New Mexico

Home loans held by illegal immigrants in California and across the nation generally have had fewer delinquencies than similar loans held by U.S. citizens, in part because of stricter lending requirements, according to banks, insurers and Realtors, reports The Times' Anna Gorman.

"Every indication is that their performance is better than the average" mortgage account, said Tim Sandos, president of the National Assn. of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals.

More than 12,000 home loans were issued in recent years through a special program that relies on government-issued taxpayer identification numbers instead of Social Security numbers, according to the association. The identification numbers, known as ITINs, were designed for foreign-born residents living legally in the U.S. but are widely acknowledged to be used primarily by illegal immigrants.

Read the rest of the report on how illegal immigrant homeowners compare to U.S citizen homeowners here.

Well, I just got home from the movies with my family and living in the small town of Clovis, NM I thought we could go out to the movies on a Sunday evening and it wouldn't be too full. The movie had been out a week already, not a new release, and we were a little late. 3 minutes to be exact. I had swung by to catch the last of a 40% off the markdown price at Dillards, dont you love them, and then grabbed a Pizza at Pizza Hut which was a little slow and anyway I made us late.

I tell my husband to go on ahead with the kids while I dropped off my youngest with my grandmother and get to the movie 5 minutes late. The lady at the front tells me it is SOLD OUT. In Clovis, on a Sunday Night, after the movie had already been out a week already. I explain that my whole family is inside and they have probably saved me a seat and she lets me buy a ticket.

The Movie? Fireproof. The one by the creators of Facing the Giants, the one made by the church in Georgia, starring Kirk Cameron. www.fireproofmymarriage.com

It was great and Im glad that our town is supporting this movie. It was great to go watch a movie and not have to worry about what your kids are going to see or hear that I will have to explain to them later.

It was funny, made you laugh, made you cry, moving, exciting, all that. Anyway Thanks to Sherwood, the church that made the movie and thanks to Clovis for supporting it.

Back to Real Estate.

Well in the past week 21 homes were sold in the Clovis MLS, 10 went under contract, 23 listings lowered their prices, and 30 homes were listed.

Of the 21 homes sold, 4 were bought with conventional loans, 4 with FHA loans, 8 with VA loans, 3 were bought with cash and 1 was sold on a Real Estate Contract. Looks like the people who are being transferred to Cannon AFb are still buying homes!

11 of those homes sold were in the Northeast part of town.

We have a few new listings personally, 816 John Doe which has a huge living room with fireplace, big open kitchen and dining area plus a very nice big workshop out back for $119,900.

1612 Avondale is a big house with a big backyard, big living room and bedrooms. New carpet and updated kitchen and bathrooms, $145,000.

216 Rosa was the little flip that could. The current owners bought it for $64,000 back in March after it was on the market for 291 days. It was pretty ugly! Then they pretty well gutted it, all new windows, floors, walls, texture, paint, trim, and it is beautiful! We have it listed for $109,000 and are expecting an offer on it in the morning!

Leah listed 482 SR 523 last week. A Super nice 2 story, 5 bedroom, 4 bathroom home on 5 acres with a motocross track out back. All it needs are some trees for curb appeal. It is gorgeous inside and I had the opportunity to make a virtual tour of it. It is listed for $399,000 and they will look at offers. Check out the tour on www.the505group.net. or www.katharinefly.com It is beautiful!

A new thing this week is my priority on getting together relocation packages to send out. I will also be buying peanut patties and giving them to the chamber of commerce to include as a welcome to the new people being transferred to Clovis. Welcome to Clovis!

The balloons are up . . .up . .  and away this first day of International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I have been watching the practice runs over the northwest gradually increase each day until yesterday morning when a newbie in town would have thought it was the real thing- so many were aloft.

This morning despite the uncharacteristic (except on balloon fiesta opening days) overcast skies, over rtwo hundred lifted off. (I counted those I could see from a distance -two hundred- and knew I couldn't see them all. I photograped one that drifted close to me.

 I can't wait to get onto the field next Friday. For the first time I will help staff a booth for NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners). So if you are at the balloon fiesta, look for the NAWBO booth and come over and say hello. I shall also be promoting Eloise Gift of Keller Williams and will have some promotional items for you. In the meantime, if you can't be there, enjoy the video and plan to join us next year the first weekend in October.

Well, it's balloon fiesta time again in New Mexico!

Yes, the International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta wafts into Albuquerque this weekend, as it does every October. Visitors and residents are treated to morning mass ascensions of hundreds of colorful balloons, including many "special shapes," while evenings bring "balloon glows," fireworks, and even a "Special Shapes Glow-deo!" There are flying competitions, and even special events for gas balloons.

October 3-12 are the days set aside this year for the Balloon Fiesta. Each morning, hundreds of balloonists assemble at the 78-acre balloon fiesta park in the pre-dawn hours, and soon are filling ALbuquerque's azure skies with an astounding spectacle.

Check out this year's schedule, and come on out and experience the wonder!

Still not convinced? Check out a virtual tour of the Balloon Fiesta, or view live "Balloon Cams" at Balloon Fiesta Park, and then decide!