Eloise Gift

Spring Forward!

2010-03-07T23:22:00Z

Sunday, March 14 at 2:00 a.m. we revert to standard time. We must all remember to move our clocks forward 1 hour – to "spring forward "- so as not to miss our Sunday, standing appointments and fall out of step with the rhythm of our lives. To help us along, the University of Oklahoma Police Department offers some sage advice on tasks we might consider carrying out in conjunction with adjusting our clocks. Coinciding with the time change, the department recommends: · Checking...(read more)

Blogging Around

2009-10-19T20:31:00Z

Today I decided to google my name and look over a few of the posts I have written elsewhere about Albuquerque and New Mexico over the years and came upon this site: Localism - Cochiti Pueblo.I don't contribute as much as I would like to this site any more and was pleasantly surprised to see what I had contributed. It was like a walk down memory lane and I decided to share it on this platform . The posts brought back memory of the pleasure I had visiting places, photographing sites and writing about them. Daytripping is still one of my my favorite things to and some of these spots are definitely worth revisiting not just once, but many times.

As the fall days shorten, the leaves along the bosque turn golden and the light changes, it is a great time to take a stroll down a memory lane of blog posts.

9115 Ladron at the Trails in Paradise Hills, Westside Albuquerque

2008-09-13T21:50:00Z

If you are in the market for a spacious home at a reasonable price, then 9114 Ladron at the Trails is the house for you. It has 5 bedrooms that include two on the first floor. But the game room, also on the first floor, could be used as a 6th bedroom, sharing a full bath with the other first floor bedroom. The third first floor bedroom is that of the private, independent guest/in-law quarter or home office (take your pick) attached but entirely separate, at the front of the house.

The other three bedrooms are on the second floor that also has an ample loft that the current owners have used as a family gathering place. The master bedroom is more than a bedroom because of its size that allows for the setting up of a comfortable sitting area. You will have difficulty filling up this main bedroom closet because of its size.

The current owners of 9115 ladron upgraded the kitchen and added an uncovered back patio that extends the entertainment area of the great room. The home is only two years old, was lightly lived in and is in excellent contition.

The Trails, a master-plannned community that is still being built. It is on the farthest edge of the northwest mesa, but is only minutes from the most popular shopping area on the Westside -- Cottonwood Mall with shops, movie theatres and restaurants. The newly extended Paseo del Norte offers quck direct access through the Petroglyphs to more shopping along Golf Course and I-40.

The Trails subdivision as it exists now, is borderd on the north by Paseo del Norte, on the south and southwest by Woodmont Avenue and on the east by Universe Boulevard.

The community has planned open space throughout. As the name suggests, it is is a community of trails. Biking and walking trails criss-cross the community leading to and from several parks that include a community park, a soccer park, a baseball park, and a dog park.

Volcano Vista, a new state-of-the-art, green built High School is located in The Trails on Rainbow Boulevard across the street
from a middle school that is under construction. When completed, The Trails will also include two
retail/commercial sites tucked into the northeast and northwest corners of the development at Paseo del Norte.

The one and two story detached two to six bedroom homes at The Trails vary in sizes from just over 1300 square feet to above four thousand square feet and several do have the private guest quarters and courtyards. *115 is a lovely home in a delightful area with easy access to conveniences that matter.

Albuquerque, NM Housing Market Update

2008-08-22T07:25:00Z

The Greater Albuquerque Metropolitan real estate market continues to share the experiences (though comparatively less severely) of most other cities acrosss the country. The downturn that began in the 2007 for our region) has led to an increase in foreclosures and an increase in the inventory of houses for sale.

Conditions brought about by sub-prime lending practices, adjustable rate mortgages and the ensing tightening in lending practices have contributed to an ongoing downward shift primarily in the residential real estate market.

New Mexico's housing market did not enjoy the rapid and inflationary increases of many other states. Ours was a gradual moderate rise in prices. Consequently, the decrease in home prices in the state has not been as great or as precipitous as in others. So while some regions are seeing decreases in home prices as great as 30%, and double digit percentage increase in in foreclosures, in New Mexico, foreclosures have declined . Despite the increase in inventory in the Greater Albuquerue Area, home prices have not plunged. Decline has been gradual-more like the gentle ripple effect that we have come to expect at times of market and economy changes.

We have an eight month supply of homes for sale making it a buyer's market. Yet many buyers are unable to buy. First-time home buyers, invesotrs, and some other sectors of our community are currently having difficulty getting loans because the rules have changed. On the other hand, some who are able to qualify are still not partiipating in the market, but are adopting a wait-and-see attitude. Will prices fall lower? Will the economy get worse? yet other prospective buyers cannot buy because the are unable to sell their current house to move on.

In New Mexico, we are optimistic that the shift upward will return soon because we know that people with jobs are able to earn an qualify for loans to buy houses. The real estate market recovery depends in large part on tNew Mexico's continuing ability to attract business and create new jobs. Those indicators are positive with the recent arrival of new employers like Fidelity Investments, Schott solar, Prudential Investments and an ever-increasing group of small business owners.

Second Quarter Performance

During the last quarter, across the board in the greater Albuquerque housing market, the average price of a single family detached house decreased 3.9 percent from $248,185 in 2007 to $240,514. We sold 27.83 fewer homes than in 2007 with a decrease in monetary volume of 30.67 percent.

All of the above occurred despite a twenty-five percent reduction in the number of new listings that appeared on the market and a 71.7 % increase in days on the market.

The best performing market area for the quarter in 2007 was the Southwest Heights and the worst, the Northwest Heights. The best performing so far this year has been the Northeast Heights and worst performing, Rio Rancho.

The picture for condos and townhouses was different for some criteria and similar in others. Unlike detached houses, both the average and the median price of condos and townhouses increased (average: 2.12%) and (median: 4.67) .New condo and townhouse listings increased by a stalwart 80%. However, fewer condos and townhouses sold in the last quarter (-18%) resulting in a total dollar volume loss of 16.94%. Time on the market was seven times longer for condos and townhouses than for detached houses. The average number of days increased from an average of 21 days on the market to 67 days - an increase of 157%.

Best performing area for condos and townhouses for the period in 2007 was Ladera Heights. This year it’s the Northeast Heights. Worst performing condo/townhouse area last year was Rio Rancho. Worst performing area during the last the last quarter was Uptown.

Eloise Gift, CRS, GRI, EcoBroker Certified
www.eloisegift.com

Greater Albuquerque, NM Real Estate Market Update

2008-06-03T18:10:00Z

navigating the ripiples of the ABQ market
June 2008

Recently, some areas of our community had transactions that were adversely affected by higher loan-to-value ratio requirements imposed by lenders because of falling sales prices. Several areas, identified by zip codes, were labeled "declining areas" and buyers were asked to come up with higher down payments. Buyers told they qualified for loans saw their situation reversed overnight and their hope of home ownership diminished as lending policies changed in without warning. These buyers discovered they could get no better than a 90 percent loan because lenders were requiring a 5-percentage-point cushion to protect against possible continuing price declines. Thank heavens, there has been another reversal. Good News Beginning June 1, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will no longer require borrowers to provide an extra 5 percent down payment when purchasing homes in those areas labeled "declining markets" because of falling prices. With the new policy, borrowers can again get up to 95 percent loan-to-value mortgages. This is good news for buyers and sellers, especially for those living in the neighborhoods targeted. It is also good news for the real estate industry and the economy of the entire region. With the stigma removed, we expect to see all neighborhoods thrive and fewer people denied their dream. Sellers, be patient! Buyers, help is on the way!

Eloise Gift
Associate Broker
Keller Williams Realty
www.eloisegift.com
HABLO ESPANOL

Single Story For Sale in Rio Rancho

2008-05-19T04:47:00Z

• 2,063 sq. ft., 3 bath, 3 bdrm single story - MLS® $165,000

Rio Rancho, Sandoval County - This "diamond in the rough" is ready for immediate occupancy by someone with the desire and creativity to bring out its brillance. Sitting on .26 acres, this home has a large master bedroom with his and hers updated bathrooms, some new windows, ceiling fans, throughout.

If you are a first-time buyer, you have the opportunity to buy a spacious home with leaves you a lot of room to be creative in recreating spaces and making this home your own. For an investor, the return on investment could be significant, because this house, is in great condition and is priced below market value.

This is a house for anyone who likes a home with an open floorplan and lots of storage; also for anyone who likes having some space between neighbors, a mature garden with room for play, swing sets, and even a separate entrance to accomodate an RV.

Eloise Gift
www.EloiseGift.com
Your Gift for real estate-A Gift for all seasons

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Ups and Downs of Life and the Market

2008-05-09T01:46:00Z

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, the skies are still as blue as always as the sunlight continues its daily light and shadow plays across the Sandia mountain ranges. Not much has changed. But we watch the billboards to see if gas prices are showing any inclination to go down. And we think of diplomatic ways to explain to our clients the reality of the current real estate market. The houses are still as beautiful as they've always been. They are still as well kept, and we still have buyers. But many homes no longer seem to receive offers on the first day they are listed, and multiple offers are rare.

So what happened? The yin and yang of life, the ever-present life cycle of beginnings and endings, birth and rebirth, ebb and flow happened. It is as a wise man told his son. Life is like walking across the back of a zebra. You have to go from black to white stripes. When you are on a black stripe, walk slowly, and enjoy the good times of being in the black, knowing that sooner or later you are going to be coming upon a white stripe. When you get to the white stripe, run as fast as you can to get to another black stripe and and have prosperity again.

Today, I advised one of my clients that it was prudent to reduce her property by $10,000. She agreed and I expect to find her a buyer soon. I also and that both buyer and seller will be happy at the end of the transaction. They will both be winners. I have the best clients in Albuquerque and the world. They are all winners.

For Sale in Sundance Estates

2008-05-09T00:28:00Z

Model Home

• 2,630 sq. ft., 3 bath, 4 bdrm 2 story "Open Plan" - MLS® $229,000 - Reduced

Sundance Albuquerque - Number 8616 Hatteras Place is a spacious, 2-story, former KB Model home on a beautifully designed xeriscape corner lot in Sundance, Northwest Albuquerque, New Mexico. This home has 2+ living areas that include a downstairs study/office and a large loft.

Because this house was set up as a model home, the builder included several upgrades to add to its appeal. Two of the four bedrooms have designer-painted walls. The kitchen has corian countertops and luxurious wood cabinets. Rooms are full of light and the house is so placed on the lot that windows capture large slices of mountain and city views.

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With easy access to I-40, this home is convenient to all parts of the city. At over 2600 square feet, less than four years old, and looking more like new, this house offers great value for its price.

Eloise Gift A Gift for real estate www.EloiseGift.com

Cute Single Story Condo For Sale in Rio Rancho NM

2008-04-05T20:35:00Z

Ready for Occupancy

• 1,064 sq. ft., 2 bath, 2 bdrm single story "Ground Floor" - MLS® $109,000 - Updated Features

Cute Rio Rancho Condo - This easy-to-care-for, one level condo in an adult (55+) community is conveniently located close to transportation, restaurants, shops, and other business places. It has refrigerated air, is updated with a new roof, ceramic tiled kitchen floor and entryway and a new, free standing electric range. There's more! This condo community has a full-sized community pool and a clubhouse for the use of its residents and you have a view of the mountains from your back porch. If you are looking for a conveniently located condo, this is it. This condo is ideal for anyone wishing to downsize in square footage and cost.

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New Mexico Gets Economic Report Card

2008-01-10T23:45:00Z

Eloise Gift www.EloiseGift.com A Gift for Real Estate

The New Mexico Bureau of Business and Economic Research gave its state of New Mexico report yesterday and it wasn’t all bad. Larry Waldman, senior economist at the University, said the New Mexico economy is walking, and not running as it was in 2006.

New Mexico’s economic growth though slower than 2006 and previous years, is still outperforming the national economy.

Reasons for the less-than-stellar performance of the economy are to be found in the construction, mining, and manufacturing industries. The construction industry grew in the third quarter of 2006 but slowed in the third quarter of 2007. Fewer new housing permits were issued, and demand for materials like cement and steel drove up building costs.

Two thousand seven saw a reversal in the robust manufacturing growth of 2006. Several New Mexico’s manufacturers reduced their labor force – Intel Corp., www.intel.com Eclipse Aviation, http://www.eclipseaviation.com/ , Advent Solar, http://www.adventsolar.com and Millennium Transit, http://www.answers.com/topic/millennium-transitservices, among others. In addition, the mining industry performance is also sluggish with a reduction in revenue from 2006.

With these adverse changes, one would expect the unemployment rate. However, the state of New Mexico’s unemployment rate remains lower than the national average because despite job losses in certain sectors of the economy, the state had a net gain of several thousand jobs.

The explanation for the net gain lied in the fact that other sectors absorbed the job losses. New Mexico’s growing film industry, new small businesses (providers of 80% of state employment) health care, and the government sector picked up the slack.

What does all of the above have to do with real estate? The report is highly relevant to the real estate industry. People without jobs, and therefore without income, are unlikely consumers (buyers) and sellers need buyers.

Consequently, the real estate industry in New Mexico can take heart. Although the report was not as optimistic as last year’s, is not as pessimistic as it could be. New Mexico’s economic outlook is cheerier than the overall national outlook, which may account for the real estate industry’s performance here being somewhat cheerier than that of the national. As we have said in these posts before, in real estate we keep our sights on the economy and remember that real estate is always local.

Albuquerque Housing Tops List of Hottest Buyers' Markets

2008-01-04T08:02:00Z

Hot off the press! Housing Predictor http://www.housingpredictor.com/top25 in its latest update, places Albuquerque, New Mexico at the top of its list of Hottest 10 Buyers Markets, after a surveying 75 markets nationwide.

According to Housing Predictor, they based their conclusion on Albuquerque's continuing attraction to outside investors that are bringing new industries like film and airplane manufacturing, thus enabling population growth of people who want to buy houses.

This news is, of course, not surprising. Those of us in the trenches everyday usually can sense which way the wind is blowing despite what the headlines say, also know that if people have jobs and the economy is thriving, buyers will have money to buy homes and sellers will be able to sell their homes. This is basically what Housing Predictor discovered.

In a recent post, Albuquerque New Mexico Real Estate Market - Year in Review, I wrote of the opening of new supermarkets, of developers pursuing their goals to build planned communities not only in Albuquerque but adjacent cities of Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, and Los Lunas. We know to keep our eye on the economy because that is the most significant indicator of whether our local real estate market will stay afloat.

Eloise Gift, GRI, E-Pro, EcoBroker
www.eloisegift.com

Embracing Green as an EcoBroker

2007-11-25T00:27:00Z

Local Real Estate Professional Certified to Address and eNCOURAGE the Benefits of Energy Efficiency and Green Features in Homes

Albuquerque, NM—November 23 – Eloise Gift of Keller Williams Realty in Albuquerque, NM has earned the EcoBroker Certified^® designation, having successfully completed a unique and informative training program on the energy and environmental issues that affect real estate transactions. Ms. Gift joins the movement of professionals pushing the real estate market toward energy-efficient, sustainable, and healthier design/features in homes and buildings. The “performance home” movement is getting a boost thanks to this type of high quality real estate professional earning the EcoBroker designation.

EcoBrokers^® like Ms. Gift throughout the country are forging this market and creating competitive advantages for their customers. With national surveys indicating that 80% of consumers consider themselves “green-minded,” real estate professionals with the EcoBroker designation are in a better position to serve the real estate consumer. “I’m always looking for the best ways to offer my clients the best value. My EcoBroker training helps me ensure that customer service is my number one priority,” Ms. Gift explains. “From windows to moisture control to energy savings, I now have more resources at my disposal to help my buyers and sellers make better real estate decisions. The EcoBroker designation doesn’t make me an energy and environmental expert, but it allows me to better understand the issues and to convey this understanding to my buyers and sellers.”

EcoBroker International’s education and designation program is designed exclusively for real estate professionals who care about the environment and want to help their clients benefit from the energy-efficiency, “green,” and healthier features of homes and buildings.

Real estate professionals must complete the extensive EcoBroker curriculum and training and fulfill additional program requirements to become Certified EcoBrokers^®. “Ms. Gift is an example of the quality real estate professional the EcoBroker designation continues to attract,” explains EcoBroker International’s CEO, Dr. John Beldock. “These real estate professionals are not only distinguishing themselves in a competitive market place, but they are really giving back to the community in very constructive and meaningful ways. Albuquerque needs more contributors like Ms. Gift. The planet and our grandchildren need them too,” Dr. Beldock said.

From her Albuquerque office, Eloise Gift explains, “With EcoBroker^Ò training, I have broadened the range of real estate opportunities I offer my clients. Whether the transaction involves environmental assessment and mitigation (mold, radon, etc.) or the opportunity to reduce utility bills, I’m in a position to help. The real estate industry is changing, and to offer my clients the very best service I need to understand the newest designs, technologies, and environmental issues. Adding the EcoBroker designation to others I already earned helps me do just that.”

Ms. Gift earned her EcoBroker Certified^® designation this month (November) and is wasting no time in putting her additional expertise to work. Eloise has already found that being a Certified EcoBroker^® creates added value and customer satisfaction that sets her apart from other agents. For example, in conversation with a green builder of a LEED certified home, Eloise was able to show the prospective seller how she can highlight the benefits of his newly constructed home’s cooling and heating systems, as well as other energy saving features like the windows. She also suggested an inexpensive energy efficiency test. Her innovative energy and environmental perspective won her the confidence of the builder who was looking for ways to highlight green features of his home. Ms. Gift says she’s looking forward to continuing to positively impact the quality, durability, comfort, safety, and cost-effectiveness of homes and commercial buildings through her new skills.

For additional information please contact:

Eloise Gift

Office: 505-897-1100

Direct: 505-363-5156

Email: Eloise@EloiseGift.com

Single Story For Sale in Paradise East

2007-09-27T04:42:00Z

Light-filled contemporary

• 1,560 sq. ft., 2 bath, 3 bdrm single story "Modern" - MLS® $195,000 - Almost LIke New

In Paradise Hills East, Albuquerque, A lightly used, light-filled Fuller home on a quiet court with a partial view of the distant city and Mazano mountains is waiting for its new owner. Ready for occupancy, a three-way gas log fireplace anchors the living area of the great room and dining area. A charming, low-maintenance xeriscape garden adds to the appeal of this lovely home conveniently located within minutes of the shops at Cottonwood mall, gyms, schools, restaurants, entertainment.

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Price Reduced on 6113 St Josephs Ct. NW in Flamingo Hts

2007-08-29T02:33:00Z

Flamingo Hts, Albuquerque - Announcing a price reduction on 6113 St Josephs Ct. NW, a 2,700 sq. ft., 3 bathroom, 4 bdrm single story "Bungalow". Now MLS® $269,000 - Centrally Located in northwest Albuquerque, This home, although quiet and private on a cul de sac, is less than five minutes from Coors and I-40, shopping, restaurants, trails and scenic paths.

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Single Story For Sale in Skyview West

2007-06-06T20:22:00Z

Reduced

• 1,690 sq. ft., 2 bath, 3 bdrm single story "pueblo" - MLS® #510263 $129,900 - Great Potential

Skyview West, Albuquerque - This fun and funky home has a non-traditional floor plan and unusually shaped lot. Its charm be appreciated from the street. You have to enter to experience the open floor plan, saltillo tiled floors, updated kitchen, and low- maintenance, easy-care xeriscape backyard. Roof to be updated before closing. This property has lots of potential as a getaway haven.

I am delighted to say that this charming adobe was under contract in three weeks and now has proud, new owners.

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