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Take A Peek At Los Alamos, New Mexico

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Fast Food Facts of Life in Los Alamos

January 11, 2021 /

I don’t know about anyone else, but I was more than a little excited when I heard that Wendy’s was considering building a store in Los Alamos. Before that could happen, 2020 stomped its way through our landscape and at this point there seems to be very little idea if or when that plan will come to fruition.

The eclectic blend of restaurants has always been a part of living here in Los Alamos. When I get frustrated by the lack of popular chain restaurants, I try to remind myself that our beautiful, unique community was meant to be isolated. That was kind of the purpose in the beginning, right? Our population is limited by the geography and availability of land. Corporate chains have strict guidelines on how large a population has to be before they consider building a store. Let’s face it, Los Alamos has never fit into these rules. Our town is a bit of a rebel in that way. After all, this community has two populations.

Population A: The number of people who live here.

Population B: the number of people who come here to work during the regular workweek (outside a pandemic work at home order of course!). And Population B can feel like triple the number of Population A if you’ve ever tried to find parking around lunchtime!

These numbers are so varied that it’s difficult for businesses and especially corporate run or franchise businesses to figure out things like hours and staffing. In fact, at one time there was a rumor that Panera Bread was going to put a location up here, but decided against it in the end. This population issue plays a big part in why we don’t have a lot of chain stores in Los Alamos, and unfortunately, it’s played a part in the fact that when we do, they often don’t last like we wish they would.

For those of you who are new to our community or perhaps even those who have been here for a long time, you might be surprised at some of the fast food franchises that have come and gone throughout the years. Here are a few:

Pizza Hut

At the moment, El Rigoberto’s occupies both of the old Pizza Hut locations. The White Rock location is distinctive. Who doesn’t remember that red topped, rectangular building style that defined the look of Pizza Hut starting in 1969 when the restaurant did a massive expansion and went from a small town pizzeria to a household name. The location at 166 Central Park Square underwent a refacing when the entire complex was renovated, but it originally had a red roof façade that identified it instantly as a Pizza Hut. Now, if you walk inside and take a look around, you can still see the outline of everyone’s favorite pizza chain in the floor plan, tile, and especially at the order counter.

McDonald’s

The White Rock McDonald’s PlayPlace even had a new fangled two window drive thru.

It isn’t difficult to identify our only recently vacated McDonald’s building on Trinity Drive. It’s just a hop, skip, and a jump from the brand new location with its modern double drive through lanes. But what you might not have immediately realized is that at one time there was a second location built in White Rock. It was popular with parents of tiny tots thanks to the ball pit and the enormous PlayPlace. In later years, Time Out Pizza operated out of that space and what was once the popular McDonald’s PlayPlace became their wonderful arcade.

Kentucky Fried Chicken

The old KFC building still has the drive thru lane complete with window.

Ever headed to Viola’s for a scrumptious Indian Taco or a Dallas Burrito and felt a vague sense of déjà vu? That’s because Viola’s is in the building once occupied by popular chain Kentucky Fried Chicken. Many of the booths are reminders of the building’s original start as the popular chicken franchise. The closest KFC these days is down in Española on North Riverside Dr. All things considered, some of us might not trade our local source for Stuffed Sopaipillas and Carne Adovada for buckets of fried chicken. Sometimes I wish we could have them all!

Baskin Robbins 31 Flavors

Oh yes. That’s right. Daniel’s Cafe & Mary’s Gelato used to be Baskin Robbins. And that was the second location. The first location was over behind Time Out Pizza’s new Los Alamos location, this space has been home to everything from a print shop to Quest Diagnostics. Back in the day, it was a rather handy place to grab an ice cream after Saturday soccer games at the field just across Nectar Street. If you’re curious as to why 31 Flavors is no more, you might try asking Daniel Sena of Daniel’s Cafe. On the other hand, if you’ve ever tasted some of the hand-dipped gelato or experienced the amazing breakfast burritos on offer at Daniel’s, you might be glad he made the choice he did.

Taco Bell

What?? You might be sifting through your mental inventory of buildings in Los Alamos and coming up blank. That’s because the old Taco Bell used to occupy a lot now hosting O’Reilly’s Auto Parts. If you’ve been in Los Alamos long enough to forget this building, it was a traditional Taco Bell that included the vintage style sign and design pictured above. When Taco Bell closed, the building eventually housed Hot Shots, owned and operated by Mike Smith who also operated Los Alamos favorite The Hill Diner (originally named Good Eats). Alas, when Taco Bell rebranded their look, our Taco Bell closed. For those of us who really enjoyed making a “run for the border”, it was sorely missed!

Now, that isn’t all of the fast food chains that have ghosted in and our of our fair city. Along with the Sonic, Starbucks, & Subway we currently enjoy, we’ve hosted Quizno’s and even an A&W (in the building where Pig & Fig is now). The good news is that we are growing. Not only that, but our county council is listening to the concerns and needs of members of our community. There are plans for more retail and more restaurants, and when this pandemic is behind us, we might even get that Wendy’s!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this trip back in time and remember, if you want to talk Los Alamos past, present, or future, give me a call! I love my hometown and I’d welcome any opportunity to help you find a place to call home in Los Alamos County.

Ready to Buy in 2021?

January 4, 2021 /

In spite of the 2020 pandemic, the uncertain times, and pretty much everything else that has happened recently, the one thing that seems to be on fire is the home market. Here in Los Alamos? Definitely. But also everywhere else! Homes are selling. Average Janes and Joes are leaping into home ownership. Are you ready to take that leap? Is 2021 the year for you?

If you answered yes, or even maybe, here are few things to get you started on the all important journey to owning your own castle:

Find Yourself a Lender

I often get blank looks when I suggest this to people long before they’ve actually started shopping for their dream house.

“What lender are you working with?” I ask.

Potential home owner looks confused. “I need to find a house I want to buy, then I’ll apply for the home loan.”

While that might have been the way things worked once upon a time, these days it’s in your best interest as a buyer to find a reputable lender to work with long before we’ve started scouring the MLS for the castle of your dreams. Your lender is an invaluable resource when it comes to the best way to shape your credit into a weapon that will get you the best rate on the best home for you and your family. Less than perfect credit? Your lender is a recipe book for the best way to repair that credit score and get you the house you never thought you’d qualify for.

But even if you’re just considering the idea of purchasing a home, there are some really important things you can be doing to prepare yourself for the buying process even a year or two in advance. So, if you’re in the process of saving for your down payment, here are some other things you’ll want to be doing at the same time to really put the finishing touches on your financial resume.

Pay Your Bills on Time & Frequently

This might sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many times people get busy or distracted and pay the utility or cell phone bill a few days late. Or maybe its the credit cards. You were going to make a huge payment but you needed to wait an extra day or two. You’re far better off making minimum payments on the same day every month and then making an extra payment or two in between. That looks great on a credit report and really boosts your score.

Get Intimate With Your Credit Report

Credit reports aren’t that much fun. It’s not like reading a newspaper, or a magazine, or a blog. But if you’re going to be suggesting a lender read that report and use the information to give you a great rate on a new house, don’t you think you should know what they’re seeing? There’s nothing worse than having a lender send you an email asking about a credit account you’ve never even heard of or telling you that you’ve applied for dozens of store accounts and been denied when you hadn’t applied for any.

If you’re not actually keeping track of your credit report, there are lots of things you might not be aware of. From credit accounts you forgot you had to hackers applying for credit in your name and using a distant family member’s address, to credit accounts you cosigned for someone that they defaulted on. If there is an error or an issue with your credit report, you need to be the first one to find out. It might take a little bit of paperwork, but those errors can be fixed. And the time to do it is BEFORE you apply for your next big ticket item.

Credit Cards: Good VS Evil

The little plastic (and even sometimes metal) cards with their numbers, codes, and microchips are a part of our economic reality that we’re not likely to see the end of soon. Whether you like or dislike credit cards, the truth is that you cannot boost your credit score without them.

The older the better. No matter how you might be tempted to pay something off and close the account to keep yourself from spending again, don’t do it. Cut it up. Put it in a block of ice in your freezer for emergencies. Whatever it takes. But don’t close the account. The older your credit accounts, the better. That’s an established financial relationship and banks love to see old credit accounts when they look at your report.

Lower credit limits make good fiscal sense, but they don’t do much for that credit score. Make your payments regularly and keep your balances under control and then ask for a higher limit. Don’t USE the limit. Just ask for it. Having a higher credit limit boosts your available credit number. Banks want to give you credit when it looks like you don’t actually need it because everyone else wants to give you credit too.

Having trouble building your credit? Have a family member or close friend put you on their card as an authorized user. You’ll gain some much needed points on the credit score without the financial burden. Or if that’s not an option for you, try a secured credit card. A card that’s guaranteed by money you’ve already paid toward the credit limit. At that point you’re essentially borrowing your own cash and paying it back every month. But it still builds your score.

Whatever your credit situation, be informed and proactive. It’s YOUR credit score and it affects your future in so many ways. The important thing is to be comfortable in your financial choices. A home is a huge purchase decision. 2021 might be your year. Or, it could be 2022. That doesn’t mean you can’t get more information. And if you want to know what the real estate market looks like here in Los Alamos County, give me a call! I’d love to chat with you.

Saying Goodbye to 2020

December 29, 2020 /

There’s no doubt about it, 2020 has been a year to remember. Most of it NOT on the positive side. I don’t know what your usual New Year’s Eve traditions consist of, but it’s a pretty good bet that whatever they usually are, this year is going to be different.

Staying home. Social distancing. No gathering with friends or family in your house, their house, or any house. Yes. All of this makes for a strange holiday season. But perhaps its time to look on the bright side.

It’s going to be important to usher out 2020. That’s for sure. But maybe there are some new, fun ways to make this into a New Year’s Event your family will remember for years to come.

A Time For Family

This is an opportunity to make the night a family affair. A giant family lock in, sleepover, and house party all in one. Bring out the junk food! Christmas cookies, candy, sundae bar, layer cake, holiday puddings, and more. Ask each member of the family to choose a dessert and a favorite game. If you have a Nintendo Wii gathering dust, this could be the opportunity to bring out those goofball favorites like Raving Rabbids or Mario Kart. Spend the entire evening sampling scrumptious junk food and playing games until 2020 is over and done. Maybe end the night with a family movie at midnight and let the kids fall asleep in a pile like a litter of happy puppies. Have a lazy family time weekend and be kind to yourself and those you love. Yes, we’ve all had some challenges as we isolate together, but at the end of the day your family is still your family.

Couple Time

It’s a pretty sure bet there are not a lot of places to actually GO on New Year’s Eve this year. If you’re trying to make the evening special you might try having a romantic night in instead of out. Dress up anyway. Look and feel like a million bucks. Cook a nice meal or order out. Los Alamos favorite, Sirphey, is offering a Royal Feast for New Year’s Eve. Or you could check out some of their other elegant offerings if you’re looking for a special feast to ring in the new year. Buy your favorite beverages. Look for New Year’s Eve celebrations around the world online and watch fireworks and more in every time zone across the globe. There’s no reason why 2020 can’t end on a happy note. Make it happen!

Power of Positivity

Whether you are a family of one, two, or ten, there has never been a greater need for purging the negative and embracing positivity. Think of December 31, 2020 as a time to cleanse the mind and the spirit. Take some time to talk to your loved ones. Talk about the things you’ve experienced this year. Talk about your worries and your fears.

“Getting it out” doesn’t just happen in therapy. It’s something we can share with our loved ones every time we listen to one another whether you’re face to face, FaceTime, or using Zoom for a family conference call. The best thing that can happen is to not just focus on the the worry and dread that’s been dogging most of us throughout this year. Let’s talk about what’s to come! Sure, get 2020 out in the open. Don’t let it squat like a giant elephant in the corner. But don’t forget to talk about the future! Share your hopes and your dreams and your plans for 2021 and beyond. There are good things on the horizon. We just have to be ready to welcome them with an open mind and not one filled with suspicion and doubt.

Whatever and however you and your family choose to celebrate the coming of a New Year, I want to wish each and every one of you the best! Happy New Year from Kendra Ruminer Real Estate! And remember, when your plans for 2021 call for a change in venue, give me a call. I love to talk Los Alamos Real Estate!

Get Outside in Los Alamos

December 23, 2020 /

You don’t have to be in our community for long to realize that outdoor activities are one of the things we do best! Miles and miles of county maintained trails, sports complexes, and ready access to the Santa Fe National Forest provide hours and hours of good, healthy entertainment. But there are more than a few fun things to do that are on the unusual side and some of those have rather historic beginnings.

North Mesa Stables

Though the stables is listed on the Los Alamos County Parks & Recreation website as a “park”, it’s a little more complicated than that. There have always been horses on the Pajarito Plateau. In fact, the original “stables” housed horses used by the Los Alamos Sheriff’s Posse to patrol the perimeter of Los Alamos back when the town was still closed. You can read more about the Sheriff’s Posse HERE.

What you might not realize is that the stables originally occupied what is now the practice field across the street from the high school. There was a golf course in that area as well. With the expansion of Los Alamos and the building of houses in the Western Area, the stables was moved to a spot at 35th Street and Diamond Drive which is right beside… The Los Alamos County Golf Course.

There has always been some contention between the residents of the town and this idea that the stables are a bit of an eyesore or a waste of land that could be used for building houses. For that reason, the stables moved to land that is now occupied by Hawk’s Landing, then across North Mesa to what is now Broadview, and finally in 1952 to their current location between the ball fields and the Kwage Mesa Trailhead.

Several of the buildings at the North Mesa Stables date back to the beginning of Los Alamos.

This land was eventually given to Los Alamos County in 1972 by way of a quit claim deed from the Atomic Energy Commission. What locals might not realize is that this deed from the AEC designates that this land be used for it’s current purpose. Horse Stables. The process of removing the stables would actually be quite complicated. Beyond that, it would remove a really unique part of Los Alamos History from the community landscape.

How it Works

Let’s unravel the mystery of how a Los Alamos resident becomes a resident of North Mesa Stables. First, you DO have to be a county resident. The land is held by the county and licensed on a yearly basis to a stable owner for a fee based on the size of the lot. The licensee is the owner of any improvements on the lot, (barns, fences, structures). The stable owner is entirely responsible for the purchase, maintenance, and cost of keeping any livestock on the premises. If a resident would like to inquire about purchasing the improvements on a stable lot and entering into a license agreement with the county for that lot, then the easiest way to do this is to contact the Parks & Rec office.

Visitors

If you’re not into the idea of heading out to North Mesa to care for your livestock multiple times per day in all weather, that’s okay. You can still enjoy the stables. Visitors are welcome to walk through and take a peek at the wide variety of animals. Everything from horses to peacocks and so much in between! In spring you can even see brand new lambs and kids and perhaps a few new baby horses as well.

Looking to enhance your garden? The manure in the disposal bins is FREE to the public. If you’re looking for something organic to add to that garden, then look no further. Take your pickup truck or your garden tubs up to the stables and find a pile that looks appealing to your botanical tastes. The county uses the manure for compost so they do ask that when you’re strolling the stables, you don’t place your dog poop bags or any other waste into those bins. And if the stable owners seem particularly concerned about this rule, it’s because the county passes the cost of filtering out that non compostable material to them.

Ettiquette

As you’re taking your stroll through the stables, enjoy more than a few historic buildings sprinkled throughout the barns. There are two original homesteader cabins and several former LASL buildings as well. Feel free to observe the goings on from a polite distance. However, please keep in mind that the alleyways between the barns are off limits to the general public. Sometimes the stable owners intentionally keep an animal at the back of their lot because that critter isn’t safe to be in the public spotlight. If you see a sign asking you not to pet the horses, it’s probably because they do bite. These are privately owned animals and they come with their own bad habits. In a way, walking up to someone’s stable lot and petting their horse is a bit like trying to pet a neighborhood dog behind the fence.

If you’re dying to get a little more interaction with the animals than a simple stroll down the gravel road, there are several organizations you might try contacting for a more close up experience. The Gifted Horse Therapeutic Riding, Los Alamos Pony Club, 4-H, and Lemonade Living all have stable lots and support outreach programs for animal lovers of all ages. Get out and volunteer or join a club and you just might find a way to satisfy the horse crazy kid in your life.

In non Covid years, there are several Stable Community Outreach programs too. Stroll the Stables is an educational walk through during Fair & Rodeo Week and the Luminaria Walk is a fun twilight tour at Christmastime. During these events, participating stable owners open their doors and welcome visitors and questions so look for the signs next year and get out and enjoy!

As the conclusion of the holiday season approaches and we prepare to say farewell to Year 2020, get outside and enjoy the sunshine and blue sky. Take a breath of fresh air and enjoy this beautiful community we call home. And if you’re ready to move from renting to home ownership, I’d love to share my hometown with you and help you find a place to call home here in Los Alamos County!

Happy Holidays!

Loving Life Here in Los Alamos

December 18, 2020 /

If you didn’t grow up in the Secret City, or even if you did and you lived elsewhere for any period of time, you might have lived in a land of subdivided neighborhoods, streets laid out in straight lines, and homes with spacious floor plans that include things like “bonus rooms”. That organized feel probably continued into towns full of strip malls, restaurants, and expressways crowded with cars.

You might have noticed already, but in case you hadn’t:

Los Alamos isn’t really like that.

Here’s the thing. A large part of the character of Los Alamos is in the curving streets, houses set at weird angles to the road, and even in the bizarre and seemingly unimaginative naming of the neighborhoods and housing styles.

“Sheridan developed Los Alamos’s first master plan between February and June 1946. His long-range goal was to completely rebuild the town by removing wartime housing and replacing it with modern neighborhoods. Incorporating the latest ideas in city planning, Sheridan drew detailed plans for the town’s first new housing area. the houses were varied in style, size, and placement on the lots. “Naturally curving streets” fit the contours of the land. Crescents and cul-de-sacs branched from a horseshoe-shaped arterial road, which offered limited access to the neighborhood. The curves increased privacy and eliminated the unattractive straight rows of houses found in other parts of town, as well as decreasing the speed of traffic through the residential areas.” from Craig Martin’s book Quads, Shoeboxes and Sunken Living Rooms.

Whenever you’re tempted to get frustrated with the narrow, curving streets, the seemingly inconceivable numbering system of houses, or even the lack of updated housing to purchase, consider the following.

This town was supposed to be difficult to navigate. Hello? Secret City. Los Alamos was chosen because it was remote and isolated. Feel nauseated by your efforts to navigate that U-haul up the mountain? Don’t forget that the original contractors were trying to drag prefabricated houses by truck over barely developed roads from the nearest railway station (which was in Lamy). The first construction crews had to build the road before they could even start the project!

This is an old town. Not old in the sense of being around since the American Colonial period. (By the way, that’s why Boston is so difficult to navigate in a car. The positioning of the buildings predates automobiles.) Los Alamos is old in the sense of a place that has been constantly occupied by a growing population that has always exceeded the town’s ability to sustain it. The town itself has gone through numerous reorganizations and several natural disasters. It has been stretched, pinched, razed, burned, and in some cases moved (the original wartime era building of The Christian Church was sold and moved off the hill in the 80’s). The “town planning” has been done and redone as trends come and go. And yet what was, and sometimes still is, considered a “company town” is still alive and kicking.

Our neighborhoods, North Community, Western Area, Eastern Area, etc. were named by the Atomic Energy Commission. The uniqueness lays in the fact that everything here was once government owned and government built. You think finding a house is difficult now? Back in the day, houses were assigned by a points system and regulated by a housing commission not unlike military housing. Your address was determined by the number of people in your family, your salary, your tenure, and sometimes by how important you were to the laboratory.

Which brings me to the secret language of housing here in Los Alamos County. “Is that a Group 11 or a Group 13?” The funny thing is that it seems strange to identify a home based upon its floor plan or the order in which it was built and yet those subdivided neighborhoods do the same thing. “Is this a Mallory or a Hilary? Are you in Aberdeen Platt One or Aberdeen Villas?” Floor plans and elevations are often given names to make them more attractive or easier to remember for consumers.

If you head to White Rock and take a look around you’ll find that those home designs originally had names like Valle Grande and neighborhoods were called things like La Vista and Mountain Meadows. It was simply more sensible for the Atomic Energy Commission to continue where the Army left off. Hence Group 11 and so on until we reach the end of the government’s involvement in Los Alamos housing around the Group 17 A and B timeframe.

As much as the homes in the Los Alamos County housing market might not look as posh and modern as those you find in a subdivision in Rio Rancho, remember that our homes are a snapshot of history. They are laden with the character that is the backbone of this community. Sure. They’re often “weird”. They can lack some of the modern amenities. And sometimes you’re going to get a glimpse of decades worth of someone else’s DIY can-do ingenuity.

But that’s part of the charm.

If you really want to understand the housing market and the culture of housing here in Los Alamos County, check out the Los Alamos Historical Society’s page. You can find a copy of Craig Martin’s book about housing in Los Alamos. It might be just the ticket to give you a whole new appreciation for being part of this wonderful place. And when you’re ready to shop for the perfect Group 13, an Original Western, or even that Valle Grande model in White Rock, give me a call. I’d love to talk Los Alamos housing with you!

What’s With White Rock?

December 10, 2020 /
View into the Rio Grande Valley near Hell’s Hole in White Rock.

Los Alamos County is unique. No doubt about it. There are bits and pieces of local life that are so “normal” to those of use who have lived in Los Alamos County for a long time. Those same bits and pieces make the newbies scratch their heads with wonder. No doubt one of those “bits and pieces” happens to be White Rock itself. How on earth did a town that isn’t a town spring up on a scrap of land that is so difficult to develop that modern construction methods have spent the last several years blasting the ground and missing deadlines just to put a few fairly simple houses on the acreage between the White Rock Visitor Center and the Grand Canyon/State Road 4 intersection?

Here are few things to keep in mind:

White Rock began life in 1949 as a hastily slapped together development to house construction workers. No kidding folks, there were around four hundred prefabricated houses, spaces for privately owned trailers, and some dormitories. Homes weren’t wired for phone service and one of the big bragging points was that they had a gas range for cooking!

(photo courtesy of Craig Martin)

In Craig Martin’s fascinating book, Quads Shoeboxes and Sunken Living Rooms, he relates a story about a young boy who was burned in a kitchen fire. The poor mother couldn’t call for help, couldn’t access the family car because it was with her husband at work, and waited hours for her child to get treatment. “In the Los Alamos News the next day town managers said the proper way to summon emergency help in White Rock was to pull the nearest fire alarm.”

And yet, even in this rural “overnight town”, there was a commercial section of town that included a grocery store, a beauty shop, a barber, a doctor’s office, and a jail. There was also a school and a post office. Why did the 2400 residents of 1950’s White Rock get all the good stuff? Because the construction crews didn’t have a clearance and therefore could NOT get into Los Alamos to shop on the hill.

The entire development was situated on the land between Joya Loop, Rover Blvd, and State Road 4. The single family homes were literally referred to as “shoeboxes”. Yep. That’s right. Shoeboxes. By the winter of 1957 the new construction at the National Laboratory was done and there was nothing left of White Rock but a few empty streets. The prefab houses had been sold and moved elsewhere.

By 1959 the “critical housing shortage” in Los Alamos brought the Atomic Energy Commission back to the idea of developing White Rock. This time they proposed to Washington that they sell the property to a private developer. Two hundred acres to start, a thousand acres more in the future at (this will make you cry) a whopping $25.00 per acre. Houses were supposed to be in the $15,000 range to accommodate lower income home buyers. (Talk about appreciation!)

Sounds brilliant, right? Wrong! The FHA deemed White Rock to be too rural to offer mortgage insurance to home buyers. The whole project would have been scrapped if it weren’t for a bill introduced to Congress by then NM Senator Clinton Anderson. John McCone, chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, pushed hard and in November 1960 President Eisenhower signed a bill to offer FHA mortgages in remote areas to promote growth and development. By the end of the month, developers were making bids to make White Rock a reality.

Noxon’s original plans for White Rock. Those who picked up the building contracts after Noxon bowed out have kept to the same general idea except the golf course out toward the right.
(photo courtesy of Craig Martin)

By January 1961, the contract was awarded to Los Angeles based Noxon Construction and folks here locally were perusing floor plans and looking at options for exterior and interior finishes. The cost of the homes was $19,000, but an agreement from the local utility companies to pay for the installation cut the costs by $4,000. But that was only the beginning of the story. See if this doesn’t sound familiar.

Craig Martin writes, “the Noxon construction project was fraught with troubles from the start. The dense, hard basalt just under the surface proved more difficult and expensive to work with than first expected. Street and utility construction progressed slowly. Noxon soon felt that meeting the 200-house stipulation of the contract would be impossible.”

Martin goes on to talk about Noxon barely breaking even on the homes and eventually being fined by the AEC for failure to complete his promised 200 homes. Noxon gave up the contract, two other builders from Santa Fe and Roswell took up the torch in 1964, and White Rock was eventually considered a permanent development and an alternative to living in Los Alamos.

The interesting thing about the original “Master Plan” for White Rock was that it included a police station, commercial center, golf course, an elementary, junior high, and high school. These were considered the necessary amenities of a town in post-war America. For those of us living in White Rock, we would heartily agree that those things are necessary. We just can’t seem to get anything to stick around!

Those of you who haven’t been in our area for long might not realize the various amenities that have come and gone from White Rock. The shopping center is where Gordon’s began. In the late eighties kids rode their bikes up to Gordon’s for ice cream and to buy the latest cassette tapes. WaterMills offered gifts and a full selection of Jelly Belly Jellybeans.

At one time we had a bowling alley. In other years residents could enjoy watching a movie at The White Roxy or renting one at The Film Festival. There have been many versions of the drug store, classic supermarkets, a Pizza Hut, a McDonald’s, and dozens of restaurants that have come and gone.

So, as we all continue to ponder the future of White Rock and pine away for things like fast food chains and shopping, let’s take a moment to be glad for what we have. After all, nobody is telling you to pull the nearest fire alarm and wait for the fire crews up in Los Alamos to get here. In fact, we have a beautiful fire station, a fantastic branch of the local library, and a Visitor’s Center that sports a packed parking lot through most of the summer (in normal years of course).

Things will change. White Rock will continue to change. And our remote village will discover a new identity for all of us to enjoy. And if you happen to be looking for real estate in White Rock, give me a call. I’d love to show you around.

The view from a house in White Rock is like no other!

Proving You REALLY Want It

December 2, 2020 /

We talk about the “seller’s market” going on right now in Los Alamos County. But what does that actually mean if you’re trying to purchase a home in a seller’s market?

There’s the obvious of course. When you’re one of several buyers interested in purchasing a home, that seller isn’t going to be likely to offer much in the way of bonuses like repairs or discounts for outdated fixtures, paint, or carpet. But there are several situations you might not anticipate.

Are you ready to really prove that you want that house? One method that might be suggested by your broker is to waive the appraisal.

I know. The concept sounds a little off. After all, the appraisal establishes the value of a home so that the mortgage company – the lender – can lend an appropriate amount of money. The appraisal often affects the amount of a down payment required to purchase the house. If a house does not appraise for the entire listed price, it can be a bargaining tool to lower that asking price.

But when there happens to be a line of buyers waiting to purchase that property, things change. Offers become creative. Think of it as doing your level best as a potential buyer to make YOUR offer stand out from the other ten sitting on the table. How do you do that?

We often hear about “bidding wars”. It might make you shake your head because how on earth do you have a bidding war when at the end of the day, you can only pay as much for a house as the bank says its worth.

Actually, you CAN. Here’s how:

You can agree to waive the appraisal. The appraisal still takes place. After all, the lender needs to know what the value of that house is. But you, as the purchaser, are essentially agreeing to pay enough money up front to bridge the gap between the asking price and the appraisal value.

How does that work?

Let’s say a house is listed for $350,000. You offer $400,000 and you waive the appraisal, because there are a LOT of offers and you REALLY want this house. Your dream home then appraises for $375,000. So as the buyer, you would then have to chip in your down payment plus $25K. 

Regardless of the amount that the purchaser offers, the key is that it no longer matters what the house appraises for. The purchaser is agreeing to make up the difference between what the bank will lend based upon the appraisal value, and the sale price.

This isn’t necessarily as terrifying as it might first seem. If you’ve purchased a house here in Los Alamos recently, you might have noticed that the median home price has been steadily increasing. This means that appraisal values have also been increasing. If you’re looking at purchasing a home that had a reasonable asking price to begin with, then even if you offer more than the asking price, the appraisal might come in higher than originally anticipated anyway.

It is also possible to waive only a portion of the appraisal. The buyer can choose to specify that they would pay $X above appraisal. That way you know that you may or may not have to come up with additional capital up to a certain point. These amounts vary, but can be adjusted based on the financial capabilities and the comfort zone of the individual buyer. There are also ways to anticipate what the appraisal will be. Your broker can assist you in estimating the additional cash you might have to add to your down payment to cover your offer on the home of your dreams.

Of course, once your offer has been accepted, the waiting game begins. Then you’re likely to experience more than a little uncomfortable anticipation as you wait for the appraisal to come in. See, you are now legally obligated to come up with that cash. You made an offer. You have a contract.

The wonderful news is that you’re going to buy the house of your dreams! Your offer was chosen. You managed to get in there and get the house in spite of the other ten or fifteen offers that might have been on that table. Congratulations!

So when you’re trying to find a way to make sure your offer floats to the top of the pile and looks the most attractive, this might help you succeed. But, as I always tell my clients. Be absolutely sure. Be certain you can financially fulfill this obligation. And be sure that this is the right decision for you and your family.

When you’re ready to prove that you REALLY want that house, give me a call! I’d love to chat with you. We’re still buying and selling real estate through these pandemic times. Drop me an email today to see how we can make the process easy for you with virtual tours, online sales, and no contact showings!

Got A Listing In My Pocket…

November 19, 2020 /

Pocket Listing. The name sounds almost cute. The idea is anything but.

The idea of the pocket listing or “off market listing” is actually rather simple. There is a house for sale. Something about that house, either involving it’s readiness for viewing, the identity of the seller, or perhaps the price range of the property, suggests the house might be better off being sold as an “off market listing”. It might even be that the seller has a buyer in mind. A friend or family member.

Off market listing means not listed in the MLS. The MLS is the multiple listing system. The enormous database that brokers or agents can go to in order to search for homes that are currently listed for sale. It is literally the reason that most sellers want their home listed with a broker. They WANT it out there for people to see. The more potential buyers with an opportunity to see your home, the more opportunity the seller has to sell that home.

Right?

So, why would anyone want their home kept off that MLS?

Let’s say you’re a celebrity and you’ve got a house you want to sell, but you don’t particularly want every Tom, Dick, and Harry tromping through your house taking selfies with your bathroom sink. You can keep that listing in some broker’s pocket and make sure that they only let certain, pre-approved people with an actual interest in purchasing your home through the front door. And let’s face it. Most of the time when we’re talking celebrity homes, we’re probably talking about homes in the more than one million dollar price range. There are significantly fewer buyers in that price range. So it’s not hard for a broker to screen buyers or tap into their network to find the percentage of lookers who actually want to spend that kind of dough on a house.

Here’s the other thing you need to realize about the Pocket Listing. Whatever Realtor has that listing in his pocket is representing both the buyer and the seller. They are working to earn the entire commission. And that puts them in a very tricky situation when it comes to ethics.

Normally, when I work with a buyer or a seller, I’m happy to help them “speculate” (for lack of a better word) about what the other party in the sale might be thinking or planning, or how they might react to a certain offer or request. We spend time talking about the way things “usually” happen or situations I might have seen or experienced in the past. I’m happy to get them as much information as I can because I am working only for them.

Now. When I’m working for both buyer and seller because it is my listing? That all changes. I try to stay out of any speculation. It wouldn’t be speculation. It would be revealing important information about one side or the other and I have to remain neutral. I have to say “these are the facts, please follow your own instincts and do what’s best for you and your family”. It’s honestly a very uncomfortable place to be. I take the ethics of my profession seriously. I want to help my customers and that means not playing favorites.

Apply what I’ve just said to the concept of the Pocket Listing. Not only is the broker involved working for both buyer and seller, but the house is not listed in a way that could make that sale happen in any other fashion. If that seems a bit murky, you’re not wrong.

How This Applies to Our Local Market

Here in Los Alamos we are experiencing a fast moving seller’s market. Houses sell faster than they can be found. They spend very little time in the MLS and often involve multiple offers and bidding situations. This means homes can sell for a LOT more than the seller expected. While this can be painful for the buyer, it can also be a really good thing for someone who once thought they were upside down on their mortgage and would never be able to sell and leave the area.

I’ve seen several recent situations regarding Pocket Listings that have really given me cause for concern. Usually these situations are created by someone trying to do something nice. Something like this:

Example- Seller has a home and they have a decent amount of equity. They also have a friend who is looking for a home and really having trouble finding one in this tough market. Seller agrees to a Pocket Listing so that they can just have the broker do the paperwork to allow their friend to purchase the house. House sells for price X. Two weeks later a very similar house on the same street, with slightly less in amenities, and with a regular MLS listing and multiple bidders goes for $40K MORE than our Good Samaritan Seller got for their home.

I don’t know about any of you. I love my friends. I love my family. But not enough to throw away $40K.

I know. It sounds almost mercenary. But friendship goes both ways. There is a lot of wiggle room inside a $40K price difference. Why not list the house the traditional way and have your friend submit an offer just like everyone else. Perhaps you take their offer at a price that is fair to you both or help them out by paying their closing costs or something else to that effect. It’s much better to be fair than to take the chance of feeling bitter about it later.

Regardless of how you want to buy or sell your home or who you think deserves the chance to buy it. Keep a few things in mind when it comes to off market listings in our little close knit community. Pocket Listings are more common in sluggish markets, in markets that have huge numbers of investment properties, or markets that involve multimillion dollar homes and celebrity buyers. They are less of a benefit to sellers when homes are selling like the hottest new Christmas toy and spend very few days on market.

Stay safe and enjoy the holidays in this strange 2020 Holiday Season! And don’t forget, when you’re ready to make a change, even now when everything seems to change every second, call Kendra!

Kitchens Matter

November 11, 2020 /

The kitchen is the heart of the home. Right? So many things happen in a kitchen. Food prep is only the tip of the iceberg. All of those pleasant (or not) family conversations. Homework. Work-work. Phone calls. Coffee with friends (back when we could).

Given that, it’s easy to understand why the all important kitchen reno is a hotly debated topic that can inspire excitement in some and dread in others. As our culture evolves into something that none of us were expecting, I think it’s only fair to talk a little bit about kitchen trends. And yes. You can Google kitchen trends and come up with a million ideas. But let me try to make this applicable to Los Alamos. Because let’s face it. In a good number of homes here in our community, the average HGTV kitchen renovation just isn’t going to work. So let’s look at kitchen trends from three angles that really matter here in Los Alamos. Space. Storage. Resale.

Space

Let’s face it. Even in some of the larger homes in our county, the original home design from the seventies and eighties didn’t necessarily come complete with a big eat-in country kitchen. But at the end of the day, space is really about perception and not square footage. Here are some things to keep in mind when it comes to creating the illusion of space.

Cabinets & Counters

Have a tiny kitchen space to work with? Then modern, clean, bright, white is your friend. Sure. It might seem obvious. But even if your kitchen has cabinets that have been painted white, you’d be surprised how much brighter and bigger a kitchen will look if you get rid of those squeaky, creaky outdated painted cabinets and go with a more modern version.

Afraid of being too white? One rising kitchen trend is to add a dark countertop to offset the white floors, ceiling, and cabinets. Butcher block is becoming really popular and while it takes a little maintenance and sealing to keep it sanitary, the warmth of wood against white cabinets is striking. Or, you could try a dark quartz or stainless steel countertop with a nice shine to add depth.

Another way to add contrast and gain the illusion of space is to add a backsplash made of material with a reflective quality. It doesn’t have to be a mirror. There are plenty of prefab options available at DIY stores like Lowe’s or Home Depot. Some folks are adding a high gloss ceramic tile to really give their kitchen some character.

Windows

If you’re ready to dig into a bigger renovation project, you might consider adding windows or expanding what you have. Is there a breakfast nook in a dark corner? Consult a contractor about adding windows. It might be a way to expand your kitchen without losing other interior space and add some energy saving bonus points to your kitchen design. You could even modernize what windows you have to maximize light. If you have privacy concerns and neighbors close by, consider adding an aftermarket DIY film to your windows instead of curtains. Curtains not only take up space, but they can eliminate light.

Storage

If there’s one thing that tops the list on almost anyone’s home-must-have list it has to be storage space. Maximize your kitchen space by considering floor to ceiling cabinets. Yes. That’s right. A full wall of kitchen cabinets, probably in white, and almost definitely enclosed to provide you a place to pack as much of your kitchen gadgets and cooking utensils away from view.

When you’re planning your wall to wall cabinet system, think of it a little bit like a closet organizer. How can you integrate your appliances? What maximizes your countertop space and gives you plenty of space to prepare and cook meals for your family while still making your kitchen comfortable and uncluttered? While the latest trends in kitchen style don’t suggest knobs or any cabinet hardware, don’t be afraid to add a bit of color or character by finding some vintage or handmade knobs or drawer pulls to your cabinet project.

The Island

Ahh yes. The kitchen island. This vital piece of kitchen space doesn’t have to be huge in order to be functional. These days, the multi tiered islands are in. That can mean adding a bar height section and a waist high section. Or perhaps even adding a narrow bar in an awkward space to give the kids somewhere to sit and color. And if your kitchen doesn’t come with an island, don’t worry. There is plenty of variety when it comes to what kind of kitchen island you can add to your space. And don’t forget drawers or shelves to add even more storage.

Resale Value

I don’t think we ever do a renovation project on our homes without at least thinking about resale value. It might only be a passing thought, but it’s still present. When it comes to kitchens, upgraded and updated appliances are going to get you a great return on investment. And it might surprise you, but matte black and icy white were the “hot new colors” of 2020. And if you’re really looking to add to the functionality and wow factor in your kitchen don’t forget the Bluetooth and Wi-fi. Want to see some really interesting appliance trends from 2020? This list will get you thinking modern kitchen in a whole new way.

When it comes to resale, here are a few other things to consider.

Granite or marble countertops always add value to a home. From a return on investment perspective, if you have a very small amount of counter space in your kitchen, adding granite or marble will add class and value. Other styles that can increase appeal to potential buyers are stainless steel and concrete. It might not be what you’d expect to find in an average kitchen, but new trends suggest these two styles are both functional and attractive.

Back to those cabinets. Those outdated wood cabinets might have been total trendsetters in the eighties. They might have even been expensive. You could paint them or update the hardware. But you’ll get more resale value out of the clean lines and modern look of inexpensive cabinetry. It doesn’t even matter if they’re DIY specials you found on Overstock.com. As long as they are installed correctly and in a way to maximize storage and functionality, you’re going to add good value to your home.

As always, I hope that when you come up with an improvement project for the place you call home, you do it for yourself! Don’t forget that your house is first and foremost your house! Love your space. And when you’re ready to find a new one, email or give me a call!

FSBO vs Broker: Ready. Set. Go!

October 14, 2020 /

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

Newsflash.

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

FSBO (For Sale By Owner)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Marketing

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

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

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

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

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

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

Maybe You’re Ready

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

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

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