A snowball’s throw from:

• the gondola
• the info booth on the pedestrian mall
• Kemo Sabe
• Pitkin Co Dry Goods, etc.

Rental demand here is extremely high for the building’s location and turn-key amenities, including a rooftop hot tub with views of Aspen mountain and all of Aspen, seasonal continental breakfast, concierge, and wine and cheese apres ski.

New Year’s dessert will be served at an open house today from 12-2pm, so drop by after lunch, after skiing, or ask me to send you the full details and additional photos. It’s right about the Ralph Lauren store at Galena and Cooper.

Independence Square studio

heart of Aspen location

Short sale properties exist in every price range and every market these days… View West Properties just matched this Starwood home with an investor buyer..  Even in the exclusive Starwood neighborhood of Aspen there is opportunity.

8000 sq. feet. panoramic views of Ajax, Maroon Bells, Buttermilk, Highlands, and beyond. Beautiful new construction that started with an asking price of 12.9 million and is now under contract for less than half that price.

Whether a multi-million dollar single family Aspen home or a modest condo in Aspen’s core, steals await the savvy buyer that’s been waiting to enter the Aspen market!

full description and photos

5 bedroom 5 baths..elevator..hot tub...stone and timber beam new construction. click on photo for all photos and info

For anyone who makes the drive Denver-Aspen, the Independence Pass route is a special way to go, only open roughly 3months of the year, weather permitting.

Colorado 82 between Twin Lakes and Aspen has been designated as part of the federal government’s National Scenic Byway System.

The gorgeous, and hair-raising, road traverses over the 12,095-foot Independence Pass. It also passes by the ghost town of Independence (the dilapidated wooden shacks on the side of the road).

The 38-mile section of Colorado 82 was given the designation Friday in Washington, D.C., at a reception hosted by the Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration.  Two years ago, the road had been added to Colorado’s “Top of the Rockies” Scenic Byway system.  Mark Fuller, director of the Independence Pass Foundation, said the designation will include roughly a $100,000 grant to be used for planning purposes.

Feels good to have the Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration agree with how we feel about the views.

drive-by shot from top of Independence Pass

Since moving into the sought-after West End Aspen neighborhood, we’ve caught blurry glimpses of Lance training. He sprints up the mountains we hike and passes at dizzying speeds on road or mountain bike. This summer we watched him win the grueling Leadville 100 mile mountain bike race, break the course record, and finish the last 10 miles on a flat tire.  The point is that you can’t beat the guy out there, but you may be able to best the superhuman at real estate with help from the declining market we’ve watched during the past year and a half.

The neighboring home to Lance’s was built by the same builder, with the same level of gorgeous finishes and is available.  Mr. Armstrong paid $9.175m in October of last year.  Asking price was $9.4million.  The adjacent home is slightly larger (6187sq.feet (575m2)), and was therefore originally priced at $9,995,000.  Both homes are 5bedrooms, 5baths, haves stunning views, and are walking distance to the Music Tent, Aspen Institute, the Roaring Fork river, and to the rest of town.  Some sellers/owners have the means and patience to hold strong at their asking prices, confident in the value of their Aspen investment.  Others feel more distress, may have construction loans, and have reduced prices as quickly as a pebble on independence pass turns into a full-blown rockslide.  They’re not confident that holiday season ’09 or spring season ’10 will bring values back and they want to unload now.  The home next to Lance’s represents the latter, and just happens to have a virtually identical comparable sold to illustrate the market slide of the past eighteen months.  Asking price has slid from nearly 10million to now $6.8m. You can top Lance by purchasing the virtually same gorgeous property, only a bit larger, for about $2-3million dollars less.  You can join him by moving in next door.

So go ahead and revel in your real estate victory.  Beat Lance. But remember that to own in this setting, you both have made solid Aspen real estate investments, you’re both winners, and of course, to gloat is not neighborly.

for more details, map and full photos, email me:  Keith Hartigan -View West Properties, Aspen  970.261.4442

keith.hartigan@gmail.com

15,000 square feet, 180 degree views

Starwood is one of Aspen’s most exclusive neighborhoods (see previous Starwood post).  Set on one of Starwoods best original lots, the home has been renovated down to the studs by a local master builder.

Features:

• Heavily treed private lot on 2.3acres
• Panoramic views of all four ski mountains, Maroon Bells, and beyond
• Private tennis court
• Indoor Swimming pool
• State-of-the-art theatre
• gated community
• Top of top appliances and finishes-Gorgeous slab Carrera marble, Viking, Miele, Sub Zero.
• Wine cellar and tasting room
• Billiards room
• elevator
• 7 bedrooms, 8 baths
• Pilates, Yoga, fitness and massage rooms
• asking price: $12.9m

Photos fall short in capturing these spaces.  Even better, arrange a private tour when you have a good hour to soak in the home and it’s unparalleled views:  +1.970.261.4442  Or email for full set of photos and details.

opportunities abound to own your piece of Aspen, CO

excerpt by Curtis Wackerle, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer:

Back in the glory days of the real estate boom, more than 90 percent of sellers were seeing 90 percent or more of their asking price. That metric has now slipped to 42 percent, Michael Adams and Andrew Ernemann told the crowd.

But even with the slippage, most people aren’t having to lower their asking price by more than 20 percent, according to the brokers’ data.

“Twenty percent is still acceptable to many people,” Adams said.

There have been a few 40 percent reductions, mostly in west Aspen neighborhoods, Ernemann said. Home prices closer to the downtown core are holding up better, he said.

The day did not end without some Vail bashing.

In discussing one of the reasons that Aspen will remain a durable real estate commodity, Taylor said that Aspen has a special way of feeling like home, even to people who are only here part time.

“Vail never feels like home. If feels like a giant hotel,” Taylor said to boisterous applause.

In Aspen we often speak of proximity to the Gondola of Aspen Mountain (Ajax). This rare lot is uphill from the base of the gondola and allows for direct ski access.  Six Bedrooms, Seven Baths, and a cozy 10,000 square feet.

Beautifully furnished including..why not…a new Steinway piano.

Ski-in Aspen Mountain