The year-end sales figures for 2009 landed on my desk last Friday, and they were a bit of a wake-up call! Sales dollar volume dropped by almost 60%, and the number of transactions fell by 42% over the prior year.

Is it any wonder that we are beginning to experience an "adjustment" in the market, as it pertains to pricing? Astute owners who are desirous of selling in today's challenging world are negotiating transactions that are oftentimes surprising. And savvy buyers are recognizing the window of opportunity which currently exists, and are aggressively honing in on those properties which best meet their familiy's needs. It's an interesting time in the history of the Vail Valley real estate market!

That said, we have experienced a notable uptick in showing activity, contracts and closed deals since the first of the year. I remain guardedly optimistic that this trend will continue, setting the stage for a solid rebound from the past year's malaise.

Please visit again soon for an updated year-end report, in which we'll look at overall trends, pricing trends, and activity levels. Until then, I thank you for your interest, and welcome your call or email to discuss our market in greater detail.