Meet Caroline

Caroline Dessain Russell

Click here to view Caroline’s video.

As a leading specialist in luxury real estate with more than 26 years of experience as a top producing Realtor, I have proven results.  My approach to market your home is :

My Strategy

  • I provide exceptional service by keeping a small listing inventory. A limited inventory allows me and my team to give each listing the individualized attention and time that is needed to get it sold.
  • The marketing materials will be thorough and answer the questions most frequently asked by buyers. This allows the buyer to have the information they need to overcome any objections they may have and ultimately results in an offer.
  • The description of your home will be artfully written to serve as an enticing invitation to visit your home. This is important because, increasingly, buyers choose the properties they want to see from the Internet before they ever visit a property in person.  Your home will be marketed in a way that is appealing to buyers.
  • I will be present for all showings and am readily available for follow up.

My Commitment and Mission

My commitment to you is simple – to provide boutique service, with international exposure.  I believe I give the most hands on, personalized service in our market. I will go the extra mile to get your home sold. Selling a property is a team effort and I will communicate effectively and work diligently guiding you through the process from start to finish.

My goal is to make every transaction a rewarding experience for all parties. I am tireless in my commitment to my customers, and I provide exceptional service, discretion and superb organization skills.  Through my compassion and genuine care for my customers, I offer service above and beyond expectations.

Read more…

2020 First Quarter Market Update

Homes

No one will be able to fully predict the effect the coronavirus pandemic will have on the real state market, but at Sotheby’s International Realty, the health and safety of our agents, clients, employees and community is our #1 priority.

I invite you to review a summary of sales activity in the Santa Fe area during the first quarter of 2020, based on closed production from January – March 2020, much of which went into contract before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. The Santa Fe Association of Realtors reports the following market data for this quarter, which is compared here for the same period of 2019.

Heading into the second quarter of 2020, here were a few positive things in the Santa Fe housing market:

  • The Governor of NM has deemed real state an “essential business” and accordingly listing agreements, purchase agreements and closings are all occurring in compliance with social distancing guidelines;
  • Year to date, the percentage of list to sales price in Santa Fe has held steady at roughly 95%;
  • Now is an optimal time to consider purchasing property in Santa Fe where we enjoy open spaces, no traffic jams, a vibrant cultural scene and clear skies for more than 325 days per year.

Real estate is all about location, location, location and location is our local community. Here are a few local organizations that you can help:

  • The Food Depot
  • Kitchen Angels
  • Presbyterian Santa Fe Healthcare Foundation and/or the Christus St.Vincent Hospital Foundation

During this unprecedented time, I continue to represent clients who want or need to sell a home, and my team is working hard continuing to conduct the business of real estate. I am committed to providing the highest quality service and will to continue to support buyers and sellers, using state-of-the-art technology and a suite of virtual marketing tools that make it easy to view and experience the finest real estate in the world from the safety of one’s home.

Click here for the First Quarter 2020 Market Update

As always, my goal in sharing this data with you is to create a better understanding of the trends affecting our unique housing market.  I hope you find it to be a valuable resource, and I look forward to working with you to meet your real estate needs now and in the future.  If you have any questions about the Santa Fe market, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Warmest regards,

2019 Fourth Quarter Market Update

HomesIn 2019, the real estate market throughout Santa Fe – all areas and all property types – remained buoyant. According to the Santa Fe Association of Realtors MLS, median prices rose 6% compared to one year ago, $366K vs. $345K, while the average selling price rose 7% to $471K. Home sales above $2M increased 10% from the year prior while homes sold between $1M and $2M increased 4%. Total units sold decreased 5% due in part to lower inventories which declined by 6% from 2018. Average days on market decreased 9% overall with the largest decreases happening in the $500K to $750K price sector, which was down 14%, and the $2M+ price sector, which was down 19%. Demand for homes in the market above $1M remained strong and showed patterns of continued growth for the fifth consecutive year. It was not unusual in the most active price sectors to see well-priced homes receive multiple offers within days of being placed on the MLS.

Click here for the Fourth Quarter 2019 Market Update

As always, my goal in sharing this data with you is to create a better understanding of the trends affecting our unique housing market.  I hope you find it to be a valuable resource, and I look forward to working with you to meet your real estate needs now and in the future.  If you have any questions about the Santa Fe market, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Warmest regards,

2019 Third Quarter Market Update

HomesThroughout the third quarter of 2019, Santa Fe’s residential real estate market continued building upon the trend set last year, which is indicative of an active, healthy and robust marketplace. According to the Santa Fe Association of Realtors MLS, both median and average sales prices increased 10% from one year ago. While units sold decreased by a modest 6%, the largest increase in sales occurred in the $500K to $750K bands, an increase of 11%, and in units sold above $2M, which increased an impressive 33% from 21 properties sold in 2018 to 28 properties sold in 2019. Recovery in this price sector was a welcome sign for buyers and sellers.

As is typical of a vigorous market, average days on market decreased by 17% overall from 88 days in 2018 to 73 days in 2019. The only sector experiencing an increase in days on market was the sector priced from $1M to $2M, which recorded a modest 5% increase in days on market from 136 days in 2018 to 143 days. Another sign of a brisk market, active listings, was down 13%, with the largest decline seen in the $750K to $1M range, a decrease of 24%, and in homes priced above $2M, a decrease of 17%.

Click here for the Third Quarter 2019 Market Update

As always, my goal in sharing this data with you is to create a better understanding of the trends affecting our unique housing market.  I hope you find it to be a valuable resource, and I look forward to working with you to meet your real estate needs now and in the future.  If you have any questions about the Santa Fe market, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Warmest regards,

2019 Second Quarter Market Update

HomesSecond quarter 2019 results for sales of residential properties in Santa Fe confirm a continued increase in average sales price and median sales price, while total units sold decreased by 9% from one year ago. According to the Santa Fe MLS, by the end of the second quarter of 2019, the average sales price for residential properties stood at $461K, compared to $423K one year ago, a 9% increase. The median selling price increased by 8%, or $360K, compared to $333K one year ago. As of June 30, 2019, active listings of residential properties in the Santa Fe area increased by 10%, with the largest increases found in homes priced between $250K to $500K, reflecting a 13% increase from one year ago while homes priced $1M+ reflected an increase of 12% from one year ago. Increased inventory translates to more choices for buyers as the summer sales season is upon us. Average days on market decreased by 17% throughout the second quarter. The only price sector showing an increase in days on market were homes priced from $1M to $2M, which saw an 8% increase from 156 days on the market last year to 162 days on the market this year. Of note for the Santa Fe high-end market was the fact that sales activity in the $2M+ market continued a slow yet steady increase in closed sales for the third year in a row.

Santa Fe was recently ranked by Travel & Leisure Magazine as #2 in “Best Cities in the US” and #14 in the “Top 15 Cities of the World”. As the summer season unfolds, be sure to make plans to visit our extraordinary city in order to experience some of the many cultural events and festivals that make Santa Fe so attractive to so many worldwide. Experience the lifestyle that only Santa Fe can offer and while you are here, make plans to select Santa Fe as a permanent part of your lifestyle choice.

Click here for the Second Quarter 2019 Market Update

As always, my goal in sharing this data with you is to create a better understanding of the trends affecting our unique housing market.  I hope you find it to be a valuable resource, and I look forward to working with you to meet your real estate needs now and in the future.  If you have any questions about the Santa Fe market, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Warmest regards,

2019 First Quarter Market Update

HomesThe residential real estate market in Santa Fe recorded mixed results throughout the first quarter of 2019. According to the Santa Fe Association of Realtors MLS, sales of residential properties decreased 18%, from 718 units sold in the first quarter of 2018 compared to 587 units sold during he first quarter of 2019. While units sold decreased, median prices rose 6% from $315K in the first quarter of 2018 to $365K during the first quarter of 2019. The average sales price rose 11% during the same period to $463K in Q1 2019 compared to $415K in Q1 2018.

Average days on market (DOM) decreased in all price sectors with the exception of homes priced from $750K to $1M, which rose 14% from 125 DOM to 145 DOM, and homes priced from $1M+ to $2M, which increased from 157 DOM in Q1 2018 to 173 DOM during the first quarter of this year.

The average selling price at our firm for properties sold during the first quarter of 2019 was $735K vs. $501K for our nearest competitor. As we enter the second quarter of 2019, typically one of our busiest seasons in Santa Fe, we are buoyed by what many industry analysts see as a favorable interest rate environment combined with renewed buyer appeal.

Click here for the First Quarter 2019 Market Update

As always, my goal in sharing this data with you is to create a better understanding of the trends affecting our unique housing market.  I hope you find it to be a valuable resource, and I look forward to working with you to meet your real estate needs now and in the future.  If you have any questions about the Santa Fe market, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Warmest regards,

2018 Fourth Quarter Market Update

HomesThe residential real estate market in Santa Fe was remarkably robust throughout 2018. According to the Santa Fe Association of Realtors MLS, sales of residential properties rose 8% this year from 3,049 properties sold in 2017 to 3,301 properties sold in 2018. Median prices also rose 8% from $320K in 2017 to $345K in 2018. The average sales price rose by 4% from $423K in 2017 to $441K in 2018.

Average days on market, another key indicator of market activity, decreased by double digits in all price sectors except for homes priced $2M+, which rose by 6%. Listing inventories in the $500,000 to $750,000 sectors rose by 4% and those listed above $2M rose by 3%. Total active listings declined year over year by 5%.

The average selling price at our firm for properties sold in 2018 was approximately $720,000 vs. $501,000 for our nearest competitor.

Click here for the Fourth Quarter 2018 Market Update.

As always, my goal in sharing this data with you is to create a better understanding of the trends affecting our unique housing market.  I hope you find it to be a valuable resource, and I look forward to working with you to meet your real estate needs now and in the future.  If you have any questions about the Santa Fe market, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Warmest regards,

Santa Fe, NM – Voted #2 Best Small City

Santa Fe serves as both New Mexico’s political and creative capital: Wander its wide streets flanked by adobe houses, and you’ll begin to see why artists like Georgia O’Keeffe were so inspired by this eclectic and historic town. Traveler readers also can’t stay away – Santa Fe is a regular on our best-of-the-U.S. list.) The city’s 14 art institutions, 250-plus galleries (notably SITE Santa Fe, in the Railyard, an emerging contemporary-arts hub), and its Spanish colonial churches keep culture fiends busy at an appropriately desert pace; let’s call it “tumbleweeding.” To fortify after a day of museum hopping, Traveler features director Alex Postman recommends “505 Manhattans at Radish & Rye, whose 75 bourbons and whiskeys are an antidote to tequila overload, and a table at Eloisa, where John Rivera Sedlar (his grandaunt was O’Keeffe’s chef) serves a duck enfrijolada to erase the memory of nineties ‘Southwestern.'”

Click here to read the article:  Condé Nast Traveler

For a complete list of accolades with links to articles, visit the Tourism Santa Fe website at SantaFe.org.

2018 Third Quarter Market Update

Homes

I am pleased to report that the residential real estate market in Santa Fe continued to perform at a dynamic pace throughout the third quarter of 2018. According to the Santa Fe Association of Realtors, sales of residential properties rose by 9% over the same period from one year ago. Median prices rose by 6% to $340,000 while the average sales price rose by 4% to $438,000. Average days on market, another sign of a robust activity, decreased in all price sectors. Listing inventories declined or remained flat in all price sectors with the exception of homes $2M+ which had a 13% increase in active homes for sale. In addition, sales of homes $2M+ increased by 5% compared to one year ago.

Click here for the Third Quarter 2018 Market Update.

As always, my goal in sharing this data with you is to create a better understanding of the trends affecting our unique housing market.  I hope you find it to be a valuable resource, and I look forward to working with you to meet your real estate needs now and in the future. If you have any questions about the Santa Fe market, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

Warmest regards,

2018 Second Quarter Market Update

Homes

The residential real estate market in Santa Fe showed continued steady and healthy rates of growth throughout the second quarter of 2018.  According to the Santa Fe Association of Realtors MLS, sales of residential properties rose by 10% over the same period from one year ago.  Median prices rose by 6% while the average sales price rose by 4% to $429,000.  Average days on market, another key indicator, decreased significantly in all price sectors.  Listing inventories in the $750,000 to $1M and $1M+ to $2M price ranges declined by 12% and 10% respectively, increasingly competitive sectors of the Santa Fe market.  The average selling price at our firm at the end of the second quarter was $675,667 vs. $484,146 for our nearest competitor.

Click here for the Second Quarter 2018 Market Update.

As always, our goal in sharing this data with you is to create a better understanding of the trends affecting our unique housing market. We hope you find it to be a valuable resource, and we look forward to working with you to meet your real estate needs now and in the future.  If you have any questions about the Santa Fe market, please do not hesitate to reach out to us!

Warmest regards,

2018 First Quarter Market Update

Homes

Santa Fe’s real estate market continued to move at a robust and healthy pace throughout the first quarter of 2018. Total residential sales of single-family homes, townhomes and condos in Santa Fe County rose by 16% over the same period last year, according to the Santa Fe Association of Realtors MLS. Median prices of residential sales rose by 7% while the average selling price rose by 5% to $422K.  The first quarter also resulted in a significant decrease in days on market in all price
categories with the exception of homes priced from $2M and above. Inventories of existing residential housing decreased to their lowest level in the last three years in all price categories with the exception of homes priced from $2M and above which remained elatively flat.

Click here for the First Quarter 2018 Market Update.

Our goal in sharing this data with you is to create a better understanding of the trends affecting our unique housing market, and we hope that you find this update helpful and informative, with links to articles and market trends.  If you are in the market to buy or sell or know someone who is, please allow us to be of assistance!

Warmest regards,

2017 Fourth Quarter Market Update

Homes

2017 proved to be a banner year impacting all price sectors of Santa Fe’s residential real estate market. According to the Santa Fe MLS, in the fourth quarter of 2017 total units sold increased 11% with the most robust activity occurring in the $500K to $750K, $750K to $1M, and $2M+ price bands. Moving in tandem with the pace of sales activity, days on market decreased a remarkable 25% when compared to one year ago. Average selling prices were up 8% while median selling prices
increased 7% — all signs of a healthy real estate market.

Click here for the Fourth Quarter 2017 Market Update Report

My goal in sharing this data with you is to create a better understanding of the trends affecting our unique housing market, and I hope that you find this update helpful and informative, with links to articles and market trends.  If you are in the market to buy or sell or know someone who is, please allow me to be of assistance!

Warmest regards,

SigB

2017 Third Quarter Market Update

HomesThe stats reflecting activity during the third quarter of 2017 are in and what is revealed is positive news on almost every front. According to figures obtained from the Santa Fe MLS, when comparing the third quarter of 2017 to the third quarter of 2016, the average selling price of residential properties rose by nearly 8%, the median selling price increased by 5% and number of units sold increased by nearly 10%. Robust rates of activity occurred in the $500,000 to $750,000 price bands, the $750,000 to $1M price bands, the $1M to $2M price bands as well as the $2M+ price bands. In fact, the $2M+ price band has had 20 sales recorded in 2017 to date, that number more than doubling over one year ago (20 vs. eight). In addition, in the third quarter of 2017, overall days on market declined to 118 days, down from 143 days in the third quarter of 2016, a 17% decline.

Click here for the Third Quarter 2017 Market Update Report

Click here for Sotheby’s Significant Sales, Volume II, Issue I

My goal in sharing this data with you is to create a better understanding of the trends affecting our unique housing market, and I hope that you find this update helpful and informative, with links to articles and market trends.  If you are in the market to buy or sell or know someone who is, please allow me to be of assistance!

Warmest regards,

SigB

2017 Second Quarter Market Update

Homes

Sales activity in Santa Fe during the second quarter of 2017 continued to support the vigorous growth pattern established throughout the first quarter of the year.

According to the Santa Fe Association of Realtors MLS, sales prices for residential properties – both average and median – rose by 6% and total units sold increased by 11% when compared to the second quarter of 2016. This is the third consecutive year that second quarter average selling price and total units sold reported increased activity in the Santa Fe real estate market. Throughout the second quarter, all price segments experienced increased sales including an increase in units sold by 4% in homes up to $250K to a 150% increase in homes above $2M, which changed from four to ten units sold year over year.  Impressive sales activity also occurred in homes sold from $750K to $1M, a 53% increase from 55 to 84 units sold, and those sold in the  $500K-$750K range which registered a 32% increase when compared to the second quarter of 2016.

Click here for the Second Quarter 2017 Market Update Report

Click here for Sotheby’s Significant Sales, Volume II, Issue I

My hope is that you find this update helpful and informative, with links to articles and market trends.  If you are in the market to buy or sell or know someone who is, please allow me to be of assistance!

Warmest regards,

SigB

American Airlines launches flights from Santa Fe airport to Phoenix

PrintSunday, December 11, 2016 11:45 pm
By Bruce Krasnow
The New Mexican

 

When direct airline service between Santa Fe and Phoenix starts this week, the arriving jet will be greeted with a water cannon salute by the Santa Fe Fire Department, comments from Gov. Susana Martinez, a Champagne toast from the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce and lunch courtesy of Shoot New Mexico, a group that aims to bring more film production to the state.

The daily American Airlines flights will link New Mexico’s capital not only with Arizona but with the West Coast. For many, the regional jet service, operated under the American Eagle banner, will replace a direct connection with Los Angeles’ LAX airport that American discontinued in 2015.

And for those not simply headed to and from Los Angeles, Santa Fe Municipal Airport Manager Cameron Humphres notes that Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport connects to dozens of California cities as well as the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii and Asia.

The Phoenix flights on Dec. 15 will join other nonstops from Santa Fe’s airport: American connections with the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and United Airlines service to Denver. Humphres said having three major airline hubs reachable in all directions gives travelers to and from Santa Fe access to one-stop destinations around the world.

The daily flights will depart Phoenix at 9:49 a.m. and arrive at the Santa Fe Municipal Airport at 11:19 a.m. The same 70-seat jetliner will then turn around and leave Santa Fe at 12:05 p.m., arriving at Sky Harbor at 1:35 p.m.

Read more..

2017 First Quarter Market Update

HomesBased upon sales statistics obtained from the Santa Fe Association of Realtors MLS, in the first quarter of 2017, sales activity in the Santa Fe residential real estate market has been healthy and robust.  Most notably, the first quarter of 2017 had the highest total number of sales in the past ten years during the three-month period from January-March.  Additionally, for the second year in a row, both average and median sale prices increased in the first quarter of 2017, compared to the first quarter of the year prior.

The number of closed sales units in five of six price bands have increased when compared to the same period one year ago, while closed sales in the $1M-$2M price band declined from 29 closed sales in the first quarter of 2016 to 23.  As the summer sales season approaches, traditionally the busiest of the year, the residential real estate market in Santa Fe remains positive, attractive, and welcoming for buyers and sellers alike.

Click here for the First Quarter 2017 Market Update Report

Click here for Sotheby’s Significant Sales, Vol 1, Issue IX

My hope is that you find this update helpful and informative, with links to articles and market trends.  If you are in the market to buy or sell or know someone who is, please allow me to be of assistance!

Warmest regards,

SigB

2016 Fourth Quarter Market Update

HomesI am pleased to report that, according to the Santa Fe Association of Realtors, the fourth quarter of 2016 closed with positive results.

Closed sales in four of six major price bands remained flat or increased, a welcome sign for sellers. The number of homes that sold between $500,000 to $749,999 increased by 9% year over year and homes between $250,000 to $499,999 and $1M to $2M range showed double-digit increases in units sold.

Both average and median sales prices continued a gradual upward movement year over year. Units sold and average sales prices increased while days on market continued a downward trend. Listing inventories reflected mixed results depending upon price bands with the largest increase in inventory up more than 18% for properties listed from $750,000 to $999,000 while inventory declined by 17% for properties listed between $500,000 to $749,999.  2016 closed out what could be described as a healthy real estate market for Santa Fe.

Click here for the Fourth Quarter 2016 Market Update Report.

Click here for Sotheby’s Significant Sales, Vol 1, Issue IX

My hope is that you find this update helpful and informative, with links to articles and market trends.  If you are in the market to buy or sell or know someone who is, please allow me to be of assistance!

Warmest regards,

SigB

2016 Third Quarter Market Update

HomesI am pleased to report that the momentum achieved in the first two quarters of 2016 continued at a robust pace throughout the third quarter of the year. According to the Santa Fe Association of Realtors MLS, both average and median sales prices made healthy gains and the number of units sold increased while days on market declined as compared to one year ago.

  • Overall closed sales were up 3.3% through the third quarter of 2016 compared to same time period in 2015 according to the MLS. The bright spots of the Santa Fe residential market included activity in the $500,000 to $749,999 price band which saw a 9% increase in units sold as well as the $1M-$2M price band which reported a 23.6% increase in unit sales from one year ago.
  • Days on market throughout the quarter contracted in all price sectors with the exception of the high end of the market ($2M+). That particular sector of the market saw an 18.6% increase from one year ago.
  • Closed sales in the high end of the market have remained flat year over year.

A number of factors may positively impact the final quarter of the year. This includes a growing number of boomers who are currently looking for retirement homes in the Southwest and a growing number of millennials who are reaching home buying age, and in addition, there may be the continuation of historically low interest rates. A recent article in the Financial Analysis and Commentary section of the Wall Street Journal  concluded that current market factors don’t preclude the Fed from raising interest rates later this year, further rate increases will come only gradually. That bodes well for real estate sales and purchases. “The era of low U.S. interest rates isn’t close to ending,” concluded Justin Lahart of the Wall Street Journal. (page B-12, October 8-9, 2016, WSJ). That conclusion, if it remains true, is good news for the real estate industry, in general,
and for Santa Fe in particular.

Click here for the Third Quarter 2016 Market Update Report.

Click here for Sotheby’s International Realty Significant Sales Report.

My hope is that you find this update helpful and informative, with links to articles and market trends.  If you are in the market to buy or sell or know someone who is, please allow me to be of assistance!

Warmest regards,

SigB