Here is some good information on the housing market here in Santa Fe
http://www.builderonline.com/local-housing-data/mountain/santa-fe-nm.aspx?cid=lmkt:santa-fe-nm:20120911&rdrnum=1000212234
Author Archives: Joe
Santa Fe Housing Data Updates
Security windows, done locally
It’s been a busy spring here at Wise Improvements, and we are always happy when we hear from some of our familiar repeat clients. Angela and Marc called us when their neighbors were broken into, looking to add some extra security to their home. The metal fabricators we usually work with were quite busy, so looking to help them out promptly, we sent them to The Home Depot for security windows and doors. One of our local contractors was going to do the installation of the windows and doors, when we met him out at the job site he mentioned he could custom fabricate the windows and doors at a competitive price. Our contractor was able to make, deliver, and install the windows the very next week. We definitely learned a lesson we should have known, prefabricated products from the big box stores are not always the best option. While the process isn’t always straight forward for even seemingly small projects such as this, we can help our clients work it through and get the desired results.
We need Contributors for National Home Improvement Publications
We have been contacted by an editor for a variety of National home improvement publications for fall and winter home mainteance and improvement checklists
Please submit articles, tips and to-dos with any exterior high resolution images to go along with them to us. We will forward them along with appropriate credits. This is a great opportunity for you and your business to get some national exposure. Let’s represent the Southwest! The deadline is October 17th. Contact us if you have any questions.
See the Announcement here
OSHA Cracks Down on Local Contractors
OSHA is coming to town to make sure contractors are compliant with safety standards. This comes at a bad time for contractors and builders during a recession but they are here to keep us all safe. There is an informational lunch today at the Santa Fe Area Homebuilder’s offices for the Spanish speakers council luncheon with OSHA. If you cannot make it we will try to video and post a report on how they will be regulating and how you can avoid hefty fines.
Two Steps Back for NM Green Building Codes
Too bad our governor thinks green building codes and credits are bad for business. Seems like shortsighted thinking to us.
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/State-looking-to-rollback-tough-building-codes
More details from the SEA
- Solar Supporters -
NMSEA ACTION ALERT !!!
SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE at the end of this message
Or contact us with questions & comments. We value your input!
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The Martinez Administration is planning to roll back the NM Energy Efficiency Building Code which was approved (after a lengthy and very open process) in 2010, which had a very high level of public support, and which is scheduled to go into effect this July.
Please consider the info below, and take a moment before the end of this week to mail or fax your opinion to the NM Construction Industries Commission.
Points to keep in mind:
1) the average $13 per month savings being quoted in the media is net – ie after including the costs associated with meeting the new code. A major argument from the Martinez faction is that the cost of meeting the code will be greater than the $13/mo saved – a gross & deliberate distortion of the facts.
2) the new code included specific provisions dealing with classic NM architectural innovations and practices. It doesn’t include everything that we would have liked, but it’s a whole lot better than the alternative.
3) the Martinez administration’s rollback strategy has been to “clean house” at the Construction Industries Commission and then ram this change thru before “the public” has time to react. Public hearings are required by statute, so they were scheduled immediately after the Memorial Day weekend – ie to make it as hard as possible for the “opposition” to get organized. This is clearly an inside hatchet job, as opposed to the long and very public process of creating the new energy code specifications in the first place.
4) the Albuquerque Journal published their own editorial on 5/22 supporting this rollback – and using the same misleading arguments ie that costs weren’t considered the first time around, and that the new rules will kill jobs.
5) The Albuquerque Journal has accepted an op-ed by NMSEA VP Gary Vaughn opposing the rollback, which will be published in their “green building” focus section on Tuesday May 31. If any of you want to submit op-ed pieces, better do so ASAP. The bad news is that such a late publishing date will make it difficult for readers to register their opinions with the CIC before “the deadline”.
6) The CIC is required to tally “official” public comments – ie comments that follow their specific rules. That means statements made at the public hearings, and written statements made by mail or by FAX. Emails and any communication with individual commissioners can be ignored at will. So it’s important to mail or FAX your opinion to the CIC at the “official” address or FAX number listed below. And note that comments must be received by 5PM on June 2 – otherwise they’ll simply be ignored. There’s no real need to justify your opinion – all that they will be tallying is Yea or Nay for rolling back the code. The final tally is not legally binding – but it’s the only form of leverage that we have.
7) if you can make the formal hearings, or encourage others to do so, please do that. A big pro-efficiency turn out will make the news and add to the pressure to stop the rollback.
there’s only one week left to “act” – and that includes the long holiday weekend.
9) the bottom line is that the current efficiency code – set to go into effect in July – will have a bigger beneficial effect on NM’s future energy use than any other recent energy related initiative – including our hoped-for “dream” revision of passive solar adobe building codes and incentives, the consequences of PNM’s temporarily delayed PV grid-tied interconnect rider, and the combined effect of our last 11 Solar Fiestas.
STATE OF NEW MEXICO
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRIES DIVISION
of the
Regulation and Licensing Department
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
Public hearings on the proposed changes to the following CID Rules: NMAC 14.7.6 2009 New Mexico Energy Conservation Code;NMAC 14.8.2 2009 New Mexico Plumbing Code; NMAC 14.9.2 2009 New Mexico Mechanical Code; and,NMAC 14.10.4 2008 New Mexico Electrical Code, will be held as follows:
* June 2, 2011, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm: FARMINGTON – McGee Park Convention Center, #41 Road 5568, Bloomfield Hwy
* June 2, 2011, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm: ROSWELL, NM – City Council Chambers, 421 N. Richardson
* June 2, 2011, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm: LAS CRUCES, NM – Las Cruces Administrative Offices, 505 South Main Street, Suite 249, Conference Room A
* June 2, 2011, 9:00 pm – 12:00 pm: ALBUQUERQUE, NM – CID Conference Room: 5200 Oakland Avenue, NE
Copies of the proposed rules are currently available on the Construction Industries Division’s website: www.rld.state.nm.us/cid and at the CID office in Santa Fe. You are invited to attend and express your opinion on these proposed rules changes. If you cannot attend the meeting, you may send your written comments to the Construction Industries Division, 2550 Cerrillos Road, P.O. Box 25101, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504, Attention: Public Comments. FAX (505) 476-4685.
All comments must be received no later than 5 pm, on June 2, 2011.
If you require special accommodations to attend the hearing, please notify the Division by phone, email or fax, of such needs no later than May 27, 2011. Telephone: 505-476-4686. Email: www.rld@state.nm.us/cid Fax No. 505-476-4685
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NEW MEXICO SOLAR ENERGY ASSOCIATION
1009 Bradbury Dr. SE, # 35, Albuquerque, NM 87106
505-246-0400, 888-886-6765, Fax: 505-246-2251
info@nmsea.org www.nmsea.org
Real Estate and Technology in Santa Fe: Part 2, Barker Realty and Company Vice-President Warren Sacks
Warren Sacks, a native Santa Fean, is an alumnus of Santa Fe High School’s class of 2001. After graduating from Elon University in NC, he returned home and began working as an intern for Barker Realty, Inc. He quickly moved from associate broker to qualifying broker, and is currently Vice President of the company. He sits on the board of the Santa Fe Realtor’s Association.
The most exciting thing Barker is working on these days is a consumer friendly web based platform for the entire Santa Fe Real Estate market. It allows clients and prospective clients to search the entire Santa Fe Realtor’s Assocation MLS (multiple listings service) listing
Barker Realty is Using Technology in a Big Way to Market Santa Fe Homes for Sale
Contractors and Home Improvement Businesses in Santa Fe – Flyers are a Great Way to Marketing Your Business Inexpensively. Here’s how!
Using flyers to market your roofing business, plumbing business, plastering business or contracting business may seem “old school” but if done well and consistently you’ll find people will read your marketing flyers and you’ll get leads. Here’s how you can make your marketing flyer look great, grab attention, and bring you leads.
1. Knockout Title or Headline is Key – Phrases like, SECRETS TO FEWER ROOF LEAKS, TIME TO ACT IS NOW, FREE BONUSES, DISCOVER HOW TO SAVE ON YOUR WATER BILL can catch attention where people will tear off your phone number from the flyer.
2. Use Color or Smoking Hot Graphics – A great photo or illustration will get peoples attention visually. Quality photos are available online at Istockphoto.com or fotolia.com that will make your flyer look very cool.
3. Target Benefits of Your Service or Product – You do something most people cannot do like plumbing or framing. Express the benefit someone will receive by hiring your company.
4. Use Awesome Testimonials – People read testimonials from your clients. You have satisfied clients. Capitalize on your success by including a short testimonial on the flyer.
5. Flyer Design Needs to Include Boxes and Borders with Colors that Separate Section – Ease of read for your prospect is huge. Make the flyer “pop” with a solid design. There are flyer service for do-it-your-selfers online that you can subscribe to that you can use to make awesome flyers.
6. Make Your Message Easy to Read – Targeting your main points with BOLD HEADLINES where it makes sense that will help your readers see what you want them to see.
7. Keep it Simple – Making your flyer too busy will kill your message and no one will read it. Read your flyer and pretend you are the customer and then decide if you were a guy looking for a new roof or a to add a deck to their home would your flyer catch your attention. If your answer is YES you’ve done a great job.
8. Proofread – Do this your self then have 2 other people re-read it so you do not have mistakes.
9. Tight Budget and Cannot Use Color Graphics Then Here’s Your Solution – Use bright color paper and print with black ink.
10. Include a Special – If you can, offer a monthly special that grabs your readers attention.
PLACEMENT OF THE FLYERS – Scout out all the places around town that allow 30 day placement of flyers. Many of the banks, grocery stores, credit unions and mail box places have community boards for flyers. Scout them out, make a list, then place your current flyer at the beginning of each month every month and continue to do it for 6 months. Include a tracking phone number on the flyer instead of your regular busines phone number from FREEDOMVOICE.COM for $10 a month that forwards to your business phone or business cell phone so you know where your leads are coming from. This is a cost, but it is well worth knowing if your marketing is working or if it is not.
Good luck!
Internet Marketing Your Santa Fe Construction Business – Home Repair Business With Google Places – Better Than The Yellow Pages and It’s Free
Google Places – We can all agree that advertising works. Some advertising works better than other types of advertising. Heny Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company stated, ” A man who stops advertising to save money is like a man whos stops a clock to save time.” Where Google Places comes In to help you grow your business is one simple amazing fact. 71% of all internet searches. Back in 2005 69% of all searches were done using Google. With this amazing fact in mind Google Places, which is Google’s version of a yellow page business listing, is for the time being free, offers business owners an opportunity to list all their business information including contact information, location information, website address, images from the business and Youtube videos. Businesses with the most relevant information and the with a well designed website quite often get listed on PAGE 1 in the group businesses listed in Google Places business listings or they get listed organically ( organic listing means the search engine computer programs list of indexed websites for every possible relevant search term, bit of information, product, service, or news item. The more relevent the search engines find a website the higher the search engines index the website. Some website are on page 1 while other websites show up on page 7) for that business’s search term. The higher or better your placement is in the list of business in Google Places or the higher your business is listed organically statistically the better your chance is of someone clicking on the link to your website which in turn can convert into new business.
Google Places Optimized Local Business Listing – What’s the Next Step
1. Create a Google Account – You can do this with your current primary email. Once you’ve created your own Google Account stay logged in.
2. Type in a search in Google for Your Business Name – i.e. Joe’s Speedy Plumbing
3. IF Google Places listing comes up for your business click on the words PLACE PAGE. Then click on EDIT THIS PLACE.
4. Then click on EDIT MY BUSINESS LISTING. Then below on that page click on CONTINUE.
5. After you click on CONTINUE you will be in your Google Places business listing. Fill in all the relevant information asked for the click on SUBMIT at the bottom of the page.
6. On the next page Google will ask you to verify your listing by telephone or by postcard. Pick one then wait for your FIVE DIGIT code by an immediate phone call from Google or from Google via the postcard method. Type in the five digit code then press FINISH. Once you pressed finish you will have completed your company’s very own Google Places Optimized Business Listing.
Now when people type in your business name in Google they will more than likely come to your Google Places business listing which includes all the important information about your business, including your phone number, website, images from jobs you’ve completed and Youtube videos, if you’ve set up a Youtube channel for your business. The more information on the internet about your business so people can find you and your website the better off you’ll be when it comes to developing new pieces of business.
Santa Fe Contractors – How you too can get found for the search terms – Contractor Santa Fe, Remodeler Santa Fe, Home Remodel Santa Fe
Getting Your Santa Fe Home Builder/Home Remodeling Contracting Business Found on The Internet – Here are Some Steps to Follow
How to Get Found On the Internet – Getting your business website found on the internet can be appear to be a daunting task, but if you employ some basic search engine optimization strategy (known as SEO) on an ongoing basis you can get your website indexed
and more visible than your competitors. Here are some basic SEO steps to follow to help your cause on the web:
1. Check your website to make sure each page on your website has a browser title that describes what your business sells. This means listing your service or product in the browser title my subject name. Make sure the browser title also includes the city you do business in. An example of a correctly written browser title is as follows: home remodeler santa fe, home repairs santa fe, remodel santa fe. It may seem simple to do this on a web page, but most business owners put the name of their business in the browser title and nothing about the service/product and city the company does business in. Big mistake.
2. H1 TAG – This is the tag in the header of your website pages that describes what your business does. If you don’t know what an H1 tag is or how to add one to your website ask an SEO Consultant for help.
3. Meta-Description – This is the description of what your company does that comes up in the search results. This description should explain your company in 2 or 3 short sentences.
4. Meta-Tags – These are the keywords about your company’s service or product. Each page can have up to 160 characters for your keyword list
Each page on your website should be optimized with the components described above. If you have a website where you get to manage the content including the SEO portion of the pages you can “SEO” the pages yourself without much trouble. If you do not have a content management system you can contact your webmaster, go through the pages of your site, and make sure each page is optimized with the right information for your company, product, and services, including the browser page title, H1 tag, Meta-Description and the Meta-Tags. Doing all these things will help get your website indexed and found for the right keywords and search terms and in turn hopefully lead to more visitors to your website.
Thinking of Hiring a Side-Job Contractor Without a License or Insurance for Your Home Improvement in Santa Fe? Think Again
The same story gets told about side-job guys that do remodels and home improvement projects in communities around the country. Joe Side-Job comes in as the low bid on your kitchen remodel. You hire him and he asks for a deposit for materials and a weeks worth of labor. He starts the job, buys some materials and from your perspective the project is starting off great. You see progress the first 2 days then on day 3 you get a call from your low bid guy and he tells you something came up and he cannot make it in today and neither can his guys. Day 4 rolls around and he and his crew are there first thing working on your kitchen again. You’re happy because the project is off to a roaring start and it’s looking like you’ve made a great decision hiring your guy. Then, the 5th day rolls around and you don’t get a call until 11 a.m.. The excuse why the guy cannot show up is lame at best and your “this could be trouble” warning signal is going off, but you buy the reason. Monday rolls around and the worst happens. No call comes your way and no one shows up at the job. Essentially your low quote side-job contractor has turned into a skip with your money in hand. Day 6 turns into day 7, then day 8 and before know it you’re working on hiring a new company with insurance, a good list of references and proof of insurance to finish the job the low quote guy started on.
Another scenario can happen where you hire a similar guy and he or one of his workers gets hurt on the job at your home. In some instances your home owners insurance will sometimes pick up and cover the loss, but then your premiums go up and you could be facing a lawsuit from the injured worker. Worse yet, if your home owners insurance does not cover the costs of the workers injuries you’re on the hook for the entire amount. The idea of saving a few hundred or even a $1,000 on a low bid from a builder that’s not licensed or insured is looking worse all the time.
Your Next Move:
Check out your contractor prior to hiriing. The basics you need to do when hiring a contractor for a home improvement job are as follows:
1. Get a written quote with time of completion guarantees.
2. Check out at least 3 of the contractors references
3. Get proof of insurance including general liability and workmen’s compensation insurance.
4. Go online and make sure the contractor’s license is current with your state’s construction industries division.
Spending the time now to check out your contractor and you could be saving yourself 1,000′s of dollars in the future.