Mal's Blog

Lookin' like the old west

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:49:23 -0500

Buena Vista is central to kayaking, rafting and mountain climbing in Colorado. It is a small town and some of the streets are still unpaved...in fact Main Street has only been paved for 50 years or so. Now it is unpaved again...looking a bit like the old west...as we prepare for pedestrian bumpouts, benches, landscaping and new lighting along our main drag. BV as we call it...is a popular area for retirement and second homes. Recently younger families are moving here to live where they play and enjoy small town mountain living. It feels as though fresh thinking has reached critical mass here. Green is in, although the valley is still wearing winter brown backed by white peaks. We will never be Aspen or Vail...we are OK with that. Come join us...or at least drop by.

Fix what?

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 11:37:12 -0500

Many of the blogs I read discuss what it will take to fix the housing market ...not to speak of the rest of the economy. Fixing something requires that we know the end product. However, we are in changing times. Change usually brings something that we have not had before. To be expecting a better...or more profitable... version of what we have before is not change. Change in general is not popular and sometimes scary. The best we can do is to guide the process to the best of our ability and sign on for the ride. The economic landscape is changing.

Which direction is up?

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:11:12 -0500

Customers dropped in the other day. They had heard on the radio that housing values were up here in the Colorado mountains, specifically Chaffee County, and decided it was time to jump on the bandwagon and get a property of their own. Now I had sort of thought that values had not dropped any...or at least much...in the last year. So I decided to check out the source. What I found was that although total home sales for 2008 were down by some 30%, the average sale price was up by nearly 8%. That really isn't a true value of property values...which I think have held pretty well, but it may be a significant number...or not. The number I would like to see go up would be the numer of sales. I'll have to wait on that one.

Which direction is up?

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:05:09 -0500

Customers dropped in the other day. They had heard on the radio that housing values were up here in the mountains, specifically Chaffee County, and decided it was time to jump on the bandwagon and get a property of their own. Now I had sort of thought that values had not dropped any...or at least much...in the last year. So I decided to check out the source. What I found was that although total home sales for 2008 were down by some 30%, the average sale price was up by nearly 8%. That really isn't a true value of property values...which I think have held pretty well, but it may be a significant number...or not. The number I would like to see go up would be the numer of sales. I'll have to wait on that one.

The safety of the Colorado mountains

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 09:41:03 -0600

I just love showing property here on the side of the Continental Divide...surrounded by 13- and 14,000 foot peaks. The beauty is astounding and so far, the housing market is holding tight. I have not noticed any real slip in property values, although sales numbers were down for 2008. On the other hand, I have the longest list of potential buyers that I have ever had at this time of year and many of them are actively looking and plan to buy this Spring. This early season activity is supported by my colleagues in other offices, which makes us feel very buoyant and the troubled economy quite far away. We do feel safe in the mountains!

Old stuff...new ways.

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 10:44:46 -0600

Over the last few weeks I have read a number of blogs and articles that ask 'how do we do business in these unsettled times?' The goals should be the same as they always were. Service to the client, buyer or seller, should be the focal point. If one keeps that purpose firmly in the forefront, everything else will fall into place. How we do business changes with technology, and some deals may offer new learning experiences, but helping the client is the key. Often I see the goal change to save the deal and get a commission once the contract is in place. That often leads to problems. Service works.

Still paradise

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 19:36:11 -0600

I just returned from snowshoeing in the Sawatch range between 10 and 11,000 feet. What a day! Typical Colorado blue sky and lots of dry crunchy snow. The views are wonderful, the forest silent, yet alive. One couple had just summited Mt Yale (14,200 ft) and others were asking if it is always like this in Buena Vista. Well, pretty much. Last year, 337 days with sunshine. Plenty of snow in the mountains, none on the valley floor at 8,000 ft. After 30 years as a meteorologist...I picked right. Now I sell homes to others who have discovered the secret.

Do it your way!

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:18:20 -0600

January is the month when many of us in business take time to reinvent ourselves or update business plans for the new year. With the unsettledness of the economy, and perhaps recent financial downturn for some, it is easy to get caught up in the drama that we see around us. Drama is great fun. It makes us feel alive and part of what is going on. It is also a giving away of our creative ability. Rather than buying into other's drama, sit back, take a deep breath and relax. With practice the needed answers and ideas come easily. It is called intuition. We all have it and it is the more expansive part of our consciousness sending information to the "front line." How many times have you ignored that voice from somewhere and two weeks later wished you hadn't? Paying attention makes life much easier!

Happy New Year...change is in the air.

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 13:30:02 -0600

Change is coming and I think that the change that is coming is major. The world seems to be ready for it and if you felt the energy in Grant Park on election day...whether you were there or not...you could tell there was something different. The critical mass has been achieved and change is underway. Keep in mind that change ususally brings something different...not just a better version of what we have. So as the year progresses, stay flexible and enjoy the new...a lot of old will be leaving.

It's finally here!

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:06:27 -0600

It has finally happened. With snow on and off for the last few days, Buena Vista is looking quite wintry. There are about 6 inches of new Colorado powder on the ground with more promised. The real treat will be when the sky clears and the very white, soft peaks of the surrounding 14,000 foot mountains stand out against a cobalt blue sky. If you have not experienced the Colorado sun and blue sky while playing in deep powder, I invite you to try it.! Better yet, come and stay.

Buena Vista prepares for the holiday

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:50:06 -0600

First you must understand that mountain towns in Colorado are small. We still have just one traffic light in town. But that counts when you are looking for green and red lights. Then there are the lighted swags across the highway at each end of town. They have white lights, but there are red and green decorations on them. Lots of the locals decorate business fronts with white lights and then are other town decorations along Main Street. It really is very pretty at night.

Then there is the no-show snow. Here in the Rockies at 8000, we don't have any on the valley floor right now. Being surrounded by high peaks, snow mainly falls on the outside of the valley in places like Aspen, Copper Mountain, Breckenridge, Keystone...you get the picture. And so as we head for the holidays we have the high white peaks, sticking up over a mile above the valley floor, and the lights, including the traffic light, and nothing to shovel! Come enjoy winter with us!

Good times

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:43:25 -0600

The morning office meeting is over and once again I realize that I am very fortunate to be here. Every broker at the meeting had positive things to say about the office, the business and the state of affairs. Certainly sales are down a bit this year in the Colorado mountains, but values are holding and there are still buyers. In fact, I detected an up-tick in activity during the last week of November.

This is one of the most beautiful valleys in the country and working and playing here are a real treat. Working with colleagues that don't wallow in the negatives is better yet.

Life in the Colorado mountains

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:05:10 -0600

While the rest of the world seems topsy turvey and the financial markets provide hourly whiplash, life here in Buena Vista seems uncommonly quiet and peaceful. Property sales are down this year, but values are holding. We are still listing and selling properties and life really is quite good. It's as if up at this elevation, we are afforded the priviledge of watching the rest of the world do what it does without being sucked into the drama. Being involved in drama is always a choice, but it just seems easier to avoid from this lofty perch.

Property values holding in the Colorado mountains

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:25:03 -0600

Here in Buena Vista, in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, property sales are down from past years mainly because our buyers come from places where the real estate market has taken hard hits. The property values here are holding quite well, foreclosures are not an item, and finding bargains is not easy.

Potential buyers coming here with some cash to make a deal have been disappointed that there are not loads of sellers just waiting to be saved. While on an individual basis, there may be a deal to be had, they are not wholesale.

The good news is that those already here are not experiencing a huge loss of value, the downside is that the buyers are not streaming here as they usually do. But that will change. This is an amazing part of the country in which to live and play and nothing diminishes that!

Thanks to the tourists

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:24:13 -0500

Every summer Buena Vista fills up and the traffic takes some getting used to. Many are here for rafting and kayaking. The Arkansas river is so full, I can hear it all night from my house. The bikers are coming here on the Ride the Rockies tour. The back-country skiers are still working the high-country remains of winter and the peak-baggers are climbing despite the snow.

Then there are the folks just walking the town streets and or course...the folks pulled off by the side of the road to take pictures of the peaks standing more than one mile above the valley floor. Sometimes we locals forget that we live where other come to play. How great is that! Especially since I am a Realtor.

They're here!

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Sun, 25 May 2008 17:57:27 -0500

Sunday morning at the Evergreen. That is where you can usually find me, having breakfast with friends. As of last week, there were many others there as well...creating the line that let's me know "the season" has begun. The rafters are here, the bikers and fisherfolk are here. The campers are here for the holiday weekend and this hustle and bustle will last until Labor Day. Selling properties here in paradise...where everyone wants to be is...well, great!

Warmth works

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:57:49 -0500

For three months it was snow and cold, snow and cold. What a winter! Properties of all types were being listed and sold. NOW....it's snow, warmth and melting. The warmth is making a difference. The snow is going away here on the valley floor, but still many feet of it remain in the mountains. Not only is the snow going away, but buyers are starting to feel the energy of Spring. It seems as though the temperature and the number of buyers have popped. What a great place this is!

Regular snow in paradise

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:05:53 -0600

After tons of winter snow in Buena Vista have just about melted, it snowed yesterday. This, however, was a regular snow. Here in the valley, a regular snow is one that melts soon after the sun comes up...so usually...even at 8000 feet in the winter there is little snow on the ground. This morning, on schedule, the snow melted and every was able to get here for a big closing. Life here certainly is great!

Snow no deterrent

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:23:21 -0600

Here in Buena Vista, at 8,000 feet in the Colorado Rockies, we have just experienced the snowiest and coldest winter on record. Today the sun is out and the temperature is in the 40s and the snow is melting. And through it all, buyers of second and retirement homes have been quite busy, getting the real estate sales season off to a great start. The hottest section of the market is $350,000 and upward which is typically where the custom-built resale market is.

Needless to say, there are some great properties to be had and many of those will be going this season. Here is one that I think is one of the best. It is cozy, affords living on one level and has plenty of guest room on the lower level walkout. For additional information go to http://www.bvcre.net/Trails%20End.html

Mountain retreat in popular Game Trail. $585,000

Welcome to Colorado's banana belt!

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 10:48:30 -0600

What a winter it has been. The snowiest, coldest and windiest on record. This has been a winter like no one here can remember. Usually we get a bit of snow...it melts...and the rest of the day is sunny. This year the snow has come and stayed and then more has come. On the other hand, it has been a real mountain winter and the ski areas are loving it. Those with long driveways...not so much. I must admit, the soft snow on the mountain peaks, pasted on the deep blue Colorado sky make it a dreamland. It always seems that no matter what the weather is here, I know that this is a special place.

A sign of the times

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 10:52:38 -0500

Business has been booming and it seems that there has been no time to get to the high country...really high that is. Fortunately, long-time hiking friends from Michigan let us know that they were headed this way, so I took myself off the schedule with the hope of getting some hiking in. As it turned out, the night before a planned walk on the new CDT, south of Cottonwood Pass, it snowed and the result was enchanting. The walk was cold and the trail slippery in spots, but the texture of the views, with turning aspen and willows, new snow and all gradations of rock color was stunning, This is the important stuff!

Continental Divide Trail at 12,300 ft Cottonwood Pass Road

Trail is great...business is great...how good is this!

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 11:00:30 -0500

Every year I help work on the further development of the Continental Divide Trail..one of my passions. Last week I spend four days above 12,000...how great is that! The first two days were spent walking the proposed new trail. Some of that is in and some just sited. With that effort we now have a GPS trace of the proposed trail between Cottonwood Pass and Tincup. The second two days were spent cutting in new trail along with 25 other volunteers. When done the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail will stretch 3100 miles from the north to south...border to border. (www.cdtrail.org)

And then it was time to go back to real estate...buyers everywhere and I haven't been this busy in months. A couple million in deals can make one feel pretty good. I think I might try sneaking up to the trail again.

Saturday morning at the office

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 13:43:54 -0500

The phone has been a bit quiet this morning and I was thinking that perhaps it ought to ring a bit more. And that may be my biggest problem...how good are things?

We've had a lot of rain this month and the wild flowers in the mountains are phenomenal and the valley is lush green. Don't know that I have even seen a better batch of flowers. I got some great pictures of them while I was checking out new construction on the Continental Divide Trail. I had helped survey for and site a new section of the trail for the last two summers and it was great to see the newly constructed trail. It is nearly a piece of art in the talus-laden back country of Colorado.

Meanwhile, I have a number of folks that are considering properties and my listed properties are getting shown. I developing a class for the Colorado Associatio of Realtors and right now I'm feeling pretty good.

I guess an occasional time at the office with no phone ringing is OK.

Colorado Columbine and me!

Happy 4th of July!

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 10:15:58 -0500

With the celbration of the 4th lasting for about a week, Buena Vista is bustling with visitors. It appears as though every room in town is taken and that will be the case now for much of the summer. This is one of the most intersting, beautiful and out-door oriented places in the country. It is so much fun working with new comers to help them find a property that suits them and allows them to come live where, in many cases, they have come to play over the years.

Now that the Upper Arkansas Valley has really caught on as a place to be, there are more brokers than ever and most seem to be do doing some business, but the key for me is the service. I work to make every transaction, fun, effortless and seamless. In each transaction that may mean different things for me deal with, but for the buyer or seller it should be a smooth ride. I'm usually available by cell...except when enjoying my Rocky Mountain High!

Everything is heating up!

Mal Sillars, MRE (Century 21 Summit Realty) — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 17:38:41 -0500

Yesterday the temperature in Buena Vista, Colorado hit 90 degrees. Tyically that happens once a year...occasionally twice. The air here at 8000 feet in the Heart of the Rockies is quite dry, so that a breeze in the 80s often feels cool. But at this altitude, the sun is strong, so you can be quite comfortable in the sun, with little wind, in the 50s and 60s...so for me 80s seems hot. Hopefully there will not be any more 90-degree-days.

But the visitors love it and they are here in full force and that heat-up we do love. That means land and home sales will be picking up...although they have been quite good anyway. There doesn't seem to be much of a down-turn here in the mountains. Everyone is looking for their Rocky Mountain home. Oh yes, the prices are also going up. That makes it always a good time to buy.