John Goan Big Sky Real Estate

The Club At Spanish Peaks in Big Sky closed today.  All employees have been terminated.  Spanish Peaks is still great real estate.  When I hear any new news I will post an update.

My new favorite in Bozeman is Blackbird Kitchen.  It is sort of an Italian bistro.  They use local ranches for a lot of their ingredients. I had the Mostarda pizza and it was wonderful.  Made my grocery run to Bozeman a real treat.

What is your favorite restaurant?

Last month Spanish Peaks suspended taking new membership dues until January of next
year. Jim Dolan, the owner of Spanish Peaks, is currently in the process of selling
Spanish Peaks or returning the property to the bank. Sales at Spanish Peaks remain strong.

Surprising results for Montana tax burden.  Montana ranks very well in both personal and business tax liability.

2009 report ranks Montana as 11th in the nation for personal tax burden.
Bridgeport CT worst  15.7%
Billings MT 6.8%
Anchorage AK best at 2.7%
Read 2009 report here

Montana ranks 6th best in business tax burden. Check out how your state ranks here.

Did you know that the United States taxes the top 10% wage earners higher than any industrial country?
Full report: No Country Leans on Upper-Income Households as Much as U.S.

Big Sky couldn't do it.  Montana couldn't do it. It took our federal government to build a bus stop.  Thank goodness for the Obama's stimulus project.


Big Sky Bus Stop

Inspiration: Mary Katharine Ham http://dailycaller.com/2011/05/26/leaning-forward-only-a-nation-can-build-this/

Since the beginning of the Global Financial Crisis, many individual investors have been looking for, “The bottom,” of the real estate market.  Understandably, real estate has been a soft-spot in the recovering markets, and resort real estate may seem superfluous in the midst of economic uncertainty.  However, I have always held the belief that real estate amongst some of America’s most impressive vistas will continue to be a valuable asset to our most discerning buyers. 

New data released last month from Western Alliance confirms that ski-town real estate sales have far outpaced the national real estate market as a whole.  Even our little ski town of Big Sky Montana has seen growth 18.9% above the national sales figures, which have declined at a rate of 2.9%* over the same period. 

Below is a snapshot of the new data.  Big Sky real estate is on the move, and this is a rare opportunity capitalize on an appreciating real estate market.

Big Sky real estate sales up 16% not including Yellowstone Club sales. Source GAR (Gallatin Association Realtors) MLS.

Sales comparison from 2009 to 2010:



* Source: National Association of Realtors, existing home sales figures 2009, 2010.
** Whistler explanation to data is that they are reaching total build out.  Fewer properties available and higher prices.

I have been telling my clients in my news letters for over a year that ranch property has been getting hot. Forbes magazine's blogger Monte Burke has now noticed a bright spot in real estate, ranch property in Montana. What didn't make the article is the Sun Ranch just south of Ennis.  Link to article.

Good article in Lone Peak Look Out on building optimism.