Every month we update our Realty Times Real Estate Newsletter which includes a Jackson Hole Market Update and some National Real Estate Market information. Here is the link but we have also posted our July newsletter market update text below. Feel free to read or visit or newsletter.

July NEWSLETTER

Looking back on the first 2 quarters of sales activity in Jackson Hole we see that there was not a lot of activity. Again – another record low quarter but we have bounced back from the awful 1st Quarter of 2009 where we only had 17 sales. During the 2nd Quarter we witnessed 38 transactions, more than doubling the 1st Quarter results. 22 sales occurred below $1,000,000 and 16 sales occurred above $1,000,000. Of the higher priced properties the highest priced property to sell was listed at $5,625,000 but there was substantial negotiation given. Of the total 38 transactions 4 of them were fractional resort condos and 8 properties did not disclose the closing price.

For current activity, Christy and I have witnessed a surge in activity. The market is not on fire by any means but again we are starting to see some activity that indicates the market has some life. The most interesting aspect of the current activity has been the variety of properties going under contract.

There are currently 16 “Under Contract” residential properties which does NOT include pre construction projects (Terra, Pine Glades, 199 Pearl) or vacant land. There are 8 properties under $1,000,000 and 8 properties over $1,000,000. There are only 3 condos verse 13 single family homes. In the past week, the most exciting activity we witnessed was a property north of town listed for $5,150,000 go under contract (both sides of the transaction are being represented by Sotheby’s International Realty – Jackson Hole). There are currently 4 properties under contract listed for more than $4.8 million. There are 5 under contract vacant land parcels.

As for Active Listings….there are 571 Residential Properties for sale in Jackson Hole and 214 Vacant Land Parcels for sale in Jackson Hole!

If you have time – check out our Top Real Estate Picks in Jackson Hole located at JacksonHoleExperts.com.

We hope this helps you understand the current market activity in Jackson Hole. If you would like us to expand our thoughts or if you have any additional questions please email or call the JacksonHoleExperts – 877-739-8056.

Make sure you check out www.jacksonholeexperts.com . We have a lot of great new listings and have just updated our extremely popular Top Picks Page. Christy and I select great values on the market every few weeks and update them on the Top Pick page. Thanks for reading and if you would like additional information of the Jackson Hole market please call us toll free at 877-739-8056. We also love referrals so if you have anyone interested in Jackson Hole real estate or thinking about listing please let them know about us!

The Jackson Hole Experts – Christy and Garth Gillespie – have just updated our Top Picks of the Week! Every other week the Jackson Hole Experts update our Top Picks with the Best New Jackson Hole Listing, the Most Notable Closed Jackson Hole Transaction and the Best Jackson Price Reduction on a Listing. At the bottom of that page we have a link that takes you to our Top Picks of the Week.

The Top Real Estate Picks of the Week in Jackson Hole is a selection of properties Christy and I feel are well priced for our market and can be considered a Top Pick of the Week. We currently list 3 properties.

In new exciting news the Jackson Hole Experts contracted with our wonderful website designer to create the “Jackson Hole Real Estate Power Rankings”. Here we will start to rank the Top Ten Real Estate deals in Jackson Hole. This is going to be an exciting challenge as we have the opportunity to move properties up and down the list as new listings come aboard, current listings have price reductions or the real estate market changes in certain locations. Stay tuned as we will be getting the Jackson Hole Real Estate Power Rankings online in the next few weeks.

The current market is showing some signs of activity. Yesterday at the Sotheby’s International Realty – Jackson Hole Brokerage – Wednesday morning meeting multiple properties were announced as “pending-under contract”. The list included a condo at the Aspen’s, a vacant lot in the Jackson Hole exclusive neighborhood of Indian Springs and a small, older home in the Town of Jackson. This is great to hear!

For more information on Jackson Hole Real Estate please contact the Jackson Hole Experts toll free at 877-739-8056 or visit our website.

Christy and I had a wonderful weekend here in Jackson as we attended 2 events put on by Dancers’ Workshop. What a show the Elisa Monte Dance Company delivered on Saturday at the Jackson Hole Center for the Arts.

The evening started with Christy and me going to the Snake River Grill with friends Mike Stern and Bridget Mullen, Dana and John Wright, Heidi and Danny Yost and Ann Dwan. We had an excellent assortment of the Grill’s light menu which included tasty Fish Tacos, the incredible Steak Tartar Pizza and the just about famous Potato Pancake with Smoked Salmon.

We then headed to the Center for the Arts to attend a performance by Elise Monte Dance Company. We were both blown away by the talent on the stage from the dancers and just how entertaining it was. The first act, “Pigs and Fishes” was fantastic with a lot of soloing and also group dancing. After intermission we were entertained by a new dance called Zydeco Zare which included live music by Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys.

On Sunday evening we headed back to the Center for a wonderful family event again sponsored by Dancers’ Workshop. Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys were the headliners. The band rocked and it was refreshing to hear the sounds of New Orleans ringing through the Center. This was just an incredible event staged inside the Performing Arts Theater where friends, families and mostly locals danced out hearts out! There was excellent Cajun food ,great beer from the Snake River Brewing Company and just a general festive feeling in the aire. The weather even cooperated and was nice enough for the event to be outside but after the past 2 weeks of dreadful weather it was an easy decision to move most of the event inside. I am sure the band was happy as it got cold quickly as soon as the sun went down. Plus the acoustics were excellent inside the Center.

Thanks again Dancers’ Workshop! Babs Case, artistic director, for Dancers Workshop deserves some praise. Thank you, thank you!!

It’s time for our JH monthly real estate update and we have encouraging news on the Jackson Hole real estate market – there’s a pulse! We are finally starting to see some meaningful movement on the seller’s side of things (list prices are coming down – averaging 15%) and the result is that some buyers are taking advantage of this movement.

Today (6/3/2009) at the Sotheby’s International Realty office meeting we had many agents report “under contract properties”. This included a walk in customer who wrote a contract on an in town property priced over $1 million, a home in Rafter J, a vacant lot south of town, a vacant lot north of town at the Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis and a condo in the town of Jackson. The one area that raised our eyebrows was that fact 2 more vacant lots went under contract. We have been discussing the market with a lot of people and we keep mentioning that we feel that the vacant lot segment of the market will help pull the market out of its slump and we are starting to see that prediction come true. Construction prices are low, material prices are low, design and layout services are lower and available – there’s just a lot of indicators that make us believe that vacant lots make some investment sense at the moment.

The issue in the market continues to be inventory – over 850 listings compared to 470 at this time last year and that equals 42 months of inventory at the current sales pace. There are many choices for buyers in all price ranges. If you do not like one house there is another to look at. If a buyer makes an offer and it is not well received, there is another seller to entertain. Sometimes deals are not occuring but we are starting to see a lot more of them coming together when compared to 3 months ago.

We are still waiting for the low end market to see these indicators and to adjust to the market. There is a general consensus and there is starting to be a statistical pattern that the market is responding to a 25% discount from the high market. There is confusion on where the high was but generally the highest sale in a like category minus 25% gives us a current value. Sure there are exceptions but currently the lower end market (under $500,000) has not adjusted any where close to this adjustment and it is showing in pending transactions – 3 pending deals….

Make sure you check out www.jacksonholeexperts.com (link is below). We have a lot of great new listings and have just updated our extremely popular Top Picks Page. Christy and I select great values on the market every few weeks and update them on the Top Pick page. Next month we will have the 2nd quarter review – stay tuned. Thanks for reading and if you would like additional information of the Jackson Hole market please call us toll free at 877-739-8056. We also love referrals so if you have anyone interested in Jackson Hole real estate or thinking about listing please let them know about us!

One of the finest loan representatives in the Jackson Hole area is T.R. Pierce from the Bank of Jackson Hole. T.R. Pierce is the senior vice president loan officer at the largest “local” bank in Jackson Hole and for the past few years has been educating the Jackson Hole real estate agents on the current local mortgage rates. As part of our weekly updates we will be posting T.R.’s report about once a week. This should give readers a good idea of local rates. We of course recommend calling T.R. Pierce, SVP Residential Loans, 307.734.8111 for an appointment if you would like additional information on mortgages. Today’s report is below:

Conforming interest rates rise as pending home sales increase for the third straight month… the NAR reported that pending home sales rose 6.7% in April after a 3.2% increase in March. Homes under contract increased 32.6% in the Northeast, 9.8% in the Midwest, 1.8% in the West and only 0.2% in the South. This morning Wall Street is showing some caution after yesterday’s rally which was spurred by upbeat reports on manufacturing, construction spending and consumer spending.

Residential Mortgage Rates for June 2, 2009

The following rates are thirty (30) day quotes for fully documented, owner-occupied and/or second home loans for borrowers with a minimum credit score of 700 which feature a one (1%) percent loan origination fee and the escrow of taxes & insurance.

PLEASE NOTE THAT CONFORMING LOAN AMOUNTS OVER $417,000 TO $693,750
ARE AVAILABLE AT HIGHER INTEREST RATES THAN INDICATED BELOW.

PROGRAM CONFORMING
(Loans to $417,000)
JUMBO
(Loans over 417,000)

30 Year Fixed
5.250%
7.875%

15 Year Fixed
4.750%
6.875%

10/1 ARM
5.250%
7.875%

7/1 ARM
4.750%
5.000%

5/1 ARM
4.000%
4.500%

3/1 ARM
5.375%
6.625%

30 YEAR FIXED RATE FHA LOANS TO $693,750: 5.250%
PRIME RATE: 3.250%
ONE YEAR LIBOR RATE: 1.607%

Rates are still great but we are starting to see an upward tick in the rates. Don’t be left behind – Now is the time to look at the inventory on the market. For more information call the Jackson Hole Experts at 307-413-5243. We have been tracking the market and have selected some great Jackson Hole deals. To hear more or to see what we have picked check out our TOP PICKS page.

Christy and Garth Gillespie are pleased to have been selected to market a new listing in Melody Ranch. 4215 Balsam Lane is a wonderful family home located on open space and is 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and is 2,600 square feet. The price reflects an excellent value at today’s market. Additional information can be found at the following link – 4210 Balsam Lane

Below is some interesting information about this wonderful community.

Melody Ranch, just four miles south of the Town of Jackson, is a place of wide-open spaces, remarkable views and a strong sense of community. While residents appreciate the development for its close proximity to town and its natural beauty, they also love the fact that it feels like a true neighborhood, a place where people have chosen tomake as their year-round home in Jackson Hole.

Melody Ranch has deep roots in Jackson Hole history. In 1888, the area was settled as Cheney, one of the first townships in the valley. In the 20th century, an out-of-towner named Paul von Gontard visited the area as a boy and was so bowled over by the soaring mountains and grassy meadows that he later returned to establish a cattle ranch on the land. The main lodge and outbuildings from those days still stand, and their historic character is complemented by the design of today’s Melody Ranch homes, which are in the Western mountain and ranch styles, in natural earth tones.

As a planned residential community, Melody Ranch retains all the openness and close-to-nature attributes of its ranching heritage. Development started in 1995 in accordance with amaster plan that emphasizes preserving open spaces. Today, in fact, open spacesmake up 70 percent of the community.As Melody Ranch Development states, “Our philosophical approach is thatmaintaining these views and landscapes will enhance and protect what we value so highly – the freedom to live in, and appreciate, the wide open spaces of the hard-won West.”

Flat Creek, the water source for the haymeadows of Melody Ranch, still meanders through the development, and thanks to careful planning, the Teton and Snake River mountain views that made such an impression on young von Gontard more than 50 years ago can still be enjoyed in full. Cottonwoods, spruce and aspen dot the landscape and add a sense of privacy. Melody Ranch “has incorporated time-honored concepts of historic ranch development into its master plan, to preserve the open character of horse and cattle pastures and haymeadows while allowing native and natural vegetation to protect and shade its buildings,” the developer says. The development features manmade improvements that give residents a backyard playground. There are bike trails, trout fishing ponds, playgrounds and playing fields that make the development ideal for families with children. Schools, grocery stores, shops, restaurants and all the other amenities of town are within easy reach, as are Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. But at Melody Ranch, staying home is just as an attractive option as getting out to other parts of the valley. Great views are just the beginning.

For additional information or to set up a showing call Garth and Christy Gillespie – the Jackson Hole Experts at 877-739-8056.

The Jackson Hole Experts – Garth and Christy Gillespie and sales associate Don Alsted are excited about our real estate inventory at Spring Creek Ranch this summer. We have the pleasure of marketing 2 fabulous custom homes and one beautiful estate lot all with stunning views of Grand Teton.

Perched nearly 1,000 feet above the Town of Jackson on East Gros Ventre Butte, Spring Creek Ranch offers incomparable views of the Teton and Snake River ranges and Spring Gulch.

Once a part of the ranch operated by former Wyoming Governor and Senator Cliff Hansen, Spring Creek Ranch today is a popular resort community that provides a real sense of getting away from it all Western style. It’s a testament to the beauty of the location that Aman Resorts chose it for the company’s first property in North America, the Amangani.

Jackson, Teton Village and skiing at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort are all within a quick drive from Spring Creek Ranch. But there are a variety of on-site resort activities to enjoy. The resort offers concierge services to homeowners, as well as tennis, swimming and a full-service spa. The activity that sets it apart from other resorts in the area is horseback riding, which is geared to people of all skill levels and ages. And with nearly 700 out of the property’s 1,000 acres preserved as open space, Spring Creek is a lovely place to hike and look for wildlife. The Granary restaurant is popular with locals as well as out-of-towners, as is the restaurant’s lounge, which offers jazz and piano music on some nights.

Spring Creek Ranch is one of the favorite view-oriented developments in the valley where short-term rentals are permitted, which makes it highly desirable for investment property.

The three listings we would like to feature are beloe with links. Please visit:

1996 Spirit Dance – Amazing setting at Spring Creek Ranch. Located on a large lot of 1.14 acres and bordering open space with obvious views of Tetons. The home is located on lot 11 of the Elk Dance Estates area of Spring Creek Ranch.

Overall description of the home: Sqaure footage is on two levels for a total of 3,956 square feet. The main floor (2,782 sq. ft.) includes 3 bedrooms – one of which is considered a junior suite, an office, dining room, living room, kitchen, entry, mudroom and storage. The 2nd floor includes the master bedroom and a media room. From the master you have one of the best views of the Tetons available in Jackson Hole. The master bedroom has a stacked stone natural gas fireplace. The master is complete with a comfortable master bathroom with jetted tub and rain shower, marble slab counter top and flooring and custom alder cabinets. The master closet – over 200 square feet – with washer and dryer setup.

The Alsted Home – Featured on the cover of Mountain Home Magazine, this luxurious 7,323 sq. ft. home located on Spring Creek Ranch exudes the warmth and richness of natural wood and stone. Its unique, long, angular design and placement of large windows allows spectacular views of the Grand Teton Mountain Range from all living spaces.

285 Calliope – Lot 47! This secluded 4.67 acre lot is one of Spring Creek’s best parcels. It features a large building envelope which has open, gentle sloping, undisturbed terrain. This parcel boasts views of the Grand Teton, a large aspen grove and the high rolling ridges of West Gros Ventre butte. This land has personality and is waiting for you to create your masterpiece.

Well let’s put that phrase in context – The Jackson Hole / Teton County active listing market is exploding! Yes – everyday there are more and more listings hitting the market and unfortunately not many of them are going under contract. There are currently about 845 active listings in Teton County, Wyoming. Previously the high was reached in October of 2008 so we have basically been drowning in listings for over 6 months.

When comparing today’s active listings to last year we see that in May of 2008 there were about 480 listings and if we look at May of 2007 there were only about 400 listings. The current inventory load will only continue the price pressure we are witnessing on the market. Transactions are taking place but in most cases we are seeing 20% to 30% discounts given from the high of the market!

Stay tuned as we are currently updating our Top Picks. For more information on the current market please call or email the JacksonHoleExperts – Christy and Garth Gillespie – Sotheby’s International Realty – Jackson Hole Brokerage. We are here to help and work everyday to exceed your expections.

Searching For Jackson Hole Real Estate Online? A lot of you are looking on www.Sothebyshomes.com/jacksonhole. Information we just gathered from Sotheby’s International Realty tells the story. There seems to be a lot of people looking on line at property and the number is increasing. At www.sothebyshomes.com/jacksonhole we had 43,000 page visits and 11,785 listings were viewed! The average visit per page was about 36 seconds. The top searches included – Jackson Hole Real Estate, Sotheby’s Jackson Hole, Sothebys Jackson Hole, Real Estate Jackson Hole and Sotheby’s real estate. Those searches tell me that the public knows where to look for Jackson Hole real estate information – Sotheby’s! Google was the most used search engine.

When looking at our Company site www.sothebyshomes.com there were 244,000 site visits with 1,757,659 page views. The interesting statistic here is that the average visit length was about 10 minutes. Consumers from 173 countries and 6 six continents visited the site — now that is an International company! The top 5 user countries were – US, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia.

Cool information. If you are a seller this is very important information. Jackson Hole real estate is no longer a “local” market and to be honest it has not been one for 10 years. Here at Sotheby’s – Jackson Hole Brokerage we have the best agents with the most experience yet we are all local! Our competition will talk about local company with some exposure to the nation and international clients but no one can reach the customer base that Sotheby’s International Realty can. Christy and I feel honored to be here and we utilize the skills, the knowledge and the history many of the agents at Sotheby’s have to offer.

To know more about the Jacksonholeexperts please call Christy and Garth Gillespie at 877-739-8056.

Wow! Exciting News in Jackson Hole real estate. Here is the “hot” real estate news just released by Sotheby’s International Realty – Jackson Hole Brokerage. Christy and I will update the blog with our thoughts later but we wanted everyone to get the news. Very exciting, excellent news for sellers and amazing coverage of the Teton Village real estate market moving forward.

Market Leader Acquires Fastest Growing Local Firm to Expand Presence in Teton County

Jackson Hole, Wyo. (May 13, 2009) – Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc., a residential real estate brokerage firm representing fine properties in some of the world’s most sought-after markets, today announced it has acquired the assets of Teton Village Realty in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Teton Village Realty, specializing in properties at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and surrounding areas, will now operate as Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. The Teton Village Realty offices, located in the Teton Mountain Lodge and Hotel Terra at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, will complement Sotheby’s International Realty’s existing offices in Jackson Hole and Driggs, Idaho.

Clayton Andrews, executive vice president and COO of the Mountain Region for Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. who leads the company’s Jackson Hole operations, will also manage the new offices.

The acquisition expands Sotheby’s International Realty’s footprint in Jackson Hole and shows the firm’s commitment to serving clients throughout Teton County. Since first opening in Jackson Hole in 1999, Sotheby’s International Realty acquired Jackson Hole Realty in 2003. Since then, Sotheby’s International Realty has been the market leader in sales volume, according to the Teton Board of Realtors MLS.

After its founding in 2003, Teton Village Realty became the fastest growing brokerage in Teton County, achieving the third highest market share in the Teton MLS each year from 2005 to 2008. Teton Village Realty sales associates, including owner Rob DesLauriers, will now operate as agents of Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc.

According to Andrews, Teton Village Realty is an ideal fit with Sotheby’s International Realty, based on its historical performance as well as its office locations. “As a relatively young and fast growing firm, Teton Village Realty offers a fresh perspective on the local real estate market,” said Andrews. “Rob DesLauriers is well known and respected at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, and his firm’s experience in development sales at Teton Village is unmatched. We are pleased to be gaining such a dynamic and talented team at a pivotal time in our market.”

“It’s exciting to be part of the Sotheby’s International Realty organization,” said DesLauriers. “We appreciate the company’s successful history and expertise in the valley. We have a long and productive working relationship with the firm’s local team, and our agents and clients will benefit from the enhanced regional and global presence as well as the referral opportunities the company offers.” DesLauriers continued, “Sotheby’s International Realty provides a strong and far-reaching platform from which we can continue to grow and leverage the synergies of our firms.”

About Sotheby’s International Realty

Sotheby’s International Realty was founded in 1976 as a real estate service for discerning clients of Sotheby’s auction house and represents fine properties at a range of price points. Today, Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. operates brokerage offices in key metropolitan and resort markets, including London; Manhattan; the Hamptons; Westchester County, Greenwich, Conn.; Litchfield County, Conn.; Cape Cod; Palm Beach, Fla.; Beverly Hills; Brentwood; Pasadena; Santa Barbara; San Francisco; Sonoma; Monterey Peninsula; Sun Valley, Idaho; Santa Fe, New Mexico and Jackson Hole, Wyo.

Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. (www.sothebyshomes.com) is part of NRT LLC, the nation’s largest residential real estate brokerage company, and a member of the Sotheby’s International Realty® network that spans 39 countries. NRT, a subsidiary of Realogy Corporation, operates Realogy’s company-owned real estate brokerage offices.