From the Thanksgiving issue of the Mammoth Real Estate Times. Happy Thanksgiving! Q: On your blog someone started discussing a “vulture” fund to use in Mammoth. Funny, because that is what some friends and I have been talking about. Obviously, other people are thinking it is a good idea or at least something to consider. What do you think? A: Look up, and yes the vultures are beginning … [Read more...]
The Pretenders, The Pressured, and The Passionate
November 5, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Fall with no snow is a lovely, quiet time in the mountains. The recent behavior of Mammoth’s real estate agents has become so telling. For many the level of passion is waning. I now classify the agents into three categories––the Pretenders, the Pressured, and the Passionate. The Pretenders are a substantial group. They range from “retired but don’t know it” to “unemployed but … [Read more...]
The Past Does Not Equal The Future
October 21, 2007 By 7 Comments
I was having trouble getting ready for a vacation and meeting a deadline, so the Mammoth Times editorial staff asked me to pull out an old Q&A that might have some relevance. This column first appeared in the Fall of 1998 and is indicative of what was on people’s minds back then––a real turning point of the Mammoth real estate market and the beginning of the Intrawest’s influence. I … [Read more...]
La Nina Is For Real.
October 17, 2007 By 1 Comment
Weathermen and climatologists are calling for a “La Nina” weather pattern this winter. La Nina is a product of cooler water temperatures in the adjacent Pacific Ocean. Well, I can tell you firsthand that we are in a La Nina condition. Satellite generated sea surface temperature maps are one thing, but witnessing it is another. The last 6 or 7 years I have spent time on the Pacific during … [Read more...]
Broker’s Report, October 2, 2007
October 2, 2007 By 5 Comments
Broker’s Report, October 2––The warning signs all Fall into place––the days shorten, the leaves turn yellow, the kids are deep into school and the ski magazines come in the mail. It can be the busiest time of year for Mammoth real estate sales and some years the buyers have come in hordes, but this year it is down to a trickle. But those that are here are typical––and from what I … [Read more...]
Let’s Look At The Bright Side.
September 20, 2007 By 1 Comment
Q & A from the October issue of the Mammoth Real Estate Times, out today! Q: Some of your recent columns have been rather critical and negative. But we know you can be very positive, so tell us some of the positive things you see in the local market. Tell us what you’re seeing that we, the second homeowner, aren’t seeing. A: Now that I’ve made everybody feel great about the sorry … [Read more...]
Welcome to the Westin. Where’s the bar?
September 12, 2007 By 6 Comments
Yesterday, I decided my career has shifted from real estate broker to crisis counselor. Sellers are coming to the reality of the current micro and macro economics. But with the big “un-veiling” of the Westin in North Village, I had to go take a look. After all, it’s been hiding under a plastic bag for many months. (I was warned about the plastic bag syndrome in my college days.) The … [Read more...]
Fixing the Village
August 28, 2007 By 3 Comments
Q & A from the Labor Day issue of the Mammoth Real Estate Times. Happy Labor Day!! It feels a little like Fall here in Mammoth. Q: The tone of your columns and writings are very critical of the Village, and we’ll admit that things aren’t perfect there, but how do you propose to make things better? A: In a column I wrote a couple of years ago I questioned whether the Village was … [Read more...]
Time For Vacation
August 18, 2007 By 4 Comments
Even people who live in resorts need and deserve a vacation once in awhile, so I’m off to an annual fishing trip to the banks and seamounts off the coast of southern Baja. But just a couple of things before I go: The last Broker’s Report brought me plenty of emails, and one reader/writer demanded an apology and accused me of being a racist. “Although I generally enjoy reading your … [Read more...]
Broker’s Report, August 1, 2007
August 1, 2007 By 8 Comments
August 1—Mammoth is experiencing a dry, but beautiful, and relatively uncrowded summer. It reminds me of those great summers in the 80’s. As we move into late summer and fall the Mammoth real estate market should begin to reveal itself. For almost a year I have described the market as standoff or stalemate. The interaction between buyers and sellers has come to resemble a dull, heavyweight … [Read more...]
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