Every day you wake up in Santa Fe, the air is fresh and sweet. The mountain views motivate me to be outside during all four seasons. We Santa Feans enjoy an active outdoor community.  That is because Santa Fe is sunny 98% of the time. Surrounding the city are National Forests, Indian Pueblos, and BLM / Bureau of Land Management lands. So 15 minutes out your door you are: hiking, fishing, horseback riding, skiing, four wheeling, motorcycling, mountain biking.

There is something spiritual about sunsets, sunrises, and full moons in Santa Fe. I figure the Native Americans around us are praying to the four sacred directions, amplifying our hearts and souls to follow our true path. Yep, you heard it from me a good ole Texas boy, this  energy makes us all the more aware of our roots and mother nature.

The thing about living in a multicultural town like Santa Fe, you do not have to fit in because you are accepted as who you are.  That also means you do not relocate to Santa Fe to judge others, you simply come here to be you and grow with the energy and cultural traditions. There is a relaxed, casual pace of life in Santa Fe; we take time to talk with each other. Every day in Santa Fe, you meet someone new, from a different background. Santa Fe life is one big discovery of folks from around the US and the World.

Santa Fe cultural life – Zozobra,  Christmas farolitos, dancing on the plaza, Pet Parade, Santa Fe Rodeo, Fine Arts, Performing Arts.  In Santa Fe, there are over 500 Santa Fe non profit organizations to join and support the Santa Fe community. Joining is a great way to meet Santa Feans from all walks life,  the US and the World.   I  enjoyed serving Santa Fe as:  President New Mexico Guides Association, Chairman Council for Art of the West – NM Museum Foundation, President Santa Fe Kiwanis Club, President Santa Fe Downtown Kiwanis Foundation. These associations make Santa Fe life very fulfilling.

Anthony Atwell – Serving You Santa Fe Real Estate 20 years.

Santa Fe’s foreclosure rate is well below the national rate, which was 3.19 % for January 2010. The mortgage delinquency rate in Santa Fe increased, as 4.25% of mortgage loans were 90 days or more delinquent; compared to 2.11% for January 2010.

Courtesy of The Santa Fe New Mexican

Expect new listings on the market April-May 2010. Most of the new listings were on the market in 2009 and did not sell. Sellers are more willing to offer their homes at competitive prices in 2010.

The number of buyers in the Santa Fe market are down around 40% since 2008. But in the last 60 days  Santa Fe buyers surged at all levels of the marketplace.  There are huge investment opportunities in the $800,000 – $2,000,000 marketplace.

Keep in mind builder permits are down by 75% since 2007. Thus fewer newer, well designed homes will be on the market.  Of the well designed homes now on the market, the newer will be the first homes to be purchased.

If you are still a few years away relocating to Santa Fe and you desire a new home; I highly recommend land on the NW City Limits. There 2 acre lots that used to sell for $225,000 are now on the market for $180,000.  That is a 25 percent discount since 2008.

Of course all you smart buyers are saying I can afford to wait. But let me give you some good reasons to consider investing now.

1.Santa Fe’s market is driven by out of state investors, especially retirees. Santa Fe consistently is mentioned among the top ten desirable places to live and retire in the Southwest.

2. As Santa Fe’s feeder markets in Texas, California, New York, and Illinois markets firm up; this unleashes a buyer frenzy on the Santa Fe market.  Because Santa Fe is a much smaller real estate market than other areas, the home inventory will shrink faster.

3. The Fed raised the discount rate lately. Expect more interest raises as demands to finance the debt in US Government, US States and other Countries continues. Sooner, rather than later your opportunity to invest at the bottom of the Santa Fe market will evaporate as interest rates rise.

Contact  me, your  free relocation services include: relocation package mailed to you, discount Santa Fe Hotels, MLS listings emailed to you.

Anthony Atwell – Serving You Santa Fe Real Estate 20 Years

505-670-2177

The very Rev.Msgr. Jerome Martinez Y Alire serves as a priest and rector for the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. He shares, “St. Francis is everybody’s saint. You do not have to be Catholic to profit from the life and lessons of St. Francis. He typifies simplicity and poverty following the life of Christ.”

Today, St. Francis annual feast day falls on October 4. On this day the priests will take time to bless the animals. St. Francis is also associated a being the patron saint of animals.

“There are three reasons why St. Francis is associated with animals, ” Martinez said, “The first is because he believed that all God’s creatures – including animals – glowed with the power of God’s love. The second is that when he first began to preach, he would not always be successful preaching to people. So he would preach to the animals instead, and the animals would stop what they were doing and listen. The third reason has to do with a wolf in Gubbio who was eating the people. St. Francis went to meet with the wolf and made a deal with him that if the people fed the wolf, the wolf would stop eating the people.”

- a prayer attributed to St. Francis -

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred – let me show Love.

Where there is injury – Pardon

Where there is doubt – Faith

Where there is despair – Hope

Where there is darkness – Light

And where there is sadness – Joy

The Santa Fe New Mexican, “The Saint in Santa Fe”, Gregory Pleshaw, Bienvenidos 2009.

Situated on a private 2.5 acre lot in Las Campanas, this 4,864 square foot adobe and Rastra house embodies the perfect balance of sophistication and grace.

The former owner of Santa Fe’s elite woodworking shop, Southwest Spanish Craftsmen, had this house built to showcase the many fine hand crafted details in the company’s 80 year oeuvre. From over sized solid walnut doors, to hand carved accent doors, beams and vigas, this house is teaming with extras that no other house offers.

2 Windridge Circle, MLS 906505, $1,850,000

Anthony Atwell, Serving You Santa Fe Style 20 years.

This year’s 13th annual ARTFeast, a festive weekend featuring the city’s world-class chefs, acclaimed artists, and Santa Fe fashion & homes, takes place February 26-28.

ARTFeast kicks off with a Fashion Luncheon spotlighting four Santa Fe boutiques and clothiers at the Inn of Loretto from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday.

The Edible Art Tour, a gourmet gallery hop on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m., is one of the weekend’s highlights. It takes you into beautiful galleries across the city where you’ll sample the culinary artistry of award-winning chefs. The evening continues with Feast or Famine, a dance party from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the famed Coyote Cafe starring Santa Fe’s coolest DJs and the Coyote’s hottest hors d’oeuvres.

Then, get an inside look at some of Santa Fe’s gorgeous homes, from grand estates to intimate enclaves, during the Art of Home Tours from 12 to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The tours showcase eight signature homes that display a variety of architectural and design styles.

Top off the weekend with a Dinner & Art Auction honoring Santa Fe artist and art teacher Sam Scott at 6 p.m. on Saturday at La Posada de Santa Fe Resort & Spa. A Brunch & Auction at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday at Hotel Santa Fe features art work and travel and spa packages designed to help you lead an artful life. ARTFeast is perennially a huge success and best of all, it’s a fundraiser that helps young people develop essential skills to creatively respond to life.

Find all ARTFeast events and details at ARTFeast.com.

Savor three-course, prix-fixe dinners in new and longtime favorite Santa Fe restaurants at fantastic prices – $25 per person, $25 for 2 and $40 per person at a few fine dining restaurants.

Many Santa Fe hotels are offering Restaurant Week Specials to visitors and locals seeking culinary stay-cations.

Events will fill up, so make your reservations now, and view all participating restaurants, classes, demos and hotel specials at SantaFe.NewMexicoRestaurantWeek.com

Visit Santa Fe during ARTFeast and Restaurant Week and experience the rich cuisines that define the city as the culinary capital of the Southwest!

Find everything you need to book your Santa Fe-cation at SantaFe.org.

Win hotel stays, dining certificates, Southwest gifts and more at SantaFe.org/400Prizes.

Compliments of  Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau

Skiing in the trees at Santa Fe, my buddy John Taperek and I find even deeper powder. We  howl in delight, “Awesome!”.

You have to get up early after a big snow storm in Santa Fe. If you do not hit the slopes first thing, us Ski Santa Fe powder hounds will carve the snow up by noon.