As of today, the terrible Las Conchas fire, the largest in New Mexico history, has grown to more than 130,000 acres. Residents of the townsite in Los Alamos were required to evacuate on Monday, June 27 and allowed to return to their homes on Sunday, July 3. It was a tense time as evacuees relived the Cerro Grande fire that struck Los Alamos in 2000 and burned 400 homes. Thankfully, no Los Alamos homes have been lost in this blaze, although other communities are not so lucky. Due in large part to the heroic efforts of more than 1600 firefighters who were brought in, many off of other fires, to battle the blaze, in addition to our own LANL and county crews, the fire has been diverted from the lab and from town. However, it continues to burn acres and acres of Northern New Mexico as it is still mostly uncontained. I am so grateful to everyone who has worked to fight this fire, aid area residents, or generally support the community. We are lucky to live in such a wonderful, caring community.
Los Alamos fire swells to more than 60,000 acres
It was exciting to see Los Alamos top the news on places like the Today Show and CNN today. I wish the circumstances could have been different. Yesterday the county called for a mandatory evacuation of the townsite as the wildfire that began on Thursday swelled to more than 60,000 acres in less than 48 hours. Everything I read, as I look out from my friends’ house in Santa Fe where I’m staying at the huge cumulus of smoke, says the town is safe, the lab is safe and the people who are risking their lives fighting the fire remain safe. There is some consolation in this news. At the same time, I am deeply saddened by the devastation that is occurring all around us
. Please keep Los Alamos and its civil servants in your hearts and prayers tonight.
Know a senior in need?
Sometimes staying on top of the yardwork at my house feels overwhelming. For seniors or others with disabilities it becomes downright impossible. That’s why the agents at RE/MAX here is Los Alamos have been donating some sweat equity to seniors in need around the county. We’ve been going out and pruning shrubs, hauling off debris, pulling weeds. None of us is a professional; we’re just trying to help our community out, one scraggly yard at a time! So, if you know someone who needs a little muscle power in giving their property a bit of a cleanup, give me a call. We’re evaluating each request on a case-by-case basis. Or, if you’re interested in lending a hand, stout back, or some hauling power on our next job, give me a call or send me an email. Thanks!
Fireworks banned in Los Alamos County
I don’t know how many of you saw the announcement over the weekend but Los Alamos County Council has banned fireworks everywhere except the Kiwanis display at Overlook Park on the Fourth of July. This year’s drought conditions and windier than normal weather are cited for ban. Now, I love a good pyrotechnic display as much as the next fellow, but I’m happy to see this ban go into effect. The horrific Wallow Fire in Arizona has reminded many of us of the Cerro Grande fire of 2001. Let’s keep our homes and families safe and not revisit those bad old days, OK? Do your part to uphold this important initiative by vocally supporting the ban. Thanks for listening.
Home Ownership Still Matters
Seventy-five percent of Americans say that “owning a home is the best long-term investment they can make and is worth the risk of ups and downs in the housing market.” This is according to a new survey of 2,000 bipartisan voters by the National Association of Home Builders.
Despite their situation — whether underwater on their home or even renters — the survey found Americans to be optimistic about home ownership. Eighty-one percent of those who own their homes outright, 76 percent with mortgages, 67 percent of renters, and 65 percent who have underwater mortgages cited home ownership as the “best long-term investment.”
When survey respondents were asked whether they’d recommend buying a home to a friend or family member just starting out, 80 percent of Americans said “yes.” Even home owners currently underwater — those who owe more on their mortgage than their home is currently worth — overwhelmingly (78 percent) said they would recommend home ownership to family or friends starting out.
More buyers are coming up through the pipeline too. The survey found that 73 percent of those surveyed who do not own a home said their goal is eventually to buy one.This is according to a June 2 statement from The Cook Report. http://www.nationaljournal.com/columns/cook-report/the-cook-report-homeownership-still-a-cherished-value-20110602
Los Alamos National Lab accounts for nearly $3 billion of New Mexico’s economy & Los Alamos Housing Market
The Los Alamos housing market, as well as the housing market in Santa Fe and much of the rest of Northern New Mexico, is aided by Los Alamos National Laboratory. This from a recent news release from LANL. The housing market isn’t the only economic indicator of the lab’s influence. According to a recent University of New Mexico study, the lab has a $2.9 billion/year impact on the state’s economy and supporting about 24,000 jobs. In fiscal year 2009, the Lab directly injected $1.6 billion into New Mexico’s economy, with an additional $1.3 billion resulting from indirect economic spending. The indirect impacts are the ripple effect of LANL vendors purchasing goods and services and LANL employees and vendors’ employees spending their earnings in the region. Read more here. http://www.lanl.gov/news/releases/new_mexicos_economy.html
Currently, a Buyers Market in Los Alamos
Home sales are a bumpy ride
It’s still a price war and a beauty contest. Buyers expect a quality home for the dollar. When they see it, they buy. Until then, they wait.
If you have any questions, please call or email me.
They called it the Atomic BOMB!
A pretty cool event happened in Los Alamos this weekend that went almost unnoticed by the community and popular press. It was a skateboard race that started near the parking lot of the ski hill (elevation 9200 feet) and raced down the Camp May Road. Or, as the race’s web site describes the descent: “One gnarly, epic beast!” More than 120 boarders from across the country signed up for the two-day event. As one racer said, “This race course is off the hook! Even if you fall in the top 3 tech turns you will STILL hit the finish line at 55 mph!”
My analysis of the event also includes an exclamation mark, but it’s a one-word editorial: “YIKES!”
Check out this clip: http://www.flickr.com/photos/targetsalad/5724204594/in/set-72157626604193191
So Where Are All the Gucci Bags & Bentleys?
Did you know that Los Alamos County is the wealthiest county west of the Mississippi? This data comes from the US Census Bureau based on information they collected from January 1 2005 to December 31, 2009. In addition to being the wealthiest county in the west based on household income, Los Alamos is also the fifth wealthiest county in the US. According to the Census, the county’s median income is $100,432. The county’s designation is all the more striking because New Mexico is one of the poorest states in the nation, with a median household income of $42,742. Obviously, this wealth is primarily driven by the county’s largest employer: the Los Alamos National Laboratory and its contractors. Another interesting tidbit that came out of the survey is that while the national economic health has slowed, the median income of the county is down just slightly from 2000 Census data. Do we all know how lucky we are?
The cost of home loans expected to rise
Beginning next month, the cost of borrowing money to buy a home may rise. According to the news report linked below, closing costs based on loan-to-value percent and credit scores are going to go up. This won’t just impact low-score, low-down payment buyers; it’s going to have an affect on just about everyone. For people who are thinking about buying a home, it would probably be a good idea to to have a detailed conversation with their lender about all the costs associated with their home mortgage.
