This ranch affords blissful tranquility from amid 35.5 acres and boasts sweeping views of dramatic Colorado vistas and radiant colorful mesas. Spectacular and rare, this land is located within a gated community alongside the stunning Eagle River that is teeming with Rainbow Trout. With more than 850 feet of river frontage, this magnificent setting is a chance in a lifetime to own. Zoned resource for a single-family residence and detached caretakers, this property is primed for the ultimate Colorado ranch and river estate.

Offered for $1,250,000

For more information on this property, or to browse the Vail Valley’s MLS, please visit our website at www.GatewayLand.com or www.VailPropertySearch.com

154 B Riverview Road

This spacious three bedroom plus bonus room, 2 3/4 bath townhome feels like a single family home.  Featuring vaulted ceilings, a gas fireplace and a private master suite.  A deck with a fenced back yard and an oversized two car garage offers wonderful storage and extra space.  Located in Gypsum for only $323,900.  Please call Betsy Randall for a tour at (970) 401-3011.

For more information on Vail properties, please visit our website at www.GatewayLand.com

In today’s current market determining the value of your property is an interesting exercise.  Let’s start by examining what does not affect the value.  

What you paid for your home does not affect its value.  The cash you need from the sale does not effect its value.  What you want for your home does not affect the value.  The price your neighbor sold his home for does not affect the value.  What your friends think the value is does not affect its value.  What a real estate broker thinks does not affect the value.  What an appraiser, for that matter, says does not affect the value.  So, what does?

In today’s market the value of your home is what a buyer is willing to pay based on how your home compares to others currently on the market. 

Let’s say you have a home that you value at $500,000ish.  Today you would be competing in the Vail Valley/ Eagle County with 94 listings between $475,000 and $525,000.   The present absorption rate of homes in this price range is 2 per month.  This means there is enough inventory on the market today, in this price range, for the next 4 years! 

 The question you need to ask yourself is what will make your property stand out above the others?    Why?  If you don’t stand out, you will just be in the hunt and can expect to be on the market for quite some time. 

How can you stand out?  Find a competent Realtor to help with this complicated answer.

See how your home stacks up with the competition.

154 B Riverview Road

This home is the lowest price per square foot home in the Vail Valley and is a perfect opportunity for a first time home buyer or investment opportunity.  This spacious 3 bedroom plus bonus room town home is located in a great neighborhood and a great town. Vaulted ceilings compliment the living room, dining and kitchen area and the large garage provides room for plenty of storage.  The roomy bedrooms make this town home feel like a single family home. Just minutes from biking and hiking and close proximity to the Eagle River for fishing and rafting.   The price has been reduced to $333,900 which is a great buy for 1,905 square feet.  Please stop by the Open House on Saturday, May 30 from 2 to 4 pm.

Please call Betsy Randall at (970) 401-3011 for a tour.

First-time homebuyers have until the end of November ‘09 to close on a home to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit.  If you are a first-time buyer in the Vail Valley, Eagle or Gypsum areas, or anywhere in Eagle County, you need to get off the dime and start looking.  There are lots of great homes (100ish) currently for sale under $300K.   As of today there are approx 15 homes for sale under $200K!! 

How do you qualifiy for the $8,000 tax credit?  In general terms, if you are a first-time home buyer (have never owned a principle residence or have not owned a principle residence for at least three years) you qualify.  If you are single and earn less than $75,000 or if your married and earn less than $150K you qualify.  What’s nice about this tax credit (The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) is you do not have to pay the money back! 

Another very nice feature is this is not a tax deduction but rather a tax credit.  A tax credit is a dollar for dollar reduction in the taxes you owe the Federal government.  For instance, let’s say you owe the Federal government $3,000 in taxes for 2009.  With the $8,000 tax credit the government will send you a refund check for $5,000! ($8,000 tax credit, minus $3,000 for taxes owed, leaves a balance of $5,000 refunded to you)

If you plan on living in Happy Valley for any length of time, have been thinking about how you should buy a home, and don’t pull the trigger in the next few months, you will not only have missed the tax credit, you will have missed the best buying opportunity you are going to see for sometime in Eagle County.  So, get going.  Don’t know how to get going or want help to get going, call me.

[The info provided above should be verified by your accountant or financial advisor.]

154 RIVERVIEW ROAD

Gypsum, Colorado

This three bedroom, two and ¾ bathroom duplex feels like a single family home. Featuring vaulted ceilings, a gas fireplace, and private master suite, this home is a perfect Gypsum retreat. A deck and fenced back yard offer a great outdoor escape and the large two-car garage offers wonderful storage and extra space. Offered for $377,900

THE WOODS A3

Eagle-Vail, Colorado

Located in one of Eagle-Vail’s premier developments and just minutes to both Vail and Beaver Creek Resorts, this spacious 2 bedroom, 2 bath penthouse condominium offers the best in privacy, as well as mountain views. A deck overlooks the 8^th hole of Eagle-Vail Golf Course. Offered for $519,000

79 HUMMINGBIRD DRIVE

Homestead, Edwards, Colorado

With expansive views across the valley, from Castle Peak, across the town of Edwards, out to the northern Colorado vistas, this wonderful 4 bedroom, 3,315 square foot home is the perfect Homestead retreat. Featuring hardwood and slate floors, large decks, granite, and multiple fireplaces, 79 Hummingbird Drive boasts bright and open living spaces. Offered for $775,000!

51 EAGLE DRIVE

Eagle Vail, Colorado

Wonderful new commercial opportunity in Eagle-Vail! Conveniently located just off the I-70 exit 169, Eagle-Vail, on Highway 6 and Eagle Drive, these two commercial buildings are available, connected by a vestibule. The south building features 5,500 square feet and is offered for $995,000 and the north building is 6,5000 square feet and is offered for $1,175,000.

For more information on these properties please visit our website, www.GatewayLand.com or to browse Vail Valley MLS please visit our website, www.VailPropertySearch.com

This is the perfect home for the first time buyer or investor. With the $20,000 price reduction, this is an incredible value at $189 per square foot.  This townhome feels like a single family home with 3 spacious bedrooms plus a bonus room, vaulted ceilings in the living room, dining and kitchen area. This townhome has a fenced yard with deck and an oversized two car garage, offering plenty of storage.  Located in a great neighborhood, in a great town with close proxmity to biking, hiking, and fishing and rafting on the Eagle River.  This 1,905 square foot townhome is a great buy for $359,900.  Please call Betsy Randall at (970) 401-3011 for a tour.

Spacious 3 bedroom plus study townhome

The perfect home for the first time home buyer or investment property.  This spacious 3 bedroom plus study townhome is in close proximity to the Eagle River for the river enthusiast.  Vaulted ceilings compliment the living room, dining and kitchen areas.  The large two car garage provides room for plenty of storage.  The gas fireplace and deck with the fenced yard and roomy bedrooms makes this townhome feel like a single family home.  This home is in a great neighborhood and in a great town with close proximity to skiing, hiking and biking.  This 1,905 square foot home is a great buy for $377,900.  Please call Betsy Randall at (970) 401-3011 for a tour!

Lot’s of vacant lots are available in the West end of Eagle County.  It’s a great time to buy a vacant lot if building a new home in the next year or so is in the cards.  Prices may never be better.  Ok, what’s the problem?  Answer, getting financing. 

Lenders, if they have money, are going to want upwards to 50% down to buy a vacant lot.  That’s a big chunk of cash to come up with as most lot’s for sale are $300ish or more.  There are a few lots for sale that offer owner financing which is a great deal if you like the location of the lot.  But how else can you buy a lot and take advantage of the current deals?

Let’s say you are thinking you would like to buy a lot in Eagle Ranch now and be ready to build in 2010.  (Believe it or not, it will take you a year before you can start to build a home.)  After all there are some 85 lots on the market and most of the lots have come down in price.  Here’s what you do. 

First, find a sharp broker.  Don’t know any, call me and I will help you find one. 

Second, find a couple of lots you like and pick one to start with.  Have your broker write an offer where you put up $25,000 non-refundable earnest money deposit and partial payment with a closing date 1 year out.  Why non-refundable you ask?  Because you are taking the lot off the market for 1 year and that has value to the seller.  Plus it shows you are committed to buying the lot.  If the seller of your first choice says no, move on to your second choice and so on until you find a savy seller.  A savy seller will know your offer puts him light years ahead of all the other sellers in the market place today. 

Third, this buys you time to plan, design, get design approval, line up your builder, get your financing in place and be ready for the start of the building season.  By starting early you have the opportunity to get the best prices.

Fourth, you have one year with no mortgage payments or taxes to pay.  Your only out of pocket expenses will be designing your home and getting the plans approved by the Design Review Board. 

Fifth, before closing on the lot, you will have taken your plans and costs to build your new home to your favorite banker and have your financing in place to buy the lot ( should be way less than 50% down), build the home and have your permanent financing in place. 

What all this means is, you put up $25,000 and got 1 year before the interest meter started running.  You bought at this years price and will save yourself in the neighborhood of $15,000 (assumes a $325k lot at 6.5% interst only and taxes of $4500) in lot payments and taxes before you closed on the lot.  That $15,000 will go a long ways towards the planning and design of your new home.

Click here visit John Nichols web site.