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Forest Stewards Guild: Getting Your Home In Condition To Resist Wildfire Ignitions

Forest Stewards Guild News:

SANTA FE — As we enter springtime, we have an opportunity to prepare for the drier conditions and wildfire season.

April is a great time to do spring cleaning around your property and create the spacing that can help protect your home. The Forest Stewards Guild and Fire Adapted New Mexico (FACNM) is working with local, state, federal, and Tribal partners and non-governmental organizations to provide monthly wildfire preparedness tips and information. As the snow melts off, our theme for April is: Get Your Home in Condition to Resist Wildfire Ignitions.

The Living Read More

Defensible Space Is Crucial For Protecting Structures

From Los Alamos County:

Defensible space is crucial for protecting structures and ensuring the safety of firefighters during a wildland fire. You can create defensible space by removing weeds, brush, and firewood, and by properly spacing out vegetation around your property. Once this space is established, it will be easy to maintain.

Defensible space is the area around your home in which vegetation, debris, and other combustible fuels have been removed to slow the spread of fire to and from the home. It prevents vegetation from igniting due to direct flame contact and spreading to your home. Read More

New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority Administers Over $585 Million, Serving Nearly 19,000 Households In FY 2023

During its 2023 fiscal year, MFA participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Broadway McKnight Apartments in Albuquerque. The development was made possible through a collaboration of various funding sources, including $8.8 million in tax credit equity from the $954,720 in annual federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits awarded by MFA in 2020. Courtesy/New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority

MFA News:

ALBUQUERQUE — The New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority (MFA) continues to have a positive impact on New Mexicans, serving 18,963 households and administering $585.8 million in Read More

McDonough: Doing Something About State Of Education

By Patrick McDonough
Chairman
Excellent Schools New Mexico

A dear friend of mine has a standard question for his friends complaining about the state of education in New Mexico. He asks, “what are you going to do about it?”

Well, my wife Nella Domenici and I are doing something about it.

We believe this is the social justice issue of our time – the lack of educational preparedness that is systemic in underserved, and often ignored communities. We know, based on results being achieved nationally in underserved communities, and at our Excellent Schools New Mexico (ESNM) partner schools, that this Read More

EMNRD’s 2023 Solar Tax Credit Fund Is Nearly Exhausted

Rebecca ‘Puck’ Stair

EMNRD News:

SANTA FE — The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) is alerting New Mexico taxpayers that the fund that supports the New Solar Market Development Tax Credit is nearly exhausted for the 2023 tax year.

This news comes less than three months before the deadline for filing 2023 federal and state tax returns.

New Mexico residents who installed solar energy systems in their homes in 2023 have received more than $10 million worth of tax credit certificates. By state law, the agency is authorized to issue no more than $12 million in tax credits Read More

McQuiston: Is Your Home Insured To Its Replacement Cost?

By ALLEN MCQUISTON
Jemez Insurance Agency
Serving Los Alamos since 1963

If you lost your home in a fire, how much would it cost to rebuild it? The answer may be different than you think. And if your home isn’t insured to its full replacement cost, your homeowners policy may not cover the full cost for you to rebuild it in the event of a covered loss.

Rebuilding costs could differ from what you paid for your home and be more than its current market value – what it would sell for today – especially in areas where the value of real estate has changed. A replacement estimate includes costs to rebuild your home Read More

New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority Allocates $5.5 Million For New Down Payment Assistance Loan Program

To help New Mexicans purchase a home, the MFA will offer a new forgivable down payment assistance loan program starting  today, Jan. 12. FirstDown Plus is a third mortgage down payment assistance optional loan designed to provide additional down payment to first-time homebuyers qualified to use MFA’s FirstHome program. Courtesy/Envato Elements

MFA News:

ALBUQUERQUE — In an effort to help more New Mexicans purchase a home, the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority (MFA) will offer a new down payment assistance loan program beginning today, Jan. 12.

FirstDown Plus is a third mortgage down Read More

12 Questions To Ask Before Powering Up Snow Thrower

Courtesy/OPEI

OPEI News:

Snow flurries and winter storms can be unpredictable and the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) encourages home and business owners to prepare in advance before bad weather hits.
 
“Outdoor power equipment like snow throwers can make quick work of a big job,” OPEI President and CEO Kris Kiser said. “Just remember, when getting out your snow thrower, review your owner’s manual. You should know how to correctly operate controls and quickly shut it off if necessary.”
 
OPEI offers 12 Questions to ask before operating a snow thrower.

Have you read your owner’s manual?  Read More

November 2023 Real Estate Market Insights: Sales Dip And Prices Fluctuate

NMAR News:

In November 2023, there was an 11.79 percent decrease in home sales in New Mexico compared to the previous month.

While still lagging by 8.34 percent behind November 2022 sales, these figures indicate a 4.99 percent decline in the median sold price on a year-over-year basis. In comparison to October 2023, the November median sold price in New Mexico increased by 1.82 percent.

According to National Association of REALTORS® Chief Economist, Lawrence Yun, “Inflation notched down to 3.1 percent in November despite the incomprehensible rise of nearly 7 percent growth in housing rent. Read More