The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the largest hot air ballooning event in the country, taking place in the New Mexico city each fall. Held from October 6th to October 14th, you won’t want to miss this stunning event.

Enjoy nine days filled with hundreds of hot air balloons and thousands of people from across the country. Besides the hot air balloons, the accompanying dining, art, and music options are endless.

Nine Days of Fun

Included in your general admission ticket is visual access to all sections of the venue. Visit Main Street for souvenirs and sweets, while Artisans at Balloon Fiesta shows you the juried artists of the year.

The Chainsaw Carving Competition offers multiple competitive feats. The possibilities are endless!

Gorgeous Autumn Weather

The crisp southwest autumn is the perfect time of year for the festival. Be sure to dress in layers – you’ll want a jacket for morning and evening spectacles. The most photographed event in the world, the 360-acre park creates room for all, and a 46-year safety record ensures your peace of mind as you absorb all that the festival has to offer.

The park allows for bringing your own picnic lunch or enjoying the food at the venues. Be sure to bring that fancy camera, too, for the numerous photo opportunities during the event. Even amateur photographers can achieve great shots at the festival.

A New Mexico Tradition

This event is hugely popular and widely affordable. In fact, preteens and under ride for free! With such affordable admission, it’s no wonder why this event is so widely known. To manage parking, the event has park and ride options for those attending as well as parking lots for those wishing to drive themselves.

Many locals recommend the park and ride option for ease of access and peace of mind. The best way to manage the impending traffic is to leave early and plan accordingly. Show up as early as you can, and plan to stay for more than just a couple days!

The events of the festival are very weather-dependent, and you don’t want random cancellations spoiling the trip for you. Be sure to take advantage of the nearby museum which explains all of the ins and outs of balloon aeronautic history.

Ready to Find Your Dream Home in the Land of Enchantment?

We’re here to help. Give us a call today to discuss your real estate options in beautiful communities like Santa Fe and Albuquerque!

Buying a home shouldn’t be rocket science. You find the perfect home, make an offer to the seller, pay a couple of fees, and bam! You just bought a home.

However, buying a home actually has a lot of moving parts which include a number of funny real estate terms you’ve probably never heard before. Are Realtors and real estate agents even speaking English anymore?

To help you out, we’ve come up with a cheat sheet so you’ll know exactly what we are talking about when we explain the home-buying process.

Pre-Approval

If you meet with an agent before you begin looking for homes, they’ll likely recommend you get pre-approved for a mortgage. Mortgage pre-approval is the best first step to buying a home, because it essentially sets your budget for you.

Pre-approval involves sitting down with a lender to discuss your financial portfolio. This includes your credit score, borrowing history, outstanding debts, annual income, and any assets you have. After reviewing all of this, the lender gives you an exact number: that’s how much the bank is willing to lend you.

Not only is your budget set, home sellers will take you more seriously because they know you can qualify for enough loan to support your offer.

Earnest Money

Defined loosely, earnest money is the money you pay to confirm a contract. When you’re buying a home, this is essentially a good faith deposit. It lets the seller know that you’re serious—serious enough to go ahead and put money down.

This money sits in a joint account (called an “escrow” account) held by both the buyer and seller. When the home purchase is finalized, the earnest money goes toward the buyer’s down payment.

Due Diligence

Due diligence refers to the period of time after the seller has accepted a buyer’s offer. This is the time when you as the buyer can schedule inspections, confirm financing, and make sure that buying this home is in your best interest.

Now’s the time to do some research! Have the home inspected by a professional to ensure nothing is wrong with it, consult public records to learn more about its past homeownership, as well as any environmental issues in the neighborhood, and work with your lender to make sure this is a good financial decision.

So…. Are Realtors and Agents the Same Thing?

Yes and no. The primary difference between REALTOR®s and real estate agents is the National Association of Realtors, also known as the NAR. The NAR is a professional organization of real estate brokers that abides by a specific Code of Ethics that all REALTOR®s are required to follow.

A real estate agent works under a brokerage, but is not necessarily a licensed NAR member.

Let’s Find Your Dream Home Together

We’ll never hide behind big words when it comes to helping you find the home that’s right for you.

Give us a call today to begin your home-buying journey.