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Three years ago, Summit County Sellers had buyers lining up to buy their property.  They were getting top dollar and receiving a nice appreciation.

It isn’t a surprise that it is a  buyer’s market out there which is great news for buyers, not so great for sellers. Sellers are no longer in a position to dictate the rules of the game and have to be careful how they respond and counter to offers, due to the fact that if a buyer doesn’t get his way he might just move on to the next seller, and there are a lot of sellers out there.

Summit County is usually last to feel a recession and last to recover. Interest rates are still very low, and now is the time to get in the market for the buyer.

If you purchased your home in Summit County within the last few years, you should not expect to make any money if you sell today.  This is the type of market we are experiencing. The good news is, if you owned a home in another part of the Country, you would be fortunate if you didn’t have to take a loss on your home.  Also, if you purchased your home within the past 5-10 years, you will most likely be able to experience a return on your investment.  The problem that we see is the Seller’s still want more money back, if this is the case than hold on to your property for a few more years.

There are a few difficult things about being a seller today. A seller doesn’t know how long it will take to sell his home and when he gets a contract he can’t guarantee whether another one will come or not. What this means is that if a seller has to sell his home then he has to be wary of scaring the buyer away.

The inspection is one aspect of a contract where a seller can lose his shirt. If trying to sell your home it is a wise idea to have your home inspected before listing your home. This way you can make the necessary improvements and will avoid being surprised by unexpected requests. Because sellers are not in a position to capitalize on their real estate investment it is more important than ever to be on top of things, in order to retain as much value as possible.

An experienced Realtor is incredibly helpful in maneuvering a tricky real estate market, enabling a seller to evaluate his home, price it appropriately and sell it in a reasonable amount of time. For more information give Leah Baxter a call 970-389-6367 or if you would like a free market analysis leah@leahbaxter.com – www.leahbaxter.com for a list of all the properties available in Summit County.

Sourced from: Kinetic Content Library

"Great home for the first time home Buyer"

If you are thinking about using the extended and expanded home buyer tax credit to purchase a home this year you better act fast.  Now is the perfect time to get a great deal on a home in Summit County or surrounding areas. The tax credit can be used on homes purchased by July 1, 2010, but the homes must be under contract by April 30, 2010. The prices of Single Family homes and other types of properties (i.e. Condo’s, Duplexes, Town homes) have come back down to price points we were seeing in 2006.   You have a little more than a month to locate your new home. Check out the MLS on current listings in Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper Mountain, Frisco, Silverthorne or Dillon.

What does this mean?  The tax credit is for two types of buyers, first time home buyers (home buyers who have not owned a home in the past 3 years) or home owners who have lived in their home for 5 of the past 8 years and want to purchase a new primary residence.
Important aspects of the tax credit include:

• Homes must be closed by July 1, 2010, under contract by April 30, 2010.
• Homes must have a value of $800,000 or less and must be the buyer’s primary residence.
• There are income restrictions, $125,000 for singles, $225,000 for couples.
• The credit is also affected by being single or married. Married couples who file together are entitled for up to $8,000 for a first home buyer, up to $6,500 for current homeowners. Single people are entitled for up to $4,000 for a first time home buyer and $3,250 for a current homeowner.
• The credit will need to be repaid if you sell your home within a time period of 36 months.

Leadville is only 30 minutes to Summit County and there is a perfect 3bd/2ba home for Sale for $230,000.  The Summit Stage runs between Copper Mtn. and Leadville for $5, so you don’t have to even worry about the commute.  What are you waiting for now is the time and it is  running out! Contact Leah Baxter,  or  email leah@leahbaxter.com at ReMax in Frisco  to start looking for your new home if you intend on using the tax credit.

Phone direct-970-389-6367

BRECKENRIDGE- The average price of a SF home sold  in Breckenridge was $1.34 million, price per sq. ft. was $327sq ft.  The avg. Sales price for a duplex was $956k  or $325 per sq. ft.. The avg. price of a condo sold was $576k  or $431 per sq. ft.   The avg. price of a Town home was $300k or $409 per sq ft. 

COPPER MOUNTAIN- The average price of  a SF home sold  was $1.5 million or $276 per sq. ft.   The average price of a condo was $504k or $365 per sq. ft. 

FRISCO- The average price of a SF home was $929k or $273 per sq. ft.  The average price of a Duplex was $769k or $248 per sq. ft. The average price of a condo was $448k or $289 a sq. ft.  The average price of a Town home was $1 million or $471 a sq. ft.

KEYSTONE- The average price of  SF home sold was $1.5 million or $352 per sq. ft. The average price for a condo was $500k or $346 per sq. ft.  The avg. price of a Townhome was $1.29 million or $268 per sq. ft. 

SILVERTHORNE/DILLON- The average price of a Single family home sold for $967k or $252 per sq. ft. The average price for a duplex was $638k  or $229 per sq. ft.  The average price of a condo was $332k or $289 per sq. ft.  The average price of a townhouse was $527k or $241 per sq. ft. 
The change of the average sales price from 09 vs 08 are as follows: Breckenridge was -3.2% , Frisco was -5.3%, Copper MT. was +2.8% , Keystone was +5.0% Dillon was -5.1%, Silverthorne and Wildernest were +0.5%.
These statistics were obtained from SAR’s MLS Database.  This information is believed to be accurate, but has not been verified.  Buyers and Sellers are cautioned to verify all information to their own satisfaction. 

If you would like a free Comparable Market Analysis of your property, please email me at leah@leahbaxter.com or call 970-389-6367.

It’s fall in Summit County, but what is this snow about?
We did have a cold spell this week and received a light dusting of snow, meaning that Ski Season is right around the corner.
Have you picked up your ski pass yet? Don’t worry there is still time. Did you know you can get a ski pass for as little as $399 for the season?? Yes it is true. If you have never had a season pass, the first time you get one you do need to go in person to the designated areas and get your picture taken, then every year after that it can be renewed online. For Vail ski resorts ticket sales, or Copper Mtn. click on the links. 
What is one to do if you live out of state? Well, I think it is definitely worth your while to make a trip out and take care of it, especially if you plan on just spending one week or more here during the ski season. Think about it, it would cost you $80-$90 a day if you walked up to the ticket window.
While you are at it, come and enjoy the beautiful fall we are experiencing. Yes, it has stopped snowing and the sun is back and we are expected to get up to 70 degrees by Monday.
If you are really motivated and are still considering that dream mountain property, there are still some great investments out there folks. We currently have 1932 properties available from a studio condo to a $8 million dollar compound. Contact Leah Baxter at 970-389-6367 or visit my website www.leahbaxter.com to search for properties.
“It’s a beautiful Day in Paradise!”

Copper Mtn. September 22, 2009

Bike Path in Frisco with the Fall Colors in Full Force

Sailing on Lake Dillon

Have you ever been to the mountains in the summertime, such as Breckenridge, Frisco, Silverthorne, Keystone, Copper MT.?  If not, you are missing a hidden secret.  Many people come skiing here in the wintertime and have a wonderful time, yet they have never experienced a Summer here.

There is so much going on every weekend.  Every Friday there is a Farmer’s Market in Dillon, every Wednesday there is one in Frisco.  We have a BBQ challenge next weekend in Frisco, bike races going on.  There is a half marathon and 10k run from Copper-Frisco and beyond.  This weekend is a film festival happening in Breckenridge.  There are music concerts every Sat. night at the Dillon amphitheater that are FREE.  I can go on and on, if you want to find out more information check on my calendar of events on my website www.leahbaxter.com

Also don’t forget all of the free activities, hiking, biking, camping, just kicking back and relaxing and people watching.  If you are thinking about a second home in Summit county check out the MLS for free to see what you might be able to buy, or just give me a call Leah Baxter 970-389-6367.

It is now the end of April, we are finally heading into our Spring.  Most of the Ski resorts are closed for the season and everyone is gearing up for our Summer Season.

Have you been thinking about buying property for quite some time, but wonder if it is a good time or not?  Now is a great time to buy properties in Summit County!  We are experiencing price points from 2007 and 2006.  Our market is currently flat,  and Seller’s seem to be a little more motivated these days .  The best part about buying now are that Interest rates are at an all time low under 5%. 

Resort real estate is a great long term investment, even if you are just trying to get into the market, you can get a studio for as low as $124,900.  That is the lowest prices studio in Summit County.  There isn’t as much competition between buyers now, so don’t wait until the frenzy begins again, which historically will happen as soon as consumer confidence emerges. 

So, if you have thought about that mountain property, and would like to see what is available, give me a call 970-389-6367 or check out my website www.leahbaxter.com.

Also check out all of the properties Summit County has to offer, what are you waiting for?

Have you been dreaming about that Mountain home in the heart of Breckenridge, but can’t spend over a million dollars?  Well, I have the solution for you.  You could own this luxury 4 bedroom, 3 bath, fully furnished  3931 square foot home for $425,000.

Yes, it is true, it is called a quarter share ownership property.  The way that this works is you have a deeded 1/4 share and use the property one week a month.  The weeks rotate forward every year, so you will get a holiday week at least every four years,if not, more often.  It is a great way to own property in Breckenridge without robbing the bank. 

This property is a perfect mountain home with all the trimmings, located in Breckenridge and offering million dollar views!  Exquisitely furnished to the last detail to insure you feel completely at ease including your own personal storage spaces.This 25% Fractional Ownership Opportunity is designed for the buyer with discriminating taste that will appreciate this beautiful home .

For more information contact Leah Baxter at 970-389-6367 or email leah@leahbaxter.com.

 If you are considering a second home in Summit County, but don’t want to own a Single Family home what are your options?  Well, your choices are a Condo, Duplex or Town home.

 Condo is a property that shares interior hallways and sometimes has a common exterior door.  The property that you own is inside your front door. The common areas (which are considered the exterior, grounds, etc.) are typically for the use of everyone and these areas are maintained by a homeowner association.  The association dues are what you pay for this exterior maintenance, ( i.e. trash removal , water, sewer, grounds, exterior insurance,  snow removal, and  usually cable TV is included).  As an added bonus, sometimes the heat and gas may also be included in the association fees. Several of the condos do have various amenities which may include a clubhouse, pool, hot tub, fitness area, tennis courts.  The fees are pro-rated according to the square footage of the condo that you own.  Also, the more amenities and maintenance that is  required, the fees may be higher. If you don’t want to worry about anything as far as maintenance is concerned, this is probably a great option for you. Here is an example of a condo listed in Frisco.

Town home- Typically have their own exterior maintenance and there may be only 3 units attached to each other.  These units usually have a garage, in most cases, and you usually do not share hallways.  The association fees typically operate the same as a condo complex, however, generally speaking,  the heat and gas are usually not included.  These units are usually larger than condos, and  typically have rooms upstairs and downstairs which makes it  feel more roomy than a condo. Example of a town home listed in Frisco.

Duplex- This is the closest that you will come to a single family home.  A duplex typically has some land with it (your own yard) or space.  There is only one other property attached to this.  In Summit County, several duplexes are attached at the garage area, so you may not even notice your neighbors.  The advantage of a duplex is that they can be as large as a single family home, if not even larger.  The price is usually not as high as a single family home.  Most duplexes have some type of association agreement, but usually you are responsible for maintenance and upkeep of your own property including water, sewer, heat,cable etc.  The fees are much lower on a duplex. This is a great option for an owner to occupy full-time or as a second home.

This is an example of a duplex listed in Frisco.

For more information on listings in Summit County check on the MLS.

Contact Leah Baxter at Leah@leahbaxter.com or 970-389-6367 for more information.