Tag Archive for: Jackson Hole

It’s How You Live…Spring Hollow Ranch

 

Today I am going to update everyone on a wonderful development in Teton Valley Idaho — Spring Hollow Ranch.  I work with the developers (a great group/family) that have developed an incredible parcel of land into what I believe is the finest development in the Teton Valley.  There are no golf courses, ski runs, spas, monstrous "spec" homes just beautiful landscape and a sense of privacy rarely seen.  The property itself is one of the most stunning properties I have had the chance to visit, let alone represent.  There is an emotion and a sense of belonging that Spring Hollow Ranch offers that is almost impossible to explain with out actually experiencing and "touching" the property.  Below I do my best but if you have any additional questions please do not hesitate to call or email me.  For more information on Spring Hollow Ranch click the link.

 

I. Teton Views and Room to Roam 

Mountain views and wide-open spaces: It’s what western living is all about, and you can find both in Spring Hollow Ranch. Once a barley farm, Spring Hollow Ranch features rolling hills, superb views of the Teton Range and one of the more unique wetland areas in the valley – Spring Hollow Pond. The development consists of 50 residential vacant lots varying in size but averaging 15 acres with a grand total of 880 acres. Protected, recreational space equals 119 acres which allows for residents to enjoy the entire property. Hiking trails interconnect throughout the property and the Spring Hollow Pond has been dedicated for the recreational use of all the homeowners.

 
II. A Well Planned, Quality Development
 

Spring Hollow Ranch is a well planned, high quality development that features paved roads, buried utilities, landscaped entries, beautiful water features, an interconnecting trail system and incredible open spaces. Unlike a lot of developments that dedicate open space but then do not provide access to it, Spring Hollow Ranch has created a wonderful trail system that allows homeowners to hike, bike, horseback ride, cross country ski and walk through the development. From all the available lots, owners can have access to the trail system and have miles of recreational choices to choose from. Spring Hollow Ranch also provides access to the “Rails to Trails” which is in the development stage but eventually will provide for miles of snowmobile and bike trails.

 
III. Location
 

Spring Hollow Ranch is located in Tetonia, Idaho which is in the northern tier of the Teton Valley. The property it self is located on a grouping of large hills that provide most of the home sites commanding views of not just the Teton Range but of the Big Hole Range, Yellowstone and the Sun Valley Mountain Range. Spring Hollow is just 10 minutes from Driggs and 30 minutes from the Grand Targhee Mountain Resort. Jackson Hole is about 1 hour from the development so a day in town is just a quick trip over Teton Pass.   If fishing is high on your list, Spring Hollow is centrally located to take advantage of some of the finest fly fishing in the west. The “canyon” of the Teton River is just a 10 minute drive, the South Fork of the Snake, Henry’s Fork are within an hours drive. Restaurants are opening their doors almost monthly in the Teton Valley providing residents numerous, quality choices. Hiking in the National Forest is within a 5 minute drive. Golf – multiple choices in the Teton Valley. 

IV.  Availability

Currently there are lots available in both Phase 1 and Phase 2.  To date there have been 7 sales.  There are some incredible values in all price ranges.  There are lots available for as low as $295,000 and as high as $470,000.  Acreages vary as explained above but most lots are in the 8 acres to 20 acres size.  Homeowners have the ability to create their own legacy property.  The building restrictions are very flexible with endless possibilities.  For actively listed properties visit www.TetonValleyExperts.com and for information on the Jackson Hole Market please visit www.JacksonHoleExperts.com.

Teton Springs in Trouble?

 
News in the Teton Valley of Idaho. Teton Springs sued in U.S District Court.
 
Teton Springs, a planned all seasons resort, located in Victor, Idaho could be credited to jump starting the massive growth that the valley has seen in the past 5 years. The development encompasses a total of 780 acres and includes numerous real estate opportunities, 27 holes of golf (private), fly fishing lakes and streams, a hotel, golf club, fitness facility, swimming pool and endless other amenities. During the past 10 years the developers of Teton Springs have transformed a rolling barley field into the cornerstone of the valley. Since then developments have sprung up all over the valley which include River Rim Ranch, Huntsman Springs and Teton Reserve. Most of these other developments followed the Teton Springs blueprint that if you build it they will come.
 
As we some of us know, times have changed and real estate has slowed in the Teton Valley (see previous post). During the 2007 calendar year, Teton Valley showed continued strength but in the end the growth slowed and did not meet the numbers as 2006. What is very interesting to look at is that Teton Springs recorded numerous land closings that were in the Mountain Meadows area of the development. This was a very interesting development as I was wondering who was purchasing all these properties. In the meantime construction crews swarmed the area and construction took off like we have never seen before. If any of you have ever been to Teton Springs you will understand what I an explaining but if you have not had the chance to see the development this is what it looks like. The lot sizes are no larger than .10 acres and the homes average 2,500 square feet. There are close to 150 of these homes. I remember talking with my wife and saying, “Who is buying all these homes and who is building all these homes?”
 

Maybe a clue to who these buyers are came out in the news last week.  The headline in the Teton Valley News reads…”Teton Springs sued in U.S. District Court.” Over the past few months I have received numerous phone calls from worried buyers that were being told that they were going to have to close on their homes in the next few weeks or months. The buyers, all but one from Idaho, were sold a house/lot combination and were told that by closing they would see an increase in equity of somewhere between $200,000 to $400,000. This has not happened, a matter of fact their investment is worth less than $200,000 to $400,000 than the ibuyers are under contract for or have closed for and most of the plaintiffs are not in a financial situation to close. Even if they could close the case is questioning the developer (Nu Way Partners), the real estate brokerage (All Seasons Realty), the appraisal services (Rivers Edge Appraisal) and the lender (Eagle River Mortgage) on the way the transaction took place. You can read more about this situation at the Teton Valley News website: article written by Lisa Nyren.

With all of this said, Teton Springs is an excellent development.  The golf course is known around the Jackson area as one of the best.  The amenities are fantastic with beautiful ponds, streams, walking trails, cross country skiing and a state of the art fitness and pool facility.  My hope is that all the negative press from the above mentioned article and court case work themselves out and that the development prospers in the near future.  The Mountain Meadows area of the development has some adjustments to work out in inventory and price.  There are some fantastic values in both the Mountain Meadows area and the estate lot homes so if you have interest in the development please do not hesitate to call me to discuss further.

For more information on the Teton Valley of Idaho visit our Idaho Real Estate website – www.TetonValleyExperts.com or our Jackson Hole website www.JacksonHoleExperts.com.

The Bar BC Ranch

 

 
One of the most exclusive properties in Jackson Hole and for that part the Rocky Mountain region is the Bar BC Ranch. I wanted to take a few moments to update the recent activity on the Bar BC Ranch and at the same time just give some general information on the ranch itself.
 
The Bar BC Ranch is one of the premier ranches in the Rocky Mountain West. With a rich history, spectacular scenery and quiet ambiance, the ranch is one of the most unique real estate offerings in the Jackson Hole Valley. Located in the “Spring Creek Valley” and atop the “Gros Ventre North Butte” the ranch and its’ real estate offerings are arguably in the best location in the valley. Each property has access to the Snake River and has remarkable Teton views. With a limited number of 35 to 50 acre home sites carefully placed on 1,400 acres, Bar BC Ranch is an understated retreat that respects the environment and maintains the natural habitat for elk, moose, deer, and native cutthroat trout.
 
Investors, Home Builders and Land Buyers that are looking for an exclusive location in Jackson Hole have found that Bar BC Ranch is a special place. Bordered by the Snake River (west) and the Gros Ventre River (north), homesites feature rolling hills, meadowlands, and the outstanding Teton views. The Bar BC Ranch is close to downtown Jackson and Teton Village but is far enough off the beaten path to give homeowners and resident wildlife a sense of seclusion. There is even an 11 acre pond located on the property where trumpeter swans and waterfowl have taken up residency.
 
During summer of 2007 there were 2 closed sales and there is currently 1 pending transaction. Initially the Ranch offered 19 lots of which 9 are either sold or are pending. The remaining ranch sites currently available are: The 6,000 square foot Ranch Estate House on 70 acres along with ranches 1,5,6,7,9,11,12,13 and 14. The ranch offers a paved road system, underground power and utilities, and a water system. Price range of remaining inventory $5,900,000 – $17,000,000.
 
For more information please feel free to contact the Gillespie Real Estate Team at Sotheby’s International Realty

March 4th Market Update

Spring is in the air and here in Jackson we are starting to feel a slight change in the weather. During the last week of January Jackson broke out of the 30’s for the first time since November. It is amazing how nice it can feel after the long winter. That is not to say that skin season is over yet. Jackson Hole is blessed with some of the best skiing in the west. The base snow depth is above 100 inches and total snowfall at Rendezvous Bowl is already over 400 inches. We are anticipating a very busy spring ski season with flights mostly booked.

Speaking of flights….Frontier Airlines announced last week that it would begin flying three planes a day into Jackson Hole starting in mid-May.  The airline is planning on using a 70 seat Q-400 turboprop with flights to Denver. This is great news as it should increase competition with United and will lower prices on flights to many destinations. 
 
Real Estate News – A mixed bag of information. From the prospective of looking at data the numbers are really starting to show a slow down. From the prospective of the “pulse” of the market, Christy and I are feeling like there is still some strength in the real estate market. If a property is unique and desired there are still buyers out there ready to pounce. During the past month we have seen condos in the $400,000 to $700,000 almost disappear. There are also 20 pending transactions over $1,000,000 with 10 over $2,000,000. 
 
On the other end of the spectrum February only saw 17 sales which is the lowest recorded number of sales in the past 3 years. Of the 17 sales 8 were condos, 5 were land sales and 4 were residential sales. As mentioned before there are 41 current pending transactions. Active inventory continued to grow to 441 active listings compared to 404 in January. The number of closed transactions per month fell for the 7th time in the past 8 months. This is the longest and steepest decline in closed activity in the past 4 years.

Jackson Hole Market Update – Feb. 20, 2008 – Active Listings and Inventory

Sotheby’s International Realty of Jackson Hole has been busy compiling statistics from the past year (2007) and in next series of blog updates I will be taking some of that information and sharing it with you.  Leonard Klieman of the Jackson Hole Sotheby’s office has done an incredible job of analyzing Teton County Multiple Listing Service information along with comparing and contrasting data received from Teton County, Wyoming County Assessors Office.

As of January 2008 there were 404 current listings in the Teton County MLS.  Due to a extreme slow down in current pending activity this gives Jackson a 20 month supply of inventory.  (Months of Inventory = Active Listings / Unit Sales).  In January 2008 we saw the first increase in active listings for the first time in 3 years.  In 2006 there were 386 active listings and in 2007 there were 364 active listings at this time.  The biggest change in the data however is that pending transactions are trending down instead of up when comparing the past few years.  This trend started in November of ’07.

Properties listed for less that $3 million:  296.  Active listings are up 11.7% vs. last year and is up in January vs. December for the first time in 3 years.

Properties listed greater that $3 million:  116.  Active listings are up 9.4% vs. last year.

Teton Valley, Idaho – – Residential and Building Sites — 1,601!!!  January 2008 active listings are 46% higher than in Jan – 07 and 153% higher than in Jan – 06.  Rising inventory coupled with falling unit sales is contributing to the jump in months of inventory.  You ask what the months of inventory for Teton Valley, Idaho is….5 years!

Jackson Hole / Teton Valley Wyoming 2007 Summary:  The overall market experienced…

  • 9% rise in sales volume
  • 25% increase in average sales price
  • 30% rise in median price of a single family home
  • 34% jump in the median price of a condo
  • Decline of nearly 13% in total unit sales
  • Inventories remain tight but rose slightly in January

Teton Valley, Idaho 2007 Summary:  The overall market experienced…

  • 4 years of solid growth through 2006 ended with a 15% decline in 2007.
  • Unit sales declined 9%
  • Quarter 4 of 2007 – unit sales declined 58% vs. 2006
  • Inventory has more than doubled in 2 years.

Hope you enjoy the statistics and if you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact The Gillespie Real Estate Team.

The Teton Valley of Idaho – Market Update

Market Report
February 9, 2008
Teton Valley, Idaho

Including the communities of Driggs, Victor and Tetonia and the resort communities of Teton Springs, Grand Targhee, River Rim, The Ponds, Trail Creek Springs, Spring Hollow Ranch, Huntsman Springs, and many others.

Looking over at the Teton Valley of Idaho, I really had to search to find out where the sales have been coming from and what had sold in 2008.  The news over the past summer was that inventory had been growing and activity had dropped considerably. 

I agree that inventory had exploded and activity had slowed but I disagreed with many who were and are predicting a major collapse of the market.  Jackson Hole is not getting bigger but the desire to live there and the need for workers is going to help support the Teton Valley.  I also believe that there are communities being created right in front of our own eyes and with that a sense of community is being born. 

Last week, Grand Targhee Resort, won approval for a major expansion (see previous post) which is major news concerning the valley.  From an economic perspective it should be welcoming news yet for some, many in Alta, are upset with the changes that will be coming.  From my perspective, the Gillette family has been enhancing the Teton Valley ever since their ownership began and I hope and trust they will develop Targhee in a responsible way.

As for the year to date statistics through January 31, 2008

There have been 24 sales to date with a volume of $8,184,100.
Of the 24 sales 8 are lots, 2 are town homes, 5 are homes and 9 are condos.
7 of the transactions took place at Teton Springs.
5 of the transactions took place in Driggs, 2 in Tetonia and 17 in Victor.
There are currently 69 pending transactions.

Now the scary part – Looking back at 2007 Statistics for the same time period Jan. 1 through Jan. 31, 2007.  Last year to date there were already 113 transactions!  What has changed?  Last year of the 113 transactions a whooping 40 came from Mountain Meadows in Teton Springs.  There will be a future blog dedicated to Teton Springs but the statistics show that there were a lot of speculative buyers out there only 1 year ago.  Including Teton Springs of the 113 transactions last year 95 of the transactions were vacant land.  These are staggering numbers!  18 of the transactions were either single family homes, condos or townhomes.  Today’s (2008) residential numbers are just one shy of last year.

I will continue to watch over the Teton Valley of Idaho and if you would like more information or would like discussing investing in the valley please do not hesitate to email or call me toll free at 877-739-8056. 

Rocky Mountain Resort Alliance 2007 Report

Christy and I received a very interesting report from the Rocky Mountain Resort Alliance the other day and we felt like the information would be helpful to many of you.

First off…What is the Rocky Mountain Resort Alliance (RMRA)?  The Rocky Mountain Resort Alliance is composed of boards of REALTORS of destination ski resorts in the Rocky Mountain West. The alliance was formed in January of 1996 at a meeting in Vail, CO with the presidents of the various boards or REALTORS attending. At this meeting, the various presidents discussed and came to the realization that geographic boundaries were no longer as important as the common bond that we share as resort REALTORS. We understood that the marketing and selling of resort real estate is very different from the traditional models of residential real estate sales. Our buyers and sellers have different expectations and goals and are looking for a REALTOR with knowledge of the resort markets. Frequently, buyers for a vacation home in one resort are comparing similar properties in neighboring resorts. From this realization came the idea of sharing sales information from the various resorts as well as pressing issues the resorts are facing. We know that because of the mountains, we have very limited space for development and housing the work force are issues facing each resort. As the demand for resort real estate grows, and prices increase, there is more pressure on finding suitable housing for the very important work force.

RMRA End of Year 2007

 

Whistler

Park City

Steamboat

Summit County

Sun Valley

# of Active Listings

599

2902

1244

3240

1611

# of Units Sold

846

2306

1725

2463

653

Total Volume Sold

$768,745,877

$1,945,092,339

$1,002,483,388

$1,306,053,245

$558,758,059

Average Sales Price

$908,683

$843,492

$581,150

$530,269

$855,678

# of Agents

125

1184

425

820

410

            

Aspen

Telluride

Jackson Hole

Vail

Winter Park

# of Active Listings

1041

629

409

1782

4176

# of Units Sold

851

355

599

2258

1051

Total Volume Sold

$1,820,970,617

$518,327,166

$844,374,258

$2,641,306,700

$387,022,178   

Average Sales Price

$2,139,801

$1,460,077

$1,409,640

$1,169,755

$368,242

# of Agents

711

248

752

810

206

Those are some outstanding statistics.  When we look deeper into the numbers a few statistics catch our eye.

  • Teton County, Wyoming average sales price is the second highest behind Aspen. 
  • Teton County, Wyoming has the least amount of inventory available and has all the other communities beat by 200 units.

Christy and I have all the statistics broken down into types of sales so if you would like to learn more please email us at garth.gillespie@sothebysrealty.com or visit us at www.jacksonholeexperts.com.   

Welcome to the Jackson Hole Experts Blog

Welcome to the Jackson Hole Experts Real Estate Blog
  • What is a blog? The name comes from “web-log” and is sometimes referred to as “The Web 2.0.” It is basically a website that allows interaction.
  • What is the Jackson Hole Experts Real Estate Blog intended to be? We’ll blog with the goal of being an up-to-date resource for our community, emphasizing Jackson Hole and Teton County, Wyoming real estate, but also just about living in our great community – Jackson.
Christy and I are both excited about this new opportunity to communicate with our customers but to also reach out to new residents or individuals who are eager to learn more about Jackson Hole and our real estate market. The Gillespie Real Estate Team is here to personalize your real estate experience – to work with you how and when YOU want, whether you’re planning to buy or sell. We bring depth of experience locally and a diversity of backgrounds – we think of ourselves as your guides with your interests at the top of mind. Information is readily available, but good interpretation is not as easy to find.
 
Real estate is partly about lifestyle as well, so we’ll share our views of the lifestyle and the surroundings. We may get off topic, much as we would if we were spending hours in a car with you, going from neighborhood to neighborhood. The Jackson Hole Experts Real Estate Blog will be concentrating on market updates, new developments, community news, restaurant reviews and other areas of interest. Please feel free to sign up for updates and email us with any topics you would like us to discuss. Jackson Hole is such a complex place with so many interesting people and stories our goal is to bring some of them to light and to add our insight on many of the topics.  
 
Of course, we’ll also hope that our readers will think of us when they hear of anyone who wants to buy or sell Jackson Hole residential real estate, because that’s how we make our living. You can see more about who we are at www.JacksonHoleExperts.com. Your comments are not only welcomed, but encouraged. Ask us questions, ask for advice, use us as your sounding board. We believe in long relationships, which are grounded in trust, caring and mutual respect. We not only want to make your real estate transactions memorable, we want you to refer us to your family, your friends, your colleagues, your acquaintances – and people you just meet. We thrive and grow because of you and your referrals.

 Stay tuned for our next post as we will be highlighting a new development in the Town of Jackson, Pine Glades.  Pine Glades was just approved by the Town of Jackson and consists of 27 luxury townhomes overlooking Snow King and the Town of Jackson.