Author: Kristina Watkins

I've worked in the corporate world and the small business sector. I was in luxury hotel hospitality, website development, internet marketing, and business management. But at some point, everybody decides they're ready to start living the life they've worked so hard for. For me, that life happens high in the mountains of Park City, Utah. Now, I specialize in helping other Gen X, Gen Y, and Millennials realize the dream they've sacrificed for. I help people remember: this is YOUR life. The landscape and recreational opportunities in and around Park City are almost a spiritual experience. Anywhere in town, I'm 5 minutes from a trail where I can escape to the wilderness. Cartoonishly gorgeous forests filled with aspens and tall old pine trees. I can hike or bike for miles and only notice a quiet deer or the whisper of the leaves. High up in the mountains and far away from the smog and pollution of the big cities, I can stand atop a rocky ridge and peer out across the landscape and breathe in the clean, crisp mountain air. I basically live in a coffee commercial. This is my life. Park City is a magical place, where all the montages from 1980s ski movies still happen. Where the first snow sets the town a flutter, whether you're a skier or not. Where I can pass pieces of the history of this western mining town just by strolling down the street with the dogs. The spirit and authenticity of this quiet mountain town attracts all sorts, but at the end of the day you have to ask yourself if the mountains speak to you. And if they do, maybe it's time to start thinking. Start thinking about your exit strategy from the life you were told you should have and start thinking about your entrance into the life you want to live. Don't forget: this is YOUR adventure.
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Park City Statistics: 2nd Q 2016

Whoa, mama, are you ready for a big post? I promised to stop when it stopped being interesting but all these numbers are interesting. Here is the official report:

2016 Q2 – PCR Rolling 12 – Short-2

What I’m poring over here is the 12 month rolling, year over year, July 2015-June 2016 vs. July 2014-June 2015. I’ve used medians here because we can have sales at $1M and $7M in the same MLS area, but some of our sample sizes are so small that medians are skewed as well. The notes are in italics, and are either my insights or ones gleaned from my colleagues in the statistics committee.

And here are the PCMLS Trend Statistics Graphs (you know I love the graphs):

PCMLS-Trend-Statistics-----2016-05---Printed-May-2016-4

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)

Our market continues to be highly complex and highly segmented. We are seeing some buyer resistance to prices in the Park City Proper (84060) areas, and an increase in number of sales in Snyderville Basin (84098), and a particular migration in single family home purchases to Summit Park, Pinebrook and Jordanelle. Outlying areas with properties under $500,000 are very active. Some segments of our market are back to highs of 2008 but the majority of areas have not reached pre-recession heights.

Properties priced at or below the median sell in a quarter of the time properties priced higher do.

Condos in Park City limits (84060) at or below the median price of $660,000 have an absorption rate of 4.6 months; over median price absorption rate moves o 15.4 months.

Single Family homes in the Park City limits at or below the median price of $1.58M have an absorption rate of 4 months; over the median price the absorption rate jumps to 17.4 months.

Condos in Snyderville Basin priced at or below the median price of $427,000 have an absorption rate of only 2 months; over median price the absorption rate becomes 8.7 months.

Single Family homes in Snyderville Basin priced at or below the median price of $955,000 have an absorption rate of 4.1 months; over median price the absorption rate jumps to 13.2 months.

Continue reading “Park City Statistics: 2nd Q 2016”

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Motherlode E: Soon to be GBG (Gone, Baby, Gone)

Attention: If you want 3-bedrooms, less than 2 blocks to Town Lift, designated parking and ready for a remodel we have a short window for you to move on this Motherlode condo.

This is not my listing, but is listed by a colleague at Summit Sotheby’s International Realty. These photos aren’t mine either, but are from our rockstar photographers. 

It has private access from the garage, and two-car designated underground parking. Right at 6th St. and Park Ave, next to the Crescent Tram trail. It’s literally this unit with the stained glass windows:
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Continue reading “Motherlode E: Soon to be GBG (Gone, Baby, Gone)”

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SOLD! 267 Ridge Top Rd

Congratulations to my seller, the proud no-longer-owner of this half-acre lot in Rockport Estates (hereafter to be known as “Rockapulco” not my genius at work here though I wish it was).

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Game Night Games

I arrived, dressed in a sci-fi cartoon graphic tee and immediately knew my street cred had fizzled. Wearing a sci-fi tee and being engrossed in gaming culture are two very different things and I’ve only managed to be proficient at the former. The board game concept is nothing new of course, but there has been a hardy resurgence in recent years. Not only is getting together with other people to play games okay, it’s cool. And to play board games of the sci-fi/fantasy ilk? Ice cold and possibly with some manner of hazing ritual. Details unclear.GameNight-5

What I came in for was a cribbage board, and the minute the air conditioning whooshed by me as I opened the door I knew I was punching above my weight. Boxes filled an entire wall, alphabetized, and I arrived at the 3-D puzzles in the corner without having recognized anything. Cards Against Humanity was on the top shelf, in its unassuming black boxes, high above prying eyes. I imagine they keep plain brown paper bags behind the counter for those sales. What I came in for is a game with pegs and cards. Pegs and cards. Lord only knows where that sort of thing is kept. Past the figurines? What is a board mat? Do I need more than one? Why do they sell paint? I kept walking, pretending to be such a connoisseur that I had to inspect every shelf. Why am I not part of this world? Is the “and” in Dungeons and Dragons an ampersand? AN UNEXAMINED LIFE. Continue reading “Game Night Games”

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Nice (Furniture) Package

When you’re buying homes to live in full time, you typically furnish those homes over time. You may have your grandmother’s buffet, the end tables you bought in California, the new dining room table. And as you move you buy or sell pieces to fit your needs and tastes. When you buy a vacation or investment home in a different area, odds are SO VERY GOOD that you aren’t going to bother with shipping things out to furnish it. This is why many properties in Park City are sold furnished: it’s absurd for the sellers and buyers to ship all of their furniture out or into the house, so we sell them with furniture because it’s convenient.

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Barclay Butera’s Park City showroom, please note the WALL OF FABRICS

Continue reading “Nice (Furniture) Package”

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Goldener Hirsch Hotel and Residences (pt II)

Please note: this project is still very much in the planning stages. Information herein is not guaranteed.

Sign up to receive news on Goldener Hirsch Hotel and Residences as it is released.

It’s been a long spring waiting for news on the Goldener Hirsch Hotel and Residences. But my enthusiasm remains untempered: this is still the last buildable lot in upper Deer Valley and Goldener Hirsch is still very much a storied brand. So far, the bulk of what we know is from the January Planning Commission packet and the January Planning Commission Meeting minutes. (I can email these packets directly to you as well.) And according to the Planning Commission, they are working out utility plans now. Word on the street is that they have to move a sewer line, but that is of course unconfirmed.

Goldener-Hirsch-Post-Header

Continue reading “Goldener Hirsch Hotel and Residences (pt II)”

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Quick Location Video: Victorian Village

My Quick Location Video series addresses what I see to be a pretty common theme in real estate, rental, and tourism: the writer just assumes you know what the names are for all the areas and that you know what those names mean. I’m guilty of falling into that trap myself, so here is my attempt to absolve myself. These little videos will just give you a quick rundown of what you can find in the area and what some of the key features are.

Today I feature Victorian Village condos, in Old Town on Empire Ave, walk through one listed condo, and discuss why it’s important to read the HOA meeting minutes, budgets, and financial statements when shopping for a property in an HOA community. I filmed this in May of 2016.

This condo shown here was listed by CooperWynn Real Estate, but has since sold. Please contact me to see what’s online in Victorian Village currently or to be notified as soon as one comes on the market.

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Park City Farmers Market

Every Wednesday, during and after the Open House Tour is the Park City Farmers Market. But Tour day is so tiring that I know if I go to the Farmers Market afterwards I will have zero reserve, buy All The Things and have more salad than can fit in my fridge. But, if I get a coffee around 4 PM I can finagle just enough brainpower to get in, buy some corn and get the Sam Hill out of there. For those with a less strenuous Wednesday, it’s loads of fun and you could actually do all your grocery shopping there.

Where: the parking lot at the Canyons Village of Park City Resort, Wednesdays from 12-6 PM.

What. A. Dump.
FarmersMarket-15

As you can imagine, there is all manner of Farmers Market fare here. Vegetables, garden plants, cheese, popcorn, tinctures and jewelry.
FarmersMarket-17

Beef tent? You got it. Fresh mozzarella and butter. Chocolate sauce. Seafood. Baked goods. You got that too.
FarmersMarket-14

New game: take a shot every time you see the word “artisan.” Die tragically.
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Apparel, shirts, shoes. The hat guy probably sells out every week.
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Lobster trailer? Check. FarmersMarket-12

Local bread and wood-fired pizza food truck? Obviously.
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Tie dye tent? Of course! FarmersMarket-18

And no farmers market would be complete without an Airstream. FarmersMarket-19

Here in Park City, we do not disappoint.

(But seriously, wear sunscreen and do not play that drinking game because you will totally die.)

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Parking in Park City

So this weekend is one of the many summer activities that shut down Main Street in our mountain ski town of Park City, Utah. The Independence Day parade, the Tour of Utah bike race, the Arts Festival, the weekly Park Silly Market. It’s a good time for a refresher course on how to park in Park City but full disclosure: you’re better to just Uber/taxi/bus in for the 4th. TRUST ME.

1. FREE BUS
The Park City transit system is free. F R E E. Hop on, hop off, take 10 times a day, whatever. Free. (Big selling point for property by the way, “on the bus route” is more attractive than not.) You can just send your kids/spouse/friends/self out the door and off to whatever adventure you like. Case in point: this creeper shot I took of three youth fishing enthusiasts about to get on the bus. ACTUAL fishing poles, you guys, like how great is that. Do not tell me this isn’t Mayberry because I cannot be convinced.
ParkinginParkCity-11

Continue reading “Parking in Park City”

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Quick Location Video: Snow Blaze Condos

My Quick Location Video series addresses what I see to be a pretty common theme in real estate, rental, and tourism: the writer just assumes you know what the names are for all the areas and that you know what those names mean. I’m guilty of falling into that trap myself, so here is my attempt to absolve myself. These 1-2 minute videos will just give you a quick rundown of what you can find in the area and what some of the key features are.

Part of my Quick Location Video series, where I do a quick rundown of the different areas of Park City, Utah. Today’s location focuses on Snow Blaze condos in Old Town, in the 14th block of Woodside and Empire Ave. Now this isn’t everything for sale in the complex, and none of the units sold are my listings, but hmu for more information on what is available.

The properties shown in this video are listed by Jess Reid Real Estate; the first condo for the moment can be found here.