Real Estate Information Archive

Since a big part of Santa Fe culture is tradition, it's not often you get to be there for the "first" of a happening or an event. Come February, however, you will have your chance. Announcing the very FIRST, soon-to-be-annual,

Santa Fe Winter Fiesta!!

From February 18 - 27th, Santa Fe residents and visitors alike will fill the streets, shops, hotels, and restaurants of Historic Eastside and Downtown Santa Fe. Skiiers may come here for the snow capped mountains in the winter, but those of us who live in Santa Fe know that there is so much more here that is alive and kicking during the normally sleepy winter months. Santa Fe's attractions, restaurants, shops, culture, and Old World charm definitely don't hibernate for the winter, so neither should you!

The Winter Fiesta is your big chance to experience the renowned restaurants, businesses and cultural institutions of Santa Fe at a discounted rate. During the Fiesta, there will be a special Lanyard offering value prices at all participating vendors. Go to ticketssantafe.com to find out more.

The pillars of Santa Fe living are all represented here at the Fiesta: Shopping, Music, Mountain, Culture, Night Life, and Dining. Too many to mention, here is just a sampling of each kind...

Santa Fe Night Life
Experience the best of Santa Fe night life at the Live 505 Bar Crawl. Some of the best Downtown Santa Fe bars are participating - Corazon, Cowgirl BBQ, El Farol, Tin Star Saloon, Vanessie, Orehouse at Milagro.
Date: February 18th, 8 pm

Santa Fe Music
If you're looking for something a little more soul-stirring, then look no further than The Lensic for an evening with Brett Dennen. This California-born singer songwriter already has a new record set to be released in 201, legions of fans (one of which is John Mayer), and multiple critics betting on him to be the next up and coming singer songwriter.
Date: February 18th, 7:30 pm

Santa Fe Shopping
There are too many shopping opportunities to mention here, so I will do my best to point out some of the best. Please note that you will need a lanyard to take advantage of any of these discounts. A free $18 gift with the purchase of $50 or more at Au Boudoir, one free cupcake from Cakes by Ginene, 50% off all winter goods at Chapare, 20% off organic and natural products for your child at Indigo Baby, a free on-site consultation from Santa Fe Water Gardens - ideal for the new Santa Fe home buyer, and so much more!

Santa Fe Mountains
Santa Fe Mountain Adventures is holding a snowshoe outing. With the use of GPS technology and some rewarding treats, you should be able to navigate the beautiful natural setting of Santa Fe trails on snowshoes.
Date: February 19th, 1-4 pm

Santa Fe Dining
Don't think we didn't save the best for last! ARTsmart presents the ARTfeast Gourmet Dinner & Auction at Encantado Resort. Honoring sculptor Rebecca Tobey, this multi-course banquet, created by some of Santa Fe's best chefs, will feature a live auction where collectors can bid for a sculpture by Tobey as well as other pieces of art from Santa Fe students.

Please keep in mind that we only chose one or two events from this 10 Day Santa Fe extravaganza. We are almost overwhelmed by the delectable dining options, amazing deals, and first class entertainment - but in a good way. This is an event that only Santa Fe could pull off. Downtown Santa Fe already has everything that a festival could need - in abundance. We're surprised it's taken this long to put together such an event. Nevertheless, it has arrived and we highly recommend you attend.  If you're looking to move to Santa Fe, especially the Downtown area, this is the perfect opportunity to get a taste of all of its elements at once. When you come, give us a call. We'll be happy to navigate you in the right direction.

Susan Orth & Isabella Luconi
Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)
City Different Realty

Phone: 505-216-6535
Email: [email protected]

SantaFeHomeStore.com
Santa Fe Homes
Santa Fe Real Estate Podcast

"Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school."
-Albert Einstein

When you live in Santa Fe Real Estate, surrounded by culture, art, opportunity, and open minded people, educating your children is of the utmost importance to any Santa Fe homeowner. When you move to Santa Fe and you have a family, or are considering having one, we know that education is going to be at the top of your list of things to look for.  Raising children starts with putting them in the right environment. Santa Fe is a place for any young mind to flourish, but you must also be completely confident in a community's school system before you make the commitment to move there.

Great Schools, the country's leading source of information on school performance, is one of the best resources for finding out how a school is ranked by parents, students and the surrounding community. We did a little research on the public schools in the Santa Fe area to show you just how great Santa Fe schools are.

El Dorado Elementary and Middle school
El Dorado Elementary and Middle school is consistently ranked high on Great Schools. It has a current Great Schools rating of 9 out of 10 and an average community rating of 4 out of 5. The extracurricular activities that the school is best known for are Basketball, Community Service, and German. Parents very highly rated the level of parent involvement, as well as student involvement in El Dorado.

Santa Fe's Southwest Elementary school
Santa Fe's Southwest Elementary school is yet another school that has earned the esteemed Great Schools rating of 9 out of 10. Southwest Elementary serves grades K - 5. This school has ranked above average for their NMSBA test results, with a 94% ranking in Science and an 86% ranking in reading.

Los Alamos High School
With 1149 students, serving grades 9-12, Los Alamos High School has earned a perfect 10 out of 10 rating from Great Schools. This school has an average community rating of 4 out of 5 stars. One parent wrote in their review that, they moved from California to Los Alamos New Mexico to give their children a quality education. She was more than pleased with the results, adding "The Los Alamos Schools did their job."

If you have any other questions about the schools in Santa Fe, specifically in communities such as Aldea, El Dorado, La Tierra, Las Campanas, Los Alamos, Nambe, Pojoaque Valley, Rancho Viejo, or Tesuque Village, we would be more than happy to help. We want to help you find the perfect Santa Fe home, in a great Santa Fe neighborhood, and find your children an education that remains long after school.

Susan Orth & Isabella Luconi
Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)
City Different Realty

Phone: 505-216-6535
Email: [email protected]

SantaFeHomeStore.com
Santa Fe Homes
Santa Fe Real Estate Podcast

So it seems that we just can't get enough of walking the streets of Santa Fe. Last week we told you about our walk around Santa Fe's Canyon Road, a few weeks back we told you about hiking Santa Fe's Blue Dot Trail, and this week we took yet another one around the Santa Fe Railyard. That says something about living in Santa Fe; even long-time residents like us are still exploring it and finding new things to love about it every day.

SantaFeHomeStore.com already gives you a pretty good run-down on the Santa Fe Railyard so please check that out if you want to know more about Santa Fe Railyard real estate.

In today's blog, however, we would like to explore what is going on right now in the Railyard. If you are looking for a home in the Railyard area, this should give you a small taste of what your social calendar could look like. Below we will share with you a few upcoming events for this one-of-a-kind Santa Fe gathering place, along with the pictures of our Railyard walk of course!

Blue Air Opening Reception
Where: Railyard Plaza
When: January 14, 5-7 pm
Axle Contemporary presents a mobile presentation of contemporary art based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This art gallery on wheels hosts installations, performances, and exhibitions on works of paper. Santa Fe always welcomes art with open arms so the Railyard is sure to receive this unusual art presentation well.

Santa Fe Farmers Market
Where: The Railyard Market Pavillion at 1607 Paseo de Peralta
When: Every Saturday, 9 am - 1 pm
Just because it's winter, doesn't mean that the Farmers' Market has to stop. The food-lovers of Santa Fe wouldn't hear of it! Apple cider, red chile (of course!), winter squash, apples, potatoes, carrots, beets, spinach, arugula, salad greens, sprouts, garlic, kale, cabbage, tomatoes, honey, eggs, cheeses, grassfed meats, baked goods, dried foods, original crafts, body care, lavender products, chile ristras, and much more! To further enhance the already high energy in the market, there will also be live music, a breakfast/lunch concession, a cooking and gardening gift shop, and special events throughout the season.

Wednesday Night Movie Series
Where: The Railyard Market Pavillion at 1607 Paseo de Peralta
When: Wednesday, January 19, 7pm
One of the best community activities is a movie showing. Why spend the money at the movie theater when you can enjoy a movie for free among your Santa Fe community? Just pop your own bag of popcorn and you have the full movie theater experience! This particular movie is very fitting for the health-minded residents of Santa Fe. It's called "What's Organic About Organic?" This film asks the question - what happens when a grassroots agricultural movement turns into a booming commercial market? Just make sure to bring organic popcorn.

So what is it about Santa Fe that makes it a sought-after place to live? We think it's the fact that it's different. It's unusual. It's artistic. It's open-minded. There's always something new and exciting, yet its history is never forgotten. Boredom is never a problem because there is always something to do. But there is also no pressure to do anything at all, as relaxation, nature and solitude are also a large part of the culture. We can't say enough good things about Santa Fe. We are knowledgable, energetic, and honest Santa Fe real estate agents that are happy to help people find their dream home in Santa Fe. Let us know if that is you.

Susan Orth & Isabella Luconi
Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)
City Different Realty

Phone: 505-216-6535
Email: [email protected]

SantaFeHomeStore.com
Santa Fe Homes
Santa Fe Real Estate Podcast

We don't mean to brag, but we really have it really good living in Santa Fe. For example, need a little fresh air? No problem, we just step out of our City Different Realty office, walk a few blocks, and we are smack dab in the middle of the one-and-only historic Canyon Road.

If you are looking at Santa Fe real estate, then we highly suggest you take a trip down to Canyon Road too. However, if you can't quite get there yet, we have provided a few pictures of our walk to visually guide you through the history of Canyon Road...

Canyon Road was at one time a rural neighborhood stretched along an old Indian Trail. The oldest Santa Fe home on Canyon Road dates back to at least the 1750s.

As farming in the desert was not an easy feat, the Spanish built an irrigation canal above the River, parallel to Canyon Road and called it "Acequia Madre" ("mother ditch"). The water from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains sustained the crops, the livestock, and the people of the Canyon Road neighborhoods, and continues to today. A walk down Acequia Madre Street, just one block south of Canyon Road, is one of the best ways to witness the ancient stone-lined canal and the beautiful Adobe homes.



A century later, when the US Army arrived in Santa Fe, soldiers built a sawmill in the Canyon to allow for the building of Ft. Marcy, located just Northeast of the Santa Fe Plaza. This marked a big change in the area for it was the United State's acquisition of New Mexico in the Mexican-American War.

Even with the changes to the area, including the influx of Anglo-American people, Canyon Road somehow kept its quiet, peaceful demeanor. And it stayed that way, until the early Twentieth Century when the art community found its way to Canyon Road.

Not to say that it is no longer a peaceful area, but today Canyon Road is known for its more than 100 art galleries and studios, variety of  restaurants, and of course, the historic adobe architecture.

If you've decided that you want historical beauty, artistic personality and archictecture with character all within two blocks of your work or your home, then there's no place better than Santa Fe. If you want to take a walk with us next time, just give us a call. We'd be happy to have you join us!

Susan Orth & Isabella Luconi
Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)
City Different Realty

Phone: 505-216-6535
Email: [email protected]

SantaFeHomeStore.com
Santa Fe Homes
Santa Fe Real Estate Podcast