Eco Lifestyle And Home News – May 2020
Eco Lifestyle And Home News – May 2020
Dear Friends, Clients, Business Associates and Neighbors,
May 2020 marks the forty-first 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 Ski Valley, Taos County and beyond.
In this edition, we offer the following:
- COVID-19 UPDATE
- Lifestyle: Joy
- Real Estate Market Update
- Money Matters
- 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
COVID-19
Real Estate in the Era of COVID-19
New Mexico ‘Stay-at-Home’ emergency public health order has been issued through May 15, 2020, for now. Social distancing is working in New Mexico, so remember to wear a face mask when you are out in public, wear disposable gloves while grocery shopping, wash your hands frequently and stay safe.
The real estate market is in flux and nobody knows what is going to happen with this pandemic and how it is going to effect all of us. The “stay-at-home” suggestions will negatively effect mass numbers of people in all service industries across all socio-economic sections of our society.
Together, we find ourselves in an extraordinary situation with COVID-19. In the past few weeks, things have moved very quickly, and this pandemic is affecting all of our communities, our families and our very way of life. This is a very difficult and unprecedented and we all are grappling with the health and economic pain caused by the coronavirus pandemic. We all need to be comforted when life gets as challenging as it is right now.
The New Mexico Governor’s office has classified real estate services as “essential” and that allows us to continue working to service our clients.
Kachina Mountain Realty is taking precautions to keep ourselves and our clients safe. For the last couple of weeks, out of concern for health and safety, we have promoted online virtual solutions using technology such as Zoom meetings along with virtual tours, as well as FaceTime and Facebook Live streaming.
At Kachina Mountain Realty, we have updated our business protocols:
- Expanded the use of virtual walk-throughs, virtual tours and showings of real estate through digital means with tech-driven alternatives.
- Created a package for sellers and buyers that includes the use of protections during physical showings by providing gloves, masks, booties, sanitizing wipes & more.
- We have implemented a digital policy that all contracts and signatures executed via encrypted signings by using Authentisign for closing documents, delivered by email.
- We are eliminating or reducing paper brochures and documents to prevent unnecessary transmission risks & to protect our environment by making PDF’s available.
We have successfully closed properties where buyers have only toured properties virtually without being physically in the home. Virtual tours can happen throughout the buying/closing process, such as with home inspections.
Regardless of whether you are a seller or buyer, right now might be the time you need to make a major lifestyle change and we are here to serve you during this transition.
Even though the news changes every hour and we are distancing ourselves physically, let’s please stay in touch with one another and offer each other the necessary support.
Together, we have weathered incredibly dire circumstances before—9/11, the Great Recession, and now COVID-19. We will get through it by sharing the latest information and following the best protocols for health and safety for all of us.
I am wishing you, your loved ones, and your communities strength and health during this uncertain time.
Stay safe and healthy – we have a ways to go but we will get through this together.
Thinking of you, wishing you hope in the midst of change, comfort in the midst of challenges.
We are here to help you,
Dianne McKenzie
What are your needs? How can we help you?
Resources & Links:
CORONA VIRUS
| Santa Fe Information: | New Mexico Information: |
| Santa Fe Information » | https://nmhealth.org» |
| https://www.santafenewmexican.com » | https://www.hhs.gov |
| Taos Information: | US Centers for Disease Control: |
| https://www.taosnews.com » | https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html» |
| https://holycrossmedicalcenter.org» | https://www.coronavirus.gov |
| https://www.taoscounty.org» | https://www.epa.gov |
Lifestyle
Joy
Joy is the feeling of great pleasure. You know when you feel it, as it is pure delight, jubilation. Joy comes from triumph, exultation, rejoicing, gladness, glee, exhilaration, exuberance, elation, euphoria, bliss, ecstasy and rapture. Joy is the emotion of great happiness caused by something exceptionally good; keen pleasure; elation expressed physically through open posture, bright eyes, smiles and laughter.
Joy is a stronger, less common feeling than happiness. Joy is that sudden burst of emotion that goes beyond happiness. Joy can be experienced from any good activity, food or company. Joy is a spontaneous emotional expression. We don’t have to think about it — we just feel it. We feel it in our bodies, warm and light, and we can see it in the bodies and on the faces of others. We can experience joy by encountering something delightful, or we can conjure it in the mind, through memories or imagination. But we can’t fake it. Joy is visceral and spontaneous.
“The potential for joy is an intrinsic and essential part of our minds. While happiness needs to be pursued or explained, joy is already within us, ready to be stirred and released. For whatever reason, evolution found joy to be a critical mechanism for guiding us towards things that enhanced the survival of our species. Joy is the most powerful signal of our thriving, and the capacity to feel it is our birthright as humans.”
Joy is at the core of what transforms existing into living. While joy is often not a daily emotion, joy can be cultivated.
“Awakening Joy” is a 5 month internationally recognized Internet course created by noted teacher and author, James Baraz. The course is designed to awaken joy through a curriculum of principles and practices that incline the mind toward well-being, happiness and ease. Led by James, the course features a range of renowned guest speakers with talks on mindfulness, gratitude and intention with accompanying audio, video and written materials, and a series of supporting practices to deepen insight and cultivate more joy. Over 12,000 people worldwide have experienced the power of “Awakening Joy”, and the course has been celebrated in media publications such as O Magazine. Bill Gates has recommended “Awakening Joy” on his Summer Reading List. Website: Awakeningjoy.info
I have taken this course several times and while I often do not feel I am experiencing enough joy in my life, I experience moments of joy when I cuddle Sierra with our heart-to-heart hugs, run my fingers through her long poodle locks and receive her affectionate licks. Sierra brings me blissful joy like nothing else. When I am able to create art, I feel a deep sense of joy. So while I am choosing to awaken joy from within, I am also practicing gratitude for what I do have in my life: love, friends, family, good health, supportive business associates and appreciative clients.
During this period of COVID-19, find ways to experience joy safely and as often as you can. While there is much to stress about right now, there are so many people expressing joy and gratitude. Be one of those people who can find ways to experience joy and pass it onto others.
Thank you for reading our newsletter & feel free to pass it on to other kindred spirits. ~ Dianne McKenzie
Real Estate Market Update
Staying up-to-date on the news will help inform your decisions to buy or sell at this given time. We are here to help you market your property or help you find the right property for you. Do not let the events during this time stress you out, take time for yourself, keep calm and together we will get through this challenging time.~Dianne
Money Matters
Francis Phillips has moved to Benchmark Mortgage because of their wide-array of loan products to meet his clients’ unique mortgage needs.
Whether you are making a home purchase, thinking about refinancing or just curious about mortgage rates and availability, you need to contact Francis.
Santa Fe Real Estate News
Aldea Stats
2020 Stats: Sold, Pending, Listed
SOLD: 14 Homes, DOM 60 | 0 Lots, DOM 0
PENDING: 3 Homes | 0 Lots
LISTED: 11 Homes, Avg $573,590 | 5 Lots, Avg $71,200
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.
Current Listings April 30, 2020:
Las Campanas Real Estate News
2020 Stats: Sold, Pending, Listed
SOLD: 18 Homes, DOM 174 | 9 Lots, DOM 123
PENDING: 5 Homes | 19 Lots
LISTED: 31 Homes, Avg $2,064,741 | 61 Lots, Avg $191,593
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 31 homes for sale in Las Campanas.
- 4 Homes under $1,000,000
- 27 Homes over $1,000,000
There are currently 61 Lots for sale in Las Campanas.
- 19 Lots under $100,000
- 42 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
2020 Stats: Sold, Pending, Listed
*SOLD: 49 Homes, DOM 183 | 18 Lots, DOM 351
*PENDING: 28 Homes | 6 Lots
*LISTED: 124 Homes, Avg $623,735 | 201 Lots, Avg $157,918
* Areas tracked:
Lower North, Upper North, West North, Town of Taos, Taos Ski Valley, South West, South East
See map for areas »
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. The 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
Keep Your Home Safe From COVID-19
You might already know most of this information, but it is important to follow these guidelines to help stay safe. I am re-posting this information again for the month of May, as the stay-at-home emergency public guidelines are in effect for the month of May.
The CDC urges individuals to take these measures to protect themselves and others:
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water aren’t available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Practice social distancing by staying out of crowded places, avoiding group gatherings, and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet) from others when possible.
- Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick.
- Stay home if you have a fever, cough, shortness of breath or any other cold or flu-like symptom.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or cough or sneeze into your sleeve.
All households
- Clean hands at the door and at regular intervals
- Create habits and reminders to avoid touching their face and cover coughs and sneezes
- Disinfect surfaces like doorknobs, tables, and handrails regularly
- Disinfect all deliveries, mail & items brought from the outside, including the grocery store. Disinfect while outside, BEFORE you bring in any packages inside your home
- Increase ventilation by opening windows or adjusting air conditioning
- Make your own face masks to use when in public in order to save face masks for those working with patients
Households with vulnerable seniors or those with significant underlying conditions
Significant underlying conditions include heart, lung, kidney disease; diabetes; allergies & asthma; and conditions that suppress the immune system
- Have the healthy people in the household conduct themselves as if they were a significant risk to the person with underlying conditions. For example, wash hands frequently before interacting with the person, such as by feeding or caring for the person
- If possible, provide a protected space for vulnerable household members
- Ensure all utensils and surfaces are cleaned regularly
Households with sick family members
- Give sick members their own room if possible, and keep the door closed
- Have only one family member care for them
- Consider providing additional protections or more intensive care for household members over 65 years old or with underlying conditions
Stay safe everyone and let me know how I can help you.
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 1 year old silver standard poodle
Sierra: April 1-30, 2020
Sierra, our 1 year old silver standard poodle has a job! She has been promoted from iCFO (in-training Chief Fun Officer) to CFO. With her new promotion comes a big responsibility. Sierra will be launching our real estate video promotion featured on our websites and on social media.
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.
I weigh & measure Sierra once a month, so here are her stats as of April 18. She has gained 1 lb, girth grew .5″, collar the same as last month: 14″collar, girth: 22.5″, height to shoulder: 24″ weight: 33lbs.
You really need to watch Sierra’s videos as they capture her spirit!
Here is the link to Sierra’s Videos »
Sierra in April link to Photos »
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
