Hey All!
It's been a killer year for resorts in the West, with heavy snowfalls all throughout the season.
I must have you know, - - Mammoth truly is king. We’re proud to say, the deepest powder in the country belongs to Mammoth Mountain.
The resort now has a base of between seven and sixteen feet depending on where you stand on the mountain.
If you haven’t heard from your ski buddies, or from the feed on your Facebook, the Sierra Nevadas were hit with snow just days ago. The recent storms blessed the mountain with two feet of fresh powder.
Still deciding If you’re headed up for some quality ski / snowboard action? We can fix that! It really is tough to top Mammoth.
“The resort features 118 trails spread out across 3500 skiable acres, which means even on a busy day there is still plenty of room to move. Sixty-five percent of that terrain is aimed specifically at the beginner or intermediate skier, which makes the resort a great place for those who are still looking to build their skills.”
Fresh powder. Delicious food & drink. Fantastic vacation homes!
Happy Friday from the MRBO Team!
(Source: gadling.com)
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Lift tickets are expensive...why?
Skiing & snowboarding have long been viewed as recreation for the well-to-do. Between the cost of renting or owning gear, the transportation to the mountain, the lift ticket, and the hot chocolate with those lovely little marshmallows; it sure is a pricey addiction to support.
Over the last number of years the price for lift tickets at resorts have in some cases, climbed into the triple digits. Resorts like Vail of Colorado, and Heavenly of California now charge between $106 and $130 per ticket!
Are the gradual increase in prices attributed to inflation? It may have something to do with it.
Mammoth's Public Relations Manager, Deena Betcher had something to say about it price, as Mammoth has joined the "triple-digit club,"
“Mostly, what we charge is related to our superior experience that we provide to our guests. … We have 28 lifts and 3,500 ski-able acres, and all the manpower, and electricity, and essentials. The price is reflected in that.”
The National Ski Areas Association's
Troy Hawks attributes the pricing to technological developments:
-High-speed chairs (allowing for more runs in one day.)
-Snowcat groomers (opening up more terrain.)
-Advanced snow-making techniques (allows for longer ski seasons.)
What flexibility do you have?
I would be doing you a disservice not to give you advice on how to offset the cost with money saving tips!
Cut costs with one of these tips, OR all of them:
-If possible take advantage of the multi-day packages.
-Book your trip in advance and online.
-Buddy up with a season pass holder.
(accumulated points allow friends to purchase $69 tickets.)
-Carpool! save and split the cost of gas!
-Squeeze a few extra folks into your rental and split the cost!
-BROFSBSM! BRING-YOUR-OWN-FOOD-SNACK-and-BOOZE-and-SAVE-MONEY!
-Ask questions & hunt online! (Locals will KNOW where the savings are.)
That's all for now, spread the wealth and tell us all of YOUR money saving tips!
(Source: independent.com/news)
(Pic: www.123rf.com)
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Over the weekend, Mammoth Lakes native Trevor Jacob, snatched up the U.S. snowboardcross title at Canyons Resort.
Racers were tense as many crashes on the narrow course took out some of the more qualified athletes.
Jacob remained in second place for much of the race, but when the adrenaline kicked in, he took the lead. This of course was an amazing accomplishment, considering it was only his third career race!
"I think he has just as good a chance at qualifying for the Olympics as any of the guys who have been on the team...It's definitely making a lot of us work harder. People can come out of the woodwork at any time and that's exactly what he did." said Snowboarder Alex Deibold.
Jacob celebrated his win on the podium with a backflip, AND a kick in the pants from his older brother.
Trevor Jacob's young life has been far from ordinary. This nineteen year old has twice got into trouble with the law, over jumping his snowboard over a moving train.
After spending two nights in a local Tahoe jail, and an arrest last year in Ohio, his trouble streak may be over; or it may not.
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The kind folks over at mammothmountain.com have provided us with some lovely, safety-procedure materials.
Maybe you prefer the long road, maybe trial and error is your thing. But read on, and avoid the bumps and bruises of ski and snowboard injuries!
Here Ladies & Gents; are some safety reminders:
1. Always stay in control, and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.
2. People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.
3. You must not stop where you obstruct a trail, or are not visible from above.
4. Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others.
5. Always use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
6. Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.
7. Prior to using any lift, you must have the knowledge and ability to load, ride and unload safely.
For all On-Mountain Incidents, Medical Emergencies, & Lost Person Reporting use the On Mountain Emergency Hotline:
760-934-0611
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( 3 / 10058 )Five Things Consumers Should Expect From The Housing Market In 2013
In 2012, the national housing market finally turned a corner. We’ve now experienced 13 straight months of home value appreciation. Sales were up significantly over 2011 as buyers returned to the market, boosting demand.
So what will 2013 have in store? Here are five things consumers can expect to see in the housing market next year:
Up, Up and Away
The national housing market hit bottom in October 2011, and home values have since risen 5.3 percent from that trough. The most recent Zillow Home Value Forecast calls for 2.5 percent appreciation nationwide from November 2012 to November 2013.
According to a recent Zillow survey of more than 100 economists and analysts, respondents predicted home values (based on the S&P/Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index) to rise 3.1 percent in 2013, on average.
Most markets covered by Zillow’s Real Estate Market Reports have already bottomed out, with only 10 of 255 covered metro areas not projected to hit a bottom within the next year.
Bottom Line: Homeowners looking to sell in 2013 can largely rest assured they won’t be selling at the bottom, and many will find themselves in a sellers’ market. Potential buyers in 2013 may be more motivated to get a deal done while affordability is still extremely high and mortgage rates continue to be historically low.
Real Estate Is Local Again
According to the Zillow Breakeven Horizon, buying beats renting when staying in the home for three years or more in roughly 60 percent of U.S. metros. The areas where it might make more sense to buy (if you’re planning on staying for three-plus years) are clustered in the Southwest and Southeast. If you won’t be staying put for at least a few years, consider renting in the Northeast, where buying often doesn’t make more financial sense until five years or more.
The goal of Zillow’s Buyer/Seller Index is to determine where buyers have the most leverage in a sale, and where sellers might have the upper hand. In general, we determined that metro areas in the West and Southwest – including the Bay Area, Las Vegas and Phoenix – are strong for sellers. Metros in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic – places such as Chicago, Cleveland and Philadelphia – are best for buyers.
Bottom Line: The housing market recovery has remained true to the old real estate axiom of “location, location, location.” How your local market is faring today – and if it makes more sense to buy or rent, to sell now or to hold off if possible – is largely determined by unique, local factors and fundamentals. Arming yourself with timely and comprehensive local market information is good advice at any time, but will be even more important in 2013 as buyers continue to seek bargains and sellers look to maximize returns.
Coming Up for Air
In the third quarter of 2012, the percentage of homeowners with a mortgage in negative equity – or “underwater,” owing more on their mortgage than their home was worth – fell below 30 percent for the first time since Zillow began tracking that data using an improved methodology in early 2011.
Still, 28.2 percent of homeowners with a mortgage remain underwater. Because underwater owners have a far more difficult time selling their home, a large number of homes that otherwise might end up on the market aren’t getting listed. As a result, inventory in many areas is incredibly tight, leaving buyers to fight it out amongst themselves, which in turn can help drive up prices. This, among other factors, has led to tight inventory in many of the hardest-hit cities around the country.
Bottom Line: As home values continue their upward march in 2013, more homeowners currently trapped underwater will begin to surface. This will be good for buyers exhausted by limited inventory and intense competition in markets such as Phoenix and Miami, but it will also have the effect of cooling price increases. As a result, in 2013, we predict home value appreciation in many areas will look more like a series of steps, characterized by cycles of price spikes and plateaus. Price spikes will free some homeowners from negative equity, allowing them to sell, thereby easing supply constraints and dampening prices until the cycle is repeated.
Historically Affordable
Mortgage interest rates have been hovering at or near historic lows for the past year, and the Federal Reserve has taken concrete steps to ensure they stay low for at least the foreseeable future.
At the same time, home values – while recovering nicely – still have a long way to go to reach their pre-bubble levels. Overall, national home values in November were still down 19.4 percent from their peak in May 2007, according to Zillow.
Bottom Line: Between 1985 and 2000, Americans spent, on average, about 20 percent of their household income on mortgage payments. That percentage increased to more than 24 percent by 2006, before falling to just 13 percent by the second quarter of 2012. If you can qualify for a home loan, the combination of low rates and low prices means your home-buying dollar will continue to take you farther in 2013 than in recent years, even for buyers on modest budgets.
Mortgage Interest Deducted?
Changes to the mortgage interest deduction (MID) may be a key element of any “grand bargain” reached by politicians in order to avert the year-end fiscal cliff. If adopted, any measure to limit or repeal the MID will result in some home price impacts over time and by market segment.
Home values at the high end of the market will likely be more negatively impacted by MID changes than home values overall, according to a recent Zillow survey of economists. For example, in the event that the maximum MID-eligible mortgage amount is reduced from $1 million to $500,000 and the deduction allowance for second homes is eliminated, the majority of respondents said they expect high-end home prices to fall while U.S. home prices overall experience little or no price impact.
Bottom Line: Real estate lobbying groups have long fought against changes to tax rules allowing for the deduction of mortgage interest, arguing that any changes will impact or eliminate some of the historic financial advantages of owning a home. But unless you’re buying a proportionally more expensive home or are buying in a more expensive area, the impacts of MID changes will likely be muted. The decision to buy or sell a home is highly personal and dependent on a number of factors, only one of which is potential tax implications. In 2013, make your decision to buy or sell based on your own informed opinion and your unique situation.
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