Looking for some Colorado advice

[David Lemley]

I have been a full time investor for 20 years and been listening to the pod-casts ever since I found the site a year ago.  Thanks for all the great info!!  Sitting in Chicago traffic has been way more interesting listening to fellow real estate nerds. 

I am looking for some advice.  I would like to rent a place in Colorado for the summer.  My wife is a teacher and kids are in college.  I want to plan a super fun summer before the kids graduate and get tied down with life.  I would also like to piggy back some work in as well.  Eventually, I would like to purchase a property that would be in demand (as a rental) for the ski season, and be available to me in the summers.  We hike and white water kayak.  I am hoping this trip would help me locate a property that would meet my needs.

I would appreciate a point in the right direction.  I am excited to hear any advice you may have.

[Jon Holdman]

You have a bunch of choices for a ski town, if your goal is to have a place in high demand during ski season.  The Breckenridge/Keystone/Copper/A-Basin cluster ("Summit County") or Winter Park are the closest to Denver.  Further away Vail, Beaver Creek or Steamboat Springs.  Or even a little further Aspen etc. (four mountains close together.)  Crested Butte.  And some others.  Summit County is close to Buena Vista for white water, but there are numerous other places for that, too.  Hiking pretty much anywhere.  Summer demand is pretty good in many of these locations, too, because there are a lot of summer activities, and many of the ski mountains do mountain biking in the summer.  I usually just day trip for skiing, mostly to Copper or Winter Park.  Steamboat is a weekend trip.  We've only gone there in the winter, but I know folks who love it in the summer.

Steamboat does have an airport and there's one in Eagle that serves Vail and Beaver Creek.  Aspen also has an airport.  Aspen, Vail, and Beaver Creek are the ritzy ones, if you want to target a higher end crowd.  

I like Salida and have been keeping an eye out in that area.  I also like Ouray.  But neither are great for skiing.  Ouray's only 10 miles from Telluride, but its a 50 mile drive.  Monarch Mountain is close to Salida, but I don't think that really qualifies as a destination.

I think I'm completely unhelpful.  Just so many great choices.