Eby Creek is an area that even many locals don’t know about.  Unless you have a friend who lives there, you probably haven’t ventured up the canyon on the north side of town to the mesa top.  Once you do, you’ll understand what attracts people to this beautiful and quiet neighborhood. 

Eby Creek Mesa is filled with single family homes, lots of open space, neighborhood parks and an abundance of wildlife.  It’s a small area with only around 65 homes surrounded by an extensive trail system that begins on Eby Creek Homeowners’ property and meanders back into federal open space, meaning only homeowners may access the space which makes it even more private and quiet. 

Sitting on the north side of the valley, Eby Creek enjoys sun baked days and absolutely stunning mountain views.  With larger homes at a lower price compared to up valley neighborhoods, Eby Creek residents consider it the hidden gem of the down valley.

For more information on the Eby Creek, Eagle or other Vail Valley real estate contact Karen Gilbert at 970-331-1482 or karen@gatewayland.com or visit my website at www.karensellsvail.com.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFyY7JmEFWw

Watch the above utube video of a beautiful Colorado Ranch.  Close to ski slopes, yet private and serene.  A true “turn key” horse property!

Eagle Ranch is a vibrant newer community that expands through the southern side of the Eagle Valley. It offers expansive views of Castle Peak and the Sawatch Mountain Range and a much warmer climate compared to up valley towns. The Eagle Ranch Golf Course, an Arnold Palmer course, runs through the community and the best elementary school in the valley for student test scores and parent participation is Eagle Ranch’s Brush Creek Elementary School. The community sprawls through 145 acres of opens space and playing fields, a community center and playground. Miles of bike and walking paths connect Eagle Ranch to downtown Eagle, the Terrace neighborhood and the surrounding open space.

It’s no wonder the natural course of questioning around here has changed since Eagle Ranch has been built: So when are you getting married?  So when are you going to start having children?  So when are you moving to Eagle Ranch?  We hear it constantly, not just from my in-laws who live in Eagle Ranch.  Truth be told, there is a sense of relaxed joy in sitting on my friends’ porches watching the kids ride their bikes up and down the sidewalk then run through the house to the fenced in backyard where the plastic pool awaits.  All this for the same price of our Homestead townhouse…it is tempting at times.

The small downtown area offers a perfect amount of options – a coffee shop, a few restaurants, a kids gear shop, a bike store, spa, salon, fitness club and a movie theater. Even our pediatrician (Colorado Mountain Medical) has even moved to Eagle Ranch.

30 minutes to skiing and 10 minutes to the airport, Eagle Ranch has also become popular with second home owners who enjoy easy accessibility.  With a multitude of single family homes, both custom and neighborhood planned projects, a few streets of townhouses, condos and duplex homes, Eagle Ranch draws more and more people to this corner of the Vail Valley. 

For more information on Eagle Ranch or other Vail Valley real estate contact Karen Gilbert at  970-331-1482  or karen@gatewayland.com or visit my website at www.karensellsvail.com.

A historical old Western town with an expansive mountain backdrop, Eagle is located 30 miles west of Vail, 20 miles west of Avon (the gateway to Beaver Creek) and 3 miles east of the Vail/Eagle Airport. The beginning of the “down valley” area of the Eagle County, this charming town sits a notch up on the thermostat compared to up valley towns. This is an appealing factor to those who love the valley and the outdoors it offers, but grow tired of longer alpine winters.

Once considered a slow and sleepy town, Eagle has grown into its role as the county seat. Its traditional Main Street retains the charm and hospitality of a 1940’s small town while newer developments have brought a movie theater and bowling alley. Like most locals, I find myself there several times a week and agree with Eagle residents that it’s not a matter of “getting used to the drive”, as up valley residents say. Once you fall in love with the community, the drive becomes part of the charm and anyway, people in other areas of the country spend hours driving through traffic to go shorter distances – at least here it’s beautiful and traffic free.

Within Eagle you can find every price range and size home, from 1 bedroom condos to 7 bedroom single family homes. With prices starting significantly lower than up valley areas, first time home buyers find options in Eagle that aren’t available elsewhere. Up valley residents in need of more space turn to Eagle for larger homes with larger yards…a little breathing room from the neighbors. Some call the large number of locals moving to Eagle the Mass Exodus and we too have found more and more of our friends moving down valley for warmer weather and more space.

Outside of a couple ranch areas, the town of Eagle consists primarily of 4 residential communities: Eagle proper, Eby Creek the Terrace and Eagle Ranch.  Eby Creek sits on the north side of the valley on a mesa that looks out to the north east and other neighborhoods that make up Eagle sit just to the south along the valley floor. On the south side of downtown Eagle, the Terrace stretches along the north side of Brush Creek and Eagle Ranch sprawls through the valley south from Brush Creek.

For more information on the Eagle or other Vail Valley real estate contact Karen Gilbert at  970-331-1482  or karen@gatewayland.com or visit my website at www.karensellsvail.com.

Annual must see summer event is on.

Eagle County’s annual fair and rodeo event is hitting full stride as the PRC rodeo gets underway starting Wednesday July 30 and running through Saturday the 2d of August.

The fair got underway on Saturday the 26^th with the heavily attended, always popular, Rocky Mountain Oyster Feed and dirt dance.  It never ceases to impress me at how well them good ole boys can dance not to mention polish a partner’s belt buckle or two.  4-H events have been ongoing since Monday and is worth a look to see what wonderful efforts are put forth by the youth of the valley in raising animals.

I am always impressed with the rodeo contestants.  These cowboys put 1,000s of miles on during the rodeo season driving all over the West to enter various events, sometimes driving for 12 hours just to make a rodeo.  Often times these cowboys get to the rodeo just in time for their event only to jump back in the truck after their event and head off to the next stop.  No wonder, cowboys enjoy the moniker of “tough”. 

Here is a question:  can anyone name two retired cowboys?  I don’t think cowboys and retirement are synonymous. 

Click on the link below for schedules and ticket information.

Great Complex in The Terrace With 7 Units On The Market

Now is the time to buy at Pinon Valley Townhomes in Eagle, CO.  This warm and inviting complex in the sought after Terrace neighborhood of Eagle has several units currently on the market, at great prices!  Located bewteen downtown Eagle and Eagle Ranch, these homes are close to everything:  the ice rink, community pool, movie theater, shops, restaurants, parks, paths and more.

Ranging in price from $389,000 to $438,000 these spacious townhomes have very functional floorplans and all have one car garages.  Unit A3 (view from A3 shown above) is the largest of the 7 units available, boasting 1820 sqaure feet (about 200 SF bigger than the usual floorplan).  Priced at $438k, Unit A3 represents the best relative value at $241/sf.

With a variety of orientations within the complex, and a variety of floorplans available, there is something for everyone at Pinon Valley.  Please call or email me anytime to preview any of these great properties, or to learn more about the Vail Valley real estate market.

Wonderful Golf Course in Beatiful Setting in Eagle, CO

For those of us that play golf, playing a new course is always something special.  And Adam’s Rib Ranch did not disappoint!!  Located south of Eagle, running along the beautiful Brush Creek, Adam’s Rib Country Club has a gorgeous Tom Weiskopf designed golf course that is truly a delight.

Greeted by a friendly and enthusiastic staff, we warmed up by hitting balls at the elevated driving range and putting on the manicured practice green.  And once on the course, the scenery and wildlife grabbed our attention as much as the 18 holes.

The course feels as though it has existed for decades, not just recently constructed.  It wanders through the alpine ranch land, capturing some good elevation changes.  And on the back nine, it descends to the valley floor to cross and flirt with Brush Creek.  There are several forced carries that were fun (until we hit into the wetlands!) and challenging.

We ended up with a so-so 1 under, since the format was a scramble.  (2 birdies and a bogey)  Highlights from the round:  John Nichols crushing a fairway wood to the 18th green into a fierce headwind, Matej Hodul’s 4 iron, Doug’s putter, and Hank Sender’s driver off the deck.  Truly a great time was had by all!!

New Community in Gypsum - Stratton Flats Breaks Ground

Stratton Flats  breaks ground on the first true “Community for the Community”! 

Eagle County and the Town of Gypsum are now partners  and ready to provide one of the best and attainable products the county has ever seen.

 The community of Stratton Flats will encompass  approximately 47 acres of land for residential properties that will provide attainable, free-market and deed restricted homes. The community will include 339 homes that boast an elegant Victorian architectural theme with high quality floor plans that have been custom designed to fit the needs of the Vail Valley lifestyle.

There will be:

152 single family homes that feature 3-4 bedrooms, 2 ½-3 ½ baths, comfortable living areas and oversize 2 car garages priced from the Mid $300’s.

 118 town homes that feature the choice of a 2 bedroom, 2 ½ bath, over sized one car garage home or a 3 bedroom plus loft, 2 ½ bath 2 car garage home priced from the low 300’s.

Two condominium buildings with 69 - 1 bedroom plus bonus room and 1 bath, along with 2 bedroom plus bonus room and 2 bath floor plan choices priced from the upper $100’s.

The Stratton Flats Development has broken ground and contracts for homes are available.

For information on the Stratton Flats Community contact Teri Lester, Eco-Broker 970-376-0779 or tlester@gatewayland.com

Eagle County invests $4.5 Million into Stratton Flats Development

Stratton Flats - Gypsum, Colorado

7 Miles to Eagle Ranch Public Golf Course

35 Miles to Vail Ski Resort

60 Miles to Snowmass/Aspen Ski Resort

2 Miles to Eagle County Airport

The residential project is comprised of 47.3 acres and a total of 339 residences -152 single family, 118 multi-family Townhomes and 69 condominiums.  Of these, 226 of the 339 properties will be deed resrtricted.

Eagle County has invested $4.5 Million Dollars into this affordable housing community in Gypsum. The county expects to recover the $4.5 Million dollar investment, plus 6 percent, when the project is completed, through the sales of the homes.  The goals the developer and the Town of Gypsum are to promote affordable, primary residences and family oriented housing.  They hope to provide a broad spectrum of housing types, lot sizes and selling prices in order to encourage social diversity and balance.

A one bedroom condominium is expected to sell for about $165,000 and a 2,020 Square fooot home is expected to sell for $370,000.  The homes will be available only to full-time Eagle County workers and residents.  The Town of Gypsum has approved the project and construction will start this Spring and the first homes are expected to be completed in the Fall of 2008.

The Victorian-inspired architecture and color palette will be emphasized throughout the project, while mixed-use density and multiple architectural models will allow for optimal aesthetics. Each home will feature fully landscaped front, side and backyards while additional common area landscaping will be created along the entrances, streetscapes and within new parks.

The entire development encompasses 121 acres of mixed-use development consisting of retail/commercial, residential and hospitality uses. Meritage Development Group and affiliates have successfully completed residental, commercial and mix-use projects in Colorado and California.    www.meritagedevelopment.com

www.townofgypsum.com

For more information on Stratton Flats, contact Teri Lester, Eco-Broker at 970-376-0779 or tlester@gatewayland.com

Vail Valley Community Growing Fast

Through October 2007, Eagle has the most real estate transactions for any neighborhood in the entire Vail Valley.  Eagle accounted for over 20% of the 2350 transactions that have occurred thus far this year in Eagle County. 

Eagle represents a great buying opportunity, especially for those looking for value.  The total dollar amount from these transactions, about $220 million, only accounts for about 9% of the total dollar volume for the Vail Valley.  With prices in Vail, Beaver Creek, and Bachelor GUlch soaring, Eagle offers many options for those with affordability in  mind.

With many community amenties, and more restaurants and development planned, Eagle may soon dominate (if it doesn’t already) as the locals stomping ground. 

To learn more about Eagle and the real estate opportunities that are present here, please contact me anytime.