ABQ #1 MOVIE PRODUCTION SITE

Well, I loved the smiling picture of our own Ann Lerner who heads up our city's film liaison office as she reported that MovieMaker magazine has ranked Albquerque as the best place in the nation to make a movie. In a few short years, we have beat out Los Angeles/Hollywood. Imagine. Last year alone there were 12 films or TV series made includng "Breaking Bad" and "The Book of Eli." Way to go. We are ready and I am ready to sell all those people wanting to leave LA like I did, a house!

Mickey Rourke in ABQ

Apparently the filming for Mickey Rourke's film was taking place last night in Downtown Albuquerque. I was there showing friends our Old Town and came upon the filming. It was too cold to get out and explore but it always gives me abit of a thrill to have this "Hollywood" action in my new home. Not that I miss Hollywood, but there is a larger than life grandness that comes with filming. Somehow, I think Mickey is just right for our Enchanted State. He just looks like he fits here. Want to buy a home, Mickey? Call me.

Green Filmmaking in New Mexico

We do like to see ourselves as green; not green like aliens, except maybe in Roswell, but green as in ecologically conscious. So there is a new book written by the Clarson's of New Mexico on "Green Filmmaking." It is a manual for film crews. So good for them. We like that here.

ABQ Home Sales Up in November!

Sales of single family detached homes in metro Albuquerque increased during October, defying the traditional seasonal slowdown. The 731 detached homes sold during October were an 11% increase over the 661 homes sold during September. October sales were up 43% from October 2008 and more than double the 324 homes sold in January, the period of slowest sales during the current cycle.The October sales were the second highest of 2009, behind only July, and third highest since August 2007. The average detached home sold during October remained on the market for 71 days, the shortest sales period of the year.There were 900 homes with the sale pending during October, a 56.5% increase over October 2008. This performance indicates that sales should remain strong for November, even as the seasonally cold weather slows activity from previous months.For townhouses and condominiums, October closed sales and pending sales showed an even better year over year improvement than did the detached homes, up 46% and 78% respectively.Sales of homes priced between $100,000 and $199,000 dominated the metro region during October. This price group accounted for 446 sales or 61% of the October total.The average price for a detached home was $209,614 during October, essentially unchanged from September, and up 1.7% from April. Average and median prices dropped from October 2008 for detached homes, townhouses and condominiums.During October, a total of 4,938 active listings were available around the metro Albuquerque area, down 17% from a year earlier. October was the first month since April 2007 showing active listings at fewer than 5,000. With the continued reduction in listings, metro Albuquerque is becoming less of a buyers market, especially for more affordable homes.

SUNDANCE RULES

Wouldn't you love to go to Sundance? It seems like there are more independent films with big names this year. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" with Ben Affleck and Katie Holmes. "The Runaways" portrait of rocker Joan Jett with Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning. How old is she now? Growing up, for sure, and one can only hope she doesn't succumb to the hazards of success like other child actors not to mention Tiger! "The Company" premieres and also stars Affleck with Keven Costner and NM's own, Tommy Lee Jones. Then "The Extra Man" with Homes and Kevin Kline and John C. Reilly ought to be really entertaining. Has Kline ever had a bad film?? Love that man. Well, I'm waiting for my invitation and in the meantime will just have to put these on my Netflex queue to see them in a year or two....

STRONGER HOUSING SALES IN ABQ

Several Reports Point to Stronger Housing:Existing home sales shot up 10.1% in October and reached the highest level in 2 ½ years, according to the National Association of Realtors. They also reported that the national median home price had the smallest decline in over a year.New home sales jump 6.2%, to reach their highest level in over one year. The U.S. Commerce Department reported that new home sales hit annual rate of 430K with the strongest sales coming from the South. I reported last week that new home starts were down. This bodes well for home prices if inventory is being reduced and demand is increasing. Call me if you'd like to buy here!!!

BACK FROM AFRICA

Sorry to have been gone abit, but I was in South Africa working on a USAID project in Zimbabwe. I have been working on it for five years and looks like it will be renewed for another three and extended into Kenya, possibly Ethiopia. Being in rural Africa is a sobering experience and makes me realize how self-indulgent and materialistic we Americans are. They have nothing and are happy and hopeful. We have everything and are neurotic and cynical.

Although I love film and television, it is disheartening to see how we have distorted values throughout the world. Our TV shows are popular there; everyone with a TV knows about Oprah and American Idol. Our movies are bootlegged on to bad DVD discs and watched there too. Our tendency for violence supports their lifestyle rather than encouraging any kind of evolution towards more peaceful conflict resolutions. We have through our films supported women in taking power in abusive relationships. I look forward to Invictus which will celebrate what Africa can do under inspired leadership and teamwork.