ALBUQERQUE, N.M. — Albuquerque home sales are off to a strong start this spring but while sales are heating up, it is buyer beware.

Skip Adams, of Sold by Skip, shared about what’s happening in the market for buyers.

“Well, buyers beware, right? Buyers are out shopping for homes, but there’s four major home inspections we always recommend before you sign on that dotted line,” Skip said. “You want to make sure you get that general home inspection where the inspector is going to crawl around up on the roof, check all the systems of the property, make sure that all the appliances are working, the HVAC.”

Skip said the inspector will check the drain line to ensure there’s no root intrusions or offsets that would cause a backup into the house. You always want to check for termites and look for radon gas too.

“Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer, second only to tobacco smoke. And we have those Sandia Mountains to thank. The radon gas comes from the decomposing rock in the Earth’s crust,” Skip said.

Some of this stuff can help you when negotiating but it can depend on the situation.

“If there’s issues with structure, you can always ask the seller for repairs or concessions,” Skip said. “Keeping in mind, in New Mexico, all properties are sold as is and that a seller’s not required to make those repairs.”

For sellers, it’s a busy market too.

“Realtor.com did a study and it turns out the week of April 13 is statistically the best time to go on the market. Reason being, there’s an uptick in buyers shopping for homes online. In the beginning of the spring, there’s less seller competition, less listings compared to the end of the spring and summer,” Skip said.

According to Skip, the average fixed-rate mortgage is at a four-month low, giving buyers more purchasing power. Home prices are rising as the market trends toward what Skip describes as “a more balanced market.”

“Pending sales are up about 13% from where we were this time last year. And of course, with sellers, we’re seeing the most amount of active listings right now that we’ve seen in four years. So add all that up and we’re expecting values [home prices] to go up around 3.5%. So it’s a good time to get in the market,” Skip said.