Insider News for June 2009

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Hello from Crested Butte,

Summer is in full swing in Gunnison County. Whitewater boaters, bikers, hikers and summer residents have arrived. I drove by the Blue Mesa Reservoir west of Gunnison last week and I am happy to report the "Mesa" was full to her banks and fishermen’s boats dotted the expansive waters of this local recreational prize. I was on my way to the Bootjack Ranch in Pagosa Springs to preview an incredible ranch property listed by Sotheby’s International Realty. The $60 million property’s 3000+ acres feature amazing forests and valley meadows and includes 7 miles of trout fishing on the West San Juan River. The ranch hosts the Music in the Mountains Classical Music Festival.

I often focus on the Crested Butte and Mt Crested Butte local resort markets but in this edition I included a Gunnison County-wide reflection of sales activity in 2009. We all know the national real estate market has taken a beating over the last year+ and in Gunnison County sales have been flat too. But, the following numbers reveal decent demand for our offerings.

Gunnison Country MLS Real Estate Activity Year to Date:
63 residential transactions and $25 million in sales.
(35 more properties are under contract representing approximately $25 million)

24 land sales and $3.7 million in sales.
(6 more parcels are under contract representing $10+ million)

Busiest Market Area Year to Date:
Mt Crested Butte has realized 17 home sales in 2009.
Gunnison and Rural Gunnison combined for 23 home sales so far this year.

In Lake City, at the south end of our County, the high-end market is emerging from a year long hiatus. There are two properties currently under contract, a 750-acre ranch at $6.9 million and another 32-acre ranch located on the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River at $1.7 million.

Here are some helpful links for summertime events and activities in Crested Butte:

Fat Tire Bike Week & Other Mountain Bike Events – June 24-28
Crested Butte Music Festival – Thru the Month of July
Crested Butte Wildflower Festival – July 6 – 12
Crested Butte Land Trust Wine & Food Festival – July 23-26
Crested Butte Arts Festival – August 1-2

Thanks for reading today!
Channing Boucher
Benson Sotheby’s International Realty
Local Knowledge Global Reach