Where would you build a Cabin in Colorado?

[sunsprit]

If you want "investment" quality land in Colorado, you'll have to pay for it.

The influx of wealth into this state for recreational second homes started shortly after the Civil War, with folks from back east buying into the Grand Lake and Gunnison areas, among others.

Absent a distress situation (tax sale? developer auction?) or a foreclosure where a lender is willing to walk away for cheap on a short sale, you'll not find "bargains" around here just waiting for your enlightened investment to save the day.

Even in today's economy where prices in some places have moderated, there's still a lot of folks looking for exactly what you're looking for. And they've been affluent enough to keep the market fairly pricey in most of the state.

The days of "cheap" bargains in Aspen, Vail, Telluride, Steamboat Springs, Grand Lake, Grand Junction, and all up and down the Western Slope and Eastern Front Range have long been gone. Similarly, the close in areas to the Denver metro area ... Pine, Bailey, Evergreen, etc. ... have all been bought up a long time ago by folks who could justify their mountain living and commute to Denver for work.

Having just seen the assessor's appraisals for my mountain property and that of friends in Vail and Aspen ... as of June 1st, 2008 ... our places were still appreciating from the prior valuations of 2006. My property manager says that the places are still going up, although the market and sales rate may be a little slower than when things were "booming" in recent times.

If you're going to be real price and value conscious in Colorado land right now ... then you'll have to consider the intrinsic value of the beauty of your view and property enjoyment over the investment appreciation of the money sitting in a bank. The only place I know of where prices have come down a bit is in the very developed residential areas along the Front Range ... which isn't what you're looking for.

[Ticky909]

Slater, Keota.

[elemental]

Originally Posted by sunsprit

if you want "investment" quality land in colorado, you'll have to pay for it.

...if you're going to be real price and value conscious in colorado land right now ... Then you'll have to consider the intrinsic value of the beauty of your view and property enjoyment over the investment appreciation of the money sitting in a bank.

amen!