Here are some thoughts to consider.
How long should I look?
Ten years? Twenty years?
Yes, believe it or not I have talked to people over the years who told me that they had been looking twenty years and still had not purchased Colorado mountain land. They had a lot of good reasons. It wasn’t just what they had in mind, the price was too high “I’d never pay that much”, they wanted to think it over and after they thought it over it was already sold. How many times have we all heard someone say “I remember when I could have bought Colorado mountain land for ___ an acre, I wish I had” they didn’t and now its not affordable. The worst part is they missed all the years of enjoyment that they could have had and there is no price you can put on that.
There is no perfect parcel of Colorado mountain land!
The closer the site is to perfect, the higher the cost will be. There are trade offs! Remember a reasonably priced property that you can afford and enjoy is a lot better then no Colorado mountain land to enjoy at all.
How far am I willing to travel to get to my land?
When it comes to commuting, it seems that most people want to be 45 to 60 minutes away. However with today’s ability to cyber-commute and work from home, 90 minutes to 2 hours isn’t unheard of either.
Most of the people that I’ve talked with over the last 30 years, that are interested in land for a second home or recreational property want to be within 2 to 3 hours from home. It seems that any farther away then that people feel they wont be able to utilize it consistently due to the amount of time they will spend travelling. If your Colorado mountain land is within that 2 to 3 hours, a weekend away is easy and if it’s more like 1 to 1.5 hours a day trip or overnight getaway is possible.
Questions you need to ask before purchasing Colorado mountain land!
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Do I get title insurance?
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What kind of deed do I get? A general or special warranty deed?
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Do I get the deed at closing or is it held in escrow until I pay off the property?
Is the property accessed by County or private roads?
While private roads sound good, and they are sometimes better maintained then some County roads, this is not always the case. Are the roads maintained in the winter? Remember that not all County roads are plowed in the winter. Maybe the key question to ask is whether or not you will have year round access to the property?
Electricity?
Is it to the property? How far away is it? Some mountain properties are “off the grid” this means that electricity is far enough away that it is impractical to bring it to the property. It may cost you more to run electric than the property costs. In today’s world that may not be an issue with current advancements in solar and wind energy. I have seen many primary residences that are fully self sufficient on these types of energy. It just depends on your comfort level and when you plan to build, maybe they will have run the electric by then but make sure you double check before hand.
What types of activities and amenities are important to have accessible from my Colorado mountain acreage?
Proximity to a town with in a reasonable drive is important to many people. Shopping, medical care, hospitals and restaurants may or may not be on the top of your list but they be on you friends and families list. Access to National Forest for hiking and recreation seems important to many people wanting to own Colorado mountain land. Lakes and streams offer recreation for everyone visiting your mountain land and offer a variety of activities including fishing, boating and just plain fun.
What it all means?
It is fast approaching the time when Colorado mountain land within 2.5 hours of the front range will be unobtainable for most people. This is a result of a sincere interest in mountain land ownership, enjoyment of the Rocky Mountains and everything they have to offer!
These are just a few ideas and questions to consider, I am sure that you will have many of your own as well. Don’t hesitate to call your Colorado mountain land specialist to see if I can be of any assistance.
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