Steamboat slump=opportunity? (Colorado Springs, Vail, Breckenridge: ski resorts, real estate, new home)

[Jeshan]

After scouring the newspapers and also real estate listings in Steamboat, it seems the recent slump has made living there more realistic for non-millionaires. My husband and I both have businesses that target higher income clients and are looking for a new home. I would love to hear some thoughts. Thank you!

[COflower]

FWIW, while I haven't been to Steamboat since the mid 90s, it certainly has a different feel than most of the "resort" communities. It's very laid back and since it's tucked out of the way it's far less touristy than the ski areas along I-70 and Telluride.

I haven't kept up on the home pricing but the homeowners I had dealt with up in that area (used to sell windows and doors) are certainly well off but most weren't wrapped up in their incomes. I think that's why Steamboat is a bit of a hidden gem when it comes to the ski resorts. That's not to say that there aren't pretentious people up there but they are/weren't the norm when I would go up there.

Of all the ski areas, it would be #2 on my list to move to. #1 would be Breckenridge but that is because I have been going up there since I was a kid and since it's a quicker drive than Steamboat to the Front Range for big city things one might need including specialized health care. Not that I need specialized health care but some do.

Oh and the elevation in Steamboat is about the same as Colorado Springs (north end of C Springs that is) so for those with certain health concerns, it's a relatively low altitude - kind of.

Like I said, probably the biggest drawback in my eyes is the isolation from the Front Range but honestly, that's the beauty of it too. If I had the income, the ability to buy a home, I'd look further into it myself.

[wanneroo]

I lived there for a while and it didn't work for me personally. I found it to be much, much colder than Vail for one thing. Also it was too isolated in that pretty much you have Steamboat and then not much else unless you want to drive a long distance.

It has it's fans but it is definitely a different environment and certainly I'd look into it before making the jump to move there.

[Jeshan]

Thank you for the responses. We live in Wyoming, so we are used to a long drive for shopping and such. And we love the fact that it is more laid back! Looks like I'll be making some trips down to check out more.