After a dark winter of negative headlines and a lot of fence sitting by Steamboat real estate buyers, April is bringing buyers out into the sunny spring skies.  I don't know if people just got tired of putting off their dreams or the future seems brighter, but more real estate contracts are being written this month than at any time in 2009.

If you are one of those fence sitters who want to buy but keep thinking of reasons not to, here is some food for thought from RIS Media:

According to Christine Karpinski, the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) 2009 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey suggests that the iron is sizzling hot-and if you’re going to strike, the time is now.

“A few years ago when prices were escalating rapidly, people were kicking themselves for not having bought earlier when real estate was far more reasonable,” notes Karpinski, director of Owner Community for HomeAway.com and author of How to Rent Vacation Properties by Owner, 2nd Edition: The Complete Guide to Buy, Manage, Furnish, Rent, Maintain and Advertise Your Vacation Rental Investment. “Well, in 2012 or so, people will look back on 2009 as another missed opportunity.”

Although the average price for Steamboat homes, condos, and land were all up in 2008, the 2009 trend has been lower prices.  The real estate getting offers has been discounted to a point where buyers feel like they are getting real value.  For example, at Eagle Ridge Lodge, there is a condo under contract at $435/sq. ft. while the other active listings are in the $470-$620 price/sq ft range.

More Steamboat homes and condos on the market + Real estate sales volume way down = Serious buyer's market.

Someone once said "they aren't making any more land these days", and Steamboat resort real estate--along with all the other Colorado resort areas--fits into that category.  Some resort counties are up to 80% public land including National forest, BLM land, and state land.  Include the private land placed in conservation easements and land where the development rights have been sold, and you can see why Colorado resort real estate will continue to appreciate over the long term.

People want to live here.   Whether they are the Baby Boomers buying a vacation home as a future retirement home, the Gen X'ers who want to live in the mountains and telecommute, or the Gen Y'ers who have been coming with their families for years, real estate should remain a healthy investment after we get over this current economic hump.

Call (970) 819-6372 to talk about the current Steamboat market and what properties in Routt County are priced to sell, or Search all Steamboat real estate currently on the market here.