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Builder, Realtor team up for greenest jewel
Maxine Swisa and the Dancers are doing more than going for the gold: they're shooting for the Emerald. That's the highest green-building certification in the new BuildGreen New Mexico standard. They're also thinking their new house project in the Monte Sereno subdivision will win the Platinum certification in the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) system. »Story,
Recent Stories
A real beauty in Tesuque on the market
This is a great house and property, boasting a perfect blending of simplicity and luxury. Builder Doug McDowell and architect Ed Boniface did the main house in Northern New Mexico style, with a pitched, metal roof, long portales, and very nice lines. »Story,
Realtor profile: Mary Schroeder
This interview series focuses on Realtors in the Santa Fe area. Mary Schroeder is a broker with Prudential Santa Fe Real Estate and is president of the Santa Fe Association of Realtors. »Story,
Mud walls and Princess Grace's doorjamb
Frequently in this space I have spoken of the imperfection of mud, how nicely it weathers and wears, whether inside or out, and how a mud wall is never right until it has a few soft cracks and divots. Though this is not necessarily an attribute of mud alone, I like materials that reflect, as the preamble to the Charter of Venice so quotably states, "a message from the past." It is this sentimentality, in my case by no means perfunctory, that contributes to my penchant for deferred maintenance. Other reasons have been suggested as well. »Story,
Today's theme is Moving Along
Darlings, »Story,
Rates just as important as price
Buying a home in 2009 in Santa Fe... No Brainer! Postponing the decision for a year or two... Not Wise! Two very important reasons bring us to this simple conclusion. Interest rates have never been lower, and asking prices for homes have bottomed. Thirdly, home prices are predicted to begin their ascent in the near future. »Story,
Law increases eviction-notice time
Health-care reform will be the hot topic over the summer as Congress will begin to consider a variety of proposals and legislation after many months of behind-the-scenes talks. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has worked with key lawmakers who are crafting legislation to ensure that comprehensive health-care reform addresses the needs of the self-employed and small employers. Realtors have also urged Congress to reintroduce the Small Business Health Options Plan Act and Health Care Choice Act. »Story,
About pharmaceuticals in water
As one of five participating entities in the recent, free, well-testing program conducted by the New Mexico Environment Department, we were privy to some interesting inquiries about the testing protocol. The objectives of the program are to improve our knowledge of local groundwater chemistry and ultimately to be able to map the distribution of natural and manmade contaminants in the local aquifers. »Story,
Getting down to net zero
There are five steps to green building a net-zero home, which uses no more energy than it generates. The five steps build on each other in complexity and cost. »Story,
Get ready for changes
In this column for May 2008, I penned some lyrics to accompany Bob Dylan's 1964 song "The Times They are A-Changin" to show how mortgage lending was going through an upheaval, particularly with FICO scores. We are now facing an even greater series of changes that will have significant impact on the mortgage process. »Story,
The ins and outs of short sales
The real-estate market does appear to be picking up. However, much of the activity has been centered around short sales and foreclosures. Realty Trac, the nation's largest on-line source for foreclosure-related information, reports that one in every 374 U.S. housing units received a foreclosure filing in April. Here in Santa Fe county, there are 94 bank-owned properties available and 203 properties in default, which might be short-sale opportunities. While these properties can represent significant savings for the buyer, there are potential pitfalls. »Story,
More FAQs about title insurance
Q. Why do I need title insurance? »Story,
Confessions of a CFL detractor
To declare that I am against the use of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and still call myself an environmentalist seems, in today's green world, to be an oxymoron. More than any other consumer item, the CFL has come to represent the green movement. The arguments in their favor are compelling. They use 1/3 to 1/5 the electricity of incandescent bulbs. Because they last an from 6,000 to 15,000 hours, compared to the incandescent bulb's 750 to 1,000 hours, the initial higher price is a good, long-term investment that can save as much as $30/bulb over its life. »Story,
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