Chile is a household word in New Mexico. As a ne resident or a tourist it is to your advantage to learn as soon as possible the answer to the question simply put, ?Red or hot? If you don?t, you may find yourself waiting interminably to be served at restaurants, or even worse, make the wrong choice and regretting it.
Chile, a hot not sweet pepper, grows in New Mexico and is the most pervasive condiment in Southwestern cooking. Chiles come in two colors, red and green. Connoisseurs can distinguish the flavors of the two and will swear one is hotter than the other. Personally, I think the distinction depends largely on the preparation of the chile, a particular dish, and the myriad ways in which the peppers may be used to enhance flavors. I like red chile in some dishes and green in others. I think red can be much hotter.
Many stories beyond its culinary uses surround the chile. One relates to a Christmas tradition-the story of the Christmas Chile. It is said that in the Southwest, it is a tradition that after the Christmas tree is decorated and the children fall asleep, their parents carefully hide a chile among the limbs of the tree. On Christmas morning eager children search for the chile knowing that Santa leaves an extra present to the child who finds it first. Will you be continuing this Southwestern tradition this Christmas Eve?
Happy holidays!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Homebuyers Tax Credit Update
All potential homebuyers in New Mexico and across the nation have reason to be hopeful.The Senate unanimously approved the extension of the first-time homebuyer’s tax credit and Congress voted 403-12 to pass the bill which is now before President Obama for signature. He is expected to sign the bill within a day or two.
The tax credit of $8,000 that was scheduled to expire at the end of this month is now extended to April 30, 2010 and in addition, creates a $6,500 credit for existing property owners who sell a home and buy another during the same period of time. Current homeowners must have been living in their current residence for five consecutive years.
Qualifying income limits are now up to $125,000 from $75,000 for single taxpayers and for joint taxpayers, $225,000 (up from $150,000).
Military personnel deployed overseas for a minimum of 90 days in 2008 or 2009 have until April 30, 2011 to claim their tax credit.
Read more from the National Asociation of Realtors.
Eloise Gift
Gift Realty N M
(505) 363-5156
The tax credit of $8,000 that was scheduled to expire at the end of this month is now extended to April 30, 2010 and in addition, creates a $6,500 credit for existing property owners who sell a home and buy another during the same period of time. Current homeowners must have been living in their current residence for five consecutive years.
Qualifying income limits are now up to $125,000 from $75,000 for single taxpayers and for joint taxpayers, $225,000 (up from $150,000).
Military personnel deployed overseas for a minimum of 90 days in 2008 or 2009 have until April 30, 2011 to claim their tax credit.
Read more from the National Asociation of Realtors.
Eloise Gift
Gift Realty N M
(505) 363-5156
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Foreclosure Not the Only Solution - You have Options
Are you or someone you know having difficulty keeping up with mortgage payments? Foreclosure is not the only solution. Through the Making Home Affordable Program, you can seek to refinance or restructure your loan. Learn oabout the alternative, the Short Sales/Deeds-In-Lieu Program. It will be necessary to work with your lender. Help may be just a phone call or a click away. To find our more:- Contact a trusted REALTOR®.
- Beware of scams.
- Visit Making Home Affordable.
- Contact the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to request a free housing approved counselor..
- Watch a video on getting the help you need, courtesy of HUD.
Eloise Gift, CRS, REALTOR
Monday, October 26, 2009
Market Update Albuquerque, New Mexico
Third Quarter 2009
Albuquerque and Rio Rancho first-time home buyers jumped off the fence July to September to help drive the number of single-family, detached, residential sales for the period higher 3.75 percent higher than sales during the same period in 2008. Most likely, their strong motivation was continuing low interest rates, lower prices, tax stimulus incentives and a sense of urgency that these favorable conditions may not last much longer, especially with the stimulus incentive scheduled to end November 30.
One definite advantage of the surge in sales was that with 13.74 percent fewer new listings entering the market for the period and single-family homes building permits at their lowest since 1981, the inventory was lowered.
The Greater Albuquerque Association of Realtors reports that the average sales price of single-family detached homes was 8.57 percent lower than at the same period in 2008 and the median at $182,000, was 5.71 percent lower. Condos and townhouses, similarly, showed an increase in sales of 31.40 percent. These single-family attached homes sold at an average price of $151,295 per unit compared with $155,119 for the same period in 2008 - an average price decrease of 2.l4 percent and median decrease of 4.48 percent. The number of new listings for single family attached increased 4.38 percent for the period.
The inventory is decreasing but the number of days on the market continues to increase for all single-family homes. From July 1 to September 30, 2009, the average number of days on the market for single-family detached homes was 76 compared to 71 during the same period in 2008. For condos and townhomes, it was 82 compared to 74.
The highest performing market area for detached homes last quarter was Northeast Heights followed by Southwest Heights, Paradise West, Mid Rio Rancho and the Northwest Heights. The most significant change in the lineup was the replacement of the Far Northeast Heights by the Northwest Heights as a top-selling area for the quarter.
Best performing area for the sale od condos and townhouses continues to be Ladera Heights, followed by Academy West, Northeast Heights, the Far Northeast Heights, then Foothills South. In 2008 the lineup was Ladera Heights, the Far Northeast Heights, Academy West and Northeast Heights followed by Mid Rio Rancho. Most significant change for attached single-family home sales for the 2009 third quarter is the replacement of Mid Rio Rancho by Foothills South in the top-selling lineup. Academy West also outsold the Northeast Heights.
Eloise Gift, Gift Realty NM, Albuquerque, NM
Albuquerque and Rio Rancho first-time home buyers jumped off the fence July to September to help drive the number of single-family, detached, residential sales for the period higher 3.75 percent higher than sales during the same period in 2008. Most likely, their strong motivation was continuing low interest rates, lower prices, tax stimulus incentives and a sense of urgency that these favorable conditions may not last much longer, especially with the stimulus incentive scheduled to end November 30.
One definite advantage of the surge in sales was that with 13.74 percent fewer new listings entering the market for the period and single-family homes building permits at their lowest since 1981, the inventory was lowered.
The Greater Albuquerque Association of Realtors reports that the average sales price of single-family detached homes was 8.57 percent lower than at the same period in 2008 and the median at $182,000, was 5.71 percent lower. Condos and townhouses, similarly, showed an increase in sales of 31.40 percent. These single-family attached homes sold at an average price of $151,295 per unit compared with $155,119 for the same period in 2008 - an average price decrease of 2.l4 percent and median decrease of 4.48 percent. The number of new listings for single family attached increased 4.38 percent for the period.
The inventory is decreasing but the number of days on the market continues to increase for all single-family homes. From July 1 to September 30, 2009, the average number of days on the market for single-family detached homes was 76 compared to 71 during the same period in 2008. For condos and townhomes, it was 82 compared to 74.
The highest performing market area for detached homes last quarter was Northeast Heights followed by Southwest Heights, Paradise West, Mid Rio Rancho and the Northwest Heights. The most significant change in the lineup was the replacement of the Far Northeast Heights by the Northwest Heights as a top-selling area for the quarter.
Best performing area for the sale od condos and townhouses continues to be Ladera Heights, followed by Academy West, Northeast Heights, the Far Northeast Heights, then Foothills South. In 2008 the lineup was Ladera Heights, the Far Northeast Heights, Academy West and Northeast Heights followed by Mid Rio Rancho. Most significant change for attached single-family home sales for the 2009 third quarter is the replacement of Mid Rio Rancho by Foothills South in the top-selling lineup. Academy West also outsold the Northeast Heights.
Eloise Gift, Gift Realty NM, Albuquerque, NM
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Last Free Rides to Santa Fe
This is the last weekend of free rides on the newly completed section of the rail runner that now goes from Belen to Santa Fe. As happened at the opening of the first leg from Belen to Albuquerque, the Albuquerque to Santa Fe section that opened just in time for the holiday season offered free rides.
An overwhelming number of folk turned out to take take advantage of the free rides. Based on newspaper accounts, many were disappointed with the overcrowding of the cars and others for not being able to ride at all. It is left to be seen if the popularity of the trains will remain as high following the last free rides this weekend. Will regular commuters between Albuquerque and Santa Fe start leaving their cars at home? Personally, I plan to go for a ride as soon as the crowds abate.
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