I recently spoke with Mark Samuelson, a real estate columnist for the Denver Post, about Crested Butte and some of the great real estate currently available. As I explained to Mark, Crested Butte offers some of the best value for luxury properties available, especially when compared to areas like Aspen.

1. Only 20 miles across the range
from Aspen, Crested Butte offers
homes at way below Aspen prices
152 Evergreen Drive in Crested Butte.
By Mark Samuelson
Ski towns of Aspen and Crested
Butte are only 25 miles apart over the
jagged Elk Range, but are over 200
miles apart by road – and increasingly
distant in their selling points, according
to Chris Kopf, Crested Butte expert for
Coldwell Banker Previews. By appointment, he can show you a home on 35
acres overlooking the town’s namesake
ski peak; with features that would work
for buyers in either place, but at way,
way below Glitter Gulch prices.
“You hear people say Crested Butte
is what Aspen was 20 years ago,” says
Kopf. In 1999 during a ski trip from
Dallas he impulsively joined his brother
in making a second-home purchase
here, had a hard time explaining it to
his wife; but ended moving the family
here five years ago. “It’s a special place,”
WHERE: Luxury home on 35 acres near
town of Crested Butte and its ski mountain.
152 Evergreen Drive, Crested Butte; from
Hwy 135/5th St. in Crested Butte head west
on Whiterock Ave. 0.8 mi. to Trapper’s Wy,
remain on Trapper’s 1.5 mi.
PRICE: $3.9 million
WHEN: By appointment only
PHONE: 970-209-5405
WEB: ChrisKopf.com
he adds. “A lot of people who live here
represent an affluent demographic, but
Crested Butte has a genuine character
to it; it’s less pretentious.”
It’s also a rising star real-estate
wise, Kopf tells his clients in his
market report (ask for it at ChrisKopf@
BigHornRealty.com). After a dip in sales
during 2012, the ski town saw its recovery continue in 2013 to post 335 sales,
over twice the total in 2008, with dollar
volume up considerably. Much of the
good news, he adds, is in the milliondollar-plus end of the market – 27 sold
in 2013.
He’ll show you (by appointment)
152 Evergreen Drive, a mile-and-a-half
west of town, with five bedrooms and
5-½ baths. “It’s a beautiful mountain
home, a piece of art, actually,” Kopf
adds. The price is $3.9 million. What
would it go for over in Aspen? “It’s
ten or 15 million dollars,” he opines.
Kopf, who knows first-hand how far
distant Aspen is by skiing the distance
during the annual ‘Elk Mountain Grand
Traverse,’ says the trip up from Denver
is around four hours, and you should
include a local dining stop, maybe
Maxwell’s, Wooden Nickel, Marchitelli’s
or Bacchanale. With listings at a wide
range of prices including a riverfront
property on the Taylor River, Kopf is on
the web at ChrisKopf.com.