Can Albuquerque Sellers Succeed in the Winter?

Winter is just around the corner, but don't fret, home sellers. Now is actually a great time to list your home for sale.

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Winter is right around the corner here in Albuquerque, and there are a lot of really good reasons to sell your home. I know it may not seem like a good time to sell a house, but that couldn't be further from the truth.

First and foremost, there aren't many houses on the market. This time of year, since many people think it's not a good time to sell, they take their houses off the market. That leaves us with fewer sellers than buyers looking to buy a home, so inventory is low. The holidays are almost here and it may seem inconvenient, but on the flip side, many people have days off of work around the holidays, giving them extra time to shop for houses.

You won't get as many showings as you might in the summer, but you will get quality showings because the people out looking for homes in the winter really need to find a house.

You won't get as many showings as you might in the summer, but you will get quality showings.

Another benefit to selling in the winter is that the process goes faster. Since not as many homes sell this time of year, our resources and vendors have more time as well. Inspectors, for example, have more time to devote to home sellers to make sure the process goes quickly and smoothly.

Additionally, this market is great for move-up buyers. When you sell, since there are fewer buyers out and about, you will have less competition to face when it comes time to buy in the higher price points. It's a perfect time if you're thinking of buying a bigger house or one that better matches your needs.

Finally, remember that if it's simply time for you to sell, don't wait! If your life situation merits it, you don't have to wait until January or the spring. If you think it's time or you'd like to learn more about how to take advantage of the current market, give us a call or send us an email. We'd be happy to help!

Working With a Realtor on New Construction

Most people don't realize that you can still work with a Realtor even if you're buying a brand-new home or having one built. There are many advantages to this.

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Did you know that if you're buying a new home, you can work with a Realtor rather than just working with reps at the sales office?

If you're working with a builder, you can actually use a Realtor to view model homes and help you decide which options are best for you, like the neighborhood, price, and floor plan. One of the biggest benefits of working with a Realtor when buying a new home is that it's free. Builders build the price of real estate commission into the prices of the homes they construct, so let us help you negotiate the best deal!

Some neighborhoods have lots on the ground; you have to pick your lot, your floor plan, and your upgrades. We can help you with all that, as well as other livability factors like where the sunlight will be, comfortability in your yard, and all the orientation-related concepts.

The rep at the model home works for the builder, not for you.

We can also help you immensely when it comes to negotiating the contract. Remember, the representative in the sales model works for the builder, and their goal is to make the builder as much money as possible. It's good to have a Realtor there to tell you historically what we have been able to negotiate for clients when they're building a new home.

Many builders in our area work with Realtors, even the custom home builders. We can help you find the right builder, even if you want to build a nice custom home. Your Realtor will help you pick a lot, negotiate the deal, and get you through the inspections if that's something you want. We'll also make sure you're aware of all the neighborhoods and things like walkability, school districts, and local amenities like stores.

If you're interested in building a home or you have any questions about the Albuquerque real estate market, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to talking with you soon!

Prepping Your Albuquerque Home for Fall

Fall is in the air, which makes now a great time to prepare your home for cold winter weather.

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Today I’m coming to you from the Old Alameda Bridge during Balloon Fiesta. It’s a spectacular morning but it is starting to feel a bit like fall, so I want to share a few tips for preparing your home for the coming season.

As it gets cooler, you’ll start to use your heater more often, so make sure that you change out the filters. That way, your heater will run at optimal efficiency. If you need any recommendations for heating and cooling companies, we can certainly point you in the right direction.

Fall is the perfect time to button up your house. Seal any cracks to save on heating bills and keep the vermin out. This is the perfect time of year for mice to try to get into your home, so don’t let them!

If you have an evaporative cooler, now is the time to shut it down. Drain it and make sure that the hose is completely drained so that it doesn’t get damaged during the winter.

Seal any cracks in your home to keep those mice out!

We have a lot of flat roofs in the area and most people tend to overlook their canales. Get rid of leaves and other debris that can clog up the canale — otherwise, you may run into some roof leaks this winter.

Finally, fall is a great time to change out the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. That way, you won’t wake up in the middle of the night to that annoying beeping sound when the battery dies.

In the meantime, enjoy this beautiful weather and maybe take a trip out to the Alameda Bridge. If you have any questions about winterizing your home or need any other vendors to help you this fall, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!