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Santa Fe – 2nd Best Small City in America 2020 – Condé Nast Traveler Reader’s Poll

Santa Fe, New Mexico
from Condé Nast Traveler Reader’s Poll – October 2020

Santa Fe acts 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, 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 many art institutions, 250-plus galleries (notably SITE Santa Fe, in the Railyard, an emerging contemporary arts hub), and Spanish colonial churches keep culture fiends busy. To recharge after an active day of museum-hopping, contributing editor Alex Postman recommends ordering 505 Manhattans at Radish & Rye, whose 75 bourbons and whiskeys are an antidote to tequila overload, and a meal at Eloisa, where John Rivera Sedlar, whose great aunt was O’Keeffe’s chef, serves up a mean duck enfrijolada.

Click here for full article.

As we continue to navigate these unprecedented times, the health and safety of our community is our top priority. We quickly adapted to conduct business and support our clients looking to buy, sell, or rent homes by conducting virtual showings, virtual open houses, and showcasing them on our new, visually rich website, sothebysrealty.com.

Residential sales activity in the Santa Fe area gained remarkable momentum throughout the third quarter of this year. As a result of third quarter production, Santa Fe continued to experience a strong sellers’ market both in terms of the number of closed sales as well as average and median sales prices achieved.

I invite you to review a summary of sales activity in the Santa Fe area during the third quarter of 2020, based on closed production from July – September 2020. The Santa Fe Association of Realtors reports the following market data for this quarter, which is compared here for the same period of 2019. Closed sales from the third quarter do not tell a complete story regarding the housing recovery in Santa Fe. Heading into the fourth quarter, we wanted to bring your attention to additional positive indicators:

• Average selling price increased 8%, from $473K in Q3 2019 to $509K in Q3 2020
• Sales in the $1M to $2M price range increased 24%, from 132 properties in Q3 2019 to 164 properties in Q3 2020
• Active listings decreased 33%, from 1,146 properties in Q3 2019 to 770 properties in Q3 2020
• Median selling price increased 8%, from $370K in Q3 2019 to $399K in Q3 2020

Click here for the Third 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,

Thanks to its proximity to the Mexican border, Santa Fe is a place that perfectly melds differing cultures. It also happens to be a former Spanish colony and houses many of the oldest sites in all of the United States. These things and more make Santa Fe a really cool place, with tons to see and do. Read our list to discover what a few of those things are!

Read more…

Results posted during the fourth quarter of 2015 showed a continued pattern of upbeat news for the real estate market in Santa Fe led by an increase in unit sales from one year ago. This was accompanied by a decrease in days on market in all price categories.

• According to The Santa Fe Association of Realtors MLS, of six price bands, four reflected increases in closed sales with only two price bands experiencing a decrease in sales. Sales activity from $750,000 to $999,999 were down by 4%.
  

• For 2015, sales of residential properties resulted in ten months of increased activity. Pending sales increased during each of the two preceding years with 2014 showing a 5% increase over 2013 and 2015 showing a 4% increase over 2014. Closed sales in 2015 resulted in even more positive news with a healthy 10% increase over 2014.

• Months supply of available inventory during the fourth quarter of the 2015 has contracted since 2013 when a year supply was recorded compared to an 11 month supply in 2014 and an eight month supply during the fourth quarter of 2015 – a 24.3% decrease from the year prior. If this trend continues, market forces in Santa Fe could result in gradual upward pressures on prices.
  

Click here for the Fourth Quarter Market Update 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,

WASHINGTON (January 29, 2015) – Despite interest rates being at their lowest level of 2014, pending home sales cooled in December but remained above year-over-year levels for the fourth consecutive month, according to the National Association of Realtors^®. All major regions experienced declines in December.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, says fewer homes available for sale and a slight acceleration in prices likely led to December’s decline in contract signings. “Total inventory fell in December for the first time in 16 months, resulting in fewer choices for buyers and a modest uptick in price growth in markets throughout the country,” he said. “With interest rates at lows not seen since early 2013, the strength in existing-sales in upcoming months will largely depend on the willingness of current homeowners to realize their equity gains from the past couple years and trade up.”

Adds Yun, “More jobs, increasing consumer confidence, less expensive mortgage insurance and new low down payment programs coming into the marketplace will likely lead to more demand from first-time buyers.”

Total existing-homes sales in 2015 are forecast to be around 5.26 million, an increase of 6.6 percent from 2014. The national median existing-home price for all of this year is expected to increase between 4 and 5 percent. In 2014, existing-home sales declined 3.1 percent and prices rose 5.8 percent.

Read the full article.

The New Mexico Museum of Art
Art on the Edge 2013

Presents the work of eight contemporary artists selected by Toby Kamps for this biennial juried show organized by Friends of Contemporary Art + Photography (FOCA+P). Jan 18 – April 14, 2013.

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11 Camino Los Suenos
Price: $1,049,000
MLS: 201205602
Status: Active
Class: Residential
Acres: 2.5
Area: 25S- NW Quadrant-S
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 4
Garage: 3
Guest House: No
Fireplace: Yes
Total Sqft: 3679

Captivating Sangre de Cristo Mountain views to the east and Jemez Mountain views to the west are premiered in this perfectly sited traditional Santa Fe home located on 2.5 acres in a private gated compound only minutes from the Plaza but with the desired feel of country living. Comfortable and spacious, this 3600+ sq. ft. home with natural travertine stone floors, diamond plaster walls and magnificent architectural design elements features a great room floor plan with 30′ long vigas supporting the 14′ high ceiling and a gourmet-style kitchen with granite counter tops, high-end stainless steel appliances, and walk-in pantry. Separate sleeping wings located on opposite sides of the home offer a secluded master suite and additional 3 bedrooms and 3 baths. A generous 1500 sq. ft. entertaining portal offers extended outdoor living areas, a built-in grill for outdoor kitchen, spa with custom stone deck, European-style fountains, mature landscaping and a mini-fruit orchard.

Click here for more information

1564 Cerro Gordo
Price: $1,250,000
MLS: 201300744
Status: Active
Class: Residential
Acres: 1.5
Area: 1-SF City Limits NE
Bedrooms: 5
Baths: 4
Guest House: Yes
Fireplace: Yes
Total Sqft: 5400

Upper Cerro Gordo beauty. Magnificent tranquility, park-like vistas and river valley views abound from this stunning main adobe, and separate guest house and separate studio on 1.5 acres in the Upper Canyon, minutes from the Plaza. 2 bed, 3 baths plus office and studio in main (2600 sq ft), 2 beds, 1.5 baths in guest (2100 sq. ft) and 700 sq ft studio. Beautifully crafted interiors, striking architectural features, perfect artist’s compound, serene and private yet close-in.

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New World Cuisine: The Histories of Chocolate, Mate y Más
In the Hispanic Heritage Wing through
January 5, 2014

This exhibition tells the tale of the earliest cultural mestizaje (mixing) to take place in the Americas through food. The exhibition highlights foods that originated in the New World and foods that were brought over from Europe via Spain and Asia via the Spanish Manila Galleons. Several special sections in the exhibition highlight specific food items. Two of these are chocolate and maté. The exhibition traces the origins of these two popular drinks, how they rose to popularity during the colonial period, and how they were introduced into European society and culture, and how they have become a strong component of popular culture today. More than 300 objects related to food harvesting, preparation, table settings, kitchen items and utilitarian and decorative implements illustrate the rich culinary traditions of the Americas. Interactive gallery activities include a scent station of new and old world herbs, shorts films about chocolate and mate, and a world map with food magnets, and a recipe exchange. Visitors are invited to take receipe cards, and write one of their own for inclusion on the New World Cuisine Facebook Page (Photo: by Kitty Leaken)

Public Programs:
Sunday May 19, 2013
1-4PM
Remedios /Remedies Explore New Mexican herbal salves, tinctures and other herbal remedies. By Museum admission. New Mexico residents free on Sundays!

Sunday September 15, 2013
Fall Harvest. By Museum admission, New Mexico residents free on Sundays!

Click here for more information

 

Back in the Saddle
February 8 – September 15, 2013
New Mexico artists have incorporated horses in their Southwestern imagery since the 1880s. These paintings, photographs, prints, and drawings capture the changing spirit of Southwest Art. Horse imagery during the twentieth century became an icon of the region, reflecting its ethnic diversity, and changing aesthetic styles.

New Mexico artists have incorporated horses in their Southwestern imagery since the 1880s. These paintings, photographs, prints, and drawings capture the changing spirit of Southwest Art. Horse imagery during the twentieth century became an icon of the region, reflecting its ethnic diversity, and changing aesthetic styles.

The exhibition is curated by John Torres Nez, Ph.D., Southwest Indian Art Association, and Joseph Traugott, Ph.D., New Mexico Museum of Art.

Image: Gerald Cassidy, The Passing Storm, Navajo Country, before 1934, oil on canvas. Collection New Mexico Museum of Art. Gift of Mrs. Emory Stedman in memory of her husband, 1941.

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March 23, 2012- April 7, 2013
One year cycle of small one person exhibitions featuring work being made in New Mexico right now. When the Museum of Art was established in 1917 the building was designed and built in a style to celebrate the historic qualities of New Mexico but the institution was created to exhibit artwork contemporary for that time.

On display March 23, 2012- April 7, 2013

The New Mexico Museum of Art to host a year-long cycle of alcove exhibitions

Alcove Shows 12.0 to highlight artwork being made in New Mexico right now

When this museum was established in 1917 the building was designed and built in a style to celebrate the historic qualities of the state. The institution itself was created to exhibit artwork contemporary to the time. Many of the artworks and artists who exhibited at that time now form the historic core of our permanent collection.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of New Mexico’s statehood, and in anticipation of the New Mexico Museum of Art’s centennial, we are presenting a year-long cycle of alcove exhibitions. The format of these Alcove Shows can be traced back to the 1917 founding of the Art Gallery of the Museum of New Mexico. Small one-person exhibitions were held in the gallery alcoves through the 1950s, resuming in the mid-1980s and again in the early 1990s.

The museum is continuing this tradition with a cycle of nine exhibitions that will include forty-five artists from across the state. Five artists will exhibit for five weeks at a time from March of 2012 through early April of 2013. These artist-centered showcases feature new ideas, artists at all stages of their careers and artwork that is being made in New Mexico right now.

Alcove 12.1 will feature the art of Julia Barello, David Forlano, Jane Lackey, Ted Larsen, and Linda Swanson and will be on exhibition from March 23- April 29, 2012.

Alcove 12.2 will feature the art of Steve Fitch, Harmony Hammond, Terri Rolland, Robert M. Ellis, and August Muth and will be on exhibition from May 4- June 10, 2012.

Alcove 12.3 will feature the art of Susan Dopp, Michael Edge, Miguel Gandert, Rebekah Potter, and Todd Volz and will be on exhibition from June 15- July 29, 2012.

Alcove 12.4 will feature the art of Lucrecia Troncoso, Nancy Sutor, Paula Castillo, Nancy Judd, and Will Wilson and will be on exhibition from August 3- September 9, 2012.

Alcove 12.5 will feature the art of Tom Miller, Louis Schalk, Scuba (Sandra Wang and Crockett Bodelson), Toadhouse, and Susan York and will be on exhibition from September 14- October 21, 2012.

Alcove 12.6 will feature the art of Kate Carr, Michael Borowski, Lawrence Fodor, Karina Hean and Ellen Babcock and will be on exhibition from October 26- December 2, 2012.

Alcove 12.7 will feature the art of Marc Baseman, Matthew Chase-Daniel, Eric Garduno, Jeanette Pasin Sloan, and Jared Weiss and will be on exhibition from December 7, 2012 – January 13, 2013.

Alcove 12.8 will feature the art of Susanna Carlisle and Bruce Hamilton, Yoshiko Shimano, Cristina González, Diane Tintor, and Cedra Wood, and will be on exhibition from January 18 – February 24, 2013.

Alcove 12.9 will feature the art of Jeff Deemie, Teri Greeves, Joanne Lefrak, James Marshal, and Mary Tsiongas, and will be on exhibition from March 1 – April 7, 2013.

The New Mexico Museum of Art
It’s About Time: 14,000 Years of Art in New Mexico
May 11, 2012 – Jan 5, 2014
Traces art in the American Southwest from the earliest Clovis culture to the present. It’s About Time emphasizes the prime objects of artistic change as part of the centennial celebration of New Mexico statehood.

On display May 11, 2012 – Jan 5, 2014

It’s About Time traces art in the American Southwest from the earliest Clovis culture to the present. The exhibition and related publication include Native American, Hispanic and European American art. It’s About Time emphasizes the prime objects of artistic change as part of the centennial celebration of New Mexico statehood.

The exhibition begins with the changing nature of New Mexico art and includes Paleo Indian, Ancestral Pueblo, and Native and Hispanic art during the Spanish Colonial period. The chronology continues with art from the American colonial, early statehood, and post-World War II periods. The contemporary works in the final section look to the past but envision the future.

Viewers will note the interactions and artistic fusions that have occurred across ethnic divides over vast periods of time.

Well-known artists in the exhibition include T.C. Cannon, Judy Chicago, E. Irving Couse, Robert Henri, Marsden Hartey, Luis Jimenez, Raymond Jonson, Agnes Martin, Maria and Julian Martinez, Bruce Nauman, Georgia O’Keeffe, Patrick Oliphant, Agnes Pelton, Florence Miller Pierce, Diego Romero, and Luis Tapia.

A 300 page publication, with the same title, includes 240 full color reproductions will be published in
Spring, 2012.

The exhibition will open May 11, 2012 and run through January 2014.

The exhibition is generously funded by the New Mexico Humanities Council, Newman’s Own Foundation, and the Museum of New Mexico Foundation.

Raymond Jonson, American, 1891 – 1982
Variations on Rhythm N, 1932
Oil on canvas 37 1/2 x 32 1/2 in.
Gift of Raymond Jonson, 1936
New Mexico Museum of Art 287.23p

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Multiple Visions: A Common Bond
Long-term Exhibition, Girard Wing
This unique exhibition designed by the collector and donor, Alexander Girard». Since the opening in 1982, more than a million visitors have been delighted by the richly varied displays in numbered cases- toys, and traditional folk art from more than 100 countries. Take a tour with a Docent, or explore this text-free gallery on your own with the printed gallery guide or Ask about the NEW multimedia tour at the front desk!
Girard Art Projects»

Statehood: New Mexican Art 1912-2012 from the Permanent Collection
In Lloyd’s Treasure Chest, Neutrogena Wing
through March 31, 2013.
Centennial exhibition featuring objects from the permanent collection highlighting New Mexican Art and artists in the 20th and 21st Centuries, The exhibition illustrates traditional folk traditions as well as innovative expressions (Photo Collage by Paul Smutko)

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A major exhibition featuring over 850 works of art from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This diverse group of Andean folk arts includes weaving, embroidery, woodcarving, ceramics, painting, and metalwork, reflecting the interweaving of indigenous craft traditions with European art forms and techniques. (Photo, above: Woman’s Sidesaddle Stirrups, Argentina, early 19th century, Silver, 5″ x 8.75″. Photo by Blair Clark) The exhibition provides a window into the rich spirit and culture shared by the peoples of this highland region of South America through works ranging from costumes, jewelry, utilitarian items, and toys to those used in religious practices and festivals. The exhibit will be accompanied by a richly illustrated 300 page catalog». In addition, public programming related to the Andes will take place throughout the year. The exhibition closed in the Hispanic Heritage Wing September 9, 2012, and in the Bartlett Gallery on March 10, 2013. Funding for this exhibition was generously provided by the International Folk Art Foundation, the Friends of Folk Art of the Museum of New Mexico Foundation, Connie Thrasher Jaquith, and the Museum of International Folk Art Development Team.

PUBLIC PROGRAMS

Sunday March 10, 2013
10am to 5pm
Final day to see the Folk Art of the Andes exhibition.

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Two mysteries surround the spiral staircase in the Loretto Chapel: the identity of its builder and the physics of its construction.

Loretto Chapel staircaseWhen the Loretto Chapel was completed in 1878, there was no way to access the choir loft twenty-two feet above. Carpenters were called in to address the problem, but they all concluded access to the loft would have to be via ladder as a staircase would interfere with the interior space of the small Chapel.

Legend says that to find a solution to the seating problem, the Sisters of the Chapel made a novena to St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters. On the ninth and final day of prayer, a man appeared at the Chapel with a donkey and a toolbox looking for work. Months later, the elegant circular staircase was completed, and the carpenter disappeared without pay or thanks. After searching for the man (an ad even ran in the local newspaper) and finding no trace of him, some concluded that he was St. Joseph himself, having come in answer to the sisters’ prayers.

The stairway’s carpenter, whoever he was, built a magnificent structure. The design was innovative for the time and some of the design considerations still perplex experts today.

The staircase has two 360 degree turns and no visible means of support. Also, it is said that the staircase was built without nails—only wooden pegs. Questions also surround the number of stair risers relative to the height of the choir loft and about the types of wood and other materials used in the stairway’s construction.

Over the years many have flocked to the Loretto Chapel to see the Miraculous Staircase. The staircase has been the subject of many articles, TV specials, and movies including “Unsolved Mysteries” and the television movie titled “The Staircase.”

Bruce Krasnow | The New Mexican
Posted: Monday, January 07, 2013 – 1/7/13

Santa Fe has landed on Travel + Leisure magazine’s list for “America’s Best Girlfriend Getaways.”

It joins Austin, Texas; Maui, Hawaii; Charleston, S.C.; Scottsdale, Ariz., and other cities where BFFs can walk, stroll and spend time without the guys. “Girls’ getaways, while focused on fun and celebration, don’t have to be one big drinking fest like guys’ trips often are,” writes Terry Ward.

Of Santa Fe, Ward writes, “In this town that has drawn artists and healers to the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains for decades, you can head out on the artisanal chocolate trail, stopping at Kakawa Chocolate House for Mesoamerican chocolate elixirs and at ChocolateSmith, where dark chocolate is the specialty. You can get pampered at the Ten Thousand Waves Mountain Spa, inspired by traditional Japanese hot springs resorts; the communal soaking tub is women only and clothing optional.”

The annual report from Atlas, the giant moving and transportation company, that tracks who goes and comes from each state shows immigration to New Mexico has slowed but that the state still has more people coming here than leaving. In 2012, there were 746 inbound trips, compared with 646 exits, and there have been more inbound trips to New Mexico every year in the past decade. But the largest difference was in 2004, when the state saw 536 more inbound trips than exits.

The top-five inbound states of 2012 were:

1. District of Columbia
2. Oregon
3. Nevada
4. North Carolina
5. South Carolina

To see the information, visit www.atlasvanlines.com/migration-patterns/pdf/2012_Migration_Patterns.pdf.

Ashley Leach, an economist with the state Department of Workforce Solutions, has put together an analysis of the top occupational growth areas by education level expected in New Mexico between now and 2020.

“As students and job seekers assess the types of work they are interested in, they can begin to match their interests with occupations. There are also times, however, when a job seeker is not currently expanding his/her educational level, and is looking for work. Knowing which occupations provide the greatest employment opportunities for their specific skill level can help in guiding them to some positions that may be a best bet for employment,” she writes.

For those with less than a high-school degree, the job of health care aide will see the most growth as the demand will swell more than 50 percent as baby boomers age. The average wage is about $20,000 a year. For those with a high-school degree, jobs related to heavy machinery and truck drivers will see 20 percent growth with wages reaching $39,000.

For those with more education, the teaching fields will remain a stable source of jobs as well as physical therapy, where salaries can reach $70,000 a year, according to the analysis.

The report is available at the DWS website, http://164.64.37.28/Portals/0/DM/LMI/lmrnov12.pdf. Contact Bruce Krasnow at brucek@sfnewmexican.com.

by Ruth Mantel

(MCT)—Sales of existing homes ticked down in December from the month before, while the total for 2012 hit the highest level in five years, according to data released Tuesday by the National Association of REALTORS®.

The pace of sales fell 1 percent in December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.94 million, according to NAR. For all of 2012, existing-home sales hit 4.65 million, the highest level since 2007 and up 9.2 percent from 2011.

“Record-low mortgage interest rates clearly are helping many home buyers, but tight inventory and restrictive mortgage underwriting standards are limiting sales,” says Lawrence Yun, the NAR’s chief economist.

The rate in November was revised to 4.99 million from an earlier estimate of 5.04 million, which was the highest rate since November 2009. Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected a rate of 5.1 million for December, with buyers eager to take advantage of relatively high affordability in a housing market that is gaining steam.

Buyers’ concerns about the “fiscal cliff” may be at least partially behind December’s sales decline, wrote Millan Mulraine, macro strategist at TD Securities, in a research note.

“Given this, we anticipate that sales activity could rebound in January following the tax deal, given the very supportive buying conditions and the increasing incentive for first-time buyers (who are currently sitting on the fence) to slowly move into the market as prices begin to firm,” Mulraine wrote.

By region, it was a mixed bag. December’s existing-home sales fell by 5.9 percent in the Midwest and by 3 percent in the South, compared with the prior month; sales rose by 5.1 percent in the West and by 3.2 percent in the Northeast.

Sales in each of the four regions were up from same period in the prior year.

Despite the decline in December, existing-home sales are up 12.8 percent from the same period in the prior year. The median existing-home price rose 11.5 percent from the prior year to $180,800.

Inventories fell 8.5 percent to 1.82 million units in December, representing at the current sales rate a 4.4-month supply, the lowest supply ratio since 2005. It’s typical for inventories to decline in winter. But Yun warns that persistently low inventory could lead to too much price growth in 2013.

“We don’t want to see a rapid appreciation in prices,” he says.

Meanwhile, the median price reached $176,600 in 2012, up 6.3 percent from the prior year for the highest annual growth since 2005.

Other recent housing data have also shown a market gaining strength but still has far to go.

A report on home-builder sentiment showed that confidence is holding at a more-than-six-year peak. Separately, a report showed that new home construction jumped 12 percent in December to the highest rate in more than four years, rushing past Wall Street’s expectations.

©2013 MarketWatch
Distributed by MCT Information Services [2]