Steamboat Homefinder Magazine by Steamboat Pilot & Today

Summer 2009

Graystone on the Green Shelley Stanford – 970.846.2991 Sharon Beaupre – 970.846.8257 Colorado Group Realty See in-depth story, page 4

contents

Publisher Suzanne Schlicht Director of Sales & Marketing Scott Stanford Editor Brent Boyer Creative Services Manager Meg Boyer Circulation Manager Steve Balgenorth Advertising Representatives Kerry Crimmins Karen Gilchrist Jill Hines Mary Beth Magalis Deb Proper Blake Stansbery Advertising Design/Prepress Suzanne Becker Kailey Fowler Meghan Hine

features Featured Property GRAYSTONE ON THE GREEN

4 REHDERS’ LEGACY SECURED 58 Naturalists, artists assured access to Harrison Creek property 60

HOUSE SWAPPING Townhome owners propose straight-up trade

ENGINEER + ARCHITECT = STAGECOACH DEVELOPERS Couple hopes to develop 272 building lots in Stagecoach

Julie Molema Fran Reinier Russell Savage Gayle Yovis Editorial Content Tom Ross

For advertising information, call Scott Stanford at 970-871-4202

departments 40 Q & A with Thomas Musil 44 Market Trends with Doug Labor 2 | STEAMBOAT HOMEFINDER • Summer 2009

Steamboat Homeﬁnder magazine is published by the Steamboat Pilot & Today. The entire contents of Steamboat Homeﬁnder is copyrighted and may not be reproduced without express written permission from the publisher. www.SteamboatHOMEFINDER.com

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real estate cover story

Graystone on the Green scores a ‘home in one’

TOM ROSS | Steamboat Homeﬁnder

erry and Shelley Stanford, together with their business associates, are trying to take the brain damage out of developing a golf course lot in Steamboat Springs. Jerry Stanford, with David Vandervelde, is a partner in VGS Enterprises, which has recently released the 17 building lots at Graystone on the Green subdivision to the market. Conveniently, Shelley Stanford, with her colleague Sharon Beaupre at Colorado Group Realty, is the listing agent for the lots. Both are broker owners. However, the Stanfords are willing to take it a step further after retaining KSA Architects to complete construction drawings for four homes that are assured of ﬂying through the design review process at Graystone. Jerry Stanford, through his 4 | STEAMBOAT HOMEFINDER • Summer 2009

contracting firm, Colorado Joint Ventures, would be happy to follow through and complete the homes on behalf of the buyers of building lots. Families who buy luxury home lots in the Steamboat market often are years away from realizing their ambitions of a vacation home here. The Stanfords say they can expedite the process. “The architectural and structural drawings are completed,” Jerry said. “The sites are very flat and buildable, and we could be ready to go. We would be willing to tweak the plans to suit buyers needs.” The developers are willing to include the completed drawings in the purchase price for the buyers of the first four lots. www.SteamboatHOMEFINDER.com

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The architectural and structural drawings are completed. The sites are very ﬂat and buildable, and we could be ready to go. We would be willing to tweak the plans to suit buyers needs.

Those buyers could choose to build with Colorado Joint Ventures, or not, Jerry said. The plans still come with the lots. And all 17 lots at Graystone on the Green include the $35,000 membership at Rollingstone Ranch Golf Course. Bottom line, VGS is developing a subdivision, not a complete neighborhood of custom homes. However, Stanford’s company is prepared to contract to build homes in Graystone and shorten the process for buyers. They have taken the additional step of pre-arranging ﬁnancing at Vectra Bank Colorado. The terms can be customized to adapt to customers’ construction schedules. Shelley Stanford has come up with a play on words to describe the marketing pitch that goes something like this: “You can make a hole-in-one on the golf course, we’re offering a home in one.” Stanford and Vandervelde have previously developed 16 homes in a subdivision in Steamboat, with tight design controls at Angler’s Retreat. Angler’s Retreat created homes in a European cottage style no larger than 3,000 square feet. The two partners in VGS purchased the 11.3-acre site for Graystone from the owners of the Sheraton Steamboat Resort in the summer of 2007. In the interim, the name of the golf course has been re-branded from Sheraton to Rollingstone Ranch. And the subdivision developers have built a new entrance to the golf (and Nordic skiing) clubhouse from Steamboat Boulevard. The former Clubhouse Drive entrance now leads directly to Clubhouse Circle and the home sites in Graystone. Design guidelines for Graystone call for the same post-and-beam ﬂair of Angler’s, Stanford said, but the architecture will move the homes away from the European cottage look to a craftsman style. As a condition of the subdivision approval, the city of Steamboat Springs has required that homes at Graystone on the Green be no larger than 4,000 square feet. The architectural plans prepared by the Stanfords show three-story homes — with walkouts and walk-ups — that have four bedrooms. The lots themselves, elevated above the golf course, offer views of Sleeping Giant, Emerald Mountain, the south valley and Steamboat Ski Area. Sizes begin at 0.25 acres and continue up to 1.05, although most are in the range of 0.3 to 0.4 acres. They are within a short walk of the golf clubhouse and Nordic skiing trails. Prices begin at $799,000 and vary into the $900s, with the most expensive priced at nearly $1.08 million. SH www.SteamboatHOMEFINDER.com

—Jerry Stanford

Summer 2009 • STEAMBOAT HOMEFINDER | 5

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WINDOW CLEANING 101

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MARTHA PFIFER | Orlando Sentinal

ilthy windows detract from a home’s beauty. To make your windows sparkle—use a soft cloth or long-handled soft bristle brush and mild detergent. Vacuum screens and around edges of weather stripping to remove dirt. Dip cotton swabs in vinegar and use to clear build-up on edges and corners. Then rinse with water. And my favorite: slip old, white cotton socks on your hands and “feel your way” to clean windows. SH

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Stay on top of developments in Steamboat real estate Read the Sunday Real Estate section every Sunday in the Steamboat Pilot & Today

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Picturesque Setting… 3 bed/2 bath log home with pond on 5 acres bordering 95 acres of common area. Mls # 124964 / $555,000.

Views of Stagecoach Lake 3 bed/3.5 bath log home, granite counters, tile & slate floors adjacent to common area. Mls #125219 / $474,900.

Unsurpassed Views… 4 bed/2.5 bath log home on an acre w/shop & partially covered wrap around deck. Mls #124740 / $549,000.

Rustic Charm… 3 bed/2 bath log home on 4 fenced lots, original stained glass windows & wood floors. Mls #125194 / $285,000.

Delightful Duplex… 3 bed/2ba, views of Ski Mtn, heated garage & amazing flower gardens. Mls #125062 / $380,000.

Craftsman-Style Home… Special touches throughout, 2 bed/1.5 bath well maintained w/fenced yard & 2 sheds. Mls # 124502 / $219,000.

Unobstructed Views… Wrap around deck w/hot tub, unfinished basement, slate & wood floors, 2-car garage. Mls #125063 / $399,500.

At The Edge of Town… 2+ bed with open views to the West, backs up to ranch land, deck, fenced yard & shed. Mls #125267 / $299,000.

New Construction… 3 bed/2 bath, slate & wood floors, unfinished basement w/great views! Mls # 125143 / $360,000.

Charming Cottage… Wonderful interior remodel, fenced yard w/shed perfect for Artist Studio. Mls #123974 / $160,000.

Woodbridge Townhome… 3 bed/ 2.5 bath with stainless appliances, granite, wood floors & garage. Mls #125802 / $444,400.

Ideal Starter Home… Private location on 6 lots, large sunny deck, seasonal stream & open floorplan. Mls #123799 / $189,000

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IF ONLY YOU COULD SCRATCH AND SNIFF HERE. . . MARTHA PFIFER | Orlando Sentinal

home that smells like cleaning chemicals stinks. True Organics candles by Way Out Wax are made of plant-based essential oils, no synthetic fragrances, dyes or chemical scent enhancers or boosters. They are available in three sizes and six scents, including: Citrusy Sol Tranquility, Spicy Zanzibar Mint and Oriental Jade. The soy wax candles have aromatherapeutic properties that soothe and relax. They are long lasting and subtle, and best of all, burn evenly. Details: wayoutwax.com. SH

Steamboat’s Real Estate Deals! www.steamboatsrealestatedeals.com • Get the inside scoop on the best current and upcoming deals for Steamboat and Routt County. • Be notified first on huge price reductions, foreclosures, short sales and find the super-motivated sellers. • Gain great advice to make your buying decision a success.

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40490 Haven Place Steamboat II New carpet throughout— new tile work

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Unthoughtful Smoker Smokes out Neighbors Q. We have owned an upscale condo for eight years. We are on the upper level, and there is a renter occupying the unit below us. We have always had great luck with the past renters. Our neighbor currently smokes, and this has caused us some concerns. During the summer, the smoker would smoke out on the patio and the smoke would come into our home via our french doors or windows. We found ourselves having to close all doors and windows and we were not allowed to enjoy the fresh ocean air that had drawn us to this area. We also had to run a fan all night to stimulate air movement. We felt like we Q&A were being holed with Thomas Musil up in our own home. We spoke with the renter, and we were assured that she would not smoke near the home and seemed to care about our plight. The smoke continued. We spoke with the homeowners association and faxed them the letter that we wrote to the renter pleading for her compassion. The association wrote back stating that they hoped this was something we could work out among ourselves. The winter months have come, and the renter has taken to smoking nonstop in the home. The smoke has now filled our home via the vents, cabinets and pipes. When we awake at 4 a.m., we open up our bathroom cabinets to retrieve toiletries and the smoke in the cabinets is overwhelming. When we do our laundry, we have to fold the laundry quickly because the smell of cigarette smoke is coming into the laundry room and clinging to our clothes and towels. When we arrive home from work, the entryway smells like someone has been sitting there smoking for hours. We have taken to spraying our home with deodorizers constantly. Even this is an awful smell to have to tolerate when all we really need is the fresh air that is our given right. We feel that we have been robbed of our joy to be in our own home and are considering putting our home on the market at the first of the year. The smoke is now causing health issues for both my husband and myself. We both awake with sore throats, and have had difficulty breathing. A. If you cannot persuade the tenant to be more thoughtful about their smoking, you should organize the unit owners and approach the homeowners association board seeking to prohibit smoking on association property. Issues of secondhand smoke have led to the limiting of smoking in commercial and public buildings, public areas, restaurants and bars. Prohibiting smoking in both condominiums and apartment buildings will soon come to the forefront of the secondhand smoke debate. There have been cases where tenants have been evicted for excessive smoking and prohibitions in homeowners association bylaws against owners smoking in their own condominiums. Municipal ordinances have also been enacted to control secondhand smoke in condominiums and apartments. SH www.SteamboatHOMEFINDER.com

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INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY Elk River Farm & Feed

Established business in a growth sector being sold with real estate. This is a once in a lifetime chance to own a profitable business in Steamboat Springs. Contact Medora Fralick at The Commercial Property Group, LLC, 970-879-1402.

STEAMBOAT HOMEFINDER | 41

STEAMBOAT HOMEFINDER | 43

real estate local

Changes in the Steamboat Residential Market

he Steamboat Springs real estate locomotive was chugging along at warp speed for several years, only to have the brakes hit hard this past year. With this drastic change in the market, I thought it would be interesting to see how the changes have affected the residential market over the past ﬁve years. The residential market researched includes single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums. For this study, statistics from the Steamboat Springs Multiple Listing Service have been used to compare May 1, 2008 through April 30, 2009 (Period 2 in this study), and (May 1, 2003, through April 30, 2004 (Period 1). This ﬁve-year timeframe was selected because it provided enough distance from the effects of Sept. 11 and where more typical conditions returned. Between May 1, 2003, and April 30, 2004, residential sales totaled 716 transactions throughout the MLS geographic area it serves (primarily Routt County), generating a total dollar volume of $271 million. The recently completed Period 2 posted 323 transactions — a 55 percent decline. However, the Period 2 sales volume of $248 million declined by only 8 percent and average prices increased from $378,111 to $768,133, or 103 percent. Part of the reason the average price increased is from the average property size increase, from approximately 1,600 square feet to over 2,100 square feet in Period 2, or 32 percent. Taking a closer look within the Steamboat Springs city limits, Period 1 saw 535 transactions for $197 million of dollar volume at a $368,155 average price. Period 2 had a 62 percent decline in transactions at 201; a 16 percent decline in dollar volume to $166 million, but experienced a higher average sales price to $818,649, revealing that the average price increase within the Steamboat Springs city limits was higher / more desirable (122 percent) than the overall MLS (103 percent). Categorically, single-family homes saw the greatest average price increase within Steamboat at 133 percent, improving from $625,262 in Period 1 to $1,457,125 in Period 2. Although the average size of a Steamboat

44 | STEAMBOAT HOMEFINDER • Summer 2009

Market Trends with Doug Labor

Springs home purchased in Period 1 was 2,773 total square feet, the size increased in Period 2 by 28 percent to 3,562 total square feet. Irrespective of finishes, upgrades, depreciation or newer construction, the appreciation on a dollar-per-square-foot basis reveals Period 1 sales fetching an average of $225, where five years later, single-family homes in Steamboat sold for an average of $387 per square foot, or a 72 percent increase in five years and over 14 percent annually. Townhome sales within Steamboat limits declined 61 percent from Period 1 to 2, or 158 to 61. Average prices nearly doubled from $380,760 to $756,252 and the average size increased 20 percent from 1,865 square feet to 2,241. In Period 1, townhomes sold for an average of $204 per square foot, and increased 61 percent in Period 2 to $329. Condominiums took the biggest hit in the new economy, dropping the most of the three categories in the number of transactions and dollar volume. However, their average sales price still realized a 117 percent increase in average price to $505,094, but surprisingly; the average size remained

relatively the same, from 1,068 square feet to 1,046. Of all three property types, condos enjoyed the highest dollar-per-square-foot increase from $219 to $467 — a 113 percent increase in five years or a healthy 23 percent annual increase. In the current economic climate, one may think the more expensive property type (single-family homes) would have taken the biggest sales hit, but market share for singlefamily homes increased from Period 1 (23 percent) to Period 2 (26 percent). Townhomes remained the same at 30 percent and condominiums dropped from a 47 percent market share in Period 1 to a 44 percent in Period 2. This may be because single-family home sellers were more flexible in their prices than condo owners from Period 1 to 2. Even in these economic troubling times, comparing where the Steamboat Springs market was five years back to where it is now, the market shows resiliency. For those few buyers who are out there, the purchase has to make more sense now than ever before. And for sellers, their purchase date will determine if they have equity to take with them from the closing table, or if they need to hold out for better times. SH Douglas N. Labor, GRI, RRP, ABR, ABRM, CEBA, e-PRO is the broker/owner of Buyer’s Resource Real Estate of Steamboat, an exclusive buyer broker and 26 year resort real estate veteran. His monthly newsletters can be ordered by emailing him at dlabor@BuySteamboat.com and his website is www.RealEstateSteamboat.com. He can be reached at 970.870.8885.

www.SteamboatHOMEFINDER.com

Steamboat Real Estate

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Three great ways to ﬁnd Steamboat Homeﬁnder

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home decor books

COTTAGE LOVE: FIND ROMANCE THE RIGHT WAY MARTHA PFIFER | Orlando Sentinal

WORDS OR PHOTOS? PHOTOS!

orget wordy descriptions. When looking for decorating ideas, good photos like the ones in the “Outdoor Entertaining Idea Book” by Natalie Ermann Russell and “Kitchen Idea Book” by Joanne Kellar Bouknight (The Taunton Press; $19.95 each) will do. With more than 350 images each, the series offers succinct design insight paired with sidebars featuring advice, tips and even recipes. Photos depict stylish dining rooms, pools, countertops, appliances, ﬁxtures and more.

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alling in love isn’t always conducive to rational thinking and planning — even if the object of your affection is a cottage. So before entering into a relationship, Douglas Hunter suggests balancing your emotions with information. “The Cottage Ownership Guide: How to Buy, Sell, Rent, Share, Hand Down & Retire to Your Waterfront Getaway” (Fireﬂy Books; $29.95) includes tips, cautions, case studies, Q&As, charts, sample calculations and checklists to steer you in the right direction. But what could possibly go wrong, you ask? If you’re not informed about tax implications, water quality in nearby lakes or rivers, neighbors, anglers, and even where the sun sets and direction of wind in relation to your cottage, you might be in for a big surprise. You didn’t think romance could be so complicated, did you?

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TOM ROSS | Steamboat Homeﬁnder

y S c e a c g u e r L e ’ s d r e d h Naturalists, artists assured access to Harrison Creek property

The second half of Helen and Henry Rehder’s legacy in the community was secured in April, as the Yampa Valley Land Trust and The Nature Conservancy formally accepted the gift of the couple’s historic 250-acre sheep ranch in Pleasant Valley. 58 | STEAMBOAT HOMEFINDER

he secluded property on Harrison Creek will remain private, but Land Trust Executive Director Susan Dorsey said that in keeping with Helen Rehder’s will, the ranch will host a variety of events and visits beginning with a gathering of landscape painters in August and continuing to include naturalists studying trout, elk, deer and the ecosystem at the base of Mount Baldy. The gift of the land was accompanied by the gift of a fund to help underwrite the cost of maintaining the property. “The Land Trust is honored by this incredible gift of the Rehder Ranch as a nature preserve and is committed to fulfilling Helen’s wishes,” Dorsey said. She added that work already is scheduled to conserve the buildings, which are tucked out of sight on the east side of Lake Catamount. The Rehders’ home and turn-of-the-20th-century agricultural buildings, including a barn, are scheduled for historic assessment this summer by Historic Routt County and the University of Colorado — Denver’s College of Architecture and Planning. Dorsey agreed the acceptance of the Rehder gift will take the Land Trust in new directions, giving it a greater public presence. She envisions forming new partnerships with research, educational and cultural organizations including Yampatika, state universities, the Colorado Division of Wildlife and the Colorado Natural Heritage Program. The overarching theme will be to emphasize the ranch’s inherent qualities as a nature preserve. “What better way to honor Helen,” Dorsey said. “It reflects her deep love of the land, her love of art and of history and wildlife. This range of partners has the opportunity to touch so many aspects of this community, and the opportunities are exciting.”

Completing the gift The First National Bank Building in downtown Steamboat Springs represents the first portion of the Rehders’ legacy. Now home to the Steamboat Art Museum, it was gifted to the city of Steamboat Springs after Helen died in 2004. Henry died on his 98th birthday in 1998. The Rehders originally purchased the red brick building in 1937. Bringing the second major gift in Helen’s will to fruition required the collaboration of the two conservation organizations, which have partnered in the past on conserving the Carpenter Ranch and Hereford Haven ranch east of Hayden. In the case of the Rehder Ranch, the typical role of

the two conservation organizations will be reversed. Instead of the conservancy owning the property, it will hold a conservation easement, while the Land Trust will hold a deed on the property and take responsibility for its management. Geoff Blakeslee, Yampa River project director for The Nature Conservancy, said he’s happy to expand his organization’s relationship with the Land Trust. “This is a great model for how we can continue to work together,” Blakeslee said. As holder of the easement, the role of the conservancy will be to ensure its terms are upheld, he said.

Long local history Henry Rehder’s family emigrated from Germany first to Central City and then to the Yampa Valley in 1902, when he was 2 years old. Helen originally was from Red Cloud, Neb., and moved to Steamboat in the late 1940s, where she met and married Henry. It was the second marriage for both of them. Nobody knew the couple better in their later years than Mary Echtermeyer, who with her husband, Andy, moved to the ranch in 1997. The couple moved into an apartment upstairs in the barn, and Mary took care of Henry after he suffered a stroke. Helen regaled Echtermeyer with endless stories, and she learned about the early days on the ranch, when they grazed sheep all the way to the top of Baldy in the early summer. Henry had raised the money to buy the property by trapping coyotes, foxes and pine martens and selling their pelts. He also worked on a shrimp boat off the gulf coast of Texas. Helen was a graduate of a secretarial school, Echtermeyer said, and was a skilled bookkeeper who was savvy with the family finances. Helen painted and kept detailed diaries about life on the ranch. The couple seemed to enjoy their solitude. “They kept to themselves up there,” Echtermeyer said. As they grew older and coping with the deep winter snows became too much for them, the Rehders sold their flock in the fall and moved into their apartment above the bank building for the winter. Still later, they spent winters on property in Cambria, Calif. Echtermeyer, about to begin her 13th summer on the ranch, said the new arrangement with The Nature Conservancy and the Yampa Valley Land Trust would have pleased the Rehders. “They wanted this place to never be developed and left open for biologists,” she said. SH

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Real estate matchmaking Townhome owners propose straight-up trade TOM ROSS | Steamboat Homeﬁnder

f she hadn’t taken a sabbatical from work to stay home with a new baby, Annie Slothower might never have had the idea to market her family’s Steamboat townhome as a swap in exchange for a Denver-area home. “I’m back to work now,” Slothower said. “But I had been a stay-at-home mom, and I was watching an Oprah Winfrey special on how to succeed in the down economy. One of the things she suggested was a (real estate) trade that had worked for other people.” Slothower and her husband, Hill, have their three-bedroom duplex townhome in Longview Highlands listed for sale at $575,000 with Kim Kreissig of Prudential Steamboat Realty. Not coincidentally, Annie Slothower is employed as an assistant to Kreissig. When Slothower proposed marketing the townhome built in 2005 as a trade, Kreissig embraced the idea. She promptly alerted her Prudential colleagues throughout the Denvermetro area but said another form of marketing has generated most of the dozen inquiries that have come in from the Front Range. Most of the dozen contacts have resulted from placing the proposed home swap on the Internet site Craigslist, Kreissig said. “Anything you can do to be creative in this challenging market, you should give it a try,” Kreissig said. “We’ve already generated some pretty decent inquiries. It’s piqued some people’s interest on the Front Range.” 60 | STEAMBOAT HOMEFINDER • Summer 2009

Within the past week, new listings at the Denver-area page for Craigslist have offered house swaps including a Frisco townhome to trade for a Denver home and a Breckenridge home to swap for weekends in LoDo. One of the most intriguing contacts was from a party with a two-bedroom home in Denver’s Washington Park neighborhood. However, Slothower said, most of the interest is coming from people with unrealistic expectations of a Steamboat retirement home. “They have this vision of a ski-in/ski-out home,” she said. “When they find out that’s not the case, they are disappointed.” The Steamboat townhome also is offered for sale on the Steamboat Springs Multiple Listing Service. The pitch there reads: “Need to sell your home in Denver before you can buy in Steamboat? Not any more. Sellers of this charming townhome in Longview will consider taking your home in Denver or the surrounding area as the down payment on the purchase of theirs here in Steamboat.” Slothower said she and her husband have agreed, since that text was first written, to open their offer to a full swap instead of looking for a buyer who would put up their home as partial payment on the Steamboat townhome. “Our goal in selling our house was to relocate to Denver so my husband can go back to school and we can be closer to family,” Slothower said. Hill Slothower works in the construction trades and wants to take his career to a new level with a degree in retrofitting existing homes to green energy standards. The Slothowers purchased their home at a pre-construction price of $379,000 in 2006. Their mortgage of $250,000 gives them substantial equity in the townhome even with the recent price drops. They had estimated they could clear close to $400,000 on the sale of the Steamboat property and trade down in Denver to end up with a $100,000 mortgage. They realize now they may not be able to realize that goal. Longview is a subdivision of 64 units in 32 buildings and the fact there are six other townhomes listed in the neighborhood is complicating matters. One owner, who already has purchased a home in Denver and is making two mortgage payments, has listed a townhome with the same floor plan as the Slothowers’ for $499,000. SH www.SteamboatHOMEFINDER.com

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CANYON CREEK CONDOMINIUM Warmly appointed two bedroom, two bath condo only steps from Gondola Square. Heated garage, pool, hot tub and exercise facility. Two season ski passes to the buyer for an offer that closes before 11/1/09. $589,900. Lesley Lumpkin • 970.819.6939

SADDLE CREEK TOWNHOME Located in a family friendly neighborhood with mature trees and views to the gondola. Furnished two bedroom, two bath, one-car garage and a private hot tub. Seller is a licensed Colorado agent. $539,000. Lesley Lumpkin • 970.819.6939

ELK RIVER VALLEY Captivating views of the ski area and the Flat Top mountains from this 1.54 acre lot. Located only minutes to downtown and the ski area. $399,900. Lesley Lumpkin • 970.819.6939

VILLAS CONDOMINIUM Two bedroom, two bath condominium remodeled in 2009! New stainless appliances, slab granite, tile, hardwood floors throughout. $469,000. Stephan Zittel • 970.846.4803

THE SANCTUARY Five bedroom, five plus bathrooms in an exclusive neighborhood. Completed Fall 2008. Top-grade finishes, Sub-Z, Wolf, Asko, theater, wet-bar, 2 laundries, hot-tub. $2,395,000. Stephan Zittel • 970.846.4803

SKI TIME SQUARE Just steps from Steamboat’s slopes! Private entry, fireplace, 3 levels, one and one-half bath, patio on the lawn! $275,000. Bill Dulan • 970.846.5513

MAJESTIC VALLEY TOWNHOMES Final phase now available! Eight custom duplex townhomes with large, spacious floor plans and quality appointments throughout. All units include heated two car garage. Minutes from the Ski Area. Starting at $795,000. Ted Hoffman • 970.846.1031

VILLAS at WALTON CREEK Fully furnished, upper level, 3 bedroom/3 bath condominium with a heated one car garage located only a few blocks from the Ski Area. Features include open floor plan, vaulted ceilings, and an outdoor deck. $499,000 Ted Hoffman • 970.846.1031

CATAMOUNT ESTATE Four Bedroom, 6,472 total square feet estate home in the exclusive Catamount Ranch & Club. Exceptional finishes, overlooking golf course with small stream on property. $3,850,000. Tony Walton • 970.846.7577

HAHN’S PEAK VILLAGE Beautiful views of Steamboat Lake and Sand Mountain from this 1164 s.f. 2BD/2BA home. Two custom outbuildings are also positioned on this .545 acre lot. Located in a recreational paradise and offered at $359,900. Marci Valicenti • 970.846.9224

LAKE CATAMOUNT HOMESTEAD Developed by the Cordillera group from Vail, this is one of Steamboat’s premier acreage properties. This parcel encompasses over 50 acres, with a metro water system, large building envelope and 360 degree views. $1,195,000. Tom Valicenti • 970.846.2859

35 ACRE PARCELS Check out the views on these two parcels! Canyon Valley Ranch Lot 4 is ready to build with a 6gpm well, survey, soils and perc tests completed & offered at $295,000. Doyle Capra Ranch Lot 3 offers 2 building sites and 2 ponds. $495,000. Tom Valicenti • 970.846.2859

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TUTLE MOON RANCH A 40 min drive from Steamboat Springs or 15 miles from the Hayden airport brings you to this magnificent hunting ranch of 5,900 deeded contiguous acres. Numerous ponds fed by springs and some stocked with trout! Electricity, roads, elk, deer, antelope and game birds makes this ranch a must have for the serious hunter. Priced to sell at $6,000,000.

TROUT CREEK 1/2 mile of great fishing located less than 20 miles from Steamboat Springs! This 315 acre parcel could be developed for resale or kept as your own home site. Buy now at $1,999,999. More land available!

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GRASS RANCH Located 15 miles north of Hayden this 3,626 acres ranch has 3 miles of creek and reservoirs providing water for livestock, deer, elk, antelope and sharp-tail grouse. This is a great hunting ranch and a candidate for a conservation easement. Priced to sell at $1,000 per acre. May sell in smaller parcels.

CASH RANCH Get some money back from the government!! This 878+ acre ranch is in the CRP government program that pays you $20,000.00+ a year NOT to plant crops. It is located about 6 miles from Hayden and would make a great home site with views. Offered at $1,232,000.

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CRAWFORD RANCH #10 35 acre building site less than 20 miles from Steamboat Springs on RCR 179. Trees, view and eletricty on the property makes this a great buy at $189,000. Call now to walk the property. Other lots available at higher prices.

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DECADENCE IN DAKOTA RIDGE Boasting incredible ski mountain views, this home is a work of art! Total square footage of 7392 with a 4-car garage on 3.54 acres gives you all the space to do want you want to do! Meticulously crafted and sure to please with an abundance of features including an unbelievable appliance package, video and audio system, media room, expansive decks and so much more! $4,595,000.

DAKOTA RIDGE Situated on over 5 acres with views towards Catamount, this 4BD/4BA home has quite a package to it. Entertainment of family and friends is easily accomplished with the open floor plan, lower level recreation and media room, exercise room & outdoor amenities including fire-pit, hot tub & custom chipping/ putting green. $3,450,000.

NEWLY COMPLETED IN DAKOTA RIDGE Tucked in a 5.70 acre aspen grove, the picturesque windows and spacious decks of this estate reveal beautiful south valley views. Enjoy the privacy of the owner’s sanctuary in the backyard with custom BBQ and fire-pit area. Room for family and friends and all the toys that come along with a premier property like this and its 7368 total square footage and four-car garage. $4,395,000.

MOUNTAIN VIEW ESTATES Featuring views of the ski mountain to Emerald Mountain, this 4BD/3.5BA home features over 3600 s.f. with an additional 776 sq ft of unfinished space on .62 acre. Beautiful reclaimed oak floors, stainless steel appliances, main level master suite, two fireplaces and walk-out lower level to hot tub are key elements. $1,595,000.

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DOWNTOWN DOUGLAS Possibly one of the nicest fenced, backyards in the downtown area, featuring a stamped concrete patio w/fire-pit, hot tub and large grassy area. Beautifully finished and in “like new” condition, with 5+BD/4BA and a 3car garage. Opportunity for secondary unit for income potential. A great value for the downtown area. $1,295,000.

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Engineer

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Stagecoach Reservoir 64 | STEAMBOAT HOMEFINDER • Summer 2009

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Stagecoach Developers TOM ROSS | Steamboat Homeﬁnder

A Florida-based water resource engineer hoping to develop 272 new building lots on the shoulder of Woodchuck Mountain near Stagecoach Lake State Park has entered the county planning process with a development he says could take 15 to 20 years to fully realize.

i-ang Song, of Song Mountain LLC, has retained Patten Associates to assist him in pursuing a conceptual plan through the county’s subdivision sketch process. In the process, they hope to down-zone 340 acres of an 896-acre parcel from its historic high-density residential zoning. Song promised Thursday that he and his wife, architect Young Song, would be patient developers. “If you ask me, ‘What’s my wish?’ I’d like to bring some lots to market in a two- to three-year timeframe. That may be overly ambitious on my part. It may take five to seven years, and now, I’m thinking maybe 15 to 20 years for the (entire) project,” Song said. Song said he understands that existing neighborhoods in Stagecoach, The Neighborhoods at Young’s Peak, for example, have existing inventory that needs to be absorbed. However, he felt that going forward with the down-zoning and his conceptual plan would help clarify the future of the development land surrounding Stagecoach Reservoir. The high-density zoning on the land dates to the late 1960s, when development of the proposed

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Summer 2009 • STEAMBOAT HOMEFINDER | 65

Stagecoach Reservoir

Stagecoach Ski Area was being anticipated. That ski area was never fully realized, ultimately becoming defunct. Scott Woodford, of Patten and Associates, said the old zoning allows as many as 3,900 dwelling units on 3,000-square-foot single-family building lots, compared to the 366 proposed by Song. “We think we’re bringing in something much more appropriate for the land itself,” Woodford said.

Open to open space

Song Mountain subdivision proposal ■ 896-acre master planned community on lower flanks of Woodchuck Mountain ■ Site lies along east side of Routt County Road 16, southeast of Stagecoach

Reservoir ■ Preliminary proposal calls for 272 building lots and 366 dwelling units spread among a series of clustered neighborhoods ■ In addition to 260 single-family lots of about 1 acre each, there could be nine duplex lots and three townhome parcels totaling about 88 units ■ In addition to 46 acres required to be set aside for public use (possibly water storage facility and fire station site), 433 acres or 48 percent of site would be devoted to open space

In documents submitted to the Routt County Regional Planning Department, Patten Associates acknowledges that because the previous owner of the property did not participate in the formation of the Stagecoach Community Plan in 1999, it was designated as very low residential, implying that it was suitable for a density of single dwellings on 5-acre lots. The Songs, as representatives of Woodchuck Mountain, LLC, purchased 2,600 acres in the Woodchuck Mountain area for $5.5 million in March 2006, according to Routt County assessor’s records. Song said he intends to follow through on the development himself and does not plan merely to obtain the entitlements from the county and market the development. There also are no immediate plans to develop the balance of the land not included in the 896 acres comprising the current proposal, Song said. If it were to be developed, it would be as 35-acre home sites or a land preservation subdivision that clusters those home sites, he added. “My intention is, if I sell something, I probably would sell the ranch parcel,” he said.

Solely the Songs Civil Design Consultants of Steamboat Springs has laid out roads of the subdivision, Woodford said. Song added that water and sewer utilities from Morrison Creek Metropolitan 66 | STEAMBOAT HOMEFINDER • Summer 2009

Water and Sanitation District already run to within close proximity of the development pods identified for the initial stages of the subdivision. Song said he has not developed a subdivision before and that he and his wife do not have financial partners. “We are it,” Song said. In his role as a consulting engineer, Song added, he has become very familiar with the development process. “I began working with the Disney development company in 1982,” Song said. “I don’t think of myself as a developer, but I’ve helped a lot of developers get their projects realized.” Song said he and his family fell in love with Steamboat after taking ski vacations across North America and in Europe. He said that when he came from his native South Korea to begin college in 1970, he already had a passion for rock climbing and mountaineering. He set that activity aside during his undergraduate and graduate studies but rediscovered his appreciation for the mountain environment while teaching his two sons to ski. Song is a member of the board of the Palm Beach County Economic Council. Young Song is a principal in Song and Associates. Projects include public schools, the Port St. Lucie Civic Center and West Palm Beach City Center. SH www.SteamboatHOMEFINDER.com