More than a ski property - the rise in USA resort town living

There’s no let up to the waves of change we’re seeing as a result of Covid-19 and one of the more surprising elements has been a dramatic increase in demand for ski property in the USA. More surprising still is the fact that the demand is shifting towards buyers seeking somewhere that will be used as a primary residence, rather than simply a place for a nice little weekend away. The appeal of resort town living seems to have sky rocketed.

Figures from Summit Sotheby’s International resort report 2021 show dramatic increases in the total dollar volume of sold properties in US ski resorts and there seems to be little sign of these increases stopping.

Why is now the time to buy ski property in the USA?

Before we go on to look at why this might be happening and what it means for investors and anyone seeking to relocate, here are the statistics.

Source: Summit Sotheby’s International Realty resort report 2021

These stats speak for themselves - people are buying and they’re buying fast - figures like a 103% dollar value sold increase on properties in Big Sky or the 59.8% increase in the average sold price on properties in Jackson Hole show that there the mooted clamour for resort town living is moving towards reality.

What’s the reason for this shift to resort town living?

We love the mountains - the clean air, the utterly beautiful scenery, the exhilaration of the slopes, the vibrant social scene - but is it really a lifestyle to emulate all year round? Until 2020 the answer may well have been not, but in the face of a global pandemic, the appeal of building a home in a resort town goes far deeper than a desire to be on holiday all year round. 

This last year has meant a shift in values and a shift towards assessing what is really important. Marry this with the fact that, for many of us, remote working has been shown to be entirely feasible and suddenly the sheer joy of making a home in a place you love moves from being a flight of fancy to being a sensible decision. After all, if work and home can be in the same place for much of the year, why not make that place somewhere you really want to be?

Why the increase in interest in US ski property?

Summit Sotheby’s report describes the United States as “one of the leading community destinations worldwide” and it’s this sense of community that is the big draw. With some judicious exploration you can find the type of community you want to call home.

Whether you choose to make your home in somewhere like Steamboat Springs, know for its vibrant arts scene, legendary Telluride, described by Forbes as one of the best ski towns in the US, or any one of the unique towns that have grown into ski resorts, you can be sure you’ll discover a perfect blend of community, culture, skiing and more. You can also be sure that you’re investing in a property and lifestyle that is seeing incredible growth, which means increased investment infrastructure, which, in turn, means solid returns for you as an investor, if and when the time comes to move on.

Resort town living sounds superb - where do I start looking?

This is where SnowOnly is invaluable. We’re a ski property portal which means you can see properties from multiple agents and private sellers all in one place. You can use our property search to hone your hunt, and our articles and buyers guides are the ideal way to discover which town could be your next home from home. We’ve properties throughout the US ski areas - you may fall in love with something like this beautiful four bedroom, 5 bathroom house in Aspen, or maybe something like this three bedroom house in South Lake Tahoe, complete with redwood deck and hot tub for superb stargazy nights.

When you’ve pinpointed where you want your next move to be, you can join our property alert system. This allows you to tailor your ski property search and be sure you’ll never miss out on your perfect home in your ideal town.