Living in Santa Fe Blog - Barker Realty LLC

Broker Spotlight: John Hancock

“The best thing about real estate is selling in Santa Fe. That is cool!”

John Hancock’s love for New Mexico grows deeper each year. “New Mexico is just plain stunning!” John says passionately. “I mean…the sky! I love the clouds. I love the sunsets.” Born and raised in Santa Fe, his enthusiasm for New Mexico is only eclipsed by our charming town. “It continually impresses me that there is so much variety here, especially for its relatively small size compared to other cities offering the same level of cuisine, arts and culture. Not to mention the geography. You can go from desert to a mountain climate in 15 minutes! You look out the window and you have 12,000’ mountains — when the aspens are golden they are exquisite, when they are covered in snow…

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New to The City Different? Get to Know Santa Fe on a Guided Tour

Santa Fe moves at a different speed from cities like Los Angeles and New York City or some of the more industry-driven towns like Dallas and Phoenix. It’s not the city that never sleeps, it’s the city that you can enjoy at your own pace. Especially for new residents and those looking for homes in Santa Fe, that doesn’t mean that it can’t be overwhelming at times. Taking a guided tour is one of the best ways to make Santa Fe a little easier to get to know—and a great way to discover your favorite hangouts, views, and vicinities. Here’s a collection of tours that suit every season of the year. As you look for Santa Fe real estate, why not take one of these tours this fall?

Historic Walks of Santa Fe

Historic Walks of Santa Fe is a great place to…

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The Equifax Data Breach and What It Means for You

This month we learned of a massive data breach at one of the three major credit reporting agencies. Equifax disclosed months-long theft of over 140 million users information, including Social Security numbers, addresses, telephone numbers, drivers license numbers, and some bank information. Given how substantial this breach of information is, I felt it necessary to help our clients better understand what they can do moving forward.

Background

Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion are the three major credit reporting agencies used by mortgage lenders, credit card companies, and banks for determining risk in issuing credit. Our credit use, history of payments, income, etc are used in algorithms to determine our Credit Score, which of course is…

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Can’t-Miss Fall Festivals Around Santa Fe

Throughout the year, New Mexico hosts a nearly constant chain of festivals. In October alone, there are three major festivals running from a couple of days to nearly a full week. For new residents or prospective homebuyers, festivals offer an ideal way to get to know an area and can be paired with looking for homes in Santa Fe. Our advice: Prioritize one festival a month and attend others if you have the time.  Here’s what’s coming to the Santa Fe area this fall. Which festival will you choose?

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, October 7-9

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is technically an Albuquerque event, but the enormous blue and orange skies of New Mexico belong to all of us. It’s just under an hour’s drive from Santa…

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What You Need to Know About Fiesta de Santa Fe

Nobody loves a festival like Santa Fe loves a festival. All through the year, there are art shows and fairs and parades and celebrations throughout the streets, attracting artists and collectors from around the world.

The one that takes place in September is known as Fiesta de Santa Fe. The festival commemorates the 1692 conquest of New Mexico by the Spanish, led by General Don Diego de Vargas. This was the second conquest after the Spanish had been pushed out of Santa Fe during the Pueblo Revolt in 1680. The Fiesta was eventually re-envisioned to be a celebration of New Mexico history and culture, the city of Santa Fe, and the native people of the area.

This year’s Fiesta de Santa Fe takes place from September 1 through September 10 with…

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Insider Guide: Navigating the Santa Fe Indian Market

If you’ve recently moved to Santa Fe or are considering buying a home here, you might already know that the Santa Fe Indian Market takes place next weekend on August 19 and 20.

You might also know that the market is one of the biggest art fairs in the world, attracting 150,000 people each year from all over the world. With more than 700 booths, the Indian Market spreads across 14 city blocks in and around the Plaza.

But you don’t really know how big this market is until your feet tell you. Based on our own feet, here are the most important tips we can offer to first-timers.

Make Your Day Count

The market is everything it’s said to be, but it gets exhausting quickly. So our first piece of advice is to make your day count. Here’s the…

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Broker Spotlight: Pamela Preston

“44 years later…I am still deeply in love with Santa Fe!”

When Pamela Preston was 12, her family embarked on a vacation to the Southwest. “When I saw the Rocky Mountains, I just flipped! I honestly had no idea anything like that existed!” Pam exclaims passionately. “Where I’m from in the Midwest, the landscape is fairly flat. Then I see these gigantic snow-covered peaks reaching up into the clouds. That was it for me.”

In her mid-20s, Pam was finally able to make the Southwest her home and she’s never looked back. After a few years living in Denver, Pam moved to the Velarde area in Northern New Mexico and became established as a jeweler. Forrest Fenn and Pam took a shine to each other and quickly became very close friends. “Forrest taught me…

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Top Cultural Destinations in Santa Fe

If we were to start listing all of the best art and culture in Santa Fe, we’d never finish, because 50 new developments would have popped up by the time we reached the end. There are hundred-page books that cover the best art and culture of Santa Fe, and they barely scratch the surface. But here’s what we can do: We can tell you about a few of the best places to start exploring Santa Fe’s art and culture scene. And to make sure we can fit it into a single blog post, we’ll skip the annual festivals for now and stick to year-round attractions. As you look for homes in Santa Fe, be sure to put these on your list of must-see destinations.

Museum of Indian Arts & Culture

For those who are brand-new to Santa Fe culture, the Museum of Indian Arts &…

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How to Stay Active in Santa Fe

When you first make the move to Santa Fe, don’t beat yourself up for taking a week away from your exercise routine. Between acclimating to the elevation and unpacking and getting settled, it’s going to take a few extra days to get back into your routine. But we all know that one week off can quickly become two weeks, which can become three going on four, and then you’ve completely broken one of your healthiest habits. So take the time to recuperate, don’t push yourself any more than you need to, and as soon as you’re able, get outdoors to explore some of Santa Fe’s best destinations for staying active.

Biking Along Tesuque Canyon and Winsor Trail

USA Today lists Santa Fe as one of the nation’s top towns for mountain bike trails. It’s easy to…

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Broker Spotlight: Michael D’Alfonso

“I love showing off Santa Fe!”

Twenty eight years ago, Michael walked away from his corporate career and got in his car and started driving away from Chicago. “New Mexico had been hovering in my head and the minute I arrived in Santa Fe and hit the Paseo, I just knew I was home. There is truly no where else in this country that I would rather live,” Michael says passionately.

When he first moved to Santa Fe, Michael did what he dreamed of doing after college and became a struggling artist — dancing, training, performing, acting in small movie parts and commercials. “It was a lot of fun!”

Real estate was a natural transition for him, being a third generation Realtor, and Barker Realty became an ideal fit. “Because of my love for…

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