IT’S HARD TO GET AWAY from it all these days. With sprawling cities and ever-expanding cell networks, it’s more difficult than ever to disconnect from technology and reconnect with nature. That’s where Idaho comes in. The Gem State is still largely wild, rugged, and mostly left alone, while tourists flood the bigger names nearby: the Tetons, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite Valley.

And that’s a really fantastic thing for the rest of us. Because unbeknownst to the masses, this mountain state has a river gorge deeper than the Grand Canyon, a granite mountain wilderness area larger than Yosemite, and Teton-caliber trekking without all the tourists. It’s a place to get off the grid — to revel in the remoteness.

Here’s a little bit more on what that looks like. 

For nearly 80 years the Sun Valley Lodge has been recognized as an icon of architecture, hospitality and comfort in the Wood River Valley. Last September the Lodge was closed and a total renovation was undertaken. Last week we got a tour of the remodeled facility and new spa, which is set to open to the public on June 15, 2015. Suffice to say, we were very impressed.

All the guest rooms and restaurants have been remodeled down to the studs, as well as the hotel lobby and lounge. All the smaller guest rooms have been combined to create suites with fireplaces and expanded bathrooms with large showers, vanity areas and air conditioning. The new 20,000 square foot spa sits adjacent to the new saline pool and patio area. The spa will offer relaxation treatments, health and wellness activities, salon services and more. There are private treatment rooms, a yoga studio and a large fitness facility. For more information on the new Sun Valley Lodge, please visit their website at http://www.sunvalley.com

Are you planning a trip or vacation to Sun Valley, Idaho this Summer? Please let us know the dates so we can put it on our calendar. We would welcome the chance to meet and answer your questions about the Sun Valley area and current real estate trends in Blaine County. We hope to hear from you soon.

Like many of her fellow classmates at New York University, Yanchu Zhao has a busy schedule. A college junior, she has a double major in economics and journalism, and juggles classes, an internship and life with roommates in a rental near Herald Square.

But unlike many of her fellow classmates, Ms. Zhao came to the United States on a student visa. “A lot of students talked about how hard it was to get a job in New York and in the United States,” she said. “My parents heard that if I can get a green card, it would be easier for me to succeed.”

So two years ago, Ms. Zhao’s parents invested $500,000 in a hotel project on Bryant Park, knowing that their investment could be parlayed into green cards for the family. Three months ago, their paperwork came through… Full Story Here: http://nyti.ms/1B0I4FE

Ketchum, Idaho ( KMVT-TV / KSVT-TV ) – Forbes has listed Ketchum and Sun Valley as one of the ten best American ski towns.


The list was recently revealed on forbes.com. Other towns on the list include Aspen, Breckenridge, and Park City. The article says the best ski towns offer an alternative atmosphere that complements the resorts they neighbor. That’s why Ketchum and Sun Valley were both included as one resort on the list. To make the list, proximity is key.

 The Forbes article says that if a ski town is forty miles from the nearest lifts, it hardly rates as one of America’s best ski towns. “It's really about the town, the history, the people, the pace of life, and the quality of life here, also factored into that decision. So it was a really nice compliment to everything we have here," said Greg Randolph, Director of PR and Social Media for Visit Sun Valley.


If you'd like to read the article or see the complete list, just go to forbes.com.

We are pleased to announce the 15^th anniversary edition of Windermere Real Estate’s Market Review, which has earned its reputation as one of the most accurate sources for data on the Blaine County housing market, is now available for distribution.  Please let us know if you would like the four-color glossy publication or the electronic version. Send your requests and addresses to sunvalley@windermere.com.

Overall, 2014 was an encouraging year in Blaine County real estate, with gains in the median selling price for most areas and price points.

In the resort market of Ketchum and Sun Valley, the median sales price of single family homes was up 28 percent from 2013 and the number of closed sales climbed by 9 percent. I look for the median prices of resort area properties to continue to rise in 2015 with the re-opening of the new Sun Valley Lodge; the ground-breaking on a new four-star hotel on Ketchum’s Main Street and greatly improved non-stop jet service into the Hailey airport.

In the resort condo market, 158 sales were recorded in 2014, compared to 183 a year earlier. While the volume of sales in the condo market up just 1.6 percent, the average sold price was $322 per square foot. That’s a 31 percent increase from when the condo market hit bottom is 2012 at $245 a square foot, but still well off the peak set in 2007 when the average selling price of resort area units was $523 a square foot. For newer and larger condos listed above $500,000, the annual gain in price per square foot was 11.3 percent, according to the Sun Valley MLS.

In the Hailey market, 91 homes sold in 2014, down from 131 homes a year earlier. However, the average sold price increased by more than 20 percent. Bellevue saw a similar pattern as fewer distressed properties where available in the marketplace. The average price per square foot in Hailey is now $172, which is still far below the peak of 2007 when it was $256 per square foot.

We expect 2015 to be a dynamic year in Sun Valley real estate, with interest rates low, inventory falling and median selling prices increasing proportionately. With those factors in mind, families and retiring baby boomers will continue to seek out healthy communities that offer amenities that we enjoy such as recreational opportunities, excellent schools and quality health care.

 If you or someone you know have questions or need professional real estate advice, please don’t hesitate to call us. In the meantime, I hope you find the “Windermere Report” informative and we look forward to working with you in 2015.

                                                                                                Sincerely,

                                                                                                           Dan Gorham

                       208-720-4077

                       dgorham@windermere.com

Windermere Real Estate/Sun Valley LLC is pleased to announce the upcoming opening of the new Windermere Loft, located at 491 Sun Valley Road in Ketchum.

Windermere becomes the third tenant in the building, which is owned by the Ketchum Urban Renewal Agency. The anchor tenant in the building is Starbucks Coffee. The brokerage will also share space with Visit Sun Valley, which provides visitor information to guests and promotes special events in the resort area.

The Windermere Loft is located on the second floor of the building. It will be staffed daily by a licensed Windermere agent with extensive knowledge regarding real estate in the resort community, as well as the towns of Hailey and Bellevue. Friends and clients are invited to stop by and enjoy a relaxed Living Room atmosphere.

"We are thrilled to be able to offer a higher level of service to our clients," said Dan Gorham, Managing Broker of Windermere Real Estate/Sun Valley, LLC. "The Loft will be a great benefit to our Buyers and Sellers, and offer a new level of opportunity to our team of agents."

All the best,
Dan Gorham

After months of speculation, the Colorado-based Aspen Skiing Co. closed Monday, Dec. 29, on a downtown Ketchum property earmarked for the Bald Mountain Lodge. The property and rights to the approved project were purchased from Bald Mountain LLC, a Seattle-based development group. The parcel is located on the southern end of Main Street, occupying an entire city block between First and River streets.

The company plans to replicate on the property the Limelight Hotel in Aspen. Lodge design renderings have changed in accordance with the Aspen Skiing Co.'s vision. The hotel will have more than 100 hotel rooms and a few dozen lock-off and residential units.

"We believe that the Limelight would be a great fit for this site and the community," said Don Schuster, vice president of hospitality for the Aspen group. "We feel the timing is right to grow the Limelight brand and that this property in downtown Ketchum is an ideal location. We look forward to being a part of this great community."
The Limelight's accommodations have been described by City Planner Rebecca Bundy as "luxurious yet casual."

"The property features large guest rooms, an expansive and open lounge, expanded continental breakfast, a lobby restaurant and adventure programming for guests," according to an Aspen Skiing Co. news release.
The overall development costs, including land, are expected to exceed $60 million, Schuster told the Idaho Mountain Express.

The 151 S. Main St. property has been eyed for hotel use for several years. More than 10 years ago, Ketchum resident Brian Barsotti tried to develop a hotel on the site. Bald Mountain LLC received a development agreement for the project in 2010, following the submission of an application in 2009. Unfortunately, the hotel's progress was quelled by the economic recession and the developers said capital opportunities had dried up. Bald Mountain LLC applied for three time extensions over the next four years to its original development agreement. The final extension was granted in November of this year.

"We would like to thank the city of Ketchum for their cooperation and flexibility on this project, as well as extending the development agreement through the recessionary period," said Steve Burnstead, of Bald Mountain LLC.
The hotel recently qualified for the new Idaho Tax Reimbursement Incentive and will see a sizable return on taxes following its first year of operation. The Idaho Department of Commerce awarded the project $132,000 at the beginning of December, following an application and review process.

To qualify for the incentive, companies in rural areas such as the Wood River Valley must create a minimum of 20 new full-time jobs that pay more than the median county wage. The $132,000 sum represents a 16 percent tax reimbursement and the so-called "Project Baldy" is one of six approved projects statewide. The tax reimbursement incentive was voted into effect July 1.

Schuster told the Idaho Mountain Express that the company plans to finalize the hotel's building application within a month so it can go before the Ketchum Planning and Zoning Department by February. He attended a November P&Z meeting for a work session with commissioners regarding Aspen Skiing Co.'s proposed design-review changes to the architectural plans.

The changes, including a slightly decreased building height and a flat, rather than pitched, roof, were discussed at the November P&Z meeting and Schuster said Aspen Skiing Co. will continue to work with Ketchum on the modifications.

Aspen would need to submit a building permit application by May 31, 2015, and commence construction by Nov. 30, 2015, following the third time amendment's stipulations in November. Meeting these timelines means the company will continue to have community- and employee-housing requirements waived.

 Courtesy of Mt. Express

Ranked the 4th Best Ski Resort by Ski Magazine and one of Powder Magazine's Top 8 Ski Towns, Sun Valley is where it all began and continues to thrive under the radar today.  Bald Mountain's 3,400 vertical feet of fall line terrain is complimented by the region's limitless backcountry access that gives the area the reputation of the Alps of America.  Home to Sun Valley HeliSki, skiers and snowboarders can turn the fun meter up to 11 nearly every day of the week for fresh powder turns with one of the most respected heli-ops in the US. 
 
If you are more the endurance athletic type, your heart will jump at the 200+ kilometers of meticulously groomed and maintained Nordic trails which span the length of the valley from Bellevue in the south toGalena Lodge nearly 40 miles to the north.
Sun Valley is a winter wanderer's paradise. Forget the crowds, lift lines, and hectic nature of other resort destinations, here you will find plenty of space to truly enjoy your favorite winter sport, and a real town in which to savor the spoils of an incredible day.

Visit Sun Valley.com
 

Windermere Real Estate/Sun Valley LLC is pleased to announce the upcoming opening of the new Windermere Loft, located at 491 Sun Valley Road in Ketchum.

Windermere becomes the third tenant in the building, which is owned by the Ketchum Urban Renewal Agency. The anchor tenant in the building is Starbucks Coffee. The brokerage will also share space with Visit Sun Valley, which provides visitor information to guests and promotes special events in the resort area.

The Windermere Loft is located on the second floor of the building. It will be staffed daily by a licensed Windermere agent with extensive knowledge regarding real estate in the resort community, as well as the towns of Hailey and Bellevue. Friends and clients are invited to stop by and enjoy a relaxed Living Room atmosphere.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer a higher level of service to our clients,” said Terry Vehrs, managing partner of Windermere Real Estate/Sun Valley, LLC. “The Loft will be a great benefit to our Buyers and Sellers, and offer a new level of opportunity to our team of agents.”

The remodel of the Windermere Loft is currently underway with the goal of opening by Mid-December.