All the world awaits the 2015 FIS World Alpine Championships hosted here in the Vail Valley. Hosting a world-class event of this magnitude means getting this resort community set for the spotlight…

On mountain improvements continue with the replacement of the legendary Centennial Lift at Beaver Creek Mountain Resort. Try 30% increase in uphill capacity with this luxurious combination chairlift/gondola. Avon has really stepped up the community effort in the past 2 years and now Town Hall will move to the new Main Street Mall- a $1.9 million walkway connecting Avon Road and the Rec Center.

The vision is to create a new sense of downtown that will include Nottingham Park, the lake and the new Sound Stage, perfect for great events outside. Completion is scheduled for the end of 2014. Avon has invested in creating a lodging and entertainment base for mountain resort visitors, while enriching the local community.

The effect on real estate activity will be significant in the years ahead. More Vail Valley improvements make for increased value and buyer satisfaction, with a strong rental market and long-term gains.

When you look at the big picture there is an elephant in the room… Vail Resorts. Now with mountain resorts across the country and in Europe, VR is a powerhouse brand that transforms struggling ski towns into Epic cogs in the machine.

RealtyTrac recently posted “The Best Resort Towns for Real Estate Investing”.  They started with ski towns in the top 50 and judged in 9 categories: Distance from a Major Airport, Unemployment Rate, Median List Price, Foreclosure Inventory (Annual Rate and Rate Drop), Rental Vacancy Rate, Gross Rent Yield, and Pure Awesomeness Factor.

Vail rated #2 under Whitefish Montana (I know…what?) with Avon in the #4 spot. Vail’s Median Price was $626,000 and Avon, $459,000. With Aspen at #14 you can see it’s not about status, it’s about value and potential. Aspen’s Median Price is $2,315,000, which clears up the #14 thing. But looking at Whitefish at #1, the Median Price is $250,000- great investment, decent price but the skiing awesomeness factor is pretty weak. This study clearly shines light on Avon and Vail, Colorado as premier mountain property investments. It is worth mentioning that October 2014 showed the highest dollar volume of any month in two years.

Other notable rankings would have to include Snowmass at #19, Breck at #18, and Park City at #9.

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What is the big picture? National averages give the most accurate assessments available about real estate’s place in the US economy. Let’s turn to some experts.