Although March is typically not a big sales time in the mountains with mud season and the resorts closed, there are some interesting trends emerging. As suspected single family homes sales volumes have dropped dramatically along with median and average sales price. ...
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...
Wild West Buying and selling in Colorado ski towns: a cautionary tale from steamboat values plunge
There is a condo complex in Steamboat Springs, CO where units have precipitously dropped in value overnight while owners cannot sell, refinance, rent, or in many cases use the units. The units themselves are fine, but there is one huge problem. What happened in...
Buying and selling in Colorado ski towns: a cautionary tale from steamboat values plunge, 4 ways to quickly lose money in ski real estate
There is a condo complex in Steamboat where units have precipitously dropped in value while owners cannot sell, refinance, or in many cases use the units. The units themselves are fine, but there is one huge problem. What happened in Steamboat? Why is this a...
What Colorado ski resort is the best investment? Top two choices
What a run it has been the last several years with most Colorado ski resorts averaging 30-40% / year increases. Many resort areas are still up double digits for the year, but just like the seasons are beginning to change there is a cold bite to the air in Colorado...
CO Short term rental elections 20% tax rates approved, what are the results and what does this mean to you and Colorado ski real estate?
Regardless of party affiliation, this has been a big voting season for Colorado real estate and there was a resounding message relayed at the polls. Voters in Steamboat Springs, Aspen, Dillon, Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, and Summit County all decided whether...
6 CO ski towns have short term rentals on ballot; what does this mean for real estate
Voters in Steamboat Springs, Aspen, Dillon, Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, and Summit County will all decide whether to impose additional taxes, with at least part of those funds in each municipality going to support affordable housing. What are the new short term...
Ruling in Louisiana court halts Frisco’s plan for short term rentals
Frisco had originally planned to offer a “locals” only license classification for short term rentals. A new ruling in Louisiana put these plans on hold and could jeopardize many other communities short term rental laws. What was in the ruling and why is it so...
Steamboat’s occupancy plummets, revenues soar, what is going on?
Steamboat’s occupancy rate “supposedly” plummets 13% from last year, yet accommodation taxes are up an astonishing 48%. Why is it important to focus on occupancy and sales taxes? How accurate are either of these numbers? What does this mean for real estate? What...
Breckenridge records lowest occupancy rates since 2015; will real estate follow?
The headline in the Summit Daily sound ominous: Summit County servers stung by lack of visitors with lowest occupancy rates since 2015. From the headlines it sounds like Breckenridge is in a free fall. Is it really? What is going on in Breckenridge and other...
Will higher interest rates impact Colorado ski real estate? One market down 71%
Depending on the Colorado ski town, cash transactions make up between 30-75% of all closed transactions. With this many cash transactions, what do rising interest rates mean for sales in the various ski towns. Will there be a slow down in ski real...
New Short Term rental tax 20.4%, what does this mean for real estate?
While other mountain towns implemented taxes and regulations on short term rentals, Steamboat was a bit late to the party. Locals were not happy and elected a new council. The new ballot question will raise the short term rental tax to 20.4%. Will this pass in...
Aspen prices soar, further limits to development, what are the alternative resorts
Aspen home prices jumped from 10 million to 16 million from 21 to 22. At the same time the city council has recently increased restrictions on new construction. How many demolitions/new builds do you think the city will now allow? Hint, the number is much lower than...
Colorado ski real estate doubles, will there be a drop on the other side? 5 factors that will shape the future
The amount spent on real estate in six of Colorado’s resort-anchored counties doubled from 2019 to 2021. Average prices in Eagle, Grand, Pitkin, Routt, Summit, and San Miguel in 2021 were up 57% from 2019. Where does Colorado ski real estate go from...
2022 Colorado real estate predictions, mid-year update; the party continues in some markets
Allot has changed in the last six months. Interest rates have skyrocketed, appreciation has continued, and inflation continues to roar. How does this impact my prior Colorado real estate predictions? Where does Colorado real estate go in 2022? Will the staggering...
Big changes to Aspen nightly rentals: no new permits, impact on property values
Aspen is following Breckenridge’s lead with substantial changes to Aspen nightly rental regulations. Aspen is proposing a cap on the number of units along with a cap on the number of rental days allowed. How will this impact real estate prices in...
Colorado mountain towns can use tourism taxes for whatever they want; impact on real estate
Currently in mountain towns throughout Colorado lodging taxes must be used for tourism marketing. This week Governor Polis just signed a monumental bill into law that allows towns to use only a small portion for lodging and the rest for other items. What does this...
Ukraine impact on Colorado ski real estate
What a few weeks it has been. The stock markets have been up, then down. Interest rates have also spiked only to fall shortly thereafter. I’ve been asked by several realtors in various ski towns, what is the impact of Ukraine and real estate prices in Colorado. ...
Vail resorts stock drops 22% from peak; impact on Colorado ski real estate
Vail, the largest owner of ski resorts not only throughout the world but also in Colorado, has dropped 22% while other hospitality stocks have been rising at double digit rates. Why is Vail stock dropping so much? What impact will this have on ski real...
Which Colorado ski town is best investment: I rank each one
I’m constantly asked: “what is the best place to buy ski real estate in Colorado”. What are the key drivers of “value” for ski real estate? I think most people would agree that we are somewhere near a peak in real estate for this cycle, so it is important to answer...
Where does Colorado ski real estate go from here? One metric is painting a rosy picture
I’m constantly amazed at Colorado ski real estate. Many markets are up almost 40% in the last two years alone with sales continuing to exceed. On the other hand, Denver and the front range real estate markets are starting to feel a pronounced slow down. What...
2021 Colorado Election; big impacts on taxes ($260m) and property owners
First, happy belated Halloween. For all the parents out there that think they have the best costume, try topping this one that I saw while trick or treating. A real horse in costume cruising the streets 🙂 This will be tough to beat! On to the blog. What does...
What city has the highest real estate appreciation in Colorado? 5 years of appreciation in one
As I was writing the article, I looked out the window to see this bear cub taking a stroll through the yard (don't worry I was far away on a two story deck with a zoom lens). Is this a sign? Is a bear market in the offing? I was amazed at the recent data tracking...


















