Kendra Ruminer's Two Cents of Real Estate

Take A Peek At Los Alamos, New Mexico

Tag: Real Estate Tips (Page 2 of 3)

Water Rule W-8 in Los Alamos

September 16, 2021 /

What could be more precious than water in the desert?

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

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

Water is classified in 4 Ways

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nobody is supposed to irrigate anything on Mondays.

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

Wasting Water

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

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

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

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

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

But that really isn’t the point.

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

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

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

Run with the Dogs in Los Alamos

August 31, 2021 /

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

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

The Dog Run

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

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

White Picket Fence

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

Modular Puppy Pens

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

Chain Gang Pup

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

Dog Turf

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

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

Less In – Less Out

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

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

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

Patios & Balconies in Los Alamos

August 18, 2021 /

Claiming Your Outdoor Space

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

Sure. We all want this:

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

Setting the Mood

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

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

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

The Seating

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

The Grill

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

The Entryway

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

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

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

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

Fun Facts About School Facilities in Los Alamos

August 13, 2021 /

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

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

Duane W. Smith Auditorium

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

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

Griffith Gymnasium

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

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

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

Sullivan Field

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

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

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

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

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

Why Do We Wait Until Spring to Clean?

February 16, 2021 /

When you hear the words “spring cleaning”, what do you think of? Is it a quaint notion that conjures up an image of some June Cleaver like woman with a wasp thin waist and kitten heels beating a rug and somehow managing not to get a single speck of dirt on her pristine dress? Or do you go the other direction and visualize your laundry room as you wipe grime off your forehead with one hand and tackle a lint bunny the size of King Kong with the other?

Spring Cleaning is a fascinating concept really. I don’t know about anyone else, but it stresses me out. This idea that we’re supposed to take a single weekend or week or even two weeks and do what? Clear out all of the junk that’s piled up in the house over the past 365 days while scrubbing and mopping and dusting until we’ve managed to eradicate any germs or dirt?

Little House on the Prairie

First of all. The concept of spring cleaning is an old one. Like 1800’s old. Probably older than that. There are certain scholars that like to say it originated with some religious customs that involve spring. Whether you’re celebrating Easter, Passover, or Lent, there are ancient religious customs regarding the cleaning of altars, churches, or even getting rid of any sort of leavened bread that might be considered disrespectful to the spirit of the season.

A Little Dirt Don’t Hurt

Other customs surrounding spring cleaning are practical. According to a Washington Post article on the subject:

“Because homes used to be lit with whale oil or kerosene and heated with wood or coal, the winter months left a layer of soot and grime in every room. With the arrival of spring, women would throw open windows and doors, and take rugs and bedding outside and beat dust out of them and start scrubbing floors and windows until sparkling.”

Um, ICK! Can you imagine what it was like before things like natural gas furnaces, hot water heaters, and electricity? If you have a wood or pellet stove or a fireplace, you know what kind of mess that involves. Now imagine that grime covering every single surface in your home.

Logically, you weren’t going to be able to air things out and clean that grime or soot until the weather warmed up. Ergo, Spring Cleaning. Further historical evidence suggests that the men in the household were turned out for a week in order to allow the womenfolk the space and time to get the job done right.

Yeah. I’m not going to agree with that notion at all. Not unless Dads want to be responsible for keeping the kiddos out of the house so Mom can clean. At some point this tradition of opening up the home, airing things out, and achieving that sense of renewal is more biology than anything else. Spring is a time of renewal and regrowth. The beginning of the growing season. So, embrace it!

Reality Check

Here in Los Alamos, spring can also be a time of unsettled and often wild temperature and weather swings. How many of you remember getting snow in May a few years ago? It happens. Here in the Rockies we can’t always count on spring to start in March or April. So, why not get started with your “renewal” in mid to late February?

Here’s an idea. Make this a numbers game and begin with the first part of ANY cleaning project. Decluttering.

Numbers. As in date. Choose a room in your home that needs some TLC. Or start in your bedroom. Even more specific. Your CLOSETS. Depending on what day you start, remove that many items from your closets. If today is the 20th of the month, then remove twenty items from your cluttered closets. These don’t have to be big items. The point is just to go through and get rid of things you don’t need or want.

Anything counts in this numbers game. I don’t care if its a stray candy wrapper or spare change. Count it! Let your kids get into this idea and choose 20 toys they don’t play with anymore. Have too many Legos or Barbie accessories? This can be a great way to pare down the sheer volume of these items over time.

And tomorrow on the 21st? Come back and do the same thing. Do it every single day for 20 days. And then move onto the drawers. Eliminating a specific number of things each days takes some of the stress out of the task. When you say “clean out a closet” or “clear out my drawers” the sheer volume of items involved can be daunting. Putting a specific parameter on this takes the sting out.

Choose three different targets in your home and three sets of 20 day clean out campaigns. You can even do ROOMS if that feels more productive to you. Work on the living room for 20 days, then the bedrooms, then the kitchen (or whatever works for you). Then, when the weather is really nice enough to open the windows, air it out, and really get that spring clean feel, you won’t have to wade through your shelter-at-home-clutter-fest to get the job done.

Do you have a spring cleaning tradition of your own? Drop me a line in the comments and share it! And as always, when you’re looking for your Los Alamos Local Real Estate Expert, give me a call. I LOVE to talk homes whether you want to discuss cleaning, buying, or selling!

The Los Alamos Home Market Today

February 4, 2021 /

When you think about the Los Alamos County housing market right now, terms like “seller’s market”, “bidding”, and multiple offers” often come to mind. But how do these concepts translate to actual data about home sales in our town? Let’s take a look at a couple of statistics that might provide a better picture.

Sales in a Month

The first thing you have to keep in mind when you’re looking at real estate sales, is that there are natural peaks and valleys in the market that correspond to seasonal factors like holidays or the beginning and end of the school year. Weather can also play a big part in determining the number of homes sold in a month. Nobody wants to move in or out if there are back to back snowstorms such as the ones we experienced several winters ago.

Here’s the surprising thing about the number of homes sold each month in the last few years. 2018 was a good year. The monthly average of homes sold in 2018 was 31.5. In August there were 41 home sales. That’s quite a big bump. And yet we saw nearly as many homes sell in December of 2019. That’s right, there were 38 home sales in December. Almost as many as there were in August. And December is typically the beginning of the seasonal slowdown.

Of course, you could suggest that this was just part of a continuous trend throughout last few years. Except that’s not necessarily true. The average number of homes sold per month in 2019 was 27.5. In 2020, that number dropped to 26.8. That might seem like a downward trend until you remember that we were selling 26.8 homes per month during a period when our kids weren’t allowed to attend school, we were all trapped in our homes “working”. And a good number of new home owners shopped online for homes they never physically visited until the closing date. Anyone else feel like 26.8 is spectacular given the circumstances? I certainly do!

It doesn’t look as though it’s slowing down either. If anything, the market is gaining momentum. There were 26 home sales just last month and I can’t wait to see what February brings!

Home Prices

This is a sticky topic no matter what market you’re talking about. Whether you’re looking at urban, suburban, or even acreage, price point is on the minds of both buyers and sellers. Here in Los Alamos, it’s all too easy to get caught up in this mindset that homes in our county are so much more expensive than homes in other places.

From the data shown above, you can see that most of the homes sold in 2020 were in the $400-$499K range. But only by three percent more than the $300-$399K range. And the price point below that, the $200-$299K range, is only another one percent drop. Taking into account the number of homes sold in 2020, you’re talking a difference of five or six homes. And while it really is incredible that there were 89 homes that sold for $500K and above in 2020, that also means there were 233 homes that sold for less than $500K.

Let’s also not forget that this isn’t happening only in Los Alamos. According to popular real estate experts, Norada Real Estate Investments, the median listing prices across the country grew 14.4% throughout 2020. That’s a huge amount of growth. In fact, Narada goes on to discuss the ways in which the real estate market, record low mortgage interest rates, and the demand for homes is actually helping to bolster the US Economy. Yes. You’re paying a higher listing price, but the lower interest on your mortgage still means you get more for your money whether you’re in Los Alamos or anywhere else in the United States. And here, you get the benefit of living in one of the safest, healthiest, and most beautiful places in the country. If you have to social distance, having a National Forest on hand is certainly a perk.

So the next time you want to ponder the state of our local real estate market, remind yourself of this important point. As always, Los Alamos isn’t all by itself in how the market is performing or what the trends are. However, we are by far and away doing it better and probably more efficiently than anyone else. And if you’re ready to talk about how YOU fit into our local real estate market, give me a call!

Does Curb Appeal Still Matter?

January 19, 2021 /

There is no doubt that the process of selling a house has changed here in Los Alamos. The number of days a house spends on the market has decreased drastically and in some price ranges it is almost nonexistent! But a “seller’s market” doesn’t necessarily mean “as is”.

Curb Appeal

These two words can mean so very much when it comes to selling your home. If your house has far more “curb” than “appeal”, you might look back to this post from last year to get ideas for making your home stand out. If you’re getting ready to sell and just want to put your best foot forward, this post is for you!

If you’re selling a home here is Los Alamos, it’s very likely that your house is going to sell. That means the devil is in the details. As a seller, you want to make your home as inviting as possible to every person who gets out of the car to come look at it. We all know Los Alamos is a unique place. The homes here can be as varied and unusual as it gets. While that’s really a part of the charm, it can also be jarring to those moving to our area from out of town. That means we need to welcome them as much as possible.

I’d start with these three things:

The Yard

Take a long, hard look at your yard and be honest with yourself. Are there bits and pieces of your home improvement projects hanging around? Car parts? A zoo like assortment of yard ornaments? Remember that you’re selling your home. Pack those things and put them out of sight. You’re moving. Might as well go ahead and get started on the process. Neat. Welcoming. Spacious. Those are the three words that need to describe your yard no matter what it normally looks like. If you have a lack of grass (because we live in a desert), then make sure there are no leaves gathered beside your bushes or littering your rock beds. And let’s talk about the bushes. Please trim them. Allowing the juniper to eat the future buyers on their way to the door is a bad idea!

The Front Door

Let’s be honest. How often do we actually look at our front door? Is it dirty, faded, paint chipping or door knob or knocker falling off? Does the knob work? If there is a “trick” to getting your door to unlock, get that fixed. A fresh coat of paint, (Metzger’s has tons of options) a new knocker, or a knob or latch and you’re set. Let’s face it. There is no doubt that a stranger will walk through your home and make a mental list of things that need some changing. Do not let that list start at the front door.

The Doorbell

Which brings me to the last item on every Realtor’s list. The doorbell. If it has multiple settings, then choose the most doorbell sounding option please. Don’t let your doorbell serenade future buyers with Brahm’s Lullaby. It’s just not in your best interest. And if it doesn’t work? That’s a big problem! And please don’t think the doorbell won’t get used. Any Realtor who walks up to your front door with their clients is going to push the doorbell, because they need to make sure you’re not in the house when they enter. I never want to walk-in on a homeowner by accident! The same goes for cracked or broken doorbell buttons. There are plenty of options these days to fix that issue that don’t even require electrical intervention. Bring your doorbell and your home into the modern age and welcome future buyers in the best way possible.

Now, this will help you put your best foot forward. If you have additional ideas for making a home as welcoming as possible, I’d love to hear them. Just add them in the comments below or feel free to drop a line on my Facebook Wall. And don’t forget. If you’re buying or selling in Los Alamos, give me a ring!

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.

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!

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