Taos Properties Real Estate Investments Broker John Cancro

Hi! Thanks for visiting the site and my bio page. If you're interested in getting an overall understanding of Taos, and of our real estate market, I would like to help.

I began my real estate career over 16 years ago as a commercial leasing broker with CB Richard Ellis in Manhattan. I moved to Greystone Realty Corporation, an asset management firm, after finishing a Masters Degree in Real Estate at New York University. During my time at Greystone the company managed a portfolio of over 120 buildings worth over $1.2B. I was involved in several commercial acquisitions and learned much during my time there. I moved to Taos in 1994 to continue to pursue my passion for a full life as a husband, father of two girls (Alex 14 and Olivia 13), and outdoors enthusiast.

I purchased Taos Properties in January 1999, after working for the company over four years. I have found that a strong work ethic can be very rewarding in a small community. I am enjoying the challenges of owning a small business and being involved with others who care about the future of the community we live in. My interests beside real estate, and my family, include yoga, both as a student and teacher, and skiing and hiking the Sange de Cristo range, which surround The Taos Valley.

Taos is surprisingly diverse for a small community. Many here think differently, and are not afraid of expressing opinions. Raising a family in a small community, while presenting challenges, has also been very rewarding. If your considering a permanant relocation, or the investment of a second home or commercial property, I would like an opportunity to talk with you. The transition from a large city to a small community has been everything we hoped for plus. Give me a call, I can help you get oriented and help you find a piece of the magic that is Taos.

John Cancro's real estate career began in 1986 as a commercial leasing broker in Manhattan where he also obtained his master's degree in real estate at New York University.

Ten years ago, John and his wife, Lisa, and their two young daughters began searching the West for a new home. They wanted to raise their daughters in a smaller community and live in a beautiful place where they could enjoy the outdoors.

They first explored Montana as their possible new home, but kept coming back to Taos after vacationing in New Mexico. “Taos would pull at us for weeks after we came back home,” John said, “and we took notice of it.”

John explained that the reason he and other urban expatriates are attracted to Taos is the town's rich culture and diversity. “City people are comfortable with diversity and are drawn to Taos because of its eclectic, multi-cultural environment.” John said Taos is an ideal place for folks who want to escape the harsh metro environment of a big city,

et retain access and exposure to the arts and cultural diversity. The wide-open space also provides relief for many who have lived their lives in the confines of towering concrete and steel. “New Mexico is a place where you can't help but reconnect with your spirit and your heart,” he said.

John has been studying a trend in real estate he terms “The Rocky Mountain Coast,” where there has been a movement of people from the East and West coasts into the quality-of-life environments found in the Rocky Mountains, from Montana to Albuquerque.
As a real estate broker, John is committed to spending time getting to know his clients and orienting them to the area before discussing properties. Most of John's business comes from word-of-mouth referrals from satisfied clients.

His relationship with a client or visitor begins at a round wooden table in his office, sipping coffee and nibbling on locally baked scones. As a self-proclaimed “map addict,” John adorns his office walls with a variety of maps of the Taos area that he uses to inform his clients about the region. Taos is not only diverse in its mix of cultures, but in the area's geography as well. “We have high desert sagebrush areas, valleys saturated by rivers and streams, the mountain alpine environment of the Taos Ski Valley, foothills and canyons,” John said. “I like to orient clients to these areas and then take them for a drive so they really get a feel for each area.”

John understands that buying real estate is an emotional time for people and that his priority is to build trust and make sure clients feel comfortable and safe with him and what they are buying every step of the way. “I encourage my clients to stay in touch with their gut feelings and to speak up if something feels uncomfortable.” John is also fiercely protective of his clients' privacy: “I don't talk about my clients to any other brokers.”

any of John's clients have become his friends because they get to know each other on a sincere personal level and find they have a lot in common, like the desire to raise their families in the richly layered small town of Taos. John said there have also been clients he did not get along with, and in such cases it has been better that they not do business together. “If it doesn't feel right, if I don't click with a client, if our values are different, then we don't have to work together.”

He emphasizes that Taos Properties is a small business geared toward individuals and achieving their objectives. It's about helping individuals and families realize their dreams and improving their quality of life. John is not interested in working with people who just want to play the real estate game.

In addition to his roles as a husband, father, and real estate broker, John hikes throughout the summer, skis away the winter, and practices and teaches yoga year-round. “Practicing yoga complements my world tremendously and has helped me to develop my intuition. My business is about taking care of people - it's about service. Using intuition in dealing with clients has allowed me to better serve them.”