Breckenridge Associates
Real Estate

On behalf of the Breckenridge Associates Real Estate brokers, we'd like to wish you and yours the very best in 2010. There's really not a better place to kick off the new decade than in Summit County. Depending on where you are and where you want to be, we've put together a list of some of the happenings in the area for New Year's Eve celebrations. Breckenridge Yamn , formerly of Breckenridge, Colorado is bringing their annual New Year's Eve show to the Riverwalk Performing Arts Center for an all ages show. Ring in the New Year in the heart of Breckenridge listening to great music. For more info. about Yamn click here . Doors open at 7pm and the show begins at 8pm. The Town of Breckenridge New Year's Eve fireworks will be visible from right outside the venue at 9pm and the band will take a quick break to enjoy the fireworks. Tickets are available at all Yamn Performances, Space Cowboy in Breckenridge, Colorado and Affordable Music in Dillon, Colorado, as well a

For the fifth straight month, October real estate prices showed another slight gain over previous months. Home prices were up .4% over September at October's close. While overall the housing gains appear flat, we are seeing some solid gains. A spike in consumer confidence for December has encouraged investors and U.S. stocks also reacted positively on Monday with an early rise in trading. View the full article here BBC News Article .

Though it hovered slightly below pre-recession levels, tourism spending was on the rise for the third quarter of 2009. More was spent on transportation, and fuel prices jumped, contributing to higher overall spending on tourism. Spending increased at a 6.4 percent inflation - an adjusted annual rate in the third quarter after rising 0.2 percent in the second quarter. The overall economy grew at a 2.8%. To read a full article, visit this link to the Wall Street Journal .

Are you familiar with what the FHA Section 203k offers? It is a program specifically designed to rehabilitate and repair single-family homes. The 203k is a single mortgage loan providing funds to purchase a home and make repairs and improvements. If you are considering a new home purchase and have found a home with potential that needs some work to suit your needs, you should find out if the home could qualify for the 203k loan or at least learn more about this new program. If the buyer and the home meet the requirements, the remodel loan can be built directly into your mortgage. For more information on the 203k loan program click here or click here .

Thank you to all the participants, volunteers and sponsors for the 2nd Annual Breckenridge Snowflake Challenge on Main Street Breckenridge, Colorado. And the winners of the $2k grand prize are: 1st, The Grinch that Stole Christmas. Located in Blue River Plaza (They are 2nd year winners - Congratulations and great work) Our other talented winners include: 2nd, Charlie Browns Christmas (snoopy Doghouse). Located in front of Main Street Outlet, Breckenridge. 3rd, Sled Dogs. Located by the Photo Shop at Adams Street, Breckenridge. 4th, the Pizza Guy. Located at Fatty's on Ridge Street, Breckenridge. 5th, Snow Globe. Located in front of Paragon Lodging on North Main Street, Breckenridge. 6th, Dog with Camera. Located in front of La Cima Mall on Main Street, Breckenridge. 7th Stolen Gold. Located by Magical Scraps on Main Street, Breckenridge People's Choice. A TIE between Kenosha Steakhouse with Santa & Reindeer in the Half-pipe & Summit High School with Snow Globe of Brecke

Back for a second year, the Winter Dew Tour will once again begin its 3-stop series at the Breckenridge Ski Resort. This not-to-miss tour consists of 3 major, multi-sport events spanning across the U.S., with a cumulative points system, and a $1.5 million competitive cash purse. Each stop of the tour features men's and women's snowboard (superpipe and slopestyle), and men’s freeskiing (superpipe and slopestyle). The Winter Dew Tour will be broadcast live on NBC Sports from 11:30am-2pm, Saturday, December 19 and 2-4pm, Sunday, December 20 with additional competition and lifestyle broadcasts on USA, MTV and MTV2 and is also distributed on Fuel TV, Universal HD, Rush HD, and internationally on Eurosport, Fox Australia, Extreme Channel and Allarco Superchannel. All competition courses and the Festival Village locations are at Peak 8 at the Breckenridge Ski Resort. Peak 8 can be accessed by taking the BreckConnect gondola to the Peak 8 base from Breckenridge Station in town. Access

Local snow artists are hard at work this week creating their own snow art masterpieces on the streets of Breckenridge for all to enjoy. This 2nd year event, created by Breckenridge Associates Real Estate and produced jointly with the Breckenridge Resort Chamber, is a friendly competition among locals to put out their best snow sculptures for a chance to win up to $2,000 and other generous cash prizes. This year we have approximately 16 teams competing and we can wait to see what they produce this week. Come one, come all, but be sure to come and cheer for our competitors this week and watch as their creations come to life. Sculpting started on December 5 and will be judged at 3pm, December 12. Stop by Breckenridge Associates Real Estate at 229 South Main Street in Breckenridge for a site map of the sculpting locations and be sure to vote for the People’s Choice sculpture on Saturday, December 12 – also at our office. The awards ceremony follows Saturday's judging from 5:30-7:30pm a

A favorite family or group activity of ours is heading up the gondola at Keystone Ski Resort sometime each winter to experience the thrill of snow tubing at Adventure Point. It’s just like snow tubing we've all done as kids, but with a much larger hill, its own tubing lift and a much greater adventure. Choose your own adventure with three different tubing lanes. You can link tubes together or ask for a spin by one of the tubing guides. Try it during the day or under the lights at night. One things for sure, you will love the thrill of it and want to come back for more! Hours and Dates: 
Weather dependent, Nov. 25, 2009 - April 11, 2010. Wednesday-Saturday: 12pm-3pm & 5pm-7:00pm*; Sunday: 12pm-3pm & 5pm. Sessions start on the hour and half hour. 
4pm-5pm CLOSED for grooming 
*Night tubing only open when night skiing is open. Requirements: You must be at least 42 inches tall to ride. Cost: $27/person or $22/person if you choose to go and watch. Checking in: 
Guest must check

Copper Mountain will bring snowboarding's biggest stars to the area this weekend for the U.S. Grand Prix of Snowboarding, a half pipe Olympic qualifying event. The event kicks off tomorrow, Dec. 10 with Women's qualifying heats, and carries through the weekend. It is the first qualifying event for the Vancouver Winter Olympics - a total of 4 men and 4 women are expected to make the U.S. Snowboarding Olympic team. Top riders from around the country and world wide will be competing. Olympic hopeful and Breckenridge local, Steve Fisher, is one of the competitors (also a two-time winning XGames Superpipe Champ) along with other top male athletes - Shaun White, Mason Aguirre, J.J. Thomas and Louie Vito. Top women competitors include Kelly Clark, Gretchen Bleiler and Hannah Teter. Schedule of Events Follows: Thursday, December 10 9:00am-12:45pm | Women’s Halfpipe Qualifiers | Main Vein 1:00am-3:00pm | Men’s Halfpipe Practice | Main Vein Friday, December 11 8:30am-2:30pm | Men’s Halfp

U.S. consumer spending was up more than expected in October - another good sign of a continuing economic recovery. Spending for the month of October jumped .7% over September, according to the Commerce Department. This was unexpected given September had shown a decline of .6%. The data from the Commerce Department indicated that consumers increased their spending in October on both durable manufactured goods, such as cars and household appliances, and nondurables, such as food and clothes. This report comes from BBC News View the full article here.

Home prices came up slightly in the third quarter nationwide, something national real estate hadn't experienced since the second quarter of 2007 - according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) seasonally adjusted purchase-only house price index (HPI). The HPI is calculated using home sales price information from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac-acquired mortgages. It was 0.2% higher on a seasonally adjusted basis in the third quarter than in the second quarter of 2009. Over the past year, seasonally adjusted prices fell 3.8% from the third quarter of 2008 to the third quarter of 2009. This type of data shows a short-term stabilization in home prices on a national level, which is likely a result of the ongoing economic efforts to stabilize markets according to a recent article by RIS Media . View the full article here.

The Breck Snowflake Challenge takes place in Breckenridge, Colorado beginning December 5 with final judging on December 12. We're excited for the 2nd Annual Challenge presented by Breckenridge Associates Real Estate jointly with the Breckenridge Resort Chamber. Visit brecksnowflakechallenge.com for details and all the forms you need to sign up. Or, call the Breckenridge Associates Real Estate office at 970.453.2200.

Grab your friends, some warm clothes and a shovel. Head out to the best snowy spot, load up some snow and get to work creating your best snow sculpture in town! Before the International Snow Sculpting Championships was what it is today, this is how it started - artists joining together and finding their own snow for a snow sculpting competition on Main Street Breckenridge. This year the International Snow Sculpting Championships, which is set for January, is celebrating 20 years as a world-class event in Breckenridge. As a tribute to all those snow artists out there and in an effort to continue to draw attention to the artform, we wanted to return the event to its roots on Main Street, Breckenridge. We wanted to create a smaller scale snow sculpting event all about the locals coming out to compete in a fun and friendly atmosphere. Thus the Breck Snowflake Challenge started last year and returns for the second year December 5-12. Not only will you have a great time seeing your sculpture

Please bring your canned food donations to Breckenridge Associates Real Estate by December 11, 2009. We are located at 229 South Main Street between Bubba Gumps and Starbucks in Breckernidge, Colorado. Land Title is doing a statewide drive and we will be contributing all of our donations to them on December 11. We hope to have an overwhelming amount of food to donate to those in need this holiday season.

Concertmaster, Oscar Soler, Returns to Summit County on January 23rd Seating is limited, please reserve your seats now! The 2009 NRO Alum Concertmaster, Oscar Soler, returns on January 23, 2010. He will be joined by Rosalie Gilbert at the Keystone Conference Center in Keystone, Colorado. Join us at the Keystone Conference Center and enjoy the sounds of the violin and harp as they're played for us. At 6:30pm you'll nosh on hearty appetizers and wine while you chat with friends - both new and old. The music begins at 7:15pm and will include solos and duets by these two talented musicians. All this for just $25 per person. For more information on how to purchase tickets, please call the NRO Office at 970-453-5825 or email Julie Chandler at julie@nromusic.com

The Housing Opportunity Index (HOI), an indexing series created by the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo and used first used 18 years ago, indicates that the third quarter of 2009 is near its highest level for the third consecutive quarter since it's first series was created in 1991. Nationwide housing affordability, affordable interest rates and low pricing are all factors. The report concludes that 70.1% of all new and existing homes sold July-September, 2009, were affordable to families earning the national median income of $64,000. This is down slightly from a near record in the second quarter and up from 56.1% in the third quarter of last year. With the tax credit extended and expanded to appeal to a wider group of eligible home buyers, we hope to continue to see a sales trend continue to grow. Interest rates are now lower than the last quarter and the tax credit encourages more parties to enter into the the market, stimulating home sales, stabilizing prices an

Park City, Utah-based Powdr Corp. is set to purchase Copper Mountain Ski Resort for an undisclosed amount with the deal expected to close in December, pending approval from the U.S. Forest Service and Federal Regulators. Intrawest Corp., the current resort owner, ran into financial trouble about a year ago and rumors circulated that the company may need to sell assets to raise cash to finance current loans. Powdr Corp. brings years of ski industry operations experience to the table and is the owner of and operator of seven resorts: Park City Mountain Resort in Park City, Utah, Killington Resort and Pico Resort in Killington, Vermont, Mt. Bachelor in Bend, Oregon, Boreal Resort and Soda Springs Resort, both in Donner Summit, California, and Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. Adding Copper Mountain to the resort family seems to be a natural fit. Copper Mountain has 2,433 acres of skiable terrain with 22 lifts. Guests can expect "business as usual"

Come out and support the National Repertory Orchestra with a dinner celebration at Blue River Bistro. Enjoy a Wine Pairing Dinner at 6:30pm on December 2, 2009. Cost is $75 per person with all proceeds going to the NRO. Reserve your spot today at blueriverbistro.com, or by calling 970.453.6974.

Breckenridge Associates Real Estate and the Breckenridge Resort Chamber proudly present the 2nd Annual Breckenridge Snowflake Challenge on Main Street, December 5-12. In this week-long event, local teams will compete to design the best snow sculptures for a chance to win big cash prizes. The founders of the Budweiser International Snow Sculpting Championships, celebrating its 20th Anniversary in January, have come together to host this fantastic grass roots competition for the 2nd year in a row as both a return to the roots of how the long-standing event got its start and as a way to give something great back to the community. Calling all entries! Individuals and business teams are invited to sign-up and create their own one-of-a-kind sculpture and compete for cash prizes. To learn more or sign up today, call Breckenridge Associates Real Estate at 970.453.2200. More information will be made available to the public soon, including a schedule of events for the week. Check back to our blo

Early ski season is a great time to head out on the local ski slopes for a few fun runs to get the feel of your ski legs and start to get back in the groove of winter skiing and riding. As the snow falls with Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper Mountain, A-Basin and Loveland opening more terrain daily, ski area conditions continue to get better and better. But, ask a Breckenridge local what to do late October and early November when it’s time to put the mountain bikes away and the hiking boots up, and you’ll hear many get out our cross country touring gear and the hit the north facing slopes for a little ski tour. Locals love those unexpected early season snows where even a couple inches in town can mean several inches or more in our secret stashes. A couple favorites begin in the French Gulch area - in the open space that is now owned jointly by the Town of Breckenridge and Summit County. This area, once owned by B&B Mines Company, hosts tons of winter and summer hiking, biking and sk

There is exciting news for potential homebuyers and homeowners, the existing government tax credit has now been extended and expanded. The first-time homebuyer tax credit has just been extended through the end of April. In addition, an expansion of the program now includes a tax credit of $6,500 to homeowners who have lived in their principal home for at least five years and are purchasing a new residence. Qualified buyers will be able to claim the tax credit on 2009 or 2010 tax returns. Some restrictions on income limits, property type and eligibility may apply. View details on the tax credit via this RIS Media Article and learn the answers to questions about the buyer and owner credits through the Q&A via The New York Times .

Breckenridge officially kicked off the 2009-2010 ski and snowboarding season today with 108 acres of terrain and more snow on the way for the weekend. Congratulations to Breckenridge on kicking the ski season off right and best of luck for a great season of snow!

Copper Mountain Ski Resort opened today with top to bottom skiing, including the Eagle Jib Park. They open with several intermediate runs accessed by the American Eagle lift as well as the Easy Rider lift enclosed area for those still perfecting their snowriding skills. Keystone Resort opened yesterday with ABasin and Loveland opening early October. Breckenridge is scheduled to open November 12. Then officially all mountains in the Summit County, Colorado area will have kicked off the 2009-2010 Ski Season!

Keystone Ski Resort opened today, November 5, one day earlier than planned. They kicked off this beautiful Colorado day with top-to-bottom skiing running the River Run gondola. Guests can enjoy the new ease of the skier bridge that allows you a shorter walk to enjoy quicker access to skiing. More terrain expected to open soon, but what a great start to the year. Loveland, A-Basin and Keystone ski resorts are now opened. Copper is set to open tomorrow, November 6 and Breckenridge ski area opens on November 12! Welcome Winter! See you on the slopes.

Comcast announced this week it's jumping from broadband to wideband, launching DOCSIS 3.0 technology in some of Colorado's mountain communities, including Summit County, Granby, Rifle, Glenwood Springs, Winter Park and Aspen. This change is already in effect, beginning this past Tuesday, November 3. Users can expect the fastest speeds available with wideband technology with download speeds of up to 50 MBPS. It will double speeds for most and at no additional cost. For more information on wideband in your neighborhood, click here or call 1-800-COMCAST.

It's always exciting to hear what the resorts have in store for operations and improvements heading into a new season. Last week, the resort executives for Breckenridge, Loveland, Keystone, Copper and A-Basin officially kicked off the season, announcing to the public expected plans for each resort heading into the start of skiing in the high country. Fortunately, we live in a resort area where the ski areas are continually re-investing in their product to keep it top-notch and the best it can be. This gives us confidence in our local community and creates momentum and a "snowball" effect for many local businesses going into a new ski season. In addition to the improvements listed below, the resorts have also seen unbelievable early season snow and a rise in season pass sales. All signs of good business ahead! Resort Improvements: Keystone - Purchased 5 new snowcats and parking lot improvements. Better grooming and added focus on intermediate and black runs. A-Basin - Earl

It's that time of year again, where local ski resorts and towns announce their big events for the upcoming winter. To check out the wide range of event happenings in Summit County visit our Event Page .

A chilly fall and early season snow have helped two of our local resorts open earlier than normal this year. An annual friendly rivalry between Loveland and Arapahoe Basin commences each October where the two compete in the "Race to Open". Loveland won the battle this year on October 7th and was the first resort in North America to open for the season with an 18 inch base and 1,000 vertical feet of skiing via Chair 1. Arapahoe Basin followed two days later on October 9th. They too opened with an 18 inch base and skiing on the High Noon run. The resorts continue to open more terrain daily and officially helped to kick off winter in the Colorado Rockies. The ski season momentum continues with chilly fall days, snow storms and optimal snowmaking conditions in the high country. Keystone and Copper Mountain Ski Resorts are set to open November 6, followed by Breckenridge Ski Resort on November 12. We can't wait for an epic year on the slopes.

Purchase 2009-2010 Colorado season ski passes online now. Vail Resorts, parent company to Breckenridge, Keystone, Vail, Beaver Creek & Heavenly ski areas, is offering several pass options online and you can purchase directly as a first time buyer or to renew. Visit this link to view Vail Resorts pass options. Intrawest, parent company to Copper, Winter Park and Steamboat resorts, also has passes available for purchase online. Visit this link to view Intrawest passes.

Momentum in our local real estate market is continuing to build with increased activity in the late summer months of 2009. In June, the combined number of transactions among single family residences/duplexes, condos/townhomes and land was at 55. After closing the month of September, this number has more than doubled with 117 sales. Data for the past 45 days indicates even greater activity on the horizon with 161 pending sales. The first graph below highlights the lows of early 2009 as well as the upswing in transactions experienced over recent months. The second graph shows the sold data since 2007. If you're considering a home or investment property in Breckenridge or Summit County, Colorado and are still on the fence, you can feel confident knowing you aren't the first taking advantage of current market conditions. Many investors have entered back into our market and demand is steadily increasing. Average sales are realizing 2005 prices and the selection is better than it has

Learn what's planned for the local ski areas this winter at the annual season preview event featuring top executives from each local resort. Ski resort representatives from A-Basin Ski Area's VP and COO Alan Henceroth, Breckenridge Ski Resort's Director of Mountain Operations Gary Shimanowitz, Copper Mountain Ski Resort's President and COO Gary Rodgers, Keystone Resort's VP of Mountain Operations Doug Lovell and Loveland Ski Area's Director of Business Operations Rob Goodell, will address the public and officially kick off the 2009-2010 season. The event is scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, October 21, from 7-9pm at the Community & Senior Center in Frisco. Topics covered to include: Opening/closing dates, facility and lift upgrades, ongoing projects, season, multi-day and day pass information, events, ski and snowboard school programs, competition schedules and environmental initiatives.

Loveland Ski Area announced yesterday it would open today - its earliest opening in 40 years! The ski area, located 50 minutes west of Denver, starting running lifts this morning at 9am and is the first resort in the state to open. The ski area opens with only one run, but it's a great sunny day today and a perfect way to break in the ski legs for the winter ahead. Loveland has been making snow since September 21 and has tree to tree coverage with an 18 inch base. Conditions are looking good for early season. Each year the rivalry and a "race to open" takes place between Loveland Ski Area and A-Basin Ski Resort. Last year the two resorts tied and the two previous years, A-Basin Ski Resort won the race. We applaud Loveland for their snowmaking efforts and congratulate them on the opening 'win'. A-Basin opens on Friday. We're eager to get on the slopes and take some turns ourselves!

It's been snowing off and on the past couple of days in Breckenridge, Colorado. It's typical we'd get some snow in town in the Fall sometime during the month of September, but we're wondering if Old Man Winter is making his entrance early or if we will truly get to enjoy a little bit of fall. Snowcapped peaks and golden changing Aspens in the background make it the perfect time to cozy up at home around the fireplace and read a book. It's nice to have days like this in Breckenridge and with all the talk about what an epic winter it's going to be, we can't help but get excited for more. Here's a photo from this morning of the snow covered peaks of Breckenridge Ski Resort. The count down until opening day begins!

Earlier in the month, we emailed our clients and friends with our "Secret Stash" recommendation - our local's secret and something not to miss in Breckenridge, Colorado. Our "Secret Stash" for the week was the beautiful changing Aspens at their peak on Boreas Pass. We hope you were able to check it out. We have been up there several times this fall and this weekend was beautiful. Get up there in the next few days if you haven't already, or the leaves will have fallen and you might have to wait until next year.

Breckenridge Associates Real Estate is a proud supporter of The Summit Foundation, a non-profit organization in the mountains that through annual fundraising efforts gives back to the local community. Since 1986, The Summit Foundation has awarded more than $10.6 million in grants - distributed to 218 nonprofit organizations. Also, more than $1 million has been distributed in scholarships to students pursuing post-secondary education. Visit this link to learn more about The Summit Foundation . This weekend and next weekend mark the 15th Annual Parade of Homes in Summit County, one of The Summit Foundation's long standing events. More than 25 beautiful mountain properties are on the tour this year. You can link to this map to view the specific tour locations. For $10 per person, you can tour the homes this weekend (September 19-20) and next (September 26-27). All proceeds benefit The Summit Foundation. Don't miss the chance to view some of the most beautiful homes in Breckenri

That sounds like a great idea to us! Stop by D’Vine Wine at 211 South Main Street, Unit F. in Breckenridge today and enjoy $1 Chair Massage and a $5 glass of wine. Sounds like a perfect stop after an end of summer stroll on Main Street, Breckenridge.

Winter is just around the corner and we’re wondering what it might bring. Each year we hope for endless snow. Will Mother Nature deliver this year? We’ve reviewed weather predictions from two separate, century-old forecasting methods - the Farmers’ Almanac and Weather Folklore . There are some interesting insights from both and if they're right, it could be a big Winter. Hint, hint…shoveling may be in your future. Without computers or instruments to forecast weather long-term, Farmers’ Almanac predictions are based on a top-secret mathematical and astronomical formula that dates back to the 1800s, when the first issue was published. This formula is still heavily relied upon today with the latest 2010 predictions just released. Will it be a cold Winter? The answer is yes it will – throughout most of the country. Just how cold it will be? According to the Farmers' Almanac predictions, Old Man Winter has plans for a very cold and snowy Colorado and the central part of the coun

You won't want to miss an opportunity to view "Colorado Gold" in Summit County. And, there's no better way to experience it than enjoying a family mountain bike ride on moderate singletrack to Bakers Tank at one of the best fall foliage viewing places, Boreas Pass Road in Breckenridge, Colorado. To get there from Main Street Breckenridge, take a left at the last light at the south end of town. Take the road until you get to a parking area and dirt road. You can start your ride here. Follow the road up to an old water tank on the left hand side. If you wish to continue to Bakers Tank, take the dirt road to the left of the tank and veer to the single track to the left. You will come to a junction in the road, head left to follow the loop back toward where you parked. This is the perfect ride for a family or novice rider with wide open roads, rolling hills and incredible views.

Season ski passes on sale now! With so many resorts to choose from and easy access to and from Summit County, you can’t go wrong. We’ve included pass pricing from many ski resorts: Breckenridge, Keystone, ABasin, Vail, Beaver Creek, Copper Mountain, Winter Park, Steamboat and Loveland. 2009-2010 Opening Days ABasin Ski Resort, Snow Dependent, in 2008 opened October 13 Loveland Ski Resort, Snow Dependent, in 2008 opened October 13 Keystone Ski Resort, November 6, 2009 Copper Mountain Ski Resort, November 6, 2009 Breckenridge Ski Resort, November 12, 2009 Winter Park Ski Resort, November 18, 2009 Steamboat Ski Resort, November 25, 2009 Vail Ski Resort, November 20, 2009 Beaver Creek, November 25, 2009 Breckenridge, Keystone, ABasin, Vail, Beaver Creek Season Passes Summit Pass, $399 (Adult) $309 (Teen) $199 (Child) – Breckenridge, Keystone, ABasin. Unlimited and no restrictions. Colorado Pass, $439 (Adult) $329 (Teen) $209 (Child) – Breckenridge, Keystone, ABasin – unlimited. +10 days

The new Farmers' Almanac has hit the news stand and the prediction for the winter includes cold and snow for the mid section of the country from as far West as the Rocky Mountains (this includes Breckenridge and Summit County, Colorado) to the Appalachians in the East. Did we mention - it predicts lots and lots of snow for as well. Let's cross our fingers! Pick up the new Farmers' Almanac today. Visit this website farmersalmanac.com

Summit County, Colorado Elementary Schools have continually been among the top performing schools in the state. Our local community is proud of this and what great places Breckenridge and Summit County, Colorado are to raise a family. You can check out the "report card" for Colorado School Districts here to see how other schools compare at the following link. Colorado Elementary Schools Accountability Reports One buzz-worthy academic program that has been getting a lot of attention over the past several years locally, is the Dual Language (English & Spanish) program that was initiated at Dillon Valley Elementary School five years ago. Each classroom rotates between two teachers, teaching in a constant flow by rotating subjects and languages over a three-week period. Everyone in the classroom is learning a second language, whether Spanish or English - thus helping to create a global culture. Beginning with two kindergarten classes in 2004, the program has now evolved to

I had a great summer mountain biking, camping...and I still hope get in a ton of fall rides. Although Summit County still has a lot of summer left it is time to start thinking about the 2009 - 2010 ski season. Breckenridge will open for the 2009 season on November 12, 2009 just 6 days behind Keystone's opening day. We all should be on snow in under 70 days! If you still need to buy your Season Passes check out this link for the best pricing Click Here. I think we are in for an epic snow year. Fall is in the air and its got me starting to think about the 15th annual Breckenridge Oktoberfest September 18-20. My bet is they will sell out of beer steins again this year! Hope to see everyone on Main Street.

Today's beautiful blue skies and warm temperatures are going to carry over through the weekend in Summit County with highs in the mid-70s. It will be the perfect weekend to escape Denver's heat and head up to the high country. Or, if you're already in the area, check out these great summer happenings in Breckenridge, Frisco, Keystone & Dillon. As always, there's lots to explore in the mountains - hiking, sailing, biking, kayaking, golfing, shopping - you name it. If you need some help deciding, that's what we're here for. Here are some options for you: Breckenridge The Backstage Theatre presents The Fantasticks , Sat. Aug. 22, 2pm & 7:30pm "Try To Remember" a time when this romantic charmer wasn't enchanting audiences the world over. "The Fantasticks" is a timeless story of love (and the tests of love) that manages to be nostalgic and universal at once. Walk-ins welcome, reservations recommended. $20 adults/$14 students and childr

About a month ago, Louisville, CO was named America's #1 Small Town by Money Magazine and now Boulder has been recognized by Business Week as the strongest U.S. Housing Market - both great signs for real estate in Colorado and the economy.

T he cele bration of 150 years of Breckenridge continues this weekend. Following last week's Grand Celebration of the birthday of our beautiful mountain town, this weekends events are a tribute to mining and railroad.   R ailroads played a critical role in helping Breckenridge come to life during the mining era and to develop into the town it is today. This weekend will highlight the railroad relics of Breckenridge's past and showcase the historic railroad route from Breckenridge over Boreas Pass.  Schedule (Details at Breck150.com ) Saturday, August 15, 2009 10:00am - 3:00pm Railroad Day - starts in Como and heads over Boreas Pass to arrive at Rotary Snowplow Park (open 11-4) 11:00am - 3:00pm Breckenridge Train Company Miniature Train Rides and storytelling - Rotary Snowplow Park 11:00am Breckenridge Historic Walking Tour - meet at Breckenridge Welcome Center 12:00pm - 4:00pm Mucking & Jacking Mining Demonstrations - Blue River Plaza 1:00pm Washington Gold Mine Tour 3:00pm

Unemployment numbers released today are yet another positive indication for economic recovery! The unemployment rate has dropped for the first time since April of 2008 and job loss numbers are well under analysts predications. Read the entire article on BBC Click Here. Additionally, new homes sales have seen an improvement over May figures. Read the article on BBC Click Here. Once we know the bottom has hit, it will have passed. Now is a great time to make your dreams of mountain home ownership come true. Call your BARE agent today to learn about all the deals available in the Breckenridge/Summit County/Park County areas!

Don't miss out on all the great events going on right now in the high country-beat the heat with a trip to Summit County and have a blast while you're here! Coming up next weekend (August 7th 8th and 9th) is the Breckenridge 150 Grand Celebration weekend complete with live music, kids activities, fireworks and more. For more details and a schedule of events Click Here. The BBQ of the Summit in Dillon is a great place to get your fill of pulled pork and grilled corn. Click here for more details Click Here./ Frisco is hosting The Rockies Best Art Fair, click here for more information Click Here. And so much more included farmers markets in Frisco, Dillon and Breckenridge and live music thru out the county. Come on up and join us for whatever shakes your boodie!

Although it is never easy to predict, we are continuing to see positive indicators that the economy is starting to improve! The National Association of Realtors has reported that the sale of previously owned homes in the United States rose 3.6% in June-this is a higher than expected figure that some analysts see as more evidence of a recovering housing market. Read the full article on BBC Click Here. Additionally, statistics indicate that the pace of our economic decline is decreasing-with just a 1% decline in the 2nd quarter-this is an improvement over the 1st quarter which saw a 6.4% decline. Read the full article on BBC Click Here. It is only a matter of time before the Breckenridge and Summit County markets reflect these trends with more sales and more confident sellers. Now is the time to get into the local market with a wealth of available inventory and sellers that are still unsure what the future holds.

Colorado is on the map again as Louisville (near Boulder, 20 minutes North of Denver) takes the #1 spot in Money Magazine's Best Small U.S. Town to live in. Access to all things Colorado, lower cost of living than neighboring Boulder and Denver, Louisville has great amenities, views and a quaint downtown. Attracting Technology Companies such as Conoco Phillips Global Technology Center and the Corporate Learning Center at the 432-acre location of Sun Microsystems/Storage Tek, nearby Louisville has continued to grow in popularity. Check out the full article in Money Magazine Click Here.

View The Source online Magazine, brought to you by Breckenridge Associates Real Estate. 60 pages of current listings throughout Breckenridge, Frisco, Keystone, Dillon, Silverthorne and Park County. Call today to learn more about available property in the area, 800-774-7970. Now is the time to buy real estate in Summit County. Low mortgage rates, great value and more available inventory make it the perfect time to find your mountain escape in the high country. Click here to view The Source Online Magazine 2009...

Come by our office tomorrow at 5:30pm - located at 229 S. Main Street, Breckenridge. Enjoy music from the National Repertory Orchestra in a casual setting with with wine and cheese. We hope to see you there. . Click here for a complete NRO Porch Series event schedule...

Join us for NRO Concerts this Summer at our office - 229 S. Main Street; Breckenridge, CO (between Bubba Gumps & Starbucks). Enjoy wine & cheese and the sounds of the NRO in a relaxed setting on our lawn. Series dates & times: 5:30pm - Friday, June 26 5:30pm - Friday, July 10 5:30pm - Friday, July 17 5:30pm - Friday, July 31 We hope to see you there and tell your friends!

A waterfall welcomes you to magnificent and unique, stone exterior, Alpine Villa, including short-term rental business. Beautiful mountain views. Swan River runs through 6.21 acres backing to National Forest. Spring-fed pond, wood beams, 6 fireplaces, racquetball court/gym, roman bath, conference room, 2 large dining areas, 3 wet bars, chef's kitchen, home theatre, fitness center, elevator, apartment, 4-car garage. This beautiful property is the perfect luxury retreat for your mountain escape. View photos and price on our website Read More...

Over the past 10 years, real estate prices have escalated rapidly in Breckenridge and Summit County and buyers and sellers have felt lucky to be part of the ride. Returns on real estate have been at an all time high. We've often have heard people say, "I'm kicking myself for not buying 10 years ago." Ten years ago the average sales price for housing was $250,000 in Summit County and doubled by the end of 2008 to an average price of $500,000. The average return in Breckenridge for the same period was even higher. Buyers "got in" at the right time and produced great returns on their investments. When it came time to sell, few concessions were made. However, for buyers this meant there were few "deals" to be had. It was a seller’s market. There was limited supply of available housing and buyers often settled on a less desirable location with fewer amenities just to “get in” to the local market. They hoped for the same returns their neighbors were seei

A beautiful, luxury ski-front property - 382 Timber Trail Road This exclusive estate is a true work of art created with awe-inspiring views, impeccable detail and top-of-the-line finishes. Invest in the future with this irreplaceable property. This extraordinary home was created around the location and view. Built on the premier ski-in ski-out lot in the most desirable neighborhood in Breckenridge, the property is positioned ski-front on Trygve’s Ski Run on Peak 8 – a step above other slopeside properties. Ski right in to your slopeside ski room after a day on the mountain. An open floor plan and more than 6,400 square feet, 7 bedrooms, 7 full bathrooms and 2 half bathrooms make this the perfect place to gather with friends and family for generations to come. Meticulous detail and finishes with every amenity you would expect in a home of this caliber. Unexpected touches include: copper gutters and downspouts, custom iron work fixtures, beautiful stained glass, copper-covered porc

We're proud to be a part of the Breckenridge Festival of Film as they enter into their 29th annual film festival, June 11-14. Following is the media alert that went out yesterday from  the Breckenridge Festival of Film regarding the acknowledgement of Breckenridge Associates Real Estate as "Sponsor of the Decade". Check out the line up of events at http://www.breckfilmfest.com/home/index.php MEDIA ALERT:   The Breckenridge Festival of Film is proud to announce that Breckenridge Associates will be the first ever “Sponsor of the Decade” for their continued support of the Breckenridge Festival of Film over the past ten years.    “The Hometown Team” has truly lived up to their name with their support of the Film Festival,” stated Dawna Foxx, Festival Director. “With close to $20,000 in sponsorship dollars and numerous volunteer hours over more than    10    years, Breckenridge Associates has truly shown their commitment to the enrichment of our local community.” Breckenridge

The National Association of Realtors has released the following information regarding existing-home sales across the country. This focuses on general regions - Northeast, Midwest, South and West. The Northeast and West have seen an improvement year over year in home sales. Northeast:  jumped 11.6 percent to an annual pace of 770,000 in April, but are 10.5 percent below April 2008.  Median price:  $237,400, which is 9.6 percent lower than a year ago. Midwest:  slipped 2 percent in April to a level of 1.00 million and are 9.9 percent lower than a year ago.  Median price:  $138,800, down 11.7 percent from April 2008. South:  increased 1.8 percent to an annual pace of 1.74 million in April but are 8.9 percent lower than April 2008.  Median price:  $148,000, which is 12.8 percent below a year ago. West:  rose 3.5 percent to an annual rate of 1.17 million in April and are 19.4 percent higher than a year ago.  Median price:  $222,600, down 21.8 percent from April 2008. Read the full report at

Following are 5 reasons to buy a vacation home according to RIS Media.   According to Christine Karpinski, the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) 2009 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey suggests that the iron is sizzling hot-and if you’re going to strike, the time is now. - It’s never been more obvious that real estate is a sound long-term investment.  The NAR survey results revealed that the share of speculator sales is down from 29% to 16%. Combined with the fact that 34% of buyers are purchasing properties within 100 miles or less of their primary residence-which suggests they intend to use it themselves-this trend indicates that more and more people are embracing a “buy and hold” strategy. Plus, Karpinski says she constantly sees evidence that people are beginning to see the long-term benefits of real estate investing earlier in life. (The median age of vacation property buyers in 2008 was a relatively young 47.) - The vacation home rental market is booming.  While 89%