Vail CO Homes For Sale

Vail, Colorado has become synonymous with world-class snow skiing. And, there are dozens of good reasons for that recognition. As a permanent fixture on virtually every “Top Ten” list of ski resorts in the world, Vail’s reputation is well deserved. With over 5000 acres and 193 trails, Vail is the largest ski area in the country. But, the people who live here want to tell you more. They want you to know that Vail is nowhere near the North Pole. Yes, the conditions are perfect for winter skiing, but that’s only part of the allure of this village.

The town is actually relatively new. It is named after Charles Vail, who was the highway engineer responsible for directing U.S. Highway 6 through this valley in 1940. The ski resort opened in 1962 and the town was incorporated four years later. The region was originally used mostly for farming lettuce and raising sheep. Prior to that, the Ute tribe hunted and lived here in the summers until the mid 1800’s. After the miners ravaged the area in the 1870’s, it remained a quiet, rural part of the state until several entrepreneurs envisioned the mountains as a potential ski facility.

Today, Vail CO has evolved into a year-round, outdoor destination resort. Beyond the 3 golf courses, there are 15 miles of paved recreational trails, tennis tournaments, outdoor music performances, and a charming village full of shops, boutiques and nightlife venues. The ski trails of the winter transform into world-class mountain bike terrain in the summer. The Gerald Ford Amphitheater offerings range from the New York Philharmonic and Dallas Symphony to Branford Marsalis and Yo-Yo Ma. Also, the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, the Vail Gymnastics Center and the Dobson Ice Arena serve to widen the enviable variety of summer activities. The Vail Film Festival each spring is starting to attract worldwide attention as well.

At an elevation of 8150 feet, Vail’s summer weather is virtually ideal for all of those outdoor activities. Daytime highs hover around the high 70’s with nighttime lows dipping into the low 40’s. Naturally, it snows quite a bit in the winter. The village typically receives 200 inches per year and significantly more in the mountains. From Thanksgiving through late February, temperatures rarely rise above the freezing level.

Vail CO homes for sale are priced accordingly. Areas such as Vail tend to handle recessions better than the rest of the country, as the typical buyer is very affluent. The median sales price for homes is about $653,000, up about 30% over last year. Still it is a buyer’s market for now, so anyone interested in Vail property should begin looking as soon as possible.

Vail real estate has shown remarkable stability throughout the decade. Sales prices have appreciated steadily in spite of the recession, growing at a rate of over 100% in the past 5 years. Certainly this is good news for buyers as there is much less risk that market fluctuations will have any significant effects over time.

Vail is an impressive town. It has come a long way in a very short time. Without question Vail, Colorado is a beautiful place to call home or even second home.