Winter Foreclosure Property Wonderlands: Bargain Homes
in Resort Regions.
November 21, 2006
Many of us dream of having a home – either our principal residence or a
second vacation property – within a snowball’s throw of our favorite winter
destinations. And because those real estate markets are popular – thanks to the
proximity of ski resorts and naturally beautiful wilderness getaways – they are
usually reserved for those with deep pockets and high incomes.
But this winter arrives with an unseasonable climate for foreclosures,
and on Bargain Homes we found mountains of affordable listings in places that
are famous for winter recreation, ski resorts, and romantic, peaceful,
mountaintop hideaways.
Here are some of the highlights from a recent visit to winter wonderland
listings on Bargain Homes:
Western North Carolina
We found more than 525 foreclosures and several ski resorts, including Beech Mountain at an elevation of 5,506 feet above sea level and Cataloochee, which has a 740 foot vertical drop and some of the most challenging slopes in Western North Carolina.
Colorado
Aspen
The name Aspen is synonymous with ski country and winter resorts. And it
is also the playground of the rich and famous, so we were not expecting to find
any foreclosure homes. But Bargain Homes came through, with one located right
in Aspen, and four more foreclosures a 40-mile radius. Two of the four had just
sold for under $350,000 – but a dozen pre-foreclosures are listed and about to
come on the market. Within 60 miles of Aspen we found 24 pre-foreclosures and
28 foreclosures, including a four- bedroom, two bath for under $200,000 – which
is a bargain for that much house, anywhere in the USA.
Winter Park
Within 20 miles of Winter Park there are 20 foreclosures; within 40
miles there are 1113; and if you don’t mind a scenic 45-minute drive, you can
find 2800 pre-foreclosures and almost 7000 within a 60-mile radius of Winter
Park. Winter Park averages almost 30 feet of snowfall a year, and is a favorite
destination for those who live in Denver.
Northern Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains
The Poconos offer skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, hiking, fishing,
boating, waterparks, & family play parks, and are home to 150 lakes, unique
shops, fine dining, family attractions and special events.
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Blakesless is located in the Pocono region and is the nearest town to both Big
Boulder and Jack Frost Ski resorts. Frost and Boulder are separated by six
miles, offer a reciprocal lift ticket, and are renowned for their snowmaking
system, which was voted one of the best in the entire USA by Ski Magazine.
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Blakeslee has four foreclosures listed on Bargain Homes, and one is less than
$150,000. Within 10 miles there are 25 more listed, and within 25 miles you can
shop more than 140 foreclosures.
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Scranton – next door to Montage Ski Resort, is also home to 100s of
foreclosures within a 60-mile radius, including 28 within 10 miles of Scranton.
Montage Resort has 21 trails, 6 lifts, a 1000 foot drop, and an ice skating
park, and is open until late for those who are night snow owls.
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Blue Mountain Ski Area is located outside Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, and there
are about 100 foreclosures within a 25-mile commute. Blue Mountain has a
1,082-foot vertical, plenty of trails, 30 slopes, and 8 lifts.
Alta, Utah
Fodor's Travel Publications describes Alta as “an old-fashioned,
unpretentious ski area that has resisted change and is proud of it.” Alta
limits the number of skiers on the mountain and offers lift tickets for about
50 percent less than other resorts, which makes it especially popular with
those who enjoy the snow but not the crowds or the inflated prices. Alta is a
former mining boom town at the end of Little Cottonwood Canyon, and there are
more than 300 pre-foreclosures and almost 70 foreclosures within 10 miles of
the slopes.
Boise, Idaho
Within 10 miles of Boise you’ll find more than 150 pre-foreclosures and
more than 25 foreclosures. Venture out another six miles and you’ll find Bogus
Resort, which is Idaho’s largest ski and snowboard paradise – even bigger than
the famous Sun Valley Resort. Just 16 miles from Boise, Bogus offers over 50
runs, 1,800 feet of vertical, 250 inches of annual snowfall, and night skiing
on two-thirds of the mountain.
So whether or not you have deep pockets in your ski jacket – if you do
have a keen interest in deep snow and exhilarating slopes – you may find that
your holiday wishes can come true to browsing through the shopping list of
foreclosures on Bargain Homes.