end. Check out this short video on doggy turf if you want more information on this interesting notion.

Less In – Less Out

The topic of dog nutrition is a hot one these days. But let’s think about this logically. Unless you’re living in one of the few older areas of town with large lots, you’re probably trying to maximize your backyard space for kids, dogs, adults, barbeques, picnics, and the family trampoline all at once! This means that Fido’s bathroom habits are pretty much everyone’s problem. What you feed your dog can matter a lot to those bathroom habits. If the kibble you feed Fido has lots of grain filler and cereal or fibers, it’s not that easy for him to digest. Sure. He feels full after dinner, but he’s probably not digesting half of what he eats. It’s out in your backyard or on your kids’ shoes.

Feeding a quality dry kibble that meets Fido’s nutritional needs can allow you to feed less and have less waste on the – ahem – back end. This means you can designate a minimal area of your yard for Fido to call his very own, and utilize the rest for family activities. Then Fido can be out and about when you guys are all having a fun party together! Win Win!

At the end of the day, whether you choose to utilize fake grass, picket fencing, chain link, or give Fido the entire property for his playtime, don’t forget to enjoy dog ownership in our unique community! Get out to the dog parks! Walk your pet or go hiking on one of our pet friendly trails, and if you’re buying or selling your home here in Los Alamos, come and have a chat with me! I’m your hometown real estate expert!

Patios & Balconies in Los Alamos

August 18, 2021 /

Claiming Your Outdoor Space

We’ve spoken about epic backyard spaces, jungle gyms, play yards, and fantastic ideas to turn your backyard into a little slice of heaven. But what happens when you don’t actually have much of a yard to play with? Truth is, with all of the dense residential living coming to Los Alamos, the concept of an outdoor yard is really changing.

Sure. We all want this:

But even if we don’t have nearly that much space to work with, that’s okay. Whether you’ve got a balcony or a little slice of patio space, you can still make it the oasis where you kick back and enjoy the end of your day.

Setting the Mood

It doesn’t matter how you set the mood. The important thing is to set it. If you’ve got drab walls, consider using some outdoor paint or investing in some adhesive tile. You can take those walls from drab to inviting in only a few hours if you think outside the box.

Once your walls are less of a mood killer, address the flooring. Is it traditional patio floor? Red brick, flagstones, wood or composite deck? How about a bright outdoor rug? Would you prefer some turf that makes it feel like grass? The good news is that the less square footage you have, the less expensive the solution will be. You might even look into all weather tile if your budget and landlord are agreeable.

Once you’ve addressed the walls and the floor, don’t stop there. You need something to stamp your personality on the space. No matter what kind of motif you’re into, add some color. A splash of brightness, a mirror or two, maybe some outdoor plants, something to make the space come alive. If you have a railing, try some narrow flower boxes overflowing with colorful blooms and greenery. Even heading to the store and picking up some floor length curtains to hang can not only enhance the privacy, but it can also dampen the noise if your outdoor space is right on a busy thoroughfare like Trinity Drive or Central Avenue. Whatever you decide, the point is to make it the place you want to be when the work is done.

The Seating

First of all, be kind to your space. If you don’t have much square footage, it’s important not to overwhelm it with blocky furniture. Decide if you want a table and chairs or a lounger. Don’t attempt to cram all of it out there. If you’re a dedicated sunbather or enjoy spending time reading in a lounge chair, but also have a real need for alfresco dining, consider purchasing a folding bistro table and chairs. Then you can swap off between your posh folding lounge chair and your cute bistro set almost as though your balcony or patio space is “dressing for dinner”. The entire point of setting the mood with the walls, floor, and decor, was to avoid the seating becoming the entire focus of your outdoor space.

The Grill

Make certain you ask yourself if you really need this piece of outdoor equipment. If you almost exclusively grill in the summer months and most of spring and fall as well, then yes. You should go ahead and sacrifice the space in order to put the grill on the patio or balcony. But if you’ve got anywhere else for this thing to go, do it. And be mindful of your space when you’re purchasing your grill. Do actual measurements. Don’t eyeball it in the store and then get it home to discover you can barely squeeze around the lid when its open. Remember that grills require a certain amount of area around them in order to prevent a fire hazard and even a ground floor patio might be challenged to provide enough space for the grill and a chair to sit on.

The Entryway

The next thing we often forget is to establish a flow between the interior of your home and the exterior living space. Don’t pile a bunch of boxes or your fishing gear or your bicycle in front of the door to the patio or balcony and expect it to feel restful. If it looks like you’re hanging out in the garage, it will feel that way too.

Instead, adjust your furniture inside to make it seem as though the natural flow of the room continues to the outdoor space. In nice weather, you should want to leave the door open so that you can go in and out as though that patio is just another important part of your home. A place where guests can hang out and chat or enjoy a beverage when they visit.

So again, don’t worry if you don’t have this:

The truth is, most of us don’t. We’re all making the best of tight spaces in a unique community where finding a place to live has always been a process where creativity and flexibility go a long way toward being satisfied with your living situation. And as always, give me a call when you’re ready to buy or sell your home in Los Alamos. This is my hometown and I’m always ready to make new friends!

Fun Facts About School Facilities in Los Alamos

August 13, 2021 /

As the kiddos suit up to return to school, let’s all take a deep breath and cross our fingers that the 2021-2022 school year is a success. It might not look exactly like school years in the past, but this is the new normal and we’re all going to have to come to terms with what that means.

However, whether your kids are Barranca Bobcats, Aspen Tigers, Mountain Lions, Chamisa Cheetahs, Pinon Panthers, Hawks, or fully fledged Hilltoppers, you might find yourself pulling up in front of the following school district facilities and wondering exactly who they’re named for.

Duane W. Smith Auditorium

This public auditorium may, for some of us, still be remembered as Civic Auditorium. Until 1994 that’s what it was called. It is currently the only building in Los Alamos capable of seating more than 900 people. The beautiful new facade was added in 2018 and on May 3 of 2019 a new portrait of Duane W. Smith was unveiled inside the structure. The portrait was painted by celebrated artist Craig Tyler and remembers Smith the way his family likes to think of him in sunglasses and a wide brimmed hat while spending time outdoors.

Duane W. Smith began working for Los Alamos Schools in 1959. He stayed with the school district for twenty years, eventually becoming superintendent of schools. He died at age 48 in 1979. In 1994 the auditorium was named for him as a nod to his tireless work for our district and community interests. The remodeling in 2018 was paid for by county and school district funds. But it’s important to realize that an endowment was created by Smith’s wife, Joan Brown, and his daughter, Kelly Myers, to cover further renovations and updates to this vital community facility so that it can be a self-sustaining part of not only our high school, but of life in Los Alamos.

Griffith Gymnasium

Many of you recently visited Griffith Gym at our high school in order to get your Covid-19 vaccination. Community health fairs, graduation ceremonies, and more Phys Ed classes and high school sports games than we can count have been held inside this structure. It has undergone plenty of renovations and at one time it was rumored that the Hilltopper painted on the wall inside the gym had been modeled after a certain popular English teacher.

According to Craig Martin’s book Los Alamos Place Names, the high school gymnasium was formally dedicated to the memory of Thurston A. “Turk” Griffith on January 15, 1966 just before a basketball game between Los Alamos and St. Pius. Turk Griffith was a 1958 graduate of LAHS. In December 1964 he was reported MIA in Vietnam. His body was found several days later.

Though Turk Griffith was the first person from Los Alamos to die in the Vietnam War, he is better remembered for his love of life. Turk played baseball, ran track, swam, and was captain of the football team. He was in Key Club, was president of Student Council, a National Honor Society Student and was also voted “Most Likely to Succeed” by his classmates. He was a popular and likable student who attended West Point after graduating from LAHS. He received his commission as a lieutenant in 1962. Members of our community, including later Senator Steve Stoddard, pushed to have Topper Gym renamed for Turk. They circulated a petition and gained more than 1100 signatures in favor of this change. In March of 1965 it was officially renamed and now a plaque commemorating Turk Griffith hangs inside to help students today connect with those who came before and lived with distinction.

Sullivan Field

If you’re like many people, you’ve been wondering what amazing athlete with the last name Sullivan commanded the field in such a way that he was honored to have our high school stadium named after him?

Um, Earle D. Sullivan was an important part of sports here in Los Alamos, and he might have been a really great athlete. But that’s not why the former High School Athletic Field was renamed Sullivan Field.

Sullivan was a community relations manager for the Atomic Energy Commission in the late 1940’s. Before that, he’d been a newspaper editor in Foxboro, Massachusetts. He served in various positions during the war, most notably as a regional publicity director for the War Bond Campaigns.

While none of that seems to have anything to do with football, track, or soccer, what Sullivan DID do was advocate strongly for recreational facilities for the youth of Los Alamos. His position as a liaison between the AEC and the youth of our community gave him the opportunity to be a voice for youth sports. And THAT is why his name is on our High School Stadium.

Next time you pull up to the Topper Field House for a game at Sullivan Field or drive up to North Mesa to watch a ball game at “Bun Ryan” Field, remember that our history goes back a long way and includes plenty of influential people who loved this community enough to leave their mark for all of us. And when you’re ready to call Los Alamos home, give me a call! I’d love to talk about Life in Los Alamos with you.

Plumbers, Plutonium, & D-Site

August 3, 2021 /

There’s been a lot going on down DP Road lately. Not only has the new roundabout construction brought this out of the way area to our attention. But the addition of dozens upon dozens of promising new residential dwellings has also livened up the conversation. Whether you’re a long time resident of Los Alamos or a newcomer, it’s possible the name of that road causes a bit of head scratching. Sometimes, if you’ve always heard something, it becomes the norm and you stop thinking about the strangeness of a name. If you’re new to the area, you might have looked at the road signs, scratched your head, and attributed it to the general oddness that is attached to Los Alamos in general.

When it comes to DP Road, that’s pretty much right on the money. Just for fun, let’s look at some of the possible origins of the letters D-P as researched by Craig Martin for his book, Los Alamos Place Names.

DP Site

It is a fact that in 1945 the production of plutonium took place in the Chemistry building which was referred to as D-Building. At the time it was located near Ashley Pond and pretty much right in the middle of everything else too.

Three things happened fairly close together to spur on a location change. First, the full health concerns in the handling of plutonium began to be recognized. Secondly, the amount of plutonium being handled at D-Building increased rather drastically. Thirdly, there was a fairly large fire in C-Shop not far from D-Building.

In order to prevent a large scale plutonium disaster that would not only be a health and safety hazard, but could also shut down activities at the Technical Area, TA-1, management determined it was time to move operations at D-Building to a new location at D-Site. Somewhere a little more remote and therefore safer.

With the barracks and Technical Areas clumped together, the potential for disaster seemed high.

Damn Plumbers

This particular name suggestion came from the number of contractors working at the site who belonged to the plumbing profession. Realistically however, plumbers certainly didn’t make up the entire workforce at the new site.

Displaced Persons

There’s a good chance that anyone who has been in Los Alamos for a period of time, whether by choice or by necessity, has felt somewhat displaced. Part of this phenomenon can be attributed to the fact that the Secret City on the Hill was always intended to be somewhat remote. Most of the workforce in the early days were brought in from somewhere else. They were displaced. Not only that, but the personnel sent away to the new D-Site from the main Technical Area near Ashley Pond were being displaced quite a large distance from the original D-Building. The new Chemistry building on DP Road was supposed to be far away from everything else. Sure, it was a practical decision, but many of those people certainly felt like “displaced persons”.

D-Plutonium

A good number of the original workforce at the new Chemistry building assumed DP stood for D-Plutonium because of the nature of the work they were doing there and the materials used. Although another construction worker at the time the facility was built thought that P stood for Polonium, which is an element in the uranium-radium series of radioactive decay. How many elements on the periodic table start with P? We will never know which one it was really meant to be!

D-Plant

This likely candidate was suggested because in the original building documents at the time refer to the “Plant” Committee overseeing the building of the “plant”. If you believe this bit of rational history, DP stands for D-Plant where plutonium was manufactured. It’s a rather unromantic origin story, but sometimes those are the most accurate.

D-Prime

This one is probably the most widely accepted meaning behind the DP in DP Road. There is a practicality to this given the scientific jargon and the fact that D-Prime eventually replaced D-Site. There was also another building called P-Prime nearby. Eventually, this was shortened to D-P and then years later the road going down to the facility was referred to as DP Road.

D-Production

Something that isn’t always made clear is that D-Site (on DP Road) was a new Chemistry building to replace D Building (back over by Ashley Pond). However, D-Building was still a thing. Calling D-Site by that name emphasized the relationship between operations at D-Site that used to take place in D-Building. This relationship created some pretty hefty confusion in the mail service here in Los Alamos. A lot of the mail addressed to D-Site would be delivered to D-Building by mistake.

A man named R. H. Dunlap was in head of administrative and personnel issues, which included the mail service. Urban Legend and some historical documents suggest that he solved this confusion of mail delivery by calling the new building DP, short for D-Production. The idea was that all of the production activities formerly taking place at D-Building had been transferred to D-Site and therefore mail pertaining to production needed to be sent to the new facility.

Who Knows?

The truth is that we don’t have any actual written records. There are historical documents and anecdotal information provided by those who were part of the community “back in the day”. But we will really never know. Whether you want to think DP Road is Displaced Persons, D-Prime, or was named for D.P. Macmillan (a LASL scientist at the time), that is YOUR decision to make. In the meantime, DP Road is just one more strand of the charming and unique fabric of Los Alamos History.

If you’re ready to weave yourself into the fabric of our community here in Los Alamos, give me a call. I would love to get to know you and your family and introduce you to life in Los Alamos!

#tbt Ashley Pond

July 29, 2021 /

Okay, so it isn’t Thursday. I thought it could still be fun to take a look at Ashley Pond back through the years. Especially now that we’re able to get out for our Los Alamos Concert Series, people are really enjoying gathering at Ashley Pond to catch up with family and friends and listen to the music. But then, Ashley Pond has been a gathering place for one population or another since the beginning.

Photo of Los Alamos Municipal Complex circa early 2000’s Photographer and original uploader is/was TedE at en.wikipedia – License Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

If you didn’t grow up here in Los Alamos and you’re not necessarily into history, you might not know that Ashley Pond was a person. I don’t mean that the pond was named Ashley because of a guy. I mean his first name was Ashley and his last name was really Pond.

Ashley Pond Jr. – The Person

Photo courtesy of the Los Alamos Historical Archives

Ashley Pond Jr. grew up in Detroit, Michigan. During the Spanish-American War he had issues with Typhoid. As was the usual suggestion of doctors in that era, it was suggested a change of climate might do his health a favor. He was sent to New Mexico to recuperate and grew to love the wildness of the place. He decided this was the perfect environment to grow boys into real men. Men who had skills that would serve them in whatever endeavors arose in their futures. With that in mind, he founded his first Ranch School in Watrous, NM. Unfortunately, it was washed away by flood. He farmed in Roswell next, and then ran a dude ranch in Pajarito Canyon before coming up to the Pajarito Plateau and founding our Ranch School here in Los Alamos. The first students entered in 1918 and within a few years Ashley Pond turned the running of the school over to AJ Connell and went to Europe to serve with the Red Cross in WWI. Eventually he returned to Santa Fe to his family’s home on East Palace Avenue where he would live out the rest of his life.

Ye Old Watering Hole

In the beginning, our Ashley Pond wasn’t really a pond. It was a depression in the ground, a low spot where water gathered in wet weather. And where water gathered on the Pajarito Plateau, people took their stock to drink it. In the 1880’s it was known by the local homesteaders as the “Stock Watering Tank”. Not such an inspiring name, but practical.

With the coming of the ranch school and Ashley Pond Jr, the muddy puddle in the meadow just wasn’t cutting it for the school’s water source. The students built a small dam in Los Alamos Canyon and ran a 6 ft watering pipe to a holding tank near the Big House.

Photo Courtesy of the Los Alamos Historical Archives

From Watering Hole to Duck Pond

The next pond expansion happened in the way that many of these things do. The Ranch School had a reputation for outdoor pursuits. With a more reliable source of water coming from the dam in Los Alamos Canyon, then director A.J. Connell decided it was time to add canoeing, fishing, and swimming to the activities available for students. There was the added incentive of pond ice skating in the winter as well.

With that in mind, the pond was dredged in order to make it deeper. Using the excess water from the school’s supply pipe, the pond was made deep enough for not only outdoor water sports, but also as an irrigation source for the fields below the pond. In the winter, blocks of ice were cut from the pond and stored in the school’s Ice House not far away to provide ice year round for residents of the Ranch School. The pond expansion is often considered a turning point in the school’s success!

Of course, in the early years of the pond it was common to take a dive off the platform and come up covered in mud and grass. But that’s pond swimming at its finest. Not that the name “Duck Pond” was really very fitting. That issue was remedied soon enough by one of the masters at the school. William Mills is reported to have had a flair for puns. Hence his choice for “Ashley Pond”. Can you imagine if they hadn’t ditched the second Pond? Welcome to Ashley Pond Pond? Seems more than a little redundant doesn’t it?

The War Years

During the years of the Secret City, Ashley Pond was surrounded by buildings. The hope was that the small body of water could act as a firebreak between the goings on in the Technical Areas and the wooden buildings housing the personnel. In the photo from the Los Alamos Historical Archives, Central Avenue is the dirt road on the left. Our Community Center was built where the former Big House used to stand. It’s a bit disconcerting at best to see this photo and compare it to the Ashley Pond we know in the modern era. But oh, how time changes things!

Ashley Pond has gone through many incarnations, expansions, improvements, and uses. If nothing else, perhaps we should just be glad we don’t need to check our iced beverages for possible pond “floaties” these days. Ice comes from the modern freezer, and the pond is for community events, pleasant evening walks, and as a gathering place for family and friends.

When you’re ready to be a part of our community here in Los Alamos, give me a call! I’d love to share my love of Los Alamos, our unique history, and our fast paced residential market with you!

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