The beautiful oranges and yellows of fall are alive in Jackson Hole. The sun is shining, temperatures have cooled off and the tourists have left after a busy summer season. Don’t be fooled! Winter is just around the corner and weather experts are expecting another big winter, much to the delight of local skiers, tourists and the folks at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. While it won’t be an easy task to top last year’s record breaking snow fall of over 700″ (locals are still talking about their epic ski runs from last winter), Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is ready another “La-Nina” snow year.

During these times of economic uncertainty, while many ski resorts are tightening their budgets, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort continues to show its commitment to improving and enhancing the skier experience. Construction is nearly complete on the new Marmot chairlift, which will provide access from the bottom of the Thunder chairlift up to the top of the Gondola and the Coulier Restaurant. JHMR will also increase their snow making capacity and will have an additional cat for more grooming.

Getting to Jackson Hole this winter will be even easy with direct flights from Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Denver, Chicago, L.A. and Dallas. A new flight from Newark takes off this season as well. From the airplane window, visitors can get their first glance of the 4,200 feet of vertical available for skiing, along with the famous Grand Teton mountain range. There are several winter lodging / skiing packages available. Click HERE for more information.

Jackson Hole Sotheby’s International Realty has several Teton Village property opportunities from condos to condohotels to single family homes. The Gillespie Real Estate Team can help you find the perfect ski vacation home. Contact us at 307-413-5243 or garth.gillespie@jhsir.com

The first half of the year, the Jackson Hole real estate market experienced a slight improvement in sales dollar volume, but saw a significant increase in unit sales, suggesting that more transactions are happening in Teton County, but at lower sales prices.

Through June 2011, closed real estate transations in the Jackson Hole area were up 28% compared with the same period in 2010, while dollar volume sales rose improved only slightly. However, both unit sales and dollar volume were well above the lows of the real estate market in 2009 – unit sales up 96% and sales volume up 114%. Click here to view graph

June has proven to be the best month in 2011 for real estate sales dollar volume. In the month of June in Teton County, there were 29 transactions totaling $36.5 million. Compare this to the previous month of May (typically a slow month in real estate out here), where sales volumn totaled only $12 million.  Click here for a graph

Real Estate Sales by Area:

North of Town has seen the largest improvement in sales volume, with a 48% increase over the first half of 2010. North of the Town of Jackson includes neighborhoods such as Owl Creek, Solitude, Bar-B-Bar Meadows, Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis and Moulton Ranches. There were 23 sales totaling $46 million through June 2011.  South of Jackson Hole also experienced an increase in sales volume with sales totaling $21 million, a 28% increase over the first half of 2010. Teton Village experienced the largest increase in real estate transactions, with a whopping 81% increase over 2010. There were 38 sales in the first half of 2011, with many of the sales happening in the condo and condo-hotel market in Teton Village. Many investors took advantage of low prices on bank owned and foreclosed condos, in order to have a place located walking distance to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

For more information contact The Gillespie Real Estate Team at 307-739-8056 or garth.gillespie@jhsir.com.

February 2011 was a very active month in real estate sales in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Overall, this month we saw 16 real estate sales in the Jackson Hole area, with most sales concentrated in Teton Village and Wilson, WY. Total real estate sales volume for the month topped $27 million, with an average sale price of just over $2 million. On average properties were selling at 85% of thier latest listing price and, on average, were on the market for 245 days prior to selling.

It appears the record snowfall at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, encouraged many buyers to purchase condos, condohotels and homes in Teton Village this winter. Of the 16 total real estate sales in the area, 1/2 of them were near the ski resort. These sales covered a wide range of properties and price points  – a 2 week fractional sold at the Teton Club, a 1 bedroom condohotel at Snake River Lodge and Spa and a 3 bedroom condohotel at Teton Mountain Lodge sold this February. There were also 2 sales of condominiums in the Nez Perce condo and the Teewinot building. These condos are a short walk or shuttle ride from the Aerial Tram at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.   A 2 bedroom unit at the Four Seasonsand a 3 bedroom unit at Crystal Springs also sold, both with ski-in, ski-out access. A large home in Lake Creek Ranch and the end of Granite Creek Road across from Teton Village sold in early February.

Wilson also saw several sales this past month including a home in Stilson Ranch, a home in Crescent H Ranch and large home with a horse stable in Wilson. There were twp sales in Town - a 2 bedroom Ponderosa condo that was listed at $99,900 and a Love Ridge Condo at the base of Snow King Resort. The largest sale of the month was a 10,000 square foot, 5 bedroom home in Spring Creek Ranch that was listed at $9,500,000.

The Gillespie Real Estate Team of Jackson Hole Sotheby’s International Realty is always tracking the real estate market in Jackson Hole. We’d be happy to share our market knowledge, insight and experience – just give us a call at 307-739-8078.

In 2011, we have seen an increase in real estate activity in Teton Village.  In the past 20 days, there have been two closed sales in Teton Village. Both real estate sales were condos located at the base of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. A 2 bedroom, 2 bath, bank owned, condo sold in mid January. The other sale happened this past weekend – a 3 bedroom, 2 bath penthouse condo in the Nez Perce Condominium Building.

 Additionally, there are currently 15 properties under contract in Teton Village. Seven of those were put under contract in the new year!  They include a wide range of property types. Four of the sales are condominiums within walking distance to the Jackson Hole ski resort. There is one unit under contract in the Snake River Lodge & Spa and a 2 bedroom unit in the Four Seasons – both ski-in, ski-out properties. There is also a 3 bedroom Timbers at Granite Ridge currently under contract.

While the above properties are spoken for, there are still many real estate opportunities in Teton Village. In fact, there are 85 properties for sale in a wide range of price ranges - a condo hotel for $299,000,  a 2-bedroom condominium for $445,000, a 4 bedroom vacation home for $3 million and a Four Seasons Penthouse Residence for $6 million.

The Gillespie Real Estate Team can easily guide you through these real estate opportunities and help you to find the perfect winter getaway in Jackson Hole. Call us today at 307-739-8078 for a list of all available properties in Teton Village.

While it may feel like winter has just begun, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort has already received over 24 feet of snow this season. Teton Village has received more snowfall than any other ski resort in North America.

With a record amount of early season snow fall, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort was able to open 100% of the mountain, including the Aerial Tram, on opening day in late November. Since opening day, we have continued to receive consistent snow which has contributed to a strong and stable snow pack.

Word has gotten out, as Teton Village has seen high occupancy levels at all the base area hotels – including the Four Seasons, Teton Mountain Lodge, Hotel Terra and the Teton Club. Jackson Hole Real Estate activity has also increased at the base of the mountain. There are currently 19 properties under contract in Teton Village. These pending sales include ski-in, ski-out condominiums, condo hotel investments, fractional time shares and large single family homes located underneath the Aerial Tram at Jackson Hole. We are well on track to out pace last winter’s 32 closed sales in Teton Village.

If you would like to learn more about current real estate opportunities in Teton Village contact the Gillespie Real Estate Team – the Jackson Hole Experts by visiting www.jhexperts.com or calling 307-413-5243.

Working at Jackson Hole Sotheby’s International Realty has so many benefits…To name a few – We have the strongest real estate professionals in the Jackson Hole Valley.  Year after year we post an incredible market share usually averaging over 60% of the buyers in the market.  That is staggering when you compare it to like markets.  Technology is another – www.jhsir.com is one of the best Real Estate websites out in the cyber world.  Sales office locations is another huge benefit – especially for sellers as JH Sotheby’s has working real estate professionals located in the Town of Jackson, Teton Village, the Aspens and all the major resort hotels at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort – including the Four Seasons, Terra and Teton Mountain Lodge.  Finally but not the last benefit is out ”stats man” - Leonard Klieman.  Every month Leonard looks over the data and provides all of us up to date market statistics.  Today I’ll share the latest December 2010 information.

During the end of 2010 we have started to see an increase in activity with properties listed over $2 million.  This continued in December 2010.  In Dec. 2010 we had 6 sales over $1 million with an average sales price of $3.7 million compared to 10 sales over $1 million in 2009 but had an average sales price of $1.9 million.  Overall we had 20 transactions during the month.  Unfortunately that is not a great number and was the lowest number of transaction since July 2010.  Unoffical numbers indicated that Teton County, Wyoming had 241 transactions in 2010 with a volume of $359 million.  That is the second lowest sales volume and transaction datat recorded in the past 8 years – only beating 2009. 

Comparing Year to Date December units and volume – 39% more transaction and 78% more volume when compared to 2009.  Sales volume is 3% below that of 2003 and 52% below the peak of 2007.  The increase in activity in the higher end is evident in the residential average sales price increasing 53% when compared to 2009.

Hopefully that was helpful.  For additional real estate information please feel free to contact Christy and Garth Gillespie – the Jackson Hole Experts.  We pride ourselves with working hard for buyers and sellers and having a secure grip on the market.  Feel free to visit our website – www.jacksonholeexperts.com or feel free to give us a call at 307-413-5243.

The winter season is upon us and we wanted to give you an update on the Teton Village real estate market. We are hearing the questions…Is the market getting stronger? What are you seeing with the market? Is it going to be a strong winter season for sales? Christy and I have been in the real estate business for 15 years so we know how hard it is to predict the future but we will tell you that we have a sense that the market is strengthening. When we say strengthening we mean that there is an indication that interest has increased and some sales have taken place but we don not necessarily mean that prices have bottomed out let alone start to increase.

There are currently 100 active listings in the Teton Board of Realtors Multiple Listing Service. This does not include fractional ownership opportunities like the Teton Club or The Four Seasons. The active listings range from a 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom condo priced at $259,000 all the way up to a fabulous ski home retreat priced at $29,500,000. A third of the inventory is priced under $1 million, a third between $1 and $2 million and a third $2 million and over.

In the past year – data since January 1, 2010 – there have been 31 disclosed sales with an average sales price of $1.675 million. The closed data almost mirrors the active market in the sense of percentages. Some interesting sales – A Tram Tower Townhome located below the Tram was listed at $1.9 in 2007 and just closed for $915,000! A Granite Ridge Timbers unit listed for $2.7 in 2009 just sold for $1.9 and another Timbers unit listed for $3,750,000 in 2008 just closed for $1.9 million. On the lower end a condo in the Gros Ventre complex just sold (as a bank sale) for $239,000. This condo was 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom and 800 square feet in size. A like unit sold in 2006 for $435,000. Not all the transactions are this extreme but this illustrates how value was created for a buyer in a difficult market.

As we reported in the last entry – Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is in the best shape it has almost ever been in this early in the season. The lower part of the mountain – including the Hobacks – are skiing as well as they do in February. Bookings at the Four Seasons resort are looking strong for the season so 2001 is looking to start off on the right foot.

If you would like additional information about the real estate market in Jackson Hole — pick up the phone and give us a call – 877-739-8056. We are excited to answer any questions you may have. You are also welcome to visit us at www.jacksonholeexperts.com.

For the first time in resort history, Jackson Hole opened “wall to wall” this weekend.  Christy, Katie and I all hit the slopes on Saturday and did our duty in cutting all the fresh, virgin powder.  It was exciting to say the least to be skiing in November let alone skiing the Hobacks.  The early snowfall has covered the mountain extremely well and we believe there is already more snow on the lower part of the mountain than we ever had last year.

We also spoke with the director of the Four Season Resort who mentioned that booking at the luxury hotel are extremely strong for the winter months.  This should bode well for the real estate market.  Buyers will be ready to swoop in and buy some of the excellent values on the market.  It has been a few years since we saw a strong push of buyers but we are anticipating a great selling season this winter.  If you would like information of the real estate market in Jackson please feel free to contact us. Jackson Hole Sotheby’s International Realty has just finished our biannual Catalogue of Fine Properties so if you would like an copy we’d be thrilled to send you a link.

For more information on the wonderful skiing here in Jackson or for in depth real estate information please contact Garth and Christy Gillespie, associates for Jackson Hole Sotheby’s International Realty at 307-413-5243 visit our website – Jackson Hole Experts.

Large 4 Bedroom Home in Melody Ranch

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.

It isn’t every day that workers at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort get applause for their work. But then, a new Aerial Tram at isn’t exactly an everyday occurrence.

In late October, spectators gathered at the resort and clapped as crews placed the first of two bright-red Tram cars from Switzerland onto their track cables. Seeing the cars put into place was like watching the curtain lift at the theater, although in this case the performance is to start December 20, when the Aerial Tram will begin carrying skiers and snowboarders up Rendezvous Mountain. For the legions of people who are passionate about this particular ski hill, it will be as though Christmas arrived five days early.

Anyone who has skied at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort any time from the 1960s to more recent years will find the sight of the little red boxes moving along their cable to be a familiar sight. The Tram cars are red, like their iconic predecessor, which shuttled skiers up the mountain for 40 years before being retired. But the new tram will be bigger and faster, whisking 100 passengers at a time to their starting point for their adventures in about nine minutes.

Change is afoot at Teton Village as a whole. The Village has kept hold of its classic attractions, like the Mangy Moose Saloon, while adding new ones like Hotel Terra, a boutique property that’s sleek, upscale and eco-friendly. Some changes at the Village are subtle, like the acoustical upgrades at Walk Festival Hall, home to the Grand Teton Music Festival. Other changes are more dramatic, a case in point being the new Shooting Star™ golf course.

Teton Village has become famous for its resort offerings. But it has become viewed more and more in recent years a great place to live, whether year round or on a part-time basis. The new hotels, for example, offer condo ownership opportunities in addition to options for out-of-towners to stay in style and comfort when they come to Jackson Hole. With the opening of the Four Seasons Resort, Teton Village acquired a “grande dame” hotel as well as a new group of slopeside luxury residences. In addition to Hotel Terra, there’s also Teton Mountain Lodge and others are coming, including the second phase of Hotel Terra.

Another new arrival in Teton Village is the newly completed Timbers, a group of three- and four-bedroom homes in Granite Ridge. Designed by John Carney, they average 3,300 square feet, with vaulted ceilings, gourmet kitchens, stone fireplaces and private Jacuzzi decks. Elsewhere in the village, the condos along McCollister Drive and Rachel Way, though not exactly new, are newly interesting to the real estate market. With upgrades and improvements the units, which like the Timbers, are zoned for short-term rentals, creating an attractive opportunity for investors who would like to generate some revenue from their properties.

As for Shooting Star™, it’s easy at this time of year for Nordic skiers to look out at the snow covered rolling terrain of the Tom Fazio-designed golf course and fantasize about streaking along a freshly groomed track. The golf course will, in fact, be a Nordic ski center, but its big unveiling will be next summer, when the golfers who have been watching the new facility take shape can finally walk out onto those greens and play a few rounds.

Construction is well underway on the Shooting Star™ club house, which will feature spa and fitness facilities, as well as a restaurant. The residential portion of Shooting Star™ includes cabins by architect Paul Bertelli of JLF Associates, featuring reclaimed materials and old world craftsmanship, plus spectacular views of the Tetons and the golf course.

Not everything planned for Teton Village is on such a grand scale, but little things make a difference. The pond behind Crystal Springs Lodge will eventually be replaced by a group of smaller water features and landscaping better suited for functions or for just relaxing. An 812-space, paved parking lot was just approved by the Teton County Board of Commissioners to be built between Granite Loop Road and Highway 390. It’s possible that someday there will be an automated “lift” that will whisk skiers and snowboarders from the lot to the clock tower so they can begin their day on the slopes. There’s no doubt that the opening of the new Arial Tram at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is the biggest story for winter 2008-09 at Teton Village. But as is always the case with news, some of the other stories are pretty interesting, too. For first timers and veterans, Teton Village is worth exploring this winter.

For more information on Teton Village or Jackson Hole please feel free to email or call the Jackson Hole Experts – Christy and Garth Gillespie.