What Buyers Must Know About Home Inspections + Albuquerque’s Hottest New Listings

By Venturi Realty Group

In this episode of the Albuquerque Real Estate Talk, Tego and Tracy Venturi dig into what every homebuyer should know about the home inspection process in New Mexico—plus they break down open house highlights, market activity, and one incredible property that might be the best listing of the year.

🏡 Home of the Week: 1317 West Meadowlark Lane, Corrales

“It might be home of the week this year,” says Tego. 1317 West Meadowlark Lane in Corrales is an iconic New Mexico property, featuring brick floors, vigas, bancos, kiva fireplaces, a barn, and a finished studio space attached to the barn. Priced at $699,500, this home has already garnered plenty of interest.

Tracy adds, “You’ve got amazing views… it says, ‘I live in New Mexico.’” The home will be open for viewing Saturday and Sunday, 1 to 8 PM, thanks to special permission from the Village of Corrales during road construction on Meadowlark.

📊 The Market This Week: Slower Showings, More Opportunity

According to Tego, showing activity is noticeably down, but mortgage applications remain steady. “We’ve seen a big drop-off in activity in the last few weeks… I think it’s a great opportunity for buyers,” he says. “There’s more inventory, more homes on the market than we’ve seen in a very, very long time.”

Tracy agrees: “There are still buyers out there for sure,” adding that while some homes may feel sluggish, others are seeing strong offers and fast contracts.

🏠 This Week’s Open Houses

• 318 Timber Rd, Bernalillo – $249,000, open Saturday 12–2 PM. “Beautiful manufactured home on a very large lot.”
• 6308 Scottsdale Ave NW – $334,500, open Sunday 10 AM–12 PM. “Three-bed, three-bath… fully remodeled with new roof.”
• 10516 San Marino Pl NE – $460,000, open Saturday 12–2 PM. “Almost 3,000 square feet… near El Dorado High.”
• 8008 Loma Larga Rd, Corrales – $749,900, appointment only. “Spectacular gardens, koi pond, stunning Southwest landscaping.”
• 300 Western Hills, Rio Rancho – $320,000, open Friday 4–6 PM.

📉 April Market Stats: Slow, Steady, Boring (But That’s Good)

“It’s kind of a slow and boring real estate market—and that’s not a bad thing,” Tego says. Prices are up moderately across the board: “Three, four, five percent depending on how you slice it.” Median days on market for April was just 15. “Half the homes went under contract in two weeks,” he notes.

Higher-end homes took slightly longer, with a 21-day median. “That’s what a lot of sellers are thinking about… how long is it going to take?”

🎧 Listen to the Full Episode

🔎 What Buyers Must Know About Home Inspections in New Mexico

“The home inspection process is kind of the second negotiation,” Tracy explains. Buyers have a window to conduct inspections and can submit a request for repairs or credits. Tego says, “The buyer does the inspections, gets their report, and then the seller gets to look at that… it’s a negotiation.”

Inspections can lead to cancellations too. “If the buyer goes, ‘You know what, I’m not quite up for this house,’ they can terminate,” Tracy notes.

🧰 What Inspectors Check (And Don’t)

“In New Mexico, home inspectors are required to be licensed,” says Tego. The law is known as the New Mexico Home Inspector Licensing Act, code 16-66-7. “It spells out what inspectors must and must not inspect.”

Common inspections include:

• ✅ Full home inspection (top to bottom)
• ✅ Termite/pest inspection
• ✅ Sewer line or septic system
• ✅ Well test and water quality
• ✅ In-floor ducts
• Optional: radon, mold, roof, HVAC, solar system, pool/spa, structural engineering

🏠 What Is “House Hacking”?

Tego shares: “It’s a great way for somebody to get started in real estate investing. You buy a duplex, triplex, or fourplex, live in one unit, and rent the others.” FHA loans can be used if you live in the home, allowing buyers to get in with just 3.5% down.

“There’s a lot of fourplexes on the market in Albuquerque,” says Tego. “But not necessarily in the greatest areas. This one I listed went under contract fast because it was in a desirable part of town.”

💬 Final Thoughts

“The market will always decide what the real price is,” says Tego. For buyers, inspections provide clarity and protection. For sellers, being prepared for the second round of negotiations is key. “We deliver data-backed analysis—not clickbait,” Tego emphasizes.

Whether you’re buying, selling, or just staying informed, the Venturi Realty Group brings clarity to New Mexico real estate with deep experience and community insight.