Cam Boyd Blog

According to the Wall Street Journal, vacation home sales are on the rise, despite a decline for existing home sales.

We all know and have been told that the economy is bad and that it won't pick up again for another year or so. But this year, a surprising trend has happened; because prices are dropping as desperate home owners try to get rid of their listings, hopeful second home owners looking for a nice spot in their favorite vacation spots are coming out of the wood works. Its a buyer's market out there, and vacation spots are the prime real estate.

What is to cause for this sudden trend? Perhaps the lure of an investment property. The WSJ accredits it to "gains in the stock market and an improving economy, which have made wealthier Americans more upbeat about the future."  With prices dropping, it has become enough incentive to promote Buyers to come forward and buy the second home of their dreams. What better vacation spot than Steamboat, I ask?

In 2009, 1 in 10 home purchases were for vacation homes. Some say that in the past, vacation home prices were over inflated, and the decline of the economy is putting prices back to where they should be. From the trends, buyers agree. The WSJ notes however ,that some home owners selling houses that are vacation homes won't budge on their initial selling price because they aren't in a hurry to move to a new location as primary-home owners may be. So while they may be sitting on the price they think their home is valued at, they have to expect that their vacation home will not have as quick a transaction as a seller willing to negotiate on price. (What's the value of your home?) Buyers know that prices are dropping, and in this economy, many aren't willing to pay full price.

 The great thing about Steamboat Colorado is that a purchased vacation home is probably one of the best investments you can make. The resort is only getting bigger; I've heard rumor of future plans of expansion into the back bowls past North Saint Pat's and East Face. So while you not only enjoy the benefits of visiting a growing ski town, you also have the benefit of renting it out the rest of the year to our ever moving source of seasonal workers. (Has anyone seen the rental prices in Steamboat? Renters pay a pretty penny, and for the landlord, its not too shabby of a deal). Even better, eventually many of the homes purchased as vacation homes become primary homes when their owners realize its okay to make everyday life your vacation. Why not have the ability to play on your days off?

With the abundant snowfall we've had this winter, it is proving tough on the elk population and they've moved to lower elevations which puts them in residential areas in and around Steamboat.  It's still amazing to me that we live in a rural area where we can coexist with wild animals the size of horses.  We started out feeding our horses round bales of hay which weigh about 1 ton and will last a few weeks.  As soon as the elk figured out where the round bales were, a herd of 20-30 animals devoured one bale in a night.  So we've had to go back to feeding the horses with square bales during the day so none is left over for the elk to eat at night.  Even though the horses don't have as much to eat, I think they are a lot happier not having the elk in their pasture eating their food.

There are always trade offs with living in town or out of town and seeing these grand animals walking through our property on a daily basis is surely one of the great things about living in the country.

Read the article the Steamboat Pilot provided about the elk herds in Steamboat.

I don't think it has come as a surprise to anyone that 2010 was a much better year for Steamboat real estate sales than 2009.  It looks like sales through the mls will be up about 20% from last year, but still a far cry from the levels of 2006 and 2007.  We are definitely seeing more bargains coming to the market and there are Buyers waiting for the deals.  The title companies are reporting a much lower fall out rate which is indicitive of a higher confidence level from the Buyer.

Enough about business though, let's talk about the 18" of cold, fresh, powder that we all got to ski yesterday while all the visitors here for the Musicfest were sleeping off their hangovers!  What an awesome day!  The mountain is now reporting over 200 inches of snow so far this year and it is still early season.  Back in the days when we had an outdoor hockey rink, if it was a good ski season, it would be a bad hockey season because they would cancel our games if there was too much snow on the ice.  It's a bad hockey season so get out and enjoy it! 

There's always something fun to do when you live in a town like Steamboat Colorado.  After a fun Christmas morning with the family and an afternoon of skiing, my wife, Jill, informed us that we were all signed up to take a familly lesson on the new snow bikes the next day.  For those of you who haven't seen them before, snow bikes look like a bike but have a ski in the same place as where a wheel would go.  You also wear short skis on each foot that help you balance.  Once you take a lesson with an instructor, you are issued a pass and are allowed to take the bikes anywhere on the mountain except the terrrain parks.

It is a pretty quick learning curve if you are used to skiing and after the first run down with our instructor Alex, I was feeling pretty confident on the green runs.  Since there are no brakes like you have on a bike, you have to maintain your speed by turning and skidding and once you start making turns, you get the sensation of gliding down the hill on a mountain bike.

The kids picked it up easily and Jill was enjoying it as well, but as normal, bringing up the rear.  You do get a lot of looks and questions from other skiers and riders and feel a little funny sitting on a bike.  Fortunately, I didn't run into any of my hard core skier friends or I would've taken some ribbing.  But it was definitely something fun and different to do with the family and I'd recommend it to anyone.  Another activity to add to the long list of things to do when you're living the mountain lifestyle! 

Wow, what a snow storm! We are being pounded here in Steamboat Springs, and while the snow is a bit wet and heavy, hopefully it will set up as a great base for the rest of the season. Say goodbye to rocks and grass on the Ski Mountain!

While those of us in Steamboat may be happiest curling up by a warm fire and watching the snow fall tonight, if you live somewhere where the skies are clear, don't forget to run outside! According to Yahoo, tonight is the first time in 372 years that the Winter Equinox and a total lunar eclipse will occur on the same day.

To top that amazing show off, supposidly the Ursids meteor shower will have a few left over shooting stars to dazzle you when the moon hides away. (I wish we had clear skies here!) Tonight is the last time to see a lunar eclipse from North America until 2014... those of us who are enjoying the snow storm may have to wait a few more years to enjoy such a sight.

Interestingly enough, tonights eclipse is going to turn the moon a gorgeous red color at 3:1a.m. EST, partly due to some smoke clouds lingering over earth from some volcanic erruptions. It should be pretty....

 

I can't complain too much about missing the eclipse. After last year's low snow season, I am keeping my fingers crossed that the snow keeps coming and doesn't stop! This weekend was a great (although a little wet compared to the norm) ski weekend, and next weekend I can only imagine it is going to be spectacular. Be careful in the back country if you are out searching for powder; the avalanche danger is rated as high! According to the CAIC the danger is High in portions of the Steamboat zone above treeline on north through southeast aspects. Elsewhere the danger is Considerable. The danger is greatest in the Buffalo Pass area and portions of the Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area.

 

Stay safe, have fun! Happy Holidays!

Kudos go out to Superintendent Shalee Cunningham and all the teachers and staff with the Steamboat Springs School District after it was placed in the top 14 districts in the State.  

Read the article by the Steamboat Pilot. 

 This distinction put our district in the top 8% of schools in Colorado.  It's just another thing that makes this such a great community to live in.  People genuinely care about our schools here and voters continually show this with the renewal of our 1/2 cent sales tax that goes to the Education Fund Board.  I think it is one of the most important factors that families take into account when they are planning a move.  "How are your schools" is a very common question and I am always happy to brag.  Most parents feel that they have to enroll their children in a private school to get this kind of education, but with the quality of our schools here, I don't feel that that is necessary.  My kids are in 7th and 5th grade and I see first hand the personal attention devoted to them by the teachers and staff.

I know my kids don't think about it.  They will go directly from school this afternoon to Howelsen Hill for their Nordic and Freestyle ski programs with the Winter Sports Club.  That's their life, but I can't but help to feel jealous that I didn't grow up in an enviroment like this!

 

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our friends and family at Prudential!

Today is Scholarship Day on the Ski Mountain, which marks our official opening Day! I've been watching the thermometer all day; it has not reached above a chilly 6 degrees here at Prudential. I can only imagine it gets colder the higher up you go! Folks are still out there braving the frosty temperatures and supporting our local Winter Sports Club, which benefits from all $30 tickets sold today.

I am certainly thankful for all of the wonderful snow we have recieved to help make opening day happen with a little more cheer! I know in past year's we've had the 'white ribbon of death' (meaning one run all the way down the mountain that everyone is forced onto- it gets a little tricky to ski that packed in!) Not this year! Top to bottom runs and numerous lifts, and honestly, the temperatures probably made it more enjoyable for the brave souls that made it up today by thinning out the crowds even more!

As with every Thanksgiving, I'm greatly looking forward to spending some time with my family and close friends. The opportunity to do so only reminds me of how lucky I am to live in Steamboat where close friends are plentiful. I relish the fact that I can go to the store to buy a turkey and be able to say hello and chat with friends in  our community. Of course our town thrives and lives off of the comings and goings of tourists, but when you break it down, we truly are still a small community. We are growing, but small. When I think of other people that work in real estate in large cities, I realize how lucky I really am to be able to develop close relationships with both clients and coworkers. It would seem unlikely to have those kinds of relationships in large cities, and it would be a different job that focuses more on sales than on the people. We are lucky to live, play, and work in beautiful Steamboat Colorado!

Hopefully everyone I know this season has plans to see their friends and family. Enjoy your wonderful Thanksgiving dinners, and stay warm!

 

 

After a rather low snow year last year, I am excited to see that Steamboat Colorado is giving its all to prepare for opening day on Mt. Werner next week! This is a live picture from today's webcam, and the slopes look great!

 The Mountain is scheduled to start its lifts and open its runs Wednesday, Novemeber 24 on Scholarship day. For those of you that don't know, scholarship day is a fundraiser the day before your season passes are eligible at which ski tickets are sold for rediculously cheap prices (something like $20 bucks I think). Proceeds usually go to the Winter Sports Club to help our future olympians.

It is quite amazing to look outside right now! We've had contiunous snow for the past 4-5 days, and according to the Steamboat Snow Report (970-879-7300) we've had 15" in the past 48 hours, and there are 32" for the mid mountain base. Cumulatively, we have had 5 feet of snow since Oct 23rd.

According to many locals who have hiked up the mountain "pre-season," the rocks are hidden and the powder is deep! One friend said the turns were like heaven last Saturday when we had a foot or two of dry, light snow, and the conditions can only reasonably be getting better. Get ready!

If you aren't a skier, the snowy weather also is a great time to look at homes. When it's not appealing to your tastes to be outside, touring homes can be a great day-filler to keep you warm and dry. And if you want to just stay in your own home, you can check out some of our featured listings from the comfort of your computer.

 

Enjoy the snow!

What a beautiful site! The snow has started again in Steamboat and doesn't appear to be stopping any time soon. It's a great reminder to us that our best season is on it's way! Shake off the time change and get ready to get up a little bit earlier to catch some powder turns before work!

The snow reminded us to share a fun fact; Steamboat Colorado was featured in Eddie Bauer as their holiday inspiration. Click here to take a look at the video they made inspired by snowy Steamboat! Click the large picture (you'll see a play arrow in the center) to see how Eddie Bauer depicted Steamboat and how Steamboat inspired their outerwear and gear!

Keep on Snowin'!

It is always nice to go to visit some other resort area and over the weekend I took my kids to Orlando to visit their Grandparents.  Orlando is touted as the #1 tourist destination in the world, which is amazing, because it is entirely man made.  On Saturday, we went to Universal Studios which gave me a glimpse of what a lot of Americans do for their vacation.  What I saw was that many people were drawn to an activity which was fairly inactive.  It was overcrowded and there were a lot of unhealthy people pushing overweight children in stollers to shop, eat and enjoy the exhibits.  I contrast that to coming to the mountains for a vacation that revolves around the many things that nature provides and the healthy acitivities the children and a family can enjoy.  

I think the same can be true when it comes time to shop for a second home.  Pick the kind of lifestyle that you would like to partake in.  If you are an active person that wants access to biking, hiking, walking, fishing and skiing, then the mountains are for you.  If you prefer the inactive lifestyle, I saw some good prices on some condos in Orlando...