Community

Good neighbors are REALTORS® and affiliates that dedicate themselves to volunteer service. The GOOD Neighbor Awards program not only recognizes individuals and their charities for their good works but also helps the public understand the positive impact that realtors have on their community.

Beginning in 2015, the Good Neighbor Awards initiative was created by the National Association of REALTORS® to engage with the community. Realty One of New Mexico broker Keith Powell was selected as one of the five GAAR Good Neighbor award winners this year.

Keith spent many years volunteering for the New Mexico Cancer Center Foundation and has served on the Foundation Board for nine years and served as Board President for four. Anyone who’s involved in real

Good Neighbors are REALTORS® and Affiliates that dedicate themselves to volunteer service. They donate gifts, money, and – most importantly –  a lot of time to their charity.

Congratulations to Michael Skolnick, one of five GAAR Good Neighbor recipients for 2019. Michael is an integral part of the Del Norte Rotary Club raising thousands of dollars for their non-profit Foundation. Each year, Michael raises an average of $40,000 which has culminated to over $500,000 throughout the years. These funds are then distributed to a variety of local charities throughout Albuquerque. In addition, Michael has volunteered his time to chair the Del Norte Rotary Club Golf Tournament for 23 years! GAAR members are proud to recognize Michael Skolnick as a 2019 Good

Good Neighbors are REALTORS® and Affiliates that dedicate themselves to volunteer service. They donate gifts, money, and – most importantly –  a lot of time to their charity.

Congratulations to Lamia Faruki, one of five GAAR Good Neighbor recipients we'll recognize in 2019. Lamia has volunteered for Creativity for Peace since 2009. Creativity for Peace empowers young Palestinian and Israeli women to become leaders in their communities by transforming anger and prejudice into mutual respect.

We'd like to thank all of our winners and nominees for their work in the community. Please look for upcoming articles about the charitable work and the non-profits they serve. 

2019 NAR Good Neighbor Award Deadline is Friday, May 10th

The National

Good Neighbors are REALTORS® and Affiliates that dedicate themselves to volunteer service. They donate gifts, money, and – most importantly –  a lot of time to their charity.

GAAR is proud to recognize Affiliate Alan Feuer, one of five GAAR Good Neighbor award winners we'll recognize in 2019. Alan has volunteered his services to Beds4Kidz for the past four years. Beds4Kidz provides beds to low-income families. Alan provides regular training sessions to staff and volunteers to help them provide safe, clean beds for the families. Congratulations to Alan!

We'd like to thank all of our winners and nominees for their work in the community. Please look for upcoming articles about the charitable work and the non-profits they serve. 

Like buying a fridge or mattress when the savings are the biggest.

The lazy days of summer officially kick off Memorial Day weekend.

Giving your home a little extra love this month can save you time and money.

#1 Chill With a New Fridge

Is yours leaking water, cooling less efficiently, or just too limited on storage space? May is the best month to buy a new refrigerator.

New models hit the sales floor in the summer, and stores need to clear out the old ones to make room. Need a stove instead? Best to wait until fall for other kitchen appliances. That's when they go on sale.

#2 Punch Up Exterior Paint

Winter's freezing temps and wet weather can be tough on your home's exterior, making it look a little drab come May. But that's more of

Good Neighbors are REALTORS® and Affiliates that dedicate themselves to volunteer service. They donate gifts, money, and – most importantly –  a lot of time to their charity.

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Congratulations to Michael Skolnick, one of five GAAR Good Neighbor recipients for 2019. Michael is an integral part of the Del Norte Rotary Club raising thousands of dollars for their non-profit Foundation. Each year, Michael raises an average of $40,000 which has culminated to over $500,000 throughout the years. These funds are then distributed to a variety of local charities throughout Albuquerque. In addition, Michael has volunteered his time to chair the Del Norte Rotary Club Golf Tournament for 23 years! GAAR members are proud to recognize Michael Skolnick as a

Avoid these rookie mistakes to keep everything beautiful.

You’ve done it. You own a house with a yard. The great outdoors. Amber waves of grain. OK, maybe not grain, and ideally you want it green, not amber.

But now that you have it, how do you keep from screwing it up? By avoiding a few common gaffes that landscaping experts say new homeowners make waaay too often.

“They end up buying the wrong fertilizer, they have no clue what weed killer is, they kill their entire lawn, they kill their bushes — and then they call me,” says Dean Granat, who runs D&D Landscape & Sprinkler Services Inc. in Buffalo Grove, Ill. 

Here’s what the pros say newbie homeowners often do wrong with their lawns and yards:

#1 Not Following Product

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a world-renowned attraction and destination for kids of all ages. For more than three decades, the first week in October brings the smell of roasting chiles and the beautiful, magical moving picture show of hot air balloons sailing silently through the crisp fall air.

Guests from all over the world come to Albuquerque to celebrate ballooning. Literally hundreds of balloons will be taking flight from the Balloon Fiesta Park this year.

See the full 2018 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Program

First-time home-buyer advice: Ask a lot of questions.

Names: Anthony Tucker, 32, and Sammy Kallay, 31

City: Richardson, Texas, a suburb of Dallas

Year of home purchase: 2018

Sale price: $252,000

Home style: 46-year old ranch

Professions: He’s an IT business consultant; she’s a nurse.

When Anthony Tucker, and his wife, Sammy Kallay, had their first child, they knew it was time to buy their first house. Like so many new parents, they wanted the works for their son, Okiyan — safe neighborhood, good schools, nice yard. But their budget wasn’t limitless, and their knowledge of real estate was zilch.

They weren’t about to buy their first home without advice. So the Dallas-area couple started by finding the resources they needed for

Location is everything when you’re searching for a home. Finding your dream neighborhood may seem like the easiest part, but once you factor in budget, non-negotiable home features, and proximity to the things you can’t live without, it may be less obvious where you should live.

When it comes to searching for a new neighborhood, here’s what you need to know.

Property Taxes

Property taxes can play a huge role in your overall cost of living. To get a sense of what your property taxes might look like in a particular county, check out this simple property tax map. Also, property taxes for specific homes are typically included in online property listings. 

What to consider: How much will my property taxes be?

Safety and Crime

Before you sign