In Sprouting New Houses, http://activerain.com/blogsview/51670/Sprouting-New-Houses , I shared my fascination with how developers seem to handle dirt when preparing building sites. Now I have an explanation. Dirt and the value of what we do with it in, Albuquerque Journal Business Outlook Monday, March 5. Richard Metcalf, before going on to explain how the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) has come up with a formula to calculate the economic impact of commercial development, writes. Dirt has been big business in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County for a long time. Commercial Developers constantly buy and sell it, move it around and build on it.As it turns out, from the dirt up, commercial development can have significant economic impact on particular sectors... 03/05/2007

I can't think of any of my friends who don't have pets. Most have two or more. Several also rescue animals. They tell me the need for animal rescuers is enormous because of a high percentage of abandonment by pet owners. The rescuers don't restrict their rescue activity to cats and dogs. Some, like my friend N. have rescued larger animals like donkeys and horses. N says she has had as many as nine or ten dogs in her home. In addition, she owns two rescued horses. Now the animal rescuers have help at the governmental level. This afternoon, the mayor of Albuquerque, Martin Chavez, "http://www.cabq.gov/mayor/" publicly added his name to the lists of animal lovers who want to stop euthanasia. In addition the mayor wants to reduce spending on rounding up stray animals across the city.The may... 02/28/2007

In another post, I wrote about Mesa del Sol, the master planned, smart growth, wedge infill development just south of the Albuquerque, New Mexico airport. http://activerain.com/blogsview/47067/Want-to-settle-in. A reader commented that the description suggested the development could qualify as being green, that is, environmentally friendly and supporting quality of life. My description of the project, of course, is based on statements made by the developers in print marketing material and oral presentations. Development of Mesa del Sol as a green community would be fitting use of the land since it is the last wedge of a circle of land left within the boundary of the city of Albuquerque, a city that has received recognition for its quality of life. Limitations exist on the expansion of t... 02/23/2007

 If you are looking for a sun-filled area with magnificent views, Mesa del Sol, Albuquerque, New Mexico may be the place for you.Mesa del Sol http://mesadelsolnm.com/index.aspx on the Albuquerque south mesa, just south of the Albuquerque airport in Bernalillo County, promises to be the largest master planned urban infill development in the entire United States. As the name implies, Mesa del Sol is atop a sun-filled mesa with spectacular views on all sides.The site will be developed over a 25-year period as a public-private partnership of Forest City Covington, the state of New Mexico, and the University of New Mexico. A city within a city, the 12,900-acre high mesa development will occur in phases, beginning with the employment sector, and when completed, will consist of:1, 800+ acres o... 02/18/2007

The Albuquerque Real Estate market just keeps chugging along.  After a strong 2004-2005, 2006 took a slight breather (I like to call it "normalizing").  I think the slower market in 06 has been healthy.  It kept us from getting "over appreciated" like Phoenix, Las Vegas, etc...  Albuquerque and Rio Rancho have continued to have steady, consistent growth.  It's great for all of us who love this community and want to see it prosper.I have seen a couple of articles that have forecasted the Real Estate appreciation for the next few years, and Albuquerque is ranked in the top ten in all the studies I have see.Here are some links to some of these articles. http://money.cnn.com/popups/2006/fortune/invguide_realestate/4.html  http://www.housingpredictor.com/top25.html   Take care, Tracyhttp://w... 02/11/2007

 In New Mexico, particular architectural styles of homes can be identified with different regions. Steep, pitched roofs associated with more alpine-like regions are found in northern parts of the state with relatively heavy snowfall. In the Greater Albuquerque area, pueblo-style, stucco-finished, flat-roofed houses are more common. Particular neighborhoods within a city sometimes have distinctive architecture setting them apart. In the northeast quadrant Albuquerque, the High Desert is such and an area.  Several small communities of mostly earth tone pueblo-style homes snuggle chameleon-like in the foothills in a wild garden setting of native plants. Take a brief tour of High Desert. The sun is setting and it is time to head on home after a hard day of work.  http://www.realestateshows.... 02/08/2007

                             In the Greater Albuquerque, New Mexico home building, two predominant architectural styles help to define that unique quality that  we identify as southwestern.The flat-roofed pueblo and pitched-roof Monterrey style homes alike, are generally finished in earth-toned stucco--soothing shades of green, orange, ocher, sandstone. The pueblo-style homes, fashioned along the lines ofthe flat roofed adobe brick homes of early native dwellers of the region, may have rounded edges, parapet walls, and straight-edged windows. The Monterrrey-style homes often have pitched tiled roofs. Pueblo-style homes in particular, seem to fit naturally into the desert landscape, blending in ways that red brick colonials and victorian never could.         Eloise Gift  http://www.elois... 02/07/2007

                                                 Live in Albuquerque with its delightful high desert climate and be only a day trip or less from fascinating attractions around the state of New Mexico. White Sands Monument is one of these attractions-one of the many natural wonders of the Land of Enchantment. White Sands is as  devoid of life as Bosque del Apache is populated. At Bosque del Apache, especially in winter, at the break of dawn thousands of birds fill the skies and for a few moments block the sun as they take flight for the day. At twilight they reverse the journey to come back home with a profusion of colors and sounds. But not all the birds leave. Some stay to feed in the surrounding fields so all day, there is life and activity. White Sands Monument, on the other hand is ... 02/03/2007

 I wrote in an earlier post http://activerain.com/blogsview/31268/Great-Year-for-Albuquerque, that New Mexico 2006 residential real estate was likely to get a good report and it has.The results are in! No bubble burst because we did not have a bubble. The Albuquerque Metropolitan Board of Realtors year-end review substantiates the gentle ripple theory.  The market in the Greater Albuquerque area shifted and made some corrections, but in the end, the statistics confirm that 2006 has been the second best year on record for the residential real estate market in the Greater Albuquerque area.http://members.abqrealtors.com/hs/stats-2006_year_end-report.pdfhttp://eloise-mynewmeico.blogspot.com/2007/02/no-bubbles-burst-in-new-mexico.html     02/01/2007

Albuquerque, because of its relatively, and almost predictabe hgh desert climate, is a great place to call home. From its location in the middle of the state of New Mexico, it is easily accessible to a variety of remarkable sites worth visiting. One such site is Bosque del Apache.Bosque del Apache - bird sanctuary and wild-life refugeFor a spectacular winter experience, visit Bosque del Apache, a 57,191 acre wildlife refuge and bird sanctuary . The bosque (woods) where the Apache used to camp, come alive during the winter months when thousands of birds - sand hill cranes, Arctic geese, and a variety of ducks arrive to spend the winter. The refuge straddles the Rio Grande river where the New Mexico Fishery and Wild Life Preserve make sure there is an abundant supply of food to sustain th... 01/31/2007

Chimayó - pilgrims' destinationDepending on whether you walk, ride a bike or drive, Chimayó is only two to six hours away from Albuquerque-less than a daytrip. It is the most famous shrine in all of North America, and is sometimes called the Lourdes of New Mexico. People visit from all over the world especially during the Christian celebration of Lent and Easter. El Santuario de Chimayó, to give the shrine it's full name in the language of New Mexico's earliest colonizers, is nestled in a picturesque, setting just north of Santa Fe off Route 520. In a state where people often describe the way they experience the landscape as spiritual or mystical, Chimayó's setting alone might justify its being being considered sacred space. But as with all shrines, there is a story. Pilgrims visit Chim... 01/24/2007

Yesterday, folk were cross-country skiing in Albuquerque.  Last night the cross-country truckers and holiday travelers were not allowed on sections of the the interstate highways because of icy conditions. Today, just half an hour away up on Sandia Peak, skiershave take to the slopes. I am at home this morning at my desk -all scheduled events cancelled since yesterdday morning through tonight. Since we are so close to the Christmas and New Year holidays, essentially all business events to the end of the year are cancelled. The following email is typical of the notes that have been flying out of inboxes during the last twenty-four hours. Hi everyone, Hope you have a very merry Christmas and New Year!!! The snow looks like a picture . . .beautiful. The meeting for tonight is cancelled sur... 12/20/2006