Home Sweet Home?

So, Nate and I have always had this dream of living in the mountains, and we're always on the lookout for the perfect mountain property. My main requirement for a piece of land is that it be in or near a cool mountain town, and that it have a nice view. Nate's a little more picky and wants to be near a lake (slightly hard to come by in Colorado - not much water here!!).

Over the past two years we've fallen in love with Steamboat Springs, and decided that even if we never move to the mountains we'd at least like to have a cabin somewhere near Steamboat where we can spend summers and go for ski trips in the winter.

Turns out that there's a lake just south of town called Stagecoach Lake. There used to be a ski area near the lake that operated for a few years in the 70's before going bankrupt. The area was just starting to be developed when the ski area went under, and hasn't been developed much further since. Because the area hasn't been fully developed (many lots don't have utilities at all), the lots are still semi-affordable (yay!).

My husband, being the water junkie that he is, decided that this was the perfect location for our future mountain cabin. Disappointed that no waterfront lots were for sale at all in 2005, he took matters into his own hands and sent letters to all of the waterfront property owners, asking if they would be interested in selling. Two of the property owners are willing to sell, and we're seriously considering buying one of the lots.

Since we were in Steamboat skiing this weekend, we drove down to the lake (it's a 20 minute drive from downtown Steamboat), and took a look at both lots. Both lots are technically waterfront lots - the only land between them and the water is owned by the state. One lot sits lower and closer to the water, and one lot sits higher but has a better view. We're trying to figure out if the lot closer to the water would be a better investment before we decide which one to buy.


(Yes, I really am a big nerd. But the diagram is meant to be illustrative of the lot locations, so I just had to include it.)

Either way, I'm excited. It would be a great location to build - isolated enough to be a nice getaway, close to good skiing and a cool town, next to a wilderness area with a bunch of trails, and on the water so Nate can waterski in the summer.


Let's just hope we can agree on what lot to buy and get things moving!