Steamboat Real Estate Home Search and Blog

If you’re thinking of buying a place in Steamboat where you can spend time outdoors without having to do a lot of maintenance, the big question is:  Condo or Townhome?

There are 619 active residential listings in the Steamboat mountain area.   (It’s a true buyers market out there)  About ½ of them are condos and ¼ of them are townhomes.   Do you know the difference?

Steamboat Condominiums

Condominiums are the most common type of residential real estate near the Steamboat Ski Area.  Condos are not a type of home but a form of ownership. If you purchase a Steamboat condominium, you own from the drywall in, usually on one level.  All the land, amenities, and the building structure are owned in common with the other owners.

All of the maintenance for the building exterior and the grounds is paid out of the HOA dues and managed by the HOA rules and regulations.  You only have to maintain the interior, which means more time on the slopes.

Steamboat Condominiums – Pros of Ownership

• Condos can be less expensive than single family homes
• They are part of an easy lifestyle – the HOA deals with things like shoveling the snow, replacing the roof, painting the siding, and maintaining the amenities.
• They are great as “lock and leave” second homes
• They are easy to rent to generate income
• Condominiums can include amenities like pools, hot tubs, and seasonal shuttles

Steamboat Condominiums – Cons of Ownership

• You’ll have neighbors–possibly above, below, and beside your unit
• HOA fees can be pricey and CC&R restrictions can be strict
• Can be hard to finance in this challenging credit environment

Steamboat Condos include:  The Rockies, Trailhead Lodge,  Shadow Run, Pines at Ore House, Ski Time Square, Scandinavian Lodge, The Pines, Timber Run, Sunray Meadows,  Trappeurs Crossing, Snowflower, The Timbers,  The West, Villas at Walton Creek, The Phoenix, Yampa View, Canyon Creek, the Lodge, Bronze Tree, Torian Plum, Kutuk, Casa De Las Sierra, Storm Meadows, Bear Claw, Eagleridge Lodge, Dulany,  Chateau Chamonix, Edgemont

Steamboat Townhomes

Townhomes, on the other hand, are similar style homes that share side walls. They are usually on multiple levels with no neighbors above or below your residence.

A townhouse doesn’t necessarily share ownership of common areas in the same way as condominium owners.

Steamboat Townhomes – Pros

• No neighbors living above or below you
• Generally larger , possibly with an attached garage
• Low maintenance lifestyle – HOA may cover roof repair and replacement, exterior maintenance, common area maintenance, and other expenses
• Can be easier to finance in the current lending environment

Steamboat Townhomes – Cons

• Possible noise from neighbors through shared walls
• Homeowners’ association fees and politics, and CC&R restrictions

So which one is the better buy? It depends on your lifestyle and what you are looking for.  There is no concrete data that says one type of ownership appreciates faster or is easier to sell.  Contact us to talk about the right property for you.

Steamboat townhome examples:  Whistler Village, Herbage, Winterwood, Aspens @Walton Creek, The Enclave, Waterford, Cornerstone at the Moraine, The Evergreens, Blackhawk, Cross Timbers, Eagleridge, Stonewood, Cimarron, and Ironwood.