A group of women volunteers will break ground on a new HABITAT FOR HUMANITY house Jan. 12 as part of Greater Albuquerque Habitat for Humanity's Women Build project. The project is being underwritten by Lowe's Companies Inc. which is providing a $25,000 grant to co-sponsor the home. Lowe's also will provide free clinics on home construction basics for women participating in the build. The Women Build program brings women from all walks of life together to learn construction skills and then use those skills to provide more housing. Women interested in volunteering on the build can contact Habitat's volunteer coordinator, Winni DuBois, at (505) 265-0057 x103, or at volunteer@habitatabq.org. Keep updated with more information on Albuquerque housing by going to my site at www.RealEstateInABQ.com

According to crime reports compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation one out of every six homes will be burglarized this year. By making it more difficult for intruders to get into your residence, you can greatly reduce your chances of being robbed. The more a burglar has to work to get into your home, the less chance you have of becoming his victim. There are several things you can do to make your home less vulnerable, below are some home security tips that are easy to implement, and will keep you and your family as safe as possible. • Trees located near windows or shrubbery that might shield a burglar from view can be major flaws in your home-protection plan. Consider your landscaping plan in light of your protection needs. • Keep all points of entry to your home well-lit. Consider installing motion-sensor lights on the rear and sides of your home and position them in out-of-reach places so they can't easily be turned off by a would-be thief. • Talk to your neighbors ab

Do you want to buy a home but feel you cannot because you have bad credit? The reality is you are not alone and most people are embrassed and discouraged because of their poor credit history. The average American now carries about $8,000 in credit card debt and bankruptcy rates have soared over the past couple of years. In addition, filing for bankruptcy stays on your credit history for 10 years, and can significantly lower your credit score. The good news is that you can buy a home and there are many mortgage companies who specialize in working with consumers with bad credit. They can help you to get a clear picture of where you stand and what steps you need to take to achieve your goal of home ownership. However, keep in mind it is a good idea to do research and make sure you are dealing with a reputable company. It is always advisable to shop around for the best bad credit mortgage company in the market. The lending market can be broken up into two main segments, the prime, thos

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Thinking of tackling some home improvement projects? You may be wondering, ‘can I really do it myself?’ The answer is “YES!” With a little research and some hard work, you can fix, repair, build on or enhance you home. Supplying your own elbow grease to a home improvement job is a worthy effort to save you money and boost the bottom line of value returned to your home. In addition, there is a certain satisfaction that results from completing a project with your own two hands. Even so, there are some guidelines you should try to follow to make the most out of your project. •Safety first! Always use eye protection and dress for safety: wear sturdy clothing, boots, gloves and be sure to wear a mask to avoid breathing dust and fibers. It is a good idea to also keep a good first-aid kit on hand. •Get the best. Build with quality equipment, materials and workmanship. Skimping up front means skimping on the boost-in-value end. •Before you undertake any do-it-yourself home improvement projec

When it comes time to buy a home there are some important factors to consider to ensure you make the right decision. You may want to buy a home in a particular neighborhood, or maybe you are looking for a large back yard. House hunting can be exciting, it can also be stressful and overwhelming. Use the tips below to help lead you in the right direction so make your experience a positive one and in the end find that house of your dreams! • Create a list. Think about what you and your family really need and want in your home. Focus in on the features you must have, would like to have, definitely don't want and would prefer not to have. Your goal is to find the right home for your family without falling in love with one that doesn't suit your needs. A good idea to get started is to think about what you like and dislike about your current home. • Location, location, location. You've probably heard this old real estate cliché several times, but the point still bears repeatin

Please tune in every month for my new Albuquerque Real Estate Podcast and updates on the market at my site at www.realestateinabq.com My newest Podcast can be heard at http://www.talkrealty.com/lindadevlieg Happy Holidays!

Whether this is your first closing or if you have been through it before, closing on a purchase of a home can be stressful and all the paperwork can seem overwhelming. However, there are several things that you can do prior to the actual closing day that will help to ensure that your real estate transaction will go smoothly and help reduce the stress and anxiety. • Set the closing date that is best for you. Before you rush to set the date to close, consider that realize not all closing dates are equal. Be sure to sure to set a date that's in your best interest. Some things to consider: Does it give you enough time to prepare your move? Is it near the end of your lease so you won't pay unnecessary rent? Are there tax implications (if it falls at year's end, would you be better off pushing it to January)? • Gather all necessary documents and receipts. Organize all the items you need to take with you to the actual closing, you do not want to forget something and delay th

Now that the holidays are here, celebrate with New Mexico's largest city as we observe the holiday season with notable style and festivities. Take time to enjoy these events with family and friends. • 13th Annual Holiday Shop & Stroll in Historic Nob Hill. Enjoy music, food and special sales with over 50 shops and restaurants along the Nob Hill business district participating in the spirit of the holidays. Central Avenue will be closed to cars from Girard to Washington. A great way to get all of your early holiday shopping done in one area. This is a free event on December 6th, for more information call 255.5006. • Enjoy the Annual Holiday Stroll in Old Town, December 7th. This event features live entertainment, dancers, family activities, Santa Clause will be on hand and the lighting of the giant Christmas tree at Plaza Don Luis. For more information visit http://www.albuquerqueoldtown.com . • Come enjoy colorful floats and custom cars and bands and more at Albuquerque'

The season of giving is upon us! If you would like to donate or volunteer to help brighten the holiday for those in need, check out one of the many organizations that needs your help. •The Roadrunner Food Bank is one of our state's largest non-profit organization dedicated to ending hunger. They need your help with the 2007 Holiday Food Drive. Their goal is to raise over one million pounds of food to feed our hungry neighbors this holiday season. With many events and drives going on, there are several ways to participate, visit their website for more information at http://www.rrfb.org/ •Start a new tradition and volunteer to prepare and serve a holiday meal to those in need. Visit this site for a listing of all the organizations in the area that host a free holiday dinner and get hands on and help! http://www.hsd.state.nm.us/pdf/Feeding •Visit the website www.thehungersite.com and help feed the hungry for free! For every click on their site their sponsors will dontate to h

Moving can be a stressful and difficult time for children as well as adults. When children are forced from their familiar surroundings they experience a vast array of emotions. Children can feel scared, angry, anxiety and grief when they learn they are moving. It is important to ease the transition into a new home, below are some helpful hints that parents can use is important for children, some tips for parents include: • Try to involve children in the moving decisions as much as possible. Involving children in the selection of the actual house, what room they will choose as their own and other decisions gives children a sense of empowerment over the situation. • If you are moving across town, take your children to visit the new home and explore the new neighborhood. • Also visit new schools to see if orientation programs are available for newcomers. • If you are moving to a new town or state, do as much research as possible about the area together. • After you have moved into

The first Wednesday of the month and every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m, is free entrance to the museum. It is easy to find, located in a unique position—in the heart of historic Old Town and just across the street from the New Mexico Museum of Natural History. The museum regularly features exhibitions, and from November 18, 2007 thru February 10th, 2008 Temples and Tombs: Treasures of Egyptian Art from The British Museum will be on display. The full range of pharaonic history, from shortly before the Third Dynasty, about 2686 B.C., to the Roman occupation of the fourth century A.D. The exhibition provides a rare opportunity to view renowned Egyptian masterworks and lesser-known treasures before their final return to The British Museum. In addition, you will also experience paintings, sculpture, artifacts, a sculpture garden and they also offer children and adult workshops. For more information visit their website at http://www.cabq.gov/museum . Don’t miss out on this great cultura

With the media telling us 'The Sky is Falling', should you rent, or should you buy? Let's take a minute to find out - SHOULD I RENT, OR SHOULD I BUY?

Bank of Albuquerque Mortgage What Are Piggyback Loans? Depending on the lender or broker you’re talking to, Piggyback loans are also called: a. Combo Loans b. 80/10, 80/15, 80/20, 75/25 loans Piggyback loans combine a 1st mortgage (usually 75 - 80% of the appraised value, to avoid PMI), with a “piggyback” 2nd mortgage (usually 10%, 15%, 20% or 25% of the appraised value). Both loans are closed at the same time, and through the same lender (at least in our case). Because the loans are closed at the same time through the same lender, usually the closing costs on the 2nd mortgage are minimal. Remember, because you have two mortgages, you will have two mortgage payments instead of one. What's the Advantage of a Piggyback Loan? Piggyback loans can be used effectively in three different ways: 1. Avoiding PMI charges. This is far and away their most popular use. PMI insurance is charged on any conventional 1st mortgage loan that exceeds 80% of the appraised value. By keeping th

Improvement in Mortgage Market Bodes Well for Housing in 2008 WASHINGTON, October 10, 2007 - Conditions in the mortgage market are improving for consumers, which should help to release some pent-up demand in early 2008, according to the latest forecast by the National Association of Realtors®. Lawrence Yun, NAR senior economist, notes that widening credit availability will help turn around home sales. “Conforming loans are abundantly available at historically favorable mortgage rates. Pricing has steadily improved on jumbo mortgages since the August credit crunch, and FHA loans are replacing subprime mortgages,” he said. Yun said it’s important to place the current housing market in perspective, and that 2007 will be the fifth highest year on record for existing-home sales. “Although sales are off from an unsustainable peak in 2005, there is a historically high level of home sales taking place this year – a lot of people are, in fact, buying homes,” he said. “One out of 16 Amer

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NEW AREA CODE FOR NEW MEXICO COMING! On October 7, 2007 - the state of New Mexico will be split into two area codes. The northwest region of the state will retain it's current area code (505) and the rest of the state will get a new area code (575). This change will affect wireline and wireless services as well as other communications services. Why? We are running out of usable telephone numbers due to growth in state residents, communications service providers, available products, and additional lines, so the state needs to add a new area code to meet demand.

Real estate practices, customs and laws can vary significantly from state to state. Whether you’re a buyer or seller, it’s in your best interest to arm yourself with the most comprehensive, market-specific information available. Albuquerque Realtor® Linda DeVlieg agrees that “knowledge is power” for her real estate clients. That is what prompted her and Summit County Realtor® Ken Deshaies to collaborate on an informative new book titled “Get the Best Deal When Selling Your Home, Albuquerque, New Mexico Edition.” “For most people, their home is the largest single investment they will make in their lives,” Linda says. Also covered are important issues ranging from the role of the Internet in today’s tech-savvy market, to the Multiple Listing Service, Property Valuation, Market Conditions, Preparing Your Home For Sale, Screening Prospective Buyers, the Closing—Table, and finally, Preparing for Uncle Sam. The next section of the book speaks to prospective buyers. While the Internet pro

The rise and fall of real estate prices has become such a national obsession, the stats really ought to be carried on the sports pages. Small wonder, as the number of Americans buying investment property has boomed in recent years. But with double-digit price appreciation slowing or vanishing from many markets, the question has become, what's next? "The entire country has benefited from declining interest rates," said John Burns, an Irvine-Calif.-based real estate analyst. "But what's been very interesting in the recent cycles is that investor activity has driven a lot of the behavior." Despite talk of a national real estate bubble, housing sales and prices are local phenomenon driven by the trinity of local job growth, the supply of new homes and affordability, Burns said. Add in wild cards like climate, rapidly-changing demographics and investor activity and markets throughout the nation behave in idiosyncratic ways. Markets that are growing A varie

Alot of stuff on the news today about the mortgage market! We had news today that a primary mortgage source went under, leaving 3 MAJOR mortgage companies in Albuquerque without ways to fund their loans. This is causing a slight nail biting within our industry today, but take some sedatives and know this - ALL IS NOT LOST! Stick with a good mortgage source and you won't have any issues. IT'S NOT ALWAYS PRICE BUT SERVICE AND RELIABILITY! Here's a word from my mortgage expert, Tony Valencia at Superior Mortage: To whom it may concern: In light of recent events I wanted to keep you informed on the state of the mortgage market in Albuquerque. First Magnus which has many smaller companies under its umbrella has shut its doors. These companies have stopped taking loan applications and funding of their loans until other resources can be located. Finding other lending resources is a tedious task and may take longer than expected to obtain. Superior Mortgage is a di

By Autumn Gray Copyright © 2007 Albuquerque Journal; Assistant Business Editor Patrick King started helping his brother look for his first home at the end of summer 2006. Their price range: $100,000 to $130,000. Their luck? They found one and only one in the Albuquerque metro area "that wasn't a total dump" after looking for almost a year, King said. The Kings' story flies in the face of recent headlines declaring that home sales are down, inventory is high, and buyers have the upper hand. In the Albuquerque metro area, the number of homes for sale is record-breaking. But, as the Kings and others like them are discovering, inventory and slow sales aren't pulling prices down— especially for entry-level homes. The Kings eventually found a 940-square-foot house, which they bought for $126,500. "We felt like we had to act quickly because things like that just don't stay on the market long," said King, who was acting on behalf of his

I've decided that a really useful thing to offer would be to share wonderful discoveries that I make when traveling around my area. Places to eat. Things to do. Great places to see. I may start a new blog for this - or just simply use this one - but here goes! GREAT PLACE TO EAT! If you find yourself in Espanola anytime soon (north on Highway 84 through Santa Fe, if you are going to Abique or Northern New Mexico) MAMACITAS PIZZA Not just for Pizza please! This place has the best hamburger anywhere around; the pizzas looked amazing, but I haven't tried it yet! Very clean, very simple surroundings, very cheerful help. SIMPLY GREAT!

School board OKs land donation By Susie Gran Thursday, March 8, 2007 By 2015, there will be a new elementary school in Quail Ranch on 15 acres donated by the developer. It's the historic deal school officials worked for three years to seal so they could stay ahead of West Side growth. The Quail Ranch schools will be the first built with financial help from developers, setting a precedent for Mesa del Sol, SunCal and other planned communities in the works, said Robert Lucero, a member of the Albuquerque Board of Education. "This is the best deal we've seen in a long time," Lucero said. But it's a deal several Albuquerque city councilors opposed, claiming the school board was contributing to urban sprawl, water shortages and traffic snarls. The board on Wednesday accepted Quail Ranch developer Bob Murphy's offer of $13.5 million, including the donated land, to help build an elementary and a middle school. Murphy said the school district is not

Federal Reserve Alerts Home Owners to Questionable Solicitations The Federal Reserve has distributed the following notice. “The Federal Reserve received complaints from recipients of direct mail solicitations that suggest there is a ‘Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) program’ that entitles certain homeowners to cash grants or equity disbursements. Some of these solicitations may be read to indicate that the Federal Reserve endorses or supports the offers they contain. These solicitations appear to be a deceptive effort to encourage consumers to apply for a mortgage loan secured by the consumer’s home. The Federal Reserve cautions the public about loan solicitations or other offers from lenders or mortgage brokers that offer consumers cash grants or equity disbursements as part of a ‘CRA Program.’ No such federal programs exist and these programs are not required by the CRA, which encourages depository institutions to help meet the credit needs of their communities, including low-

The West's best cities by the slopesWhy rush to the runs? These four ski-area gateways provide a delightful excuse to stop--and avoid the crowdsBy Dan LeethSpecial to the TribunePublished February 11, 2007 ALBUQUERQUEAn Old Town--and its spicy flavorsIn a land better known for salsa than snow, Albuquerque provides a spicy transition from chili powder to chilly powder.Where to stay:Check out Old Town, the historic center of the city. Footloose romantics will enjoy the Hotel Albuquerque (800-237-2133; www.hhandr.com/alb(underscore)main.php) with its walk-to-everything location.Families can book rooms at the nearby Best Western Rio Grande Inn (800-959-4726; www.riograndeinn.com). Those in a quest for style should try the Hyatt Regency downtown (505-842-1234; www.albuquerque.hyatt.com), 2 miles from Old Town.Where to feast on regional fareRed or green? The official New Mexico state question refers to the flavor of chili smothering the local fare, and either can pack a mouth-warming wa

Mayor Martin Chavez just passed an ordinance "no cell phone talking in your car without hands free device"....I'm all for this! Too many close calls when someone has one hand on the phone and one hand on the wheel, or sometimes not on the wheel! I wish I was in the cell phone accessory business today!

Posted: 2/8/2007 9:56:00 AM Albuquerque buffed, fitness magazine says Source: AP ALBUQUERQUE -- Albuquerque had been listed as the fittest city in the United States in this month's issue of Men's Fitness magazine. That's up from the city's 13th-place showing last year. Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez said the city has a lot of options to keep people fit -- everything from gyms to hiking and biking. The magazine's nonscientific survey lists Seattle as the No. 2 fittest city, followed by Colorado Springs and Minneapolis. The magazine labels Las Vegas, Nevada, as the fattest city, followed by San Antonio, Texas; Miami; and Mesa, Arizona.

International Science Fair Comes to Albuquerque Judges and volunteers needed The University of New Mexico is a major sponsor for “Creating a New Element,” the theme of the 2007 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, to be held in Albuquerque May 13-19. Events will take place at the Albuquerque Convention Center and Expo New Mexico. The weeklong event is the world’s largest pre-college annual science celebration. This event brings approximately 1,500 high school student finalists from more than 47 countries, regions and territories to compete for more than $4 million in scholarships, tuition grants, internships, scientific field trips and three grand prizes of $50,000 college scholarships. Student competitors or finalists compete for more than $4 million in scholarships and prizes during the fair. Major universities, government agencies, military branches and businesses come to recruit from the best pool of pre-college brains in the world. The event requires 1,200 judges a

By ASSOCIATED PRESSJanuary 15, 2007 ALBUQUERQUE (AP) - The Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority is trying to recharge the aquifer beneath Albuquerque.The small research project will examine how the area can take advantage of extra water that can be saved for the future.The $985,000 project, the first of its kind in New Mexico, will divert water from the Rio Grande in the heart of the city into an arroyo, where it will seep into the ground.The study will begin this fall and will use about 1,000 acre-feet of river water. An acre-foot, about 326,000 gallons, can meet the annual water needs of one to two U.S. households.The project will determine how long it takes the water to reach the aquifer and how much of it gets there, said John Stomp, manager of the city-county water utility.The idea of storing some water in the aquifer is part of the utility's long-range plan."Aquifer storage and recovery is going to be a big benefit to the state of New Mexico," Stomp

When I first started running I just hated it, which is why I started doing it. Kind of like everything I do, I take on the thing I don't like doing and do it if it sounds like it's a good idea. Real estate, too - and believe it or not COMPUTERS! That's a whole other story, but believe it or not, I was the 'least likely people' to get involved with technology. I started "running" a few steps after walking awhile. Pretty soon I realized I was running more than walking; then I was into keeping track of distance; then miles, then I was running marathons. I did quite a few, and those days are not now, but I still run/walk/get out - just because it feels good. I haven't run double digits for quite awhile, but that's my goal for this year is to start putting in 10-12 miles once in awhile, just because I love the way that feels. I used to struggle through real estate by realizing it was a lot like running - one step at a time; some days feel better than o