You might remember this blog, in which I talked about Hollywood coming to New Mexico and what it means for our state. Today, it was very clear that Hollywood had come to Las Cruces; in fact, it closed down a major highway about a mile from my house. I remember reading about it in the Las Cruces Sun News a few days ago, but it must have slipped my mind, because this morning the side streets off of Highway 70 were filled with cars. Roadrunner Parkway and Sonoma Ranch Boulevard were both heavily impacted, and those are two major in-city commuting streets without the highway shutdown. The traffic didn’t bother me very much, as our real estate offices are just down the road but I want to make sure Las Crucens are aware of the road closures due to filming.   This information comes from the N... 10/07/2009

: October 4th, 2009 : Evelyn Bruder : Comment (0) Business Week, Votes Las Cruces 8th Top Market for Home Construction Everyday I get asked “How is the Real Estate Market doing? I finally have an authoritative answer. Anarticle in the September issue of Business Week Magazine focuses on a Top 10 list of strong, consistent building markets. The article names Las Cruces the number 8 place in the country. Las Cruces had a year-over-year (2009 v 2008) increase in all building of 11.6% including a 1,841% increase this year in multifamily building permits. The full article can be found at Business Week - Top US Markets For New Construction This comes as no surprise to me, as Las Cruces appeared to suffer the least from the economic downturn out of all of the small-metro and metro areas in ou... 10/04/2009

This past weekend we headed out into the blazing sunshine to enjoy the Whole Enchilada Festival. As always, Las Crucens came out by the hundreds for the parade, the carnival, the shopping, and most importantly, the food. Tent after tent after tent emitted delicious scents, serving up everything from enchiladas to smoked turkey legs to alligator meat (no joke!). The choices for shopping and activities were endless… all in all it was a great weekend!   We got to the Hadley Complex in time to watch the parades and walk around before we took a spot in the shade to enjoy some live music. We strolled, we ate, we took pictures… Exhausted after being out in the sun for six hours, we headed home just before sunset, right when the lights of the carnival rides turned on. We had a great time at th... 09/30/2009

Around this time every year, Las Cruces hosts a unique and tasty event: the Whole Enchilada Festival! This event is a celebration of the culture, history, and food of New Mexico, offering a range of entertainment and festivities for the whole family to enjoy. This year, the event takes place in September on Friday the 25th, Saturday the 26th, and Sunday the 27th, held at Meercheidt Recreation Center near the corner of Hadley and Solano here in Las Cruces. Come out Friday evening for the kick off with live music and a carnival; head out early on Saturday for a parade of local businesses and talents and stay all day for tournaments, games, and more; make sure to come by on Sunday morning to see the big finale: the preparation and cooking of the world’s biggest enchilada. We’ll be there l... 09/24/2009

I’m sure you have seen the countless “best places to live in America” articles on sites like MSN, Money.com, and so on. Occasionally I’ll click and read, but so often those big top ten lists overlook the fantastic, smaller cities and towns that could be the ideal location for any person or family. If you’re looking for a calm climate, a great small metro area for businesses, access to higher education and quality health care, then maybe Las Cruces is the place for you. Earlier this year, Las Cruces was deemed one of the best places in America to “thrive” by Best Boomer Towns. Based on our employment growth trends in the past 10 years, projected future growth, and activity in critical technologies, Las Cruces has been named one of the best places in the country to do business and nurtur... 09/13/2009

Today is groundbreaking day for America's first spaceport. Having recently seen Star Trek, that's all I can invision... a sort of Space Odessy 2001.. only more technologically advanced. And cooler (Space Odessy is the worst movie I have ever seen). I've always been a space nerd (geek?) so I was really excited to come across this. If I make it out west next year then I will definitely visit the site. I find it interesting that amid all of this economic turmoil, endeavors such as this can still take off and keep on rolling. Only in America :) Though it's years down the road, I can't wait to see it completed and actually in business. Perhaps in my lifetime it'll be affordable to take a ride into space....          06/18/2009

Adobe Adobe is one of the oldest building materials in use. It is basically just dirt that has been moistened with water, sometimes with chopped straw or other fibers added for strength, and then allowed to dry in the desired shape. Commonly adobe is shaped into uniform blocks that can be stacked like bricks to form walls, but it can also be simply piled up over time to create a structure. The best adobe soil will have between 15% and 30% clay in it to bind the material together, with the rest being mostly sand or larger aggregate. Too much clay will shrink and crack excessively; too little will allow fragmentation. Sometimes adobe is stabilized with a small amount of cement or asphalt emulsion added to keep it intact where it will be subject to excessive weather. Adobe blocks can be fo... 04/06/2009

Sun-News report                                                                                                                                                Posted: 04/03/2009 12:00:00 AM MDT LAS CRUCES - The first of two annual open houses of Trinity Site, where the world's first atomic bomb was detonated, will be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. But Monte Marlin, White Sands Missile Range spokeswoman, said people who want to attend the open house should be prepared for inclement weather. "I've looked at the early forecast and it's supposed to be 63 degrees (Fahrenheit), windy and a 40 percent chance of rain," Marlin said. "I'd recommend that people check the weather before coming." Yearly tours of the U.S. historical landmark are conducted in April and October. Trinity Site is at th... 04/03/2009

March 6th, 2009 Opening night a hit for Las Cruces theater By Lauren E. Toney Sun-News reporterPosted: 03/06/2009 12:00:00 AM MST LAS CRUCES - Allen Theatres will open the doors to its new 10-screen multiplex today at the Mesilla Valley Mall. The city's second-largest theater, Cineport 10 will officially open for business with an 11:20 a.m. showing of the new release "Watchmen," an American superhero film based on a comic book series. Russell Allen, vice president of operations, said he expects a packed house for opening day. Construction on the 36,000-square-foot, $10 million multiplex began last year. The free-standing structure is located next to JCPenney at the mall, 700 S. Telshor Blvd. After nine months of labor and preparation, Allen said, "Now we just want to show it off." The t... 03/08/2009

  Whether you are among the "Baby Boomer" generation or not, the quality of life in Las Cruces is something to be proud of.  To have others recognize it from afar is even better! BestBoomerTowns - a website aimed at baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964), named Las Cruces among the 21 "best places to spend the rest of your life."  Now, before you start getting images of the town being overrun by people waiting to die, take a look at some of the key criteria:  availability of university, social & cultural activities, variety of housing costs, etc.  We've always known that Las Cruces had good weather and is a great place to live - it is validated by outside sources yet again!     01/31/2009

             Well...maybe not real alien ships, but these things sort of look like something from a sci-fi movie, don't they? What are they?  They're filtration units used for drip irrigation.  Quite a bit bigger than anything you might need for your yard, but then, unless you're growing 50 acres of cabbage or onions in your yard, you don't need anything quite like this.  When using a drip system on a large scale, a little sediment in the drip lines can make for a really long day! These are being used northwest of Las Cruces, New Mexico - about 3 1/2 miles north of Fairacres by a farmer named Steve Lyles.  He is one of the most progressive and innovative farmers in the Mesilla Valley, incorporating drip irrigation for quite a bit of his vegetable production. In real estate & farming ali... 12/08/2008

I love Mike Jones - he is a dear person, friend, photo & blogging guru and a great professional to send clients needing loans to.  It all started when he drove through Las Cruces, New Mexico (my hometown) and was impressed with a sculpture of a roadrunner at the rest area off of I-10, west of town.  Being the consummate shutterbug and blogger that he is, Mike wrote a great blog post about the roadrunner made of spare parts and junk, relating it to his business and providing inspirational thoughts for us all.  Here is his post:  It's Not What You Have...It's What You DO With What You Have...  Great Post!  I especially like that he found something truly unique in my hometown, and saw inspiration in it.  Isn't that Roadrunner great?  Here's a photo that shows the artwork as seen going west... 12/04/2008

High School Football...in some parts of the country, it is treated like religion.  Towns shut down on Friday nights to see the local team play.  A few communities organize caravans and ride-share programs to go to away games. TV shows like "Friday Night Lights" treat the subject like the most important thing in teenagers' lives and of their families also. Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania...Alabama, Illinois and many others come to mind as places where High School Football is a passion.  And Las Cruces, New Mexico. WHAT?              WHERE? Las Cruces, New Mexico!  Yes - this community of roughly 100,000 people in the Mesilla Valley where the Rio Grande River makes the land fertile & history includes Billy The Kid, Pat Garrett along other figures notorious or heroic - is incredibly... 12/04/2008

Brook Stockberger, the Business Editor of the Las Cruces NM Sun-News reported on EXIT Realty's involvement in a Habitat for Humanity home being built for a deserving family in Dona Ana County.  EXIT Realty New Mexico Regional Owner, Chuck Olson, one of the key participants in the build, had this to say: "One of the reasons we wanted to be affiliated with EXIT is because of its Habitat participation. Our corporation made this a goal, that we would always be participating in Habitat. In fact, a piece of every one of our transactions is dedicated to Habitat. It's a perpetual thing." Read the entire story here. For more information about the work of Habitat for Humanity in Las Cruces, click here. To find out about joining EXIT Realty in New Mexico or El Paso, TX as a sales representative, o... 11/20/2008

These Stats were captured Nov. 4,  2008.  The stats provide an overall view of the Market in Las Cruces.  Las Cruces is still a relatively strong community.  The actives have slowly declined in the last few months.  We expect those to pick back up in the new year when people typically look at selling their homes after the holidays.  These stats are of course are city wide.  These stats are not necessarily good comparison of all neighborhoods in town.  We would love to provide you with stats pertaining to your area.  Just drop us an e-mail. For all information Las Cruces:  www.LasCrucesNMProperties.com 11/05/2008

These stats are compiled from a glimpse in time, at the moment when obtained and for the week from 10/21/08 to 10/28/08.  We look at all active and sold residential property in our data base.  They are gathered by us but if another real estate professional did the research they may calculate slightly different depending on the criteria entered.  10/29/2008

The Las Cruces Sun-News reports "With the help of his grandmother, Laura Jaramillo, Robert Jaramillo, 2, puts on a hard hat Monday before the groundbreaking ceremony for Laura's new Habitat for Humanity house, where she said she will often babysit Robert and his younger sister Adalayah."  Click here for the story. This Las Cruces, New Mexico build is EXIT Realty Corp. International's 10th corporately sponsored build for Habitat for Humanity.  Another EXIT Blitz week is happening on EXIT's 9th build in Fredericton, New Brunswick.  A portion of every transaction fee collected by EXIT Realty Corp. International is applied to our charitable fund, and to date, EXIT Realty has donated $1.5 million to Habitat for Humanity. This story is also posted in www.realestateindustryleaders.com 10/29/2008

    These stats are compiled from a glimpse in time, at the moment when obtained and for the week from 10/14/08 to 10/21/08.  We look at all active and sold residential property in our data base.  They are gathered by us but if another real estate professional did the research they may calculate slightly different depending on the criteria entered.   As always all information on Las Cruces can be found at www.LasCrucesNMProperties.com. 10/21/2008

  Located in the North Valley of Las Cruces, Greyfox is a beautiful gated community. Just five miles north on Valley or exit 9 off I25 it is a great location.  Greyfox represents clean living on large lots for those who prefer a country lifestyle.  Lots sold quickly in Phase 1, where there have been a variety of custom home builders build showcase homes for the current homeowners.  Residents love the open feel yet being surrounded by the mountains for some fabulous views.  There are still lots available in phase 2, 3 and 4, ranging in size from 1 acre to 1.5 acre.  Some of the building requirements include, nothing 2 story or over 23 feet high, a minimum of 1900 square feet of heated and cooled living space, a minimum of a 2 car garage.  They do not allow farm animals and you can build ... 10/15/2008

These statistics are dated Oct. 14, 2008.  I hope this gives you an idea of the overall market in Las Cruces.  The market is allot better than many places around the country so we are very fortunate.  Obviously these stats are a good overview.  If you are looking for more specific stats we would be more than happy to sit down and discuss all necessary statistics. 10/14/2008