On January 21st, the Valencia County Commission voted 3-2 to approve a zoning change on 40 acres of irrigated Rio Grande Valley farm land from A-P (Agricultural Preservation) to RR2 (residential 2.5 acre minimum), despite a unanimous recommendation against the proposal by the Valencia County Planning and Zoning Board, and despite nearly unanimous opposition from neighboring property owners.
The zoning change request came from land owners John Whisenant, an Albuquerque real estate developer, and Elias Barela, a freshman State Representative. The deciding vote came from Valencia County Commissioner Georgia Otero Kirkham, Barela's first cousin. Kirkham refused to recuse herself on the vote, despite many requests that she do so in order to avoid voting on her cousin's proposal. She allegedly voted against at least one similar proposal made by Whisenant in the past, before her cousin Elias Barela became involved.
Kirkham also runs the local Stewart Title branch in Los Lunas, NM, the Valencia County seat. Her title company may derive substantial income from the sales of the proposed 15 lots (with or without new Valencia County homes in place on the lots). This rural property, used for agricultural purposes for generations, may soon be turned into a housing development.
Listing agents marketing horse properties in and around Albuquerque, New Mexico, are trying a new marketing ploy to try to get buyers out and about, falling in love with their listings. It's being billed as a "Holiday Horse Property Extravaganza," and features more than 30 listings all over the greater Albuquerque area, all with existing homes and existing barns, stalls, and other horse facilities.
The effort is structured as a two-day event, with high-end horse properties (priced over $1 million, and suitable for large-scale breeding/training operations) all open by invitation only on the afternoon of Saturday, December 3rd from noon to 4 p.m. On Sunday, dozens of properties, priced between $180,000 to $999,999 will be open to the general public from noon to 4 p.m.
For a complete list of properties, with details, pictures and maps, just visit www.ABQHorseProperty.com! You'll also be able to request an invitation to the Saturday event right there online, in case you are looking for a breeding/training facility and did not already receive your invitation!
There are properties available in Albuquerque itself, in the North Valley and South Valley, and even one on the West Side. Additional featured properties are located in Corrales and Placitas in Sandoval County, throughout the East Mountain areas like Edgewood, and as far out as Estancia and Stanley, and throughout Valencia County areas like Bosque Farms, Los Lunas, and Belen.
The event has gotten some great support from local media, with feature articles in both the Albuquerque Journal and the Valencia County News Bulletin.
Come on out and take a look at some of these fabulous horse properties--you and your horses will both be glad you did! Remember, just visit www.ABQHorseProperty.com. Or call tour organizer Laura Warden at 505-239-4796 for more information.
Average home sales prices in Valencia County, NM, appreciated quite a bit in 2007 over 2006. Statistics from the Albuquerque Metropolitan Board of Realtors indicate that average sales prices in Valencia County were up nearly $10,000 for single-family, detached homes, compared to the figures from the previous year.
These are not bad figures at all for home sellers in such Valencia County towns as Bosque Farms, Peralta, Los Lunas, and Belen! These rural homes and small town properties are continuing to have excellent appreciation! The figures also indicate that sellers are not having to negotiate down very much from their list prices, either. In fact, the average home sold for 97% of asking price! A little less positive note is struck by the figures for days on the market, and number of actual homes sold, though. The average days on the market for homes closed in 2006 was 64, but in 2007 that figure went up to an average of 70 days on the market. Similarly, 2006 saw 834 closings of single-family residential properties in the area, but there were only 630 such sales in 2007. So there are fewer buyers out there, and it is taking longer to sell a home. It is increasingly important that sellers
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All four of Valencia County's municipalities will be holding local elections in March.
Bosque Farms will be electing a mayor, two councilors, and a municipal judge. Current Judge Richard Wilke has announced that he will not seek re-election, but Mayor Wayne Ake and frist-term councilors Dolly Wallace and Robert Knowlton will all run for re-election. All Bosque Farms voters can cast their ballots at the Bosque Farms Rodeo Arena. In Peralta, also, seats for the mayor, a municipal judge, and two councilors will also need to be filled. Current Judge Louis Burkhard has stated his intention to run, as has Councilor Nancy Burge. In Los Lunas, NM, voters will be selecting councilors for District 1 and District 3. The existing District 3 Councilor, Cecilia Castillo, has announced her intention to seek re-election, as has District 3 Councilor Gerald Saiz. Belen, New Mexico voters will also need to select two councilors. Current Councilor Rudy Jaramillo has stated that he has not yet decided whether he will run for a third term, while Councilor Jeff Trembly plans to seek re-election. |
I list and sell unique properties in the Albuquerque, NM area, particularly historic homes, rural and small town homes in in the East Mountains, Bosque Farms and Los Lunas in Valencia County.
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As the chart indicates, the average sales price for 2007 was $184,803 in 2007, vs. $175,068 for 2006. The average listing price for these properties was $190,485, compared to an average list price of $178,499 in 2006.
The 
