Buyers Market in Alto ? - Current inventory of homes, lots
August 15th, 2008 categories: Alto New Mexico Property, Ruidoso Market Trends
Looking at the current listings for Alto Lakes Golf & Country Club, there is still ample inventory of available site built homes, and lots for sale. There are currently 82 homes, (with Full Golf Membership ) for sale in Alto Lakes Golf and Country Club, with prices ranging from a low of $219,999 to a high of $1,695,000 and the median price is $407,250. The median home size is 2256 sq. ft. The median sq. ft price is $180.50.
Alto Social Membership homes - show 23 current listings, ranging from $225,000 to 785,000 and a median of $359,000. Median home size is 2119 sq. ft. Median sq. ft price is $169.40.
Town homes and Condos in Alto - currently there are 9 properties listed, from a low price of $219,000 to a high price of $589,500 and a median price of $399,900. All but one of these properties have a Full Golf Membership.
Subdivision lots - Full Golf Memberships in Alto Village are currently at 66 listings available, from a low price of $34,500 to a high of $250,000. the median price lot in Alto is $57,000. Median number of days on market is 260. Social Membership lots number 42, and range for a low price of $15,500 to a high of $550,000, and a median price of $30,700. Median number of days on market is 144.
July sales 2008 vs. 2007: In July 2008, six homes were sold in Alto Lakes, with prices ranging from $200,000 to $460,000 and a median sales price of $441,250, and a median sq. ft price of $167.00, and median number of days on market was 192. Read the rest of this entry »
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Flood Clean-up in Ruidoso - news and video links
August 5th, 2008 categories: Community, Ruidoso Flood
Just a brief update on cleanup and rebuilding efforts in Ruidoso, after last weekend’s flood that hit the river areas of Upper Canyon, Hwy 70 campgrounds / RV parks, and the Ruidoso Downs Racetrack. Property owners who can provide proof of residence, have been allowed back in to their homes that were flooded, even though water and sewer services are out in some areas.
Eagle Drive Bridge - one of several bridges destroyed in flood
See recent news stories on the cleanup efforts at: KOAT - Albuquerque
Officials from FEMA have been working in the Village to assess damage, and determine whether federal aid from FEMA will be available to help with repairs. Residents living in the Upper Canyon and Black Forest remain under a “boil water” advisory. Work to clear debris from the river and bridges is ongoing.
Ruidoso Downs Racetrack resumed operation this past weekend, after flood waters forced a brief closure. Read more on the racetrack at: Racing resumes a week after flood .
Some campgrounds located north west of Ruidoso, mainly those near Bonito Lake, remain closed while clean up continues. Anyone planning to camp near Bonito Lake, may want to call the Smokey Bear Ranger District Office in Ruidoso at 505-257-4095. Most of the area private campgrounds, as well as those Forest Service areas outside of the Bonito Lake area are open.
For non-threatening emergencies and additional information, residents are encouraged to call the Flood Hotline at (575) 258-3482.
The Damage Assessment Center (Ruidoso Convention Center) is available to assist residents with reporting damage as a direct result of the flooding and is open from 8am-5pm. American Red Cross, City and County Assessors, Region VI Housing Authority, and Department of Agriculture are all present at the Center. The Center can be reached at (575) 937-3719.
Previous news, photos and video coverage on this story were posted on the Ruidoso Blog , included:
KOAT - Albuquerque News - flood information & video
KRQE - Albuquerque News - flood information & video
YOU CAN HELP - Local Churches, Banks, and agencies such as the Red Cross are working to provide aid to those in need. Please visit this link for more details.
If you have questions or would like more specific information on Ruidoso, please contact me at mary@ruidoso-homes.com.
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Ruidoso Flood
July 30th, 2008 categories: Community, Ruidoso Flood
By now you have probably heard about the flooding in the Ruidoso area. Several New Mexico news channels have been giving this rare event excellent coverage, and I wanted to provide links to some of those sites which have given the best news coverage, photos, and videos.
Additional links to the Ruidoso flood coverage:
YouTube Videos - Ruidoso Flood
Ruidoso Web Cam - live web cam from Mid town shopping district in Ruidoso
YOU CAN HELP - Local agencies such as the Red Cross, area churches and banks are working to provide aid to those in need. See more details at this link.
This is a devastating situation for those who live or own property right on the Ruidoso River or Bonito River. Early estimates are that about 350 homes were severely damaged. Numerous residents, visitors, and campers, were stranded when bridges and roads were completely washed away. Rescue efforts have relocated most of those folks to safety, while the rebuilding and cleanup has begun in the hard hit areas along the river.
In Ruidoso, bridges at the following locations are either destroyed or closed due to damage:
Country Club, Eagle, Close, North Loop, River Road/River Crossing, first and second bridge in Upper Canyon, North Grindstone, Valencia, McDaniels, Fox and Main, Sleepy Hollow.
Getting around town will be a bit challenging until the bridges are repaired. Ruidoso Downs Racetrack also experienced flooding, but has stated it will plan on being open for the first weekend in August.
Governor Richardson has already declared a state of emergency, so I am sure the Village will receive some help with clean up and repair costs. The New Mexico Dept. of Homeland Security, along with FEMA, and other agencies are also assisting the Village of Ruidoso.
I thought it would only be fair however, to let those of you who might own property here know that the majority of the county was not affected. I drove through the Alto area, Alpine Village, White Mountain Estates and a few other areas on Sunday. Other than receiving heavy rainfall and debris washed on to some low lying areas, there was little if any damage in these areas.
The main devastation were homes and RVs located in the flood plain of the Ruidoso River. I have lived here 17 years and could never have imagined the 100 ft wide, boiling, raging water that was roaring down our normally peaceful little stream.
According to the weather forecast, more rain is possible in the coming days, as our normal summer monsoon season continues, so we are all keeping our fingers crossed that we won’t have additional damage to the affected areas. I’ll keep you posted as more information becomes available, for for now, don’t worry if you own a home in the area. If it is not on the river, chances are very good that it has not been damaged.
If you have questions or would like more specific information on Ruidoso, please contact me at mary@ruidoso-homes.com.
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Ruidoso Land - lots and acreage
July 27th, 2008 categories: Land, Ruidoso real estate, Subdivisions
I wanted to write a brief update on land - and just a few of the subdivisions in or near Ruidoso where you can buy lots or acreage, and compare how prices and features will vary among these areas.The areas I’ll be writing about are White Mountain Meadows, Alpine Village, Cedar Creek Ranchettes and Camelot.
White Mountain Meadows is one of Ruidoso’s mid to upper priced developments. Existing site built homes in this subdivision are listed at a median price of $449,900 (prices ranging from $175K to $690K, med. sq. ft price of $163 / ft) and currently there are 19 homes on the market.
Available lots in this area are in short supply. There are currently, 6 lots listed in White Mountain Meadows, prices range from $50,000 to $99,000. (Median price is $53,500) These lots generally will be at least a quarter acre to an acre in size, and offer amenities such village water & sewer, paved roads, restrictions, views, etc.
Alpine Village located on the Northwest corner of Ruidoso, just outside the Village limits. Home prices in Alpine Village are closer to the median for the Ruidoso area. Currently, there are 5 homes listed at a median price of $269,000, and median sq. ft price is $172 / ft.
Available lots in this subdivision are also limited, with only 3 listings in the local MLS.
Prices range from $19,500 to $27,000 and the median is $25,900. Lots range in size from one third to two thirds of an acre, roads are gravel, and community water is available.
Cedar Creek Ranchettes - shown in the photo on right, is located near the National Forest boundary in the Cedar Creek area, offers lots ranging from 1.6 to 4.1 acres in size. Median price on these parcels is $164,450. This is a gated community with underground utilities and a minimum building size of 2500 sq. ft. The terrain is heavily wooded and some lots have mountain views. Roads will be paved soon, and community water is provided for most lots. Click here for more details.
Camelot - located near on the south eastern side of Ruidoso (near the “Y”), this area offers a wide range of prices and features. Current home prices here show a median listing price $439,000 and price per sq. ft of $170 / ft., with 9 homes on the market at this time. Read the rest of this entry »
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Ruidoso’s Annual Art Festival
July 24th, 2008 categories: Community
The Southwest region of the United States is known for its lush native culture and the art it births. From Native American pottery and jewelry to beautiful sunset paintings, the region is home to many talented artists. Every year, the Ruidoso Chamber of Commerce hosts the Ruidoso Art Fest at the convention center. Local artists, as well as those from surrounding states, bring their wares to display and sell to private collectors or soon-to-be collectors.
The Ruidoso Art Fest is a juried show, not all applicants are selected to participate. Here you will see stunning works of glass, wood, acrylic, sculpture, and much more. A silent auction will be held near the front entrance to benefit a local charity.
The art festival will run from July 25 through July 27. Friday the doors will open at noon and close at 6:00 p.m., Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. A one day entry fee costs $5.00 for adults and $1 for kids ages 6-16. Children under age 3 are free. A 2 day pass will cost $8; a 3 day pass will cost only $12.
For more information or for a list of artists, please visit the Ruidoso Chamber of Commerce website.The Convention Center is located at 111 Sierra Blanca Drive, just off Mechem Drive near the post office.
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Ruidoso Condos - A Wide Range of Prices and Features
July 16th, 2008 categories: Condominiums, Ruidoso real estate
Looking for a condo this summer in Ruidoso? Currently, our local MLS is showing 141 listings of either condos / town homes in the Village. Prices vary widely from a low of $54,900 for a 640 sq. ft, older unit on Mechem Dr. to a high of $600,000 for a 2550 sq.ft. new unit at River Crossing.
Ruidoso River Resort - near downtown
( Don & Nancy Lincoln, Coldwell Banker SDC, listing brokers )
The following chart shows the current condo and town home inventory by price, price per sq. ft., and days on market ( DOM ).
Features and amenities: The lower priced condos are generally smaller units ranging from 500-900 sq.ft, often 1 bed room, and older construction built in the 1980s, or before.
The mid range group priced between $100k to $200k, will generally measure around 1000 sq. ft, have at least 2 bedrooms, and slightly newer construction. Locations vary widely on this group.
The upper end group consists mostly of the newest, largest size and most modern features. These often measure over 2000 sq. ft, built in 2007-2008, high end features such as granite counters, 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, balconies, and much more.
If you are looking for a condo for personal use, or to place in the rental pool, call or email me to discuss the current market.
If you would like more specific information on Ruidoso Real Estate, please contact me at mary@ruidoso-homes.com.
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Forest Re-Opens
July 3rd, 2008 categories: Community, Mountain Wildlife
In a previous post I mentioned that we would do our best to keep you updated on the latest forest conditions in the area. Though it was predicted that our monsoon season would start late this year, we had an increase in precipitation over the course of June. It’s not enough to take us out of Stage II fire restrictions (see below), but the forest re-opened Wednesday, July 2 and we are very grateful. The air is fresh and cool, the grass is finally turning green, and the hummingbirds are out in full force.
(July 11) FIRE RESTRICTION UPDATE:
The use of an open campfire and charcoal grill is no longer restricted in the Lincoln County National Forest. As always, fireworks are prohibited on all federal lands.
Current village fire restrictions
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Ruidoso Real Estate - Market Update June 08
June 18th, 2008 categories: Ruidoso Market Trends, Ruidoso real estate
So you may be asking…what IS the real estate market doing in Ruidoso New Mexico? If you watch the evening news it sounds like real estate around the country is cratering, but in reality, there are only a few states (California, Florida, Michigan and to some extent Arizona) that are really having issues with lower prices, high inventory and foreclosures. In most Midwestern and Western states prices and inventory are holding steady although not making great gains. Here is a recent assessment from the National Association of REALTORS
You can see in the tables below that for site-built, single family homes in the Village of Ruidoso, the numbers have not changed drastically from 2007. The number of units sold in March & April were actually up, but the number of sales in May were down a bit. Most people in the area will agree that there are not as many people visiting Ruidoso in May and June as there usually are, and most of us attribute this to $4/gallon gas, not a deficiency in our market. I am convinced however, that as temperatures in TX and AZ rise, that the cost of being miserable and paying to air condition a home in 100+ degree temperatures will lose out to cool mountain air and gas that costs more than we like to pay.
Ruidoso residential units sold - Mar 2008 - May 2008 ( site built homes only )
Ruidoso residential units sold - Mar 2007 - May 2007 ( site built homes only )
There are currently 329 single family home listed in the Village of Ruidoso. The average number of homes sold per month over the last year is 21.5. This gives us a current inventory of approximately 15.3 months if no other homes come on the market. Conditions are right if you are looking to buy in Ruidoso. Interest rates are still relatively low, and contrary to what you might hear on the news, people with good credit can still get loans for second homes and investment properties.
I hope this is helpful information, and if you would like an analysis of a specific town or neighborhood in Lincoln County, just let me know and I will be happy to provide it.
If you would like more specific information on Ruidoso Real Estate, please contact me at mary@ruidoso-homes.com.
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Ruidoso June Community Events
June 13th, 2008 categories: Community, Food and Entertainment
What could be more fun than hanging out with friends and family in the cool mountain air of Ruidoso and being able to attend one of the awesome concerts taking place here? There are so many events scheduled for the summer. I wish I had the time and space to write an article on each, but for brevity’s sake I can only hit a few of the highlights each month. Keep checking back. We’ll do our best to keep you abreast of our biggest community events and concerts as we know about them.
June 14, 2008 - Esteban, a master guitarist and arranger, will be performing at the Spencer Theater on the evening of June 14. Esteban has topped the Billboard charts numerous times with his albums and dvd’s. Now is your chance to hear the legendary guitarist in person. Visit the Spencer Theater’s website for ticket information and show times.
June 14 - Spring Fling Car Show: Mountain Annie’s. Come join the fun. The car show runs from 10-4 on Saturday. Admission is free.
June 14 & 15 - Ruidoso Wine Festival: Inn of the Mountain Gods. The New Mexico Wine Growers Association will be hosting the event. The cost is $20 at the door and includes a souvenir wine glass. A picture ID will be required and a designated driver is strongly suggested. Wine will be available for tasting or for buying. Visit the Inn of the Mountain God’s site or www.nmwine.com for more information.
June 21 & 22 - Ron White, comic sensation. Have a ball with “Tater Salad” Ron White at the Inn of the Mountain Gods. A second night has been added to the schedule due to his popularity, so if you can’t make the first show, get tickets for the second. Visit ticketmaster for prices and availability.
June 28 - The Buckinghams: Spencer Theater. This group is one of the tightest bands I’ve ever heard. Several years ago, I went to one of their performances at the old Bingo Hall near the casino. I was blown away by the Buckingham’s beautifully honed sound. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. Head over to the Spencer Theater’s website for details.
That’s all for now. I’ll soon post an update for July’s events. With the fire restrictions still in Stage III, I hope you see something above that gets you off your rocker and up on the mountain. It’s summer! Have fun!
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Champion’s Run Condominiums - Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico
May 22nd, 2008 categories: Condominiums, Ruidoso real estate
Champion’s Run is one of the largest condominium complexes in the Ruidoso area with 104 units. Officially, this complex is located in Ruidoso Downs, and is right next to the Ruidoso Downs Racetrack. For this reason, this complex is very popular with the “horse people”. Some of the units actually overlook the barns and work areas of the racetrack, others have great views of the mountains, east & north.
Most of the units were completed in 1984, and were originally named “Triple Crown Condominiums”. The complex got off to a rocky start, as the oil bust and savings & loan debacle in the 1980s had a heavy impact on this area, but in the last 5 years, this complex has really started to shine, and values are appreciating rapidly. The entire complex has recently been stuccoed, re-roofed, and the water system has been re-piped to allow multiple cut-offs instead of the one cut-off originally installed in the complex. Attractive river rock accents have been applied to all the chimneys, and the grounds are nicely landscaped. This complex is one of the few in town that have on-site management, and a full-time maintenance staff. Read the rest of this entry »
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