The Importance of Working with a Realtor when Buying a Home in Telluride, CO

Nestled in a picturesque slice of southwest Colorado, Telluride is a scenic mountain town famous for its world-class ski resort, gorgeous hiking trails, incredible cultural events, and abundance of year-round recreational activities. Perched at an altitude of approximately 8,750 feet above sea level, it’s a town that’s overflowing with natural beauty, with its prime location tucked away at the end of a lush box canyon amongst the majestic San Juan Mountains, placing it right beneath the shadow of the Centennial State’s most enchanting mountain peaks.

Beyond its identity as a world-class ski destination however, is a community that offers an exceptional quality of life, making it an ideal place to live not only for avid skiers and outdoor lovers, but anyone looking forward to a relaxing lifestyle in a breathtaking location with a mix of top-quality urban and suburban amenities.

In addition to attracting countless tourists every year, Telluride is also a popular choice for families and professionals looking to settle down while enjoying all of the incredible attractions and destinations the town has to offer. New residents are drawn to Telluride not only because of its sheer natural beauty, but because of the town’s abundance of employment opportunities, excellent schools, safe family-friendly environment, and vibrant arts and culture scene, among many other great reasons.

The town of Telluride offers a seamless balance between fast-paced urban city living and a laidback suburban atmosphere, which is precisely why it’s such a sought-after place to live.

Telluride Real Estate

A diverse selection of stylish and well-built real estate options is waiting for those planning to relocate to Telluride. Due to its unique location, the town offers a wealth of choices for prospective home buyers, giving them the opportunity to choose between Victorian homes in a well-preserved national historic district, European-style ski-in/ski-out homes, contemporary condos highlighted by sweeping mountain views, and so much more.

Homes for sale in Telluride attract a wide range of home buyers, whether they’re searching for a primary home, a vacation home, or an investment property. Most of the homes available in Telluride provide a highly convenient lifestyle as well, offering easy access to the array of shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues in downtown Telluride, along with the spectacular music and arts festivals held throughout the year.

Telluride’s history at a glance

The town of Telluride is deeply rooted to its rich history as a former mining town, which has played a key role in shaping the community throughout the years, helping it bloom into the world-class ski destination and incredible mountain town it is known for today.

Here’s a quick look at the town’s rich and colorful past:

• In its early days, the site of present-day Telluride was used as a summer camp for centuries by the Ute Native Americans.
• In the 1800s, the San Juan Mountains attracted numerous fortune seekers to Colorado, with its promise of silver and gold. By the 1870s, the Sheridan Mine became one of the first in a series of local claims, leading to the establishment of a settlement in the valley right beneath it. The settlement was originally named “Columbia,” before it became a town in 1878 and was renamed “Telluride” after the valuable telluride ore compounds found in the area’s mines.
• Due to Telluride’s isolated location, the town experienced a slow start. This changed later on in 1881, when construction of a toll road was completed, giving wagons access to areas which were only reachable by pack mules. This led to an increase in Telluride’s population, although acquiring gold-rich ore from the valley was still considered expensive.
• The infamous Butch Cassidy robbed the San Miguel Valley Bank in Telluride in 1889, before he became associated with the “Wild Bunch” outlaws, a notorious gang which he eventually led. Cassidy pocketed a total of $24,580 from the Telluride heist, which was considered his first major recorded crime.
• The Rio Grande Southern Railroad reached Telluride in 1891, which led to the creation of water facilities, a bunkhouse and section house, a two stall engine house, and a depot. The railroad crawled further up the valley, closing off its Telluride section at Pandora, which served the town and the mines until 1952. With the introduction of a consistent and affordable form of transportation, miners and goods could reach the town more easily and allowed ore to flow out to foundries and mills in other locations, resulting in a brief yet significant period of boom to Telluride.
• In 1964, Telluride’s core area was named a National Historic Landmark District for playing a key role in the country’s Old West history. The designation is the highest historical status given to sites and locations by the US Secretary of the Interior. Telluride holds the distinction of being one of only four communities in Colorado bestowed with this honor.
• The transition of Telluride from a rural mining town to a world-class ski venue began in 1972 with the opening of the Telluride Ski Resort. As the town embraced its new identity, a plethora of cultural events, festivals, and annual music performances were founded, all of which paved the way to giving Telluride its reputation as one of the world’s top skiing and vacation destinations surrounded with breathtaking scenery.

Things to consider when buying a house

Buying a home in Telluride is a significant financial decision, so you want to make sure you’re in the best position possible to help you find the right property that matches all of your needs and preferences.

Compared to most real estate markets in the US, the home buying experience in Telluride can be a little different due to the town’s unique location and desirability. Here are a few factors to keep in mind as you navigate this sought-after market:

• Location

  – When it comes to real estate, you know how the saying goes: location, location, location. You want to find an ideal location that will help you make the most out of your investment. If you’re looking to buy the perfect vacation getaway for example, then choosing a location that offers easy access to some of Telluride’s top resort amenities will be a terrific choice.

Keep in mind however, that resorts that are readily accessible often attract droves of tourists especially during peak season, which might be a problem if you’re looking forward to a more relaxed type of lifestyle. In which case, narrowing your search down to communities close to destination resorts, which are typically more exclusive and more challenging to reach, might be a good strategy.

• Mobility and convenience

  – When choosing your location, another major factor to also consider is access to your property. Taking into account the cost of commuting and proximity to transport options such as roads and airports will be important.

  One of the best things about living in Telluride is almost everything you need is within walking distance! Visitors and residents can also easily reach resorts such as Mountain Village through the town’s free gondola service.

• Determine the type of property that matches your goals

  – Once you’ve chosen your location, the next step is to think about the type of property that will accommodate the lifestyle you’re looking forward to. Whether you choose a single-family home, a condo, a ranch, or an estate in an exclusive gated community, every type of property comes with its own unique advantages and disadvantages.

  Because you’re searching for a home in the Telluride area, it helps to keep in mind that the town’s location and variety of recreational and cultural offerings are what sets it apart from other communities. Consider the kind of lifestyle you’d like to enjoy by weighing the pros and cons brought to the table by each property type.

• Pricing

  – Prices of Telluride homes vary depending on different factors. Ski-in/ski-out is definitely one of the most sought-after characteristics, which is why homes with this feature come with a high premium. In addition to location, homes highlighted by unobstructed panoramic mountain views are often priced around 20% to 30% higher compared to similar properties that do not feature the same type of view.

• Amenities

  – Condos and some communities in Telluride often come with association fees, which offer access to top quality amenities such as ski-in/ski-out, access to hiking and biking trails, heated pools, saunas, fitness gyms, and so on.

  Think about the type of lifestyle you want to enjoy, and see how each property’s available amenities fits in with your goals. If you’re buying a vacation home for example, you want to get a seamless experience whenever you’re staying there. Owning a home in Telluride can mean having direct access to recreational activities or close proximity to shops, restaurants, and other venues. You can maximize your investment by choosing a home that offers all of the amenities you want to have nearby.

• Gather information on property management options

  – If you’re in the market for a vacation home or investment property in Telluride, you may want to consider getting the services of a property management company who will be in charge of maintaining and looking after your property.

  One of the key decisions you’ll have to make is whether to avail of a short-term or long-term program. Short-term programs typically cover daily or weekly rentals, while long-term programs cover around six months to a full year. You can ask your realtor for recommended property management companies, so you can schedule an interview to see how they can accommodate your requirements. Make sure you have complete information on the fees they require, look for reviews and references, and don’t commit to a full one-year term just yet – you want to try out a management company’s services first before you hire them long-term.

Benefits of working with a Real Estate Agent

Looking for a home in a competitive real estate market like Telluride can feel intimidating, especially for first-time homebuyers. It’s understandable – buying a home is a major financial decision, so you want to make sure you do everything right.

Whether you’re searching for a permanent residence, a secondary home, or a potential investment property to add to your portfolio, having an experienced and reliable real estate agent at your side as you navigate the buying process can make a huge difference. A real estate agent will take the time to help you zero-in on a home that matches your requirements and preferences, guiding you on the path towards homeownership.

If you’re about to begin your search for the perfect home in Telluride, here are some of the key advantages you can get when you work with a real estate agent:

• Pricing expertise

  – Knowledgeable real estate agents are able to gauge a home’s price the second they walk through the front door. If they’ve spent years assisting buyers and sellers in a specific market, they know all about the neighborhoods as well and how each one holds its value.

  While it’s true that anyone can go online these days to gather information on prices and recent sales of comparable homes, only real estate agents have the experience and expertise to determine whether a particular house is priced above or below its actual worth. In addition to providing extensive information on the market, real estate agents also bring assets and helpful resources to the deal, which come with years of facilitating countless transactions in the area.

• They’ll help you save time

  – Looking for homes can often be a time-consuming process, especially in sought-after markets like Telluride. As soon as an agent gathers the specifics of what you need and would like to have in a home, they’ll be able to filter out any listings that do not meet your criteria. Additionally, they frequently go to open houses and events on behalf of buyers to seek more potential real estate options.

  In short, having a real estate agent at your side will save you from wasting precious time looking at properties that won’t be able to accommodate your goals.

• Access to the MLS

  – The Multiple Listing Service or MLS is an indispensable database used by agents to navigate a local real estate market. Unfortunately, the MLS isn’t readily available to most people, except for those who partner with a licensed agent. Sure, there are other online home search tools available, but most of these do not contain complete and in-depth information on available listings compared to the MLS. By utilizing the MLS, agents get notifications regarding open houses in your area, new listings, and other useful information that can give their clients a big advantage during the home search.

• Local market knowledge

  – Real estate agents have a detailed knowledge of the towns and neighborhoods in the area you’re planning to buy in. This means you get access to insider market knowledge, including extensive neighborhood information, trends, and other insights you otherwise may not be privy to.

  All of this will come into play when you have complete details of the type of home and neighborhood you’d like to live in, what amenities you’d like to live close to, the specific schools you want your kids to go to, and so on.

  Once you find a home that seems like a perfect match, your agent will then fill in the gaps by providing complete information about the neighborhood, including the quality of schools, area amenities, upcoming developments, and more.

• Motivation to find the best home

  – The success of any real estate agent stems from their ability to help clients find a home. After all, their careers are centered on matching clients with their dream homes. Most of them are independent contractors who do not work off a regular salary, so you can rest assured that your real estate agent will be motivated when it comes to helping you get the best deal for a home you’ll love living in for years to come.

• Mountains of Experience

  – An experienced real estate agent can help prospective buyers through a variety of ways, such as finding homes that match perfectly with their needs, negotiating for the best possible price, assisting in paperwork, facilitating the closing process, and so on.

  A home is often the most significant purchase in one’s lifetime, so having someone who’s familiar with all of the intricacies of a real estate transaction is critical.

Work with TD Smith and the Telluride Real Estate Corp team today

When you’re searching for a home in Telluride, our expert real estate agents at Telluride Real Estate Corp. will take into account all of your real estate goals, provide you with a selection of the finest available properties, and assist you throughout every step of the transaction.

With the team’s mountains of experience and intrinsic knowledge working for you, you can expect to get a home that matches your goals at a price that meets your budget.

Ready to begin your search? You can start by taking a look at some of our Exclusive Properties by visiting this page. If you’re planning to invest in a Telluride ski property, head to this page for some helpful information.

You can get in touch with TD Smith and his team today by calling +1 970.729.1577, sending an email to td@tdsmith.com, or leaving a message here.