Moving to Summit County (Loveland, Silverthorne: real estate market, condominiums, townhouses)

[offthehook]

We are a retired couple thinking of moving from CA to Summit county. We are both avid skiiers and want to get a few years of good skiing in before we are too old.

Can anyone suggest good places to live? We are open to detached homes and townhouses. Price up to $350k; less is better.

Thanks for any help...

[Neditate]

It will be difficult to find a home or townhome in that price range. If you would consider a condo you can find them in Silverthorne/Wildernest in that price range. And if you are coming from California, do you realize the elevation is going to be around 9,000'? That is a pretty big adjustment. (I know a great realtor up there -- if you are interested message me privately.)

[Fuzz]

You should be able to find something within $350 - just depends how many bedrooms and what location. Check out the real estate listings in the local paper: SummitDaily.com | Covering Breckenridge, Keystone, Frisco, Dillon, Silverthorne, Copper | Colorado.

[Idunn]

For $350,000 in Summit County you are basically looking at condominiums, some townhouses. Any single family detached home at that price will either be off in the wilds, somewhat questionable, or both. Many empty residential lots are offered at that price.

If you haven't, the 'Summit Daily News'
SummitDaily.com | Covering Breckenridge, Keystone, Frisco, Dillon, Silverthorne, Copper | Colorado
can provide a good overview of the real estate market.

If skiing is your primary objective you might wish to locate as close to the slopes as possible. Certain condominiums could afford this. If located in Copper Mountain, CO, Keystone, CO or Breckenridge, CO you could have good access to the ski areas. Towns such as Silverthorne, CO, Dillon, CO or Frisco, CO, while nice enough, would not offer such ready access. Although Summit County does offer public transportation that is free and probably pretty good.

From there it may be a question of ambience and how you personally feel. All these areas are fairly nice, but different. Copper Mountain might feel the most insular, and like Keystone the ambience of a mountain resort community, which they are. Breckenridge, while probably one of the more expensive options, is and offers the feeling an actual small town. Quite lovely. But only you can decide.

The least expensive real estate in Summit County is probably in its northern half. But basically no services, remote, and you'd have decide if you wish your apres ski to consist of something just off the slopes or in your car on a long drive home.

Another consideration, in the event you are not aware, is that virtually all the lodgepole pine trees in Summit County, which predominate, are dead or dying. Very sad, but true. So you can expect to be dealing with this and a markedly different environment in years to come.

Otherwise, if one can afford it, Summit County has a lot to offer. Not to mention some great skiing. With A-Basin one of the best.

[Fuzz]

Now that I have a bit more time...

For $350, condos and townhomes should be doable (2-3 bedrooms depending on location and amenities). The problem with single-family homes at that price is that $350 will get you a 2-bedroom place (for the most part) and there aren't too many of those.

Location-wise, you could look at places at the ski areas, e.g. Keystone, Breck, or Copper. The problem with living at those places is that most of your neighbors will be tourists or part-timers, with little or no sense of community (and can be quite noisy at times). However, you'll be within walking distance of skiing. But driving distance to everyday amenities (e.g. groceries, bookstore, normally priced restaurants, pharmacy, etc.).

In terms of town living, you have Breck, Frisco, Dillon, Silverthorne, and the unincorporated areas, e.g. Summit Cove, Wildernest, etc.

Breck gives you the best combo of ski area proximity and town living. But it is VERY touristy and expensive. Bigtime party atmosphere all the time (anytime you hear of some drunken disturbance/fight, it's usually at Breck). The other towns are between 5-25 minutes from the different ski areas (driving time). Frisco is very expensive as well, but has residential areas (off Main Street and between Highway 9 and the lake). For full-timers, your best bets are Dillon, Silverthorne, Summit Cove, Wildernest, etc. Dillon has many full-timers, as does Silverthorne. In Silverthorne, check out Willowbrook and surrounding areas. There are a lot of nice new townhomes just past the Kum & Go, and at the base of Three Peaks Golf Course (across from Silverthorne Elementary School). Summit Cove and Wildernest also have many full-timers. You could also check out Blue River, which is just south of Breck -- you can find some cheaper places there (but be aware that it doesn't get much sun as it sits at the bottom of a narrow valley). As I mentioned, all these areas are about 5-25 minutes from the ski areas. Or you could hop on the free bus -- only thing is, it takes a while on the bus (with all the stops and transfers).

Regarding apres, the locals' apres scene is not at the resort bars/restaurants, but rather places in towns (Dillon, Silverthorne, and Frisco).

You really need to visit. Even within one block, you can have very different places -- one house can be very nice, while another one two doors down can be somewhat run-down.

EDIT: When I say the towns are 5-25 minutes from skiing, that's to the different ski areas. For instance, Summit Cove is 5 minutes from Keystone, but about 20 from Copper. From Silverthorne, you're about 15 minutes to Keystone/Loveland, but 25 to Breck. And so on. For the most part, you're never more than 15 minutes from the ski areas.

[Neditate]

Fuzz, glad to see that you agree now that you've checked the listings.
I was wondering if you knew something we didn't. We did a lot of searching in Summit County 2 years ago so I doubted that real estate prices would have dropped very much even in the current economy. We love Frisco because it has a great small town feel and is less than 10 minutes to Copper Mountain, 15-20 min. to Breckenridge (and you can take the free shuttle). But as Fuzz said, Frisco is expensive. A quick check of the Summit Daily listings showed a few townhomes just under $400,000. Worth checking out. Good luck!

[Fuzz]

I should have been clearer.

I said $350 is doable since OP included townhouses in the search. A search on Summit Daily turns up several results for townhouses under $350 (mostly in Silverthorne and Dillon; here's a 3-BR townhouse in Silverthorne). Single-family homes at that price will be more scarce, but not unheard of (for instance, here's a 2-BR single-family house in Silverthorne).

Also, realtors will have places that are not always available via an online search.

[offthehook]

Thanks to everyone for your time and input. We will be coming out to Colorado in a couple weeks to check things out. We've found some homes around Fairplay in our price range...don't know if that is too far to drive to skiing. We currently live at 5,000 ft, so don't expect moving to 9,000 will be too big an issue. Too bad about the Lodge Pole pines...

[Fuzz]

A simple check on Google Maps will show you that the closest skiing to Fairplay is Breck, about 45 minutes away with clear roads.

[Idunn]

Fairplay, CO has a different climate than Breckenridge, CO, probably colder, and less resort/more rural ranching. In any event, quite different communities. Apparently many people have been relocating to Alma, CO and Fairplay due less expensive real estate, which has been escalating rapidly of late (maybe not now), but still work in Summit County.

To do so requires crossing Boreas Pass (elevation 11,481 feet)
Boreas Pass - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A relatively long steady incline on the south side, quite a few more curves on the north. Certainly possible, even in winter (although my experience with it only in summer), but it seems you'll be sharing it with some commuters.

Not exactly slope side by most measures, and going skiing will always be an excursion.

p.s. Just below the top of the pass on the south side there is a reservoir to the west. It appears an attractive sparsely populated residential area. No idea of prices, or access come winter. Of course there are residences to near the top of the pass on the north side as well, but as these within Summit County possibly more expensive. In some cases less sun.