winter - Explore Big Sky

Continued from p. 17
real estate
out in beaver Creek, you’re a half
hour away from butter. You have to
change the recipe.”
“The good news in big Sky, is there
are sales,” he added. “we had 10
firelight condos on the market this
summer, and now there are four. but
the national trend is people are still
nervous.”
The numbers reflect this consumer
apprehension, but the market appears
to have turned a corner – one for the
better.
Statistics from the Gallatin Association
of Realtors for Gallatin County
indicate by the third quarter of 2011,
262 units sold, whereas by the 2012
third quarter, 345 units were gone.
These statistics show only the numbers
through October 2012.
GAR’s annual report for the county
since 2004 shows housing numbers
trending positive in the last two
years. In 2009, 688 units sold, as
compared to 1,224 in 2005. but since
that low year, it’s looking better.
“There’s a bit of a bell curve from
2005 until now,” said Mike Lake,
technology coordinator at GAR, who
18 dec. 14 - 27, 2012
called the current scenario “a buyers’
market. we could potentially see
more than 1,000 single-family homes
sold by the end of the year.”
GAR statistics show 896 homes sold
by Oct. 31 of this year.
“buyer confidence in big Sky is between
8 and 10,” said Ryan Kulesza.
He pointed to low interest rates, a
saturated rental market, and property
prices below replacement costs, as
incentives.
“It’s a perfect storm to buy in,” he
said. “If you haven't found the perfect
deal by now, you might have missed
the boat.”
Many agents believe big Sky has an
edge over other parts of the country.
Even The Yellowstone Club, which
has seen financial squalor in recent
years and filed for bankruptcy protection
in 2008 when the market was at
its worst, has seen a light turn on.
“we see a firming up of the market,”
said bill Collins, vice president of
sales at the Club. “There’s more
velocity [now] than we’ve seen in the
last five years.”
explorebigsky.com
Sales are up 30 percent at The
Yellowstone Club, according to
Collins, and there are currently 25
homes under construction.
“Smart guys like buying stuff on
sale,” he said. “I’m excited [about
the positive housing trend]. As we
are successful, so is the community.”
Ossorio sees big Sky as an isolated
pocket, one that can bring in buyers
from the outside market.
“we have a bit of a refuge community,”
Ossorio said. “from LA
to Houston … people are sitting
in traffic for three hours a day.
[They’re thinking], ‘why not live in
big Sky and visit Houston?’”
Lee delved deeper, saying we’re
living the “third industrial revolution,”
a convergence of the Internet
with renewable energy systems.
with this advanced form of communication
through online technol-
explorebigsky.com
Big Sky Weekly
“it’s a perfect storm to buy in. if you
haven't found the perfect deal by now,
you might have missed the boat."
ogy, people can live wherever they
want.
“It’s a quality of life [issue], as opposed
to a proximity to trading partners,”
said Lee, who moved from
Jackson to bozeman in 2003. “All
these rich guys don’t have to live in
California anymore.”
Kulesza understands this train of
thought.
“big Sky is like Starbucks coffee,”
he said. “Nobody needs it, but it’s
nice to have.”
Although things are beginning to
look up, consumers shouldn’t expect
to see recovery in the economy
or the housing market overnight
– consumer confidence has not yet
fully recovered.
“People are still nervous about the
economy,” Ossorio said. “And they
need confidence. If people can get
comfortable again, and hold and
maintain a job, we will continue on
an upward trend.”
BIG SKY’S FULL SERVICE GROCERY STORE
Hand-cut meats • Fresh baked goods • Gourmet items • Beer & wine
LOCAL
Delivery available - have your rental unit
stocked upon your arrival! 406-995-4636
Open 7 days a week, 6:30am to 8pm
Extended hours 6:30am to 10pm December 15-April 15 and July 1- Labor Day
Located in the Meadow Village Center next to Lone Peak Brewery
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