Kendra Ruminer's Two Cents of Real Estate

Take A Peek At Los Alamos, New Mexico

Tag: Los Alamos New Mexico (Page 11 of 16)

Shooting Sports in Los Alamos

April 16, 2022 /

You may have already visited Rendija Canyon while in Los Alamos. The canyon is situated at the bottom of Rendija Road, just below Barranca Mesa. Where San Ildefonso Road dead ends just past Dinosaur Park, you’ll find yourself diving down a narrow, curving paved path leading to a rough dirt road. If you followed it too much farther you would essentially leave civilization. Generations of Los Alamos residents have enjoyed off road adventures down there. A gravel parking area hosts plenty of hikers and bikers and trail runners heading for the Rendija Canyon Loop or one of the other plentiful trails. But where the trees thin for a brief span, you might have noticed a collection of well kept metal buildings, some locked gates, and probably a lot of cars.

Los Alamos Sportsmen’s Club

In October of 1947, circa end of World War II, a group of Los Alamos residents formed the LA Rifle Association. They met in an old building in the downtown area to share their love of shooting, practice their skills, and teach anyone interested the basics of shooting and hunting safety.

The Association eventually moved to an outdoor range atop Barranca Mesa. When housing was privatized and multiple phases of housing developments on Barranca Mesa went up, the group relocated to the bottom of Rendija Canyon in the 1960’s. The group was granted a land lease by the then Atomic Energy Commission and today holds a lease from the Department of Energy.

The Purpose

The current Sportsmen’s Club is a non profit organization that includes more than 500 memberships with more than 1000 members from families and organizations of all shapes and sizes. Their purpose is to promote safe enjoyment of shooting sports and to educate the community about the amazing opportunities available to those who enjoy the sport.

The Sportsmen’s Club offers basic shotgun, rifle, and handgun classes to teach beginners how to be safe while enjoying the sport. For Los Alamos residents looking to enjoy some of the hunting opportunities around the state, the club hosts NM Hunter Education Classes. You can see a full offering of training and classes available here.

Programs

The Sportsmen’s Club is one of the only ranges in Northern New Mexico to offer practice for all three phases of competitive clay pigeon shooting for shotgun enthusiasts. Our Los Alamos High School affiliated Junior shotgun team is nationally ranked and one of the best ranked teams in New Mexico! Even if you’re not a competitive shooter, you might really enjoy reliving your Nintendo Duck Hunt experience and challenging yourself with a group of supportive fellow shooters on the shotgun range.

The rifle range offers measured targets from 25 to 300 yards with covered and uncovered shooting stations allowing a variety of methods to be used. If you’re looking for something old school, Los Alamos also hosts a division of the Single Action Shooting Society Single Action is also known as Cowboy Action. So if you’re ready to pull our your Wyatt Earp costume and blast a few targets with either a rifle or a six shooter, you’re in good company!

Speaking of six shooters, there are a number of handgun opportunities at the Sportsmen’s Club. You can even utilize the indoor range on cold or windy days. And if your taste runs more to archery pursuits, the beautiful archery range hosts competitions and educational opportunities as well.

Community

The Sportsmen Club offers the use of their range for 4-H and Boy Scout activities in an effort to promote the shooting sports in a fun and safe environment. 4-Hers can qualify their projects with the help of mentors while enjoying themselves in the beautiful Rendija landscape. Both the regular scouting activities as well as the mounted troop practice on the range. LAPD and other law enforcement agencies from surrounding jurisdictions utilize our range for their qualifying programs, and the range also frequently hosts ROTC members for educational purposes.

The Future

I’ve heard plenty of rumors lately regarding the club’s future in Los Alamos. The most recent rumor was that there would be a closure of the club and a housing development going up. While Los Alamos is always looking for good places to put houses, Rendija Canyon is realistically very low on the list. The electric services aren’t sufficient to support housing, there is no public water or sewer services, and the costs of installing these basic infrastructure necessities would be astronomical.

At this time, the Sportsmen’s Club has just signed a fifteen year lease with DOE for the property. While there are historic issues with possible unexploded ordinance from the war years and various concerns with land contamination similar to other canyons in the Los Alamos region, none of these things currently affect the club’s use of the land, or the use of the surrounding canyon area for public recreation. For more information about this, check out the club’s home page for a letter from the club president.

Regardless of your personal interest in shooting sports, there is no doubt that this is a unique and amazing opportunity to add to the list of things to do here in Los Alamos. The club hosts several open range days each year for non members to enjoy the facilities. Members welcome anyone to come out and experience target shooting, clay pigeon shooting, or handgun shooting, even providing equipment and tutoring to those who need it. Shooting sports are just one more piece of our Los Alamos History puzzle. And when you’re ready to be a part of Los Alamos, get in touch with me! I’d love to chat Los Alamos Real Estate with you!

Newcomer’s Survival Guide

April 9, 2022 /

There’s no doubt that relocating can be stressful. Buying a new home is always exciting, but each move comes with its own set of unique circumstances. Whether you’re leaving one community for another, moving across country, or just relocating neighborhoods, leaving established relationships in order to dive into new ones is never an easy thing.

As many of us know from first hand experience, moving to Los Alamos has its own set of challenges. But the good news is that there are so very many wonderful resources and opportunities here in the city on the hill. So, if you’re looking for a way to connect with new people and establish yourself in this wonderful community of Los Alamos, prepare to take notes.

For Families & Especially Mothers

If you’ve got kids of any age, the best way to meet new friends is to help your kiddos settle into a new friend group of their own. The first stop in helping your kids find a group is to check out the Family YMCA of Los Alamos. You can see a short brochure of their offerings here. With child care available to younger kids while their parents enjoy an exercise class, the YMCA is a wonderful resource for new families in Los Alamos. Sign your kids up for a team sport, volunteer, and get involved! This can be the first step in meeting new families that share your interests and goals.

And if you’re a mother of a young child, don’t feel as though you’re here all by yourself! Make some time and reach out! Go to a yoga class. Take advantage of the child watch at the Family Y and do something for yourself. Nothing could be more important for you, your kiddo, and your family!

In the past, I’ve spoken about the Family Strengths Network. But I have to say that as a resource for new and existing families in our community, they really know how to offer support! If you visit their website at LAFSN.org, you’ll find a list of support groups, classes, field trips, and activities for everyone. There’s no better way to find people you have things in common with than to take a class or attend a field trip or discussion group. These are perfect places to strike up a conversation and make new friends!

For Everyone

If you’re a happy couple or even a happy single, don’t worry! There are plenty of places for you to find friends and like minded people to just hang out with. The key is to get involved. Remember the Scooby Doo cartoons? The theme song lyrics are, “Come on get involved, there’s a mystery to solve.” I challenge anyone to get out and get involved. Sometimes it becomes an easy habit to sit in your new place and tell yourself you don’t know anybody. It might be true. But you will never know anyone until you get out and get involved!

The Family Y – While you might not need child watch services, the YMCA is a fantastic place to take a yoga class, or use the climbing wall. The listing of available classes has some truly unique opportunities.

FLACL – Or, perhaps you’re more of a bookworm. Volunteer with the Friends of the Library here in Los Alamos and meet some fellow bibliophiles. Find more information about that wonderful group of people here. They collect, catalog, and maintain the Friends of the Library just inside the Mesa Public Library building and do other volunteer work with our county libraries as well as other public service library organizations.

Los Alamos Sportsmen’s Club – Are you an outdoor type who likes to hunt? What about target shooting? Would it interest you to know that one of the top Junior Level Shotgun Shooting teams is located right here in Los Alamos? The Sportsmen’s Club offers training classes for novice and beginner shooters of all ages whether your interest is in sporting clays or target shooting with a pistol or a rifle. Members in the club are active and come from every walk of life. Check out their website for more information.

No matter if you like exercise, books, or target shooting and outdoor pursuits, there is an organization for you in Los Alamos. I hope that you’ve gotten some good ideas on ways to get involved here in Los Alamos. If you’re new to our community, we welcome you! If you’ve been here for years, hopefully you’ve read about an organization that appeals to you. And if you’re ready to join our community here in Los Alamos, please give me a call. I’d love to talk to you!

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors

March 18, 2022 /

The word neighbor might make you smile or groan. So much about liking or not liking your neighbors falls outside of your control. But some things you can control. Things like what kind of fencing you choose. Privacy is a huge part of feeling secure in your home and your fence is what establishes the level of privacy you enjoy.

Planning Your Fence

Here in Los Alamos, the first thing you need to do when planning to upgrade your existing fence or build a new one is to check our county ordinances. You can use this link here. For the most part, if you’re fencing in the back of your home, you need to keep it under six feet in height. If you’re in your front yard, three feet is considered legal. If you have a corner lot or other unique property features, you’ll need to make sure that there aren’t any additional applicable restrictions.

The second thing to ask yourself is what you want your fence to do. Sure. These examples of standard wood fencing are attractive, but will they keep things in or out? Do you have chickens or dogs or children to worry about? How much maintenance do you want to do on your fence?

That beautifully even toned picket fence is going to take a beating in our dry climate. And the UV rays are going to require you to power wash and stain that fence on a yearly basis to even get close to its promised life span. Another frequent complaint of this fencing type is the tendency of the wood posts to dry rot. However, you can look into several different metal post options in order to mitigate that particular problem.

If you’re looking for less maintenance, you might try metal fencing. Some of these wrought iron options are really attractive and can be matched to the spindles on your deck or outdoor staircase.

I realize that when you think metal, you might be thinking about chain link or even barbed wire. While chain link fencing can be an inexpensive option, it doesn’t offer much in the way of privacy. And unless you’re keeping cattle in your yard, barbed wire isn’t going to do anything but add that “rustic” appeal.

Something you might have seen going up in various places around town is masonry walls. There are four to five different varieties of masonry wall, including those covered in stucco, and they can sometimes be combined with other fencing options such as metal or coyote fencing to create a unique and even artistic look to your fence. Masonry walls also have the advantage of being more durable against UV rays and offer good sound buffering. However, they aren’t inexpensive and you’ll likely want to hire a good contractor instead of trying it yourself.

Masonry Walls can be used in several different kinds of fencing combinations.

Location

The other critical piece of planning your fence is the location of your property. How much rock are you going to run into when digging post holes? Are you on the canyon edge? How many bears are you likely to host in your backyard? Are you on the edge of White Rock and prone to sixty mile per hour straight line winds? Does your property have trees to help with the sun’s punishing rays?

All of these questions need to be considered when choosing your best fencing option. Once you’ve determined the material best suited to your needs, you can take a look at budget and the expected lifespan you need from your fence. Keep in mind that part of my “good fences make good neighbors” proverb has to do with choosing a fence that doesn’t offend your neighbors. Talk to them about it. You never know, if you and your neighbors can come to an agreement about what works best for everyone, they might even be willing to help with the cost.

At the end of the day, we’re all neighbors here in Los Alamos. And when you’re ready to talk real estate, give me a call! I’m your hometown real estate expert!

Looking Back At Real Estate in Los Alamos

February 19, 2022 /

There’s no doubt that we can look back ten years and see change. No matter who you are, a decade is a looong time! But as I celebrate my tenth anniversary as a ReMax real estate broker, I want to take you with me on a time warp journey back through my real estate journey in Los Alamos.

First of all, let’s clarify what ten years really means in this context. I’ve been with ReMax ten years, but I actually started here in the real estate business in 2003. I worked until 2006 before taking a break to raise some babies between 2006-2014. When my kiddos were ready to be a little more independent, I got back into the real estate game. So in reality, we’re talking about almost twenty years of changes in the market here in Los Alamos.

Plenty to Shop For

If you’ve been here in Los Alamos for a few decades, you know that our real estate market can fluctuate in some pretty steep patterns that correlate pretty consistently with LANL projects. Ten, fifteen, and even twenty years ago, we were in a very different market, a buyers market in fact. There were plenty of houses on the market to look at. Buyers could pick and choose from a variety of options. Sometimes the same house would see nearly a $100K price difference from one sale to the next. And that could go in either direction!

The large number of available homes back in the day meant that there were more than a few full time real estate brokers here in town. Back in 2003, names such as my mentor, Kendra Henning, Pearl White, Nancy Mroz, and Jim Gautier adorned many signs around town. Some you still see, some have retired or semi-retired. At that time there were such a large number of local real estate agents that we had our own Los Alamos Association of Realtors® (LAAOR).

New Construction at Quemazon

I remember when Quemazon was a new and fantastically different housing option here in Los Alamos. Buyers could opt to build new instead of buy an existing home right in the (kind of) middle of town. Now we’re building in White Rock and looking at an expansion of Ponderosa Estates. The growth might not be fast, but it is happening.

Homes Prices Were Still Rising

It’s true that we’re seeing home values right now that feel shocking. But it’s important to remember that this isn’t isolated to Los Alamos. This is everywhere! I remember the first Los Alamos home selling in the over $800K price range somewhere around 2005. It seemed unbelievable at that time too. Don’t forget that whether we call things inexpensive or expensive is mostly perception and whatever else is going on at the time. Keep in mind that ten years ago in 2012 the high price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline was $3.62. That isn’t wildly different from what you’re probably paying now. Sometimes it’s difficult to remember how wildly things can fluctuate. Certainly, we’ve seen a steadier rise in real estate values. Circa 2004-2006, the average rise was 5% per year. In 2012 & 2013 the average price dropped 4%! Now we’re seeing a 10%-15% per year increase in prices, but that’s also influenced by inflation, which has risen to 7.5%. That’s the highest inflation rate we’ve experienced in the US since 1982.

A ten year anniversary is certainly something to celebrate, but really I’ve been in the Los Alamos Real Estate game for almost two decades. Since coming back in December of 2014 I’ve sold $93M in volume and worked with 284 families of all shapes and sizes to buy or sell their home. And that’s not even close to how many wonderful people I’ve met through being in this business. I’m so glad to be here in Los Alamos doing what I love in a place that is very much my home! So many exciting things have happened in my time with ReMax and I expect more and more exciting things to keep happening! And when you’re ready to talk real estate in Los Alamos, give me a call. I’d love to chat with you!

What Does FICO Do For You?

January 30, 2022 /

It’s likely you’ve probably seen the letters FICO. You might even use them regularly when talking about your credit score. But do you actually know what they stand for?

Hmm. Federal… Well, the I could be income, right? And the C is definitely credit…

It might surprise you, but FICO stands for Fair Isaac Corporation. You might wonder what on earth Isaac being fair has to do with your credit score, but the letters FICO simply come from the name of the first organization to come up with a credit score. A way to use data about a potential borrower’s credit history to assign them a score that banks can use to determine the level of risk associated with lending that borrower an amount of money.

FICO scores are a pretty important part of the home buying process. But this isn’t a random number assigned to you because of your income bracket. You actually have some control over your score. The decisions you make can improve that number and help you in your journey to buy your dream home. So, let’s take a look at the FICO score.

When Did Credit Scores Appear?

The very first method for calculating a credit score was introduced in 1989. That may seem really recent to some of you, and ages ago to others. But what you’ll notice is that for a good number of you, your parents and their spending habits predate the concept of a credit score.

In the old days, “credit” was an account you had with an individual store owner. Your reputation was based on how well you kept up with making payments on that account. And in a good number of small towns throughout the US, farmers and ranchers only had cash money to pay accounts when the harvest was sold or the cattle went to market.

Homes were either built and paid for with cash, or sometimes you would get a bank loan. If you’ve ever watched the holiday classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life”, this is the entire purpose behind the Savings & Loan concept that is central to the plot in that movie. Go back and watch it if you haven’t seen it in awhile. Pay attention to the run on the bank, and the purpose of the Savings & Loan. It will give you a snapshot of why we have FICO scores, fair credit reporting, and equal opportunity lending laws.

“It’s a Wonderful Life” starring Jimmy Stewart

Unravel the Mystery

According to Investopedia, “to determine credit scores, the FICO weighs each category differently for each individual. However, in general, payment history is 35% of the score, accounts owed is 30%, length of credit history is 15%, new credit is 10%, and credit mix is 10%.”

This may seem somewhat simple, but it isn’t. The key is that the FICO weighs each category differently for each individual. With the addition of new database comparison capabilities, this has actually become very complex! These percentages are a guideline though. And if you’re trying to figure out the best way to build or rebuild your credit, take a look at these numbers and rethink how you utilize your credit.

Version 2.0

Here’s something that might really surprise some of you. Since coming up with the first scoring method in 1989, the FICO has had more than 10 versions of their calculating methods! The most widely used version as of 2021 was still FICO 8. FICO 9 was introduced in 2016 and was more attuned to medical based accounts, but a good number of auto loan and even mortgage lenders still use FICO 5. Investopedia suggests that the Version 10 introduced in January of 2020 might become the new most widely used version due to some really sweeping changes in how we do business in our post Covid world.

I highly suggest clicking on this link and checking out Investopedia’s easy to understand overview of how these multiple versions of the FICO could affect you personally. However, just at a glance, it could help you a lot to understand that when you apply for a credit card, an auto loan, or a mortgage, your credit score number might be different. Not because you made a mistake or did something unexpectedly amazing, but because that lender might be utilizing a different method of the FICO for calculating the number of your score. Another important thing to understand is that your number will likely be within a certain range. If that means your range is on the border of excellent to good, good to fair, etc, this could affect your interest rate and is certainly worth considering.

Your Credit, Your Life

The best way to feel good and secure about your FICO score is to understand it and take control of your credit life. Even if that means coming up with a long term plan, it can still feel really good to be fiscally responsible. And fiscal responsibility is an important step on the way to homeownership. When the moment comes, you want to be able to step up and by the house you want. And when you’re ready to talk home ownership in Los Alamos, give me a call! I would love to chat with you!

Golf Los Alamos!

January 23, 2022 /

Considering the amazing improvements our county is planning for the local Golf Course, I thought it might be fun to look at the history of golf here in Los Alamos County. If you’re not a part of the golf community, you might not realize that the Los Alamos Golf Association was established in 1947. In the map below, notice that as of May 1947, the golf course was located pretty much where Sullivan Field is right now. At that time, home construction had not yet expanded beyond the intersection of Diamond Drive and Canyon Road. The golf course and the horse stables were both located at the edge of the townsite and were both considered vitally important to life in Los Alamos.

Within ten years both the golf course and the horse stables would be relocated to the other end of the ever expanding townsite. The horse stables eventually migrated to North Mesa (see my previous post for more information on that), but the golf course remained between 35th Street, Barranca Mesa, and North Mesa.

Considered one of the oldest 18 hole golf courses in New Mexico, the course was established in 1947 by the Atomic Energy Commission. The current course sits at 7400 ft elevation and is 6500 yards long. The course par is 72 and most visitors agree that it’s a challenging course for golfers of any skill level. Between the gorgeous scenery and the lovely climate, the Los Alamos Golf Course is a popular stopping place for golf enthusiasts from all over.

More Than One Way to Play

But golf isn’t the only thing on offer. Not only do we have a lovely course, and a pro shop, we’ve got a stellar restaurant at the clubhouse. Cottonwood on the Greens is a full service restaurant and bar that offers everything from special events catering to in restaurant dining and takeout whether you have a large party or need an intimate table for two.

The restaurant also offers a Prime Rib Sunday Brunch, so don’t forget to click over to their website and make a reservation for your family! Or if you’d rather, you can order online and pick up your food to go on the way home from work. Their menu offers a wide variety of unusual options from Pub style Fish & Chips and BBQ Pork Sliders to Beef Schnitzel and Pierogies.

Cottonwood on the Greens

Improvements Are On The Way

The recent County Council meeting on January 4, 2022 included a vote to move forward with plans to make some really modern improvements on the golf course. Previous to this meeting though, the process of addressing concerns and coming up with solutions was quite a lengthy one that began near the start of 2021. County officials brought in professional golf course designers, met with the Los Alamos Golf Association, the Los Alamos Youth Golf Association, and even established a way to conduct surveys at the course in order to gain more insight into public opinion regarding some of the proposed changes.

Most Los Alamos residents, be they golfers or not, have heard about the proposed improvements to the irrigation system. But something I found quite interesting was the proposal to use low flight golf balls for the driving and practice range as a temporary measure to address safety concerns. Eventually, the intention is to increase bunkers along Diamond Drive and at other points around the course to address safety concerns. In the meantime, before additional netting can be placed around the driving range, they’re trying restricted flight golf balls to increase safety. The golf association even provided these restricted flight balls to customers last summer in an effort to get the public’s opinion.

Whether you’re a golf enthusiast or just a Los Alamos County enthusiast, there’s really no doubt that the Los Alamos Golf Course benefits our community. It’s just one more in a long list of things to do outdoors in Los Alamos. If there’s snow on the ground, don’t forget to utilize the golf course as a handy place for cross country skiing. There are tons of ways to enjoy this open, green space here in our community. So whether you’re looking for a place to walk your dog or watching your kiddo run in a cross country meet, enjoy our beautiful golf course! And when you’re ready to talk real estate in Los Alamos County, give me a call! I’m your local real estate expert and I’d love to talk Los Alamos with you!

What IS a “normal” Winter in Los Alamos?

January 13, 2022 /

As you look around at the melting bits of ice and snow left from the most recent storm here in Los Alamos county, you might hear your neighbors, friends, and coworkers reminiscing about times past “when we used to get LOTS of snow”, or even mournfully recalling those unusually warm winter days just a few weeks ago in December when we were basking in the sun at nearly sixty degrees. Regardless of which weather pattern you prefer, even long time residents of Los Alamos are struggling to remember what a “normal” winter in Los Alamos is supposed to be like.

First, let’s look at what our weather patterns suggest about our climate in general. According to a LANL website about Los Alamos, “In general terms, Los Alamos has a temperate mountain climate with four distinct seasons”.

Hmm. Okay then. Four seasons. So, what IS the average snowfall? Again, LANL’s website suggests, “snow, like rain, in Los Alamos is highly variable, but tends to average 28 inches annually”.

Holy cow! 28 inches annually? So, why isn’t the ski hill open every year? Well, because, as the LANL website reminds us, snow amounts are highly variable in our climate. A lot of us remember that huge snow we had in the winter of 2018 and 2019. Between the day after Christmas to New Year’s Day we had 22 inches of snow. It had been quite a while since we’d had such a prolific snow year and most of us were unprepared.

A Street in White Rock Winter 2018-2019

But pause for a moment and consider this:

The record snowfall for one day here in Los Alamos is 22 inches. That snow event happened back on January 15, 1987. Can you imagine? That entire storm from 2018-2019 happening in One. Single. Day? Los Alamos actually made the New York Times on January 19, 1987. The Times stated, “The storm was so severe that at its peak, four to five inches of snow fell every hour in Los Alamos.”

In Katrina Bennett’s blog, she takes a fascinating look at snowfall events here in Los Alamos in both 7-day and 14-day segments. You can view the blog post here. Katrina is a big fan of water and weather and points out that these snowfall events tend to occur every four to six years. The amount of these snow events has been affected by climate change. While we used to see larger events in a seven day period, Bennett estimates its been about 18 years since a seven day record event and about 10 years since a record setting 14 day event. The sustained drought has affected our average temperature, which impacts the amount of snow we see in a year. So while we aren’t getting quite as much at once, we are still going to see snow here in Los Alamos. If you really want some cool information about the snowfall patterns here in Los Alamos, check out Katrina’s blog post by clicking the link above.

Image from April 12, 1975 Photo credit ~Sumner Barr & William E Clements

Something else to consider is that of the top 20 biggest snowfalls recorded in a day, only 8 of those happen prior to January. Of those 8, one is the 12.5 inch October 21, 1996 snowfall and another is the 22 inches received on November 22, 1931. The other six are December snowfalls and one of them is attached to that massive snow event in 1987. In fact, three of the TOP FIVE daily snowfall highs come from 1987. If you wanted amazing skiing at Pajarito, 1987 was your year. And if you’re dreaming of White Christmases, Los Alamos tends to offer White New Year’s Days or Valentines instead.

At the end of the day, those heavy snow winters are still statistically likely to happen in the future. Until then, something else Los Alamos does really well is sunshine. We average close to 300 days of sun per year and if you can’t have snow to play in, you might as well have sun to bask in.

And when you’re ready to buy and sell real estate in Los Alamos, give me a call! I’m always happy to talk housing in Los Alamos!

2021 Wrap Up!

December 31, 2021 /

As we say goodbye to 2021 and welcome in a new year, I hope this post finds you and your family enjoying your holidays and planning great new things for 2022! My January newsletter will be filled with thoughts about buy, sell, and hold. If you’re not a subscriber, be sure and email me to get your name on the list! Since the 2021 Los Alamos County Real Estate report came out this past November, I thought I might share with you some interesting facts.

How Many Homes Sell Each Month?

This is an interesting statistic, especially here in Los Alamos County. In fact, it’s a bit like a chicken and the egg question. Look at the graphic below and see what it can tell you about about how many homes sell each month in Los Alamos.

The first thing you’ll notice is that the peak month for home sales is in August. Not a surprise really. Seasonal fluctuations are highly common in real estate markets. But don’t you find it interesting that for the last three years the highest number of homes sold has been the same? November is always shown in red because that’s when the cycle begins again, but realistically, the trends are very similar each year.

How Many Days Does it Take to Sell a Home?

This is a question that has a lot of different parts. After all, the offer is only a tiny piece of the sale puzzle. When we say that we’re experiencing a seller’s market, it certainly means what you think it does. But it also means that seller’s can spend a little time choosing just the right offer. That can affect the number of days a home spends on the MLS.

How Much Are Homes Selling For These Days Anyway?

The answer to this question probably isn’t what you think. Truthfully, average home prices have been consistently rising right along with inflation. We’re certainly seeing homes that wouldn’t have been nearly as popular several years ago become more so, but this is happening all over the US right now.

What has happened is that the number we used to consider really high ~ $500K ~ is no longer as high as it once was. So when we look at this ~

We aren’t nearly as shocked to see that in 2021, 118 homes sold for over $500K. After all, inflation paired with demand is a recipe for this sort of increase. Perhaps the year that should be considered an outlier based on this information is 2006. Of course, without the numbers for a handful of years prior to 2006 there’s not a way to see what the trend really was at that time. But it is sufficient information for us to infer that these fluctuations are not all that unusual. Perhaps what gets us is the idea of such a large sum of money. After all, if someone tells you that they remember paying under a dollar for gasoline, you feel wishful for those days of cheaper gas prices. However, you’re not likely to believe someone is telling you a whopper if they say they paid more than $7.00 a gallon for gas in California.

As I mentioned in my last post, perception is everything when it comes to looking at the real estate market. I hope you’ll look at the information I’ve given you and feel encouraged. Of course, it’s never wonderful to feel as though things are getting more expensive. However, when it comes to homes, continuing low interest rates are a huge part of what makes people able to pay a little more for what they want. And when YOU want to talk real estate, give me a call! I’m your local real estate expert!

Perceptions of 2021

December 18, 2021 /

As 2021 comes to a close, it’s always fun and exciting to look back over the year and see how things have changed in and around Los Alamos. This year we’ve seen the completion of our new roundabout, more new construction in White Rock’s Mirador subdivision, and even the demolition of the old McDonald’s building. Starbucks is proceeding with their brand new building and there are plans to see a second location of Pig & Fig here in Los Alamos. (but more about that in a future post!)

When I say PERCEPTIONS of 2021, what I’m speaking about are the things that we think we know. And when it comes to the real estate market here in Los Alamos, 2021 has been yet another year where perception is everything.

What determines the value of a home?

Of course the value of a home can be determined by many concrete things like comparable sales in the neighborhood, appraisals, and of course the amenities a home has to offer any potential buyers.

What determines the status of the market?

We sometimes refer to a market as a buyers’ market or a sellers’ market. These designations are defined by plenty of data. There are statistics regarding number of homes on market, average selling price, average number of offers, averages on the number of days on market… The list of data sets can feel enormous! But how do those numbers stack up against perception?

What part does perception play in market status and home values?

The answer? Perception is huge! Public perception. The perception of the brokers and agents working in the market. Perceptions about economics both locally and nationally. No matter where you’re home shopping, perception is a big part of your experience. But here in Los Alamos, perception plays another unique role in defining how we view buying and selling real estate in Los Alamos County.

In the beginning, when Los Alamos was a jumbled collection of government owned housing units populated by employees of the National Laboratory, it was a firmly held belief that this is a company town. Even when employees both LANL (then LASL) and the Zia Company began to clamor for privately owned housing it was difficult to convince mortgage and insurance companies that Los Alamos would ever be able to stand on its own as a town.

Many current residents of Los Alamos still believe deep down that this is true. You’ll hear statements like, “The Lab is hiring! Our property values are going to go up!” Or, you might hear something like, “The mandatory vaccination policy has caused lots of people to walk off the job. The housing crisis up here will probably ease up now.”

These are perceptions. They aren’t facts. And here’s something really interesting I noticed during the last half of 2021: Those perceptions are not really all that accurate. During my last newsletter in October, I mentioned that there was a feeling around the office of the market shifting. Though the statistics didn’t necessarily support our perceptions just yet, I suggested that the brokers around town felt that there was an easing up that could mean more houses available for sale.

As I look back, I’ve begun to realize that this was nearly all perception! There had been quite a lot of news around town and nationally about vaccine mandates and potential job vacancies up at LANL that would end with folks moving out of the area. This caused us real estate professionals to perceive that the market was going to suddenly be flooded with homes for sale because in the past, this has very often been the case. This time, it was what was happening all over our country!

But it didn’t have the same impact on the Los Alamos real estate market this time. Not really. Did we see some effects? Sure. Very small ones though. Perhaps there were only two offers on a home instead of five or six. The number of homes on the market a few weeks ago was twelve, which is more than the usual average. But at the end of the day, here are a few things that I learned:

Trust the statistics more than the perception. Right now real estate markets all over the United States are reflecting the same thing. Americans want to buy their own home. The number of homes available just isn’t comparable to the surge in the number of buyers. Period. It doesn’t matter if you’re in Los Alamos or Germantown, Tennessee.

Los Alamos is a town in its own right. It’s time to shed the 1940’s perceptions behind us. Yes. Housing here in Los Alamos is always going to be unique. That’s part of our history. But all housing crises do not belong solely to our population. They’re everywhere now. We should be focusing on enjoying our town, bringing in and supporting new businesses, and utilizing the amazing activities and amenities our town has to offer.

So get involved this holiday season! Shop small. Take a walk beneath the twinkling lights around the pond. Gather with friends and family and relax. The year AFTER Covid is coming to a close. Things aren’t the same, but maybe that’s all part of moving forward. And when you’re ready to join or leave our unique community, give me a call! I’m your home town real estate expert!

Who Would You Call in Los Alamos?

December 4, 2021 /

Halloween is over, so the answer to this question isn’t Ghostbusters. To be honest, I hadn’t thought about this much until a recent event in my yard caused me to wonder what I was supposed to do with the body in the yard.

Yes. Body. A random predator left the remains of their meal in my yard. Because there were multiple reasons not to let my dogs take care of removing the carcass, I found myself staring at the screen of my phone wondering who takes care of that. After all, it wasn’t an emergency. Dialing 911 to report a dead body in the yard seemed like a bad idea.

The “CDC” in Los Alamos

If you’re a member of this community or you spend any time at all in our county, there is one number you should have in your contacts. 505-662-8222. The CDC. No. I’m not suggesting the Center for Disease Control is the answer to everything in Los Alamos. Here locally, CDC refers to the Consolidated Dispatch Center. The Dispatch center employs state certified and nationally certified emergency service dispatchers. But they don’t just put you in touch with police and fire services. The dispatchers in Los Alamos can be an amazing resource when you’re not quite sure who to call.

Cat Stuck in a Tree?

It might sound like a children’s story, but this situation occurs more than you might think! With all of the coyotes and bobcats in Los Alamos County, cats have to be more than just wily. They have to be brave enough to run straight up a towering ponderosa or cottonwood tree. If your four legged feline friend happens to climb too high, you might need a hand getting them down. Since cats never do this during regular business hours, calling Dispatch should be your first move. They’ll put you in touch with the right people to get your fluffy pal safely to the ground.

In this particular case, Dispatch arranged for an on call Utility worker to use a bucket truck to retrieve a very scared cat named Ella Marie!

Nuisance Wildlife?

We’ve spent a lot of time lately talking about the fact that Los Alamos County is essentially a suburb of the Santa Fe National Forest. That means you’re more than likely going to need help dealing with unruly wildlife of some kind. Going back to the recent event in my yard, I eventually discovered through a series of dead end phone calls, that I needed to contact Animal Control. However, if I had called Central Dispatch from the beginning, it would have saved me time and effort.

Keep in mind that your wildlife emergency could be just about anything. One Los Alamos resident discovered a deer in their yard that wouldn’t move. They contacted Dispatch and a Police Officer arrived in only a few minutes. When the resident asked why Animal Control hadn’t responded, the officer explained that he was already on duty and had previous experience working for NM Fish & Game. It was faster for him to respond to their situation than activating the on call Animal Control officer. In this case, the deer had been injured, but the experienced officer determined that she didn’t need emergency care and she was able to move away from the yard and continue about her business. The situation was handled quickly and with as little fuss as possible thanks to Consolidated Dispatch! The experienced dispatcher on duty knew which officers were available and exactly what their skill sets were in order to determine the fastest solution to the problem at hand.

Do I Have an Emergency or Not?

Whether you call 911 or 662-8222, your call is going to hit the same call center, it’s just prioritized differently. Interestingly enough, cell phones make emergency calls a little more complicated than they have to be. If you have your data off, or your location service isn’t accurate enough, dialing 911 could end with you talking to a 911 operator in Santa Fe. Of course, they can redirect you or connect you to our local office here, but if you had dialed 662-8222 to start with, there would be no question who was going to answer your call.

There are moments in time where dialing 911 is imperative, instinctive even. But if you’re reporting a wreck with no injuries, a traffic incident, a stray dog wandering around, a car on the road driving erratically, or maybe you need to talk to a police officer or someone from the fire department for a non life threatening situation. Dialing 662-8222 might just save you time. And it also leaves the 911 calls strictly for real emergency situations.

So the next time you’re not entirely sure who to call in Los Alamos, give Dispatch a ring. With their deep knowledge of who does what in Los Alamos, they might just send help that you never would have thought to ask for in the first place. And if you’re looking for help with buying or selling a home in Los Alamos, just contact me! I’m your local real estate expert!

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