Santa Fe residential real estate sales were up in July from the same month last year.

"That is the first increase, same period year to year, since June 2006," Alan Ball notes in his newsletter. "We were due for some positive news to build on."

Ball, a local title company official, is thankful for July's result, but he's cautious, too, given the condition of the local market.

"We are far from recovery, but at least we've taken the first step," Ball said. "Let's make plans for similar improvement with August results and we will have something good to build on."

Ball strongly advises sellers who have not identified a buyer by this fall to rethink their strategy.

He also recommends being extremely flexible when it comes to selling your house.

"These days buyers weigh about 90 percent of their decision on price. ... To make your home the one they want, it has to appear you have drastically cut the price and are giving up a great deal of paper equity," Ball said.

He adds: "If you are unwilling or unable to reduce the price of your home enough to attract a serious buyer, you should probably take it off the market."


Santa Fe only gained 100 jobs in June, a less than typical increase at the start of summer, according to The Santa Fe MSA Labor Force and Payroll Employment report in the monthly New Mexico Labor Market Review.

"Santa Fe usually enjoys its strongest employment gains in June of each year," the report said.

On top of that, the rate of over-the-year job growth was minus 4.2 percent, which represents a loss of 2,800 jobs.

"The Santa Fe job market has been weak for almost two years, but recent data are disappointing," the report said. "The (job market) numbers have taken a sharp turn for the worse since the start of the year."

The losses were highest in the construction and information industry sectors, but retail trade was also very weak, showing a loss of 500 jobs.


A. Berkeley Chesen has joined the staff of Thal Equine in Santa Fe.

Chesen previously worked at the famed Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Kentucky as a clinician for five years and is also certified in equine acupuncture.

Chesen will be the only board-certified large-animal surgeon currently practicing in the area, according to a statement.

Thal Equine is a full-service equine hospital just south of Santa Fe off N.M. 14.

For more information, visit thalequine.com or call 438-6590.