Regional Housing Coalition Formed

The West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition formed last year with eight Roaring Fork Valley government entities as its members with the aim to launch a “buydown” program targeted at helping locals purchase homes listed for $800,000 or less, Aspen Journalism reported. The group would give homeowners cash to help make the purchase — $100,000 or more, coalition members estimate — in exchange for placing a deed restriction on the properties at purchase to keep them occupied by local people who intend to live there full time.

According to data prepared for the coalition by two brokers at Aspen Snowmass Sotheby’s International Realty, in the first half of 2022, there were a combined 97 free-market home sales in Basalt and Glenwood Springs under $800,000. Seventy-two of them were in Glenwood Springs, 15 in Basalt and 10 in Carbondale. The Basalt and Carbondale sales have been of particular interest to the coalition as observers report more sales going to second-home owners, short-term rentals and retirees and this program hopes to combat that trend.

Vail to Close Its Aspen Sports Stores

The retail arm of Vail Resorts decided before the ski season began that it would close several of its Aspen Sports outlets and other stores in Aspen and Snowmass Village, the Aspen Daily News reported. SSI Venture Inc, the retail arm of Vail Resorts, filed notices of closures of nine outlets in Aspen and Snowmass Village with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. SSI Venture sent individual notices on the pending closure of nine outlets in Aspen and Snowmass Village, with seven of them affiliated with the Aspen Sports brand. The Patagonia and The North Face shops in Snowmass Village will also close. They will all close over several months this spring.