Las Cruces, NM

Each year, the American Southwest Theater Company at New Mexico State University puts on a production during the holiday season (on top of their several other productions each year), and as of the last few years, the ASTC has switched off between the classic yuletide tale of ‘A Christmas Year’ and a different, non-holiday production. This year, the ASTC is proud to present “Seussical the Musical” from November 20th through December 6th at the Hershel Zohn Theater on the NMSU campus.

Seussical entwines the favorites of the Dr. Seuss world, including Horton and the Whos, the Cat in the Hat, the Grinch, and more, and creates a magical, fantastical world in which all of Dr. Seuss’s characters interact and live among each other. The show is rated PG, and provides greatly quality fun for every member of the family. We saw it when the ASTC did the show a few years ago and loved it - we will definitely be back this time around too.

Leading a cast of talented locals is director Tim Pinnow, choreographer Jennifer Lemon, and musical director Robert Randall. The cast features a number of talented local artists & NMSU students including Matt Jones (Horton), Carrie Oliver (Cat in the Hat), Mandy Guitar (JoJo), Ida Holguin (Gertrude), Francesca Tharpe (Mazy), and La Sasha Aldridge (Sour Kangaroo), including many other dancers and vocalists (not to mention all the back stage and production crew).

To see show times, dates, and ticket availability, visit Ticketmaster by CLICKING HERE.

For more information, call the NMSU Theatre/ASTC box office at 646-4515 or 1-800-646-ASTC.

To see www.BroadwayWorld.com’s impressive write up on the Las Cruces show, CLICK HERE.

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Evelyn Bruder: CRS, GRI, ABR, E-PRO, Las Cruces Cyberstar

The Evelyn Bruder Dream Team http://www.homesforsaleinlascruces.com

For more information about what we do and how we can provide all of your real estate needs, CLICK HERE

We welcome comments and questions - CLICK HERE

Steinborn GMAC Real Estate (575)522-3698

First things first, I want to ask a question:

What did we do before Google?

For me, it’s strange to sit and remember the last time I had to really search for the answer to something, whether it be a recipe, a phone number, or a movie. And by ‘really search,’ I don’t mean sifting through the first four pages of Google’s search before I find the site I’m looking for; do you remember how difficult it used to be to find a new business’s phone number or location before the phone book was updated? It’s almost unfathomable to think about planning a trip itinerary without the help of the Internet… How did we even book hotels 10 years ago? It boggles my mind!

On that same note, the information at our fingertips is endless. Particularly, real estate marketing has drastically changed over the last five years. Remember when one of the best ways to get your face out there was a billboard? A full page ad in a phone directory? Newspapers? Magazines? Networking with real people? Granted, we still use some of these, but if you sit and think about all the money you’ve saved since you pulled those costly ads and started utilizing websites and blogs to deliver your message. That thought hadn’t really occurred to me until I was reminiscing with colleagues recently, and the amount that all of us have saved is in the thousands now.

I know that some agents and professionals are still a little reluctant to dive head-first into social media marketing world, but I cannot stress enough how easy and cheap it is; even if you have to pay to host your website or blog, the average $5-15 dollars per month (or year) is a huge difference from the hundreds (to thousands) it costs to rent and put up a billboard space. Listed below are some links to blog entries, website posts, and the like that I have found helpful and informative:

-About.com article about the basics to utilizing social media: CLICK HERE

-My blog post about Twitter: In Plain English: CLICK HERE

-My blog post about social media marketing tactics: CLICK HERE

-Another blog post about social media marketing, how it works, and a video on the scope of technology: CLICK HERE

I hope some of these links are helpful for you and your business and that this post was a little thought provoking, because really… Where were we BG? (Before Google)

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Evelyn Bruder: CRS, GRI, ABR, E-PRO, Las Cruces Cyberstar

The Evelyn Bruder Dream Team http://www.homesforsaleinlascruces.com

For more information about what we do and how we can provide all of your real estate needs, CLICK HERE

We welcome comments and questions - CLICK HERE

Steinborn GMAC Real Estate (575)522-3698

To keep you informed about the Las Cruces Real Estate market and other important area information and happenings, we are providing you with informative articles and information that our team thinks will be of interest to you. If you have any questions, feel free to call or email us by CLICKING HERE.

What: 38th annual Renaissance Arts Faire

When: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Nov. 7, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Nov. 8

Where: Young Park

Don’t miss: Over 160 artisans, live entertainment, singer-songwriter Tom Russell, Merry Court of Sherwood Oak, The Children’s Realm, The Society for Creative Anachronism encampment featuring battles and demonstrations, food treats, and more.

How much: $5, free for kids 12 and under

Info & to volunteer: (575) 523-6403, infodaac@daarts.org, www.las-cruces-arts.org

This year 25,000-30,000 visitors are gather for the event at Young Park. We hope to see you there!

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Evelyn Bruder: CRS, GRI, ABR, E-PRO, Las Cruces Cyberstar

The Evelyn Bruder Dream Team http://www.homesforsaleinlascruces.com

For more information about what we do and how we can provide all of your real estate needs, CLICK HERE

We welcome comments and questions - CLICK HERE

Steinborn GMAC Real Estate (575)522-3698

Any Las Cruces native or resident will tell you that if there’s any football game to see, it’s Mayfield versus Las Cruces High. For nearly 30 years, the two high schools were the only secondary education schools in the city, and as a result, a deep-rooted rivalry was born. Even with the arrival of Onate High School in 1993, the competition between Mayfield and Las Cruces has remained untouched. Each year, thousands of teenagers, parents, football fans, and Las Cruces residents show up to take sides at Aggie Stadium, since the game has reached a magnitude that surpasses the usual high school stomping grounds, the Field of Dreams.

Last year, officials estimated some 30,000 spectators came out for the game (that’s three times the usual amount at Aggies games, if that’s any indication). Las Cruces High are the reigning 5A state champions in football, with a remarkable 13-0 record. Rival.com puts Las Cruces High on their RivalsHigh 100 List of 2008 out of all the schools in the country. Both Mayfield and Las Cruces High have had rocky seasons so far, so the question is: will Las Cruces’s track record as state champs play in their favor, or could this game serve as Mayfield’s stepping stone to the state championship this year?

This is a fantastic Las Cruces event for people of all ages, alumni or not. Come out and eat stadium food and watch some good old fashioned football on Friday, Nov. 6 at 7pm at Aggie Memorial Stadium on the NMSU Campus. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students, and kids 6 and under are free. We hope to see you there!

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Evelyn Bruder: CRS, GRI, ABR, E-PRO, Las Cruces Cyberstar

The Evelyn Bruder Dream Team http://www.homesforsaleinlascruces.com

For more information about what we do and how we can provide all of your real estate needs, CLICK HERE

We welcome comments and questions - CLICK HERE

Steinborn GMAC Real Estate (575)522-3698

Most people looking to sell live in homes that are a little dated. Trends come and go, and over time, we all do the best we can to keep our homes exactly how we want them. It’s tough to compete against the brand new, never lived in, built to sell houses; the only downside to those is that they’re priced much higher than homes that have been previously lived in. So, if a cost-conscious and trendy couple or family is looking to buy, there’s a small market available to them.

Nowadays, there’s a full-fledged portion of the workforce dedicated to improving your home and essentially redesigning it to make it as desirable as possible to the demanding market. These people are called stagers, and if you’ve read my blog before, you may have seen THIS ONE in which I talked about the benefits of having someone professionally stage your home. I always suggest going with a staging professional, but if there are some home repairs you know you need to do before putting it on the market, there are some that generate more of a return.

Changing your flooring might be expensive, but that’s a huge decision maker for buyers. Flooring trends have changed somewhat randomly over the years (remember the 70’s shag carpeting?), but one timeless style that remains constant is hardwood. Installing hardwood post-carpeting can be really expensive, so investing in a classic beige or sand colored carpet in replacement of wilder colors is a huge benefit; not only does it open up the space of a room, but when a buyer hears ‘brand new carpeting,’ they feel positive. Obviously trends change from market to market, and since we live in the southwest, saltillo tile is widely popular and a big benefit to buyers if they’re looking to purchase a southwestern home. If you, the seller, have tile, it’s imperative to replaced cracked or chipped tiles and clean or replace the grout. Replacing tile completely can be extremely costly, so focus on the specifics that need alterations.

Painting ceilings and walls is something any home staging professional will suggest, usually in creams or nudes in order to start with a blank canvas and brighten up a room. Wallpaper is generally a no-no in selling a home; it’s not that people don’t like wallpaper, it’s that they don’t like your wallpaper, since tastes in such designs tend to be very specific. That rain forest themed room you loved so much might seem quirky and fun to you, but to a buyer that’s a lot of primer, paint, and money they don’t really want to spend. In terms of ceilings, older ‘popcorn’ ceilings (the ones that sparkle) usually have asbestos, and most buyers are aware of that. They really need to be replaced, regardless of the cost.

Those are the two big things I address with sellers of older homes. Smaller things like re-finishing cabinets (much cheaper than replacing), and clean and sparkling sinks and faucets are much easier to take care of. Buyers really don’t want a leaky faucet or stained sinks, and usually those can be fixed with the turn of a wrench and heavy duty bleach. If not, look into buying at warehouse or sample sales at designer department stores; the name is impressive, especially if you know you secretly spent a fourth of the cost as usual.

Outdoors, there are simple things anyone can do to create a pleasant ambiance. Planting flowers, sealing cracks in cement, replacing doorknobs and locks, and painting fences can all be done for under $60 dollars and in less than a day. Curb appeal is the first of the first impressions.

Overall, the two big home repairs that generate a return are the floors and walls/ceilings. Fixing these gives a professional home stager a great canvas to start with to get your home ready to sell. Or, if you prefer to do it yourself, you can find some easy preparing to sell tips by CLICKING HERE.

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Evelyn Bruder: CRS, GRI, ABR, E-PRO, Las Cruces Cyberstar

The Evelyn Bruder Dream Team http://www.homesforsaleinlascruces.com

For more information about what we do and how we can provide all of your real estate needs, CLICK HERE

We welcome comments and questions - CLICK HERE

Steinborn GMAC Real Estate (575)522-3698