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Tips For First Time Buyers

by Sandi Pressley

Are you a first time home buyer in Albuquerque? Buying a new home, no matter if it’s your first time or not, takes a lot of effort.  Here are a few tips that can help the process go more smoothly.

Research Early

Start looking at websites and even local real estate listings in paper journals. Write down the listings that interest you and how long they’re listed, along with any changes in asking prices.  This will give you a more accurate read on your local market trends. You can also sign up for email listing alerts that give you real time updates of new homes as they hit the market.

Budget

How much can you really afford?  That’s the biggest question.  It‘s recommended that you keep the cost of your home to less than 5 times your annual income, providing you’re making a 20% down payment and have moderate debt. Here’s a handy affordability calculator that can help.

Get Prequalified and Preapproved

You need to know how much you can spend before you start looking for a home.  Work with a lender to determine how much you can afford by providing simple information such as income and how much you have in savings.  This is called prequalifying. Later you can get preapproved for credit, which involves providing more documents like W-2s and bank account statement so that a lender can verify your credit.

This is just a start.  But if you follow these tips it will get you on your way to buying the home in  Albuquerque that best fits your needs.

HOT HOME LISTING OF THE WEEK!

2571 Clear Sky Street SW, Los Lunas   $175,000

4 Bedrooms/ 2.5 Bathrooms/ 2265 Square Feet

Popular DR Horton Floorplan w/ 4 bedrooms and bonus loft space upstairs. 2 living areas, open kitchen and comfortable family dining room!

Contact the Sandi Pressley team for additional details! 

Get your Morning Inspiration with the Sandi Pressley Team

The Perfect Home Awaits in Rio Rancho!

by Sandi Pressley

Rio Rancho is a growing city in New Mexico, and for many reasons.  People looking to buy a home find that Rio Rancho has much to offer as a mid-sized city of 93,000 residents.  There’s a strong employment base, thanks mostly to Intel being located there. But residents also appreciate the proximity to Albuquerque.

Things really started to change for this city in 1981, when it was incorporated as a city and Intel opened a plant. Many young families moved to the area as well due to low interest home loans in the early 1980s. Since then the city has boomed, gaining more independence from Albuquerque.

Residents enjoy the fine shopping and dining in Rio Rancho.  The local stores sell hand-crafted jewelry, southwestern-flavored art and crafts, western wear, gourmet edibles, and more.  Or you can take a short drive to Cottonwood Mall which features more than 135 retailers. Dining options include Banana Leaf vegetarian (Asian fusion), Noda's Japanese Cuisine, Toro Tequila Bar and Grill steakhouse, and more.

And don’t forget to enjoy the many parks in Rio Rancho, where you can relax, walk the dog, or get some exercise in the great southwest outdoors.

Learn more about Rio Rancho and search for your dream home on our Rio Rancho, New Mexico Real Estate and Information page.

 

HOT HOME LISTING OF THE WEEK!

116 Los Miradores Drive NE, Rio Rancho   $399,000

6 Bedrooms/ 4.5 Bathrooms/ 4270 Square Feet

Pristine and popular Pulte floorplan features an oversized great room with a gas fireplace, gourmet kitchen, and backyard with amazing views!

Contact the Sandi Pressley team for additional details! 

Get your Morning Inspiration with the Sandi Pressley Team

Find Your Dream Home in Corrales

by Sandi Pressley

Are you looking to buy a home in New Mexico that’s near the conveniences of the metro area but not in the middle of all the excitement? If so, Corralles may be just the place for your new home.  While Corrales is located in the Albuquerque metropolitan area, it still retains it’s connection to it’s agrarian past.  Corralles is home to around 8300 residents, lending to it’s quality as a tight knit and pleasant community.

And you don’t need to go out of town to find great places to shop and dine. There’s a number of quality shops, along with a few galleries which feature locally made products, namely Sara Smith Contemporary, Ambiente of Corrales, Corrales Bosque Gallery, Epic Art, Gallery Nouveau and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center museum and shop. There’s also a great selection of restaurants, like Indigo Crow Café, Village Pizza, The Oasis of Corrales, and more.

There are many things that make Corrales the ideal community to buy a home.  Visit our Corrales, New Mexico Real Estate & Information page for more details about this wonderful community and to search for your dream home.

 

HOT HOME LISTING OF THE WEEK!

9116 Wimbledon Drive NE, Albuquerque   $325,000

3 Bedrooms/ 2 Bathrooms/ 1770 Square Feet

Gorgeous brick single story home with UPDATES GALORE in Tanoan's Gated Community!

Contact the Sandi Pressley team for additional details! 

Get your Morning Inspiration with the Sandi Pressley Team

Get Ready to Sell Your Home in Albuquerque!

by Sandi Pressley

Are getting ready to sell your home in Albuquerque? If so, you already know there’s a lot of things to consider.  But there are some basic things to keep in mind to make sure you get more money from the sale of your home as well as sell it faster. Here’s a few things you can do right now.

Get Storage

Don’t think you can declutter your home by shoving things in the closets. Buyers will look in your closets and see a mess. Instead, rent a storage unit and store things that you won’t need when you home is on the market.

Depersonalize

One of the main goals of selling a home is to make the buyer see it as their home. That’s harder to do if your photos are all over the walls. The same goes with artwork.  You may appreciate the art, but the buyer might not.  Try to make the interior as neutral as possible in the way of personal affects.

Lighten Up

Light can make all the difference when it comes to making the home more appealing.  Get as high of a wattage bulb as your fixtures will safely allow.  And open the blinds and curtains.

Curb Appeal is Real

The first few seconds are critical when a buyer comes to your home.  They will almost always judge a book by its cover. So tidy up the yard.  Trim the hedges, put down new mulch, edge the lawn.  Hire a landscaper if you need to.  Freshen up the exterior paint. Powerwash the walkways and driveway.  Every little thing does matter.

If you follow these few steps, you'll almost certainly sell your home faster and make more money in the end.

HOT HOME LISTING OF THE WEEK!

11 Calle Cienega, Placitas, NM   $525,000

4 Bedrooms/ 3.5 Bathrooms/ 3384 Square Feet

An incredible Placitas Custom 4 bedroom home with unobstructed views and great room with raised ceilings and sculpted vigas!

Contact the Sandi Pressley team for additional details! 

Get your Morning Inspiration with the Sandi Pressley Team

Your New Home Awaits in Bernalillo

by Sandi Pressley

Just 15 miles north of Albuquerque on the banks of the Rio Grande is one of the oldest towns in the Southwest - Bernalillo.  This is a town that holds onto its history, but is not afraid to grow with the times.  Bernalillo celebrates its history by partnering with wineries in New Mexico to host the annual Wine Festival each Labor Day, which of course features wine, along with music, arts and crafts, and great food.

And if you love being in the great outdoors, then the Sandia Lakes Recreational Area is the perfect place to enjoy hiking and picnics. And if you have children of high school age, there’s the convenience of having Bernalillo High School available for their education.

Search for your dream home in Bernalillo today!

HOT HOME LISTING OF THE WEEK!

15 Calle Cobre, Placitas, NM   $498,000

5 Bedrooms/ 3 Bathrooms/ 3200 Square Feet

An exquisite custom Placitas property on over 2 acres with stunning views and functional open floor plan and upgraded kitchen!

Contact the Sandi Pressley team for additional details! 

Get your Morning Inspiration with the Sandi Pressley Team

Have a Perfect Valentine's Day in Albuquerque

by Sandi Pressley

Are you ready to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Albuquerque? If you’re looking for a unique way to spend this special day with your sweetheart, then you’re in luck.  There’s a number of events coming up on the 14th in Albuquerque that will make this a Valentine’s to remember!

Albuquerque Latin Valentine Love Fest
National Hispanic Cultural Center

Dance the night away with your loved one to the sounds of a live 3-piece ensemble and salsa by Ivon Ulibarri & Cafe Mocha.  There’s also going to be dance performances, drinks, and desserts to complete this exciting Valentine’s celebration.

Canvas & Coffee Class: Valentine Date Night
ABQ Canvas and Coffee

Here’s unique way to spend the evening together, while each of you paint white wine and red wine on separate canvases.  Then delight in a light supper and amazing desserts provided by Mtuccis Italian Market.

Corks & Candles
St. Clair Winery & Bistro

Come to the St. Clair Winery & Bistro for Valentine’s specials.  Culinary delights such as Steak Manhattan Oscar style with Potatoes Gratin and Chocolate Dipped Strawberries will be the perfect addition to this romantic day.

Make it a Valentine’s day to remember in Albuquerque! And check back on our blog every week for more great things to do in Albuquerque.

HOT HOME LISTING OF THE WEEK!

3813 Tierra Vista Place NE, Rio Rancho, NM   $359,000

4 Bedrooms/ 3 1/2 Bathrooms/ 3420 Square Feet

A spacious, meticulously maintained home featuring agrand entry with soaring ceilings and dramatic curved iron spindles staircase and 3-car garage!

Contact the Sandi Pressley team for additional details! 

Get your Morning Inspiration with the Sandi Pressley Team

Enroll Your Children in the Top Schools in Albuquerque

by Sandi Pressley

Do you have children in high school and are planning to buy a home in Albuquerque soon? Then you no doubt want to find the best high schools to enroll your children.  U.S. News and World Report compiles a list of the best schools in each state.  They use 4 steps to grade each school.  The criteria is that students perform better than expected in their state, disadvantaged students perform better than state average, graduation rates meet or exceed a national standard, and students are prepared for college-level coursework.

Here are the top 4 high schools in Albuquerque according to this list. These schools also ranked in the top 20 list for the entire state of New Mexico.

La Cueva High

La Cueva High is rated #1 in the Albuquerque Public School District and ranked #6 in the state of New Mexico. Students have the option to take Advanced Placement courses.

Early College Academy

Early College Academy is ranked #7 in the state.  34% of students in this school take AP course work.

Eldorado High

Ranked #10 in New Mexico, students at Eldorado have a 34% participation rate in AP courses.

Cibola High

Cibola High received a ranking of 13th in the state of New Mexico, with a 33% participation rate in AP courses.

See the full list of top schools in Albuquerque.

HOT HOME LISTING OF THE WEEK!

11608 ZINFANDEL Avenue NE, Albuquerque, NM   $1,500,000

4 Bedrooms/ 2 Bathrooms/ 6600 Square Feet

An extraordinary custom Euopean Villa located in the very desirable Sauvignon Gated Community, complete with golf course and amazing mountain views!

Contact the Sandi Pressley team for additional details! 

Get your Morning Inspiration with the Sandi Pressley Team

Albuquerque - The Ideal Southwest City

by Sandi Pressley

If you’re looking for the ideal southwest city to buy a home, then Albuquerque, New Mexico is the place you’ve been looking for.  There’s so many things that make Albuquerque the perfect place to buy your dream home.

If you’re moving from a colder environment and looking for warm and dry weather, then you’ve found the right place.  Albuquerque boasts 310 days of sunshine on average per year, with high temperatures ranging around 77 deg, so it doesn’t get too hot.  And this is perfect for exploring the great outdoors that this city is famous for.

Albuquerque has a vibrant economy fueled by institutions such as Sandia National Laboratories, Kirtland Air Force BaseLovelace Respiratory Research Institute,  the University of New Mexico (UNM),  and Petroglyph National Monument. It’s also an award winning city that has received endless accolades from magazines and organizations all over the US.

And don’t forget the great shopping and dining opportunities in Albuquerque!

Want to learn more and search for your dream home?  Visit our Albuquerque, New Mexico real estate for sale page and find out all the excelling reasons you should move to Albuquerque!

HOT HOME LISTING OF THE WEEK!

1909 Bold Ruler Street SE, Albuquerque, NM 87123   $235,000

3 Bedrooms/ 2 Bathrooms/ 1670 Square Feet

Beautiful Medditeranean style home with oversized master bed, professional landscaping, tiled counters, and much more!

Contact the Sandi Pressley team for additional details! 

Get your Morning Inspiration with the Sandi Pressley Team

Have You Considered Closing Costs?

by Sandi Pressley

As you plan on buying your next home in Albuquerque, you no doubt are already setting aside a down payment.  But have you considered closing costs? If not, then you need to remember that’s it’s an important part of the buying process.

What exactly are closing costs?  They are also known as settlement fees, and are paid when obtaining a mortgage.  These fees are charged by your real estate agent, lender and other parties involved in the transaction.  These costs can be around 2-5% of the purchase price.

Many first-time home buyers in Albuquerque don’t realize this.  And if you have a low down payment program, the closing costs could be the same amount as the down payment.

There’s a number of factors that can affect the closing costs, such as appraisal fees, credit report fees, and others.  You can work with your lender and agent to see if there’s any way to decrease these costs. You can also negotiate with the seller over who pays the fees. This is called ‘seller’s concession’ and can be used in negotiation to get the deal closed with the seller.

So make sure to talk to us early about closing costs so you won’t be caught unprepared.

 

To receive a personal consultation for your home, contact the Sandi Pressley Team directly!

Looking for the perfect Albuquerque area home? Sign-up for our free Preferred Email Listing Alerts and receive only the properties that meet your personal qualifications! Follow this link: PREFERRED EMAIL LISTING ALERTS


HOT HOME LISTING OF THE WEEK!

4401 Pershing Avenue SE, Albuquerque, NM   $499,000

3 Bedrooms/ 4 Bathrooms/ 4100 Square Feet

INCREDIBLE Custom single story Home-In the heart of ABQ! This home has it all! Open floorplan with large living areas, game room, and so much more.  

Contact the Sandi Pressley team for additional details! 

Great Things to Do In Albuquerque

by Sandi Pressley

Are planning on buying a home in Albuquerque? Then you might want to know about some of the great things to do here. Albuquerque abounds in attractions that highlight it's southwestern heritage. Here's a few to check out.

Albuquerque Biological Park

An amazing place to bring the family to experience over 250 species of animal life.

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

Experience the culture of Native America through it's pottery, arts & crafts, and more in this expansive museum.

Petroglyph National Monument

See real Native American engravings first hand on basalt boulders as you hike on one of the 3 trails.

Explora

Explore ideas you can touch at this tech and art museum designed for all ages. It features over 250 exhibits and a toddler area.

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Photo of The Sandi Pressley Team Real Estate
The Sandi Pressley Team
Coldwell Banker Legacy
10400 Academy Rd. NE Suite 100
Albuquerque NM 87111
505-980-2999
505-263-2173 / 505 293-3700
Fax: 505-212-0729

Quick links to this site are also SandiSells.net or SandiSellsHomes.com