Realtor: green townhomes new trend

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Downtown Albuquerque's first eco-friendly townhome community has just gotten it's first buyer and is expected to keep selling despite its price tag, said a local realtor Wednesday.

Travis Thom, owner and broker of Venture Realty Group, said the green town homes he's building and selling off of Lead and 3rd are garnering a lot of interest.

The first phase of the Elements Urban townhome project was completed and went on the market in January, and the remaining townhomes should be built in about three years.

"It'll be Albuquerque's first green urban community," Thom said.

The unique, multi-colored townhouses have attracted potential buyers who work downtown and are single or retired. Thom said he's also received a lot of interest from people who live out-of-state and want to preserve an urban lifestyle in a smaller city.

The solar-capable powered townhomes, which vary from 1,561 to 2,270 square feet, are made up of recycled and local material.

Some of the features that each unit boasts include recycled tile kitchen countertops, recycled carpets, energy efficient windows and appliances, sensored faucets, organic paint, insulation made up of broken down recycled soda bottles and even a rooftop garden.

"It's definitely a healthier way of living," Thom said. "It's becoming more of a trend in housing over all."

But it's not exactly cheap.

The price range for an Element Urban townhome sells between nearly a quarter of a million to about half a million dollars.

But Thom, who has also sold properties from the lofts on Gold St. nearby, said despite the slow economy people are interested.

Of the 32 lofts in the Gold St. building, fewer than a handful are left.

Also, when it's done, 72 eco-friendly Elements townhomes will be built, including a park and cafe.

Despite a national report that said housing sales across the country hit a record low, the Albuquerque metro area experienced a boom in home, condo and townhouse sales in May as compared to the same time last year.

The first buyer to move into an Element townhome is already expected to move-in in a couple weeks.

"We're seeing more people that want to live downtown," Thom said. "We're seeing more people that want to have green healthier living."