Steamboat & Real Estate 

Census estimates show growth in Steamboat

Routt County population increases, but towns’ changes mixed

By Jack Weinstein Originally published June 23, 2010 at 6:48 p.m., updated June 25, 2010 at 12:57 a.m.

Steamboat Springs — Steamboat Springs’ population increased more than 2,300 residents, or 24 percent, from 2000 to 2009, according to figures released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The census figures indicated that Steamboat had 12,180 residents as of July 1, 2009. The increase from 2008, 215 residents, or 1.8 percent, follows a trend of consistent modest growth in Steamboat since the 2000 census that showed 9,815 residents.

Jonathan Spence, Steam­boat’s interim planning director, said the city conducts its own population study annually that it compares with state demographers so each can verify numbers. For example, he said the state revised its population figures for Steamboat in 2008.

Spence said the city uses its population study in conjunction with the census estimates for planning purposes, such as development of the Community Area Plan and the West of Steamboat Springs Area Plan.

“We look at those numbers for providing services, such as essential services — water, sewer and emergency services,” he said.

In addition, he said the city’s planning department is working on an inventory analysis to evaluate what residential construction is possible on vacant and unused parcels in city limits. He said that analysis and population figures help Steamboat plan for the future.

According to the census figures, Routt County also grew, from 19,690 as of the 2000 census to the July 1, 2009, estimate of 23,469. That’s a difference of 3,779 residents, or more than 19 percent.

Other Routt County towns saw different changes in population. Hayden’s population has fluctuated since the decade began, and the town’s 2009 estimate increased 39 residents to 1,673 since the 2000 census. Oak Creek’s population increased six residents to 855 during that time, and Yampa had 442 residents as of the 2009 estimate, one fewer than was recorded in the 2000 census.

Colorado’s population in­­­creased by more than 723,000 people, 16.8 percent, to more than 5 million since the 2000 census, according to the 2009 estimate.

6/24/10

Steamboat and Real Estate

Composite Decking

Ronald Kaplan, President & CEO Trex , introduced a new product, Transcend, on CNBCTV this morning. A new manufacturing process creates a product that looks like wood.  Transcend is guaranteed for 25 years not to fade or stain. Additionally Transcend is offered with matching railings.  And Trex products are green- made with recycled plastics.

To see the entire interview, please paste the address below into your search engine.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=1529340081&play=1

The Steamboat real estate market is experiencing price reductions – 289 in the last 30 days alone.

The latest price reduction of note is at Edgemont – the new ski in/out condo that was completed this past ski season. A 30% price reduction off the new summer pricing is offered on the next 3 condos sold.

Other reductions:

2/2 Villa Cond0                               $299k

2/2 Shadow Run down                  $170k

1/1 Walton Village condo              $120k

Lake Catamount Cabin                 $1,550,000

4 bedroom Waterstone                  $749k

6472 sf Catamount Ranch             $2,600,000

SF in Tree Haus                              $795k

4/3 Stonewood Townhome           $1,145,000

3784 sf Sanctuary Home               $1,390,000

2/2/ Lodge                                      $299,500

6500 sf in Fish Creek                     $3,240,000

2+/3 Eagle Ridge Condo                 $239k

June 17-20, 2010

More than 500 Mustang owners from Rocky Mountain Mustang clubs will convene in Steamboat Springs over Father’s Day Weekend. Activities will include a scenic mountain tour, auto cross, Friday night social, Show n’ Shine Car Show and awards breakfast. Spectators are welcome at the Meadows parking lot located at the corner of Mt. Werner Road and Pine Grove Road for Friday’s Autocross. Over 180 Ford Mustangs compete in this timed event. Saturday’s Show n’ Shine is a car lovers dream. Over 450 Ford Mustangs are on display up and down Lincoln Avenue for your viewing pleasure. Both events are free and open to the public. 

Scenic Mountain Tour, Thursday, June 17th (1:00pm – 4:00 pm) The Meadows parking lot
The Roundup kicks off with a challenging tour of the beautiful countryside surrounding Steamboat Springs.
This will not be a speed event. There is no cost to participate. However, sign up is necessary on the registration form. Prizes will be awarded (this year will run a similar course as previous years).

Autocross, Friday, June 18th (7:30 am – 4:30 pm) The Meadows parking lot
The autocross will be held at The Meadows parking lot. There will be two sessions of the autocross
(morning and afternoon). There is a limit of 225 drivers and there will not be a waiting list for the autocross.
Each driver will complete three (3) timed runs. Autocross trophies will be awarded Saturday at noon at the
Show n’ Shine. SCCA safety regulations will be enforced. Helmets will be required on the track for every
driver and passenger (Snell 95 or newer). Registration must be postmarked on or before April 1, 2010 or 1st
225 drivers. Each car participating in the autocross is also required to pay the event registration fee. Only two
drivers are allowed per car. No driver may drive more than one car during the event. Each driver participating
in the autocross must submit a completed Autocross Entry Form along with the completed Registration Form.
Autocross participants must bring Autocross Confirmation and tech inspection before participating in
the autocross.

Friday Night Social, Friday, June 18th (6:00 pm) The  Grand Hotel
A welcome party featuring finger food and beverages at the Grand Hotel will begin at 6:00 p.m. This event is
open to all registered participants. Admission is FREE but everyone must have a ticket to participate. Tickets
are based on the number provided on the registration form. Your tickets will be in your registration packet.

Show n’ Shine, Saturday, June 19th (10:00 am – 3:00 pm) Downtown Oak Street
The car show will take place on Oak Street in downtown Steamboat Springs. Please note that the Show n’
Shine is NOT a concours judged competition. Staging will begin at 6:30 a.m. The car show will start at 10:30
a.m. and will end promptly at 3:00 p.m. Registration with payment must be received on or before May 15,
2010 or 1st 600 Registered Cars. 
          Make check payable to: RMMR and mail to: RMMR, PO Box 21706, Denver, CO 80221
          Please note – there will be NO on-site registration. No refunds after June 1, 2010
Winners in each of the Show n’ Shine classes will be selected by Judging Teams (residents of the Steamboat
community) using the following non councours criteria: Cleanliness, Craftsmanship, and Quality. The Judging
Teams will rate each car’s Engine, Interior, Exterior, Wheels/ Tires, and Overall Appearance. Each category is
worth 5 points for a maximum of 25 points. If there are significant changes from stock in any of the above
categories, please register in the appropriate modified class.
Trophies will be awarded up to 40% in each class (see Class Descriptions page to select the correct class for
your vehicle). Awards will be presented after the breakfast (10 am) on Sunday at the Grand Hotel.
Additional trophies will be awarded, including ones for Long Distance (individual) & Long Distance (club).
NOTE: To be eligible for either of the Long Distance awards, vehicle(s) must be driven the distance to and
from the show (trailered vehicles ineligible) and must be declared and proper Long Distance form filled out at
time of registration. Become a Judge

Breakfast / Show n’ Shine Awards, Sunday, June 20th (8:30am – 9:30 am) The  Grand Hotel 
The breakfast will be held at the Grand Hotel from 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Only coffee and juice will be served
after 9:30 a.m. Awards will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. All participating clubs are encouraged to bring their
club banners (drop them off in the Registration Room) as they will be displayed at this time.

Great tips for air travel

More consumers pack lighter, smarter to save when flying E-mail | Save | Print | Reprints & Permissions |

Roger Yu, USA TODAY Frequent traveler Rich Truesdell has experienced firsthand how serious airlines are about collecting their bag-check fees.On a recent flight from San Francisco International, an agent affiliated with United Airlines stopped him at a security checkpoint and sent him back to the ticket counter. His duffel roll-aboard, which he’d used as a carry-on for years, was slightly larger than the limit of 45 inches in combined width, length and height. He paid the required $25 fee to check it. “She was there to monitor carry-on luggage,” says Truesdell, editorial director of AutomotiveTraveler.com. “I still made the flight, but not by much.”  Vowing to avoid such embarrassing encounters, Truesdell promptly bought a smaller carry-on — a 21-inch-tall bag he could roll aboard. He also travels now with a copy of luggage instructions from the Transportation Security Administration and a tape measure so that “some wise person wouldn’t try to stop me from taking it on the plane.”  Forced by an airline industry determined to squeeze every ounce of efficiency and every dollar in fees, Americans are capitulating to the new realities of travel. Like Truesdell, they’re packing lighter and smarter to cope with the realities of the domestic flying experience. Shipping heavy bags in advance is becoming more popular. So, too, are vacuum packing clothes, storing personal items at hotels, and forgoing laptops and power cords.  Luggage manufacturers, hotels and airlines also are responding. They’re introducing products and services that cater to the collective pressure and a desire to get in and out of airports and planes with minimal fuss.  Some pressure is entrenched at airports: long lines at ticket counters and stringent security checkpoints imposed after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. But others have emerged more recently as airlines sought new sources of revenue and cut costs to survive: extra fees that escalate every few months to check bags, cramped regional jets and reduced staffing at ticket counters.  It all often translates into passengers carrying on all they need. “I call it the battle of the overhead bin,” says Scott Applebee, vice president of marketing at Travelpro, a luggage manufacturer.  Word is spreading   The oft-repeated mantra of the hardened road warrior is, “Never check luggage.” But the lesson is sinking in on less jaded travelers, too.  Bob Burns, an aviation industry executive in Orlando, says he switched from the “ranks of the occasional checked bag to the never check bag, regardless of the location and duration of the trip.”  After learning that a flight home from New York’s JFK was canceled, Burns hopped on another to Rome on a whim, and discovered he can last 10 days with a carry-on. He’s never looked back.  A dreaded fear of losing luggage motivates Bill Worth to keep his bag with him at all times. “I’ve had long weekend trips to Europe and (had) my luggage go to some other place, only to show up the day I’m departing,” says the education industry executive from Atlanta.  Bag-check fees don’t apply to premium status fliers, including Steve Milby. But the Sears executive in Marietta, Ga., has seen more regional jets on his routes and has had to downsize to two pairs of slacks to avoid checking a bag at a gate. When he knows he’ll be on regional jets, he replaces his carry-on with a duffel bag that fits in the smaller overhead bin. “I miss having the wheels, but it gets me out of the jet bridge waiting line,” he says.  The battle for the overhead bin has been a boon for luggage makers such as Travelpro, which has seen a 30% increase in demand for carry-ons since airlines introduced fees for checking bags two years ago. “Now, we (deliver) more carry-ons as a percentage. Consumers have adapted quickly to them,” Applebee says.  The focus is on weight. By simplifying design frame, removing unused straps or using lighter fabric, manufacturers have lowered the weight of a 22-inch carry-on to between 6 and 10 pounds from the 10 to 15 pounds commonly found a few years ago, Applebee says.  This month, Travelpro will introduce a line that will be its lightest yet: the Atlantic UltraLite bag that weighs 6.5 pounds. “I don’t know if we can take it much below that,” Applebee says.  Briggs & Riley, another bagmaker, in May started shipping its lightest carry-on yet, the 7-pound BRX line. Another of its popular line, Baseline carry-ons, shed its weight last summer to 10 pounds from the 11 pounds of the previous version.  With space in overhead bins tighter than ever, 20-inch carry-ons that roll aboard — 2 inches shorter but wider than the more typical model — are the “single biggest craze” among luggage shoppers, says Jim Lahren, vice president of marketing at Briggs & Riley. They also meet the luggage height requirement of many international airlines, which cap it at 21.6 inches (55 centimeters), vs. 22 for domestic travel.  Frequent traveler Jeanniey Mullen, chief marketing officer of digital book distributor Zinio, prefers a duffel roll-aboard that’s more flexible for packing and storing. “In overhead bins, you sometimes have to scrunch it,” she says, claiming she can live up to 16 days with the contents of a carry-on.  The industry has also introduced “spinners,” particularly aimed at women. They’re four-wheel bags that can move in any direction and provide sliding navigation for travelers who find two-wheel bags too heavy.  For customers who flirt daily with the airline’s bag weight limit, Delsey Luggage introduced bags in January that are equipped with a weight indicator. A red spot on the handle will light when the bag exceeds 50 pounds, an industry limit for checked luggage.  Introduced several years ago, “TSA-friendly” briefcases remain popular among the laptop-toting segment of frequent travelers. The bag splits open like a butterfly, with the laptop sleeve side directly exposed to the X-ray machine, eliminating the need for the computer to be taken out at checkpoints. “It’s the most important piece of luggage I have,” says Richard Bradbury, director of product management in Atlanta. “It’s so worth it.”  To keep from having to check bags, travelers are shedding items as they go. Their options have grown in recent years, as airlines and hotels partner with shipping companies to give customers the option of sending their bags separately.  United Airlines can deliver customers’ bags door-to-door overnight via FedEx. The price starts at $79 for a bag up to 50 pounds. Disney World resort hotels, W Hotels and Marriott Vacation Club offer similar luggage delivery options for customers.  Shipping an option   Zinio’s Mullen used to check bags full of books and marketing literature for conferences, but now ships them ahead. “I’d often bring an empty bag for vacations,” she says. “If I’m going to be in London, I’d be shopping. But now I look to ship.”  Bob Schneider travels to the same locale weekly. Rather than bring clothes home to be laundered, the project executive from Medway, Mass., leaves them at a dry cleaner.  W Hotels keep loaner laptops for travelers who leave them at home, and store luggage for long-term guests who come and go regularly.  Michael Feeney, a commercial pilot in Honolulu, says it’s easier to toss some things on long trips, though he acknowledges his practice of ditching undergarments is “wasteful.” For a three-week trip to Europe and Africa, he once bought white T-shirts from Costco and left them in hotel rooms. “The (souvenirs) I buy fill (my luggage) back up,” he says. “Maybe someone else will use them.”  Some travelers are learning to shed weight by rethinking their tech gadgets.  Ralph Velasquez, an executive for a building supply company in Nashville, has switched from a laptop to a smaller netbook. “Combined with my BlackBerry and flash drives, it is working just fine, so far.”  Feeney no longer packs multiple charging cords. He recently got a surge protector that has USB ports that can charge his camera, iPod and iPad with just one cord. “It’s the size of three golf balls and fits in my shoes,” he says. “That thing is amazing for travel.”  Some travelers are literally wearing their gadgets, Scottevest CEO Scott Jordan says. His company’s vests provide 22 “layered” pockets for cellphones, keys, camera, passport and water bottle. It includes a transparent pocket for users who want to scroll through their iPhone without taking it out, and around-neck lining for earphone cords. It’s just introduced a model with a pocket large enough for an iPad. “It enables you to have all your stuff with you at all times, not just as a second carry-on but also when you’re out at the grocery store,” Jordan says. “Unlike wearing a photographer’s vest, you wouldn’t look like a tourist.”

In his newly published book “And then the Roof Caved In”, CNBC journalist David Faber details the creation of mortgage products by the investment and financial community which fueled the housing boom and ultimately lead to the bust. Faber also contends that the complicity of the ratings agencies was critical for these products to be created. He says, ” the great mortgage machine that Wall Street created simply would not  have been able to operate” had the rating agencies not bestowed the triple A  ratings. ”A structured product doesn’t exist until a rating is given.” i.e a mortgage product must have a rating before it can be sold on the open market. In the book he also details the high level of risk, leverage ratio, compensation, etc. which all fed the “machine”.

How does all of this affect real estate and Steamboat? New regulations are being enacted to address the excesses and lack of oversight which were part of the problem. Banks don’t want to lend fearing a wrong move will bring on the wrath of the government.  Therefore, Lenders have increased loan qualification requirements.  Development money is pretty much available only through private sources, obviously at higher rates. Jumbo loans ( purchase price over $675k, a significant part of the the Steamboat market) are just starting to become available but at a much higher interest rate. Additionally recently enacted regulation designed to address potential fradulant appraisal practices has an effect. As of May 1, communication is prohibited between appraissers and lenders and the buyer’s real estate agent. Appraisals must now be ordered through an appraisal management company. This additional step bogs down an already long and tedious process and allows appraisals prepared by those having little or no knowledge of the market. Closing dates are now extended to allow for the additional time required to receive the appraisal. Some lenders now require 2 and 3 appraisals. And unfortunately some contracts never close because of  roadblocks encountered due to this new regulation. Bottom line, what happened on Wall Street (by a small and select group of individuals) affects everyone buying or selling real estate today, even in our small mountain resort community.

Society is changing at an incredible speed. Twitter is too slow. So Flutter was developed by 2 Sophomores at Stanford. Twitter is microblogging, Flutter is nanoblogging. The name describes the speed of the blog- the rate of flaps of humming birds wings. Regular bird tweets-too slow. Flutter allows only 26 characters in a “Flap”.  Any message too long is automatically edited. They plan to develop an Iphone app. which allows Flutter to broadcast your every step. Walk into Startbucks -Flap:Kim Get Coffee. Should Nature call:Kim in Bathroom. In just 2 months 3.2M users have begun to Flutter. The next step:Flutter eyes. Highly sophisticated eye glasses connected to a wireless network. The wearer will see ticker-tape style lines on the inside of the lens scrolling new Flaps. Eventually Flutter will not be fast enough. The next step :Shutter-26 characters, no vowels.  I’m wondering if this will give rise to the development of a new language? Guttural sounds-no vowels please. Perhaps similar to our early ancestors.  

Two weeks of warm, sunny days left mountains conditions univiting. However, things changed Sunday afternoon when a major storm blew in and it started to snow. The sun is finally peaking out from the clouds after 3 solid days of snow. The powder is deep-spring skiing at it’s best. Hop onto Frontier, United,  Continental, Northwest or American Airlines and get to Steamboat. The Hayden Airport is open with most flights arriving on time throughout the storm.  Call now and make that reservation. As you know It’s always fun in the Boat.

With negative news dominating the media, skiing seems to be the perfect way to forget those problems for a few hours. Last minute bookings are up, perhaps due to airlines lower fares and American Skiing’s discount packages. Most of all, folks may need to escape. Scerenity, views, the sound of the skies (and boards) on the snow providing a way to get out and enjoy life.  I don’t think this is an example of ignoring today’s problems or burying one’s head in snow. It’s just a way to focus on fun. We are thrilled to have visitors from all over the world. They love the champagne powder and friendly spirit displayed by everyone they meet.