SteamboatLifestyle.com

Steamboat Springs’ Ski Mountain annual New Year’s celebration includes the torchlight parade and fireworks on the ski mountain.  Steamboat Ski & Snowboard School instructors volunteer to carry the torches that light up the mountain as they ski down the slopes as part of the New Year’s Eve festivities. Fireworks follow and offer an amazing array of colors as they reflect off the snow covered ski mountain.

These events start at 7:00pm, but you can begin your après ski New Year’s celebrations well before at one of the many fun and festive mountain base establishments. Here’s a few that offer great mountain views as well as après ski treats:

• Truffle Pig
• Slopeside
• Saddles
• Gondola Joe’s
• Bear River Terrace
• Umbrella Bar

  

  New Year’s Eve in Steamboat Springs

  Be sure to check out the Steamboat Today newspaper on Friday, 12/30 and Saturday, 12/31 for all the New Year’s activities and celebrations going on around Steamboat Springs. Have a fun and safe New Year’s Eve celebration – Happy New Year!

—For more information on buying real estate or questions regarding Steamboat Springs real estate or renting a home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, feel free to call Charlie at 970-846-6435 or write me an email at: charlie@steamboatsmyhome.com

Thanks,

Charlie

No snow over the Christmas holiday is bad news for the Steamboat Springs Ski Mountain, but at least the snow making machines have been able to compensate with the man-made stuff and turned what could be really bad into something passable. If only there was some magic wand to wave over the housing market so things would start to pick up and stay up. The Case-Shiller October Home Price Index is not showing any news we can feel good about on a national level. The October report yields the following less than optimistic news:

* 19 of 20 cities showed home price decreases versus September numbers

* Versus October 2010, the 10 and 20 city composites posted annual returns of minus 3.0% and -3.4% respectively

* Versus September 2011, the 10 and 20 city composites were down 1.1% and 1.2% respectively

* Four markets (Atlanta, Cleveland, Detroit, Las Vegas) show prices below their January 2000 levels, while Atlanta and Las Vegas posted new lows in October

* Both the 10 & 20 city composites are barely above their all-time lows and from their peaks, the 10 city composite is down 31.9%, and the 20 city composite is down 32.1%

There is a caveat: real estate is local, and the Steamboat Springs market just posted some strong November numbers. Other areas where the local news is better include:

• * Detroit which while still below January 2000 levels, is up 2.5% over October 2010
• * Washington DC up 1.3% over October 2010
• * Phoenix which is up .3% vs. September 2011 (after 3 straight declining months) 

While the national numbers are bleak, there is rationale for the dismal report which at least helps us understand the dynamics in play:

* there continues to be a weak labor market

* high foreclosure rates in many areas are keeping home prices depressed

* fall is typically a slow sales period for homes after the busier late spring and summer months

* loan qualifications are rigorous and higher down payments are required by most banks

* would-be buyers lack confidence that the housing market has bottomed out, so they are waiting it out

Given 2012 is literally just around the corner, and it’s an election year as well, there will be many economic trends and political maneuvers to watch as we turn the calendar page. While we may remain on the roller coaster for a while, it’s my hope that everyone stays on for the ride because there are great values to be found, and like the snow that’s inevitable in Steamboat, the market turn-around will happen, and not a moment too soon.

—For more information on buying real estate or questions regarding Steamboat Springs real estate or renting a home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, feel free to call Charlie at 970-846-6435 or write me an email at: charlie@steamboatsmyhome.com

Thanks,

Charlie

2012 is right around the corner and it will bring the benefits of the Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act of 2011. So what opportunities will that provide to Steamboat Springs? Well given the fact that our Steamboat Springs’SkiMountainand all of the almost 3000 ski-able acres is owned by the USDA Forest Service, this means that while formerly limited to activities allowed by an outdated 1986 law, the new law will open up our Steamboat ski mountain to year-round activities.

Sponsored by Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet, and recently approved by President Obama, this new law permits non-skiing activities such as mountain bike terrain parks and trails, Frisbee golf courses, ropes courses, concerts and zip lines to share in the activity line-up. Protecting natural resources will remain a top priority for the U.S. Forest Service, and all activities will be subject to a review and approval process. Anything considered to be damaging to the natural environment, like tennis courts, water and amusement parks will not be permitted.

While this is great news for outdoor enthusiasts who will now have many more beautiful venues open to them in the summer and shoulder seasons, it’s also tremendous news for  mountain communities. Increasing year-around visitors will result in a more stable job market and ease the strain of “off-season” lulls in retail and restaurant business. More full, part-time and seasonal jobs will bolster the real estate market as well. Increasing summer and fall recreation activities will infuse new life into mountain communities who are use to seeing their communities double and triple in size during the winter ski season.

Thirteen states are home to ski resorts on public land, and Steamboat Springs has a 3000 acre ski mountain in its back yard. Now Steamboat’s back yard will be open to more recreational activities year around. It’ll give a whole new meaning to the local phrase so often heard around Steamboat Springs that people “come here for the winters and stay for the summers.” Now it won’t be just the extraordinary summer weather that keeps them here…it’ll be the full menu of community activities as well.

—For more information on buying real estate or questions regarding Steamboat Springs real estate or renting a home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, feel free to call Charlie at 970-846-6435 or write me an email at: charlie@steamboatsmyhome.com

Thanks,

Charlie

Steamboat Springs’ High School is a 4 time winner and Steamboat Springs’ Middle School is now a 5 consecutive year winner of the John Irwin Schools of Excellence award for academic performance for the 2010-2011 school year. The Colorado Department of Education issued 150 schools this prestigious award which signifies that Steamboat Springs’ secondary schools met or exceeded the requirements established for last school year’s Colorado Student Assessment Program. High schools have an additional “college readiness” requirement that is based on attaining higher levels of graduation rates and ACT scores in order to receive the award.

Given that quality of schools ranks high in any family’s decision to relocate to a town or city, Steamboat’s solid and consistent history of academic excellence is a big advantage for anyone with school age children who has Steamboat Springs on their radar as a potential new community to call home. Among the factors it takes to create a highly accredited academic environment, community support and a staff dedicated to pushing excellence to the next level year after year are significant contributors to the excellence that’s been established in the Steamboat Springs’ school system.

 Students take pride in their schools’ accomplishments as well as understanding the benefits attending a school that receives such honors provides when applying to colleges. As with any winning team, the challenge to continue achieving academic accolades is welcomed by the teaching staff as well as the students. Resting on laurels is just not the Steamboat way, but a hearty congratulations and job well done is certainly deserved. As this school year nears its holiday break and half way mark to what will hopefully be another academic year of excellence, it’s a given that Steamboat Springs’ secondary schools’ staff and students have their goals in place to yet again rank among Colorado’s finest schools.

—For more information on buying real estate or questions regarding Steamboat Springs real estate or renting a home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, feel free to call Charlie at 970-846-6435 or write me an email at: charlie@steamboatsmyhome.com

Thanks,

Charlie

Join the holiday fun at the base of the Steamboat Springs’ ski mountain at the new stage in Gondola Square where the ultimate holiday après ski celebration will take place on Saturday, December 17^th from 3:00pm – 5:00pm.

Celebration activities will include:

* Live holiday music

* Visit from Santa Clause and his reindeer

* Free hot cocoa and candy canes

* Cowboys and horses

* Lighting of the Mountain Village Tree

* Umbrella Bar serving special Christmas cocktails

* Holiday photo opportunities with Sharpshooter Imaging

* Special holiday Torchlight Parade at 5:00pm

Help make this a special Christmas for those in need by bringing a non-perishable food item to benefit the Lift-Up Food Bank.

—For more information on buying real estate or questions regarding Steamboat Springs real estate or renting a home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, feel free to call Charlie at 970-846-6435 or write me an email at: charlie@steamboatsmyhome.com

Thanks,

Charlie

Mark your calendar for this Saturday night, December 10^th – it’s the annual downtown holiday celebration for the entire Steamboat Springs community!  Lincoln Avenue will be closed to traffic and all the stores and restaurants will be joining in the festivities.

Don’t miss the NEW attraction – the Great Caroling Contest – loosely based on the annual Figgy Pudding Caroling event in Seattle. A portion of the money raised will go to Lift-Up Services. Form a team and register with MainStreet Steamboat to join in the fun!

The 2011 Merry Mainstreet festivities also include:

* Holiday Parade

* Gingerbread House Exhibits

* Fruit Cake Toss Competition

* SantaCrawl Pub Crawl

—For more information on buying real estate or questions regarding Steamboat Springs real estate or renting a home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, feel free to call Charlie at 970-846-6435 or write me an email at: charlie@steamboatsmyhome.com

Thanks,

Charlie

When someone tells you that a local real estate agent posted a great blog, you might be surprised that it’s not a blog on real estate market trends or simply straight listing information copied and pasted from a marketing brochure. Good real estate agents  realize that when people look for a home, they are looking for more than square footage, they are looking for a lifestyle to compliment their perfect home. From schools to shopping to annual, holiday and special events, a community is comprised of day to day opportunities that add to your overall quality of life and get you out of the home you and your realtor so carefully selected for you.

It’s my goal to inform potential clients (or remind current ones) of just how awesome it is to live in Steamboat Springs, CO. If someone is contemplating buying a primary or secondary residence in Steamboat Springs, I want them to know that Steamboat Springs is not just a fabulous, world-class ski resort, it’s a full-fledged community with homecoming parades, July 4^th celebrations, summer concerts, neighborhood garage sales and Halloween celebrations. It’s my intention to let people know that buying a home in Steamboat Springs is buying into a healthy, outdoor focused year-round lifestyle that they’ll be able to enjoy part-time, full-time or for any amount of time they decide to spend in our beautiful Rocky Mountain Yampa Valley.

As we head into the heart of the holiday and ski seasons, I’ll be focusing my communications on why Steamboat Springs is the perfect place to call home. Those of us who live here know it’s an amazing community, and I’d like to share how we spend our days and nights in a town three hours from Denver that is snow covered from November through May. If anyone would like to join us here on a permanent or part time basis, we have plenty of wonderful homes, condos and time shares available, and I’ll be happy to show them to you as well as tell you about Winter Carnival, the lighted man, the Valentine’s Day torch parade and the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club – which gets us  through April…and it doesn’t stop there. Stay tuned for hiking, biking, fishing, camping and more as spring turns to summer in Steamboat Springs.

Good for you!  You have 473 Facebook friends. You are definitely well liked and dialed in. But now that ski season is just around the corner, those Facebook friends start calling you about coming for a Steamboat Springs’ ski vacation in your second home. Research indicates that a typical second home owner only spends 39 nights a year in their vacation home which leaves 326 days “free”…unless friends want to come while you’re there, which is a whole new issue.

As a vacation home owner, you need to decide early on if you’re going to be in one of two groups: 1) the friend who sets limits, boundaries, rules 2) the friend who is the martyr.

The Owner with House Rules:

* Doesn’t hesitate to tell acquaintances it’s for family only or simply not available

*  Asks guests to chip in and cover costs for cleaning, maintenance, food, etc.

* Charges friends a rental fee to cover utilities, mortgage payments, insurance, etc.

*  Has a list of house rules in plain sight (sometimes in multiple places), and sticks to them

The Martyr Second Home Owner:

* Hands over the keys to friends repeatedly even when left with damage requiring repairs upon their departure

* Agrees to visitors while in the home too and then stocks the kitchen and offers shuttle service

* Feels badly about asking for a nominal rental fee, let alone saying no altogether

* Doesn’t know how to say “no” when friends want to invite additional friends because ‘there’s still one more bedroom available’

If you think this doesn’t affect many people, think again. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) vacation homes are being purchased at a rapid rate given the real estate market is depressed in many resort areas. Here’s what NAR reports from 2010 data:

* 10% of 2010 home purchases were vacation homes

* There are 7.9 million vacation homes in the United States

* Of 2010 vacation homes purchased: 36% were in the South, 27% were in the West, 19% in Northeast, 15% in Midwest and 3% were outside the U.S.

* 19% of vacation homes purchased were in resort areas

Before you purchase a second home, consider how you’re going to handle the inevitable “can I come stay” questions, and rest assured that even folks you haven’t heard from in years won’t mind asking the question. You might find yourself editing down the amount of Facebook friends or posting less about how great the skiing was in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Or you can always suggest these homes for your friends to purchase – so you can offer up a vacation home swap in the future!

—For more information on buying real estate or questions regarding Steamboat Springs real estate or renting a home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, feel free to call Charlie at 970-846-6435 or write me an email at: charlie@steamboatsmyhome.com

Thanks,

Charlie

We live in a country of great pride and privilege, and that’s in large part due to the military men and women who have fought and continue to fight for our right to live in a free country with opportunity for all. The Steamboat Springs community does a great job of honoring the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces. There’s a Memorial Day ceremony every year in May and every Veteran’s Day stores and restaurants around Steamboat Springs offer special discounts to those who have served in the military. Our local schools welcome veterans by hosting assemblies where they honor the veterans with patriotic songs as well as listen to the veterans describe what it meant to them to serve their country.

In this day and age where too many kids think a video game encompasses what war is all about, having the opportunity to mix and mingle with veterans representing all branches of the military and hearing about the teamwork, trust and sacrifice involved in serving your country provides valuable insights and life lessons. Of course having the chance to put on an F-18 flight helmet or an oxygen mask is pretty cool too.

Students at Steamboat Springs’ Strawberry Park and Soda Creek elementary schools also put together a slide show of their family members currently serving in the Armed Forces. It’s a meaningful exchange of special moments that makes a lasting impression on the veterans as well as on the students. When Friday, November 11^th Veteran’s Day, rolls around this week, if you happen to see a retired military veteran, or someone currently serving in our Armed Forces, take the time to thank them for their service and also, remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and didn’t make it home.

—For more information on buying real estate or questions regarding Steamboat Springs real estate or renting a home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, feel free to call Charlie at 970-846-6435 or write me an email at: charlie@steamboatsmyhome.com

Thanks,

Charlie

Walgreen’s Makes Good First Impression in Steamboat

As everyone who has been to Steamboat Springs knows, we don’t have a lot of national chain stores here. While that’s by design and city “code”, it can be a little limiting at times when you live here full time. So the approval of a Walgreen’s store in Steamboat Springs was a big deal, and a hard fought battle with those who’d like to keep things as national chain-store free as possible here in Steamboat.

So the building is pretty much finished and looks as though it could open any day once stocked with both merchandise and employees. And many of us were assuming with the holidays and ski season just a couple of weeks away, Walgreen’s would be working over-time to open before Thanksgiving. So imagine my surprise when I read in the local paper the other day that the Walgreen’s grand opening would not be until after the first of the year. What?! But as I read the article, the brilliance of priority setting and attention to both customer and employee service became readily apparent.

Walgreen’s has a policy of not stocking new stores or hiring and training new employees between November  1^st and December 1^st. Their focus is on existing stores and ensuring they are well stocked and properly merchandised for the holidays and the same goes for their training staff who make it priority to ensure they are available to help existing stores during this busy time of the year.

Well, it seems to me that Walgreen’s has a wonderful concept and despite the fact that it’s going to delay our new store opening by about 6 weeks, I applaud their service oriented focus on existing stores, existing customers and existing employees. Instead of spreading inventory thin, stretching training staff resources and going pedal- to- the-metal to open a store and work out the kinks during the busiest time of the year, they are choosing to wait until after the holidays and do the grand opening when it can be the center of attention. Wow, what a novel concept – forgo the dollars generated by another door being open in favor of ensuring it’s a win-win for everyone – existing stores don’t get slighted on merchandise and staff ,and our new store will get 100% attention to opening when the time is conducive to doing it right! I can’t wait to have them officially in town, and from my perspective, they already have a lot going for them.

—For more information on buying real estate or questions regarding Steamboat Springs real estate or renting a home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, feel free to call Charlie at 970-846-6435 or write me an email at: charlie@steamboatsmyhome.com

Thanks,

Charlie