Enchanted Homes : Sustainability Issue

PROTECT YOUR HOME AND DISCOVER WHY SO MANY NEW MEXICANS TRUST THEIR HOMES TO WANDA LUCERO

Wanda Lucero 211 Kit Carson Road 575-737-5433 wandalucero.com

Welcome from the Taos County Chamber of Commerce

¡BIENVENIDOS!

As the snow melts from our mountains to refresh our acequias, our spirits are renewed to the possibilities of the coming months. We welcome the new season with our 2017 Taos Home & Garden Expo on Earth Day, April 22, at the Taos Youth & Family Center. Join us to explore what is new for your home and garden and attend some of the seminars on related topics. We have many businesses exhibiting that will help you go green in Taos County communities!

The Taos County Chamber of Commerce invites you to explore the Enchanted Circle through the pages of this Enchanted Homes Magazine and around the 87-mile loop that encompasses our communities of Questa, Red River, Eagle Nest, Angel Fire, Taos, Taos Pueblo and Taos Ski Valley to see beautiful views of the mountains coming to life in spring.

The members of the Taos County Chamber of Commerce include our local shops, banks, service providers, hotels, bed-andbreakfasts, restaurants, galleries and museums, medical and legal professionals, town and county employees and individuals. All members work together to “Keep Taos Local.” The chamber supports these efforts with our “Keep Taos Local, put your money where your heart is!” campaign that encompasses and expands on the national efforts to be mindful of your small, independent businesses. Please visit our stores, galleries, restaurants and museums to ensure this unique community is here for generations to come!

The Taos County Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to creating a community of possibilities and opportunities for those new to Taos and lifelong Taoseños. Our slogan of “Taos County Chamber of Commerce Makes Business Better” is guiding our efforts to include all businesses and individuals in an enhanced life in Taos County.

Please feel free to contact us for more information. Please visit our website at taoschamber.com for member events and current information. Welcome, and enjoy our wonderful Taos County!

Executive Director Taos County Chamber of Commerce

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THE TAOS NEWS

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LOTA REALTY, INC.

JUDY BUCK 575-758-8673 judy@cblotataos.com AWE INSPIRING VIEWS – Sweeping

views in all directions from this impeccable 4 bedroom 2.5 bath home perched on a hill in Vista Linda. Featuring all the amenities that you might be looking for including top of the line appliances, granite and tile countertops, separate master suite with kiva fireplace and large master bath with a huge walk in shower and separate tub. The guest wing has its own bath with 2 bedrooms or potential office space in one and the 4th bedroom is a bonus with room form all the children, grandchildren and visitors. Built by Larry Buchanan you are only a short stroll to the golf course and surrounded by a friendly upscale residential neighborhood! CALL JUDY $495,000 MLS #99440

PRIVATE SANCTUARY – The most

spectacular views from this custom built adobe home on 26 acres overlooking the Rio Pueblo and surrounded by huge mountain vistas and vast open space! The 3 bedroom, 3 bath home boasts attention to detail everywhere with radiant heat in the saltillo tile floors, private separate master suite and a sweeping portal facing the river below and Pueblo Land beyond. Home to many birds, big horn sheep and abundant wildlife, this oasis in the high desert is just perfect for getting away from it all. It is a fisherman’s dream location and bring the horses too! CALL JUDY BUCK $750,000 MLS #99561

View All Taos MLS Listings at www.cblotataos.com

Corner of Paseo del Pueblo Norte & Civic Plaza Drive 800-829-8673

LOTA REALTY, INC.

JAN RADER, CRS, GRI 575-770-2012 jan@janrader.com

JanRader.com

TOWN OF TAOS Sweet artist’s home on oversized lot west of Taos Plaza. Walk everywhere from this lovingly maintained 3BR/1BA home with lots of studio space.

Ideal for full time or vacation living. Come take a look! MLS 99575 $325,000 CALL JAN!

TRES RITOS/SIPAPU

Spacious 3 BR/2 BATH cabin near Sipapu Ski Area. Offered fully furnished and equipped (includes snowmobiles); enjoy peace, privacy, hiking, fishing, skiing, snowmobiling. Wonderful gathering place for the extended family. MLS 99412 $299,000 CALL JAN!

UPPER COLONIAS ADOBE

Spacious 3BR/3BA home in excellent northside neighborhood. Great floorplan, southwestern details throughout. Ideal second home, vacation rental or primary residence. Panoramic mountain views! Convenient to TSV and town. Move-in ready. Call for details and a showing.

MLS 98328 $475,000 CALL JAN!

MARIPOSA RANCH DES MONTES Exceptional 14.4 acre lot in beautiful Mariposa Ranch with panoramic views! Utilities and shared well are in place, ready for your dream home. Intelligent covenants. Easy access to town and Taos Ski Valley.

MLS 99376 $229,000 CALL JAN!

DING PEN

RANCHOS DE TAOS

Sweet 2 BR/1 Bath home only steps from historic Ranchos Plaza!

Lots of potential, excellent starter home or rental property.

Easy to show, call for appointment.

MLS 99381 $110,000 CALL JAN!

TAOS COUNTRY CLUB COUNTRY CLUB Primo 3 acre lot on the 14th fairway at Taos Country Club.

Exceptional building site, utilities in place, paved access, panoramic views. Short walk to the clubhouse. Minutes from town, hiking, fishing, UNM. Reasonable covenants protect your investment.

MLS 98927 $137,000 CALL JAN!

View All Taos MLS Listings at www.janrader.com Corner of Paseo del Pueblo Norte & Civic Plaza Drive 800-829-8673 ENCHANTEDHOMESELLER.COM

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There’s a Crack in Everything

by Carol Terry

Vigas, nichos, canales, parapets, plaster walls. These elements make Taos’ houses unique in the United States. Yet the soft and mottled appearance of plaster that provides so much atmosphere is notoriously difficult to repair when damaged. Jamie Ash, who has been a plaster colorist for 20 years, is changing that.

It started in 2008 when a flood left a newly finished custom home badly water damaged. Replastering would cost thousands. Blame and threats of legal action ensued. The contractor asked Ash, who had colored the walls, if she could help. Nervous but willing, Ash used her artistic eye to hide the water stains, satisfying the contractor and client for a fraction of the cost. But she wasn’t satisfied and knew her skills could improve.

“It was a challenge,” she said. “I knew that what was usually done – one thin coat of plaster – would show. I had to find something different.”

She has done a lot of perfecting since then.

As a working artist, Ash uses acrylics to layer color, so she started applying numerous layers of materials compatible with plaster to repair it. She says the way plaster looks “consists of color, texture, pattern, sheen and touch.

I aim to get those right. When I do that, no one can tell there was ever a problem.”

When I visited a job site recently, she had a table set up with materials and tools I recognized: Dixie cups, Popsicle sticks, powdered plaster and artists’ brushes. But some were new to me: a catalyst mini blade, custom-cut Bondo scrapers and many small bags of ochers, umbers and oxides. Ash says “rough” plaster takes more time to match because of the raised texture created by a “floated” finish. She strains Structo-Lite, a commonly used plaster product, to capture the perlite that gives the rough texture. She then places the perlite “very carefully so it looks random.”

Is this expensive? She says cost varies a lot, depending on the damage. “I’ll visit a house, discuss each damaged area, then give my clients a detailed list describing each place and the price to fix it,” Ash says.

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“But in general, I am much less expensive than replastering entire walls.”

Ian Forsberg, a general contractor, notes, “You can do a repair like channeling through the plaster to add an outlet and Jamie comes in and makes it seamless.

This is tremendous. She’s able to address anything clients will come up with.”

Lee Stanford – of Stanford Built LLC. – has worked with Jamie about 10 years. “She brings in her little table and her potions and she makes herself disappear, like the cracks she’s repairing. Yet if the owner engages her in conversation, she’s so charming, super pleasant and brilliant. And clean and tidy. I walk into a house when she’s finished and I say, ‘Now where was that problem?’ She nails it every time. I can’t figure out how. I’ve seen my plaster guys hang out and watch her, but they couldn’t figure it out. No one knows how she does it.”

Part of Ash’s magic may be her focused presence. Karen Lievense calls her a “magician.” The walls of Lievense’s condo had a mottled diamond finish – a “very expensive wall treatment” – with major water damage. “Jamie is good enough to work in any city in the country. We’re very lucky that someone as professional with her talent and skill chooses Taos.”

I asked Ash a question I ask other fine artists: “How do you know when you’re done?” She says, “Oh, that’s easy. I stand back and look at the wall. If I can see where the patch is, I’m not done.”

She knows that if she doesn’t see the patch, neither will her clients, nor will anyone else walking into the house. “But it’s the client’s opinion that counts, so we always look at each area together. I don’t consider myself done until the client is happy. My job is returning the pleasure of seeing how beautiful the house is. When you live with the effects of damage, eventually that’s the only thing you see.

Damage comes forward. Beauty recedes.

Take the blemishes away and you have your lovely house back.”

ENCHANTEDHOMESELLER.COM

Jamie Ash can be contacted at 575-770-0279 or jamieash@cybermesa.com

BEFORE

AFTER

Peter A. Lora

225 Kit Carson Road

575-758-3275 peter@theloraco.com

www.realestatetaos.com

FINE EL SALTO HOME! - Like-new true adobe 3BR/2BA. Great views, big windows, lots of light. Stained concrete floors, vigas, T & G ceilings,fireplace.Walled courtyard & 2 patios for outdoor living. Large garage w/studio/workshop. On 1.5 prime acres w/surface water rights,only 3/4 mile from Arroyo Seco,12 minutes from Town, 20 min. from Ski Valley. $565,000 MLS #99501 http://view.paradym.com/3958811

FABULOUS VIEWS - Beautiful 2,800-sq. ft. 3-BR/3-BA on a ridge overlooking scenic valley. Gorgeous master suite w/ luxurious bath, private deck. Four fireplaces, two patios, hot tub. This fine home has also been an excellent vacation rental. $449,000 MLS # 99389 http://view.paradym.com/3076231

BEAUTIFUL 4BR ADOBE - Great floor plan in this 2,435 sq. ft. almost-new home. Wood-burning stove for cozy warmth, low energy bills. Covered patio w/ courtyard. Heated 2-car garage, plenty of storage space. Fine mtn views! $415,000 MLS #98149 http://view.paradym.com/3807410

HALF-ACRE LOT IN TOWN – Nice lot in nice neighborhood just 0.3 mile from Town center. R-4 zoning will accommodate 2 residences. Town water & sewer, electric, phone and natural gas utilities nearby in Santistevan Lane. Build your own, develop for sale, or hold as an investment! $74,000 MLS #99158 http://view.paradym.com/3906613

5BR/3BA HOME IN TOWN - Lots of Taos charm in this 3,159 sq. ft. home. Vibrant colors, 2 fireplaces upstairs deck. Terrific location near Taos Plaza on quiet street. ½-acre lot w/ gardens, trees, courtyard. Garage + workshop. Zoning would permit guest house or lot split. $560,000 MLS #98132 http://view.paradym.com/3807316

INCOME PROPERTY - Excellent 3-unit property about 5 miles south of Taos center. All three units are 1BR/1BA, 640 sq. ft. with natural gas space heaters, stack washer/ dryer. Each apartment has a deck off second floor with wonderful valley & mountain views. Off-street parking. Wellmaintained. Stable occupancy. $299,000 MLS #98471

DES MONTES HOME SITE - This 1.1-acre lot has fine views, irrigation rights, and an apple orchard. Preferred location near village of Arroyo Seco, with easy access to Town and Taos Ski Valley. Beautiful land for a classic Taos home! $110,000 MLS # 97844 http://view.paradym.com/3740156

MULTIPLE POSSIBILITIES – on this lovely residential tract 0.6 mi south of Taos Plaza. 1.47 acres makes a rare singlefamily home site; or R-4 zoning would allow subdivision and development. Includes an existing 4BR home + large detached studio/workshop. $400,000 MLS #96632 www.visualtour.com/show.asp?T=3577782

See All Taos MLS Listings At

Read our current Taos Real Estate Market Report with sales, price and inventory data, and prior year comparisons on our website realestatetaos.com

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REAL ESTATE FINANCE

HOW TO FINANCE GOING GREEN

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BY D ONNA NE L S ON

Green homes and alternative lifestyles take center stage for many people who live in Northern New Mexico. The sunlight offers outstanding opportunity to invest in solar panels. The spring winds allow for wind energy sources, such as wind turbines.

mortgages for home purchases, refinances, new construction and rehab loans. “Cost effective refers to the costs of the energy efficiency improvements that are less than the present value of the energy saved over the estimated useful life of those improvements.”

I know that many people are unsure or unaware of financing opportunities for these off-grid/alternative structures. We at Dimond Mortgage have had success financing such properties given the amount of these types of homes sold and on the market in our area. We are able to finance homes that utilize solar panels, water cisterns and are partially bermed (Earthships, for example).

These specific energy-efficient mortgage loans require an “energy package” that is agreed upon by a qualified home energy rater and the borrower. The home energy rater must be a qualified, certified assessor who meets local or state requirements for conducting residential energy assessments. The energy package is based on the recommendations and analysis of the home rater. The energy improvements can include energy-saving equipment, solar and wind technologies. The energy package can include materials, labor, inspections and the assessment report created by the home energy rater. The energy package could also include the cost of the general contractor. The borrower can finance up to 100 percent of the energy package provided that the “present value of the energy saved over the useful life of the improvements is demonstrated.” The lender wants to be assured that the improvements result in bona fide savings for the borrower.

There are no hard and fast rules or guidelines that deter financing for these special properties. The main provision is that there are comparable properties to support the market value. In other words, the appraised value would have to be supported by “like” properties utilizing the same alternative heat and electric source with similar square footage and located within a certain parameter of the subject property. Oftentimes, the lender will want to see a generator to guarantee that electricity is available even with lack of solar gain, which I can gratefully say is not typical here in Northern New Mexico.

Most off-grid homes are reasonably priced for the consumer, and there is the added benefit of not having to pay utility bills. Owning a property where one’s environmental impact is lessened also provides peace of mind. Dimond Mortgage is prepared to work through the financing of these types of properties to promote sustainable living in our community.

The Federal Housing Administration and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs also offer cost-effective and energy-efficient ENCHANTED HOMES VOL. CXIIII

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Please call us with any questions pertaining to the financing of alternative properties. Any of our qualified loan officers would be happy to speak with you about these options or any other mortgage needs you may have.

Happy spring!

Donna Nelson has lived in and around the Taos area since 1987.

She has been a mortgage professional for close to 20 years.

Donna can be reached via email at donna@dimondmortgage.com.

She is always available to answer your questions.

EARTHSHIP ARCHITECT MIKE REYNOLDS

BY ANDY D ENNI S ON PHOTO BY PAU L O’ C ONNOR Tell us about your upbringing.

I grew up in Kentucky. I was the middle kid of four. My father was a milkman, and my mother stayed at home to take care of us. I first went to college in southern Indiana and ended up at the University of Cincinnati, where I got a degree in architecture.

Why architecture?

My father knew how to build, so I learned from him. The first construction job I had was in what we called a “shotgun house” – a house so small you could shoot through it. We dug a basement under it, so I started literally from the ground up and learned how to build from there. I was interested in art and also good at drawing, so architectural drafting came easily.

You got out of college in 1969. What did you do?

It was chaos then, with Vietnam. During college, I had raced motocross. My crazy idea was to race motocross to get an injury so I wouldn’t have to go to Vietnam. But instead, I came to Taos to see a friend and really liked it here. I got a job teaching drafting on the El Rito campus at what was then New Mexico Technical College. That gave me a 2A deferment, and it was there that I learned to relate to the Hispanic and Indian cultures around there.

9 QUESTIONS

How do we get to Earthships from there?

At some point, I noticed stones in the trash and saw deer eat steel cans. Then there was a couple of reports in the news.

Walter Cronkite reported on clear-cutting in the Northwest, and Charles Kuralt did a story on beer cans thrown by the side of the road. So I built my first “beer can building block” out of an empty six-pack of Schlitz and adobe-concrete. I was building a home out of garbage.

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What other materials and technologies did you add?

Well, the energy crisis came along about then [mid-1970s]. I read up on solar heating, finding out that heat stored very well if you had mass in the walls. I saw piles of old tires thrown out, so I filled them with rammed earth and created the mass in the walls – plus tires don’t rot. Again, the media was reporting on water shortages, so I added catchment and circulating systems that reused the water four times: from the roof to the shower, in planters that cleaned the water and grew food, in toilet to flush and outside to water the landscape. We were fully off the grid.

Where was your first Earthship built?

I was 23 years old when we built on what we called the Rim Road (later Blueberry Hill Road) near Millicent Rogers’ house.

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can-layers union. So I borrowed money from a Taos bank and, eventually, attorney Steve Natelson bought the house for $11,000.

It’s still there, called “The Thumb House.”

You took a lot of heat from other architects and permitting agencies. How did you respond?

I bought 55 acres above Arroyo Hondo on a steep south-facing slope. I was out to prove in a flamboyant way that Earthships work, and this land was too steep to have infrastructure. It became the Reach Community, but it cost me my architectural license. I broke too many “rules,” like having sewage piped through the house to the planters. Officially, I got my license pulled for selling solar refrigerators.

But you kept going.

Yes. I bought 650 acres out past the [Río Grande Gorge; today’s Greater World Community was built on those acres] and sold memberships. For $150 down, we supplied the plans and you could start building on land that cost $1,500. In the late 1990s, the county decided I needed to subdivide, and we fought that for years before we finally became a subdivision. We became the world’s first legal subdivision without utilities.

It’s been quite a ride, hasn’t it?

Sure has. Up and down, up and down. I remember coming back from losing my license in Santa Fe, and it was raining and gloomy, and I was really sad. Then I got a copy of “The Home Book” and found my Earthship in there! That got me going again. We still face challenges, but I’ve never been afraid to make mistakes. I say, 90 percent of the time you make a mistake, but that makes the other 10 percent that much more powerful.

Mike Reynolds | #2 Earthship Way | Tres Piedras, NM, 87577 575-613-4409 | http://earthship.com

NAVIGATING COMPLEX ECONOMIC TIMES

DIMOND

MORTGAGE

COMMUNITY APPRECIATION SALE

BAILEY'S 2017 SPRING/SUMMER COMMUNITY APPRECIATION SALE CHIMNEY CLEANINGS:

A CUT ABOVE THE REST

Vanessa Dimond

$40 OFF!

(Includes full safety inspection and courtesy dryer vent check with check-up of smoke/CO detectors and fire extinguishers.)

Ted Dimond

DRYER VENT SERVICE:

$30 DISCOUNT! Call today!

This offer cannot be combined with other promotions.

This offer expires August 31st.

The best source for home financing in New Mexico.

Donna Nelson

dimondmortgage.com 575.758.5566 524 Paseo del Pueblo Sur, Suite H, Taos, New Mexico NMLS# 190187

Larissa Schaetz

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“WE ARE PLANTING THE SEEDS ALL

The Picuris is part of a series of homes named after nearby peaks.

It has the first Aqua Botanical system that includes a fishpond.

The water from the fishpond is rich in nutrients and feeds the garden.

Then the plants add oxygen to the water and it is returned, so that the fish get a new supply of oxygenrich water.

P HOTO CO U RTE SY O F KIRST EN JACOBS EN

You can experience the Picuris home at 17 Earthship Way yourself. It is offered as a nightly rental so that people can explore living in an Earthship. Many of the people who stay here are interested in building or buying their own Earthship. The guest book is full of comments such as, “This is the perfect place to stay.

You are genius. We to want to build our own. We are so impressed with how beautiful the house is.”

Reynolds says that the market for Earthships is not limited to

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O

L

O V E R T H E W O R L D ; T H E R E I S A W H O L E N E W G E N E R AT I O N O F S E E D S . ”

For more information, visit earthship.com.

The Picuris Earthship at 17 Earthship Way is situated on 1.76 acres.

It is offered for sale through New Mexico Mountain Properties.

Contact Ellen Lerner at (575) 758-5852.

a particular group. “Community is created by virtue of the fact these people have the same approach to life in common,” he says. At the Earthship community, there are retired couples, families with kids and single people.

“The bottom line of these buildings is that they respond to six issues that all of humanity has to address in order to have life: comfortable shelter that doesn’t use fuel, electricity, water, containment and treatment of our sewage, food production – and we all need to do something with our garbage,” says Reynolds. He points out that the house has cans, tires and bottles in the walls, materials that can be found almost everywhere on planet. The only outside energy that is needed is minimal propane for cooking, which costs a family about $130 a year.

When we can satisfy our own needs for food, water and energy, we don’t have to rely on outside systems that may malfunction, become more expensive or harm the earth, explains Reynolds. “We

are trying to empower people to do this for themselves. We’ve been doing it for almost 50 years and we’ve got it,” says Reynolds.

“The people who live here are going to be warm, their kids are going to be warm.

They don’t have to gather firewood, spend all that money on gas and put smoke into the air. You are not vulnerable to political or economic breakdown to maintain sustenance. You are getting sustenance by encountering the phenomena of the planet – the sun, rain and thermal mass of the earth. You are secure in that respect because no one can take that from you.”

Although Earthships originated in New Mexico, Reynolds is testing the concept elsewhere now, including Indonesia, Europe, Argentina, China, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. “Now we are refining it and taking it to different climates all over the world. We are trying to show people that this is possible,” he says. Reynolds points out that because all the waste is self-contained, the Earthship model holds promise for island environments where a major challenge is treating sewage so it does not pollute the oceans and kill the coral.

The Greater World Community has 340 acres of common land and is located right next to the Río Grande del Norte National Monument. Eventually, there will a total of 130 homes; it is about half built out now.

Individual lots at the Earthship community do not touch, ensuring that there will always be corridors for wildlife to move through. Reynolds says a herd of 60 elk was recently seen and photographed.

“We are planting the seeds all over the world; there is a whole new generation of seeds. We are trying to get into urban environments. We built a school in Uruguay.

People are interested in sending their kids to a school that teaches them a way to live,” says Reynolds. “The Earthship is really a vessel to take people into the future. It is making a whole different statement about how we should live on this planet.”

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Though some people might think that rammed earth houses are dusty, dirty or primitive, Simpson disputes these claims.

“They can be super modern, clean and high performance,” he said. “Among other benefits, rammed earth houses offer great sound insulation and an aesthetically pleasing look. Rammed earth walls are healthy and can be left exposed or finished in a variety of ways to the owner’s taste.”

LABOR AND COSTS Simpson admits that all houses are labor intensive to build. Sustainable homes are no exception.

“I thought that using heavy equipment would make the job easier, but rammed earth walls are made of rammed earth … and someone has to do the ramming!” he said. “It’s hard work, but the final result is worth the effort.”

He uses a compacted rubble foundation with a steel-reinforced concrete-grade beam on top to save on overall concrete costs. His basic high-performance model is $150/$175 per square foot.

“Using rammed earth is a cost-effective way to produce a quality structure that will last for generations,” he said. “I have perfected a mix and put it through all required testing,

and the end result meets and exceeds building requirements.”

INSPIRED BY THE EARTHSHIPS Simpson’s ultimate goal is to create “autonomous” homes — homes that take care of their owners and allow them to live in a healthy and socially responsible structure.

“I like to use high-efficiency LED lighting and electric appliances with no propane or natural gas so that the home’s electrical usage can be canceled out by renewable energy systems like solar and wind,” he said.

Though he has his own building method now, he has also adopted some systems from his Earthship experience, like water catchment and gray water reuse for gardening.

“I anticipate integrating large-scale renewal energy systems for vehicle charging integrated in my home designs,” he said.

“Building homes that don’t rely heavily on existing utilities is a safe, responsible solution to conventional housing. Besides, low-tech features are less costly and more reliable in the long run.”

His most recent project is his prototype for a rammed earth sustainable home.

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“This has been the most challenging and rewarding build because it incorporates everything I have learned from building Earthships as well as conventional construction practices,” he said.

Mixing both techniques came naturally to Simpson. For him, it’s not an issue of Earthships vs. rammed earth homes.

“It’s about recognizing that the alternative off-grid Earthship lifestyle isn’t for everyone, but that society as a whole is in great need of sustainable housing,” he said. “My homes offer people the chance to move in a positive direction and to live in harmony with our environment.”

Looking to the future, he sees natural building making a huge comeback in New Mexico.

“People want to live in healthy homes, surrounded by natural materials, plants, sunlight and fresh air,” he said. “And that is what we offer — beautiful passive solar homes that heat and cool themselves.”

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ANGELINA ROMERO

families achieve that dream by building decent, affordable housing in partnership with people in need and volunteers.”

The other organization that is special for her is HEART, an acronym for Hope, Empowerment, Advocacy, Respect and Transitional housing. HEART provides assistance to women who are on the verge of homelessness and those who have become homeless. The organization assists in finding transitional living arrangements and rental assistance for the women and their pets. Romero is a past board member and plans to become active again with the organization.

Romero came to Taos in the spring of 2009 from Phoenix, Arizona.

She noticed right away that the Taos market has its own character.

“The majority of homes here are unique in architecture, artistry and construction. Our beautiful views and varied landscape offer so much,” she says. Romero helps her buyers understand the issues involved with purchasing and owning a home here, including such unique factors as the differences between being on a shared well, private well or having town water, as well as the implications of a pitched versus flat roof.

Now is a good time to be a buyer here, she notes, as real estate prices have a long ways to go to reach pre-recession levels. “One buying trend is in the $200,000 to $350,000 price range. The inventory in this range is quite limited,” she says. Last year, there were 539 residential properties sold, of which 385 were priced below $350,000. Sales are increasing now and there are only 316 properties for sale right now, but that number will increase with the coming of spring.

CARING AND RESPECT IN REAL ESTATE

BY CINDY BROWN PHOTO BY GERAINT S M I T H Angelina Romero helps people find the home they need to make a good life possible. She does so with care and respect, regardless of the size of the purchase or sale.

REALTOR PROFILE

Romero says, “One of the best feelings I have experienced while being a Realtor is helping a young couple purchase their first home when they didn’t believe that was possible.” Romero explained the whole process from start to finish and helped the couple find a great lender, which helped them purchase the best house for their budget. “They are now raising three children and their dog in the home. We remain friends to this day,” she adds.

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Romero is bilingual, which helps her assist clients. She remembers members of a family who sought her out because she could speak Spanish and would help them in their native language. “They already owned a home and were looking to move up, as their family had grown and they needed more space. Not only did we find the perfect home for them, but they were so pleased with the way I assisted them every step of the way that they referred all of their friends and family to me knowing they would receive the same level of service. They, too, are close friends.”

In addition to her work as a Realtor, Romero volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and has participated in “build” events to help construct homes. She observes, “Not everyone has the means to purchase a home. This organization helps deserving ENCHANTED HOMES VOL. CXIIII

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Romero says that over the past 12 months, home values in New Mexico have increased approximately 4.6 percent. She says, “I expect that this will continue and perhaps be higher in our market due to the lack of homes available for purchase. I truly believe that we will see a continued increase in home sales beginning this spring.”

The real estate business today requires keeping up with the latest technology and information, but at the core of the work for Romero is staying grounded and being compassionate about what her clients need. She knows that you just can’t ask someone how many bedrooms they want. A Realtor must ask the deeper questions about how people want to live. “I understand that it is important to listen to my buyers and sellers to get a complete grasp on exactly what they want to accomplish. I put the same amount of emphasis on each transaction, regardless if it is $200,000 or $2 million.”

Romero works with sellers to make sure that their properties are in optimal condition without spending lots of money. She uses her experiences as a leading home stager to make sure the house looks great to ensure that it sells quicker and for a top price. “One of the compliments I receive from clients and brokers is when they see my name attached to a listing, they know the home will show as turnkey or move-in ready.”

Sheryl Harding has worked with Romero to buy and sell several homes.

She says, “By far, Romero was the most professional agent we ever worked with. She was motivated and always had a positive attitude. I was impressed that she came in, helped arrange the house and took pictures herself of our home for sale. Her pictures were really good, and I feel that is one of the most important things: to have good photos for the listing that people can see online. She helped sell our house in Taos Canyon for the asking price. I give her all the credit.”

For more information, contact Romero at Dreamcatcher Real Estate Company – (575) 758-3606 – or by cell phone, (575) 779-5526.

Dreamcatcher’s website can be found at taosnewmexico.com.

Learn more about Romero at nmrealestatetoday.com.

Photo by Katharine Egli

Interested in seeing your Taos photo published in the next issue of Enchanted Homes?

Submit your photos today!

Call 758-2241 x113 or design1@taosnews.com for details.

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Taos Ski Valley is the first ski resort in the world to become a “Certified B Corporation.” The sustainability recognition attests to the company’s commitment to its community, employees and the environment. Organizations with this classification are known for using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. And that’s what Taos Ski Valley has been doing consistently, said CEO David Norden.

Norden explained when asked about the initiative’s name.

“Here, we choose verde – green. We are all for green building, recycling and preservation of our rivers and forests.”

“Our environmental efforts and investment into the community and the local economy were among the main reasons why the company became B Corp certified,” he said.

“We use electric vehicles, upgraded our snowcat fleet to Tier 3 motors and have [energy-efficient] snowmaking systems,” Norden said. “Our snowmaking energy consumption has been reduced by 17 percent, the equivalent to reducing our CO2 emissions by 234 tons.”

TAOS VERDE – THE GREENING UP OF THE SKI VALLEY An initiative that proved critical to the certification was “Taos Verde,” considered the cornerstone of the company’s environmental efforts. It identifies energy, stewardship, water, waste and engagement as its five core areas of focus.

“The official state question of New Mexico is, ‘Red or green?’”

One of Taos Verde’s main accomplishments was a considerable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions at the ski valley. From 2014 to 2016, the company reduced those emissions of its own making by 10.9 percent.

The green building techniques used at The Blake, the resort’s newest hotel, also played a crucial part in the program.

“It has an advanced geothermal system for heating and cooling,” Norden said. “We have also implemented new wastereduction initiatives, like using reusable, collapsible water bottles instead of plastic ones.”

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But perhaps the most innovative recycling idea is a partnership with the Taos Earthship Institute.

“We have an exceptional wine menu at The Blake and decided to put the empty wine bottles to good use,” Norden said.

“We donate them to the Earthship community so they can be reused as building materials for homes.”

THE BENEFITS OF SUSTAINABILITY Taos Ski Valley looks to the future, Norden said, so stewardship of the land is at the heart of the Taos Verde program.

“We have partnered with the United States Forest Service and the Nature Conservancy to improve the forest’s health, restore wildlife habitats, reduce wildfire risks and protect the watershed,” he said. “This also makes for better skiing, so it’s a win-win situation for everyone.”

He points out the fact that many travelers today are inclined to support socially responsible and sustainable businesses.

“As soon as we announced that we were a B-certified corporation, we immediately noticed that more people were choosing Taos as a destination,” he said.

MOUNTAIN, CULTURE AND SPIRIT When skiers come to Taos Ski Valley, they are not only attracted to its 300 inches of average annual snowfall and uncrowded terrain, but also lured by the uniqueness of the place.

“Many ski areas are owned by large corporations,” Norden said. “But since Taos Ski Valley is independent, that allows us to keep a high level of differentiation while maintaining our strong social mission and the resort’s authentic charm.”

Much of that charm is due to the natural beauty and cultural heritage of the region. Though, historically, most of the Taos Ski Valley activities have taken place in the winter, Norden has plans to expand them to the rest of the year.

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P H OTO S B Y DE N IE LLE ROSE

“We have a great story to tell that can attract people in the summer, fall and spring as well,” he said. “We are building on the strengths of the area – the great outdoors, the art and culture of the region and the spirituality of Northern New Mexico – to bring like-minded people here. We are also looking forward to having yoga groups, conferences and weddings at the resort.”

ANCHORED IN THE COMMUNITY The Taos Ski Valley Foundation supports a variety of educational and community programs and organizations, like Amigos Bravos, Taos Land Trust, Taos Community Foundation, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps and others.

The foundation donates ski passes and lessons and hosts many charitable events.

“Our goal is to promote a robust community,” Norden said.

“We continue to form bonds with different organizations and groups. When we opened The Blake, we had a special blessing from Taos Pueblo. It was a beautiful experience.

We would like to do more of that and bring all the people together.”

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getting started

BY ANDY DENNISON

ELECTRICITY Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (575-758-2258) is the only power company in Taos. The office is located at 118 Cruz Alta St. Many Taoseños also get their power either partially or fully from the sun. Check the phone book under “Solar” for providers of renewable energy equipment and supplies. If you settle west of the Rio Grande Gorge, you will be off the grid and have to rely on solar, wind and often batteries to stay connected.

GAS & PROPANE New Mexico Gas is the sole provider of natural gas in the Taos area (888-664-2726). Their office is located at 1110 Gusdorf Road. Natural gas is not available in all areas, and you will have to pay to have your house hooked up if it is near but not already connected to a gas line.

Propane is another gas option, and there are a half-dozen propane providers and dealers that can be located in the phone book under “Gas-Propane.”

TELEPHONE CenturyLink (877-255-5179) is the main provider for telephone service in the area. All major cell phone providers offer coverage in the Taos vicinity. Verizon (800-256-4646) and T Mobile (800-201-3979) currently offer local number prefixes that will not cost long distance charges when your number is called from a land line locally. Some cell phones will also not work in the Eagle Nest and Angel Fire areas. Check with your service provider to make sure you have the right phone to work in these areas. Look under “Cellular & Wireless Phones & Service” for businesses that sell phones.

WATER If you have a well, you get your water from the ground. And if you live in an Earthship, you get your water from the sky. If you don’t fall into one of these two categories, you will want to call the Town of Taos Water Department at (575-751-2047).

TRASH, RECYCLING, AND DONATIONS Waste Management (575-751-0708) handles on-street trash removal. Taos also has a recycling center located at 201 Bertha Lane. They take paper, cardboard, glass, old computers, aluminum and tin. Left-over building supplies and

Just moving to Taos or relocating to another home within Taos? Here’s a handy checklist of the basics to make sure you are all hooked up the first day in your new home.

fixtures can go to Habitat for Humanity (575-776-2165) just past the old blinking light, on the left-hand side, on the road to Questa.

The Community Against Violence store (575-751-4824), 1103 Paseo del Pueblo Sur, will also take your donations of reusable clothes and household goods.

NEWSPAPER Your local weekly newspaper, The Taos News, is a great source for news, entertainment, classifieds, church services and more. For more information on how to subscribe call (575) 758-2241 or visit taosnews.com.

INTERNET & CABLE CenturyLink (575-244-1111) provides DSL internet. Kit Carson Telecom offers DSL internet (575-758-4838), as well as satellite internet where no other option is available.

TaosNet (575-758-7598) is another local ISP and can also provide you with DSL service, or wireless antenna internet where DSL is not available. For other options, look under “ Internet Access Providers.”

MAIL No matter where you are, there is a Post Office nearby. The main Taos post office is located just north of Taos Plaza at 318 Paseo del Pueblo Norte (575-758-2081). Other Post Offices are in Ranchos de Taos, El Prado, Arroyo Hondo, Arroyo Seco, San Crystobal, Questa, Cerro, Taos Ski Valley, Tres Piedras and Carson.

VEHICLE REGISTRATION New residents are required to apply for a New Mexico driver’s license within 90 days of establishing residency. Make sure to bring proof of residency and proof of insurance when applying for a new license and registration, and check the website for updated information at http://nmshtd.state.nm.us/. The MVD office is located at 1038 Salazar Road on the south side of town at (575-758-4226).

VOTING You can register to vote at the County Clerk’s Office at 105 Albright (across from Centinel Bank.) You must register at least 28 days before the first election in which you vote.

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CERRO

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GET TO KNOW THE ENCHANTED CIRCLE

The Enchanted Circle encompasses Taos, Angel Fire, Eagle Nest, Red River and Questa. Known for its magnificent scenery and outdoor activities, the Enchanted Circle makes an outstanding day trip. Drive time is approximately 3 1/2 hours, but make plans for frequent stops along the way. It’s worth the extra time to discover the hidden treasures of Northern New Mexico.

TOWN OF TAOS Taos Plaza rests at the heart of the historic district, surrounded by shops, galleries and restaurants within easy walking distance, in the midst of quiet residential areas. It has a relatively flat landscape filled with cottonwood trees.

Average home sale price: $254,896

BLUEBERRY HILL An area of sagebrush mesas, which is a popular area for houses.

Average home sale price: $288,125

UPPER LAS COLONIAS A varied area of sagebrush and juniper, with easy access to the town of Taos and affordable home options.

Average home sale price: $337,265

ARROYO HONDO, HONDO MESA A village of old adobes and other dwellings along the Río Hondo, with a rolling high desert mesa stretching toward the Río Grande Gorge. Includes popular fishing spots, as well as the historic John Dunn Bridge.

Average home sale price: $240,481

ARROYO SECO, EL SALTO, DES MONTES Arroyo Seco is a picturesque village of galleries, shops and cafes, surrounded by the beautiful landscape and gorgeous views of the mountains. El Salto and Des Montes have rolling terrain with orchards and ranches.

Arroyo Seco average home sale price: $375,181 El Salto average home sale price: $415,600 Des Montes average home sale price: $399,358

TAOS SKI VALLEY, VALDEZ Taos Ski Valley is world renowned with both national and international clientele. Most of the businesses are open year-round for outdoor enthusiasts of every season. Valdez sits at the foot of the canyon accessing Taos Ski Valley, providing high-altitude living amidst woodlands and valleys along the Río Hondo.

TSV average home sale price: $410,666 TSV average condo sale price: $315,620 Valdez average home sale price: $236,633

TAOS CANYON, CAÑÓN This area is replete with hiking trails and campgrounds.

Picturesque views of the mountainsides and the Río Fernando combine to form a lush, green landscape.

Taos Canyon average home sale price: $167,777 Cañón average home sale price: $287,200

TAOS COUNTRY CLUB, STAKEOUT AREA A relatively new area of development with broad expanses of land affording unbroken mountain views, as well as the piñon-and-juniper covered “Outlaw Hill,” where Old West outlaws hid out from the law.

Average home sale price: $342,444

RANCHOS DE TAOS, TALPA, LLANO QUEMADO Home of the most photographed church in the country (San Francisco de Asís), Ranchos de Taos is accented with quaint adobe structures, galleries and shops. High terrain and ridges afford views of the Río Grande Gorge and mountains.

Average home sale price: $199,684

WEIMER FOOTHILLS An upscale neighborhood of rolling hills, it is close to schools, Holy Cross Hospital and the Taos Youth and Family Center. Building restrictions keep mountain and foothill views relatively unbroken.

Average home sale price: $354,163

EL PRADO, RANCHITOS, CÓRDOVAS El Prado is comprised of meadows and ranch lands with small shops, cafes and other businesses along the highway. Ranchitos and Los Córdovas are similar but more residential. All have excellent views of Taos Mountain.

El Prado average home sale price: $256,666 Ranchitos average home sale price: $350,400 Los Córdovas average home sale price: $245,452

VALLE ESCONDIDO Nestled in the mountains only 20 minutes east of Taos, Valle Escondido offers spectacular views, USGA golf, stocked fishing lakes, swimming pool and playground and community social life at the historic log clubhouse, all enjoyed by full-and part-time homeowners, with community water and household trash removal included. Valle Escondido is surrounded by the Carson National Forest, offering year-round recreation: hiking, hunting, camping, mountain biking, ATV trails and winter sports.

A wide variety of homes can be found in Valle Escondido with an approximate starting price of $200,000.

ANGEL FIRE Cradled in the beautiful Moreno Valley, Angel Fire is a favorite destination for skiers in the winter and golfers, hikers and music lovers in the summer.

Average home sale price: $381,170

RED RIVER This historic ski town invites visitors to explore its Wild West history along with its many shops and restaurants.

Surrounded by the Carson National Forest, the village rests in a valley, with the Red River running through it.

Average home sale price: $310,350

QUESTA An agricultural town at the mouth of the Red River, with a compact downtown of shops and restaurants and a variety of rural housing tucked between the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the Río Grande Gorge.

Average home sale price: $176,375

Joel Schantz, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Taos Real Estate (www.BHHSTaosRealEstate.com), provided the information. DISCLAIMER: Statistics are based on MLS information for the period Jan. 1, 2014 through Dec. 31, 2014. Neither the REALTORS Association of New Mexico nor Taos County Association of REALTORS guarantees or is in any way responsible for its accuracy. Data is maintained by Taos County Association of REALTORS and may not reflect all real estate activity in the market.

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Your Taos Ski Valley Specialist!

ST. MORITZ CONDOMINIUMS LUXURIOUS NEW CONDOS IN TAOS SKI VALLEY!

Beautiful architecture featuring scenic balconies with OUTSTANDING VIEWS. Most attractive building in neighbor-hood that makes the neighbors property look better. GREAT LOCATION! Just two minutes from the slopes, shops, restaurants and other establishments; but also TUCKED AWAY from the hustle and bustle. Quality construction with granite counter tops, beautiful stone work, custom cabinets and gas fireplaces.

Low HOA dues makes this new project very attractive.

MLS# 99428 .......Unit 101 .........$384,000 ............1Br MLS# 99430 .......Unit 102 .........$384,000 ...........*1Br !

LD.........$529,000 MLS# 91266 .......Unit ...........*2Br SO201 !

D L MLS# 91267........Unit SO202 .........$499,000 ............2Br MLS# 99431 .......Unit 302 .........$482,000 ............2Br MLS# 99429 .......Unit 402 .........$438,900 ............1Br

www.tsvrealty.com Keith Dowell, Qualifying Broker (575) 776.0600 66

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  

       







                                                      



                                 

  ½                          

                                



                        



½                               

                              



                      

                         



 ½                     



                            

                                     

                        



                     



                                                              



                                                                  



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                                

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Current Happenings in Taos Real Estate

RE/MAX sElls 1 hoME EvERy 42 sEconds!

Mountain Realty Each Office Independently Owned & Operated

www.taosmls.com remax@newmex.com 575-758-5400

Linda Valaika, Associate Broker

COMPARISON OF 2016 - 2017 REAL ESTATE ACTIVITY January 1, 2017- March 9, 2017 2017 2016 % of change Residential Sold Properties Average Sold Price Volume Sold Land Sold Properties Average Sold Price Volume Sold

29 286,400 8,306,523

28 314,200 8,798,964

.03% -.08% -.05%

7 71,714 502,000

7 66,178 463,250

0% .08% .08%

0 0 0

0 0 0

0% 0%

1 730,000 730,000

1 55,000 55,000

Multi-Family Sold Properties Average Sold Price Volume Sold Commercial Sold Properties Average Sold Price Volume Sold

12.3% 12.3%

CURRENT REAL ESTATE ACTIVITY Current Residential Properties Average Listed Price Volume

163 $527,085 $85,914,899

Current Land Listings Average Listed Price Volume

360 $160,330 $57,719,098

Current Multi-Family Listing Average Listed Price Volume

3 $459,666 $1,379,000

Current Commercial Listings Average Listed Price Volume

33 $626,027 $20,658,900

RATES ARE GOING UP. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE RATES WHILE YOU STILL CAN Fixed Interest Rates Loan Amount Monthly Payment* $200,000 $1032.00 30 year Fixed Rate 4.3% $200,000 $1484.00 15 year Fixed Rate 3.75% 5 year Adj. Rate

3.625%

$200,000

$945.00

*Rates quoted represent average rates without points and vary depending on credit score, loan size, and loan to value on conventional loans.

These statistics were obtained through data available from Taos County Board of Realtors. Rates provided courtesy of Wells Fargo Mortgage.

STRIVING TO GO GREEN IN TAOS One would think that living in what 101.9 KTAO-FM calls “the solar capital of the world,” Taos would be quick to adapt to new technologies in the green construction arena, but that’s only true if it’s cheap, if not free. I find that most of our good folks know about green, care about green, want to be green. However, most of our good folks have limited funds, so those technologies need to get less costly and friendlier to those of us in that 99 percent.

Taoseños are very good at recycling. Heck, we don’t have curbside pickup like some towns and cities, but most of us find our way to Bertha Street, where we drop off our newspapers, plastics and beer bottles. That only takes a little time and a little gas, and most of us have some of both. But when it comes to design, construction, maintenance and the like, folks here tend to back off when the cost comes in.

MARKETSHARE

Some stuff is easy and doesn’t cost much. For example, folks around here didn’t need architects or designers to let them know that the sun was hot during the summer, so they needed smaller windows to keep the heat out. They didn’t need any consultants to know that any north-facing walls will be cooler any time of the year, nor did they need much education before seeing how strong and lasting our mud could be when used as a building material.

The same can be said with the sighting of a house that can mean so much in terms of energy savings and comfort for those who reside inside.

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I suppose at some level, Jemery Kaufman and Tim Eckert had the ultimate approach when it came time for them to build their nest here in Taos. While they owned land in Arroyo Hondo with a live river on it, they didn’t want to burden the earth with another home. They saw that as unnecessary in a world that already had plenty of structures. They found a home on some land they liked and then went about making it theirs. I frankly think that was a very cool thing to do.

In Taos, if you are going to build your own, there are plenty of considerations that will cost you something, but won’t be deal killers. Some may actually save you money. I don’t know that cost was a consideration when Mike Reynolds created Earthships – homes made of beer bottles and old rubber tires – but I bet they ENCHANTED HOMES VOL. CXIIII

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BY H A RVEY BLAUSTEIN

don’t cost more to build than traditional homes. Straw bale homes are cool, literally, and I love when the builders create a window through the interior walls so one can see what is really inside.

We have a whole community of Earthships on the Tres Piedras side of the Gorge Bridge. While not for everyone, I have been in some that are really charming. The key, from my perspective, is to be only one room deep. When they get big and are two rooms deep, they become like a cave, at least to me. Those that have wraparound windows to the east and west provide another dimension that makes it even better.

Solar power? We have plenty, but it’s clear that the costs of installing a system have not yet become low enough to attract many of us.

Perhaps we need to hear more about the savings recapture. One can use the sun for a home, but one may need to be a little flexible if that is your sole source of power.

My son, Jonathan Blaustein, and his wife, Jessie Kaufman, are green in at least two major ways. They used steel as their construction material for the skin of their home. Not many think of it as recycled, but it often is. They also have an active solar home, so they pay virtually nothing for power. But I have also known my son to go a day or three with no hot water – not something I would enjoy often. Maybe it’s generational.

In Taos, we have wind – sometimes more than we want – but that’s hard to harness for a home. At least I can’t think of anyone here who powers their home using a windmill. Personally, I think it would be intriguing and it reminds me a bit of being grounded to the earth in a way that teepees make me feel. But this isn’t Holland and while solar panels have proliferated for commercial use, at least, I don’t expect to see wind harnessed for home use in the near future.

Our good people care about Mother Earth. However, our good people must work with what they have, so our good people do what they can do in the ways they can. And all things considered, I think we do a pretty good job.

Harvey Blaustein is a retired attorney and local real estate broker.

603 Camino da la Placita Taos, NM 87571 575-737-5678 hblau4@gmail.com www.taospremierproperties.com

LIVE ON TOP OF OUR WORLD... For those who have the freedom of choice, most choose to live in the Cañon foothills, east of town.

We proudly offer 3 of the finest lots in the area, all unique and different, all with sweeping views that will take your breath away – and make it hard to choose. Sized at 3.77, 8.79 and 18.81, you will feel like you are in a candy store, finding it difficult to decide. $165,000 MLS 98193

AFFORDABLE IN TOWN FREE STANDING CONDOS… In town, and just two blocks from the Albertson’s Shopping

Center, we proudly offer two homes, one a 1/1 and the other a 2/1, in a condominium ownership arrangement. Each home has an open floor plan and a sun room, each has private areas, fenced spaces and designated parking areas. Come see housing you can afford – and will want to live in. Starting at $175,000 MLS #95729

PREMIUM R-4 SITE NEAR THE PLAZA…

The most important phrase in our residential real estate market is “in walking distance to the plaza” because that is what most folks want when they look for a home here. For those that want to meet this need, we proudly offer a 4.25 acre site, the largest undeveloped R-4 location close to the plaza in town, between Salazar and Santistevan Roads, with frontage on Ranchitos, and access off Santistevan.

Owner/broker $399,000 MLS #99029

HISTORIC IN TOWN ADOBE… We proudly offer the for-

mer home and studio of famous early 20th century artist, Oscar Berninghaus, listed in the National Historic Registry. Set on .48 acres, this splendid adobe of some 4,000 sq. ft. has been remodeled but one can still feel the artist in residence. $899,000 MLS 96139

“I AM A STRATEGIC THINKER, PAY ATTENTION TO DETAILS, AND GET THINGS DONE.” HARVEY BLAUSTEIN, QUALIFYING BROKER

AN IMPORTANT COMMERCIAL CORNER…

If you do business with locals and are looking for the perfect location we proudly offer the very prominent corner of Salazar and Ranchitos Roads. This is one of the most desirable commercial locations in town, which most residents drive by daily. It consists of .64 acres and is zoned CBD with more land possible.

Owner/Broker $329,000 MLS99026 ENCHANTEDHOMESELLER.COM

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