Presented by Tom Driemeyer

311 S. Ridge Street Breckenridge, Colorado

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Cell Phone: 970.389.6123

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Summer is Not Over Yet! Come see us soon.

Welcome to my monthly newsletter, usually published by the first business day of each month, featuring Breckenridge, Colorado News and Events plus other Rocky Mountain News.  Here you will find information about our Summit County schools, government, skiing and summer activities.  There is information on ski homes, golf homes, lake front properties and mountain homes from resort to remote. You will also find out about real estate news trends and tips. Mostly you will find good news about this fantastic community and you will learn that it's not just the scenery that makes it a great lifestyle, it's the people.

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A good time was had by all at Cheyenne Frontier Days. A fun and educational Wild West Experience	Here is a view of the golf course from a hot air balloon. Just another lousy way to spend the day.	School Sports are starting to break out. Here's the Summit High Lacrosse	The foundation for the Gondola at the the top in the Peak 8 parking lot is making progress.  It's a lot bigger than it looks.

Access the Summit MLS by clicking here.  See every Summit, Lake and Park County property for sale!

All new, Easier to use. Check out great mountain homes for sale at: RockyMountainDreamHome.com

August 2006

Events continue through the Fall Check out what's going on at: Click here for the Event Schedule

One of our favorite events, if you are looking for a challenge go to WildWestMSWalkabout.org and register to walk, crew or cheer on those who will walk 50 miles in 3 days. Breckenridge, GENUINE ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS It’s estimated that the Fourth of July holiday was one of the busiest ever with over 100,000 guests sending the long weekend here. Overall, traffic through the Eisenhower Tunnel was up by 100,000 cars over last year through the month of June. The town of Breckenridge has thrown its support behind the Summit Housing Authority’s November ballot initiative. The SHA is looking to gain funding through a combination of sales and development taxes to fund its operation for the next ten years. The SHA is a non-profit organization whose mission is to bring affordable housing opportunities for locals. The affordable housing need is projected to climb to 3000 units by 2010. Breckenridge and the Breckenridge Sanitation District are planning to build a $10 million system to pump water from Lake Dillon back to town. Why would they do that? The goal is to keep the flows in the Blue River up on a year round basis from Breckenridge to the lake. The benefits would be multiple including improving the fish habitat, being more aesthetically pleasing and helping to dilute the various contaminants in the river. There are many water rights issues to overcome but the project is ready to go once the legal hurdles are surpassed. Breckenridge Ski Resort has asked permission to install snow fences at the top of Peak 8. The fences would help collect more early season snow as well as retain more of the fallen snow during periods of high wind. This has become an issue due to all the new terrain now accessible off the new Imperial Express lift. Since the fences were not applied for during the initial review period for the lift the forest service will need to examine the impacts of additional snow accumulation on the hydration of the soils and the alpine tundra. More good info can be found at: http://www.BestoftheRockies.com Back to the top ALL THE GOOD NEWS… In a slight downward trend but still an amazing number 78% of Summit High graduates will be attending college next year. The breakdown is 62% of graduates will go to four-year schools and 16% to two-year institutions. These numbers are down from 83% attending college last year and 85% two years ago. The Continental Divide Trail received $1.2 million in special funding in next year’s budget. The trail stretches all the way through Colorado from Wyoming to New Mexico. The trail was established in 1978 and when completed will run 3100 miles from Canada to Mexico. Dillon resident Tom Schnizius is doing the impossible. He will try to take on four 100 mile races to raise money for homeless children and abused women. Known as the Rocky Mountain Slam, only six others have been known to complete the circuit. To be considered a slam a participant must complete four of five Ultramarathons: The Bighorn 100, The Hardrock 100, The Leadville 100, The Wasatch 100 and the Bear 100 in Idaho. The Hardrock is considered the hardest race in the world with 32,000 vertical feet, one Fourteener and six Thirteeners. State and Federal officials have begun working on a proposal to allow voluntary cleanup of mine waste without the liability falling back on the shoulders of those doing the good works. There are over 17,000 abandoned mine sites in Colorado, many of these leak polluted water laden with heavy metals and acid. These pollutants in turn destroy aquatic life in our lakes and streams. The current law assigns liability to the parties attempting to do remediation.  Makes sense to someone I suppose. Back to the top TRAVEL TIPS…Why do I recommend Twin Lakes?   Some things in life are so amazing you wonder how you could be so blessed. As the sun just begins to lighten the sky on a summer morning in The Rockies, and the air is so still it’s not even a baby’s breath on your skin, yet it has a nip that stimulates your cheeks to turn pink, this is one of those moments that make you want to just whisper thank you. On a day like this the lakes will reflect the pink and scarlet as the sunrise just kisses the peaks of the Sawatch Range. The surface of the water is so perfect it appears as if it would break if you threw a rock. Then a hawk stirs the incredible silence with his cry that lets you know the day is beginning. This is a summer morning in Twin Lakes, Colorado, truly God’s country. It’s amazing how many Colorado locals have never seen Twin Lakes. The Twin Lakes are Colorado’s largest glacial lakes, and situated at the base of our highest peak, Mt. Elbert. Mid-way between Leadville and Buena Vista most people know Twin Lakes as that place they fly by during the drive to Aspen over Independence Pass. It’s sad how many miss the incredible beauty and recreation that the area offers; home to world class fishing, hiking, and boating and within a few miles of a half-dozen Fourteeners. Hot springs and white water rafting are just down the highway. In the winter skiing at Ski Cooper and fantastic Copper Mountain is less than forty minutes away. I have a variety of properties for sale from very affordable building sites to luxury homes, all with views for a lifetime. If you want to discover Twin Lakes for a few days there is a charming historic hotel that’s been around for 130 years or so, now known as the Twin Lakes Nordic Lodge. Call Charlie for a room at: 719.486.1830. If you want a lifetime of memories in Twin Lakes call me, Tom Driemeyer at Keller Williams Mountain Properties, 877.799.1910, or www.RockyMountainDreamHome.com . Back to the top THE GREAT OUTDOORS NEWS! If you are one of those that like to ignore the rules, be forewarned; the fines for violating the Colorado Ski Safety Act have been upped considerably. The penalty now for any violation is a fine of up to $1000. Violations would include skiing in closed areas, skiing or riding on trails and lifts while under the influence, skiing in a reckless manner and leaving the scene of a collision without providing personal information. Last season 46 people were cited for violating the act. Lake Dillon has a new attraction, a water taxi. Running between the Frisco and Dillon marinas the ride costs $8 one-way and $15 round trip. You can bring your dog, your bike or just yourself. Local resident Rainer Hertrich continued his world record string of consecutive days of skiing by passing the 1000 mark, also passing 34 million vertical feet, late last month. Hertrich is spending the summer in Mt. Hood where he can take the streak into the insurmountable range. He will fly to South America to ski through the fall and be back in the Summit for early season at A-Basin. The streak began in November 2003. The Fat-ypus recently got rave reviews from Powder and Freeskier magazines as a fantastic powder ski. The best part is; it’s a Breckenridge company that makes the ski. Touted as the fattest ski around and a great all around performer the hope is the publicity will skyrocket sales. Designed and manufactured by former extreme skier Jared Mazlish, this guy knows how to put together a top product. Think snow, always! Back to the top *IN THE EYES OF A NATIVE, By Ian Bennett* Summit County Football Playing football for Summit High School were some of the best times of my life. I still have dreams sometimes about going back in time and playing again. I’m either back in High School or just pretending to be seventeen again just so I can play. I guess I cherish those dreams so much because it’s probably the closest I’ll ever get to playing again. I mean, I’m a decent athlete but in reality I’m know where near where I would need to be to play at the next level. If I only knew then what I know now. Isn’t that what everyone pretty much says about everything? I have no regrets on how I played, yet there are so many things I would have done differently. So many things that I wouldn’t have taken for granted. I would have worked harder, listened better, played smarter and hit harder. But, you can’t change the past. You can; however, help the new, young kids realize that once it’s over, that’s it. When I took off my helmet for the last time that one beautiful Friday night in October back in 1999, it didn’t hit me then that that was it. I mean deep down I knew it was over but I just couldn’t stop thinking about all the hard work over the last seven years was over so fast. When you’re growing up it seems like it takes forever but right then it seemed like it was all a flash in my life and I would never experience that feeling of camaraderie of being part of such a great bunch of guys and so many memories again. I was too pumped up to cry but I was too sad to smile. I knew that was the last time I would step foot on a football field again as a player. So, I decided, if I can’t play, I want to help others to. That’s right. This fall I am going to be the Defensive Backs coach at Summit Middle School. It will be my first time coaching but you have to start somewhere. And what better place to start teaching kids how to play football than in Middle School. When they’ll actually listen to you. When they don’t already know everything. I mean come on; when I was in High School I knew everything, didn’t you? No, seriously, I am going to preach to those future stars of our county how important it is to learn from the people that have been there and wish they could do it again. If you get that engraved in their heads than I believe they will play as hard as they possibly can and leave everything they’ve got out there on the field. I’m sure it’s not going to be easy but once I figure out how to coach them the best I can than I think not only will they be the best they can be but also I will get the satisfaction that I was able to help them be the best they can. So, wish me luck and, please, whenever you can come out and support any Summit County sport it makes the kids feel a sense of pride and makes them play even that much harder. At least it did for me.   Contact Tom if you need tips on where to stay, eat or play. back to the top INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES… Are you a passive investor? Do you like to sit back and let someone else make your financial decisions for you? Beginning in 2001 that strategy was catastrophic for many. Hard working Americans across the country watched as their life’s work was wiped out when mutual funds and 401K’s came crashing down. Right now there is $4 TRILLION in IRAS in the US. 97% are in Wall Street securities. ONLY 1% is in real estate, why? My guess is that most financial planners don’t tell you your IRA can purchase and make a profit from the ownership of real estate. Has yours? A typical financial planner’s “Balanced Portfolio” pie chart has a mixture of Large-cap, Equity-cap, bonds, etc. My financial planner has 41% real estate and 59% securities. If your IRA has been wallowing in the 4% doldrums why not take a look at real estate. Even in slow markets real property still appreciates and never goes to zero (read Enron). In Summit County we have seen appreciation average 7-8% over the last 30 years that I have been here. Big deal you say. Well, there is a bank that will lend your IRA money to buy real estate at 30% down. Ask your accountant but by my calculations that makes your appreciation 21-24%!! Call today and let me get you started toward a secure retirement. If you are intrigued here are some resources for more information: http://irachoices.com/ http://www.guidantfinancial.com/ Things just keep getting better; Contact Me Today! Back to the top MARKET CONDITIONS & OTHER ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS Colorado is home to four military commands and six major space contractors. Total Colorado employment in the private aerospace industry grew 19% since 2000 compared with 2% nationally. Colorado recently passed Florida as the #3 state in the industry. But what about the real estate crash? It’s not very likely. In the 37 years the National Association of Realtors (NAR) has tracked median home prices, not once was there a decline. And, over the last 37 years, there have been numerous economic declines. The economic fundamentals today look strong. The Federal Reserve System is projecting 6.5% nominal GDP growth for 06. Meanwhile the median price for a home is $209,000, up 10.6% from a year ago. Although forecasts call for a drop in housing starts of 6.5% to 7% and a drop in existing home sales of 4.5% to 5%, keep in mind that 05 was the all time record, and with the projected, 06 would still be the third highest all time in housing starts and resales. Why should we believe these national housing forecasts? In the summer of 2004, Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard and the Homeownership Alliance released a study that found the annual demand for new housing over the next ten years is likely to be greater than the past 30 years. This was due to a) upwards revision of the estimate on population (especially from immigration) by US Census, b) the Baby Boomers are now buying retirement and vacation homes in unprecedented numbers and c) the Echo Boomers or Generation Y will be entering the housing markets. With the fast sellout, and now construction of, The Mountain Thunder Lodge Townhome project this past spring and summer Vail Resorts Development Company already decided to push ahead with the Skyway Skiway ski run from Peak 8 back to the skier parking lots. It opened this year, two years ahead of schedule! Now the Peaks 7 and 8 development has been moved to the front burner. This will be a world-class project that will vault Breckenridge into the elite of resorts. It will sell fast and prices will go up quickly. Vail Resorts is so Bullish on Breckenridge that they have also started construction of the long awaited Gondola. Contact me now to be at the forefront as information is released. What’s all this got to do with Summit County real estate? Things just keep getting better; Contact Me Today! Contact Tom Back to the top Painting Background Credit: Norling-Wakeman Studios Designed & hosted by: WildcatWeb Designs ©The Altitude News 2006 All Rights Reserved