Stephen Etre Interview, January 2016

Interview Of Stephen Etre, Owner of Stephen’s, A Consignment Gallery

By Rey Post
Associate Broker, Sotheby’s International Realty & Host of “All Things Real Estate” Radio Show

Q. How is your business starting out in 2016?

A. After more than 30 years of operating the gallery, I have witnessed many different business cycles in Santa Fe. The start of this New Year is evidencing a continuation of the steady economic recovery that we witnessed last year.

Q. A significant amount of your clientele comes from the real estate community—home owners, buyers and sellers, as well as real estate brokers, interior designers, and lawyers administering estate transactions. Given this reality, do you have an impression about the status of the Santa Fe real estate market as we start 2016?

A. Yes, my impression is that as you and your broker colleagues have seen a steady increase in buyer and seller activity over the past year. Correspondingly, the gallery has experienced increased activity. Sellers use us as a source for home staging activities, while buyers of new homes rely on our array of items to furnish their properties.

Q. And estate sales are a major source of activity for the gallery with each passing year, correct?

A. The gallery has a long-time relationship with estate lawyers, banks, and executors who turn to us to help facilitate the sale of some of Santa Fe’s finest collections of antiques, art, and one-of-a-kind items including heirloom jewelry. Though estate sales are driven by a special set of circumstances, we have found that they are occurring quite regularly, as people find them to be an effective method for marketing unique collections in certain homes. We have two estate sales already booked for this January, with many more to follow throughout the year.

Q. And to support your customer activities at the gallery in 2016, what enhancements have you added to the gallery?

A. As you know Rey, in 2013 we actually made some structural changes to the gallery’s outside façade to enhance our curb appeal to customers. We also added an “immediate placement” policy to the display of new arrivals at the gallery, so that the floor of our facility is constantly offering brand new items to meet consumer demand. These two elements have really helped to make the shopping experience at the gallery a lot more rewarding for our clients.

Q. I understand that you also have beefed up your staff and also changed the internal visuals of the gallery, correct?

A. Yes, we enhanced our already well-regarded gallery staff with new professionals who bring a level of knowledge and expertise that our clients seem to really appreciate. We have also transformed a major part of the gallery into actual “show rooms,” replicating what rooms in a house would look like with furniture, art, and accessories. This makes it easier for our clients to see how items could work in their own homes.

Q. A couple of years ago, you also launched a new web presence for the gallery that is quite attractive and very user-friendly!

A. Thanks for the plug about this element of our ongoing marketing efforts. We are very proud of our website which is not only visually appealing, but is constantly changing to provide our customers with the latest news about gallery offerings. For anyone who hasn’t visited our site in a while, I invite them to take a look at: www.stephensconsignments.com.

Q. So all in all, you are entering the New Year with your normal high level of optimism!

A. I couldn’t say it any better than that, Rey, and I look forward to helping every home buyer, seller, and owner throughout 2016.

Q. You also have a special relationship with the United World College (UWC) that is based in the Las Vegas, NM region of the state. Why is this important to you?

A. UWC is one of 15 campuses located on five continents and as a two-year residential school, it serves students age 16-19 who typically represent more than 70 different countries. They participate in a unique program that combines academic challenge with an experiential, hands-on approach to learning. I have been a supporter of the institution and actually have many of the students stay occasionally at our home while they are studying.

Q. On today’s show we are featuring one of the students who has stayed at your home.

A. Yes, Jose-Pablo, a former student and currently the Alumni and Special events Director at UWC will be offering an update on activities at the institution as students begin the New Year.

Q. To close out the show, I want to remind everyone that it is not too early to put Stephen’s annual “Spring Sale” on your calendar. This event has been staged for over 30 years at the gallery on the Mother’s Day weekend in May.

A. Thanks, Rey, for alerting people to this event, as well as for having me on today’s show. I look forward to seeing you next month during the February 14 “All Things Real Estate” radio show!

For more than 30 years, Stephen’s, a Consignment Gallery has been attracting consumers from all over the country, to see the best in antiques, estate items, jewelry, furniture, art, and countless home accessories under the gallery’s 13,000 square feet of space.

Stephen’s, A Consignment Gallery
2701 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe
stephensconsignments.com

Message from the President, January 2016

Message from the President Gary Bobolsky

January 2016

Take Risks and Start Living

Ask your fellow realtors what motivates them in their real estate business and you’ll likely get answers like money, family, personal client connections, and sales numbers. But what about risk and the fear of failure? Can these two obstacles (among many others) motivate us in our business? Sales101 books and classes inform us that if we remove all the obstacles in a negotiation, you will ultimately have a sale, yet we all know the reality is easier said than done. A better question that we should ask ourselves is: How do we ultimately reduce the risk of failed time, money, and energy in our business to stay inspired, motivated, and continue to be positive providers in our community? Accepting risk is a process of transition through one’s own personal experience and support from our friends and colleagues. I hope this year as President of the Santa Fe Association of Realtors, I can help you ‘rethink the obstacles’ in your business as an opportunity for you to unleash your personal creativity and create a cycle of encouragement and motivation in your profession. Your uniqueness is what propels your referrals and creates tight-knit client relationships. So don’t be afraid of risk; embrace it and be perpetually motivated by it!

Click here for your 1-minute of inspiration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzBCI13rJmA

Click here for SFAR REALTOR Radio January 2016 Edition:

http://santafe.com/thevoice/podcasts/all-things-real-estate-second-hour-january-3-2016

Your friend and colleague,

Gary Bobolsky

Board Highlights

The SFAR Board of Directors took action on the following items at the December meeting:

Approved the 2016 Bank Resolution
Approved to broadcast monthly on the second hour of “All Things Real Estate” radio show for one year.

Gary Bobolsky

2016 President

Santa Fe Association of REALTORS

Santa Fe Home Sales – July 2015

Real Estate by the Numbers

By Abigail Davidson
CRS, ABR, SRES, CLHMS, CNE
Broker Associate
Sotheby’s International Realty

The following information has been compiled to provide you with updated information on sales in Santa Fe and its surrounding areas for July 2015. These statistics are for all Santa Fe residential home sales including single-family homes, condos, and townhomes.

There were a total of 172 home sales with prices ranging from $72,500 to $3,500,000, down from 196 in June. Total sales volume was $74,538,156, a bit lower than June. The Average Sales Price was $433,361; Median Sales Price was $329,500. The Average Sold to List Price was 96.46 percent, a slight drop from June. Average number of Days on the Market was 172, a slight increase from June.

Sales per price band for homes sold during July is as follows:

94 homes sold for under $350,000
32 sold from $350,001 and $500,000
39 sold from $500,001 and $1,000,000
7 sold from $1,000,001 to $3,500,000

Santa Fe Home Sales – June 2015

Real Estate by the Numbers

By Abigail Davidson
CRS, ABR, SRES, CLHMS, CNE
Broker Associate
Sotheby’s International Realty

The following information has been compiled to provide you with updated information on sales in Santa Fe and its surrounding areas for June, 2015.

These statistics are for all Santa Fe residential home sales including single-family homes, condos, and townhomes.

There were a total of 196 home sales with prices ranging from $38,000 to $2,050,000. Total sales volume was $84,907,517, holding steady from May. The Average Sales Price was $433,202; Median Sales Price was $337,500. The Average Sold to List Price was 97.11 percent, a slight increase from May. Average number of Days on the Market was 163, a bit higher than May.

Sales per price band for homes sold during June is as follows:

100 homes sold for under $350,000; 50 percent of total monthly sales.
37 homes sold from $350,000 and $500,000; 21 percent of total monthly sales.
29 homes sold from $500,001 and $1,000,000.
9 homes sold from $1,000,001 to $2,415,000.

“ALL THINGS REAL ESTATE ” Marks 6 Year Anniversary In June, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“ALL THINGS REAL ESTATE ” Marks 6 Year Anniversary In June

SANTA FE, NM, May 4, 2015 – The “All Things Real Estate” (ATRE) radio show, blog and website will—on June 7—mark six years of offering timely real estate news and commentary to the public, as well as information on people, places and events that are popular with consumers around New Mexico and the nation.

Launched in June 2009 by Rey Post, the Santa Fe-based Associate Broker with Sotheby’s International Realty^®, the ATRE radio program airs “live” for two hours each Sunday (12-2pm Mountain Time) on 1260 KTRC-AM and KVSF101.5-FM and also streams to a national audience on SantaFe.com. The ATRE blog offers observations and advice on a variety of issues important to consumers ( www.ATREradio.com/blog ), while the ATRE website provides useful information and resources to home buyers, sellers and owners ( www.ATREradio.com ).

Post hosts the ATRE weekly radio show and serves as Managing Editor of the ATRE blog. Over the years, ATRE has been supported by a number of well-regarded New Mexico and national companies, as well as local non-profits and event organizations, who regularly contribute commentary to the radio show and content to the blog.

“We are very proud that people from all over the country find the radio show to be a destination for timely and valuable real estate news and commentary, as well as information on Santa Fe businesses, events and special venues in our community,” said Post. “The popularity of the program is directly related to the excellent content our well-regarded real estate, business, community and non-profit commentators bring each week, whether we are airing from the studio, or from unique locations around New Mexico,” continued Post.

“The ATRE radio show is not only one of the most popular radio programs our company offers to the public, but is clearly one of Santa Fe’s best known and respected shows,” said Scott Hutton, Owner and General Manager of Hutton Broadcasting. “As a flagship broadcast of our company, we know that the public is drawn to the abundant subject matter that ATRE brings to each Sunday show and we congratulate Rey and his team for their much deserved success,” continued Hutton.

Since 2009, the live ATRE radio show has aired more than 300 times. The show started as a one-hour program broadcasting on a single radio station in Santa Fe, while today, the program offers a two-hour format, featuring New Mexico real estate experts, local and nationally-known celebrity guest interviews and special community information segments. For the past three years, the ATRE show has been simulcasting on two local radio stations, as well as across the nation via SantaFe.com. The ATRE team is currently exploring new and innovative ways of bringing the program’s message to an even wider audience in New Mexico and beyond.

Under its “Unique Destinations” series, the show has aired nearly 100 times from a variety of Santa Fe businesses, non-profit locations, as well as highly attended and well-known public events, including the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association “Home Show” and “Parade of Homes” tour, as well as the Santa Fe Concorso rare car gathering staged at The Club at Las Campanas, located a short distance from downtown Santa Fe.

Here are images of the 2014 Santa Fe Concorso rare car gathering, as well as the March 15, 2015 “Home Show” remote from the Santa Fe Community Convention Center:

September 28, 2014 – Rey Post & Santa Fe Concorso – Pics of Interview Subjects (features images of interviews with Indianapolis 500 race car legends Johnny Rutherford, Parnelli Jones and Lyn St. James, as well as many others):

http://jessicaprestonphotography.smugmug.com/All-Things-Real-Estate/i-sXGS6RL

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.807679379311195&type=3&l=0674d4b145

ATRE has been nominated for a Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award, profiled in the Santa Fe New Mexican’s Real Estate Guide, as well as in the corporate newsletter of Sotheby’s International Realty^® issued to the public, as well as to more than 14,000 sales associates working in more than 700 offices located in 52 countries and territories.

In addition, Post was profiled on June 29, 2014 in a Santa Fe New Mexican sports section story for his work in helping to bring soccer’s 1994 World Cup and 1999 Women’s World Cup to the U.S. for the first time:

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/sports/tesuque-man-helped-bring-world-cup-along-with-renewed-interest/article_c8f93c47-9c8b-54a1-b64e-39ab4883bbb8.html

###

For additional information:

Rey Post : 505/989-8900 (Cell); rey.post@sothebyshomes.com

Scott Hutton: 505/471-1067 (Work); scott@santafe.com

March 2015 Home Sales

Real Estate by the Numbers

By Abigail Davidson CRS, ABR, SRES, CLHMS, CNE
Broker Associate, Sotheby’s International Realty

The following information has been compiled to provide you with updated information on sales in Santa Fe and its surrounding areas for March, 2015. These statistics are for all Santa Fe residential home sales including single-family homes, condos, and townhomes.

There were a total of 167 home sales in March, up from 113 in February. Prices ranged from $45,000 to $2,637,500. Total sales volume for March was $71,957,325, up from February which was $40,935,779.

The Average Sales Price was $430,882; the Median Sales Price was $322,000. The Average Days on Market was 184, up from February which was 166. The Average Sold to List Price held steady at 95.40 percent.

Here is how number of sales per price-band reported in March 2015:

91 homes sold for under $350,000
29 homes sold from $350,001 to $500,000
37 homes sold from $500,001 to $1,000,000
10 homes sold from $1,000,001 to $2,639,999, a significant increase of properties over $1,000,000 from February, which totaled 3.

Homes with History – El Fidel Hotel, Las Vegas, NM

El Fidel Hotel
Las Vegas, New Mexico

By Adrienne DeGuere, Editor and Office Administrator, Sotheby’s International Realty

El Fidel Hotel

Built in 1923 on the Plaza of downtown Las Vegas, the first significantly sized settlement on the Santa Fe Trail trade route, stands El Fidel Hotel, located on the site of previous incarnations of hospitality establishments dating back to the 1880s. Placed on the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties in 1976 and on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, El Fidel remains a grand example of Spanish Colonial Revival style.
Replete with the history one would expect of a hotel dating back to the iconic “Wild West” days of the American Frontier, including a shoot-out in the lobby between a judge and a newspaper editor in 1925, the property has been well maintained in keeping with its architectural legacy.

With eighteen guest rooms, a restaurant, and a stately lobby graced with ceramic tile floors, arched windows, and rich woodwork, El Fidel offers a unique property in a revitalized historic small city just east of the state’s capital.

Exclusively represented by DEANNE OTTAWAY
505.690.4611 deanne.ottaway@sothebyshomes.com

Artful Beauty Underfoot

By Lisa Samuel, Owner, The Samuel Design Group

I have been asked the question many times in my career whether the rug should be the first decision in designing a room’s interior. This is a variable and is determined on an individual basis; it is unique to each space and each individual for whom I am designing. Other designers may have a different point of view and may begin the design of each room with a rug. There is no right or wrong answer to this question. Rugs are definitely an important part of the design of any room.

There is a vast array of rugs in today’s marketplace. The fiber used to make rugs varies from natural to synthetic. I prefer natural fibers like wool, cotton, hemp, sisal, banana silk, and a variety of grasses. In addition to the various fibers available there are various styles to choose from as well; such as flat weave or pile and many others. Each of these fibers has specific characteristics and is therefore more appropriate for a specific use or style. Fine wool rugs that are hand knotted are very desirable and at the top of the price range. A very fine wool rug can take up to 1,000 days of work by a highly skilled weaver. A 9’ x 12’ rug is 108 square feet and 15,552 square inches. If the rug has 800 knots per square inch that would equal 12,441,600 knots! A highly skilled weaver can tie up to 12,000 knots per day. Fine rugs truly are a work of art and worth every penny spent.

Rugs can anchor a seating area in a large room, as well as add color and texture and warmth to any interior space. Consumers can be rather confused about what rug to choose or if they might choose carpet versus a fine rug. Rugs are either woven by hand or are machine loomed and range widely in price. Style and color are also a wide variable. Oriental rugs are generally produced in Russia, Turkey, India, Iran, Tibet, Pakistan, China, and Nepal. Persian rugs refer to a sub area of the Orient. When referring to a Persian rug, the area referred to is more specifically the “Old Persian Empire,” whose borders changed over its thousand year existence. Since 1979, Iran has been the modern day equivalent of Persia. Persian rugs are regarded by collectors as the finest rugs of all oriental styles of rugs. Genuine Persian rugs are hand knotted and their individual design reference specific townships and cities where they are created. Rugs produced in these countries are genuine oriental rugs and are handcrafted and, of course, are one of a kind. I consider them to be long lasting investments that become something one would pass along from generation to generation. With proper care, investment rugs will last a life time.

A professional interior designer can be of great help in determining the style, color, and size of the rug or rugs that would be right for your lifestyle, design, and budget.

Join Lisa and her guests on the first Sunday of each month for “Stylemakers By Design.” This live radio show is the monthly 2^nd hour broadcast of All Things Real Estate and can be heard beginning at 1pm (Mountain Time) on Santa Fe’s 1260-AM and 101.5-FM, as well as via a stream of the show on SantaFe.com. Go to ATREradio.com for more information about the radio program and to also connect with The Samuel Design Group.

How Do You Select an Architect?

By Craig Hoopes, Principal, Hoopes + Associates Architects

Most people go to architects because they cannot find a home for sale that meets their needs. Perhaps there are not enough bedrooms or large enough spaces for the family. Perhaps they need special spaces for their work at home or for a collection. Maybe they are looking for something special. Maybe they are re-envisioning their lives now that the kids are grown.

So how do you find the architect that will help you create the home that you want? After all, in a very short amount of time you will be selecting someone whom you are trusting with what is probably the largest single investment you will make. The first thing to do is create a list of architects that you think might be interesting to work with. The easiest way to start is to ask friends who have built a home and now live in homes that you like or that you feel were successfully designed for your friends’ needs. Augment this with an internet search for architects in your area and a search in local shelter magazines. Call the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for a list of architects that do residential work. Not all architects are, nor are they required to be, members of the AIA, but it is a good resource. Lastly, do not be afraid to knock on the doors of houses you have admired in your community. Owners of architect-designed homes usually love to talk about their project.

Once you have assembled a list of architects whose work you like, weigh the results and narrow the field down to the top five or fewer choices. Every architect wants to feel that they have a chance at getting your commission, so don’t make the field too large. Arrange interviews with the top candidates. Ask how they charge for their fees. Ask if your project schedule fits into their schedule and who in the office will be handling the project (larger firms may have an assortment of players, smaller firms may have higher principal involvement). Ask to see their portfolio; make note of the houses that you like. Ask for a list of references – clients as well as contractors. You will want to know whether your architect ‘plays well with others’ in all parts of the project. Once you have done that, narrow the field again to two or three and ask those architects to take you through one or two houses of their work that you liked in their portfolio.

Walking through spaces, you will get a sense of flow and proportion and light that may not reveal themselves in photographs. After the walk-throughs, rank the architects again. Call the references that you requested at the interview. Call all references. Chances are the architect will not have given names that (s)he thinks would give a bad recommendation; however, clients may open up to you about what they feel went right and what they feel went wrong. Determine whether those issues that may not have gone smoothly are important issues to you. Do a final ranking.

As an architect I have found that the most successful projects have been those where the client feels at ease talking about anything. If you feel at ease with the architect, and you feel the architect is at ease with you, you will be able to better express your needs. This also makes it easier to discuss some of the business issues as well should they crop up. Be clear in your expectations; the architect will then be able to tell you whether those expectations can be met. Spend time with the architect reviewing the contract. And, most importantly, take time selecting your architect. After all, you will be spending a lot of time with this person. These things will help make sure that you will have an enjoyable process designing your new home.

Consignment Gallery Q & A

Say Hello to 2015!

By Stephen Etre, Co-Owner
Stephen’s, A Consignment Gallery

(An Interview with Managing Editor Rey Post)

Q. I guess it’s an understatement to observe that 2014 has been a banner year for the gallery, correct?

A. Yes, Rey…put simply, this past year has been one of the very best for us across so many fronts.

Q. In what ways and why?

A. Well, general business with our loyal customers, as well as new clients, has set records for our gallery. The number of clients, plus the dollar volume we enjoyed from the sale of antiques, furniture, home accessories, jewelry, estate items, and so much more – was at an all-time high in 2014. In addition, the number and quality of estate sales we handled for a variety of clients established a new bar for us to achieve in coming years.

Q. And I know from commentary you have offered in 2014 on the “All Things Real Estate” radio show, that your annual Spring and Fall Sales Events were highly successful.

A. Yes…and the number of people who came to the gallery for these events –which we have done now for about 30 years – also increased, especially among out-of-town visitors. I believe that all of these successful sales figures are the direct result of an improving economy, plain and simple.

Q. And that correlates to an improving year for real estate sales in the greater Santa Fe region.

A. Yes…you know that when you and your real estate broker colleagues are seeing greater home buyer and seller activity, our gallery also realizes increased consumer activity, as people either use us for home staging, and/or to divest themselves of home furniture and accessories (or to buy new items for a recently purchased property).

Q. We are characterizing 2014 as a year when the real estate market locally reached a level of “stability” from the years of challenges we in the trade realized after the financial meltdown of 2008. And we are projecting some additional improvement in homes sales for 2015. I guess you are anticipating a good New Year for business at the gallery?

A. Indeed. Since our success is highly correlated with activity among local home buyers, sellers, and owners, we are expecting a strong 2015 for business at Stephens, A Consignment Gallery.

Q. I guess that’s about the best way you could ever hope to enter the New Year!

A. You bet, Rey…and we wish everyone else in our community similar success in 2015 and invite them to come join us at 2701 Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe and see all that our gallery has to offer!