I get calls every day from folks who want to own real estate in Santa Fe. They say they were here over the weekend, or they visited a couple of years ago during Fiestas, or they have a cousin who lives here and they really want to think about getting back for a visit. And I frequently hear this: “I’d like a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home with a garage within walking distance to the Plaza or the Railyard.” Sometimes I also hear this: “And my budget is $350,000.”

I love to help folks find their dream Santa Fe home. At the risk of sounding a bit hokey, I think of myself as a happiness facilitator. I help sellers get top dollar for their home in record time. And I help buyers find exactly what they want.

The hard part about my job is that sometimes I have to help buyers face reality.

Reality number 1 in Santa Fe is this: Just like everywhere else, location drives price. If you’re determined to live close to the city center or the Railyard, you’re going to pay a higher price than someone who’s content with something a bit further out.

My downtown house – charming but small at under 1,500 sq feet

Reality number 2 in Santa Fe is this: Garages are a luxury in close-in neighborhoods. I know this one personally. When I lived downtown off of West San Francisco, I had to park in a driveway with no garage. Sometimes I had to park in the street. Frequently my husband and I had to do a parking dance – he would have to pull out into the street and then I would pull out after him so that I could go to work early.

And when I parked in the street, I had to have a parking permit. This isn’t true of every neighborhood near downtown, but it is true that the closer you get to the Plaza, the higher premium there is on parking.

Santa Fe condo interior – small interior doors are sometimes the norm.

Reality number 3 in Santa Fe is this: Homes near downtown are sometimes quite small. The Santa Fe Plaza and Railyard Areas are filled with homes that were built at least 50 years ago, and many were built 100+ years ago. Closets were small or nonexistent. Ceilings might be quite low. You might need to duck when crossing a threshold into another room.

Santa Fe is home to a special kind of charm.

Once you get here, you’ll be drawn in by that charm. Not having a garage or a walk-in closet may be surpassed by how nice it is to walk downtown for a margarita on a Sunday afternoon.

The best advice I can give to a prospective Santa Fe home buyer is this: Take time to get to know neighborhoods. If your Realtor tells you your price point might be a bit low for a downtown home, don’t feel like anyone’s being snooty. Just know that there is, somewhere, the perfect Santa Fe home for you. You might get to trade close-in for an amazing view.

And there’s nothing wrong with an amazing view. Here’s what I have now.

If you have questions about neighborhoods, give me a call at 505-504-1101. I’m sort of an expert on helping you figure out what works best for you. Let’s get started on your Santa Fe home search – I know you’ll be thrilled with the results!