Eco Lifestyle And Home News – April 2023
Dear Friends, Clients, Business Associates and Neighbors,
April 2023, marks the 84th edition of Eco Lifestyle and Home Newsletter produced by Kachina Mountain Realty. We offer Real Estate & Lifestyle news in the email newsletter covering Santa Fe, Taos County and beyond.
In this edition, we offer the following:
- Lifestyle: Growth
- Real Estate Market Update
- Santa Fe Real Estate News
- Taos County Real Estate News
- Home Decor Insights
- Sierra Updates!
- Calendar of Event Links for Santa Fe, Taos Ski Valley, Taos County & all around New Mexico
- Entertainment Links for Santa Fe, Taos County & around New Mexico
Lifestyle
Growth
Personal growth includes the following activities:
- improving self-‐awareness
- improving self-‐knowledge
- improving or learning new skills
- becoming a self-‐leader
- improving health
- developing strengths or talents
- improving wealth
- spiritual development
- identifying or improving potential
- building employability or human capital
- enhancing lifestyle or the quality of life
- building or renewing identity/self-‐esteem fulfilling aspirations
- initiating a life enterprise or personal autonomy
- defining and executing personal development plans
- improving social abilities
So how do we go about realizing what’s truly important to us?
How do we open that magical door that will show us the way to personal growth and success?
- Explore your inner world: look at what the baggage, habits, emotions, and environment are that are keeping you from your goals.
- Establish clear objectives: goals should identify what areas you want to change, how you will change them, and the ultimate outcome you want to achieve.
- Take action: specify steps you need to act on the world in the present and to give alternative actions that counter your old baggage, habits, emotions, and environment.
- Develop the 3 P’s: Patience, change takes time. Persistence, means you must keep vigilant in your journey to change. Perseverance, is the ability to overcome setbacks and maintain motivation and confidence in the face of periodic failures and disappointment.
Thank you for reading our newsletter & feel free to pass it on to other kindred spirits. ~ Dianne McKenzie & Sierra
Real Estate Market
• The median sale price increased by 4.24 percent compared to last year.
• Home sellers are less active this month 11.63 percent fewer homes being listed.
• Sales for the month were down 32.68 percent compared to last year.
• Homes are spending 48 days on market, which is three days longer than last year but still shorter than before the pandemic.
• Taos County took the number one spot from Santa Fe County with highest median sale price at
$518,500.
“Despite double-digit decreases for the sixth straight month, we know the market is adjusting and feel confident we will see increases in 2023”, says Hubert Hill, NMAR President. “Inflation dropped to 6.5 percent along with interest rates that dropped to 6.27 percent, meaning buyers will take advantage of the latest mortgage rate dip and some of the in trepidation on purchasing a home may diminish with the mortgage rate dip.”
“December was another difficult month for buyers, who continue to face limited inventory and high mortgage rates,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “However, expect sales to pick up again soon since mortgage rates have markedly declined after peaking late last year.”
Active listings were down, with 16,952 for December, a 11.63 percent decrease compared to 16,184 listings in December 2021. Sales year-to-date were down 17.45 percent or24,300 sales compared to 29,435 sales this time last year. December volume was down 33.46 percent ending with $594,343,306 compared to last year’s volume of $893,254,074.
Statistical information and trends are based on information furnished by New Mexico Member Boards and MLSs to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS.
Santa Fe Real Estate News
Aldea Real Estate Stats
2023 Stats: Sold, Pending, Listed
SOLD: 3 Homes, DOM 47 | 0 Lots, DOM 0
PENDING: 3 Homes | 1 Lots
LISTED: 5 Homes, Avg $762,200 | 1 Lots, Avg $90,000
Aldea de Santa Fe consists of 345 acres, with 205 acres of perpetual open space with 13 miles of walking trails, basketball & tennis courts, community center, (which offers yoga classes, exercise equipment & gathering space for events), a local cafe, superbly located in the high-value northwest corridor of Santa Fe County, with easy access to Highway 599, all just 10 minutes from downtown Santa Fe.
Aldea de Santa Fe consists of 345 acres, with 205 acres of perpetual open space with 13 miles of walking trails, basketball & tennis courts, community center, (which offers yoga classes, exercise equipment & gathering space for events), a local cafe, superbly located in the high-value northwest corridor of Santa Fe County, with easy access to Highway 599, all just 10 minutes from downtown Santa Fe.
Aldea Listings:
Listed:
27 Camino Esperanza in Aldea | Santa Fe, New Mexico
PENDING, closing mid April 2023
Residential Lot | MLS #202234155 | Price: $140,000.00
Come build your dream home on the last available view lot in Aldea, with outstanding mountain views, pinon & juniper trees and native grasses, located on a peaceful cul-de-sac. This is the perfect site to build your new home. This prime property has stunning expansive coveted panoramic 180° sunset views west to the Jemez mountains, south views to the Sandias, and Ortiz mountains to the southeast. Lot #258 is marked by open space, with miles of walking trails, and vista seen for miles. Easy access and easy to build on this gently sloping terrain. All underground utilities are at the street and mailboxes are located in the cul-de-sac.
This highly desirable lot in the Aldea Community, provides 205 acres of open space with 13 miles of walking trails, basketball & tennis courts, community center, (which offers yoga classes, exercise equipment & gathering space for events), a local cafe, all just 10 minutes from downtown Santa Fe. Enjoy Santa Fe’s stunning natural beauty and the many amenities of the surrounding area.
Las Campanas Real Estate Stats
2023 Stats: Sold, Pending, Listed
SOLD: 14 Homes, DOM 100 | 0 Lots, DOM 0
PENDING: 19 Homes | 1 Lots
LISTED: 18 Homes, Avg $2,828,167 | 35 Lots, Avg $259,341
Las Campanas is the only luxury master-planned community in Santa Fe. Stretching across 4,700 acres surrounded by pristine high desert, the community is comprised of exclusive neighborhoods. Las Campanas is also home to The Club at Las Campanas, where members can enjoy two award-winning Jack Nicklaus Signature golf courses, the 46,000 square foot Hacienda Clubhouse, a peerless Equestrian Center and the Fitness & Tennis Center, which includes a luxurious spa.
There are currently 18 homes for sale in Las Campanas
- 0 Homes under $1,000,000
- 18 Homes over $1,000,000
There are currently 35 Lots for sale in Las Campanas
- 2 Lots under $100,000
- 33 Lots over $100,000
Marketing Properties, Not Just Listing Properties
If you are thinking of selling your property, why not list it with a realtor who will market the property, not just list it in the MLS? By actively marketing your property, the property gets the most exposure to other realtors and to the general public through online blogging, email campaigns & the typical MLS exposure.
Call me, Dianne, 505.603.9300, to discuss your property needs, or for a tour of Lots & Homes in Aldea, Las Campanas and the Santa Fe region. Taos Office: 575.776.7576
Visit the website for Santa Fe information: RealEstatePropertiesSantaFe.com
Visit the Kachina Mountain Realty company main website: KachinaMountainRealty.com
Taos Real Estate News
2023 Stats: Sold, Pending, Listed
*SOLD: 20 Homes, DOM 112 | 25 Lots, DOM 324
*PENDING: 26 Homes | 12 Lots
*LISTED: 56 Homes, Avg $771,419 | 147 Lots, Avg $223,468
* Areas tracked:
Lower North, Upper North, West North, Town of Taos, Taos Ski Valley, South West, South East
See map for areas » 
Taos is very different than Santa Fe in many ways. With a population of 5,763 people and many surrounding neighborhoods, Taos is the 39th largest community in New Mexico. The greater Taos area is made up of several unincorporated areas and neighborhoods that separates out as if they were their own destinations or towns. Unincorporated areas around Taos have distinctive names that represent the ancient traditions of naming a place for a stream or topographic feature. Arroyo Hondo, Arroyo Seco and El Prado are all such places. These are not towns and have no political jurisdiction, they are simply places that help folks zero in on a very specific neighborhood. Within Taos itself are many such neighborhoods that may comprise no more than six “blocks.”
Selling real estate in Taos county is challenging for sellers, buyers and realtors, as the typical closing time for a property averages 90+ days, compared to under 30 days in Santa Fe. I have closed properties in Santa Fe under 20 days. There is a shortage of title companies which the realtors can work with in Taos. The back log of properties waiting to close often creates buyers to back out and leave the sellers in the same cycle for closing when the next offer comes in. Many buyers become frustrated as their lenders charge additional hold fees or back out all together. Below are some statistics that highlight the problem.
Pioneer Title
As of August 26, 2022, Pioneer Title has opened an office in Taos at 204 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, Suite A, Taos NM 87571, telephone: 866-294-4100. It remains to be seen if closing times will shorten in the coming months, but it is progress for realtors as well as sellers and buyers in Taos County.
I receive inquiries almost daily from out of town buyers who are researching homes in the Taos area. These buyer profiles are looking to live in a safe community, with a country atmosphere, small homes, with flexible spaces. They are wanting to move to the area, but can’t find the properties that offer amenities that don’t include huge HOA fees. They want walking trails, localized eateries, a small grocery store, community activities and a sense of neighborhood. They are either downsizing their home and retiring or wanting a second home. They are wanting to go smaller, but the quality of their lifestyle and home features are upscale. “Does such a community even exist?” they ask.
In the coming months, I will be featuring such a community.
If you have been thinking about selling your home, now is probably a good time. Inventory is low and the demand for quality homes is up.
If you been looking to buy a home, you are probably frustrated with the lack of quality homes on the market at any price point.
Call our Taos Office: 575.776.7576
Home Decor Insights
Spring is here!
There is something about spring that sparks the desire to redecorate. It’s the season of cleaning out the old and making room for the new.
Spring is the season during which the world revives and reinvigorates after the colder winter months. During spring, dormant plants begin to grow again, new seedlings sprout out of the ground and hibernating animals awake.
Flowers will be sprouting up, birds chirping all around and one is inspired to spend more time outside.
Spring is the season of hope and new beginnings, the period of rebirth and inspiration.
- Spring makes you more creative & active, think spring cleaning, making time for creating art & decorating.
- There is more daylight.
- Birds return from their winter vacations.
- The leaves come out on trees in vibrant fluorescent colors.
- Flowers are blooming.
- You can open your windows.
- Spring temperatures are moderate.
- Baby animals greet the world.
- You can spend more time outside in pleasant temperatures.
- Fresh in-season flowers can complete a room.
- You can wear rain boots!
For ideas on decorating with autumn in mind, check out Pinterest and explore a whole new way to spend your time online and check out my Pinterest page: KachinaRealty Happy pinning! 
While you are surfing the “net” check out Flipboard for a variety of news and lifestyle reading.Sierra
CFO, (Chief Fun Officer)
Our 4.0 year old female silver standard poodle
March 1-31, 2023
We celebrated Sierra’s birthday this month on March 18 with some new toys, a lighted ball, purple snow/mud boots and new pink decorative collar. Sierra & her litter mates turned 4 years old!
Sierra came into heat at the beginning of February. We are planning on breeding in her next heat later this year.
I weigh & measure Sierra once a month, so here are her stats as of March 2023: 14″ collar, girth: 24″, height to shoulder: 25″ weight: 34.5 lbs. Sierra has gained Weight, which is good for her!
Photos for the Month of March 2023 »
You really need to watch Sierra’s videos as they capture her spirit!
Here is the link to Sierra’s Videos »
Sierra’s 1st video explains who she is and her new role at Kachina Mountain Realty. In Sierra’s 2nd video she talks about Dianne’s role at Kachina Mountain Realty in the era of COVID-19. In Sierra’s 3rd video, Sierra talks about selling and buying real estate during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Sierra’s 4th video she talks about how staying safe in the era of COVID-19.
As you probably already know, Sierra is the CFO (chief fun officer) at Kachina Mountain Realty. Sierra talks to you today about using your imagination in Sierra’s 5th video. When Sierra turned 2 years old on March 18, 2021, people asked what she sounded like now that she was older. While she does not have a lot to say right now, she is quick and to the point, as she starts her 2nd year as CFO, in Sierra’s 6th video. Currently Sierra is not recording videos at this time.
Sierra’s web page: www.diannemckenzie.com/sierra
More photos will be continually posted on her own web page, so check back monthly, as we chronicle her life with us!
Calendar of Events
New Mexico has long been a center for arts, culture, classes and gourmet food. With such a strong art market, there are hundreds galleries to explore and experience, along with a wide selection of thriving restaurants. Our Museums feature culture, history and traditions of the region and the world. Santa Fe, Taos County and beyond have something scheduled every day & night of the week, all year long.
Santa Fe »
Entertainment
If there’s one thing you can count on when spending time in New Mexico, it’s the treasured experiences and wide selection of entertainment: music venues, great sporting events, theatrical and musical entertainment as well as year-round festivals.
From festivals, music concerts and dance performances to theatrical offerings by local and touring groups, the performing artists work hard to keep its locals and visitors entertained by both New Mexico performers and acclaimed stars from around the world.
Santa Fe »
About Kachina Mountain Realty
I am passionate about real estate development. I consider myself a “Dream Maker”, and strive to help my clients manifest their dreams and lifestyle goals.
I believe that, “…the dreams which accompany all human actions should be nurtured by the places in which people live and work”.
To promote this possibility, I encourages my clients to develop and share their dreams and lifestyle goals as part of the process of selling, buying or investing in property.
I have over thirty years of business experience as an executive producer, web architect, social media marketer, business developer, architecture assistant, real estate marketing developer and real estate consultant.
I am a licensed real estate qualifying broker for Kachina Mountain Realty & an accredited ACRE® real estate consultant. I have worked in the Santa Fe & Taos real estate market for years. I specialize in working with buyers and sellers who are looking for a solid real estate investment.
Contact me, Dianne McKenzie, for your real estate transactions & let me help you manifest your dreams!
I am readily available by cell phone, text, (505.603.9300) & email. I return calls promptly, seven days a week!
Taos Office: 575.776.7576
Go Green:
Dianne & Sierra
