UPDATE:  July 25, 2011:  View current listings for sale.

Log Homes for sale in the Ruidoso area – click here

Cabins for sale in Ruidoso – Priced $100K – $200K – click here

There has been a lot of interest in log cabins this winter in Ruidoso. The snow and ski conditions have made many people think about owning a log cabin in Ruidoso, and how nice it would be to sit and watch the snow fall with a fire burning in a big rock fireplace.

Currently, there are just over 20 log homes or cabins for sale in the area.  Prices range from just over $200K to $1.5M.  the median price is $485K, with median square foot price at $199 / sq. ft.

Keep in mind that there are a number of small rustic cabins for sale, which may have “log siding”.  This is not true log construction, but has the look of logs, and may be priced much lower than larger homes made from real logs.

Visit these links to view currently available log homes, and lower priced cabins:

Log Homes for sale in the Ruidoso area – click here

Cabins for sale in Ruidoso – Priced $100K – $200K – click here

If you would like to receive a daily or weekly email update, showing new properties listed for sale or price changes to older listings, please let me know your criteria such as price range, size,  and area. Email mary@ruidoso-homes.com or call or text me at 575-937-5229.

View more Ruidoso Real Estate listings

UPDATE: July 21, 2011 View current homes for sale in the Upper Canyon – Ruidoso

The Upper Canyon is a popular area located on the far west end of Ruidoso, and is comprised of several separate subdivisions. Main Rd. follows the path of the Ruidoso River from Mechem Dr, west to the Mescalero Apache Reservation border. Many of the homes in the Upper Canyon area were built in the 1930s thru the 1960s. Some have been remodeled and some have not. There are many nice, large homes located on the Ruidoso River as well as many small cabins scattered along the valley and hill sides.

The subdivisions that make up the Upper Canyon area  are: Black Forest, Central, Chateaux Village, Cree, Dufo, Flume Canyon, Holiday Acres, McCarty, McDaniel Heights, Pinescape, Sherwood Forest, Sleepy Hollow, Singing Pines, Silver Mountain Terrace, Ruidoso Acres, The Yorston Lots, and White Fir.

View Current Listings in The Upper Canyon  click here

In July of 2008, the Upper Canyon was hit hard by one of the worst floods in Ruidoso history. Months of bridge repair and river cleanup followed, with some repair work still underway today. Driving down Main, however, there are only a few areas where you see the impact of the flood, mostly at the river crossings. Many of the homes in the area were not affected at all. The flood has probably slowed real estate sales in the Upper Canyon this year, however, it is impossible to know what amount of decline is attributable to the flood damage and what to the general downturn in the real estate market here and nation wide.

Currently, there are 31 homes for sale in the Upper Canyon area ( as of 7-15-2009 ). Listing prices range from $68,800 to $599,850.00 with a median of $229,000. Median price per sq. ft. based on listing price is $148.64.

To search all properties for sale in Ruidoso, click here. If you would like to view current listings in a specific area, such as Upper Canyon, email me for a link to those properties. Now is a great time for buyers looking in the Ruidoso area and we are seeing more motivated sellers, and price reductions.

Contact me for  price reductions, custom property searches, or any questions you might have regarding real estate in the Ruidoso area. I’ll be glad to set up a email notifier for you to get listing alerts.  Email  mary@ruidoso-homes.com or call or text me at 575-937-5229.

View Upper Canyon Cabin photos on Flickr click here

As summer approaches, I’ve received an increasing number of calls from people planning to visit Ruidoso over the next few weeks with thoughts of purchasing a “summer get-away”. In most, but not all cases, these folks are coming from somewhere in Texas and their primary goal is to purchase a second home that they can use in the summer to escape the heat. Most are not wanting to spend over $150,000, and many have a secondary goal of renting their property out on a nightly basis, to help recoup some of the expense. Most people are picturing a rustic but updated log cabin located on at least an acre with a creek running through it. Oops…we’re talking about $150K here, so lets get back to reality….

One of the questions I ask people in this situation is “are you willing to consider a condominium”. The reason I ask this, is that in this price range, you can often get a lot more “bang for your buck” with a condominium. Ruidoso has many nice condominium complexes… and a couple that are “not-so-nice”. Currently, there are 42 condos listed for under $150,000. Listing prices range from $59,900 for a 1 bdrm, 1 bth, 480 sq. ft. to $129,000 for a 2 bdrm, 1.5 bth, 1000 sq ft.

The majority of the condo complexes in the area were built in the late 1970′s and early 1980′s, but most have been very well maintained. (Over the next few months I will be blogging about pros and cons of the various complexes, so check back often if this is an area of interest to you). Condos, do of course have monthly or quarterly condo association fees, which can range from $50 – $400 per month. In most cases, the higher the monthly fee, the more the condo association will take care of ; this can include roofs, exterior siding, exterior insurance, grounds maintenance, snow removal, and in some cases even water/sewer and basic cable. If you are an absentee home owner, sometimes the peace of mind of knowing that your property is being maintained and that you don’t have to spend all of your vacation time doing “honey-dos”, is easily worth the monthly fee.

But I know some of you are the independent type, and you don’t want neighbors 3 ft away, or a condo association telling you what you can and cannot put out on your front porch. A rustic cabin may be a better fit for you. In the $150,000 and under range however, you are normally going to be looking at something very small and/or something very “rustic” (i.e. fixer-upper). Currently, there are 28 listings in Ruidoso for site-build homes under $150,000 ranging from $35,000 for a 1 bdrm, 1 bath, 380 sq ft, to $149,000 for a 3 bdrm, 2 bth, 1170 sq ft. Be forewarned, these properties will NOT have granite counter tops or carpet laid in the last 30 years. They are likely to have Harvest Gold or Avocado Green appliances, but it you are willing to visualize and invest a little TLC, you might be able find a bargain.

If you would like more specific information on cabins or condos in the area, you may contact me here, or email me at   mary@ruidoso-homes.com

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