Category Archives: Mountain Homes

Big Is Back: Living Large Never Went Out of Style When It Comes to Second Homes

Written by Candy Evans on February 14, 2012

Read this story on CandysDirt about how the rich seem to be accelerating the size and scope of their new homes. Then know this: whatever is happening to the primary home market is being mimic’ed in second and third homes. Prices may be soft, but the rich are getting out their checkbooks for beach homes and mountain ski palaces. Told you about Jon Huntsman’s dad, right?

Jigsaw Ranch: Family Compound on 80 Acres a Mere $48,500,000 — Second Home Nirvana Found Near Aspen, Colorado

Written by Candy Evans on September 19, 2011

I know we just broke the 70 day plus cycle of 100 degree plus days in Dallas but really, it’s time to start thinking about ski season. Jack frost is just around the corner and so much more bearable when you have your own private ski house. Or, in this case, $48,500,000 Aspen estate.

Posted in Celebrity Homes, Mountain Homes, Second Shelters | Tagged Aspen real estate, Castle Creek, Guest House, Jack Frost, Log Cabin, Private Ski, second homes, Ski Season, vacation homes | 2 Comments

Yes, The Economy Sucks Bad Air But… Vacation Homes Sure Are Getting Cheap

Written by Candy Evans on September 6, 2011

If you want to look at a market that makes residential real estate even in say, Detroit look good, look at second homes. Last year, the median price of a vacation home in the U.S. fell 11%. Compare that to what the National Association of Realtors tells us the ordinary primary residence did — fell 5 percent … Continue reading →

Posted in Beach Homes, Lake homes, Mountain Homes, Second Shelters | Tagged Association Of Realtors, Beach Condos, Carmel Ca, cheap vacation homes, Home Buyers Survey, HomeAway, National Association Of Realtors, Vacation Home Owners | Comments Off

Why Everyone Leaves Dallas In August, and Where They Go: The Dallas Second Home Report

Written by Candy Evans on August 14, 2011

Do you find it impossible to get anything done in Dallas in August? Let’s face it: everyone in town has taken a hike. And do you blame them? I’d much rather be at the seashore in Maine, on the Gulf Coast at Alys Beach, even down at Cinnamon Shore (which opens a new coffee house next week) in Port Aransas, in Colorado, in Pebble, in Montana, God even in Santa Fe.

Posted in Beach Homes, Celebrity Homes, Dallas real estate news, House Candy, Maine, Mountain Homes, Ranches, Real estate market news, Santa Fe, Second Shelters | Tagged Alys Beach, Ellen Terry, Real Estate Sales, Residential Real Estate Sales, second home destinations of Dallas, Seven Year Itch, where wealthy Dallasites vacation, White Rock Lake | 2 Comments

Dallas Billionaire, Philanthropist Charles Wyly Dies in Aspen Auto Wreck

Written by Candy Evans on August 7, 2011

Update: I’ve received a note from Mr. Wyly’s cousin (in comments) clarifying that the Michaels Arts & Crafts stores that were founded by Charles and Sam Wyly were sold while quite profitable. The business downturn apparently with subsequent owners.

Posted in CandysDirt.com, Celebrity Homes, Dallas real estate news, Mountain Homes, Second Shelters | Tagged Aspen Valley Hospital, Charles and Dee Wyly, Charles Wyly, Federal Securities Laws, Sam Wyly, Snowmass Village Co, Woody Creek Co, Wylys in Dallas TX | Comments Off

Where To Buy A Vacation Home NOW: Second Home News

Written by Candy Evans on July 22, 2011

Let’s face it: if you had to pick the most suffering, beat-up child in this real estate mess, it would be the second home market. This is probably the worst time ever for the second home market because most areas overbuilt during the boom, priced too high, and are now left with inventory. Getting a mortgage on a first home is hard enough, and investors are now limited to 7 mortgages including your homestead under Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines.

Posted in Beach Homes, Lake homes, Mountain Homes, Real estate market news, Second home trends, Second Shelters | Tagged Alys Beach, Cape Cod Mass, Cinnamon Shore, Coeur Dalene Idaho, Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac, Port Aransas Texas, second home bargains, Vacation Hot Spots | 1 Comment

Oh To Be Back On The Ranch: Rustic Second Home House Candy

Written by Candy Evans on July 18, 2011

I found this ranch on Curbed and totally fell in love. In fact, while paying bills and blogging, I just kept going back again and again to gaze upon it. It’s hotter than hell in Texas, and I can just feel the cool air whispering over me up there in Augusta, Montana. This spread belongs to the former CEO of Citadel Broadcasting, that being Larry Wilson. So now Wilson’s literally selling the family farm: Sun River Ranch. On the market goes 3,000-acres of God and Grizzly country.

Posted in Mountain Homes, Ranches, Real Estate, Second Shelters | Tagged Augusta, Castle Reef, Citadel Broadcasting, Diameter Logs, Hell In Texas, Larry Wilson, Montana, Montana Ranches, Rocky Mountain Front, Scapegoat Mountain, Sq Ft Residence | Comments Off

Aspen Broker to Rich and Famous Says Second Home Market is Looking Up

Written by Candy Evans on July 14, 2011

Flathead Lake, Montana

Steven Shane had a twisted holiday this year. The Aspen, Colo., real estate broker, who graduated from selling snowboards to multi-million dollar ski chalets, handled one of the most complex deals of his real estate career over the holidays. End of the year, the rich go shopping for real estate. The sale of a simple duplex turned into a six-sided transaction worth nearly $12 million and dragged in buyers from the United Kingdom, California and Colorado. All that to unload one little half-duplex in Aspen, CO.

Posted in emerging real estate markets, Lake homes, Mountain Homes, Real estate market news, Second home trends, Second Shelters | Tagged Amelia Island Florida, Aspen real estate, Cowboy Lake, Flathead Lake Montana, Glacier Lake, Real Estate Editors, second homes real estate, Terry Weaver | 4 Comments

We Like to Share: Second Homes Need a Lot of Love From Designers at the Dallas-Fort Worth Design Guide!

Written by Candy Evans on July 7, 2011

We need the help of interior designers to keep us on the straight and narrow. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it twice: interior designers SAVE YOU MONEY. I think we could have educated Jon & Kate’s brood with all the money I wasted buying furniture and objets d’art I did not need that created no design flow in my home. (At times, my home looked like the nic-nak department at Horchow! Oh the skeletons in my design closet!) Finally, a few good interior designers set me straight! It’s no different in a first or second home. So we have this nice ad in the fabulous Dallas-Fort Worth Design Guide – best design site ever AND they are not just in Dallas and Fort Worth, but active in Austin and San Antonio. We’ll be sharing some content and Dallas-Fort Worth Design Guide designer tips to help our readers figure out what to put in their second homes, and how to keep it all pulled together.

Posted in Austin real estate news, Celebrity Homes, emerging real estate markets, Mountain Homes, Retiring in Style, Second Home furnishings, Second home trends | Tagged Brood, Buying Furniture, Dart, Interior Designers, Kates, San Antonio | 1 Comment

More Free Tickets to the Park Cities Historic and Preservation Society Home Tour Next Weekend!

Written by Candy Evans on March 29, 2011

All the second homes in Destin, Port Aransas or Pebble Beach could not pull me away from next Saturday’s Park Cities Historic and Preservation Society‘s Spring home tour. That’s April 2, 2011, from 10 am – 4 pm. The owners of six gloriously historic and architecturally significant Park Cities homes will toss open their doors to all House Candy lovers. The homes are: 4236 Armstrong Parkway, 4809 Drexel Drive, 4308 Stanhope, 4200 Shenandoah, 7715 Turtle Creek Blvd. and 3830 Windsor Lane, pictured here. Even better, get your shopping fix in: during the home tour, there will be a boutique at the 4809 Drexel Drive, Highland Park, home, featuring preferred vendor items. The Home Tour is open to the public and tickets are available now.