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        <title>Real Estate Blog</title>
        <link>https://www.santafeginny.com/blog/</link>
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    <guid>https://www.santafeginny.com/blog/travel--leisure-santa-fe-was-crowned-the-best-city-in-the-usheres-how-to-plan-your-visit/</guid>
    <link>https://www.santafeginny.com/blog/travel--leisure-santa-fe-was-crowned-the-best-city-in-the-usheres-how-to-plan-your-visit/</link>
        <author>ginny@ginnycerrella.com (Ginny Cerrella)</author>
        <title>Travel + Leisure: Santa Fe Was Crowned the Best City in the U.S.—Here's How to Plan Your Visit</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 





23 Best Things to Do in Santa Fe—From Sculpture Gardens to a Margarita Trail


New Mexico’s capital is home to world-class galleries, stunning nature trails, mouthwatering cuisine, and more...








As far as capital cities go, Santa Fe is a bit of an anomaly. It’s on the smaller side, at least for New Mexico’s size, with just over 90,000 people. Set in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, it has Pueblo-style buildings instead of skyscrapers. The entire city revolves around a traditional plaza where arts and handicrafts are still sold to this day.






Santa Fe’s deep-rooted Indigenous heritage and stunning desert landscape have inspired countless artists, making the city one of the world’s top art destinations. But there’s more to it than art and history. From hiking the trails to trying “Christmas-style” burritos and sipping the city’s best margaritas, here are 23 of the best things to do in Santa Fe.




Explore Meow Wolf. 




The art on display at Meow Wolf bends the mind. This 70-room art installation has one foot set firmly in another world. Under the narrative “House of Eternal Return,” the interactive exhibit is the brainchild of a collective of Santa Fe artists.


Get inspired at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. 


Many famous artists have called Santa Fe home over the years, but arguably none as renowned as Georgia O’Keeffe. Her paintings of enlarged flowers and New Mexico landscapes are on display at her namesake museum, which also tells the story of her life. Just make sure to reserve your ticket early, as they do sell out.


Visit Bugs Bunny and co. at the Chuck Jones Gallery. 


Chuck Jones is the artist behind many of the world’s most beloved characters: Daffy Duck, Road Runner, and Marvin the Martian, to name a few. Each character—and the artist behind them—gets plenty of love at this gallery, which also houses work by animators like Dr. Seuss and Charles Schulz.


Get a drink on the “oldest hotel corner in America.” 


La Fonda on the Plaza was built in 1922 on what is now reportedly the “oldest hotel corner in America.” The Santa Fe landmark is on the site of an inn that dates back to when the city was founded by Spaniards in 1610. Today, you can look out over the plaza, with a drink in hand, at the rooftop Bell Tower Bar.


Treat yourself at a Japanese-inspired spa. 


You don’t have to travel to Japan to experience the country’s iconic hot spring resorts. Just outside downtown Santa Fe, near the national forest, is a Japanese-style sanctuary with private hot tub suites—each with its own cold plunge and sauna. And while you’re there, you might as well take it to the next level and book a shiatsu massage.


Check out the “miraculous” staircase at Loretto Chapel. 


Loretto Chapel is a beautiful old church, but most people visit to see the “miraculous” staircase. According to legend, the Sisters of Loretto prayed a nine-day novena to St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters, for help building a staircase to the choir loft. After nine days, a skilled carpenter showed up out of the blue, built a helix-shaped spiral staircase, and then disappeared without receiving thanks or payment.


Order your burrito smothered in green chile—or better yet, “Christmas style.” 


New Mexico is known for its green chile. And the celebrated ingredient is used at every opportunity (no complaints here). While you’re in town, you’ll want to do as the locals do and smother everything in the good stuff. Or you can order it “Christmas style” for a mix of red and green chile.


Hike the Aspen Vista Trail. 


One of Santa Fe’s most beautiful trails is the Aspen Vista Trail, a six-mile route that leads you through aspen forests to the top of Aspen Ski Basin. The trail is beautiful year-round but really pops in the fall, when the aspen trees turn shades of yellow, orange, and red.


Go gallery hopping in the Railyard. 


The vibrant Railyard District southwest of downtown is the place to be for contemporary art, live music, film screenings, and cool architecture. Pop in and out of galleries and museums—including Site Santa Fe, a contemporary art museum—shop for interiors and fine jewelry, or just sit back with a beer at Second Street Brewery, which has live music almost nightly.


Experience the Canyon Road art destination. 


Canyon Road packs more than 100 galleries, restaurants, and boutiques into a mere half mile. But rest assured, quantity does not negate quality. The strip is a destination for art collectors who go to peruse everything from traditional to abstract art by artists from all over the globe.


Sip your way around town on the Margarita Trail. 


Santa Fe loves a good margarita—and if you do, too, you can experience more than 40 of the city’s best on the Santa Fe Margarita Trail. The self-guided, tequila-fueled tour will take you all over town as you collect stamps in your paper passport or app. (Plus, you’ll get $1 off the signature margarita at each participating location.)


Shop for turquoise jewelry at the Santa Fe Plaza. 


The Santa Fe Plaza is the true heart of the city. In addition to being a National Historic Landmark, the plaza, or city square, is still where Native American vendors go to sell traditional jewelry and artwork in front of the New Mexico History Museum.


Catch a show at the open-air opera house. 


A trip to the Santa Fe Opera is a memorable way to spend an evening in New Mexico’s capital. The venue has seen performances like Madama Butterfly and The Barber of Seville in its open-air theater. Just make sure to pack a jacket for when the temperature drops.


Swing by one of the nation’s oldest and largest farmers markets. 


The farmers market in Santa Fe might put your local operation to shame. At times hosting as many as 130 vendors, the market is hyperlocal, only selling goods from New Mexico farmers and producers. The Saturday market runs year-round in the uber-hip Railyard District.


Visit the oldest church in the U.S. 


Although very little of the original structure is still present, the San Miguel Chapel just south of downtown Santa Fe is thought to be the oldest church in the U.S. The original structure was built around 1610 as a Spanish colonial mission church.


Take a glass-blowing class from a master. 


Blowing glass is something many people want to try but never get the opportunity. Book a Friday, Saturday, or Monday class at Liquid Light Glass, a glass-blowing studio and shop that was established in 1986. The artists will help you create any number of things, from paperweights to flower vases.


Rent a bike and cruise the La Tierra trail system. 


When it comes to mountain biking, Santa Fe continually tops the charts. One of the best and most accessible trail systems is La Tierra, which has more than 25 miles of trails rated easy to moderate. The best part? All the trails are just a few miles outside of town.


Catch a sunset from the top of the Cross of the Martyrs. 


Just northeast of the plaza is a hilltop park with a cross that gets some of the best sunset views in town. The cross itself was erected to commemorate the death of 21 Franciscan friars during a revolt against colonial occupation. The history, which is outlined on plaques that line the path to the top, is worth a visit on its own, but if you can make the trip at dusk, you’ll be treated to a stunning sunset.


Meander through Allan Houser’s sculpture garden. 


On a sunny day, head just south of Santa Fe to the Allan Houser Sculpture Garden and Gallery. You can walk amongst more than 70 pieces of the artist’s best and biggest works, then duck inside the gallery to see smaller pieces. Tours are available on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, weather permitting.


Hop in the car and drive to the Bandelier National Monument. 


Less than an hour down the road is a national monument that protects the land and homes of the ancestral Puebloans. You’ll get a glimpse into their way of life by climbing into ancient cave dwellings and gazing at petroglyphs carved into the soft rock.


Road trip to the religious pilgrimage site in Chimayó—and pick up a woven rug while you’re there. 


Every year, more than 300,000 Catholics make the pilgrimage to El Santuario de Chimayó, a religious shrine and National Historic Landmark, to ask for healing. From central Santa Fe, your pilgrimage is short, just 40 minutes, and is well worth the drive. Plus, the community of Chimayó is also famous for its stunning, handcrafted weavings.


Grab a fish taco from Bumble Bee’s Baja Grill. 


When you think of land-bound Santa Fe, seafood probably doesn’t come to mind. But Bumble Bee’s Baja Grill is working to change that. Swing by for a fish taco and an agua fresca, and enjoy your meal outside. Then, go back in for more.


Visit the largest collection of international folk art in the world. 


Santa Fe may be small, but it has a long and rich cultural heritage. One place you can experience that heritage is at the Museum of International Folk Art, which is home to the largest collection of folk art in the world. Inside you’ll find pieces from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and of course, New Mexico.


 





















































 

































 


















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    <pubDate>Fri, 11 Sep 2026 11:50:00 -0600</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.santafeginny.com/blog/the-war-in-irans-impact-on-the-housing-market/</guid>
    <link>https://www.santafeginny.com/blog/the-war-in-irans-impact-on-the-housing-market/</link>
        <author>ginny@ginnycerrella.com (Ginny Cerrella)</author>
        <title>The War In Iran's Impact On The Housing Market</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
Few people buying homes in late February were thinking about the Strait of Hormuz. Many of them are now.In the weeks since the Iran conflict started, the U.S. residential real estate market has been absorbing a compounding series of shocks, including spiking oil prices, elevated inflation, rate volatility and a creeping credit crisis unfolding on household balance sheets. It is all traceable to the war and its disruption of global energy markets.


The spring housing market, historically the busiest selling season of the year, has been a disappointment in many regions. Inman spoke with mortgage professionals, credit experts, and real estate agents across the country to understand what is happening and what buyers, sellers, and agents should expect.


‘An unusually chilly summer.’ The mechanism by which a military conflict in the Middle East translates into a higher monthly mortgage payment is faster and more direct than most people realize.


Michael Valdes on consolidation, profitability and what real estate agents must do next. The HomeServices CEO on private listings: 'Tell me how that is putting the consumer first.'  James Dwiggins: The point of the MLS is so 'we don’t go back to the way it was 40 years ago'  “We saw a huge spike in mortgage rates right after the conflict broke out,” David Samuels, a Realtor with Keller Williams states. “I blame this on the increase in oil prices, yielding an increase in inflation, which is directly proportional to an increase in rates. Ever since that jump over six percent, the housing market has slowed down tremendously and has made this an unusually chill spring.”


Put another way: The spring 2026 housing market had all the makings of a breakout season. Then Iran happened.Mortgage rates had just dropped below 6 percent for the first time in four years when the conflict broke out, sending them as high as 6.45 percent and rattling buyer confidence. Existing-home sales slid to a nine-month low, according to the National Association of Realtors.


But the market didn’t totally stall. Pending sales are running near their highest pace since the pandemic boom ended, and listing views on Zillow are up 32 percent year-over-year, according to Zillow’s March Market Report


Inventory is finally climbing, and even homeowners with sub-5 percent rates are starting to list. Thirty-five percent of current sellers have rates below 5 percent and are listing anyway, according to a Coldwell Banker survey of more than 700 agents.Prices are also easing. The national median list price is down 1.4 percent year-over-year for the ninth straight month, per Realtor.com’s April report, and the typical home is sitting on the market two days longer than a year ago. That’s the 25th consecutive month of year-over-year deceleration in sales pace.


Regionally, the picture is split. Coldwell Banker’s survey found 70 percent to 74 percent of agents in the Midwest and Northeast characterize their markets as seller’s markets. In the South and West, 46 percent to 56 percent of agents say it’s a buyer’s market.


It’s not the breakout spring many hoped for, but it may be the most functional market in three years. The chain reaction hitting every deal.


Cody Schuiteboer, President and CEO of Best Interest Financial, traces the chain of events precisely. Brent crude rose from $73 per barrel before the war to a post-war peak of $126 in late April, a roughly 73 percent surge.


Bond investors, anticipating inflation, sold long-duration Treasuries, pushing the 10-year yield from just under 4 percent in late February to approximately 4.4 percent. It was a peak reached in late March as the conflict showed no signs of resolution.Mortgage rates followed in lockstep, rising from 5.98 percent on Feb. 27 to 6.30 percent as reported by Freddie Mac for the week ending April 30, and to approximately 6.45 percent on April 29 after the President signaled that the naval blockade of Iran would continue for the foreseeable future.


On a $360,000 loan, that nearly half-point increase translates to an extra $109 per month, $1,308 per year and roughly $39,000 more in total interest over the life of the loan. Across nearly four million expected transactions this year, Schuiteboer estimates tens of billions of dollars in net worth are shifting from buyers to bondholders every month.


Don’t expect the Fed to ride to the rescue. With recession probabilities around 30 percent, unemployment projected to rise to around 4.4 to 4.5 percent by year-end, and inflation running closer to 3 percent than 2 percent, Schuiteboer said the central bank’s hands are effectively tied. 


“Everyone must operate on the assumption that 6 percent-plus is going to be the prevailing rate environment throughout this year,” Schuiteboer said.


Credit scores as collateral damage...


While the rate increase appears on every loan estimate, Ali Zane, CEO of IMAX Credit Repair Services and a former mortgage bank director, argues that a second, less visible crisis is unfolding that will outlast the conflict itself.


Since late February, Zane says his office has seen a consistent pattern across mortgage applicants’ credit reports: balances rising, utilization ratios climbing, and FICO scores dropping. Not by 5 or 10 points, but by 30 to 60 points on average.


Gas averaging above $4.30 per gallon nationally by the end of April, groceries and utilities caught up in broader inflation running close to 3 percent, and rising financing costs across the board are forcing households to absorb excess expenses by charging them to credit cards, which carry an average annual rate of around 21 to 22 percent.


As utilization climbs — particularly above 30 percent — it begins to weigh more heavily on the FICO score used to determine mortgage eligibility, with higher balances signaling greater risk to lenders regardless of the ratio’s level.


“The conflict isn’t just pushing mortgage buyers to a 6.30 percent rate,” Zane told Inman. “In many cases, the buyer’s credit damage prevents qualification altogether.”


The numbers make the stakes concrete. A borrower with a 760 FICO score qualifies for today’s prevailing rate of 6.30 percent. The same borrower, after a 60-point drop to 700, may face a rate of 6.63 percent to 7 percent. And, for those putting less than 20 percent down, a higher PMI premium on top of that.


On a $360,000 loan, the difference between 6.30 percent and 7 percent is $167 more per month, $2,004 more per year, and roughly $60,000 more over 30 years, before accounting for the added PMI cost, which can widen the gap further. The rate environment accounts for a meaningful share of that increase, but for borrowers whose credit scores have slipped, the damage to their rate tier may now be the larger of the two costs.


Zane also flags a debt-to-income problem eroding mortgage eligibility. He’s seen non-mortgage DTI ratios among clients spike significantly since late February, driven by growing credit card balances, higher minimum payments, elevated auto loan obligations, and BNPL installment payments that underwriters are increasingly pulling from bank statements.


A household that moved from 28 percent non-mortgage DTI in January to 33 percent by April hasn’t necessarily taken on any new debt. Instead, rising gas, grocery, and utility costs are pushing more spending onto credit cards, and minimum payments rise with balances. The result, Zane says, is that many families have lost roughly $40,000 to $65,000 of mortgage approval capacity without realizing it, depending on household income.


Homebuying has become a gamble...


Beyond rates and credit, Samuels points to a second trend that defies easy quantification: perception. Geopolitical uncertainty, he says, is keeping a meaningful share of prospective buyers on the sidelines altogether. “A war can spring up at any moment for any reason, so there’s no predicting how the market will turn worse or better,” Samuels said. “It just makes homebuying a gamble for a large margin of people.”


The upside for buyers who do remain active: unusual negotiating leverage. “Especially among first-time homebuyers, I’m seeing we have a ton of leverage in negotiation because there’s hardly anyone else out there,” Samuels says. “Just last week, I got my clients a home that appraised for $60,000 over purchase price.”


What previous Middle East conflicts suggest...


Comparisons to the 1973 oil embargo have circulated widely since the conflict began. Schuiteboer argues that the 1990 Gulf War is the closest historical parallel for housing.


Back then, oil prices rose by roughly 75 percent in two months, transaction volume fell — existing home sales dropped 4.3 percent for the full year — price appreciation stalled, and the market slugged along until oil prices retreated and the recession lifted in 1991. It’s worth noting that the housing slowdown of that period was amplified by a pre-existing real estate bubble and a broader recession, not by the Gulf War alone.


“The takeaway was that housing didn’t crash; it froze,” Schuiteboer said. “I believe that’s the course of action we should expect for 2026, unless Iran can manage to reopen the strait before mid-summer.”


Zane reaches further back, to 1979–1982, following the Iranian Revolution. It was a period when mortgage rates climbed to an annual average peak of 16.64 percent in 1981, with weekly rates briefly exceeding 18 percent under Paul Volcker’s inflation-fighting campaign. 


Total bankruptcy filings rose from roughly 331,000 in 1980 to 380,000 in 1982 — about a 15 percent increase — before continuing to climb sharply through the mid-1980s.


Zane is not predicting a return to those conditions. His point is narrower: every protracted Middle East energy crisis since 1973 has produced credit-level damage to consumers that outlasts the conflict itself.


“The borrowers who preserve their credit profile during the next 24 months will find themselves in a drastically advantageous position regardless of the conflict outcome,” Zane said.


Buy smart, fix credit, price right...


For buyers, Schuiteboer recommends locking a rate immediately after signing a purchase agreement. Rate volatility driven by oil market movements has produced single-day swings exceeding 25 basis points on the most turbulent days, making floating a high-risk bet.


He also encourages buyers to take seller-paid buydowns seriously, which can save some buyers upwards of $200 per month, and to reconsider the 7/6 ARM for anyone planning to move or refinance within 7 years. But he added that buyers should verify the current spread with their lender, as ARM rates have at times been comparable to or even higher than 30-year fixed rates in this environment.


Zane’s advice centers on credit hygiene. Bring every credit card’s utilization below 10 percent before applying, which can yield 30 to 50 FICO points within 30 to 60 days. 


Don’t close old cards, even unused ones, Zane said. And pull all three credit reports now to dispute errors. The FTC found that 26 percent of consumers identified errors on their credit reports that might affect their scores, though the share with errors serious enough to result in worse loan terms is closer to 5 percent.


The figures are from a 2013 study that remains the most comprehensive government data on the subject. Either way, errors are common enough that checking before applying is worth the effort.


For sellers, Schuiteboer is blunt: The repricing is already happening whether sellers acknowledge it or not. “If anyone is likely to get this market wrong, it’s sellers,” he said. “The idea is to assume that higher rates mean fewer buyers, but the reality is more complex.”


Schuiteboer said there are still plenty of buyers, but they’re buying houses worth $40,000 to $60,000 less than those bought at a 5.98 percent mortgage rate. In other words, that home, valued at $475,000 in February, has now been revalued to $440,000 based on the new financing costs.


“Sellers who fail to take this into account are having their listings linger on the market throughout the spring months, and homes that linger on the market through spring tend to sell for less in summer,” he said. “The fastest movers in the last 60 days have been the sellers who have taken this pricing dynamic into account.”


  
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 10 Sep 2026 15:30:00 -0600</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.santafeginny.com/blog/travel--leisure-los-alamosthis-underrated-mountain-town-was-named-the-no-1-place-to-live-in-the-us-west/</guid>
    <link>https://www.santafeginny.com/blog/travel--leisure-los-alamosthis-underrated-mountain-town-was-named-the-no-1-place-to-live-in-the-us-west/</link>
        <author>ginny@ginnycerrella.com (Ginny Cerrella)</author>
        <title>Travel + Leisure: Los Alamos This Underrated Mountain Town Was Named the No. 1 Place to Live in the U.S. West</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
A new ranking found that one New Mexico town stands out for its income levels, health outcomes, housing affordability, and access to nature.


While the cost of living in certain Western states like California, Washington, and Oregon can be notoriously high, the region still draws a steady stream of newcomers lured by its laid-back, outdoorsy lifestyle and remarkable natural diversity (40 of America’s 63 national parks are located in the West). 







But not every place in the West offers the same potential for a high quality of life—and according to the newest Livability Index from AARP, Los Alamos, New Mexico, is among the most promising. 


The index evaluates cities and towns on 40 metrics across seven categories: housing, neighborhood, transportation, environment, health, engagement, and opportunity. And in this year’s analysis, Los Alamos came out on top for the region, with an overall score of 72 out of 100, just a single point behind the national winner, Great Neck Plaza, New York. 


The town performed best in the opportunity category, which considers income inequality, graduation rates, and age diversity. The median household income in Los Alamos is $136,502, significantly higher than the national median of $81,000. Residents also benefit from good health, with data showing that smoking and obesity levels are below the national averages. And virtually all residents—99.3 percent—have easy access to exercise opportunities and green spaces. The town's air and water quality are excellent, and there is no roadway pollution. 


Los Alamos also scored highly in the housing category, with a strong supply of multi-family homes and subsidized units, along with a favorable housing cost burden—the share of income spent on monthly housing expenses. AARP estimates that residents spend 9.9 percent of their income on housing, compared to 13.4 percent in the rest of the country. However, the town recorded its lowest scores in the transportation and neighborhood categories, mainly due to unreliable public transportation and limited access (via public transit) to jobs within a 45-minute commute. 




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    <pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 2026 15:40:00 -0600</pubDate>
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