Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in abqrealtor's LiveJournal:

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Thursday, October 1st, 2009
10:31 am	Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2009 Once again the skies of Albuquerque begin to burst with color as International Balloon Fiesta 2009 begins. Below you will find links and information to help your family make the most of this year’s event. As always, if you have any questions feel free to give me a call. Opening Day – Saturday October 3 5:45am - 7:00am Dawn Patrol Show presented by Rt. 66 Hotel Casino 6:45am - 7:45am Opening Ceremonies 7:00am - 8:30am Mass Ascension 8:00am - 5:00pm ECHO Chainsaw Carving Championship 2:00pm - 6:00pm America's Challenge Gas Balloon Race Inflation 6:00pm - 7:30pm Twilight Twinkle Glow™ 6:00pm - 8:00pm America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race Launch 8:00pm - 9:00pm AfterGlow ™ Fireworks Show presented by Albuquerque Journal Sunday October 4 5:45am - 6:45am Dawn Patrol Show presented by Rt. 66 Hotel Casino 7:00am - 8:30am Mass Ascension 8:00am - 5:00pm ECHO Chainsaw Carving Championship 9:00am - 1:00pm Fiesta of Wheels Car Show 11:00am - 1:00pm Balloon Fiesta Pin Trading (Balloon Discovery Center) 5:00pm - 8:00pm ECHO Chainsaw Carving Championship auction 5:45pm - 7:30pm Balloon Glow 8:00pm - 9:00pm AfterGlow ™ Fireworks Show presented by Albuquerque Journal Monday October 5 5:45am - 6:45am Dawn Patrol 7:00am - 10:00am Flying Competition - Balloon Fiesta Hold'em presented by Sandia Resort & Casino Tuesday October 6 5:45am - 6:45am Dawn Patrol 7:00am - 10:00am Flying Competition - Balloon Fiesta Hold'em presented by Sandia Resort & Casino Wednesday October 7 5:45am - 6:45am Dawn Patrol Show presented by Rt. 66 Hotel Casino 7:00am - 10:00am Flight of the Nations Mass Ascension & Flying Competition presented by Continental Airlines Thursday October 8 5:45am - 6:45am Dawn Patrol 7:00am - 8:00am Special Shape Rodeo™ 7:00am - 10:00am Flying Competition & Prize Grab 8:00am - 9:00am Chainsaw Wood Carving Contest north end of launch field 4:00pm - 5:00pm Chainsaw Wood Carving Contest north end of launch field 5:45pm - 7:30pm Special Shape Glowdeo™ 8:00pm - 9:00pm AfterGlow ™ Fireworks Show presented by Albuquerque Journal Friday October 9 5:45am - 6:45am Dawn Patrol 7:00am - 8:00am Special Shape Rodeo™ 7:00am - 10:00am Key Grab Competition 8:00am - 9:00am Chainsaw Wood Carving Contest north end of launch field 4:00pm - 5:00pm Chainsaw Wood Carving Contest north end of launch field 5:45pm - 7:30pm Shape Glowdeo 8:00pm - 9:00pm AfterGlow ™ Fireworks Show presented by Albuquerque Journal Saturday October 10 5:45am - 6:45am Dawn Patrol Show presented by Rt. 66 Hotel Casino 7:00am - 8:30am Mass Ascension 8:00am - 9:00am Chainsaw Wood Carving Contest north end of launch field 5:00pm - 7:00pm Chainsaw Carvers Auction north end of launch field 5:45pm - 7:30pm Night Magic™ Glow 8:00pm - 9:00pm *AfterGlow ™ Fireworks Show presented by Albuquerque Journal Sunday October 11 5:45am - 6:45am Dawn Patrol Show presented by Rt. 66 Hotel Casino 7:00am - 8:30am Farewell Mass Ascension Click here to buy Tickets Cheers! -LaMaia (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, March 12th, 2009
10:42 am	Silver Gardens (where the old Greyhound Station was) About the Project Please join us to celebrate the groundbreaking for Silver Gardens, a mixed-income affordable housing rental development that will provide new, much needed low-cost housing options to residents of downtown Albuquerque. The Silver Gardens development, which will be built in two phases, is a key ingredient of the master plan created by Jonathan Rose Companies affiliate Romero Rose for the redevelopment of two and on-half vacant city blocks across from Albuquerque’s newly renovated Alvarado Transportation Center. Silver Gardens will complement two other components of the development plan: Elements, a for-sale townhome duster, and Green Commons, a live/work community. Directions: The Groundbreaking Ceremony for Silver Gardens will be convening at the building site on First Street between Lead and Silver Avenues. A smart growth location, Silver Gardens is located across from the Alvarado Transportation Center in downtown Albuquerque. If arriving by train, please exit the station on to First Street, walk approximately one half-block south along First Street, and turn west to the Silver Gardens site. If arriving by car, parking garages convenient to the event location include the Gold Avenue Garage (entrance at Second Street north of Silver Avenue. Get more info: silvergardens@romero-rose.com or call Homer Robinson at 505-764-3094 (Comment on this)
Thursday, February 26th, 2009
12:32 pm	Books available in my personal library For select clients and friend, I have some books available to lend: Please call me at 480-3253 or email me at lamaia -at- lamaia.com if you'd like to borrow one of these books (or just to say "hi"). (Comment on this)
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008
4:06 pm	$7500 tax credit. First-time homebuyers are eligible for for a tax credit of $7500, but only if they buy between now and July 1, 2009. The average home price in the Albuquerque metro area is about $200,000 to $220,000. Most first-time homebuyers put 3% down -- which would be about $6000 - $6600. So, for those first-time homebuyers who qualify for the tax credit, they should see their refund be $7500 more than it would have been via this tax credit when they complete their taxes at the end of 2009. Please call or email to find out more! LaMaia Cramer 505-480-3253 lamaia@lamaia.com (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, November 16th, 2008
2:45 pm	$398000 OPEN HOUSE TODAY -- Historic home with modern conveniences OPEN HOUSE TODAY Wow! Large remodeled kitchen with gas cooktop island. Formal entry foyer opens to formal living and dining rooms with bird's eye maple floors and bay windows with original french doors. Detached 2 car with alley access. Huge master suite with walk-in closets and built-ins. New electric and heating ducts. 12' ceilings. Ornate floor and door moldings. Original and perfect condition 3rd owner. Built 1926. Sits on 2 lots, 3rd is adjacent & legal guest or seperate residence could be built on it. Beautiful setting under cottonwood tree. Semi finished basement. Newer appliances and mechanical systems. (7 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, October 2nd, 2008
5:11 pm	713 Solano SE This house is a total fantasy house for me. I love the neighborhood, I love the size of the house, and I love the addition. Front: It's not very imposing from the front, but you can see that there's a 2-story addition in the back. Kitchen: I think the kitchen is one of the most appealing features to this house. Everything is just right! The countertops are granite. The island is just the right size. The stove is just the right level of fancy without being too much and overwhelming the space. In fact, the whole house is very modern in terms of its floorplan. What I mean is by "modern floorplan" are the following things: * 2 living areas -- one for every-day family activities, and one for more formal moments * master suite -- bedroom, sitting area and large bathroom, physically separated from the other bedrooms * 2 or more bathrooms (this house has three) * open space between living room and kitchen -- creating a "great room" feeling * garage Master suite: Plenty of room here for a king sized bed and dressers for two people Master bathroom: Fabulous jetted bathtub for relaxation -- and around the corner is a really nice sized shower, complete with shelf for sitting on. View from the master bedroom deck: This is really a remarkable view. It's so clear to the east, you can see the mountains, and there isn't a single power line in the way of the view. (21 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, August 23rd, 2008
4:19 am	Bad bathroom design This is a very good example of bad bathroom design. This bathroom was in the near north valley in a house that had its interior recently redone. But, unfortunately, they decided to redo the bathroom in a ridiculously cheap way. Sure, it's nice to have his and hers sinks and mirrors -- but imagine how much more useful this bathroom would be if it had cabinets and counters between the two sinks! Instead, it's just wasted, dead space. For just $100 more, it could at least have a length of counter there -- allowing it to act as a vanity area. It's not nearly as big a deal, but the window also looks odd because it's not centered between the two vanities. Also, it looks like the person on the right doesn't get to have a hand towel. (19 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, July 30th, 2008
10:47 am	Welcome! Welcome new readers. I really appreciate seeing you here. I mostly post information here about specific houses that are for sale and are unusal * big houses * little houses * cheap houses * expensive houses * houses that are just unusual in some way * my own personal open houses * historic homes (usually downtown) Is there anything else you guys would specifically like to see here? I aim to please! (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, July 26th, 2008
5:47 pm	30 houses in five days I did a lot of shopping and previewing this week with different clients in mind. I saw some very interesting houses: 5305 Mescalero NE This house is in an area that I sometimes call "the near northeast heights" or "uptown". It's walking distance to a very nice park and near San Mateo & Montgomery. It's unremarkable from the outside -- but, it's priced very affordably at $145,000. It has three small bedrooms, but the best parts about it are in the public spaces. It has a small formal living room in the front, and then an absolutely cavernous den in the back: This picture doesn't do the den true justice. I wish there were a person in the shot so that you could get the sense of scale. The windows are probably about 6' tall from the top to the bottom of the window. They face North, so they've been canted inward to get even more light. You could have an absolutely epic Christmas tree in this den. 1332 Boatright NE The front porch looks like it could be in the heart of the North Valley. I really loved the blue paint that they chose for their accent color. The big tree adds to the feeling that you're in the valley. I think, if it were mine, I'd try to enclose the whole front yard with a stuccoed wall and make a really private patio here. The living room was unusually large for this area, because the front porch had been enclosed at one time. It currently has very nice laminate wood flooring and feels very inviting: I especially love the vintage french doors leading to the third bedroom (or second living room). They make the space feel, again, like you're in a historic home. 614 Claremont NW This is such an unusual house. It's very small (only 2 bedrooms and only 1000 sf) -- but every inch of it felt good. You can see that there's absolutely no landscaping on the lot -- but what you can't see is that the entire lot is completely enclosed behind a really nice stucco wall -- creating lots of privacy and security. The interior had lovely saltillo tile floors and the eat-in kitchen was a very decent size. At $140,000, this house would be perfect and perfectly affordable for just one person. 1100 Woodland I actually have a very soft spot for this one. It's on a quarter acre in the near north valley, making its $144,000 price tag a screaming hot deal. There are mature fruit trees in the front and back yards. The house is in the middle of some remodelling that will be left for the buyer to complete. But, there are two functional bedrooms, and the main bathroom and kitchen both seem fine. Behind the spacious dining area is a really lovely back porch. I'll post some more later. As always, if you think you know someone who might like one of these houses, please feel free to call, email or text me any time! (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, June 15th, 2008
1:37 pm	Open House Downtown 2pm - 4pm 506 11th St NW Open from 2pm - 4pm Come on by and see me, and I'll give you a cookie! (8 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, June 14th, 2008
10:59 pm	Ridgecrest mansion living room This is a photo of the main living room. Please note the Corinithian columns, with a baby grand in the background, in case Liberace decides to appear (and he would feel right at home here). mirrored dining room The dining room has wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling mirrors on two adjacent walls, so you can watch yourself eat. I suppose that if you sit in just the right spot, you can see yourself flipped in the mirrors. 1970s high-tech kitchen This is the original harvest gold kitchen, complete with two ovens, separate electric cooktop, and a locking garbage disposal. Look closely, though, and notice the walls. They're not painted tobacco brown -- they have a texture on them. kitchen wall close-up Here is a close-up of the kitchen wall. It's a loosely woven, burlap-like fabric with multiple color threads running through it. It's still quite clean, even after 36 years. Front bathroom This is the main public bathroom. The wall paper is metallic maroon with black velvet flocking. Here, hanging on the wall is a Christmas tree made of discarded costume jewelry broaches. It felt like a tiny little bordello. silver metallic wallpaper This is the silver metallic wallpaper in the grand entrance. I used to make Christmas cards out of wallpaper samples just like this! bedroom wallpaper The main bedroom has this metallic red wallpaper with gray velvet flocking. main bedroom This photo does absolutely no justice to the incredibly enormous master suite. The bed is covered with a red coverlet with heart-shaped quilting. vanity in the bedroom This is a pair of closets with a vanity in the main bedroom. There is also a closet with mirrored doors in this room, but this piece of furniture was much more ineresting. Vanity in "her" bathroom The master suite has two bathrooms -- "his" and "hers". This one is "hers", and is significantly larger than many master bedrooms. In particular, here is the very large two-sided vanity with a low-backed swivel stool for the lady of the house's make-up artistry. "her" bathtub This is probably the most interesting feature. It's an enormous round bathtub, only about 15" deep. Behind it is a very large mirror, and, hanging over it is one of many crystal chandeliers in the house. And, of course, the tub is red, and the surround is pink cultured marble. Being in this bathroom made me feel like a movie star! (2 Comments |Comment on this)
12:29 pm	Ridgecrest mansion open house today This is not my open house, but that of my buddy, Chris Weller. However, I definitely intend to go check it out. This is one of the most distinctive houses in Albuquerque. It's got a great balcony and a spiral staircase. Please come on by, if you'd like! 723 Parkland Circle SE 3pm - 6pm (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, June 6th, 2008
3:47 pm	3601 Colorado NE 3601 Colorado NE is a very special house. It came to my attention recently because I was doing a tour of large homes with hardwood floors in the "Uptown" area (I-25 to Wyoming, I-40 to Montgomery). This home was built by a well known builder in Albuquerque named Fred Mossman. These homes (referred to as "Mossmans" were built in the 50s and 60s and are typified by the following characteristics: pitched roofs hardwood floors (originally under carpet, some still under carpet) very tall crawl spaces -- sometimes as tall as four feet very large lots -- often 1/4 acre, sometimes even bigger (I recently sold one on a 1/3 acre lot) lots that are wide from side to side the kitchen being located immediately next to the garage so that bringing in the groceries is simple large views into the back yard -- usually either a 3-panel sliding glass door or a large 3-panel window generously sized bedrooms wide hallways (often wide enough to accommodate a wheel chair with no modifications) This house is very typical for the style. You can see from the photo that it has a 2-car garage. All of the bedrooms are above the garage, with the master bedroom having its own private bathroom. But, what makes 3601 Colorado really special is its backyard. This part of the yard is lovely and private and really feels like a miniature park The other side of the yard has a koi pond, with a hot tub immediately behind it Here's the view from the hot tub perspective -- it's like your own private 10,000 Waves The kitchen has been englarged to allow for a breakfast nook or even more cabinets. There are hookups for both electric and gas stove. You can see that the living room has the signature hardwood floors exposed. Mossman used very narrow planks of wood to produce very solid floors that have stood the test of time Please call me at 480-3253 or email me at lamaia@lamaia.com if you know anyone who would be interested in seeing this charming home! (18 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, May 13th, 2008
8:55 pm	3131 Monroe I've scheduled a viewing for one of my favorite houses this week. 3131 Monroe NE is one of my favorite houses in Albuquerque. It's an unusual house. It's 4000 square feet (which is enormous), 7 bedrooms (four of which are very decent size) and four bathrooms. It even has two kitchens, but only one of them has a stove, for zoning reasons. This house is priced at the low, low price of $185,000. Which puts it at $46/sf, which is the very cheapest price per square foot in Albuquerque for a house that's livable, and not in a terrifying neighborhood. This house started its life as a perfectly ordinary 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom ranch house. Then, the one-car garage was converted to a second living room. Then, a large, in-ground, indoor swimming pool was added. Then the swimming pool was covered with a floor (making it an enormous living room) Finally, an addition was put on the south side of the house with four more bedrooms and three more bathrooms and the second kitchen. The house covers nearly all of its backyard, with a 10' strip around the outer edge, but it still has a front yard (which is enclosed). The biggest problem with this house is the owner. He's an old man in a wheel chair. He's surly. He smokes like a chimney. Sometimes he answers the door in his underwear. Simply by living there, he creates an environment of misery and unhappiness. But the house itself is really pretty cool. For the family that needs 7 bedrooms and no back yard -- this is the one. And, I think my new clients are exactly that family! (10 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, May 11th, 2008
1:19 am	Mother's Day Historic Home Tour I will be hosting an open house for the Mother's Day Historic Home Tour. I'll be at 520 11th NW from 12:30pm - 3:30pm Please come on by. I should have flyers for the whole tour once you arrive. View Larger Map (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008
8:53 pm	2522 Metzgar SW -- $120,000 This one is a great example of something you might find (and, in fact, do find) in the valley. This home is in the far south valley. It's close enough to the river to be greener than most of Albuquerque. The lot is about 2/3 of an acre. The house is about 2000 square feet -- but the house is in desperate need of some work. It needs flooring and a kitchen. There's also a 20' x 40' shop on the land, and, of course, you can have horses. The property even has two wells. satellite view from the north satellite view from the east satellite view from the west satellite view from south (3 Comments |Comment on this)
11:11 am	Affordable cutie near UNM -- $129,000 1712 Vail Pl SE 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1380 square feet You are going to love this affordable home in a highly desirable and convenient SE Heights location. Totally remodeled throughout, including laminate wood flooring, kitchen countertops, bathrooms, bedrooms, paint, doors, etc. Perfect for students, investors, or anyone who is looking for a fantastic deal! Close to UNM, CNM, University Stadium, The Pit, Isotopes Stadium, and the airport. All the appliances are included, so all you have to do is move in. Do not let this deal pass you by. (11 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, October 31st, 2007
2:15 pm	Open House tonight at 723 14th St (4pm-6pm) 723 14th St NW 4pm - 6pm This fabulous historic home belongs to Gertrude Zachary. She's moved into her castle at the corner of Coal and 1st, so her previous home is now for sale. Please come on by tonight between 4pm and 6pm if you'd like to see it. I'll try to tell you a ghost story, if you ask. View Larger Map (12 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, October 24th, 2007
6:24 am	Albuquerque ranked hottest buyer's market Housing Predictor has named Albuquerque as their hottest Buyer's Market for 2008. They are forecasting an appreciation of 9.1%. (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, September 24th, 2007
7:46 pm	Foreclosure rate low in Albuquerque The national news has been full of information about foreclosures. I think it's imporant to know that foreclosures in Albuquerque have been significantly below other places. Of the 100 largest metro areas, the Albuquerque metro area (which includes the east mountains, Rio Rancho, Los Lunas, Belen and all of Bernalillo county) is ranked at 68th for number of foreclosures per household. That's pretty far down the list. And even then, it's believed that many of those foreclosures are from investors who flocked here in the 2005 and 2006 and bought homes with little or no money down, expecting to rent them at unreasonably high rents. Why Albuquerque and New Mexico are Dodging the Foreclosure Storm By Richard Metcalf Journal Staff Writer New Mexico, with the Albuquerque metro area leading the way, is bucking the national trend toward increasing home foreclosures. Substantially fewer New Mexico home buyers stopped making payments on their mortgages during the first half of this year compared to last year, according to a recent report. While foreclosures were down 30 percent in New Mexico, they were up 58 percent nationwide in the first half of 2007. The national average was one out of 134 households. During the first six months of this year, one out of every 395 households in New Mexico was at some stage in foreclosure, according to Irvine, Calif.-based RealtyTrac. "Some of the larger, more populous states are driving the high national foreclosure rate," said Daren Blomquist of RealtyTrac. "These are areas that experienced sharp increases in home prices over the past few years," he said. "Then (housing) demand turned off quickly, almost like a light switch." New Mexico's foreclosure rate is substantially lower than that of Arizona (one of every 82 households), Colorado (one of every 60), Nevada (one of every 40) and California (one of every 69 households). All three states have healthy economies with better job growth than New Mexico, but residential markets in their major cities have all seen median home values drop. ( read more ) (Comment on this)