Tue, March 9th, 2010

COLORADO
Keystone
Breckenridge
Copper Mountain
Dillon
Frisco
Silverthorne

The new Kidtopia Festival at Keystone Resort has opened its Ultimate Snow Fort on top of Dercum Mountain. The Ultimate Snow Fort, which looks like a castle, features a snow dragon, drawbridge, snow slides, towers to climb, a maze and a throne carved from ice. For more information, go to www.keystonekidtopia.com/kidtopia/

The town of Breckenridge has budgeted $1.68 million for marketing through the Breckenridge Resort Chamber in 2010, but virtually all resorts in western Colorado have higher direct marketing budgets. The Town Council debated placing a 0.5% increase in the town’s sales tax on the April ballot to raise marketing funds, but is undecided whether to go to a sales tax vote in April or wait until November or later.

The inventory of properties on the market has risen, but well priced properties are still selling quickly. Don't wait any longer, now is the time to put your property on the market. Contact our office for a Free Market Analysis of your property.

A travel industry research firm estimates that the online home rental market is approaching $5 billion in business. For western Colorado resort towns, the home rental market means a loss in tax revenue as those renting private homes are not paying lodging taxes. It has become a large enough problem that the Colorado Association of Ski Towns (CAST) has hired an expert to seek out renters in resort towns to ensure that they are in compliance with licensing and tax rules.

Energy-efficiency rebates and low-interest loan programs for local residents to complete energy-efficiency improvements starts early this spring. To read more on the details and to see if you can qualify, click here.

Would you like to experience and enjoy the year round activities that Summit County has to offer? Start making family memories now, while staying in your own mountain property. To look at ScenicWest's current listings, click here.

The Widefield Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), built by Colorado-based Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation, and launched in December, has delivered its first images that show the immense Andromeda galaxy, the closest galaxy to our Milky Way, located 2.5 million light-years from our sun. Check out the first photos at: wise.ssl.berkeley.edu/

Summit County Habitat for Humanity is working with the developer of Braddock West to build five duplexes, with three-bedroom units, over the next five years. The first duplex will likely be constructed this summer. The estimate cost for a unit will be $150,000, and Habitat has a fund raiser set for March 5 to announce plans for the project.

Conforming loans are at 5.12% for 30-year fixed loans. If you are thinking about buying, do it now, and lock in at the current interest rate. Call our office for more information: 1-800-479-2040. Rates are available at ScenicWest's Rate Page.

You can win a pair of lift tickets each to Arapahoe Basin or Copper Mountain Resort in the new “Guess the Mess” contest sponsored by GoI70.com. You can guess the best and worst times to travel on I-70 up to 5 times before 3 p.m. Go to: http://goi70.com/wp/ for more information.

The Denver Post Ride the Rockies will begin June 13 in Grand Junction. This year’s 532-mile route includes stops in Delta, Ouray, Durango, Pagosa Springs, Alamosa and Salida. Cyclists spent an average of $250,000 in each 24-hour period in the stops along the way. For complete information, go to: www.ridetherockies.com.

Our website offers FREE information. Go to our home page for information on Summit County resort activities, Colorado real estate offered by ScenicWest, tools for your real-estate needs, such as a mortgage calculator, and new projects.

Denver International Airport recorded 50,167,485 passengers in 2009, the second time in DIA’s 15-year history that it recorded 50 million passengers. That is just 2.1% below the record 51,245,334 travelers in 2008.

Would you like to be able to enjoy mountain biking on numerous trails, walking to world class skiing, fly fishing in the rivers and golfing on one of the many championship courses? Don't hesitate! If you have ever considered purchasing a mountain property in beautiful Colorado, buy now, and start enjoying your new mountain home.

Are you a coupon clipper? Maybe you’ve always wanted a personal shopper, but can’t afford one. Your solution is to go to www.shoppingdudes.com. You can get coupons, only from retailers you choose and have someone search for what you want to buy, at the price you want to pay.

The Colorado Legislature will consider a bill to be introduced by State Senator Dan Gibbs that would require vehicles weighing more than 26,000 pounds to stay out of the left lanes on grades of 6% or more. If passed, the law would apply on uphill and downhill traffic on Floyd Hill, Georgetown Hill, at Eisenhower Tunnel and Vail Pass.

If you have ever thought about marketing your property, contact our office. We will give you a Free Market Analysis of your property.

For Toyota and Lexus owners facing the recall of vehicles, there is information available from Toyota at: www.toyota.com/recall/ and from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at: www.nhtsa.gov/.

The demand for world-class, four-season properties is enormous. The time to act is now. Keystone Resort has positioned itself to become one of North America's leading destination mountain resorts. It continues to evolve into a world-class, four-season, vacation destination. The area offers many opportunities to purchase a mountain retreat, from ski-in, ski-out condos to secluded mountain homes and homesites. Visit our web page for more information. ScenicWest Home Page

If you want a product review, go to ConsumerReports.org, or maybe ConsumerSearch.com. How about if you want the best, low-priced products? Go to: www.cheapism.com.

If you have ever considered purchasing a mountain property in beautiful Summit County, Colorado, don't hesitate! These opportunities will not be around for long. Buy now before interest rates go higher, and the selection of properties on the market goes down even more.

Ted Turner already owns more than 50,000 bison at his ranches across the West, but he is getting 88 more from Yellowstone National Park, in a program that is putting disease-free animals on public or tribal lands. Turner will care for the animals for five years and in return will get 75% of their offspring, an estimated 188 bison.

Don't Miss Out! Own the Mountain Getaway you have always dreamed of, and benefit from the tremendous increase in property values that are just around the corner!
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The information provided herein is provided from various sources. These are tips which seem to be good ideas, products or services. ScenicWest Real Estate Company is providing this information as a matter of convenience. It has not verified the correctness of the information, or tested or used the services or products mentioned herein. Interested individuals should fully investigate products or services they may be interested in on their own.