Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Daily market update: Dec. 29, 2015

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

NEW LISTING!
WEIMER/TOWN OF TAOS LOCATION
Absolutely fantastic location! Amazing views of the mountains and valley yet nearby the hospital and town amenities. Free standing, one level, condo with approx 1600 sq ft, 2 spacious bedrooms and 2 baths. Attached, heated 2 car garage with large storage room. Brand new exterior stucco (Sept 2015) on house and courtyard walls. Private courtyard and covered patio. Open great room with separate sitting areas, Kiva fireplace and dining area. Super functional kitchen with dining counter, granite counter tops, custom cabinetry and stainless appliances. Lots of natural light. Air conditioning unit in the great room. Only five units, small HOA. Lovely, well maintained grounds. Well designed and sited for maximum privacy. Easy to show! Easy to fall in love with! 
MLS 95411 $372,000






Monday, November 9, 2015

NEW LISTING!
House and Guest House Located Near Downtown!
Located close to historic downtown, walk to Kit Carson Park, downtown shops, museums and galleries! This property, at the corner of Las Cruces and De Vargas, is in one of the favorite neighborhoods in town! Verdant .41 acre parcel with surface water rights, beautiful grounds, a cozy intimate courtyard, established gardens and mature trees (including fruit trees!). 1971 square foot main house with 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths AND an office (or fourth bedroom). Dramatic kiva fireplace. Cheerful kitchen and dining area. Sash style, divided light windows add character and plenty of light! In addition, the free standing 384 square foot guest house is loaded with charm: studio style with a full bath! With wonderful south facing windows the guest house would also make a great studio or office! Additional features include: An outdoor dining area under a pergola. Radiant floor heat in main house. Work shop attached to the guest house building. New roof in 2015. Town water/sewer and natural gas. All the charm and character you expect and ready to move right on in!
MLS 97693  $535,000













Wednesday, October 21, 2015

GRACIOUS ADOBE HOME ~ GATED COMMUNITY!
Spacious and gracious Godsoe built home overlooking the 16th fairway at Taos Country Club. You don't have to be a golfer to enjoy this setting and lifestyle! Sited perfectly to capture the maximum amount of golf course view with a spectacular Taos and Sangre de Cristo mountain backdrop! Welcoming front gated courtyard with flagstone path to a dramatic entry. 3679 sq ft adobe built home with 3 bedrooms PLUS a spacious office, 4 full baths, family room with fireplace, and a living room with built in, lighted display shelving and kiva fireplace. The living room is open to the dining area and kitchen. The kitchen offers an incredible amount of work surface (everyone has room to release their inner chef), built in wine refrigerator, work island, dining counter, custom cabinetry and gorgeous granite counter tops. Sumptuous master suite features a  fireplace, incredible bath and walk in closet, and a private patio and courtyard with hot tub. Additional features include: High ceilings with vigas timeless finishes throughout, wonderful laundry room with work counter, utility sink, and built in ironing center. Beautifully landscaped front and back yards with drip irrigation. Back courtyard and portal showcases an outdoor fireplace! Tile floors, in-floor radiant heat. Natural gas. Skylights. Over-sized two car garage with ample storage and work areas. Well designed and well maintained. This home lives and flows beautifully! MLS 93241 $775,000













Friday, October 16, 2015

Top Tips for Winterizing a Vacant Home


how to winterizeFor a home to remain in good shape throughout the winter it needs regular care and attention. When a home is occupied, many of the things that are necessary to keep it in good working order happen by default. But when the home is vacant, it is up to the owner or the property manager to prepare it for freezing temperatures and other winter risks.
The worst risk comes from bursting pipes, which can lead to water damage that can significantly impact the value of the home. Left alone, water can ruin everything it touches – walls, floors, electrical systems, etc. It can even damage the foundation. Other risks exist as well, such as pest infiltration, that can leave nasty surprises for the homeowner.
Taken together, the dangers of failing to winterize a home are too severe to ignore. Any real estate agent who has been involved with selling bank owned properties or vacant short sales can certainly tell you the necessity of knowing how to winterize a vacant home! In order to get an informed opinion on the subject we reached out to a well known real estate agent in Westborough, Mass., Bill Gassett, who has been selling homes for nearly 30 years. Gassett runs a popular real estate blog known as Maximum Real Estate Exposure that offers numerous tips to buyers and sellers. Below he shares all of his tips for getting your place winterized.
When readying a vacant home for winter weather, there are several things you can do to prepare before freezing temperatures and other winter risks arrive. These include:
Bring in a plumber.
Hiring a professional plumber to winterize the pipes and water system in the home is extremely important if you want to avoid the incredibly expensive water damage that can occur from freezing pipes. The plumber can examine the entire system, inside and out, and then prepare it for freezing temperatures. The plumber will drain all areas where water is stored, like water heaters and hot tubs, and will use an air compressor to expel water from the pipes throughout the house. With the water removed, you do not have to keep the house heated to prevent freezing. The pipes are protected and you save money in utility costs.
Drain outdoor garden hoses.
Water hoses must be disconnected from the home and drained of water to prevent damage to both the hoses and the spigots where they attach to the house. Left undrained, the water inside will freeze and burst not only the hose, but often the spigot as well. If winter watering must be done to keep landscape plants alive, make sure the person who does the watering drains the hoses and disconnects them from the house after each use.
Close up all openings to the house.
To prevent animals and insects from entering the home for shelter, you will need to close up all openings throughout the house. These include dryer vents and the chimney.
Have the gutters cleaned and repaired if necessary.
Gutters must be free of debris and attached properly to the house to funnel water away from the roof, siding and foundation. When debris accumulates, the gutter may stop working properly. If enough water collects and a freeze hits, the weight of the ice can pull the gutter away from the home, damaging the siding and leading to potential ice hazards where water collects at the base of the house. If you live in a cold weather climate then you understand just how bad ice damning was last year. Knowing how to prevent ice dams is something every homeowner should have a grasp of. Ice dams can cause serious damage to a home including mold behind ceilings and walls that you may not be able to detect! Have the gutters cleaned periodically until all leaves have dropped from the trees, and make sure they are in good repair.
Remove anything touching the side of the house, such as leaves and firewood.
Water and insects can accumulate in firewood and debris, causing damage to the siding and leading to potential infestations. Keeping everything away from the house creates a safe barrier and prevents water damage. This includes shrubbery and other landscaping. Keep a minimum of a couple of feet to allow the home to breath.
Have trees trimmed over the home.                                         
Remove any tree branches that may touch the house or hang too closely. Tree branches increase the leaves that accumulate in the gutter and can also break and fall on the house in a snow or ice storm. If you are negligent about keeping branches over your home it could lead to insurance denying your claim.
Use moth balls to keep insects out of the house.
Moth balls may smell unpleasant, but they are effective at keeping insects away. Use them anywhere you think insects may be a problem.
Talk to the gas company about disconnecting the gas supply.
A gas explosion can cause even more damage than frozen pipes. Let the gas company know the home is vacant and ask them to disconnect the gas supply to the home. Obviously if you are not living in the home this becomes important because if a gas leak were to form it would be too late for you to do anything about it. This is one of the major reasons why nearly all bank owned properties get winterized.
Make the home appear occupied at a glance.
It is better for potential buyers and discouraging to unwanted visitors if the home appears occupied. You can setup lights on timers and have the landscaping tended to periodically to keep things looking nice. If snow is an issue you can also have the driveway cleared. We provide a list of many tips on how to sell a home in the winter. This advice applies to both occupied and non-occupied homes. Keep in mind that if your home is on the market you are going to need to get it un-winterized with fairly short notice when the buyer schedules a home inspection. Buyers will want to be able to check the heating and plumbing systems and will not be able to do so if the home is winterized.
Hire a landscaper to perform a fall cleanup.
As the weather gets colder, plants will die and you will be left with a disheveled looking yard and landscape. It is beneficial for the sales process if you have someone come in and cleanup around the home after the first freeze or two, when most of the vegetation has died off. The landscaper can cut back any dead growth, rake up leaves and prepare plants for the winter.
Check on the home periodically.
An unoccupied home, even when the lights come on and the driveway is plowed, can be appealing to burglars and to squatters. It can also be a destination for kids in the neighborhood to come hang out for fun. The only people you want visiting are potential buyers, so you should maintain a schedule of visiting the home periodically to make sure it is being left alone and to discourage unwanted visitors.
Use of all these tips and your experience with winterizing a home should be a breeze!

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Daily market update: Oct. 1, 2015

Our daily summary of market news, updated regularly with new tidbits

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

NEW LISTING!
Creative Space - Protected Place
Bordering the Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument, this extraordinary, contemporary home captures this rare and stunning setting, with it’s ever-changing light, now and forever. 30 acres above the John Dunn bridge, this location, surrounded by uninterrupted mountain vistas, is close to water, close to the Taos Ski Valley and while private and secluded, offers access to Taos on well maintained county roads. Designed by Edge Architects and Built by Ken Anderson in 2008, this home is so well designed, and so well executed that it makes sustainable living comfortable and worry free! 14” RastraBlock construction with frame and adobe interior walls. The building consists of 3900 heated square feet, an impressive, oversized, 1620 sq ft, 3 car garage with 13’ cedar doors, an enchanting entry portal and patio, and multiple second floor view decks. A welcoming entry leads you to an open living area, state of the art kitchen, and a wall of windows that capture the massive and dramatic views that lay before you. A second living room is open and airy with solar orientation for winter warmth and summer breezes! A library nook offers a cool retreat. Two spacious rooms off this living area can be used for a multitude of things: media room, art/music/dance/yoga studio, office, exercise room or ??! Upstairs enjoy warm bamboo floors, operable skylights, a cozy balcony overlooking the large living room, a spectacular master suite with fireplace, full bath and view balcony and an extra large, second bedroom, with access to two view decks, and could easily accommodate extra living area (or be converted into 2 bedrooms). Additional features: Rich, stained and sealed concrete floors. Quality, timeless finishes and design elements throughout. Radiant floor heat with 6 heating zones. Interior battery monitor. Smooth tinted plaster walls. Ethernet panel. Taosnet internet. 8500 gallon underground water storage. 4400 watts of solar power (panels out-of-site up on the roof). “Clean” (Sign Wave) 200 amp electric service. Two 1000 gallon propane tanks. Easy care, UV light, water filtration system. Back up generator. Web-based home monitoring. Storage closet under the exterior staircase. The construction and mechanics have been well maintained and serviced. NOTE: Adjacent 2190 sq ft home on 10 acres with HORSE facilities is available for purchase, contact listing broker for more information. This is a special opportunity to own a very distinctive home in the heart of one of Northern New Mexico’s treasured landscapes. MLS 97546  $749,000









Wednesday, August 19, 2015

NEW LISTING!
Adobe Hacienda - Gated Community 
Surprise and delight! Here's to a whimsical, wonderful life! Enjoy this hacienda style home in the gated community of Valle Vista. 3.26 acres. 2469 sq feet. Adobe construction. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths. Attached, over-sized 2 car garage PLUS a detached 1 car garage or...studio/workshop! Wonderful wrap around portal with mountain views. Enchanting walled yard on the northwest side features an outdoor dining nook, outdoor fire pit, custom details and many surprises that will delight you! Another walled and gated courtyard on the south side provides an intimate, protected escape! Many outdoor spaces to enjoy! Large, open great room style floor plan with high, coved ceilings with vigas. 2 kiva fireplaces (living room and master bedroom). Dramatic kitchen and baths. Spacious bedrooms. Skylights. Radiant heat. Natural Gas. Wonderful views and setting! Meticulously maintained and cared for! MLS 97422  $525,000








Wednesday, August 5, 2015

360 Degree Views! Borders Forest Service! Weimer!

The views from this lot, bordering Carson National Forest, are just spectacular! 3 acres. Sensible restrictions! You will have to put in a road off N. Verde Road but the utilities, natural gas, electric and telephone, are nearby. Gentle slope facing west. 360 degree mountain, valley and sparkling city light views! Enjoy close proximity to town yet a totally private location!  Click HERE for more pics and detail!