I hope this letter finds you all safe, healthy and happy. It seems from analyzing our huge real estate sales that many families decided to escape the heavily populated cities and enjoy a simpler life. The last few years of the most expensive sales occurred in the downtown core of Aspen where you can walk everywhere. Those prices started topping $3,000 per square foot. In addition to that this season, we see homes in demand that are more secluded surrounded by additional land. As I have said for a while, the value of getting in your car and driving a short distance saves millions in your purchase price too.
In terms of the projected opening for ski season, our ski company added large heated tents adjacent to the Sundeck at the top of Aspen Mountain for spacing and your comfort. We all need the joy of skiing/boarding/skinning in the great outdoors now.
The City of Aspen is working hard to keep our restaurants and shops open with reasonable guidelines. Remember, many of our new residents and guests appreciate the joy of easy access to the outdoors by hiking, cross country skiing, and skinning. There are always options to downhill skiing with many joys of winter and our natural surroundings!
Who knows where the local government Covid restrictions take us. I am extremely hopeful that our powers that be fully understand that shutdown will kill our local friends’ businesses and all our friends whose lives depend on working here. Aspen real estate will continue to thrive because people have learned to successfully work remotely, and the Aspen lifestyle with or without the major events continues to draw people who understand the peaceful love of nature and escape from continual pounding by outside sources on our freedoms.
Also, with the announcement of impending vaccines, and many therapeutics being vetted, we will get through this.