It is a one-and-a-half-story house built of adobe but covered with scored plaster to appear as masonry. It has Queen Anne style in its features, particularly in its interior.[2]
It was deemed "significant because it is one of Ocate's most important structures and because the interior feature of carved and painted moldings is unique. Carved and painted wood is a feature frequently found in New Mexican architecture. The Valdez House, however, is the largest and most elaborate known example."[2]
It is located across from the J.P. Strong Store, which is also National Register-listed.[2]