Buyers

Homes don’t clean themselves. But these easy-peasy rules (wake and make!) will make you feel like they do.

Here's a thing you may have noticed about houses: They don't clean themselves.

Which is unfortunate, because if houses cleaned themselves, you could spend less time cleaning yours and more time doing something more fun.

A few simple daily habits could make it seem like you've got a self-cleaning house.

Rules like . . .

#1 Dedicate 20 Minutes a Day Every Day

You don't need to set aside 20 hours one day to get things in order. You only need 20 minutes every day.

Focus on tackling clutter in just one room. You might only pare down a single drawer or shelf, but "it will make you feel accomplished at the end of the day. And at the end

Like cleaning your siding — just be sure to start from the bottom and go up.

Could it really be summer?!

Tackle these five summer maintenance tasks during June's longer days and better weather — and save yourself time and money this winter.

#1 Update Outdoor Lighting

In June, winter nights are probably the last thing on your mind. But early summer is the perfect time to plan for those "OMG it's only 4:30, and it's already dark " moments by adding or updating landscape lighting.

The most energy-efficient, easy-to-install option is solar lighting, but it won't perform as well on dark or snowy days. For light no matter the weather, install electric.

LED bulbs last up to five times longer and also use less energy than comparable bulbs.

#2

Want summer comfort but hate the AC? Follow these tips on how to keep your house cool without frosty air conditioning.

These tips will help you cool a house without AC, which will save energy (and avoid AC wars with your family).

How to Cool a Room Without AC

When sunlight enters your house, it turns into heat. You’ll keep your house cooler if you reduce solar heat gain by keeping sunlight out.

Close the drapes: Line them with light-colored fabric that reflects the sun, and close them during the hottest part of the day. Let them pillow onto the floor to block air movement.

Add awnings: Install them on south- and west-facing windows to reduce solar heat gain by up to 77%, says the U.S. Department of Energy. Make your own by tacking up sheets

Don’t open the windows. That spring breeze is no help at all.

Once there's even a glimmer of spring, you're ready to throw open your windows and let the breeze blow away the winter funk. Well, you might want to rethink that spring cleaning ritual this year.

If you're an allergy sufferer (and who isn't?), that's the last thing you want to do, says Dr. Neeta Ogden, a spokesperson for the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. "It will allow pollen to settle in your home."

If you really can't skip that spring breeze, avoid opening windows in the morning, when pollen counts are highest. They decrease late in the day and at night.

That's not the only common spring-cleaning mistake homeowners make. Here are eight more to avoid:

#1

There are no dumb questions to ask a real estate agent.

Home buying seems simple enough: Find a house you like that’s close to work or school, tell someone you want to buy it, and move in.

But there's more to it than that. You’ll have to find and get approved by a lender who will let you borrow a few hundred thousand dollars, lock in a mortgage rate, figure out how much house you can afford, put in an offer that will entice the seller, get an inspection and an appraisal, pay closing costs and sign a whole bunch of paperwork.

Phew! We need a break just thinking about all the questions to ask when buying a house.

Your real estate agent can help you understand the process. But if you don’t ask questions or get your agent to clarify something you

And how I survived when my loan fell through before closing

Name: Andrea Lawson, 36

City: Madison, Wis.

Year of Home Purchase: 2014

Sale Price: $222,500

Home style: 2006 condo

Profession: Social worker

When Andrea Lawson got a dream job in a new city, she knew exactly where she wanted to live: an urban, walkable neighborhood near her new job in downtown Madison. Though she was hesitant to commit to buying a home before knowing for sure the job and city were the right fit for her, rental prices made buying the smarter financial move.

In just a two-day trip to Madison, she found a place she liked, made an offer, and had it accepted by the seller. All was great until her loan fell through prior to closing.

Before

From finding an inspector to dealing with surprises — this is your guide to getting a house checked out.

The first thing you need to know about home inspection: You’ll feel all the feels.

There’s the excitement — the inspection could be the longest time you’re in the house, after the showing.

Right behind that comes … anxiety. What if the inspector finds something wrong? So wrong you can’t buy the house?

Then there’s impatience. Seriously, is this whole home-buying process over yet?

Not yet. But you’re close. So take a deep breath. Because the most important thing to know about home inspection: It’s just too good for you, as a buyer, to skip. Here’s why.

A Home Inspector Is Your Protector

An inspector helps you make sure a house isn’t

Here you can access New Mexico Home Search Toolkit to promote your real estate business during the State-wide Grande Open House Event.

How to Participate

Participating in the Grande Open House Event is FREE for NM REALTORS®! Just set up your listing as an open house for October 2nd & 3rd in your MLS. Download this PDF for more information.

Grande Open House Weekend
Saturday, October 2nd - Sunday, October 3rd

How to participate in the Grande Open House Weekend:

Step 1:  Enter your open house details into your MLS by Friday, Oct 1st*.

Step 2:  Claim your profile by clicking “Agent Login” at the top right of the screen.

Step 3:  Utilize the Grande Open House Weekend Toolkit to promote the event on your social media.

Step 5:  Provide

Hot market expected to continue into 2021

By: Brittany Bade

Posted: Dec 28, 2020 / 05:30 PM MST / Updated: Dec 29, 2020 / 06:43 AM MST

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – People on the market for a home in Albuquerque or Santa Fe know that places are not staying on the market for long. Darlene Streit, a realtor in Santa Fe says it’s been busy and some people have even bought remotely without even seeing the home.

“It’s unprecedented. I’ve been in real estate 31 years and I’ve never seen a market quite like this one,” said Sherry Fowler, the President of the Greater Albuquerque Association of Realtors. Real estate is one of the few booming industries in 2020, despite being in the middle of a global pandemic. “It was really crazy we didn’t expect with the

It’s not just whether you pay your bills on time that matters.

Like it or not, your credit score is one of the most important numbers in your life, ranking up there with your Social Security number, date of birth, and wedding anniversary. This three-digit number is your financial report card, except there’s no getting rid of it after college.

Your credit score shows lenders just how trustworthy you are when it comes to managing your finances, and it can either save or cost you thousands of dollars throughout your life. 

If you’re in the dark about just how significantly this number can impact you and the details behind your personal score, here’s an overview of what you need to know before hitting the mortgage application process.

How Your