It’s not uncommon that we receive quite a few inquiries on investment property in the Ouray, Montrose, Ridgway and Telluride areas this time of year. Families and folks visit our gorgeous region for the scenic beauty and incredible skiing or ice climbing and fall in love with what we get to enjoy every day.

As a gift to our readers, we wanted to give you a quick list of things to look for in a vacation rental or investment property here in the Colorado mountains. There’s so much to choose from and you want to make sure your purchase suits your needs!

• Purpose – Why do you want to purchase an investment or rental property and what is it going to be used for? You’re going to want a different kind/caliber of property if you and/or your family will be looking to use it part of the time.
• Access – If you’re considering a vacation rental/investment property in a ski restort area, ski in/ski out is very important as is access to local amenities like restaurants and shuttle stops.
• Historical Property Values – The areas here in the San Juan region, especially those prime for investment property, have historically stable values. They are optimal for those looking to acquire a long-term buy-and-hold rental or vacation property.

Also, it pays to tap into the expertise of your Realtor in the area. They will know the nitty-gritty on the area and the inside tips that will help you make the best purchase decision possible!

As next week welcomes the 2008 Christmas Holidays to our door, the San Juan Realty Inc. blog will be taking the week off. Check back the following week for our year-end recap and a peek at what’s to come in 2009. From our family to yours, a very safe and happy holiday season!