Las Cruces, NM

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 alike we need to conserve our resources, be innovative and strategically implement new ideas where prudent...and always be vigilant with the details, the grains of sediment that can clog up the works, especially when the tendency is to focus on the bigger picture.

Here's another view including the pump so you'll sleep better, knowing that there aren't really aliens invading the southwest.

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 on I-10:  You can see the roadrunner highlighted in the red circle.

As wonderful as Mike is, I have to question his judgement (although I can understand how his awe at the craftsmanship and creativity that went into the roadrunner).

He completely missed the best part of that vantage point...the view of Las Cruces & the Mesilla Valley that unfolds as you head east into town off of the mesa:

<

As incredible as the roadrunner is, I can't believe MikeInTucson missed this photo!  Those are the Organ Mountains to the east, and Las Cruces is the city unfolding before them.  You can see pecan groves in the foreground.

Oh, by the way...that roadrunner?  It was approximately 5 feet to my left when taking this picture.  Better luck next time, Mike.  Perhaps he was just letting me have the opportunity to show a little of the Mesilla Valley's beauty, after all it is my hometown!  LOL

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 supportive of its high school gridiron gangs.

The stadium that the school district uses for regular games is named the "Field of Dreams," providing a 10,000 seat place for the 3 high schools to play their home games. When Las Cruces High and Mayfield High play each other...the place just isn't big enough.

When the Bulldawgs meet the Trojans, the game is moved across town to Aggie Memorial Stadium at New Mexico State University, which seats just over 30,000 people. The backdrop of "A" Mountain and the majesty of the Organ Mountains behind provide a scenic setting for fans.

The Saturday after Thanksgiving, these two teams met for the right to play for the State Championship...and somewhere in the neighborhood of 24,000 people came. This was a disappointing turnout...two weeks before, the Bulldawgs & Trojans drew 26,000+ to their annual regular season battle. The university team barely averages 15,000.

WHY?

One of these teams has won 9 out of the last 13 titles in New Mexico's 5A (large school) division! Mayfield has won 6 (the last 3 championships in a row), and Las Cruces 3.

Having beaten Mayfield during the regular season by virtue of a 2-point conversion in the final minute of play, Las Cruces fans were anxious, hoping that their undefeated season would not be ruined by a Trojan squad looking for revenge. Instead of a close nail-biter, the Bulldawgs won convincingly, 35-7, to dash Mayfield's hopes of a 4th straight championship.

What makes this rivalry special? Many look at the fact that these footballers are all TEAMS first. There are no superstars. In most years, only a few players will earn athletic scholarships. Division I caliber players are even fewer. The special feeling comes from the cameraderie and knowledge that as a TEAM, these kids can do great things, enjoy a fierce rivalry...and still be friends, especially since they've known each other from grade school on.

This country loves its underdogs, Horatio Alger stories and seeing the little guy overcome challenges to achieve great things by working together. In Las Cruces, New Mexico, the storybook gets new chapters every fall.

UPDATE: Las Cruces High finished the season undefeated, bringing home their 4th title since 1995. That makes 10 state football championships in that time period for the city!

(Born & Raised in Las Cruces...
known for needing his "enchilada fix"

every few months or so)

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, or to explore real estate franchise opportunites, please contact:

Chuck Olson, Regional Owner
EXIT Realty New Mexico
575-532-5678
Chuck@exitnm.com

This article is also posted on www.realestateindustryleaders.com.

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