Welcome home . . . to Santa Fe

by Phillip Ross on November 10, 2009

Pristine high-desert air, russet foothills dotted by the fragrant greens of indigenous sage and pine. An unbelievably blue sky above and brilliant sunlight that can feed the soul.

Mountains and mesa tumble down into a vibrant city. A city richly infused and deeply scribed by its history and the perfected blend of its cultures.

A warm village charm exists here that combines seamlessly with the stunning sophistication of an undeniably world-class city. Santa Fe is a city enjoying a diverse and growing economy with a climate that offers a great quality of life at every stage of your life.

Santa Fe… The City Different.

Let us show you the city we love.

Let us show you “Home”.

What Others Have Said About Santa Fe:

“Pristine desert air—and surroundings blessedly free of most agricultural chemicals—put Santa Fe at the very top of our healthy cities list. Tourists flood this town of 62,000 in the summer, seeking the light and landscape that Georgia O’Keefe made famous, but locals are in it for the long haul.”

–Organic Style

“In pure concentration, Santa Fe is undoubtedly the most artistic city in the United States.”

—American Style Magazine

“A hypercultural hybrid—equal parts Wild West and New Age, Native American and Hispanic, old money and old hippy—Santa Fe is used to mixing things up and still creating an oddly seamless whole.”

—National Geographic Traveler

“A one-of-a-kind destination, Santa Fe is fabled for its rows of chic art galleries, superb restaurants, and shops selling Southwestern furnishings and cowboy gear.”

—Travel Channel

“Few places in the United States can rival Santa Fe, largely because few cities can boast Santa Fe’s rich fusion of culture and nature, history and art…or its determination to keep these traditions alive, meaningful, and visible in daily life.”

—St. Louis Post Dispatch

#1 – 2003 Overall Healthiest City in the US

- Organic Style

#2 – 2004 Readers’ Choice list

- Conde Nast Traveler

#4 – 2004 Best Small Cities to Live in the US Men’s Journal

#5 – 2004 Favorite Destination list

-Travel and Leisure

#6 – 2004 Top 25 Arts Destinations

- American Style

#10 – Best in the World 2003 list

- Travel and Leisure

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How to talk Santa Fe Style

by Phillip Ross on November 10, 2009

Talking to someone in Santa Fe about architecture can be an adventure. Terms like ”viga” and ”nicho” are tossed about as readily as ”window” or ”fence.” If you’re planning a trip to Santa Fe, brush up on these northern New Mexico terms to fully appreciate the local architecture.

Acequia

Man made irrigation ditch.

Adobe

Mud brick that is dried in the sun. The first adobe bricks were used 8,500 years ago in the Middle East.

Alameda

Spanish for ”Cottonwood Tree.” This word has come to mean a road bordered by cottonwoods.

Anasazi

Ancestral Pueblo Indians; the ”Ancients.”

Arroyo

Dry riverbed that fills occasionally.

Aspen Tree

High elevation deciduous (drops it’s leaves in fall) tree with leaves that turn gold in the fall.

Banco

A bench made of adobe and covered with plaster.

Bosque

Low-lying area near rivers, densely forested with cottonwoods and other deciduous trees.

Camino

”Road” in Spanish.

Canale

A roof spout that carries water off a flat pueblo roof.

Casa

”House” or ”home” in Spanish.

Coping

Decorative detail on the top edge of a building and around doors and windows.

Corbel

Short sculpted beam lying on top of a post or wall.

Escarpment Ordinances

New laws in the Santa Fe area prohibiting building on and excavation of mountainsides beyond a certain steepness.

Farolito

”Little Lantern,” typically a paper bag with a sand ballast and candle, lighted for Christmas festivities. Referred to as a Luminaria outside of Santa Fe.

Flagstone

Flat sheets of red or white stone mined locally, used for flooring in homes and on patios.

Historic Styles Ordinances

Regulations governing the architectural style of all buildings within the Historic District of downtown Santa Fe.

Horno

Freestanding adobe bread oven found at most pueblos and Indian homes.

Juniper Tree

High-desert evergreen that seldom grows more than 15 feet tall.

Kiva

A small ”beehive-shaped” fireplace.

La Fonda

”The Hotel” in Spanish.

La Posada

”The Inn” in Spanish.

Latillas

Small branches used as ceiling planking, made of Aspen, pine or cedar.

Lintel

Wooden beam bridging window or door openings.

Luminaria

Fire built on the sidewalk on Christmas Eve for carolers to gather around. (See also Farolito.)

Mesa

Flattop mountain called ”a table” in Spanish.

Nicho

Small shelf carved into a wall.

Paseo

Passage or walkway, or ”to promenade.”

Piñon Tree

High-desert nut-bearing evergreen tree.

Plaza

Public square in the center of town, site of traditional evening paseo or ”promenade.”

Portal

Patio attached to a home, covered with a fixed roof supported by posts.

Puerta

”Door” in Spanish.

Rumford Fireplace

Tall, shallow fireplace known for great effeciency.

Saltillo Tile

Simple fired earthen tile made in Saltillo, Mexico.

Stucco

Final cement color coat plastered in the exterior of an adobe-style building.

Talavera Tile

Colorful hand-decorated Mexican tile used for counter tops and trim.

Ventana

”Window” in Spanish.

Vigas

Round logs used as ceiling beams, either shaved or raw

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Santa Fe Neighborhoods & Area

November 10, 2009

Santa Fe is often called “The City Different” and that certainly applies to Real Estate. Charming, Historic Areas, right in middle of the town, right off the Plaza and Newer Developments is southwest.
1. Downtown Santa Fe
Property located within “walking distance to the Plaza” is highly desirable, though there’s not a lot of residential property available [...]

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New Mexico Property Tax Questions

November 10, 2009

Jul 30th, 2007 by New Mexico Real Estate
1. What is the property tax rate in New Mexico?
Rates vary substantially and depend on property type and location. The statewide weighted average rates, i.e., total obligations/total net taxable value, are about $26.47 per $1,000 for residential property and $29.80 per $1,000 for non-residential property. Taxable value is [...]

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AARP The Magazine’s Healthiest Hometowns

November 10, 2009

By Sarah Mahoney and Brad Edmondson,
September & October 2008
These cities have made robust living-and active retirement-a priority. After reading why, you might want to move there too.
1. ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN      2. HONOLULU, HAWAII          3. MADISON, WISCONSIN

4. SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO
When Susan McDuffie, 56, retired last year as an occupational therapist for the Santa [...]

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The Loretto Chapel

November 10, 2009

Later, As a result of the US victory in the Mexican war, this southwest area was ceded to the United States in 1848. Following the war we find the city of Santa Fe having a multiplicity of cultures. Native American Indian, Spanish, Mexican and Anglo cultures provide a rich, varied and very colorful heritage.
It was [...]

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National Trust for Historic Preservation Names Santa Fe, New Mexico to its 2009 list of America’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations

November 10, 2009

City has unparalleled historical, artistic, and cultural offerings
Posted January 13, 2009 | Contact pr@nthp.org or 202-588-6141
Today, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named Santa Fe, New Mexico one of its 2009 Dozen Distinctive Destinations. Since 2000, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has annually selected communities across the United States that offer cultural and [...]

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Congress Passes Tax Credit Extension/Expansion

November 10, 2009

To: All REALTORS®
From: Charles McMillan, 2009 NAR President
Date: November 5, 2009
Re: Congress Passes Tax Credit Extension/Expansion
Dear Fellow REALTOR®,
I am VERY excited to report that Congress has answered our call to extend and expand the homebuyer tax credit!
Both the House and the Senate have passed an unemployment insurance bill, which includes an amendment that expands [...]

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Pending Home Sales on a Roll, Up for Sixth Straight Month

November 10, 2009

RISMEDIA, September 2, 2009 – Contract activity for pending home sales has risen for six straight months, a pattern not seen in the history of the index since it began in 2001, according to the National Association of Realtors
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said the housing market momentum has clearly turned for the better.
The Pending [...]

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Rates just as important as price

November 10, 2009

Jim Gay | For The New Mexican
7/5/2009 – 7/5/09
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 [...]

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