Shawn Taylor

I recently ran a report comparing sales data at Schweitzer Mountain Resort from 2009 to 2010, and a few trends become readily apparent. Units sold were up by almost 35% and average and median price had declined by almost $150,000. What does this mean for buyers?----It's a great time to buy as affordability both in price and interest rates have never been better.

Here is a look at some of the numbers:

2009 2010

High Sold Price: $856,000 $460,000

Low Sold Price $116,500 $70,000

Average Sold Price $434,316 $282,088

Average DOM 222 271

Number Sold 24 31

The ski season for this year has been pretty good, definitely more powder days than last year! The old adage at Schweitzer that "you never know unless you go" has never rang more true. Many days I have been in the office and decided to go up for "just a few turns", and ended up skiing untracked powder on every run. The snow report seems to run a little shy in regards to actual conditions, or so it has seemed this year, which has been great for those of us willing to see what conditions are for ourself. I will be posting some video pretty soon of a 1/2 day at Selkirk Powder, last Monday January 31st, and it can be described in two words bluebird and powder! Hope to see you on the mountain, stop by the Century 21 RiverStone office in the Lazier Building and I'll do my best to tell you the best snow on the mountain for that day.

Yesterday was another epic day of skiing at Schweitzer Mtn. Ski Resort in Sandpoint, Idaho. As I was riding the chair

I was thinking about how lucky I am to live in such a great place and what a great opportunity to own a home at Schweitzer right now.

We have all heard the mantra, prices and interest rates are at record lows, but for a second home it is even more true. We currently have ski in ski out homes in the Crystal Springs neighborhood starting at $260,000, that's right I said ski in ski out, try finding that at any other resort for that price, and that is with two bedrooms! The new Mountainside development has begun, Schweitzer Mtn's first fractional opportunity, and there you can get 3 bedroom slopeside homes within walking distance to the village for $195,000 for a 1/8 share.

On a final note to emphasize what a great place Schweitzer and the Sandpoint area are, after skiing powder in the morning, corn snow in the afternoon, I was actually able to sneak in a few holes of golf before the sun went down (love daylight savings time!). All the recreational opportunities are so close by it is easy to put in a good days work and still get out and play, definitely the best of both worlds here in our own Private Idaho!