The show will include some upbeat marches, folk melodies, a ragtime medley, a gospel tune, a light-opera overture and a piece celebrating New Mexico culture, which I’m very much looking forward to.

The marches range from John Phillip Sousa's "Barnum & Bailey Favorite March" to "Lola Flores" and "Lassus Trombone." Percy Grainger's "Irish Tune from County Derry" and Rossini's "L'Italiana in Algeri" overture are also on the program, among other works. 

Under the direction of Dr. William Clark, the Mesilla Valley Concert Band has about 100 members and has been performing for over 25 years. I have heard them perform a few times, and have always enjoyed myself. Instrumental music can be so inspiring, and provides a nice contrast to the music we constantly hear on the radio. I am really looking forward to the show.

What: Mesilla Valley Concert Band Live Performance 

When: Saturday, May 19, 6 p.m.

Where: Mesilla Plaza

Cost: FREE

For all of your Real Estate needs The Evelyn Bruder Team is here to assist you.
Evelyn Bruder, CRS, GRI, ABR, E-PRO, Las Cruces' Only Cyberstar

For more information on Las Cruces, visit our Guide to Las Cruces website.

It's a great family event! They provide food and entertainment along with the tournament. You can be young or old, you can be a beginner or a pro all you have to do is assemble your team and register on site at the field of dreams. The money The Gus Macker raises from the registration fees go to a good cause. The two organizations they are supporting this year is Casa de Peregrinos, and The Boys and Girls Club of Las Cruces. Casa De Peregrinos is a nonprofit and nondenominational emergency food program, provides free supplemental groceries to individuals and families at risk of hunger in Las Cruces and Dona Ana County. The Boys and Girls Club of Las Cruces enables all young people, especially those who need them most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. The team registration fee is $136.00 and you have to get there early to get a spot in the tournament. There are prizes for those who excel through the tournament, and Tshirts and more for the players. Come out and play or watch as our friendly community comes together to raise money and have a little fun in the sun.

For more activities and events in Las Cruces feel free to visit our website.

If you want more information on the Gus Macker Click the image below to be directed to their website.

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The Evelyn Bruder Las Cruces Real Estate Dream Team is extremely happy to report that Single Family Home Sales have increased significantly versus this same period last year.

This has been the best First Quarter for home sales since 2008.

The number of Las Cruces homes sold each of the 3- months of this 1st Quarter of 2012 is up an average of 10% versus the same month in 2011. Not only are number of sales up versus 2011, but the number of homes sold has steadily increased each month during this 1st Q. February’s home sales were up 29% over the number sold in January, and the trend continued with March’s home sales up another 22% over February.

These Statistics give us every reason to believe that the Las Cruces Real Estate Market may be well on its way to recovery.

These statistics for Las Cruces Homes Sold are even more impressive when we consider that we have not yet entered our Spring Selling Season. The Spring Months of April, May, and June are the peak months for Las Cruces Home Sales.

We are not alone in our optimism…

An extensive article on Forbes.com on March 27th lead with the headline: "This Spring Could Be The Best Home-Buying Season In Years"

And USATODAY.com on April 1st quoted a number of Economists, Realtors, and Wall Street Analysts as saying that they have ”Great Expectations for the housing market's spring season."

IN CONCLUSION

HOME BUYERS: Need to be aware that the current “Buyer’s Market” presents them with a great opportunity to buy a home while there are still a lot of homes available at very affordable low prices. Now is the right time to buy a Las Cruces Home. This buyer's market may not last past this Spring’s Buying Season. With increased demand, the Market will be much more competitive.

HOME OWNERS / HOME SELLERS: Anyone that is even thinking about selling a home in Las Cruces needs to know that: NOW!!! IS THE TIME TO SELL The rise in Demand expected during this Spring Buying Season, should result in Higher Home Values for Sellers.

For those with homes already listed for sale, and for those that want to sell their home this spring, you can use this link for 2 additional videos and accompanying Articles.

• The Top 10 things to do to sell your home this Spring

• 7- home-selling blunders to avoid to get your home sold this spring

If you want to know more about selling your home visit our dedicated Seller’s Website: http://www.SellingAHomeInLasCruces.com

On July 16, 1945, at 05:29:45AM Mountain War Time (MWT) the world changed with the explosion of the first atomic bomb. The explosion took place at Trinity Site which is on what is now White Sands Missile Range.

The 19-kiloton explosion not only led to a quick end to the war in the Pacific, but this devastating technology also ushered the world into the atomic age. All life on Earth has been touched by the event which took place here.

When he observed the test, Robert Oppenheimer (who could be called the Father of this Atomic Bomb), is quoted as saying “Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.” (A line from Hindu Scripture)

Trinity is a national historic landmark which is open to the public only twice a year on the first Saturday in April and the First Saturday in October. Open House dates in 2012 are 7 April and 6 Oct. I have visited twice, and no matter your feelings about “the Bomb” and its subsequent use, it is worth the long trip to see this historic site.
See How to Get There: Directions to the site for the biannual Open House.

The 51,500-acre area was declared a national historic landmark in 1975.

The landmark and what visitors are allowed to see includes: base camp, where the scientists and support group lived, the obelisk that marks ground zero, where the bomb was placed for the explosion, and the McDonald ranch house, where the plutonium core to the bomb was assembled. The fence around Ground Zero has a display of historical photos. (SITE MAP)

A few words about what happened seems appropriate here:

The device exploded with an energy equivalent to around 20 Kilotons of TNT. The heat of the blast vaporized the steel tower and melted the desert sand and turned it into a green radioactive glassy substance. It was called Trinitite, and it can still be seen in the area. It left a crater in the desert 10 feet (3 m) deep and 1,100 feet (330 m) wide. The shock wave was felt over 100 miles (160 km) away, and the mushroom cloud reached 7.5 miles (12 km) in height.

The Alamogordo Air Base issued a 50-word press release that "a remotely located ammunitions magazine containing a considerable amount of high explosives and pyrotechnics exploded," but that "there was no loss of life or limb to anyone." A newspaper article published the same day stated that "the blast was seen and felt throughout an area extending from El Paso, to Silver City, Gallup, Socorro, and Albuquerque.

Though the actual cause was not publicly acknowledged until after the August 6th Bombing of Hiroshima, the people of New Mexico knew what had happened.

The following references are well worth your time.  Take a few moments to read and learn more about this historic event and site that make up an important part of the very fabric of New Mexico and the United States. You will get some insight into WWII, the Manhattan Project, and especially important is the theory and reasons behind the bomb.

http://www.wsmr.army.mil/PAO/Trinity/Pages/default.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_%28nuclear_test%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_Project

INFO:

There is no admission fee for this event. Food and souvenirs are sold there. Cameras are allowed at Trinity Site but their use is strictly prohibited anywhere else on White Sands Missile Range. There are no ceremonies or speakers.

For more information:
Contact the missile range Public Affairs Office at (575) 678-1134

See How to Get There: Directions to the site for the biannual Open House.

A splash of cobalt on the walls will make white cabinetry and framed photos pop. Instantly! Balance out the brightness with accents on the warmer side, like a mod orange vase or fresh veggies in a centrepiece bowl.

Home offices are all about efficiency, so their colors should be anything but sleepy! Keep the energy level up with a combo of high-contrast hues like apple green, orange, and espresso. Multicolored file folders and a funky chair cushion add even more eye-catching appeal.

Create an inviting entryway with a rich tone like orange that begs to be noticed the moment you walk through the door. Painting the opposite wall another warm shade like deep yellow creates depth (hint: adding a wall mirror enhances the effect). Also, play with patterns. A scrolled rug and floral furniture complement the color scheme without overpowering it.

Who knew books and tchotchkes could make such a stylish statement? Grouping similarly hued objects brings focus to a cluttered bookcase. Stagger your boldest colors on key shelves, like the top, bottom, and middle, leaving neutral space in between. You can also create this look on a windowsill, console table, or nightstand.

Your home is such a wonderful place to call your own and express your personality, color is a great way to do that. It's easy, and low cost!  Go to a home improvement store and start collecting paint swatches you can see what colors look good together and start exploring what color scheme you would like in your home.

For more tips for home owners, Real Estate News, Local news and events, and much more more, check back with our blog and our website at www.homesforsaleinlascruces.com

As we learn more and more about toxins, organic products vs. non-organic, and how the harsh chemicals in our daily cleaning products can harm your family and your pets I decided to look up somerecipes for some alternative natural home cleaning products. I have discovered that the switch to natural cleaning products can have a tremendous impact on the quality of life in our home environment while creating a healthy and pleasant home cleaning experience.  Many products you buy have very harsh chemicals in them also the companies that make these products have "trade secrets" which allows them to not list all of the ingredients used in commercial cleaning products. These products may be affecting your health and the health of your family! Here are a few Natural Recipes I found for make-your-own cleaning products.

Alice's Wonder Spray All-Purpose Household Cleaner
Ingredients: Liquid Castile soap, white distilled vinegar, borax, purified water, and an essential oil for fragrance.

What Else You'll Need: A clean 16-oz. trigger spray bottle.

How to Make Your Own:

Mix 2 tbsp. of vinegar with 1 tsp. borax .
Fill the rest of the bottle with very hot water.
Shake until the borax is dissolved.
Add the 1/4 cup of liquid soap or.
To scent, add 10 to 15 drops of an essential oil.

I like to use a combination of lavender and lemon. Because minerals in the water inhibit cleaning, it's best to use purified or distilled water especially for this recipe. It's important to dissolve the borax in hot water so that it doesn't clog the spray nozzle. And don't mix the soap and vinegar directly together, because the soap will clump up. Please follow the order of the recipe by mixing the vinegar, borax, and water first and adding the soap last.

How to Use:
Spray and Wipe. Use Alice's Wonder Spray as you would any other all-purpose household cleaner.

Make Your Own Natural Healthy Dishwashing liquids:

1/4 cup soap flakes
2 cups hot water
1/4 cup glycerin
1/2 teaspoon lemon essential oil

1) In bowl combine soap flakes and water and stir until the soap is dissolved. Cool to luke warm.

2) Stir in the glycerin and the essential oil, leave to cool. As it cools it will form a loose gel. Stir with a fork and break up the gel and then pour into a narrow-necked bottle. An old shampoo bottle makes an excellent container.

3) To use, squirt 3 teaspoonfuls into hot running water.

Liquid castile soap

10 drops lavender essential oil
8 drops rosemary essential oil
4 drops eucalyptus essential oil

1) Fill a clean 22-ounce plastic squirt bottle with castile soap (diluted according to directions if using concentrate).
2) Add the essential oils.
3) To use, squirt 3 teaspoonfuls into hot running water

Make Your Own Natural Healthy Disinfectant Spray:
2 Cups Water
1/4 Cup White Vinegar
1/4 tsp. Tea Tree Oil
1/4 tsp. Lavender Oil

Combine and store in a spray bottle. Shake occasionally. Use where ever a disinfectant spray is needed.

This is only a few recipes you can find many others online.  We here at The Evelyn Bruder Dream Team like to provide you with lots of useful tips for your home, News about the Real Estate Market, and even fun things to do around town.  Please visit our blog often and make sure to check out our website.  We are very proud of our website and all the information it provides for our community.  Thanks for reading our blog! Have a great day

Here is one review of the show I found online.

"My children are 3 and 4yrs old (boy and girl). They sang along and danced the whole time. The characters did very well keeping the attention of toddlers and the older kids. This was well spent money and time!"

This looks like a great event to spend with your children or grandchildren I know my grandbabies would sure have a blast! You can find more information about this event online >HERE<

For more information on local events, news, Real Estate news, etc... Visit our website at www.homesforsaleinlascruces.com

Here is a video promo for the Live event!

Average Days on Market

Average days on market is a number almost every real estate agent knows by heart. If your agent can't give you that number, you might want to think about hiring an agent who can. To determine the average number days on market yourself, figure out the day each home in any given month goes on the market and count the days to pending. Add those days together and divide by the number of homes.

What Makes a House Sell Quickly?

Sometimes there is no logical reason for the length of time it takes to sell a house. It could be luck. Your house could come on the market on the very day a specific buyer is looking to buy such a house. But more likely, how long it takes to sell a house depends on the following 3 factors:

Price

A smart strategy some agents use to entice multiple offers, which tend to push the price higher, is to price the house a little bit under market value. Price range makes a difference, too. Often, lower price ranges sell faster than higher price ranges simply because there are more buyers who can afford lower-priced homes.

Location

The adage: location, location, location is true. If the home is located in a highly desirable neighborhood near excellent schools, there will be more demand for the home. If it's located on the wrong side of the tracks near a toxic dump, it might never sell.

Condition

Homes in tip-top shape that sparkle and shine sell much faster than homes that need repairs or are cluttered. Home buyers need to imagine how they will live in that house, and they can't do that if the home looks like it belongs to you or is a mess.

Market Temperature Determines How Long it Takes a House to Sell
In seller's markets, homes tend to sell faster because there are fewer sellers and more buyers. When more than one buyer is trying to buy the same home, that can result in a bidding war with offers above list price. It's not unusual for a home to sell in a seller's market in less than a week.

In buyer's markets, buyers have more choices and can take their time. If the home isn't exactly what a buyer wants, a buyer will pass it over and keep looking. If you are a seller in a buyer's market, patience is key.

We here at the Evelyn Bruder Dream Team would love to work with you to achive your goals! We have a Unique Strategy when it comes to selling your home.  Our philosophy for selling your home is based upon Positioning.  We put your home at the top of every buyers wish list.  We make sure you home is seen!  Please visit our website and learn more about the oportunities we provide for home sellers.

www.sellingahomeinlascruces.com

Activities in the wilderness include backpacking, bird watching, camping, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, stargazing, and wildlife viewing.There are several popular hot springs in the area. The closest wilderness hot spring, Lightfeather, is a 20-minute walk from the Gila Visitor Center. The most popular is Jordan, a 6 or 8 mile hike from the Visitor Center, depending upon the trailhead used. Private hot springs are also located in the community of Gila Hotsprings, four miles from the Monument.  If you enjoy the outdoors and would enjoy taking a beautiful hike in nature then this is the perfect day trip for you.  New Mexico is a stunning place and it is always fun to get out and see what our lovely state has to offer.

If you would like to visit the Gila Cliff Dwellings here is how to get there

Take State Highway 15 north from Silver City. Although the distance from Silver City is only 44 miles, the travel time is approximately two hours due to twisting and winding mountain terrain. An alternative route from Silver City is along State Highway 35 and goes through the Mimbres Valley. Even though it is 25 miles longer than Highway 15, it is less winding, wider, more level, and easier to travel; therefore it takes about the same amount of time to drive. NOTE: If your vehicle, travel trailer, or RV is over 20 feet in length, you should take Highway 35.

For more information about The Gila Cliff Dwellings please visit www.nps.gov/gicl If you are intested in other great things to do around town visit our website by clicking below.

YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE TO MAKE A FIRST IMPRESSION.

Buyers begin judging your home the moment they see it.
Which house says "keep on driving" vs. " Show me this house"?

A home's curb appeal is one of the most important factors when it comes to selling your home. Think of it as window shopping. You're not going to buy a sweater in a shop's window if it is dirty, faded and has holes on it. Well, the same goes for a home's attractiveness from the exterior that is visible from the street.

Increasing a home's curb appeal
can make the difference in whether your home sits or sells.

  These simple steps can make all the difference
and still keep you within a $1,000 budget.

Assess the Situation
When working on any home improvement project on a budget, you should always come up with a plan to help you stay within your means. For your curb appeal project, start by assessing the home's current appearance from the street. Stand directly across the street from the property and take note of any areas you find unappealing. Better yet, take a picture of it all. Next, walk a few houses down and assess the home's appearance from an angle, then do the same on the opposite side. If a portion of the side or backyard is visible from the street, you might need to perform some improvements for those areas as well. Take as many pictures as possible to help you with your planning.

Fix the Front Yard
Estimated Cost: $200 to $300
If you've decided that the front yard has room from improvement, start with the small stuff that will hardly cost you a thing. Make sure the lawn is mowed and any weeds are pulled. Prune any trees, shrubs or bushes that have grown to unsightly proportions, and don't hesitate to remove or uproot anything. Plant-life should help frame the home, not completely cover it. Removing excess shrubbery can breathe new life into an aged front yard.

The next stage of front yard work should be repairing any patchy areas. Check your lawn for bald spots or dead grass, and repair these areas with a bag of lawn patch. To replace any plant-life you've removed or to fill a slope or bald area of your yard, consider planting fast-growing groundcover like vinca minor.

Some mulch and garden bed edging can make your front yard look brand new. Look for discarded rocks, stones and cement blocks at rock quarries or construction sites for affordable edging. Another edging idea that is eco-friendly, but a little out of the ordinary, is to bury wine bottles into your soil, neck down. Bury the bottles as far as you can, exposing only a small portion of the bottle.

Refresh the Front of Your Home
Estimated Cost: $400 to $500
Now that your front yard is taken care of, you can move on to the actual house. A good place to start is your front door. Worn and weathered front doors are off-putting, but a newly painted front door can be a great focal point for the front of the home. Make sure to also polish the door fixtures, and even consider installing a new door knocker. Finally, hang a wreath around the door for a finishing touch. You can do all of this for under $50.
If your home features a front porch, think about adding potted containers that can be hung or placed around your frond steps. If you have any porch furniture, consider giving it a face lift with new fabrics and paint rather than replacing anything. The key to curb appeal is to make your home appealing to the eye. You can accomplish this by creating symmetry with potted plants, furniture and other items on your porch.

For the next part of your project, you'll need to rent a pressure washer. These can be rented from most major home improvement stores, and typically cost $50 to $75 for the day. You can use the pressure washer to clean the exterior of your home, which is a cheaper and quicker alternative to painting it. Pressure wash your garage doors, driveway and walkway to make everything look new. Just be sure to avoid windows because the water pressure can damage or break them.

If you still think a new paint job is necessary, even after the pressure wash, consider painting accents. The front door, columns, window sills and the garage door can all be matching colors and used as accents to enhance the curb appeal of the entire home. Take things a step further by adding matching shutters to your windows, or even a matching arbor and fence panel as long as you can afford it.

Minor Improvements
Estimated Cost: $100 to $200
With what is left of your $1,000 budget, you can finish your curb appeal project with minor improvements to refresh your home. Even the little things can make a difference, so be sure not to overlook anything you can upgrade or improve. Start by either repainting or replacing your mailbox. Then, replace your home's house numbers if they are worn or are barely visible from the street. Update any outdoor lighting fixtures by either replacing or repainting them if they are old and rusted. Finally, make sure to clean any cluttered areas, rake any fallen leaves, wash your windows and clear your gutters of debris.

The Bottom Line
Giving your home more curb appeal can be accomplished on a limited budget. Make sure you spend time examining your home from every angle to see what minor improvements you can make to enhance its appearance. All it takes is a little creativity and patience. Buyers want homes that are well-maintained, clean, and clutter-free. That's why the improvements that you will make during the staging process, are all designed to anticipate the wants and needs of buyers, and why staging sells homes faster and can boost your selling price.

It's a tough market. You want YOUR Home to be the one that will sell!
Staging is positioning your home to be at the top of the buyer's list.
Properly staged homes outshine the competition every time!

A wealth of information about staging your home to sell, including articles, pictures and reference materials, is available for you all online with no obligation or agents to hassle you.  visit: Staging Your Home To Sell

Thank you for reading my blog! If you like my blog check out our website we have so many resources for you, local news, real estate tips, things to do around town, and so much more!

www.homesforsaleinlascruces.com

Think back, or read a history book, about how families in the '40s and '50s used to buy homes. Young couples lived with Mom and Dad during the "courtship" prior to getting married, until they had saved 20% to put down on their "dream home". They made an investment in America, (i.e. the American dream). In the years that followed we have devalued that investment in lieu of credit and the easy access to it. Property values rose artificially and our nation became addicted to credit.

The value of the dollar has been demolished due to the same principle. When we place value in assets based on their ability to be easily bought and sold versus the value that has been invested in the asset, we devalue its worth. For example, two years ago I could have bought an $800,000 house (and I assure you that I cannot afford a house that expensive). The owner of that asset (the $800k house) placed value on his asset based on the availability of buyers like me who could buy the home. The problem is, this homeowner probably had less than 5% invested in the home. Where do you think that homeowner is today?

Had he put 20% down on his home, he would then own a valuable asset in which he has a real investment. This outlay of cash forces him to buy and sell his home in the same manner he would move an $800k investment around in the stock market - very carefully. Thus, the home has REAL value. However, having bought the home with little or no money down, the asset became disposable and so follows the real estate market.

So, as I said earlier, I cannot predict when the real estate market will bounce back, but I can tell you what needs to happen before it does. America needs to reinvest in herself by getting back to solid buying and selling principles. This strengthens home values, which encourages investors who employ builders who employ carpenters, painters, real estate agents, loan officers and so on. America was built on the "American Dream" which has turned into the "American Nightmare"; she can only be rebuilt by hard working Americans, not by Wall Street.

We here at The Evelyn Bruder Dream team want to help you acomplish your dream, and we work hard to keep you informed and up to date with all the latest Real Estate news and pracitices.  We pride ourselves in educating our clients so they make informed decisions.  Our goal is to make the home buying or selling process a smooth and empowering experience.  We know buying a home can seem overwhelming and with diffrent sources saying diffrent things about the market it can be confusing.  Let us take the work out of it, we give you solid information and are always avaliable to answer any questions you may have.

Please visit our website and if you have any questions click the image below to take you to our contact form.  Thank you for visiting our blog!

It is always nice when there is something special to do in Las Cruces and then when it's also for a great cause well how can you say no?  Aprendamos is a therapist-run organization that serves the needs of individuals with developmental delays and is the organizer for the event.  The ball is so much more than a night out, it's a way to bring awareness to a cause that affects one out of 110 individuals. The Hearts for Autism Fund at the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico will host the third annual Mariposa MASCquerade Ball Saturday March 31st at the Las Cruces Farm and Ranch Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road. Arabian Nights is the theme of the evening.  This sounds like a blast! I hope you are able to attend this fun event and support the efforts of this great organization.

Here's my short list:

1. Walk-in pantry instead of kitchen cabinets

Kitchen cabinets are expensive. Half of them are up high on the wall where they're hard to reach, and the wall space they take up could be better used for windows. A pantry takes up less space, stores a lot more, is much easier to use, and costs less to build.

2. Comfortable shower instead of big bathtub

A shower takes up less space, uses less hot water, and is far more sanitary than a big tub.

3. Group windows together facing best views instead of scattering them around the house

Got a great view somewhere? Bring it into the house with lots of glass. Take excess windows from bedrooms and bathrooms and use them to connect the inside of the house with the outside.

4. Keep ceiling heights reasonable for the room size

"Volume" ceilings do not automatically make better rooms. They just make taller rooms, rooms that are harder to decorate and more expensive to heat and cool.

Instead, focus attention on a view, a large fireplace or other element -- and away from the ceiling height. Use wall trim and multiple paint colors to break up the volume of the room and create the illusion of height.

5. Spend more time planning, and less money building

6. Consider the simple elegance of the box-form house

Subtlety and restraint used to be virtues in home design. These days, far too often, inexperienced designers attempt to attract attention to their homes by adding more stuff: more gables, more materials, more bay windows, etc. Others know that proper proportion, scale and details are what turn heads.

The simple box-house is a classic American form that's survived 150 years of stylistic changes. Greek Revival, American Four-Square, Tidewater Georgian ... all simple boxes. Great proportions, great details ... done.

And here's a bonus: The box-form is easier and cheaper to build, and because it encloses a larger volume in less perimeter, it's less expensive to heat, cool and maintain.

7. Share part of the master bath

This isn't for everyone, but it really tightens up the budget and the floor plan. Make the toilet and a sink in the master bath accessible to the rest of the house, instead of building a separate half-bath -- it won't be used much by you during the day, and rarely by guests at night.

Why have two baths when one will do?

8. Spend it when you have it, not before

Sure, it'd be great to have those granite countertops now, but your budget's tight and granite is 10 times the cost of laminate tops. So how about putting in nice laminate tops now, and replacing them with granite in five years when you have the cash? You can easily do the same with light fixtures, flooring, window treatment ...

9. Compartmentalized bath -- two baths in the space of 1 1/2 baths

Each kid doesn't need a personal bathroom, but does need privacy and room to share. A compartmentalized bath puts two sinks in one room and the toilet and tub/shower in another, so three kids can use the bath at once and keep a little more harmony in the family home.

I doubt any of these ideas will ever make a magazine's list of "Best Remodeling ROI" projects. But every one saves you money over a more "conventional" design strategy, and every one increases the livability of your home.

2012 Southwest Senior Lifestyle Expo and Sock Hop!
March 23-24, at the Las Cruces Convention Center

Step back in time to the 1950s and celebrate one of our iconic decades with the best music, people and brands.To get us to that nostalgic point, we will present life-sized props such as a 50s-style soda fountain and other scenes specific to that era. Our ambient music will feature period music from one coast to the other.

In this nostalgic atmosphere, attendees will view what our senior-friendly community has to offer in the form of more than 100 booth displays of everything from health to travel and finance to automobiles. New to this year's expo, Southwest Senior will offer breakout educational seminars in the areas of gardening and education. These sessions are aimed at attracting intellectual attendees with a mission.

If you want more information about the Expo visit http://www.southwestseniorexpo.com

To keep up with local events, Las Cruces Lifestyle, Real Estate news, and other helpful tips please visit our Facebook and our Website

Take a drive to Roswell and enter the world of the unexplained at the UFO Museum

Open since 1992 the mesum has attracted everyone from the curious to the silly to serious researchers. The Museum provides information to the general public on all aspects of the UFO phenomena. People from around the world travel to Roswell to see what the Museum has to offer and to simply "be in Roswell where it happened."

Museum exhibits include information on the Roswell Incident, crop circles, UFO sightings, Area 51, ancient astronauts and abductions. The exhibits are designed not to convince anyone to believe one way or another about their subjects. Visitors are encouraged to ask questions. Many visitors come numerous times and some spend days or even weeks doing research in the library.While in Roswell, most visitors at least buy gas and a soda, or they may spend a week learning about the phenomena and Roswell. Since its opening, the Museum has outgrown two downtown locations, finally landing in the old Plains Theater on North Main Street in Roswell. The number of visitors continues to be the envy of many other tourist attractions in the state.  Not only is there the museum that you can visit year round but every year in the first week of July the annual UFO Festival is held.  It is a Festival for the curious and has been a very successful event.  Activities range from carnivals to trade shows, from alien costume contests to UFO lectures, from Fourth of July fireworks to a parade downtown, from Hollywood celebrities to local children in costume and on roller blades. Known UFO researchers attend to present the most up-to-date information on the subject.

If you are looking for a truely unique experience, if you are a believer or not, this museum is sure to please.  For more information on the Museum you can find them at http://www.roswellufomuseum.com

I will be highlighting more local and state attractions on our lifestyle blog every week.  Be sure to visit our blog often for more information on things to do around town, Real Estate news and tips, and much much more!

There are some fantastic real estate deals on the market right now. From properties in various stages of foreclosure to already foreclosed -bank-owned properties. You have a great opportunity to get the home you want at a bargain price. But what about those holes in the wall and that pet stained carpet? Looking past these stressful items can help you reap huge benefits financially.

Over the past several years we have seen huge numbers of distressed sales. According to RealtyTrac, 23% of all U.S. home sales in 2011 were in some stage of foreclosure. So nearly one in every four homes sold in 2011 was a distress sale. Couple this with the fact that these distressed homes sell at a significant discount to the non-distress sales (up to 40% discount for some bank-owned homes), there is a huge opportunity for buyers.

When considering buying a Foreclosure Property, look Past the Cosmetic Items: The paint may be ugly or the carpet may have spots. Or the kitchen may not be as clean as you like. None of these items should ever be a deal breaker in that they are easy and relatively inexpensive to remedy.

Focus on the Space: If you fall in love with a place that meets all of your other needs but it really requires some minor renovation, repairs or new carpet and paint that's ok too. Just make sure you estimate the cost into the overall price of the home.

Be Aware of "Too Much Work" Syndrome: When many buyers look at properties, they will often say that there's just too much work with that property. Sometimes you get that lazy feeling...or your human nature takes over and you want it to be perfect right now! Don't let this keep you from getting the best property at the lowest price. If you do find a screaming deal in a great location but it needs a new kitchen, bathroom...etc., don't hesitate to go for it.

These foreclosure properties are often the best deals in today's real estate market.  Once you've gone through the "minor" items above and have decided that this property has big potential, go ahead and hire a qualified individual to review the home for any major defects including a review of the structure, mechanical systems, roof,...etc.

Once you have a list of items to be completed, create an estimate for each item to determine your total investment required and be sure you are still getting a good deal on the home.

When comparing the cost to update and purchase a foreclosure property with a regular re-sale home, it can be difficult to stay focused on what's important. Keep in mind, if you end up adding a new kitchen or bathroom, and doing the repairs and renovations to the foreclosure property, you will get exactly what you want, and at a great price.

GET A FREE LIST OF ALL LAS CRUCES FORECLOSURES BY CLICKING THE IMAGE BELOW

Take 1-Minute to watch the Video below, and you'll find out that...

IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING BUYING A HOME, WITHOUT A DOUBT,
THE BEST DEALS ARE THE FORECLOSURE PROPERTIES.

Having a Buyer's Agent - especially one with Foreclosure Expertise -
assures that you will have a Personal, Trusted Advisor to guide you
so you end up buying the best home available for the best price.

Click Here - See All Of the VIP Buyer Services I Provide

The official first day of spring is March 21, but in Las Cruces, it is beginning to feel like spring is already in the air.

For some reason, outdoor jobs that must be done in the spring become enjoyable activities while they're simply chores at other times of the year. Perhaps it is the anticipation of a new season about to begin and visions of colorful, fragrant blooms that are soon to appear.

So let's get outside and see what we can do.

Look at that lawn!
It might be a bit of a sorry sight after the winter, but with a bit of TLC, you can coax it back to verdant life. If you can see a fair amount of thatch (the dead, straw-like stuff that is often tangled near the grass roots) you will need to rake it out before you attempt any other lawn care projects. The reason? Anything you add, such as new seed or fertilizer will simply sit on the thatch, rather than getting down into the soil, unless it is removed.

Once you have de-thatched your lawn, you can add a fertilizer. Most garden centers carry a variety of lawn fertilizers. If you're uncertain, describe your lawn conditions to the manager at the garden center and ask him or her to recommend a particular type of fertilizer. If that doesn't help, you can always drop an e-mail to steve@landsteward.org and I'll try to help. Above all, when using fertilizer, be sure to read the instructions thoroughly!

If you need to re-seed (sometimes called overseeding), that's the final step after any de-thatching or fertilizing that your lawn needed.

Plant and transplant
March is a good time to plant those new roses, berries, fruit trees and most deciduous plants. If you're still not sure what to plant, there's still time to go online and do some research but don't leave it too long.

As for transplanting existing plants from one spot to another, time is running out, so do it as soon as you can because many plants are already starting their annual spring growth.

Pruning
If you need to prune ornamental trees and shrubs, the best time to do so is before growth starts. The exceptions to that rule are spring-flowering shrubs. For those, you need to wait until after they finish flowering. This would be a good time to prune roses if they look like they need a trim. Again, I'm happy to advise on any specific pruning questions you might have.

Weeding
Probably everyone's least-favorite garden activity, perhaps because it feels destructive rather than constructive, and it can be backbreaking work. As I've said before, do a little at a time, interspersed with more enjoyable garden activities, and it will seem less of a pain in the, uh, knees.

If you're using a cultivator as part of your spring gardening project, don't be tempted to use it in bulb beds. Remove the weeds by hand or you'll risk injuring the delicate root systems.

Pick your perennials
Even if it is still too early to plant perennials in your area, take a look around your landscape and decide if you can brighten the place up with a few new "faces." Gardening books and magazines and online Web sites should give you plenty of ideas, once you determine the amount of sunlight and the soil conditions affecting that part of your landscape.

Buying perennials that have already experienced at least one full growing season is worth the additional cost as they will probably be sturdier and more likely to thrive than smaller, cheaper options.

I like to think of perennial plants as the backbone of the flower garden because they're the plants with staying power. Their leaves die back as winter approaches, but with luck, the following spring, they come back. Some plants are short-lived, but old favorites like daylilies, and hostas can thrive for decades.

Get outside, breathe in that fresh (almost) spring air and learn why you love your landscape all over again!

If you are thinking about selling your home curb appeal
followed by that landscaped back yard sells homes.

It's a tough market.

You want YOUR Home to be the one that will sell!
Staging is positioning your home to be at the top of the buyer's list.

Properly staged homes outshine the competition every time!
We want to help CLICK and learn all about Staging Your Home to SELL!

For more tips for your home, Real Estate News, Local Arts and Culture, Events, and much much more... Visit our website www.homesforsaleinlascruces.com

• NAR's Housing Affordability Index rose to a record high 206.1 in January.

• An index of 100 is defined as the point where a median-income household has exactly enough income to qualify for the purchase of a median-priced existing single-family home, assuming a 20 percent downpayment and 25 percent of gross income devoted to mortgage principal and interest payments

This is the first time the housing affordability index has broken the two hundred mark, meaning: the typical family has roughly double the income needed to purchase a median-priced home.

"For buyers who can qualify for a mortgage, now is a very good time to become a homeowner." NAR President Moe Veissi says this latest data underscores buyer opportunities in today's market.

NAR projects the affordability index for all of 2012 will remain at all time highs.

For more information, visit www.realtor.org
This portion of the blog is based on an Article printed from RISMedia: http://rismedia.com
URL to article: http://rismedia.com/2012-03-08/housing-affordability-index-hits-record-high/

So What does this mean for us here in Las Cruces?

In Las cruces, during the last 12 Months 960 single family homes sold. The median price of these Las Cruces Homes was $159,450 (This means that half of the homes sold were under $160,000). Use our affordability calculator below to see that  homes in this price range are extremely affordable. However, you will want to do a few things before starting out to buy that house.

First is to check out this list of eight things you should have squared away before you consider buying a home.

Then Determine What Price Home Can YOU Afford to Buy. The amount that you are "qualified to borrow," will allow you to determine:
• What price home you can you afford.
• How much of a Mortgage you will qualify for.
• What will your Monthly Payment Be?

The amount of loan you qualify for will be based on your credit score, current salary, employment history, and current debt. You can use this "Affordability Calculator." It Will give you a good idea of what price home you are qualified to buy even before visiting Lenders, and it will enable you to see what things you need to change in your life to qualify for the home you want to buy.

Lastly, use our FREE, Online, No Obligation VIP ADVANCED MLS Search to see all of the homes available in your price range?

For more info about buying a home in Las Cruces please visit www.buyingahomeinlascruces.com

2012 Las Cruces Arts Fair

March 16 -18, 2012 in the Las Cruces Convention Center

In its 2nd year, the Las Cruces Arts Fair is the newest juried fine arts and crafts event in the Southwest. The 2012 Arts Fair will be held in the Las Cruces Convention Center, a venue that maximizes space for artists and artisans to show their work to an enthusiastic public. The inaugural Arts Fair was a huge success for participating artists and the art aficionados from New Mexico, Texas and the Southwestern borderland.

The Arts Fair is a juried event for artists producing original work in acrylics, pastels, pencil, pen and ink, oils, watercolors, fabric, leather, weaving, glass, jewelry, metals, mix media, photography, porcelain, pottery, sculpture, and wood. Mass-produced or factory-produced work in any category is not permitted.

The 2012 Las Cruces Arts Fair begins on Friday evening, March 16, 2012, with a ticketed VIP preview. Artists and artisans will have the opportunity to connect with collectors and aficionados. The show opens to the general public on Saturday morning, March 17, and will run through Sunday evening, March 18.

Businesses and corporations interested in underwriting and sponsorship opportunities please contact the Doña Ana Arts Council Development Committee. Call the Arts Council Executive Director Ceci Vasconcellos at (575) 523-6403.

Here is a video report of Last Years Arts Fair

Our community offers an extensive array of arts and cultural opportunities ranging from art galleries and studios, museums, to a wonderful variety of performing arts, theater, music and dance.

To learn more about Las Cruces Arts and Culture visit our guide to Las Cruces website

by clicking the image below