Rich Cederberg's Albuquerque Real Estate Blog

After my open house today I decided to stop by and look at the model homes at The Legends at High Desert. The Legends is a luxury gated community located in Northeast Albuquerque near Tramway and Academy.

As you can see, Tramway and Academy is very near the Sandia Mountains and their are some nice views at the Legends.

The exterior of the homes features extensive sultured stone detail, synthetic stucco with complete Tyvek stucco wrap, membrane roofs and really cool copper garage doors.

The homes are nicely appointed on the inside too, with Gourmet kitchens featuring Sub Zero 42" Refrigerator/Freezers with wood or stainless steel panels, Wolf 36" stainless steel 6 burner dual fuel range, solid granite countertops and backsplash and above and below cabinetry lighting.

Stacked stone is also used inside the home along with Acrylic Variance Wall Finish. There are 8' solid wood doors throughout the home and all doors are 3' wide.

Yes, those stairs lead to the basement. All the homes have climate controlled basements. In case you don't know, basements are very rare here in Albuquerque. They are only found in about 3% of the homes here.

There are 29 homes in phase one at The Legends ranging in price from $600,000 to $920,000.

There are many more upgrades in the absolutely beautiful homes. You can visit LegendsofAlbuquerque.com for more information, or call me at 505.803.5012 and I will set up a tour of these beautiful homes in a gated Albuquerque community.

Would you like a nice home in a gated community on a more affordable budget? Check out Albuquerque NM Gated Homes on my website.      

One of the first things people relocating to Albuquerque notice about Albuquerque homes for sale is that they rarely have basements. To give you an idea just how difficult is to find an Albuquerque house with a basement consider this: Out of over 5,000 homes for sale, there are only about 100 homes with basements for sale.

View Albuquerque Homes for Sale with Basements

Great uses for basements:

• Home Office
• Kids Play Room
• Media Room
• Workshop
• Teenager bedroom

No matter why you want a basement understand that while they are a rare find here in New Mexico, there are some available.

Follow the link and register on BeautifulNMHomes.com and you'll be able to view Albuquerque Homes for Sale with basements and 60 other saved searches that you won't find anywhere else.

Happy past clients are the reason I enjoy being an Albuquerque Realtor.

That's because I'm not in this job for the money, I'm in Albuquerque Real Estate because I want to have the opportunity to help people. Nothing brings me greater joy than meeting new clients and watching them change before my eyes from skeptics to raving fans when they realize that they can trust me, that I am watching out for their best interests and that I'm not just trying to make a quick sale.

Here's a testimonial from two of my happy homeowners in Albuquerque's Tanoan neighborhood:

"Rich was not only knowledgable and very professional, he was also patient and kind.  This combined with his sense of humor and good nature turned a potentially daunting task into an enjoyable event.

I house hunted in New Mexico while my husband sold our old house in Colorado. This was not easy but Rich was a trusted ally in this lofty endeavor.  He tolerated last-minute travel plans, participated in coffee-shop conference calls, helped make house videos, and shared contracts via email.  Rich made a concerted effort to ensure my husband felt like a valuable part of the search.  His hard work resulted in our finding a great house that my family now calls home.

We would recommend Rich to anyone who wants the ultimate realtor to help in their relocation."

I am so thankful for the people who will take a few minutes after their transaction is completed to write down a few nice words about me and the job that I have done for them.

I am humbled and inspired by testimonials like these. Humbled that I was given the chance to help them, inspired to continue doing business the right way, always keeping my clients best interests in mind.

If you're looking for an Albuquerque Realtor, won't you please call 505.803.5012 and give me a try?

Click here to see more testimonials for Albuquerque Realtor Rich Cederberg or click here to start your search for residential real estate in Albuquerque NM.

Buying your first Albuquerque home is as easy as 1-2-3!

1. Meet with a lender. Not all lenders are the same, pick someone that is friendly, helpful and will take the time to answer all your questions. Once you find that person you'll need your last two years tax returns, paycheck stubs and W-2's, so start looking for those things now. Be sure to ask them about the MFA loans that require as little as $500 to get into a home.
2. Shop for homes. Find a buyer's broker who knows how to help you with all the latest internet tools   like the Albuquerque MLS Client Portal. Identify homes you want to see online, then go see them with a buyer's broker. 
3. Make an offer and get ready to close.Once you find the home you want, make an offer, then let your Realtor help you get to the closing table 30-45 days later.

Oh yeah, step four? Get the keys and start moving in! Search the Albuquerque MLS 

If you're a first time home buyer the process can seem complicated, but really it's as easy as 1-2-3. To make it go even smoother make sure you find your own Realtor to represent you. You wouldn't go to court without your own lawyer and you shouldn't buy a home without your own Realtor! The one with the sign in the yard is working for the seller-not for you!

Read my Albuquerque First Time Home Buyer Guide

Tired of searching through hundreds of listings online trying to find the great deals on Albuquerque Homes for Sale only to find out they’re all short sales? Well, you're in luck, because I have hand-picked through all of the current Albuquerque Homes for Sale and found about 40 homes that are priced to sell and under $80 per square foot. THAT'S UNBELIEVABLE! These are not difficult to buy short sales, they are regular listings and much easier to buy bank owned homes.

Click Here to view GREAT DEALS UNDER $80 PER SQUARE FOOT

Why should you buy a home right now?

• Affordable prices. We’re at the bottom of the market!
• Incredibly low interest rates. They can only go up from here!
• Motivated sellers. They want to sell now!

These are the cheapest of the cheap, visit my website if you want to view more afffordable real estate in Albuquerque, or if you are interested in Albuquerque Foreclosed houses.

Call me at 505.803.5012 to schedule viewings of any of these properties

CALL 888.629.8852 and enter EXTENSION 101 to learn how you can BUY A HOME WITH ONLY $500 DOWN 

Search the Albuquerque MLS for free!

Use this free Albuquerque MLS Search with the click of a mouse. Click and drag the map to search different areas of town, then click on any of the house icons to view photos and get complete house information including price, number of bedrooms, etc.

Tired of searching through hundreds of listings online to find homes for sale in Volcano Vista High School district? Volcano Vista High School is one of Albuquerque's most popular high schools. Near Ventana Ranch, VVHS draws students from Ventana Ranch and Taylor Ranch as well.

Three Great Reasons to look for a home in VVHS District

1. Affordable Prices-Less expensive than La Cueva high School homes!
2. Newer Homes-Much newer than La Cueva and new construction homes too!
3. Quality Education-New schools have new facilities and the best teachers!

Today there are142 three bedroom homes in Volcano Vista HS district for sale, and 98 four bedroom homes for sale in Volcano Vista HS. VVHS homes are very affordable, with 119 homes available for under $200,000.

If you've seen a home online and you want to check the schools for that address, go to the Albuquerque Public Schools website and look for the "Find a School" search on the home page. Visit their website to learn more about Volcano Vista High School.

If you're looking for an Affordable New Construction home in Rio Rancho, NM, I've got a great builder to recommend. Sivage Homes is just getting started with a new community in Rio Rancho called High Range. 

Here's 9 great reasons to consider Sivage Homes at High Range:

1. Great Location: Located in central Rio Rancho near the new downtown area including the Santa Ana Event Center, the new HP Facility and the new UNM Rio Rancho campus.
2. A Unique Look: The beautiful houses Sivage Homes is building in this community look different than any other homes in Rio Rancho or Albuquerque.
3. Competitive Pricing: Homes by this reputable New Mexico Builder start at $147,900.
4. Big Savings on Utilities: Sivage Homes at High Range are Energy Star Certified. This means big savings every month on your utility bills! Are you in an older, drafty, AMREP home, you'll save a ton on heating and air conditioning.
5. Three Car Garages: Many of the lots at High Range will accomodate a third garage bay. 
6. Great Home Sites: View lots and lots that back up to open space are still available!
7. No Lot Premiums: There's still some great lots left and I know them all!
8. Sivage Size: Add a little more space for a very small price.
9. Wrap Around Porch: Featured in the photo above, it adds a super elegant look to home.

Call me Today at 505.803.5012. Why? Because of my peferred Realtor relationship with Sivage Homes I can get you additional discounts that will add up to thousands of dollars in savings. Plus I will represent your best interests throughout the entire building and closing process.

Relocating to Rio Rancho? Looking to retire here perhaps? Call 505.803.5012 and ask me about my Concierge Service. If you're flying in from out of town I'll save you money on a rental car and save you the hassle of driving in an unknown area while you Search for your Rio Rancho Home.

If you qualify, you can get terrific savings on your Albuquerque/Rio Rancho home purchase by using the HUD Neighborhood Stabilization Plan!


This HUD housing program is the best deal I've ever seen in my 6 years in Real Estate. The New Mexico Mortgage Finance authority uses federal funds to buy and rehabilitate foreclosure homes. Then they turn around and sell them with incredibly special incentives.


Look at the awesome features of this special program called the HUD Neighborhood Stabilization Plan:

1. Buyers only finance a portion of the purchase price with a regular loan
2. The balance is financed with what's called a "soft" second
3. The "soft" second is at 0% interest
4. There's no qualifying for the "soft" second
5. There are no payments on the "soft" second
6. The "soft" is forgiven if you stay in the home for 10 years

Here's one example: One NSP Home that is currently for sale is listed at $137,600. If you qualify for the program, your mortgage would be based on the first mortgage of only $100,000. If you had to get a mortgage for the whole amount of $137,600, the payment would be $824.98. The payment on the $100,000 would be $599.55.That's a savings of $225 per month!

(The payment amounts are principal and interest only based on a 30 year loan at 6% interest)

This program is for lower income families Call me at 505.803.5012 or for more details or email me.

Click Here to view HUD NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PLAN (NSP) HOMES FOR SALE

Click Here to SEARCH THE ALBUQUERQUE MLS 

CALL 888.629.8852 and enter EXTENSION 101 to learn how you can BUY A HOME WITH ONLY $500 DOWN 

The Rio Rancho real estate market is flooded with bank owned homes. Bank owned homes are homes that have already been foreclosed and are now owned by the bank. Banks don't want to own homes, so these homes are PRICED TO SELL!

Three Great Reasons to Buy a Rio Rancho Bank Owned Home:

   1. Buy for 10 to 15% below current market value
   2. No waiting for the bank to approve (OR DENY!) a short sale
   3. Take advantage of special incentives like extended warranties and closing cost assistance

CLICK HERE to view Rio Rancho Bank Owned Homes

CLICK HERE  to search the Albuquerque/Rio Rancho MLS

CALL 888.629.8852 to hit EXTENSION 101 to learn how to BUY A HOME WITH ONLY $500 DOWN!