Vail Homes & Real Estate Blog

Vail Valley real estate comprises towns, Colorado ranches, exclusive golf communities and world-class ski resorts along the Interstate 70 corridor in the Rocky Mountains of Central Colorado.  Stretching from Vail Pass and East Vail to Gypsum and Red Sky Ranch, the Vail Valley is a growing sector of Eagle County.

What are your tastes in Vail Colorado real estate?  Buyers seeking second homes and vacation homes search for ski resort real estate in Vail, Beaver Creek, Bachelor Gulch, and Arrowhead.  Buyers dreaming of expansive views and golf course amenities search Vail real estate for Cordillera homes and Cordillera land lots, East Vail homes, Beaver Creek real estate, Singletree homes, and homes at Eagle Ranch and Gypsum.  Buyers desiring in-town convenience search for Vail Valley homes in the towns of Edwards, Avon, Eagle, Minturn, and Gypsum.

The Eagle County Regional Airport and Jet Center offers residents and visitors convenient transportation to mountain homes and recreation in Eagles Nest Wilderness Area and the White River National Forest that surround some of the world’s most scenic ski resorts, golf course communities and mountain neighborhoods that call Vail Valley home.

Vail Valley has a lot to offer full time and seasonal residents and guests.  Its casual yet cosmopolitan lifestyle is reminiscent of European ski communities.  Small towns and villages that host visitors from around the nation and globe are enriched by the diverse community talent.

Eagle County features much to do, including local and national events at the Vilar Center for the Performing Arts, the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, and the absolutely unlimited resources for mountain recreation and high-altitude golf.

Besides the outback opportunities for hunting, fishing, camping, horseback treks, and skiing Back Bowls, the alpine communities are connected with trail systems used by hikers and bikers.  Most are connected by the free bus shuttle systems, too.  Several ski areas are connected by village-to-village skiing.  Gold medal fly-fishing holes on Gore Creek and the Eagle River are within walking distance of a great number of homes in Vail Valley. In addition, the pedestrian friendly ski villages encourage a friendly camaraderie.

The Vail Valley invites you to come sample our mountain glory.

Buying Vail Valley Real Estate

For information about resort and mountain properties, ski and golf real estate, and great values for luxury mountain homes in Eagle County, call Cordillera resident Joe Johns of Grand Seasons Real Estate Team and co-owner of Keller Williams Mountain Properties at (970) 471-1432.  We appreciate the needs of property owners with multiple homes.

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This summer, children ages 3-14 who are living in or visiting Vail Colorado homes, condos in Beaver Creek, Cordillera real estate, and the I-70 corridor of Eagle County are out swimming, rock climbing, horseback riding, fishing, and more.  They happily discover the beauty and culture of our scenic mountain communities during a variety of summer programs designed for young children.

Parents and grandparents of Vail Valley homes:  Take note of the activities available through Vail Recreation District, Vail Stables Camp, Minturn Anglers, Alpine Arts Center, Beaver Creek Kids Day Camp, Walking Mountains Science Center, and Western Eagle County Recreational District.  Other areas such as Vail Mountain offer activities for families.

Vail Recreation District camps and programs are designed for ages 4-13.  They include classes, leagues, and events to help children improve in a sport, understand life in the mountains, and ways to simply have fun.  Call (970)479-2292.Vail Stables Camps are for ages 3-14.  Beginning with the experience of closeness to piglets, ducklings, chicks, and goats and a mini-donkey at a petting zoo, the children move on to learn how to groom, lead, saddle, feed, and ride horses.  Call 970-476-6941.

Minturn Anglers runs camp for children ages 6-12, including exploring mountains, seeking wildlife, and fly fishing.  Call 970-827-9500.Alpine Arts Center for ages 3-12 teachings painting, drawing, pottery, and print-making.  Call 970-926-2732.Beaver Creek Kids Day Camp for ages 5-13 includes lots of arts and crafts, horseback riding, and a visit to the Matawin Teepee Village.  970-754-5464.Walking Mountains Science Center for ages 6-13 is a hands-on outdoor learning experience.  Students observe, work together, conduct research, and delve into the natural surroundings.  970-827-9725.

Western Eagle County Recreation District Day Camps for ages 5-13 include swimming, rock climbing, laser tag, sports, anti-gravity fun, team building, archery, and special activities.  For Edwards, call 970-766-5555, Eagle 970-328-5277, and Gypsum 970-777-888.

Vail Mountain recently addeda 45-minute mountaintop horseback tour from Eagle’s Nest through Game Creek Bowl and back for ages 7 and up.  The tour can be combined with lift and lunch packages.  Younger children can ride ponies at Adventure Ridge.  The Eagle Bahn Gondola is open to transport bikers and hikers to Berrypicker (hike from Vail Village to Lionshead) and cross-country and single-track biking trails.

Vail Mountain Adventure Ridge offers the new Top of the Mountain Tour, bungee trampoline, climbing wall and the kids Dino Dig. Mini-golf and disc golf,slack line park, bocce ball, horseshoes and bean bag toss.  Call 970-754-8245 for more information.

For information about Cordillera properties and memberships, ski and golf real estate and great values for luxury mountain homes in Eagle County, call Cordillera resident Joe Johns of Grand Seasons Real Estate Team and co-owner of Keller Williams Mountain Properties at (970) 471-1432.  We appreciate the needs of property owners with multiple homes.

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Set in the Gore Mountains at an 8,200-foot elevation, just beyond golden Peak and its scenic Vail Colorado real estate are the highest botanical gardens in North America:  Betty Ford Alpine Gardens.  When you come searching for Vail vacation real estate, a second home in Vail Valley, or a Cordillera home to retire to on the golf course, stop a while and wander through the tranquil oases.

Betty Ford Alpine Gardens offer a glimpse into another side of Vail: the tamed Rocky Mountain wilderness.  The gardens open to another world, a world with magnificent perfection down to the last detail.  Besides the peaceful environment, stunning views and vibrant landscapes, Betty Ford Gardens feature a range of educational programs and activities for children and adults, mountain wildflower hikes, guided tours, classes, and exhibits.

In addition to the simple beauty, the living collection of alpine plants supports education and research.  Many of the world’s unique and beautiful high-elevation plants are conserved in the dramatic splashes of perennial beds, rock gardens, and waterfalls.  Curators fully document activity, providing crucial support for diminishing mountain plant populations.

Regularly scheduled Summer 2011 activities include:

• Guided Tours on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 10:30 a.m.
• Garden Volunteer Days on Mondays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. until noon.
• Children’s Program for ages 5-10 on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.
• Yoga in the gardens on Mondays and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. until 10:15 a.m.

Then there are scheduled programs such as art in the Gardens with watercolor, acrylic and oil pointing and photography, Chefs in the Gardens at Vail Valley restaurants, Music in the Gardens with performances from visiting symphonies and chamber orchestras, Author’s Talks and Bravo Performance Prelude, and an Alpine Treasures Trunk Show.

Open seven days a week from dawn to dusk, the gardens are at their prime from mid-June until August.  They just may be near the real estate you dreamed about.  Take the main Vail exit to South Frontage Road.  Betty Ford Gardens are at 183 Gore Creek Drive.

For information about luxury mountain homes in Eagle County, ski and golf real estate, and great values in today’s market, call Cordillera resident Joe Johns of Grand Seasons Real Estate Team and co-owner of Keller Williams Mountain Properties at (970) 471-1432.

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Come join residents of Vail CO homes at Beaver Creek tomorrow for summer excitement on the mountain.  British Special Forces designed not the homes in Vail but an arduous nine-mile obstacle course through 4200 feet of elevation changes.

On Saturday and Sunday, June 25-26, 2011, ten thousand racers and throngs of cheering friends and family are landing in Vail Valley for the Beaver Creek Tough Mudder events. Witness the race as participants pace themselves through the Boa Constrictor, Funky Monkey and other extraordinary challenges.  Start times will be staggered throughout the weekend.

Make yourself at home in Beaver Creek and the Vail Valley.  Benefitting the Wounded Warrior Project, the lifts will be rolling and viewing seats are for sale.  June is a beautiful time to view Beaver Creek and Vail real estate in Cordillera, Edwards, and explore the ski villages, small towns, and gated communities.

This 2 ½ hour course designed by British Special Forces promises to test competitors’ all-around strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie.   “It’s Ironman meets Burning Man, and it is coming to Beaver Creek” in the morning.It’s not your normal race!  Finish times are not important.   “Simply completing a Tough Mudder is a badge of honor.”  The Vail Daily Staff Report on June 18 called this one of the “toughest events on the planet.”

Competitors will meet themselves on the hillsides, in the Kiss of Mud, in the snow and water, on ropes, through fire, in the Gauntlet, and in the high-voltage charge.

The Beaver Creek Resort website is employing the shock effect.  “Be sure to get your radio-frequency anklets at Packet-Pick up this weekend.  They’ll automatically update your Facebook status once you’ve gone through obstacles like the electroshock therapy.”  Sounds like a new technology will be unveiled.

Sunday onsite registrations are still open.  The entry fee includes an event t-shirt, one beer, and live music at the post party.  Spectator tickets are a $15 suggested donation to benefit The Wounded Warrior Project.

Can’t make it? Go to the LiveTough Blog to stay up to date on Tough Mudder Colorado throughout the day.Spectator tickets are a $15 suggested donation. All proceeds benefit The Wounded Warrior Project

For information about luxury mountain homes in Eagle County, ski and golf real estate, and great values in today’s market, call Cordillera resident Joe Johns of Grand Seasons Real Estate Team and co-owner of Keller Williams Mountain Properties at (970) 471-1432.

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Vail Valley gardeners naturally add colorful baskets and flowering bushes to the landscapes of their Vail Colorado homes.  This year more residents of Vail CO real estate have started garden plots.  The Vail Daily Newspaper says a new crop of community gardeners are putting in roots in Brushy Creek, Eagle Vail, and West Vail.  Residents of Vail homes are following a national trend being seen in communities as large as Detroit.

By June, gardeners across a sunnier Vail Valley—from mountain homes in East Vail, around Beaver Creek and Cordillera homes to Colorado ranches further west—are out planting an array of trees, bushes, crops, flowers, and vegetables.  Many Vail homeowners have carefully prepped and planted garden plots in their yards.  Some are avid gardeners, already familiar with the steps necessary to successful harvesting and beautiful blooms in high altitudes.  Others will learn the hard way through experimentation.

Newcomers to vacation homes in Vail and new gardeners are setting about learning about the hardy plants that love the sunny days and cool nights in the mountains.  The bachelors who grew and sold crops in the area now known as Bachelor Gulch chose a quick-growing popular crop:  lettuce.

There are tricks to keeping the deer, rabbits, and insects away from the buds.  It is important to know which varieties need full sun and which ones need some shade.

On June 18, 2011, the Vail Daily article entitled “Community gardens sprout around valley” noted the growing number of community gardens in the Vail Valley.  The Daily quotes Vail’s environmental sustainability coordinator Kristen Bertuglia.  “People are looking at the connection between their food, the impact on the environment and their health.”

At Brush Creek Park Community Gardens, members participate in maintaining and improving the gardens, and they make compost.  One-hundred-twenty residents of Eagle-Vail real estate lined up for 40-50 spots in a community garden planned at the former site of the Eagle-Vail swimming pool.  Another 16 plots in a community garden near Stephens Park in West Vail are sold out.

Community gardeners also delight in seeing neighbors they usually don’t meet.  Participants include hobby gardeners, landscape architects, master gardeners, and new gardeners working shoulder to shoulder.  Brush Creek involved its entire community to clean out the barn and build raised beds.  Teachers are bringing young students to learn the art and science of growing vegetables and flowers.  Community roots grow right along with the gardens.

For information about luxury mountain homes in Eagle County, ski and golf real estate, and great values in today’s market, call Joe Johns of Grand Seasons Real Estate Team and co-owner of Keller Williams Mountain Properties at (970) 471-1432.

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Eagle County Charter Academy (ECCA) enriches the lives of many students, parents, and teachers from homes in Vail Valley.  Colorado ranches, and gated communities of Eagle County, Colorado are choked full of active, talented residents who pour their hearts into the unique public school.

Part of the public Eagle County School system, ECCA serves students in Grades Kindergarten through Grade 8.  Most live along the I-70 corridor near Vail and Beaver Creek ski resorts:  Vail and Beaver Creek homes; Avon, Edwards and Cordillera CO homes, and further out to Eagle and Gypsum real estate.   The physical address of Eagle County Charter Academy is 1105 Miller Ranch Road, Edwards, Colorado.  Families relocating to Eagle County homes can reach ECCA at 970-926-0656.

ECCA has been awarded nine School of Excellence banners.  It is recognized as a John Irwin School of Excellence.  GreatSchools gives it a 10 of 10 rating.

The success of the school begins with a highly qualified, motivated staff.  They build a nurturing environment.  All teachers develop and implement rigorous curricula, but are given the freedom to innovate.  They each assert their own instructional styles while implementing the curriculum based on the Colorado State Content Standards and Benchmarks.

Founding teacher Jennifer Loper emphasized the arts, etiquette, and social dance.   Annah Scully of the Vail Daily reported on the end of the year Cotillion Celebration showcasing the fifth and six grade class.  The students met weekly “to learn and practice proper etiquette and enjoy the art of social dance,” she began.  “From the traditional elegance of ballroom to the electrifying beat of Latin as well as trendy hip hop, these lucky students get to learn it all.”  Parents enjoyed watching and dancing with their little Fred Astaire and Ginger Roger look-alikes.

And parents are also critical to the success of ECCA.  The impressive parent involvement and small class sizes allow ECCA to emphasize strong core academics and character development.  Each trimester, “Hawk Honors” are awarded to the youngsters in categories of “growth, work, respect, camaraderie, integrity and leadership.”

Classes differ from other Eagle County Schools.  The individualized learning program offers experiential learning, differentiated lesson plans, and lots of hands-on learning.  The students take particular interest in band, debate, and P.E. classes.  An extended learning environments developed respectful, responsible, and accountable learners who find satisfaction contributing back to the community.

For information about luxury mountain homes in Eagle County, ski and golf real estate, and great values in today’s market, call Joe Johns of Grand Seasons Real Estate Team and co-owner of Keller Williams Mountain Properties at (970) 471-1432.

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Let us compare the price per square foot (ppsf) for Colorado luxury homes in Vail Valley/Eagle County with other Colorado resort communities.  Mixing figures for sales of single-family and multi-family homes, the ppsf varies by neighborhood, amenities, and distance from ski resorts such as Vail and Beaver Creek, golf courses, and other cultural and recreational amenities.

Sales of Eagle County Vail homes in April 2011 averaged $437 per square foot.Prices per square foot of sold properties in Vail Valley this past April are East Vail ($396), Vail Golf course ($453), Vail Village ($1,560), Lionshead ($1,213), Cascade Village ($629), West Vail real estate ($426).  In addition, there’s Beaver Creek ($725), Bachelor Gulch ($872), Arrowhead ($444), Edwards ($265), and Cordillera ($314).  The average transaction price was $1,077,428 and median transaction price $499,000.

From this purely statistical vantage, it becomes evident that Vail properties in general and Cordillera CO homes in particular offer terrific deals for beautiful mountain luxury homes with resort amenities galore.  Cordillera features golf, skiing, hiking, equestrian facilities, fishing, and much more!

In April 2011, Land Title Guarantee Company tracked sales in the five counties where they have offices:

1. Eagle County real estate, including Vail, Minturn, Beaver Creek, Bachelor Gulch, Arrowhead, Avon, Cordillera, Edwards, Eagle, Gypsum
2. Garfield County real estate, including Glenwood Springs, New Castle, and Rifle
3. Pitkin County, including Aspen and Snowmass
4. Routt County, including Steamboat Springs
5. Summit County, including Breckenridge, Dillon, Frisco, Copper Mountain, and Keystone

Gross sales of Vail Valley/Eagle County homes led the five-county region in dollar amount for Q1 201, 2010, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, and 2004.  In 2009, gross sales in Pitkin County overtook sales of Eagle County homes.  In 2011, the Year-to-Date Gross Sales for single-family and multi-family homes through April total:

1. Eagle County: $300,740,958
2. Garfield County: $60,809,800
3. Pitkin County: $289,131,493
4. Routt County: $95,106,100
5. Summit County: $126,757,900

The average price per square foot in these communities from Q1 2010 through Q1 2011 is as follows:

1. Eagle County:  $256.19 for single-family homes, $587.90 for multi-family homes
2. Garfield County:  $147.55 for single-family homes, $114.99 for multi-family homes
3. Pitkin County:  $801.40 for single-family homes, $898.92 for multi-family homes
4. Routt County:  $232.52 for single-family homes, $288.60 for multi-family homes
5. Summit County:  $246.89 for single-family homes, $351.90 for multi-family homes

Incidentally, Trevor Theelke from Land Title report in an e-communication dated June 3, 2011 that real estate transactions are “on the upswing with year-to-date transactions in Eagle County at 407, the highest since 2008.”  A fifth of these sales were REO properties.  Yet a substantial number are new projects and high-end homes, especially at Beaver Creek Mountain.

For information about luxury mountain homes in Eagle County, ski and golf real estate, and great values in today’s market, call Cordillera resident Joe Johns of Grand Seasons Real Estate Team and co-owner of Keller Williams Mountain Properties at (970) 471-1432.

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Seasonal residents of Vail CO homes head back for the four days of 2011 Teva Mountain Games June 2-5, 2011.  Some are participants.  Others join over 35,000 spectators on hand for the festivities.  The Teva Mountain Games in 2010 provided Vail businesses with a $4 million economic boost.

Once again, the annual Teva Mountain Games brighten Vail with competitors from around the world who are here to win and enjoy each other’s company, beautiful Vail mountain homes and real estate charming town and splendid recreation.  Vail’s booming in June.  Kayakers float, paddlers balance, climbers persist, runners endure, and bikers show their tricks during the Teva Mountain Games.  In 2010, almost 2,200 athletes joined the games.

Eagle County Vail Valley real estate continues to draw creative sporting, recreational, and culturally minded residents and visitors to its doors.  The Vail Daily Newspaper reported on the history of the Teva Mountain Games.  Joel Heath started the Jeep Whitewater Festival a decade ago with a simple kayak race from Minturn through Dowd Chute to Avon.  It became the Teva Whitewater Festival.

Eventually, Heath brought the competition to Vail.  He added rock climbing and trail running, calling it the Teva Mountain Games.  Additional sports joined the throng year after year, sparking a kind of magic that gained the Teva Mountain Games international acclaim.

Annual competitor Ken Hoeve of Gypsum told the Daily, “You can participate at the highest level in your sport and then go watch people participate at the highest level in their sport.”

Intentionally getting involved to keep the games in Vail, Vail Valley Foundation bought the event from Heath.  The Foundation provides valuable marketing exposure and backbone to sustain the ever-growing events.

From humble beginnings with 241 athletes to thousands of participants today, the Teva Mountain Games have enhanced the view of Vail as a year-round vacation and recreation getaway.

For information about Cordillera properties, ski and golf real estate and great values for luxury mountain homes in Eagle County, call Cordillera resident Joe Johns of Grand Seasons Real Estate Team and co-owner of Keller Williams Mountain Properties at (970) 471-1432

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Spanning almost 8000 acres in the Rocky Mountains of Central Colorado, Cordillera CO real estate offers top value and consistent quality for elegant mountain-style living with a flare.  Last week, Cordillera property owners and Members at The Club at Cordillera learned that the Cordillera Club owners decided not to open the Mountain and Summit golf courses this season.  This follows an announcement of a legal dispute with community organizations filed by the club owner.

While Cordillera tightens its belt, all eyes are on the gorgeous Valley Course, already open for golfing pleasure this year.  From a real estate perspective, the suit initiated by the club owner will undoubtedly depress prices.  While this will cause significant injury to unfortunate sellers, it creates a tremendous opportunity for buyers.  Savvy optimists who recognize the true value of homes in Cordillera can seize this legal dispute as an advantage.

Whatever the end result of the legal disputes at the club, eventually they will be resolved.  That resolution will erase the fears that people have and allow a period of property value escalation that quite likely will exceed the rates of increase in the rest other Vail Valley real estate.

Residents of Cordillera CO homes on the Valley Course enjoy a high-desert micro climate at 7,150 feet on the floor of Vail Valley.  The excellent Tom Fazio-designed Valley Course is not a consolation prize.  Its expansive fairways with narrow ravines, and ample bunkers, spring-fed water hazards and mountain streams stretch over 400 acres of sage brushed terrain.

Single-family homes in Cordillera neighborhood-clustered townhomes continue to provide full-time homeowners and second-home owners top quality lifestyle in one of America’s most beautiful mountain communities—just minutes from Vail and Beaver Creek resorts.  Cordillera features exclusive resort services and amenities unequaled anywhere.

Cordillera offers four golf courses and award-winning clubhouses, alpine and Nordic skiing, fishing on the Eagle River, equestrian facilities, family clubhouse and summer camps, hiking and biking trails, fitness facilities and swimming pools, and an active calendar of social, cultural, and educational events and activities.

Apparently, a recent cash-clash between Cordillera’s owners, property owners, and Members, threatening lawsuits, and associated drama preceded the layoff of two golf course crews here for the summer season.   These rumblings are bringing the Cordillera community and its leaders together more than ever before.  They are working out creative solutions to benefit everyone in the long run.

Randy Wyrick in the May 27, 2011 Vail Daily Newspaper quoted Cordillera Transition Corporation’s Bob Vanourek.  “We’re very disappointed….We are preparing an appropriate response and we’re committed to work diligently on behalf of the Cordillera stakeholders, property owners, club members who are not property owners and employees.”

The honored Mountain Residential Community is located 20 minutes from the Eagle Vail Regional Airport and Jet Center and two hours from Denver International Airport.

For information about Cordillera properties, ski and golf real estate and great values for luxury mountain homes in Eagle County, call Cordillera resident Joe Johns of Grand Seasons Real Estate Team and co-owner of Keller Williams Mountain Properties at (970) 471-1432

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