A new addition has been placed in the sidebar to the right that connects you to my Facebook Fan Page for Real Estate in Estes Park.

Click on the facebook button in the sidebar on my blog. Otherwise you can get there just as easy by going to http://Sambasel.com. On the page, be sure to click the “Become a Fan” link!

This new page on Facebook will allow you to get an inside look into Estes Park Real Estate right in your Facebook News Feed. On the page, you can interact with me and other fans sharing stories, asking questions, and following along with interesting tidbits about Real Estate in Estes Park and the reasons people choose to live here.

I hope to see you on Facebook soon!

The Estes Park Duck Race is coming up this Saturday, May 2nd, 2009! Every year, the duck race raises money for local charities. This year, 66 local charities will benefit from the proceeds. Over $6,000 worth of prizes will be given away this year including 2 huge flat screen TV’s, a HP Laptop, and a whole lot more.

The festivities start at Nicky’s Resort at 11:00 with the ducks dropping at 1:00. The rest of the afternoon, the ducks meander through town to the finish line in Riverside Plaza.

The event is very exciting and tends to bring out the locals and tourists alike. Riverside Plaza buzzes with activity all afternoon. In the past, there has been live music, face painters, and clowns making animals out of balloons.

Don’t forget to buy a duck and support our local Non-Profit Organiziations!

Estes Park was hammered with more than 2 feet of snow within the last couple of days. Late Spring snows like this are fairly typical in March and April. This just happened to be a bit bigger than normal! The snow fell thick and heavy with rates of accumulation as much as 1 to 2 inches per hour. One nice thing about heavy spring snow storms in Estes Park is the snow doesn’t last long. We are predicted to be in the 60s next week! Now that we had fun in the snow for hopefully one last time, I’m ready to enjoy Estes Park’s spectacular summers!

Pine Tree Loaded with Snow

Overloaded fence posts. No wind and LOTS of snow

Landscape Architecture Magazine ran a great article about Estes Park’s Downtown area in this months edition. The article explains in detail the history of the attractive landscape architecture surrounding the downtown and the river walk and how it has increased tourism to the town.

From a real estate perspective, the amount of work it has taken to create the atmosphere people find downtown is well worth the effort. People come to Estes Park to see the views and the wildlife that Rocky Mountain National Park has to offer, but it is the atmosphere of the downtown area and the hospitality of the locals that entice them to return.

Check out the article here on pages 32-41.

A few weeks ago, at the height of the holiday season just before Christmas, my wife and 3 kids (all under the age of 5) were out running errands around Estes Park. After a trip to the Post Office, my wife and all three kids were excited to have received the little red cards in the mail that tell you there is a package waiting in the off-site overflow package facility. Her account of what happened on that trip puts into words one of the many reasons why we love living in the small mountain town of Estes Park.

We headed out the door with our red parcel pick up cards in hand. The three kids were anxious to see what kind of packages they were going to receive in exchange for the cards! When we pulled up to the building, there were many other vehicles already parked outside and, I was guessing, quite a line of people inside. I debated on whether or not to unbuckle all three kids and take them inside to wait in line. The other option was to let my husband take the cards by himself and pick up the packages. But the excitement bubbling from the backseat was too much – we were all going to head inside to see what was waiting for us!

That day, I was amazed at the kindness of strangers. I believe that, had this experience taken place in a big city, it would have gone quite differently. Thank you to the people of Estes Park who were selfless and patient while we anxiously picked up our Christmas packages.

Kids are a blast, aren’t they? My 4 1/2 year old daughter commented on how beautiful the Continental Divide looked yesterday in a way that only a child can capture. She exclaimed “The mountains look like they have sugar on them!”

This picture was taken from near the intersection of Marys Lake Road and Moraine Avenue on the west side of Estes Park just before you enter Rocky Mountain National Park.

1. Your significant other wants a new home in the Rocky Mountains for Christmas.
2. The mountains captivate the imagination by looking different every day.
3. Wildlife is not affected by economic difficulties. Elk, deer, coyotes, mountain lion, bobcat, bear, badger, bighorn sheep can all still be found around town.
4. The election is over and at least 53% of voting Americans are happy with the outcome.
5. Downtown features some of the best shopping in Colorado.
6. The mountains are as beautiful as ever with a fresh blanket of snow.
7. Great values are available in all price ranges including homes with big views, log homes, and waterfront homes. (Tell me more).
8. Lake Estes is surrounded by a network of walking paths.
9. Median prices of homes that have sold in Estes Park over the previous 12 months are continuing to increase.
10. Property tax levels are very low! Our government gains most of their money from tourism sales tax receipts instead of your back pocket.
11. Rocky Mountain National Park is an undiscovered winter destination offering miles of snowshoeing and cross country ski trails.
12. The Stanley Hotel is the crown jewel of the town overlooking the valley.
13. The Town stays active year round with events and festivals.
14. TONS of stars can be seen every night! We have virtually no light pollution!
15. The Downtown area is spectacularly decorated for the holidays to get ready for the Catch the Glow Parade which happens the day after Thanksgiving.
16. We don’t get as much snow in town as you think. We do get over 300 days of sunshine every year.
17. Estes Park is poised for continued growth with the passing of a new marketing district.
18. Longs Peak dominates the view of most homes as the highest peak in the area.
19. Mortgage rates are down.
20. The wind whispers through the treetops on crisp and cool evenings.
21. Next summer will be here before you know it and you KNOW you want to be here in the summer months.
22. The rich and local history of interesting individuals and events is well documented.
23. We enjoy our small town atmosphere filled with great people who want to keep it that way.
24. The local rivers rise and fall from trickling to raging with the seasons.
25. Softly falling snow, a raging fire, hot chocolate, and a good book. Need I say more?

Can you think of any reasons I missed?

photo credit bradleygee

If you missed Friday Nights Halloween celebration downtown Estes Park, the Hazeltons of Estes Park News took a little video to show off what being downtown is really like on the night of Halloween. To get a good picture of how popular it is, look in the background at how many people are are milling about on the sidewalks.

For those of you who don’t know about Halloween in Estes Park, traditional door to door knocking is replaced with a town-wide celebration blocking off several blocks of the main shopping area downtown. Local businesses hand out candy and the community really gets into it. Check out the video and see for yourself!

So, I was hanging out around the house saturday afternoon when this friendly elk decided to wander through our Yard. I thought I would share a few pictures.

This really isn’t that rare of an occurance to homeowner’s in Estes Park. Our yard is often frequented by Mule Deer, Elk, and sometimes Bobcat. My wife even saw a Bear wander through our yard a few days ago but that was rare.

Enjoy the Pictures!

On my way back to the office today, I saw this huge Bull Elk on the side of the road. Yes, this is a drive by shooting with my blackberry so I apologize that the quality of the photo is not that great.

If you know Estes Park, you know that this isn’t that rare of an occurance. I just thought this would provide perfect opportunity to tell you about Elk Fest this weekend. Check out all that Elk fest in Estes Park has to offer this weekend. Better yet, come to Estes Park this weekend to see them in action first hand!

Best Spots for Elk Viewing In Estes Park

1. Believe it or not, the golf courses usually are the best places around to find the elk milling about. Estes Park has two golf courses. The 9 hole course can be found near the Information Center by the intersection of Hwy 34 and Hwy 36 right downtown. The best spots for viewing elk on the 18 hole course are found by heading south on Fish Creek Road from Hwy 36 on the east side of Lake Estes.
2. The north end of Estes Park is known for wide open spaces, huge views of the continental divide, large homes with acreage (here is one example…and its for sale, too) and is also popular with the elk. From downtown, head north on Hwy 34 past the Stanley Hotel and Take a right on MacGregor Ave towards Glen Haven. Follow Devil’s Gulch Road to H Bar G Road to the Right and then follow Dry Gulch Road back to town on Dry gulch which connects back with Hwy 34.
3. Last, but not least is the National Park. Check out Moraine Park or Horseshoe Park for wide open meadows that usually have elk dotting the landscape. There is a fee for entering the national park. Be sure to ask the rangers at the entry gates where to find the elk. They are great resources for information.