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What a year, what a year! It was easily the best in at least the past 10 years and the foundation for continued growth and prosperity in the real estate sector is solid. The breakdown in price ranges tells the tale in more detail, but you can guess the variations if you have been a student of the Santa Fe NM residential marketplace over the years.
The lower price range (under $500K) is the strongest; big demand and not enough inventory. At least in this lower range there are new homes popping up in several locations around the metro area. The demand is so strong they are selling quickly. An exhaustive search has not been performed to see if ALL the new homes are showing up in the Santa Fe Association of Realtors database. Likely not, so my stats, based on that same database, will be only part of the story. The mid range ($500K to $1M) is not far behind with a good steady absorption rate and almost no new homes showing up for sale. Home buyers looking in this range report back that there is very little quality inventory. Homes that are in top condition with lots of upgrades and amenities sell in three to six months. The rest take longer. And they still must be priced in line with the competition. Nobody is paying “too much”.
The top range, above $1 million, is the strongest it has been in many years as we have a wide range of product located from the hills to the valleys ranging from 100 year old adobes with masterful remodeling to sprawling McMansions on acreage all over the hills. Some have character and charm while others are just plain big. True in any measure, the art is in the eye of the beholder.
Savor the good news now that we are in a balanced and stable market. It has been a long and crazy climb out of the mess from 10 years ago and we hope never to revisit that painful experience. I’d like to propose a toast to a heavy snowpack and a flourishing 2018!
