Buying a home in any area of the country these days is challenging, to say the least. Although the deals on homes in Taos and Angel Fire are easy to find, the art is in the deal itself. You can make the task easier by following a few simple rules:

1) Work with a reputable agent. Of course, we at New Mexico Mountain Properties are some of the best around at finding and helping you negotiate the deal on your new home. But the buyer needs to be aware of his/her deal points and what is most important, for example, do you want a drastically lower price, or do you want to close in six months?

2) Buyers should boost their closeability factor. Most sellers would take a lower offer that they knew would close rather than risk accepting a full price offer that had iffy financing.

3) Educate yourself. Ask us if more than the purchase price can be negotiable . . . repairs, contingency periods, closing costs, etc.

4) Be respectful in the deal. You could attach a letter to the offer about yourself and the reasons you like the house.

5) Don't take anything personally by getting overly emotional about the offers you make and receive from the other side. It's a business proposition. Take your feelings out of it!

Finally, it's our duty here at New Mexico Mountain Properties to follow the above guidelines, too, so we know we've lived up to our reputation and found and helped you negotiate the best deal on your new home in Taos or Angel Fire.

Hope to see you on the slopes this winter or lazing in front of your roaring fire in your new home!