Steamboat Homes

Whether you’re enjoying the expert–lead adventures of Marabou’s Master Guides, pushing yourself in your own sport, or enjoying time spent with those close to you, there is never a lack of excitement at Marabou. Cheering during parades, taking in the views as you hike, and participating in many other activities will keep you fulfilled and active all year long. Find out what exciting Marabou Homes and Land you will find yourself living in with a really simple one touch button search.

Marabou is also opening their trails to the public starting June 2nd – June 8th 9am-7pm Only! Don’t miss this great opportunity to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of Marabou this weekend on your bike. If you don’t have a bike Steamboat has many wonderful rental shops – a great recommendation is Steamboat Ski & Bike Kare or call them at 970-879-9144. You must check in at Outfitter’s Cabin to sign a waiver.

Surrounded by nearly 1,717 acres of picturesque ranch land and open space, just 62 homesteads will grace the Marabou landscape. Carefully chosen in prime locations, each homestead is its own private refuge, nestled among vegetation and valleys to maximize privacy and seclusion.

Every homestead, blessed with its own distinct design opportunity, cherishes and welcomes the outdoors as a part of home itself. The Marabou Design Guidelines have been created to establish the principles for designing homes at Marabou. The objective is to maintain, preserve and enhance the natural and ranch landscape of Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

Visit the Marabou Homes or the Marabou Land with a really easy search.

Finding yourself in a western town with friendly small town charm is Steamboat Springs, Colorado! Nestled on the western slope of the Continental Divide, Steamboat Springs sits in the lush, open expanse of the Yampa Valley. Regarded as Colorado’s most authentic Western town and Ski Town USA, Steamboat is a unique combination of ski mystique and cowboy culture. A place where not a lot has changed in the last hundred years. It’s just that now, mixed in with the Stetson hats and cowboy boots, is a world–class ski resort.

With over 70 restaurants and 250 specialty shops and boutiques, Steamboat has it all. Whether your children aspire to be Olympic athletes or it’s the quiet respite from city life that brings you here, you will never be disappointed that you became a part of the friendliest community in the West.

Lodging demand in Colorado is starting to recover and reservations are trending upward for summer.  In Steamboat I am hearing that numbers are up 4-20% depending on who I talk to.

“We’re starting to see that demand is coming back and occupancy is coming back,” RRC Associates Director David Belin said during Economic Summit 2010 at The Steamboat Grand. “For the week ending May 15, nationwide occupancy was again up 4.4% from the same week the year before,” Berlin said. “The fact that we’re seeing occupancy come back is a very positive sign.”

In 2011, everything is projected to be more positive because businesses are traveling more and travel seems to be coming back into play. We continue to raise our customer service experience, even with everything going on around us. It’s an excellent indicator of what makes us Ski Town USA.

Now in Steamboat Springs, Colorado there is a golf membership at a competitive price for sale created for new members of the Rollingstone Ranch Golf Club, it is a new Flex Option Membership. Robert Trent Jones II, designed this Golf Course in the summer of 1974. “In 2008, a $2.2 million renovation was completed on the championship caliber course, restoring its distinct characteristics back to the designer’s original intent.”

This is the first time Rollingstone Ranch Golf Club has offered such a great deal now with their new Flex Option Membership here in Steamboat. The new membership that Rollingstone is offering to new members; if purchased before April 15, 2011 will then enjoy of owning their new membership with their own name, and will have the ability to attach it to property inside the boundary at a later time.

The other benefit of this new Rollingstone membership is that you will receive a family pass for the 2010 season priced at $4,100, but there are limited numbers of new memberships available at an initiation fee of $45,000 between Jun 15, 2010 and April 15, 2011.

A New Flex Membership at Rollingstone Ranch Gold Club includes value-added benefits that include:

“No monthly dues, no food or beverage minimums, member pricing on daily green fees, annual pass options for green fees with additional benefits, preferred pricing in the golf shop and restaurant, 60-day advance tee time booking, troon advantage membership with discounted golf at Troon Golf facilities worldwide.” What a deal!

For more information on Steamboat Springs Rollingstone Ranch Golf Club, feel free to contact me with any questions or thoughts Jon Wade at 970-819-6930 or jon@mybrokers.com.

Whether you are looking to relocate in Steamboat Springs, purchase a Colorado vacation home or simply upgrade from the space you are in, Steamboat offers many options for help with your real estate needs. The major industries for Steamboat and the Yampa Valley are tourism, mining, agriculture and location-neutral businesses, which includes those folks who work from home. With a population estimated at about 12,000 people, Steamboat is the 38th largest municipality in Colorado – which means we’re still a small, friendly rural town with a deep affection for open landscapes and local agriculture not to mention very fun and heart-welcoming.

Steamboat has so much to offer to the community and to it’s people that visit. There are many inspiring places to visit, to make and call it your own, and simple to luxury homes in the gorgeous Valley and Mountain Areas of Steamboat! While deciding where to search and look for these perfect dream homes you may have in mind or just in the beginning of your search, there are easy ways to find exactly what you’re looking for online before making a life-changing decision.

Eagle Ridge is one of the most desirable locations on the mountain. You’ll have the convenience of front desk check in, a seasonal shuttle, outdoor heated pool and hot tub, fitness facilities, a day spa, and concierge.

If you are looking to live lavishly, affordable, just two blocks from the Steamboat Gondola, you’re in luck, with luxurious amenities, Trappeur’s Crossing units range greatly in the style and design. Each lodge, differs in size and design. But no matter which lodge you choose, at the end of the day, you will be ready to return, with each lodge featuring a gas fireplace, a balcony, spacious living and dining rooms and a fully-equipped kitchen.

If you are looking into Steamboat to play and live your dreams, we are here to help you succeed. Searching for homes in Steamboat sometimes can be a challenge in many, the Steamboat Group is to help you find what you are looking for and learn more about Steamboat. When you are ready, we are here to discuss your goals then guide you in making the best decisions for you and your family.

Feel free to look around and if you’re curious, just call, send us an email or search for Real Estate in Steamboat Springs. We take a low-key approach and would love the opportunity to discuss your goals, give you the insights you need and share some of the things we love about Steamboat.

Construction is set to begin this week, improving the structure and layout of the base of the Steamboat Ski Resort. ‘Tentatively, work that could happen this summer includes building the first segment of the snow-melted promenade, including pavers, from Torian Plum Plaza to the Sheraton Steamboat Resort property line…The promenade would continue as a durable concrete path all the way to One Steamboat Place. In addition, the first segment of Burgess Creek with a small waterfall and a pond would be built in the summer and fall.’

I think that this a very efficient solution. The concrete-surfaced path will be durable, and it’s OK if you plow it and salt it. And this is only the currently budgeted aspect of the project. To finish off the project in the future there will be fire pits, two bridges over the creek and public art, further tying together the base of the mountain.

With these new improvements to the base, in addition to the opening of the Truffle Pig and the completion of One Steamboat Place and Edgemont, the Steamboat Ski Resort has seen a complete remodeling of the base area. Still designed with Steamboat’s heritage and western influences in mind, the improvements will add to the beauty of the resort while hopefully improving everyone’s experience.

If you have any questions about the updates to the base area, feel free to contact me. I am an active member of the Urban Renewal Area Advisory Committee and would love to answer any questions you have.

Intrawest has recently announced that they have completed refinancing their previously outstanding debt payments. ‘The company said in a news release yesterday it has repaid its prior lenders in full and completed a new loan that is scheduled to mature in 2014. It did not disclose terms of the new loan.’ In early March it had been reported that the new debt restructuring includes Fortress, the private investment group behind Intrawest, investing more equity directly into the company.

The foreclosure notice on Highmark was withdrawn last week. ‘Fifteen units at The Highmark, at the base of Steamboat Ski Area, went on sale as part of an auction March 12. Of those, eight units were sold. The remaining seven have been on the open market since that time.’ The units that were sold at the auction at likely to cover the outstanding debt Highmark possessed. The article in The Steamboat Pilot continues stating that ‘because the remaining seven properties are selling well, it does not appear that the lien holder will put the final three units back into foreclosure after the first foreclosure was withdrawn.’ A good step in the right direction for the future of Highmark.

One Steamboat Place, Trailhead Lodge and Edgemont have seen success in their sales in 2009, but are continuing to push forward looking to better their sales in 2010. ‘According to research compiled by Bruce Carta, of Land Title Guarantee Co., from Routt County Assessor’s records, Edgemont developer Atira Group has realized $30.28 million on sales of 13 condominiums, and Trailhead Lodge, developed by Resort Ventures West, has sold 32 condominiums for a combined value of $27.43 million. One Steamboat Place, which began closing sales late in 2009, has reached $71 million, including 11 whole-ownership condominiums accounting for $40.45 million and 73 Residence Club memberships, which add $30.65 million.’

The article in the Steamboat Pilot notes that one of the most encouraging signs is seeing resort lenders come back into the market. The sales director at Edgemont stated that he was ‘impressed and encouraged by the fact that four of Edgemont’s 13 buyers were able to arrange conventional financing for the condominium purchases.’ With financing becoming easier for people interested in one of these luxury developments this should, among other factors, help initiate a stronger interest in these communities. If you are interested in learning more about One Steamboat Place, Edgemont, or Trailhead lodge feel free to send me an email or call me at 970.819.6930.

A recent NY Times article has reported on the recovery of Jumbo Loans in the US. They have reported that ‘mortgage industry executives say conditions are improving for those borrowing more than $729,750, the threshold for jumbo mortgage…Not only is it starting to get easier to qualify for these loans, they say, but rates are also coming down.’ This will hopefully ease the process for buyer in working toward their dream homes and is a sign that lenders have increased their confidence in the luxury real estate market.

The change toward jumbo rate mortgages now allows the most highly qualified borrowers to secure a 4.5 percent adjustable-rate mortgage. ‘This is about half of a percentage point lower than the prevailing rate late last year.’ In addition the average rate for a 30-year fixed jumbo loan is 5.125 percent. The amount of equity that needs to be maintained in your home has decreased from 30%, the amount needed at the end of 2009 to only 20% today. This means that you are allowed maintain a lower amount of equity in your home than previous years. This is another indicator that faith in luxury real estate market is recovering.

This is likely to increase activity and reduce inventory over the next year so it may be a good time to start looking more seriously around Steamboat. If you are interested in learning more about different real estate ventures in Steamboat, contact me at jon@mybrokers.com or 970.819.6930

According to recently released NAR (National Association of Realtors) statistics, vacation-home sales rose 7.9 percent in 2009 from 513,000 in 2008, to 553,000 this past year. An encouraging figure. ‘NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said, The typical vacation-home buyer is making a lifestyle choice, with nine out of 10 saying they intend to use the property for vacations or as a family retreat.’ The median transaction price of a vacation home also increased, from $150,000 in 2008 to $169,000 in 2009.  Vacation home sales up in 2009 shows that despite this difficult economic climate, people are still interested and committed to making changes to best suit their lifestyle and goals for themselves and family.

We are seeing similar trends occurring in Steamboat. Buyers are beginning to come back into the market. The past four months have seen sales higher than those of the same month last year. People are continuing to find opportunities that meet both their financial goals and their personal dreams. If you are interested in learning more about a vacation home in Steamboat or would like more statistics on the state of the market, feel free to give me a call at 970.819.6930 or send me an email at jon@mybrokers.com