Colorado Ski Condos | Page 2 | FerrariChat

Colorado Ski Condos

Discussion in 'Rocky Mountain' started by rob lay, Oct 30, 2007.

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  1. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    Dec 1, 2000
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    Anyone have experience with Ruidoso, NM? 250 miles closer to DFW and prices are much more reasonable.
     
  2. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    For a reason! :)
     
  3. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    Yes, not as good of skiing, but this may be more our style than the Disney like scene of ski villages. As much for skiing we'll be looking for a place in summer to hike, bike, and fish. Ruidoso seems to be more Texas rancher types getting away than the Wall Street jet sets. Talked to local pilot that bought a 50 acre ranch in Ruidoso with a newer 4/3 for only $500k!
     
  4. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    What have Colorado ski condo prices done lately? Specifically the 1/2/3 bedroom Copper Mountain ones if you know?
     
  5. BoulderFCar

    BoulderFCar F1 World Champ
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    #30 BoulderFCar, Nov 11, 2008
    Last edited: Nov 11, 2008
    I grew up in Boulder. Skied continuously blah, blah, ... Your comments follow my thoughts exactly. Colorado is fantastic but the Cirque at Snowbird and most of the harder stuff at Whistler is really fantastic. My only problem with Whistler is that I've been skunked with the weather there.

    It is amazing how much ski terrain has improved in the past 10 years. Almost every area now offers some great terrain for all levels coupled with much better and faster lifts. So much better now than the "good ole' days" IMO.
     
  6. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Dec 6, 2002
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    Try Ruidoso...my first skiing was there.

    The lift operator staff is not as cute, is the only way to say it.
    And that may well be different, in 30 years time! LOL!
     
  7. Bluehinder

    Bluehinder Formula Junior

    Aug 9, 2005
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    I'm with Phil. In addition, Aspen has a short film festival in the spring, full film festival in the fall, Wheeler opera house with a full season, one of the best food festivals in the world, maybe the best music festival in the world, a great private track in Woody Creek, and more. I've frankly never thought of Vail as comparable. I've lived here for 25 years, and would choose Aspen over Vail/BC in a heartbeat.
     
  8. BoulderFCar

    BoulderFCar F1 World Champ
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    While I still like Vail better for skiing I agree with you on nightlife and other things to do. I can only emphasize Phil's comments on the backpacking. Old Snowmass over the Bells are still some of my favorite spots. One other Aspen advantage is the lower altitude. It easily adds a couple of weeks to the summer season.

    Back to the topic. I just talked to a realtor in Summit County. It doesn't appear that the healthy properties have softened much. They are not going up but not crashing either. Basic decent condos in Summit are in the $300-500' time zone although YMMV widely.
     
  9. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    Thank you, my main question.
     
  10. GrndLkNatv

    GrndLkNatv Formula Junior

    Sep 13, 2006
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    #35 GrndLkNatv, Nov 12, 2008
    Last edited: Nov 12, 2008
    Mountain Locals in Colorado don't care to go to the big areas... Way to many people, it's like skiing on the sidewalks of New York City these days.. I grew up 40 minutes away from Winter Park and it's a mad house these days... Everybody and their dog is skiing there...

    We usually do Monarch, Crested Butte, Sometimes Telluride and Silverton... Once in a while I go visit my sister and her family in Steamboat, she teaches ski school there with some old buddies of ours, but it's even too busy these days...

    http://www.skimonarch.com/

    and stay here:

    http://www.riversuites.com/

    Each cabin has it's own hot tub... We even usually hit this place once in the spring and the fall, we stay in the Mt. Shavano cabin, it's the most secluded and the little brook that runs around the cabin is awesome, especially if you have young kids...
     
  11. AMA328

    AMA328 F1 Rookie

    Nov 12, 2002
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    #36 AMA328, Nov 16, 2008
    Last edited: Nov 16, 2008
    You looked at a map lately?? Ruidoso is in the middle of NOWHERE's-ville, man. I suppose you could say that El Paso is the nearest 'large' city, but that really doesn't count.

    I did a stint at UTEP(UT at El Paso), and would sometimes drive the Ruidoso route to get there before/after holidays, etc., and I figured out right a way that driving 40mph in a mile long line of vehicles headed up by a slow moving truck was not the way I wanted to cruise through the mountains. One time, I even happened to catch the opening week of horse racing(big in Ruidoso), and I stopped counting Lincoln Continentals after I saw 50 on the road. That '250 miles closer' blurb of yours gonna cost you when it comes to actual driving time, unless you wanna do your travelling on Wednesdays.

    Personal opinion, stick to Colorado, or maybe even Northern New Mexico, altho there IMO NM comes off as a poor substitute for Colorado. Utah sounds quite interesting, but from DFW, you gots to be practical about getting there & back. Depending upon just where in Colorado you pick, it's either a long one day drive or a couple easy days of driving. Up Hwy 287, overnight in Amarillo, then the next day'll get you into any of the above listed places in Colorado. Or, do a fly-in, as also discussed above.

    Hey, you're rich, Fchat.com oughta get you into a joint next door to Phil<>Hill :)
     
  12. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    Isn't that the point? :)

    I'm not interested in Disney Ski. I'm mainly interested in a place that skiing is an option in the winter, but hiking, biking, and fishing rest of the year away from crowds.

    I will also be flying myself, so distance isn't an issue. Ruidoso is 3 hours from Dallas in the current slow planes I'm flying.
     
  13. hardtop

    hardtop F1 World Champ

    Jan 31, 2002
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    Rob,
    If skiing is not your main focus, you might want to consider the upper Arkansas valley Salida to Leadville. You can hike year round and climb in the summer. Fifteen 14ers line the west side of the valley. There are several wilderness areas and big game is abundant. The river is renowned for fly fishing and there are reservoirs that offer fishing year round. There is also a network of mountain biking trails not to mention roads to the high passes if you like aerobic biking. Since there are no ski resorts in the valley, there are no ugly condo developments and RE prices are very reasonable. For the price of a condo in a resort you can have a house on acreage here. For skiing, Monarch is about 45 minutes away and Copper Mountain and Vail and hour or so drive. There is plenty of cross country and snow mobiling locally. In the summer, you can take your 328 for a terrific 90 minute ride over Independence pass to visit PhilnotHill in Aspen.

    Dave
     
  14. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    Now we're talking, that's the type of advice I'm looking for. Sounds good. I can just park the plane at the highest public airport in the country. :)
     
  15. finnerty

    finnerty F1 World Champ

    May 18, 2004
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    #40 finnerty, Nov 17, 2008
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2008
    ROB ----

    My family has owned property in Vail for nearly 30 years (actually it was passed on to me when my Father died). I use it when I want, and rent it out when I don't. Certainly, it has been a tremendous investment over the years, as it is now worth close to 20X what we originally paid ---- that is even with factoring in the changes in the dollar's relative value! The rental income it generates is also substantial.

    That said, it is hard to imagine that rate of return will continue in the future, and over the last several years it has fallen to only about a few percent a year. The consensus from REAL PEOPLE, not realtors (who always tell potential buyers that prices will rise :)) is that the prices in places like Vail have nearly topped out. So, as an investment, buying property today in Vail, Aspen, Beaver Creek, etc. may not be your best options ---- and, yes, at this point, the buy-in prices at these areas are $$$$.

    In fact, the entire whole of Colorado ski area real estate has been pretty saturated for several years now. The only real strong investment opportunities remain in the extremely high-end market (we're talking $5+ million properties).

    So, I would recommend looking at places in the Dillon / Frisco / Keystone / Breckenridge area ---- they will offer the most affordable prices. Many places in that area are owned by "regular Joe's from Denver" who bought in several years ago when there were great bargains, and, with the recent economic downturn, some of these folks may be needing to dump their "excess" property.

    The high end areas like Vail and Aspen will be offering no bargains ---- you have 2 types of owners up there, folks like me who were lucky and got in on the ground floor before the places took off, and the "super, super rich" who are unaffected by economic ups and downs.

    You may also wish to look into areas like Telluride / Durango / Purgatory ---- this area has really exploded over the last ten years, but there are still investment opportunities to be had out there. Also, Steamboat is definitely worth investigating --- many good deals were being had there a few years back. The Winter Park area, particularly around the nearby town of Fraser, is also a good place to check out.

    But, honestly if you anticipating finding ski resort property below say the $250K threshold, you shouldn't be looking anywhere in Colorado ---- it simply doesn't exist anymore.

    However, some areas /owners do still offer time-share properties which can be an attractive alternative to consider.... if that suits your needs.
     
  16. GrndLkNatv

    GrndLkNatv Formula Junior

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    #41 GrndLkNatv, Nov 17, 2008
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2008
    This is exactly what I was telling rob... River Suites is an excellent place, 10 miles west of Salida in Maysville, from there you can get to anywhere including the Aligator Farm and the Great Sand Dunes in less than 2 hours of driving plus no crowds, very nice people and hey when it comes to coffee and sitting next to the Arkansas River, nothing beats Bongo Billy's!

    I grew up in Grand Lake, Colorado.. It was the place to be many years ago but today it's so Disney that I have sold my part of the family ranch/property to my brother and sister and we head for Buena Vista or Salida when we need a break.
     
  17. JF308

    JF308 Formula 3

    Jan 17, 2007
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    I think prices have just flattened out a bit...and a few less buyers out there in Summit County. Just got a RE Summary from a friend, and appears that there is more inventory YTY. Prices have not yet plummeted like in other areas. We own in Frisco. Drake Landing. Very nice. 4-5 year old complex. 1000' from the bike path, just slightly further to the edge of the Dillon Reservoir, 3/4 mile walk to Marina (boat rentals, kayaks, canoes) and Main Street (restaurants, summer festivals/concerts).

    1 BR approx $300K+. 2BR LOFT + Den (like ours, approx 1400 SqFt) is around $500K. If Copper is your mountain, then I would definitely recommend Frisco (off mountain, 6 miles with free bus route). The reason for my suggestion is that there is always something going on in town, and Copper is very close. Much better IMO to have offseason options.

    Also, from a town like Frisco, it is close to 5 other ski resorts:
    Copper, 6 minutes, Breck 15mins, Keystone 15 mins, A-Basin 20 mins, Vail 25 mins, Beaver Creek 30-35 minutes

    I know the developer personally at Drake Landing, and can get you info on resales (some w/o brokers), assuming that you've narrowed your search given your comment on Copper Mountain. I think its a wise move for multi season activities. We've been very happy, and ski Breck, Keystone and Vail mostly.

    PM me or call, if I can help.

    John (303) 475 7840
     
  18. hardtop

    hardtop F1 World Champ

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    #43 hardtop, Nov 17, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Rob,
    It all depends on what type of place you like. For my wife and I, we chose Buena Vista when she retired 2 years ago. It seems like the last really beautiful place in Colorado that is reasonable (very reasonable). If you don't like resort towns with the attendant condo farms and golf courses, then this is your type of area. Leadville is at the northern end of the river, closer to Vail and Copper Mountain than here. Sadly, all the mining busts have taken a toll on the town and it looks a bit depressing. Certainly the setting is pretty. 35 miles south is Buena Vista at 8000 feet, it is much warmer and drier, but is pretty small. There are good half dozen restuarants and is a self proclaimed white water capital of the world. Hiking, fishing and rafting are the biggest activities here. I also think it is the prettiest area in the valley. 25 miles further south is Salida, a larger town with many more amenities in terms of shopping, restuarants, etc. but it will never be confused with a resort town. All three towns have airports BTW. Buena Vista has a new river front development that is using 19th century acrhitecture and includes some mixed use. It is still very small and looks like it was well thought out. Construction is progressing even in this environament. The Salida-Buena Vista area is often referred to as the banana belt because of its dry, relatively warm winters. John seems very happy in Frisco, but we could never handle the crowds in a town like that. I've attached a few pictures taken this summer in the immediate area. The first is Mt Harvard (left) and Mt Columbia from the summit of Mt Yale all 3 of which are 14ers. Second is wildflowers near Ptarmigan lake. Third is Mt Harvard again from the slopes of Mt Columbia and then another high lake nearby. If you decide to go exploring, let me know.

    Dave
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  19. JF308

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    Just pick what you like, balance the weekend/winter crowds versus too much nature. Its a very personal decision for sure.

    But its all good, IMO.

    John

    PS. Another reason we picked Frisco is that its 1.5 hrs on the nose from Boulder for the weekend jaunts.
     
  20. hardtop

    hardtop F1 World Champ

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    #45 hardtop, Nov 17, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  21. PhilNotHill

    PhilNotHill Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Todays papers show Aspen real estate transactions are down 47% YTD but the median price of a house is up 15% to $4.1m. ;)
     
  22. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    THAT'S a happy dog! :)
     
  23. gsm348

    gsm348 Karting

    Nov 7, 2003
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    Where is the Aspen Market these days? What are the rental condo's renting for this winter?

    Greg
     
  24. Also the other areas like Copper and nearby?
     
  25. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    I only watch the Angel Fire market right now. Not surprisingly inventory has increased, days on market has increased, and 10-20% price reductions those lingering on market. Some are moving, but buyers market.
     

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