Throughout the state of Colorado property owners are paying substantially more in taxes than they should due to one fundamental flaw in the assessment. Here is a recent example: I was asked to evaluate a property in CO springs for a loan. The purchase price...
Ski lending and ski investing: affordable housing, employer and developer taxes, I-70 traffic and what to know before financing mountain property.
How does affordable housing impact Colorado ski real estate prices
In my blog last week Is affordable housing causing the surge in ski town home prices? I asked the question what was the impact on affordable housing in relation to ski prices . I was pretty surprised at the resounding answer regarding affordable housing What...
These Colorado Cities will rewind to 2019: the list will Surprise
The appreciation over the last seven years throughout Colorado has been astounding, but now it is time to pay the piper. What cities in Colorado are most at risk of rewinding most if not all of the Covid appreciation gains? Why are “suburban” markets more at risk...
What would you do if you had 5 minutes?
My wife and I were out for a longer day hike when we crest the hill and got a dead-on view of a new wildfire. We knew immediately it was in the direction of our house, and it was growing rapidly. The evacuation notices immediately go out, giving some folks less than...
Is affordable housing worth 2 million a unit?
Over the last 30 years I continue to hear about the “affordable housing crisis”. Do we really have an affordable housing crisis or a leadership crisis within the ski towns. A recent proposal in Steamboat pegs the build cost of one affordable housing unit over 1.7m....
One CO town proposes to tax employers for hiring workers
Reading the headline, it sounds absolutely crazy to propose taxing businesses for creating jobs, but is this really a crazy idea? Is every job worth the same in Colorado? For example if someone builds a large hotel in Steamboat creating 15 jobs, should the developer...
I70 traffic snarls ski real estate (2026 update)
It seems like anytime there is even a hint of snow or the slightest breeze, I70 gets shut down for hours turning an 1.5 hour drive from Denver into a 5 hour adventure! What does this mean for ski real estate? Will ski traffic lead to lower real estate...
Low snow year impact on Colorado ski real estate
Colorado is having a tough year. Snowfall was down nearly 60% over the holidays, resulting in only about 11% of skiable terrain being opened in December and skier visits are down 20%. Vail resorts, the largest ski operator, is getting hit hard as seen in the stock...
Top 10 mountain towns in total free fall
Have you seen the viral video about Colorado ski real estate where it predicts “entire communities evaporating and the seemingly perfect town that has seen its median home price slashed by over 30% in just 6 months”. How real are these bold predictions? Hint, look...
Vail loses major lawsuit, should you only buy real estate in a Vail resort?
A fall from a lift in Crested Butte, leads to a 21m loss for Vail even with the ski safety act (first ever). Is the lawsuit actually a win for Vail resorts (even though they lost money)? Why is this case so monumental? What does this case mean for Colorado...
Who really owns nightly rentals in CO, the answer will surprise
The primary argument in nightly rental regulation debates is that locals who rent their properties would not be able to stay in the community so any regulations would drastically hurt locals. How true is this argument? A new study sheds substantial light on this...
New impact fees in Colorado without a vote: ready to pay 50k more to build a commercial building?
A lot happened last legislative session and I totally missed a recent law that could have huge impacts on property owners. A new Colorado law that went into effect in May allows fire districts to levy “impact fees” on any property without a vote. What does this mean...
Airbnb growth slows, what does this mean for Colorado ski real estate?
10 years ago, nightly rentals were a novel concept, fast forward to 2024 and the number of nightly rentals has surged over 40% in the last 5 years. What does this huge increase in nightly rentals mean for real estate values? Has the real estate market gotten...
Why are Silverthorne and Granby real estate prices falling? What Colorado towns are next?
Almost every mountain town continues to appreciate or stay at historic highs, but two Colorado mountain towns are bucking the trend. What is happening in Silverthorne and Granby? Why are these two towns underperforming not only mountain towns but others throughout...
Will ski real estate prices move higher later this year?
It is crazy to talk about prices moving higher in Colorado’s high country while rates are staying double their lows. Why is ski real estate poised to head higher despite everything else going on in the economy? What is the key driver to watch for ski real estate? ...
Big election loss in Steamboat: huge changes in ski town real estate
Steamboat voters reject a 24 million dollar donation for a new affordable housing project that was slated to be the largest in the state. Why did Steamboat walk away from the project? Why is this rejection important for other mountain communities and what does...
Will Colorado ski town buyers pay realtors 70k upfront?
The recent settlement by the national association of realtors will have an outsize impact on Colorado ski towns. Will prospective buyers pony up 70k to pay their buyers agent based on the median home price in Summit County? What does the recent settlement mean for...
Bill to quadruple taxes on short term rental passes out of committee
With the failure of proposition HH, the Colorado legislature is on the hunt for tax revenue and nightly rentals are in the cross hairs. Not surprisingly, the recent proposal to quadruple taxes on nightly rentals recently passed out of Colorado legislative committee...
Vail sues Vail, town of Vail has resounding win; what does this mean for real estate?
First, I had to share the joke above. For anyone that lives or spends time in the mountains it is unfortunately very relatable😊 It is a bit ironic (and confusing) as the company Vail resorts sues the city that its name originated from. The suit...
What Colorado ski town is outperforming others : Which Colorado ski town is the best investment?
As I predicted, we are starting to see some big changes in Colorado ski real estate. Even as prices in many markets throughout the country are staying flat, some Colorado ski real estate is still increasing while others are starting to correct. What is causing the...
Tax bills double in CO mountain towns, new legislation doesn’t help, you can reduce your taxes
Our legislative branch and Governor have touted a new proposal to drastically reduce property taxes after they have skyrocketed due to increasing values and the elimination of the Gallagher amendment. Unfortunately the new bill will not help the overwhelming majority...
Taxes jump, you have 30 days, how do you appeal (quick guide) and should you?
Get ready for sticker shock; as you will be receiving your new tax assessment in the next few weeks (typically the beginning of May) and time is of the essence as you have a limited window if you want to fight your tax value. How can assessed values continue to...
Big changes to traffic patterns and Colorado mountain real estate post Covid
Anyone who has ventured into any Colorado ski town recently has noticed a profound change since Covid. Everything seems to be busy all the time, prices have skyrocketed, and longtime locals are quickly priced out. What is causing the swift changes and what does this...
NYC Spars With Hosts Over New Airbnb Rental Laws, 25% drop in nightly rentals, what does this mean for Colorado
I always watch what happens on the coasts to see what is next for Colorado. Whether it is minimum wage, required sick leave, etc… these all originated from the coasts and migrated to Colorado. NY’s laws on nightly rentals will soon find their way to Colorado. The...



























