Real Estate Information

Good Monday Morning!

Yes, the Real Estate market has improved in the Albuquerque and Rio Rancho areas. Statistics indicate that the value of homes has not changed much at this time as a result of the improved market. This means that even though there are more buyers out looking and there are fewer homes to choose from, the price that you can expect to obtain from a sale has not yet changed. If you have a home on the market or if you are considering the sale of your home, you still must be realistic about pricing your home. Well priced homes sell quickly right now, but the over priced homes still just sit. Sellers who price high to test the waters just might miss this market and the chance to sell. There is a great deal of opportunity right now if you are thinking about selling to purchase another home. To take advantage of this market and the low mortgage interest rates it is important to be realistic with pricing your home.

Have An Awesome Week!

SANDI'S LATEST HOT HOME LISTING!

12064 Irish Mist Rd NE Price: $825,000 Beds: 4 Baths: 1 Full, 3 Partial Sq Ft: 4,510 Spectacular custom home on .27 acre view lot in prestigious Primrose Pointe. From the grand entry w/dramatic staircase to the delightful kitchen w/granite countertops, Wolf appliances & subzero refrigerator, to the parklike grounds w/amazing mountain views, hot tub & sparkling pool w/automatic cleaning system, quality & luxury abound. Enjoy the city lights from the balcony of the large master suite w/his/her closets & jet tub. The oversized library could be used as office/study or media room. View this property >>

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Sincerely,
Sandi

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Good Tuesday Morning!

Yes, the market is heating up and the inventory of homes available for purchase has decreased significantly over the past six months. In fact, homes that are in great condition and priced well don't stay on the market long. The Albuquerque and Rio Rancho market area is even seeing multiple offers again. It is still a great time to purchase a home. Mortgage interest rates remain at historic low levels and home prices have not increased significantly, although this is on the horizon if current market conditions continue.

If you're a home buyer, among the things you can do to be prepared is to have a plan of action. If you're an aggressive buyer eager to find a home, hire a real estate agent that can help you find what you're looking for and will act quickly when properties hit the market.

When a home is first listed it will get the most attention. In a hot real estate market that could mean not just viewings but multiple offers and even offers that are over the listing price (not something we're used to thinking about lately, but that's the nature of real estate - it cycles through ups and downs).

So, if you're really serious about finding a home in a market where the inventory has dropped and the prices have increased, be prepared to take action the minute homes come on the market. Don't delay and say, "I'll drop by this weekend when I get a free moment." In some of today's markets, procrastination could be the deal breaker.

The Sandi Pressley Real Estate Team has 5 Home Buyer Specialists. Our Specialists do not list homes, they only work and represent home buyers. Working with a Home Buyer Specialist can make a significant difference in a market like the one we are in today. A Buyer Specialist knows the market, keeps on top of the current home inventory and can help you be on top of the best home purchase opportunities as they come about. Having a real estate agent working for you in this capacity in this market can make a significant difference in what kind of home you find and how much you pay for it. Contact us if you are interested in being fully represented as a buyer. You will love this approach to purchasing a home.

Have An Awesome Week!

SANDI'S LATEST HOT HOME LISTING!

416 Monte Alto Pl NE Price: $275,000 Beds: 4 Baths: 1.5 Sq Ft: 2,463 Well-maintained, single story home, nestled in the foothills on nearly 1/3 acre lot. Light & bright floorplan w/large great room, eat-in kitchen, formal dining & 4 spacious bedrooms. Master has shower & walkin closet. Some of the many recent updates include combo refrigerated air/heating unit & new stucco in 2012, new windows throughout in 2010, new appliances, light fixtures, updated baths in 2009 & new metal gate in 2012 to obtain back yard access. Huge 25x12 workshop insulated & finished! View this property >>

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Sincerely,
Sandi

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Good Monday Morning!

It appears that spring is close to being here. The first sign of spring is the longer days and flowers beginning to bloom. It's a wonderful time to live in the Albuquerque area.

Mortgage interest rates have remained almost unchanged over the past month until late last week when we saw rates take another dip. It just can't get much better than this for financing a home. If you consider that home prices are much lower than they were at the peak of the market and then consider the low cost of financing, there just may never be a better time to buy a home. This also means that it is a great time to sell your home and purchase another home whether it might be a larger home or a smaller home. The largest challenge facing home buyers right now is that the inventory of homes for sale is low. It might be slightly tougher to find the perfect home to purchase, but we are managing to find great purchase opportunities right now for the home buyers we are working with.

If you are thinking about purchasing your first home, moving up to a larger home or downsizing, the best way to start the process is to set a time to meet with us. We can determine your needs and then look at the best course of action for you. Once you know the process and the numbers your decision becomes much easier. I strongly advise anyone who is thinking about buying or selling a home right now to start the process with this easy analysis.

Have An Awesome Week!

SANDI'S LATEST HOT HOME LISTING!

214 Manzano St NE B Price: $155,000 Beds: 2 Baths: 1.5 Sq Ft: 1189 Light & bright townhome attached to only one other unit on fully landscaped lot in UNM area! Great floorplan w/spacious greatroom open to the kitchen & family dining area, two good-sized bedrooms & two bathrooms. Convenient kitchen w/pantry & sunny breakfast bar. Large master suite w/huge walkin shower. EZ to maintain, private back yard w/artificial grass. Great curb appeal! Washer, dryer & refrigerator convey! Great rental property or owner occupied! Rented through August 2013. View this property >>

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Sincerely,
Sandi

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Good Monday Morning!

Almost no new apartments have been built since 2008. The single family building permits in 2010 were 1,440 for the Albuquerque Metro Area. They dropped to 1,192 in 2011. In 2012, we saw the first increase over the prior year since 2006! We went from 1,192 to 1,428, a significant year-over-year increase but still more than 1,000 under the “breakeven” number. To put that into perspective, more than 6,600 building permits were pulled in both 2005 and 2006! The increasing number of permits last year is an extremely good sign for two reasons. The increase indicates returning consumer confidence and demand in the market place. Second, because building houses creates jobs!

To recap, I now really do believe the bottom is behind us. Here is why:

1. The inventory of resale homes is the lowest it has been in 6 years.
2. We have 18 straight months of year-over-year increases in the amount of homes being put under contract. In other words, a consistent increase in demand.
3. There have been 4 years of very low building permits, which are finally increasing.
4. 2012 would be twelve years since the last bottom in the prior cycle, mirroring the 12-year cyclical history of the Albuquerque market.

Anecdotally, we are seeing multiple offers for the first time in many years. This is the actual ground level indicator of the shift in balance from over supply to balance.

Let me close with this thought. In both of the last recoveries, the post 1988 and post 2000 bottoms, the highest rate of appreciation was 5 years from the bottom. If we mark 2012 as the first positive year, our highest rate of annual appreciation in this cycle could be just 4 short years away from now. Do not expect gigantic annual appreciation in the next two to three years, but if we mirror either of the last two recoveries, we should see a 2 to 3% annual increase, which could, in the next 4 years, reach a one-year increase of 9%.

Combine that timing with interest rates below 4%, and I think if a homebuyer were ever to consider buying - the timing is perfect. For the sellers who have waited through the recession, the light is at the end of the tunnel!

Have An Awesome Week!

SANDI'S LATEST HOT HOME LISTING!

9909 Buckeye St. NW 87114 Price: $480,000 Beds: 5 Baths: 3 Sq Ft: 3817 Phenomenal custom dream home by Char Construction w/courtyd entry, refrigerated air & amenities galore! Versatile floorplan w/2 master suites, one on main level. Large living room w/soaring ceilings, entertainment center & kiva style gaslog fireplace opens to the family dining room. Delightful kitchen w/gorgeous cabinets, island w/sink, JennAir appliances & granite countertops. All bedrooms are well sized. Two decks offer exceptional mountain/city views. Xeriscaped w/covered & open patios. View this property >>

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Sincerely,
Sandi

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Good Monday Morning!

If you are thinking about selling your home, now is the time to begin the process for getting your home on the market. One common thought is that Spring is the best time to get your home on the market. The reality is that by Spring home inventories often times increase and your competition level increases. If you can get your home ready for market by February or March you may beat the rush and have a better climate for a sale. Here are just a few things that you might want to pay attention to prior to placing your home on the market.

1. Go through your home and do what I call de-clutter. This means take out over sized furniture items, nick nacks, anything that is not needed for everyday living. The idea is to make rooms looks larger and give prospective buyers the ability to see the space.
2. Touch up interior paint or even re-paint if needed .This would mean making walls, trim ceilings looking as new as possible.
3. Clean carpets and hard wood flooring.
4. Clean your home thoroughly and don't forget to clean windows inside and out.
5. Be sensitive to odors from cooking, pets, etc. Scented candles are a great way to keep your home smelling great. Prospective buyers are very odor sensitive.
6. Maintain an even temperature in your home. Homes that are too hot or too cold will detract from showings.
7. Always have your home neat, clean, drapery or blinds open and lights on for showings.
8. Winter time is tough for exterior, but having your landscaping and home exterior looking great is important. Have flower beds with fresh bark dust, walks swept. leaves raked and washing down siding will greatly increase the way your home looks for drive bys.

One of the key functions that I complete when I visit a home for someone thinking of selling their home is going through a check list of items that the homeowner can do to enhance the appearance of their property. My objective is to list items that will increase the value, lessen the number of days on the market and helping the homeowner not perform tasks that are not dollar productive. If you are considering placing your Albuquerque/Rio Rancho area home on the market, please contact me for a no obligation visit that we can identify items for you to focus on and also get a good idea of your homes current market value.

Have An Awesome Week!

SANDI'S LATEST HOT HOME LISTING!

15 Sinagua Rd. Price: $325,000 Beds: 3 Baths: 2 Sq Ft: 2200 Gorgeous SW style home on 1.5 ac view lot. Lg great room with beamed ceilings/Kiva style corner fireplace. Beautiful kitchen w/Wolf range/stainless steel appliances/center island is open to the dining area. Lg mast suite w/beamed ceilings & deluxe bath/garden tub/separate shower. The versatile floorplan features an office w/separate entrance included in sqft, could be 4th bedroom. Amazing views all around. The road ends at BML land & open space about 1/4 mi from this spectacular home. View this property >>

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Sincerely,
Sandi

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Good Monday Morning!

It is a fact! Over 90% of all home searches conducted nationally begin online. Searching for homes online is by far the easiest and most efficient way to look for homes. Long gone are the days where interested home buyers ride around town with their Realtor viewing home after home while thumbing through the pages of an MLS book. Online home shopping is convenient and it allows the prospective home buyer the ability to keep up with current listings and prices.

There are many resources that will allow you to search for homes online and some are much easier to navigate and have more options than others. We have found that here in the Albuquerque, Rio Rancho and Surrounding market areas the best home search site is www.albuquerquehomesolutions.com. This state of the art site will allow you to search properties, on line, based on your search criteria and then save your search so that you are not re-entering it every time you conduct a search. This site also offers you the ability to set up a property alert, which will automatically e-mail you information on new properties meeting your search criteria as they hit the market.

Now is an excellent time to be shopping for a home. With home prices remaining low and mortgage interest rates at historic low levels, there is great opportunity and www.albuquerquehomesolutions.com is a great tool to use during your home search.

Have An Awesome Week!

SANDI'S LATEST HOT HOME LISTING!

1020 La Poblana Rd. Price: $179,000 Beds: 3 Baths: 1 Sq Ft: 1600 Sitting on an almost 1/4 acre lot in the North Valley, this spacious home is a must see for your Buyers! Updated and well maintained, it features a 1 car garage with storage, gleaming hardwood floors, 3 large bedrooms, 1 full bath, huge living room with corner fireplace, spacious kitchen w/sunny breakfast and a formal dining room which could be used as office. Just completed landscaping front/back. Large back yard with covered patio and 15x13 storage/workshop. Room to park RV/travel trailer. View this property >>

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Sincerely,
Sandi

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Good Monday Morning!

Why did my home fail to sell?  This is a call that I get frequently from homeowners who have had a home on the market and it did not sell. The answer to this question is often not simple, but typically a little bit of investigation will reveal the most likely cause.  Nine times out of ten the problem is that the price was too high.  In this market, if you miss the market with pricing your home is going to just sit and not get offers.  Many times the home owners will see many showings and just no serious interest.  This simply means that would be homebuyers are finding other homes equal to or better than this home at a more attractive price. It can be hard to hit pricing perfectly, but once a home is on the market, if we look at what takes place with showings and interest it will soon tell us the story as to whether we have hit pricing right or not.

The largest mistake home sellers make is to not watch the market and to not drop the price quickly enough needed.  Failure to do this may cost homesellers large amounts of money and the opportuity to sell.

Also, if you are considering putting your home on the market and don't want to join the ranks of the unsold homes be cautious when you interview Real Estate agents.  Be cautious as to not pick your agent based solely on the price they give you for your home.  Many agents will inflate this price to get your business.  Good agents will price your home correclty to start with and then watch the market for any changes and advise you quickly if an adjustment is needed.

The keys to selling a home for top dollar value in any market are to:
  1. Price correctly with the market and adjust quickly if offers don't materialize.
  2. Stage your home.  Get rid of clutter, paint, do yard work, needed repairs and make your home as appealing as possible
  3. Make your home accessible.  If your home is easy to show you will get maximum exposure
  4. Make sure that your agent is getting feedback from showings and sharing this feedback with you.  Listen to the market and adjust accordingly.

Have An Awesome Week!

SANDI'S LATEST HOT HOME LISTING!

5919 Mesa Viento Rd. Price: $300,000 Beds: 5 Baths: 2.5 Sq Ft: 2960 Beautiful, well maintained DR Horton home with lots of nichos and ledges. Light, bright, open & versatile floorplan features formal living room and great room that opens to family dining & kitchen w/sunny breakfast bar/island & huge pantry. The office could be formal dining room. Enormous master suite has 13x11 sitting room w/corner gaslog fireplace, large walkin closet + luxurious bath w/jetted tub. All bedroom are good-sized, one bedroom conveniently located on main level. Great location! View this property >>

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Sincerely,
Sandi

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