Casas de Santa Fe — Local services in Santa Fe

We rented a property through Casas De Santa Fe (304 Lomita St) for 14 months. During the rental period, our experience was generally smooth, and I would have given a 4–5 star review based on that alone. Unfortunately, the issues began once we moved out — despite having paid for a professional move-out cleaning and carpet cleaning.

It's important to note that although Casas De Santa Fe manages the property and collects rent, they ultimately defer to the property owner when it comes to final decisions (at least in our case) — including the condition of the home upon return. In our case, this led to unexpected and unfair charges.

We were billed $325 for touch-up painting, even though we had patched and attempted to match the paint ourselves. The problem? The home had at least six different paint shades, none of which matched the paint cans left behind by the previous tenant or owner. The owner, who bought the property with these mismatched paint colors, had no intention of repainting the home or addressing the inconsistency. The cost of labor and paint to resolve the issue would have been closer to $50-$60. We were also charged $330 for 9.5 hours of gardening — despite having handed over the keys more than two weeks earlier to the involved work. During our tenancy, we consistently maintained the yard ourselves and with the help of professional gardeners. I even trimmed and cleaned up the yard the day before moving out, with witnesses present.

Another issue arose during our stay: a recurring odor in some bedrooms. It turned out the carpet and padding were so old they had begun to break down or decompose underneath . After the professional cleaning and carpet steaming, the odor worsened — exposing the underlying issue. Still, the owner wanted to put the blame on us and charge over $600 for ozone machine rental, blacklight inspection, and carpet evaluation, despite this being clearly related to the age and condition of the carpet. Additionally, the home is advertised (and listed on real estate websites) as 1,990 sq. ft., yet public available independent records list it as only 1,651 sq. ft. Based on our experience living there, the smaller size seems far more accurate. Ironically, another reviewer (Diane O.) had a nearly identical experience with this same property. I wish we had seen that review beforehand.

Bottom line: If you're considering renting from Casas De Santa Fe — especially long-term — take thorough photographs, document everything in writing, and be meticulous with your move-in inspection. I have been leasing homes for over 24 years and this was the first time I did not get a sincere thank you for taking care of the property and getting my full security deposit back. We made a very generous offer to settle the dispute just to put this behind us and recover the majority of our security deposit, but the process was frustrating and disappointing. We addressed any maintenance issues right away to include broken dryer part, missing dishwasher part, missing weather trim on door, broken gate (never really fixed), worn out door handle and knob (never replaced), leaking faucet and so many issues. A good property management company should have better control over their properties with boundaries enforced on the owner (otherwise the owner can do it...

I don’t write a lot of reviews, but after a troubling experience with Casas de Santa Fe (CDSF) this past weekend, I feel compelled. The short version: don’t use this service. Regarding the property itself, Casa de Luna at 507 Acequia Madre, it was a nightmare.

We made a reservation on August 10, 2024 to celebrate my grandson’s fifth birthday. The property owner had more than two months to make sure the home was in decent condition. Instead, we paid $1,940 for a four-night stay beginning Thursday, October 17, 2024, that was advertised as “an unparalleled experience” in a “haven of comfort.” This experience was absolutely terrible.

The heat didn’t work. Ironically, the property description tells of the “warm front living room” which was exactly 37 degrees. Calls to Casas de Santa Fe went directly to voicemail. A repair person arrived. He admitted to not knowing how to fix the problem. Later, another repair person was able to get one of the two furnaces working. He promised to come back the next day to complete the repair, but was unsuccessful.

CDSF promised to have a licensed plumber out Friday. No plumber arrived. I reached out to CDSF and was told they would see if a plumber would come out that night. We said “no” to the nighttime service because our child was sleeping in the room where the furnace needed to be serviced.

On Friday night, we asked to be moved to a different location, since half our visit was without heat already. CDSF told us they would reach out to the property owner. I never heard back.

I contacted American Express, my credit card company, and requested a chargeback. But, since we’d already completed most of our stay, we were not provided with a refund.

Sunday, our last night, as we sat in the living room trying to salvage the remains of our weekend, we watched a rat scurry across the kitchen floor. This was not a mouse. It was not a raccoon. It was a rat.

Why wasn’t the home’s heating system checked prior to our arrival? Why did Casas de Santa Fe fail to have adequate HVAC technicians on call for a property, as the ad states, “is a true gem with cozy ambiance?”

I paid an extra fee to have firewood delivered prior to our arrival. It never appeared. For that, I was refunded the $120...

I loved this house! I spent seven nights here with four other women in a writer's getaway week. With enough rooms for us to each have our own, plus ensuite bathrooms, I felt in perfect balance between having space to myself and time with the group...what most amazed me was the art! Everywhere I looked there were stunning paintings, sculptures and more, reflecting the native tradiational arts of the area.

I stayed in the casita--wow, what a treat. My king bed was so comfy I never wanted get up in the mornings. Right off my bedroom was a patio area where I sipped my coffee and took in the morning sun. The huge great room with fireplace in my casita became the meeting room for our group because of the huge glass doors that swung open to the outdoors--with a view of an ancient cottonwood tree. Our meetings were graced by light breezes through the casita from outdoors, and the sounds of birds. Just perfect!

Another feature I loved: There are several outdoor spaces, perfect for entertaining. One night we invited friends from town for a potluck dinner--the seating area around the outdoor fireplace was the perfect gathering area for a warm evening of camaraderie and fun.

Lastly, the neighbourhood was lovely. We could walk down to the local market/restaurant (Tesuque Village Market) for boutique/healthy food supplies/wine/beer, and eat at the restaurant which was absolutely delicious (wood fired pizza, tacos, great breakfasts etc). It was always filled with locals and no wonder. Food and service were fantastic. Also in the hood: a sculpture park, several artist studios and great post dinner rural walking areas. And, all a fifteen minute drive away from downtown Santa Fe.

Bonus: I found the management company super responsive -- the blender in the main house was not working on our arrival. Within mere hours a new blender was hand delivered to us!

I loved this place so much, I plan to come back with my husband (and several other friends) in the future, as well as bring women here for writing retreats and...