Real Estate Information

According to a report recently released by Down Payment Resource, 65% of first-time homebuyers bought their homes with a down payment of 6% or less in January. This trend continued through all buyers who had a mortgage, as 62% made a down payment of less than 20%.

What does this all mean? An article by DS News points to the new wave of millennial homebuyers:

“It seems that the long-awaited influx of millennial home buyers is beginning. Ellie Mae reported that mortgages to millennial borrowers for new home purchases continued their ascent in January, accounting for 84 percent of closed loans.”

For millennials who purchased homes in January, FHA loans remained popular, making up 35% of all loans closed. Ellie Mae’s Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy Joe Tyrrell gave some insight into why:

“It is not surprising to see Millennial borrowers leverage FHA loans because they typically offer lower down payments and lower average FICO score requirements than conventional loans. Across the board, we're continuing to see strong interest in homeownership from this younger generation.”

If you’re a millennial who’s wondering if you should buy a home this year, please feel free to contact us.  We can help you understand your options and get you on the path to preapproval.

HOT HOME LISTING OF THE WEEK!

5909 Gorrion Street NW, Albuquerque   $199,000

4 Bedrooms/ 1 Bathrooms/ 1935 Square Feet

Back on the market! This open concept floorplan includes tasteful updates. Plenty of space with 2 living areas and 4 beds spread over 1935 sq ft!

Contact the Sandi Pressley team for additional details! 

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Get ready to have fun and celebrate different cultures.  These upcoming events in Albuquerque promise to be entertaining for the whole family.  And maybe you’ll learn something at the same time. Here’s what’s coming up in the next few weeks.

Gathering of Nations Native American Powwow
April 27 - 29

Come experience the largest pow wow in North America! More than 3000 participants will be singing and dancing in competition.  Experience Native American culture through native food and music, and of course, shopping. It’s the ultimate event bringing Native American people together, as well as for others to learn about their amazing culture.

Albuquerque Renaissance Faire
April 29

Calling all lords and ladies of Albuquerque! The time has come for all sorts of Renaissance revelry.  Indulge in the era with live battles, village shopping, food, music, arts, and demonstrations, and of course the Tilted Tankard Tavern.  Fun for the whole family and children under 3 are free!

See what other fun events are coming up in the next few months.

HOT HOME LISTING OF THE WEEK!

10 Caminito Trail, Placitas   $395,000

3 Bedrooms/ 2 Bathrooms/ 2580 Square Feet

This amazing culdesac property features unobstructed views of the mountains and open floorplans with stunning raised ceilings.

Contact the Sandi Pressley team for additional details! 

Get your Morning Inspiration with the Sandi Pressley Team

Are planning on buying a home in Rio Rancho soon?  If you are, then the good news for you is that there are plenty of great restaurants to enjoy.  Whatever your taste, you’re sure to find that perfect spot to go to when you want to satisfy your appetite.  Here’s a few restaurants in Rio Rancho you might want to check out soon.

Joe's Pasta House

Awarded “Best of the City” by Albuquerque the Magazine and receiver of TripAdvisor’s Award of Excellence since 2013, this is the definitive Italian eating experience in Rio Rancho. Their outstanding food and equally excellent service will keep you coming back for more.

Turtle Mountain Brewing CO

For amazing pizza and calzones cooked in their wood-fired oven, along with handcrafted ales and lagers from the on-site brew house, Turtle Mountain Brewing won’t disappoint. This is certainly the best pizza in Rio Rancho.

Weck's

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and Weck’s makes it irresistible. They serve lunch items as well, but it’s the breakfast delights that will keep you there. They serve all the favorites you expect from a great breakfast diner.

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

When you sell your house, you obviously want the best price for your home with minimal hassles, and of course, actually getting your home sold. To do this, you should realize how important it is to use a real estate professional.

People are relying more and more on technology.  This has dramatically changed how people buy a home and their behavior during the buying process.  According to NAR, the percentage of people who use the internet to search for a home was 94% in 2016!

At the same time though, they brought out that 96% of home buyers who did use the internet also used a real estate professional to buy their home. On 2% bought homes directly from the seller, also known as  “For Sale by Owner” or FSBO.

Buyers tend to search for a home online first, but then use an agent during the buying process.  All this information on the internet now available has led people to work with agents who can help them connect the dots.  The amount of people using agents to buy a home has increased steadily since 2001.

So if you plan on selling your home in Albuquerque, then you need an agent who can help you connect the dots as well. The Sandi Pressley Team has the experience to help you bring the process together so that you can make the most money from your home and make the process go as smoothly as possible.

HOT HOME LISTING OF THE WEEK!

652 Gene Avenue NW, Albuquerque   $249,000

3 Bedrooms/ 1 Bathrooms/ 1780 Square Feet

Plenty of character and North Valley charm in this 3 bed 2 bath home with tons of space and large living areas.

Contact the Sandi Pressley team for additional details! 

Get your Morning Inspiration with the Sandi Pressley Team

These Hot Properties in Albuquerque offer an amazing amount of bang for the buck! Whether you want tons of space or amazing views, either one of these homes is exactly what you’re looking for.  Take a look at all they have waiting for you.

5013 LA BAJADA ROAD NW, ALBUQUERQUE

When they say “location, location, location”, they’re talking about this contemporary stunner with amazing views of the Sandia Mountains, Bosque and City Lights! This bright and open home features a huge living room where you can enjoy the amazing views from the balcony. Or you can relax in the oversized back yard with covered patio – a perfect area for entertaining guests.

There’s so much more to see! Check out the property detail page for more info and photos!

8409 MESA TOP ROAD NW, ALBUQUERQUE

If you’re looking for a home with plenty of space, then this is the ideal solution.  With 4 beds and 3 baths spread over 3025 sq feet, you’ll have plenty of room for the whole family to sprawl out. And there’s a huge kitchen with center island just waiting to be used to entertain guests.  And you’ll be close to schools, parks, and a community pool.

And that’s not all! Check out the property detail page for more info and photos!

Check back on our blog every week for more hot properties!

Contact the Sandi Pressley team for additional details! 

Get your Morning Inspiration with the Sandi Pressley Team

One of the many things that make Albuquerque such a great place to live is certainly the outstanding parks.  Albuquerque Parks & Recreation manages a wide array of parks for the benefit of Albuquerque residents.  You can do so many things such as golfing, swimming, playing with your kids in the playground, walk through stunning open spaces, shoot some targets, ride a hot air balloon, you name it!

If you’re up for a round of golf, there’s four public courses - Los Altos, Arroyo del Oso, Puerto del Sol, and Ladera. All of the courses have amenities such as a pro shop with rental equipment, along with a snack bar or café.

And if you want to go to a park, you have 288 parks to choose from! Of course one of the best parks has to be Balloon Fiesta Park, home of the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta and the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum. The park also hosts a wide variety of events throughout the year.

So if you’re looking for an excuse to get out and enjoy the beauty of Albuquerque, you just found almost 300 reasons, so get outside and enjoy this wonderful city!

HOT HOME LISTING OF THE WEEK!

9519 Iron Rock Drive NW, Albuquerque   $350,000

5 Bedrooms/ 3.5 Bathrooms/ 3020 Square Feet

This amazing home is only 3 years old, so you get a virtually new home without the extra building costs.  Features a modern plan and energy efficient.

Contact the Sandi Pressley team for additional details! 

Get your Morning Inspiration with the Sandi Pressley Team

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

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

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

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