Salida Eats

Its interesting to talk to folks in from out of town and have them say, "Whenever I come to Salida I ALWAYS eat at _________," because this next visit some of those folks are in for a very pleasant surprise. For a little Rocky Mountain town nextled in a doughnut hole of fifteen 14,000 ft. peaks, Salida sure has some good eats these days.

The classics are still here, like: Amicas Pizza & Microbrewery, offering handmade wood fired pizzas, specialty sandwiches, fresh salads and of course, Salida's only locally made beer, or Laughing Ladies Restaurant, a Historic Downtown institution serving up Modern American Cuisine for lunch, dinner and what might be this girl's favorite Sunday brunch in town.

In recent years Salida has been adding to the list of local eateries and situated right on the Arkansas River, the Boathouse Cantina, is a spot not to be missed. Featuring an array of delicious salsas and what might be the most diverse beer tap in town, you can't beat the Boathouse for good food and a great view. Enjoy the Cantina in the summertime when kayakers abound in nearby play holes and the windows roll up to let in the roar of the Arkansas whitewater.

New to the Salida Eats scene just this year are The Fritz, 216 Ferraro's, Wallbangers Sports Bar & Grill, and just this week, Currents:

American Bistro? Global Cafe? The Fritz serves up delicious sandwiches by day, small plates by night and they just might have the best burger in town - which they serve up to locals for a reduced price every Monday. Last night I had the pineapple jam, greens and terryaki steak BURGER! Whoa! Don't miss the bacon macaroni and cheese!

Across from Riverside Park on "F" Street is 216 Ferraro's Italian Restaurant featuring killer house made pastas and deserts, Italian wines and daily specials.

Head out to the highway to get your sports bar fix at Wallbangers, open just over a month now Wallbangers is becoming a popular spot with locals and tourists alike. Wonder what they'll have on special this Super Bowl Sunday?!

Featuring their full menu for the first time this week: Currents, a downtown steak and seafood bar serving mussels, fresh oysters, crab cakes and a menu designed to please everyone in the family. Check out their 2 for 1 Happy Hour from 3-5 pm daily.

No trip to Historic Downtown Salida would be complete without stopping in at the Victoria Tavern, built in 1902 it's been a bar ever since and has the history to prove it. With the original back bar, gun rack and pressed tin ceilings, the Victoria is a favorite on the Historic Preservationists list, but for someone looking for a little local color you can't beat The Vic for a good drink, the inside scoop around town and handful of stories about the wild, wild west - it's also the best spot to see live music in town! Plus, Monarch Season Pass and same day ticket holders get in FREE to all winter long. (See what I mean about an insider's tip?!)

Just a short way down the road to the junction of U.S. Highway 285 & Highway 50 is Grimo's Italian Restaurant. Intimate and full of old school charm, this is where Frank Grimo has been serving up the classics at reasonable prices for years now. From the King cut prime rib, to the meatballs, to the hugely reasonable wine list, the homemade soups, and a Limoncello martini that will knock your socks off, this is a must for locals and tourists alike. The service is excellent and Grimo's gets my vote for best date night spot around!

After a day on the river, mountain, or trail be sure to pop into one of these Salida area restaurants for a good meal and some local hospitality.

K. Hale Chamblee

Broker/Associate

Direct: 719-221-4637

email: Hale@WesHillRealEstate.com

What's Shakin' in Salida?

Once the holidays pass and MLK weekend has come and gone things tend to settle down here in Salida and start to plod along at that slow, small-town-winter pace. All of a sudden there is seating in the restaurants again and you know most of the folks at the bar, the lift lines have gone back down to almost nothing, the mountain is "ours" again and the Monarch Lodge is full of familiar faces. Work and play butt heads on powder days, but other than that it's generally a pretty relaxed pace until spring break.

Maybe it's the mild winter that is responsible for keeping things moving, because this year there seems to be no sign of things slowing down - no indicator that it is, in fact, late January. Sure, the numbers came out yesterday offering statistics that compare real estate transactions were down 18.38% in Chaffee County from 2009 to 2010, and the total dollar amount down 16.5%. While statistics offer the empirical data that some thrive on, I'm not sure they are the best, and they are certainly not the only, barometer we have when it comes to the local economy and what it indicates for the real estate industry.

Full of momentum and still riding on the coattails of initiatives begun in 2010, there is little doubt that Salida is on a mission to invest in itself and its future. In 2010 Salida residents passed a $17 million bond issue, supported by a $12 million grant from the State of Colorado to fund a new high school - a decision that had students and teachers high-fiving in the hallways after getting the good news. With local firms currently caught up in the bidding process, and forums being set up for community input, construction is due to start as early as April. In addition, the city has also approved a $17.6 million project to install a new waste water treatment plant. Combined with the new high school, these two projects will provide a definite economic boost to the area.

After a complete renovation and restoration, the Touber building, Salida's old hospital with a history dating back to 1885, opened in the Spring of 2010 with offices and meeting rooms for city departments and county agencies. Many in the area were pleased to see such an effort made to both preserve the historic building and incorporate it into everyday life. In addition the hot water line from Poncha Springs to the Salida Hot Springs Pool was replaced causing a several degree rise in the water temperature at the aquatic facility. The warmer water coupled with recent improvements made to the locker/shower facilities have made the Salida Hot Springs Pool even more of a destination for locals and tourists alike.

Cristo's hotly contested, "Over the River" project continues to jump through the requisite hoops. Having completed an environmental impact statement and comment period, the Bureau of Land Management is expected to make a decision this spring as to whether or not the project can move forward. If approved, the project will have significant economic impact over the next three years, and establish long-term notoriety in the international art world.

In a time that is generally slow for Realtors and builders alike, I have already seen the second story go on the first house of the year, and Wes Hill & Associates has closed the largest market share, 21% or $1.3 million, year to date. Local design and build firms like, Natural Habitats are busy with clients that want to build first, second and investment homes in 2011. Plus, we've seen a recent rise in new businesses, predominately restaurants, in Salida. 2010 boasted the opening of both 216 Ferraro's Italian Restaurant and The Fritz Bar & Bistro (which incidently, has been hosting an incredible sushi night once a month) in Historic Downtown Salida. This year we've already seen the arrival of Wallbangers Sports Bar & Grill on Highway 50 across from the soon to open Hampton Inn, and February promises the opening of a new steak and seafood house, "Currents," in downtown Salida.

With $47 million in construction projects on the horizon (both of which will benefit Salida residents for decades to come), new houses in the ground and on paper, 4 new businesses cropping up in less than a year, and a solid start to the year for Wes Hill & Associates, things can't be all bad. I can't help but feel like the local economy is on the upswing and I take pride in the fact that Salidans are investing in their town, their children and their future. With all this going on at the end of January it's a little staggering to think about what will be shakin' in June 2011. stay tuned for more!

K. Hale Chamblee

Broker/Associates

719-221-4637

Email: Hale@WesHillRealEstate.com

Exciting Times in Salida

Hello again friends!

Well, here we go on another year. However, I am not getting any older how about you. Age, I think is in your mind. I am looking forward to better times. Just pause for a minute and look at the projects that are scheduled to begin in 2011 in southern Chaffee County. A new sewer plant, new high school, hopefully the Natural Resources Center, new golf course community. That is over $60,000,000 in new work and whether you like or dislike Cristo's project, it is projected to add $70,000,000 of work from here to Parkdale and right on the heals of the previously mentioned projects. Someone is going to be able to spend money in our community.

Keith Baker

Broker/Associate

719-539-8366

2010: Year in Review

Considering buying or listing property in Salida, Colorado area? Let this year in review help you set realistic expectations when it comes to buying or selling real estate in the Arkansas River Valley and surrounding areas.

Salida Realtors cover a pretty broad area, geographically speaking. In fact I'd say we do business within about a 100 mile radius, and that covers a lot of different kinds of properties in a variety of municipalities and outlying areas. For this reason, I've broken down the year in review by region to help paint a better picture of our overall market.

In SALIDA, there were 120 residential closings in 2010. The most expensive of which sold for $926,000, and the least expensive, for $5,000. The average list price was $319,165 and the average sold price, $294,164, or about 93% of the asking price. If you're thinking about listing your home, the average number of days on the market was 245.

In CHAFFEE County, there were 216 residential closings in 2010 ranging from $926,000 to $5,000. The average list price in the county was $299,666, with an average county wide sale price of $278,466, or, again, about 93% of asking. Properties in the county spent an average of 257 days on the market.

In CHAFFEE, SAGUACHE and FREMONT Counties, there were 294 residential closings in 2010. Sales prices ranged from 1.5 million on the high end, to $5,000 on the low end. The average list price for the tri-county area was, $278,855, with an average sale price of $258,357, or 93% of asking. Average number of days on the market? 244.

What does this mean? If we look back at 2009, the short answer is that the Salida area real estate market is stable. 2009's numbers are remarkably close to 2010's, with overall sales up just slightly this year. Salida isn't immune to some of the real estate trends being seen in other areas of the country. We do have some foreclosures, short sales, and homes at auction, but this is a small subset, not a market trend. For buyers and sellers serious about doing business in the area, I hope these numbers help you set expectations as we embark on 2011 together.

K. Hale Chamblee

Broker Associate

719-221-4637

Hale@WesHillRealEstate.com

New Year

The New Year has begun!! Although I like the holidays (a lot) I do have to say its nice to return to a routine!! The kids are back at school, I'm back at work and Salida is back in business! Salida has a lot to look forward to this year. . . construction starts on the new high school starts in April. . . construction of the new water treatment facility will begin soon. . .the erection of the Natural Resources Center should start . . . lots to look forward to!

Gay Dewberry Hahn

719-221-1789

Responsibilities of a Real Estate Broker

As we are looking at the end of the year, I began to contemplate exactly what a Real Estate Broker does for the Buyer and Seller in a transaction. Some homeowners are attempting to save money and offer their property as a “For sale by Owner.” In the end many transactions become too complicated and the homeowner or buyer end up with costly mistakes.

The Colorado Real Estate Agent posted their position on the obligations of a Broker. Most transactions run through my office engage the Broker as a Transaction Broker. The Commission statement is as follows:

(1) A broker engaged as a transaction-broker is not an agent for either party;
(2) A transaction-broker shall have the following obligations and responsibilities:
(a) To perform the terms of any written or oral agreement made with any party to the transaction;
(b) To exercise reasonable skill and care as a transaction-broker, including, but not limited to:
(I) Presenting all offers and counteroffers in a timely manner regardless of whether the property is subject to a contract for sale or lease or letter of intent;
(II) Advising the parties regarding the transaction and suggesting that such parties obtain expert advice as to material matters about which the transaction-broker knows but the specifics of which are beyond the expertise of such broker;
(III) Accounting in a timely manner for all money and property received;
(IV) Keeping parties fully informed regarding the transaction;
(V) Assisting the parties in complying with the terms and conditions of any contract including closing the transaction;
(VI) Disclosing to prospective buyers or tenants any adverse material facts actually known by the broker including but not limited to adverse material facts pertaining to the title, the physical condition of the property, any defects in the property, and any environmental hazards affecting the property required by law to be disclosed;
(VII) Disclosing to any prospective seller or landlord all adverse material facts actually known by the broker including but not limited to adverse material facts pertaining to the buyer’s or tenant’s financial ability to perform the terms of the transaction and the buyer’s intent to occupy the property as a principal residence; and
(VIII) Informing the parties that as a seller and buyer or as landlord and tenant they shall not be vicariously liable for any acts of the transaction-broker;
(c) To comply with all requirements of this article and any rules promulgated pursuant to this article; and
(d) To comply with any applicable federal, state, or local laws, rules, regulations, or ordinances including fair housing and civil rights statutes or regulations.

These are the obligations of the Broker. Our true responsibility goes well beyond the obligations. We market property globally. We calendar and advise the parties of upcoming deadlines. We help with recommendation on everything from local contractors to local cell phone service. Many times we can help when working with banks and title companies. We are quite simple the liaison between Homeowner, Buyer and the community. We form friendships with our clients.

Outside of the actual job, we volunteer our time and resources to the community. Wes Hill & Associates also gives back one percent of every transaction locally. These donations go to the schools, food bank, Farm to Table, Habitat for Humanity, ArkValley Humane Society and many other worthy organizations.

A Broker is a cheerleader for the place they live and work. Our children attend schools. We are knowledgeable about recreation, hospitals, schools, industry, government, regulations, historical societies – just about everything that goes on in a community.

Wes Hill

October 8, 2010

It's hard to believe that it's already early October! The morning air is crisp. . . the valley is surrounded by the gold, red, and orange of autumn leaves . . . apples are hanging from trees just waiting to become part of that flawless apple pie. . . the summer white waters of the Arkansas River have slowed to the turquoise waters of fall. . . football is in full swing. . hunters are anticipating the "big hunt". . . skiers and snowboarders are digging out their wax. . .stores and galleries are bustling and preparing for the holidays that will be upon us all in no time. . .

If it sounds like I love this time of year, I do, especially here in Salida and the Upper Arkansas River Valley! To me, Salida is the perfect place to live, work, and raise my 2 children. It is the "perfect size"(just under 6,000), the "perfect distance" from several of the bigger Colorado cities(about 2 hours driving time), and has almost "perfect weather"(sunny and warm in town but, oh by the way, there is 350+ inches of snow on near by Monarch Mountain)!

I do love this time of year in the Rockies! If you haven't experienced it, now could be the "perfect time" for you to come and take a look! You may just decide to stay!

Gay Hahn-Dewberry