Darlene Streit Talks New Mexico Real Estate Market

Editor's Note: New Mexico real estate expert Darlene Streit joined Haute Residence for this Q&A on the latest in the state's housing market and outdoor activities.

Now that Summer is close to ending, what do you see as the takeaways from the last six months?

People are re-examining where they live for many reasons: the pandemic, the unrest in bigger cities, working now from home, and for a better quality of life. Spending so much time indoors has made many people realize that they want a sanctuary, a place that has room for working and relaxing – and especially outdoor areas. For us, this means that Santa Fe has become an even more desirable location, and people are moving here in droves. The floodgates have opened! Santa Fe's incredible quality of life has made people decide sooner to relocate here or buy a second home here. We have so much to offer – fresh air, blue skies, a feeling of spaciousness, along with skiing, hiking, a vibrant cultural and culinary scene, and so many great festivals, which unfortunately have had to skip a year due to COVID. We're a small, friendly community with a cosmopolitan vibe and people are looking for that quieter, more manageable lifestyle. I have been nonstop busy, even with the shutdown, and properties are being snapped up so quickly. We have less inventory than usual so there are less homes to sell at times in contrast to the demand. But the good homes that go on the market that are well priced sell very fast. Even with a limited supply and the pandemic and economic slowdown, my sales will surpass last year's.

What outdoor activities can be done around Santa Fe these months?

Well, our restaurants have recently re-opened their indoor dining with a 25% capacity. Outdoor dining has been going on for a while now and many restaurants have been creative in expanding their patios or setting up tables on sidewalks or even parking lots with tents for shelter. So the restaurant scene is coming back to life. Just be aware that New Mexico requires masks in public right now and social distancing, but at restaurants, with space in between tables you can take them off while eating. We also have popup drive-ins happening for people to see films in the comfort of their cars, and the old standbys like the popular Farmers Market go on twice a week. And of course, there's excellent hiking, biking, and golfing to enjoy, along with just walking around the city and having a cocktail at a rooftop bar and watching the sunset. Taking a leisurely drive to see our beautiful New Mexico landscape or going tubing on the Rio Grande or swimming at Abiqiui Lake are also good getaways.

Is there an area from which buyers are relocating to your market lately?

We used have our predictable feeder markets – the larger metropolitan areas, but now it is literally from all over the country.

How has your market been doing so far this year compared to this time last year?

It's about on a par with last year, even with the initial slowdown when the pandemic started. I will exceed last year's sales, given our usual flow of buyers and sellers, along with all the interest in Santa Fe right now. It has been a pleasant surprise seeing the market rebound so quickly after the shutdown left many people wondering what was going to happen next.