The Mountain States Cupis a series of spring / summer races at different venues throughout Colorado and New Mexico. This is the second year Salida has hosted a tour stop for the MSC. The race course will be held on the trail system behind S Mountain, and is yet another example of a payoff to the local economy for the investment in the trail system by the City of Salida, Salida Mountain Trails and various other organizations.

Later the same day, downtown will see the Cruiser Crit, an excuse for locals to dress up and participate in a series of races and parades on classic cruiser bikes to raise funds to cover the cost of musical entertainment at this year’s FiBark festival.

Both the Mountain States Cup and the Cruiser Crit will have hosted after event parties at the Boathouse Cantina and Fritz’s, respectively. When the two wheelers start rolling in to town, you know summer is just around the corner.

Across the country, multiple markets are seeing a decline in inventory and a return to multiple offer scenarios reminiscent of the heady days of the mid 2000′s. Previously depressed markets such as Las Vegas and Phoenix are among the leaders in this turn around, and buyers look to make good while the going is good.

An improving job market, historically low interest rates, low home prices and a decrease in the number of foreclosures are all factors playing a part in this revival. Stuart Hoffman, chief economist for PNC Financial Services, believes these factors “are a strong indicator that we will start seeing home price indexes report increases this summer.”

This trend reflects what we are seeing here in Salida, with homes that are priced to the market often seeing offers on the table within a few weeks, if not days, of coming on the market.

For those sitting on the fence, it would seem that the time to act is sooner, rather than later. While 2013 is not expected to see a significant jump in house prices or interest rates, it seems likely we may look back on 2012 as the year the market began its upswing.

This time of the year, one particular species hatches en masse, causing the fish to gorge themselves on the bounty. Unfortunately for the browns and rainbows in the river, the hatch also attracts hordes of fishermen from across the country who add their artificial flies to the mix of real ones on the water.

Driving the highway, it seems at times it can seem there must be more fishermen than fish out on the water. The reasons for the popularity of fishing the hatch are varied. It is in its own right a celebration and reaffirmation of the bounty of nature. It also comes at a time when many other rivers are high and murky due to run off, and therefore not fishable. Plus, for most fly anglers, there is little more exciting or rewarding in the sport than catching a fish on a dry fly.

Recent studies show that for every $1 a green improvement reduces your energy bill, it adds from $10 – $25 to the value of your home – an increase of anywhere from $8000 to $25,000 for a 3000 square foot home. The same goes for solar panels, which can add up to $17,000 to the value of your home.

As well as adding value and comfort to your home while you live in it, if you are thinking of selling, today’s buyers are actively searching for homes that offer green features. The US Department of Energy recently completed a study that showed that solar homes sold twice as quickly as a home without solar panels, even in a “down” market.

While some energy-efficient improvements can be costly – replacing windows springs to mind – others, like weather stripping and insulating pipes and crawl spaces, are relatively cheap and easy, and yield instant benefits in comfort and savings.

So while going green is the socially responsible thing to do, there are also many “selfish” reasons why it makes sense.

Originally from Madison, Wisconsin, Kim Bouldin has called the Upper Arkansas Valley home for 17 years. In addition to raising her two children, Kim and her husband own and operate a successful pizzeria and micro brewery. Additionally, she finds time to be actively involved in several community organizations including the Alliance Against Domestic Abuse, fundraising for the local elementary school and the annual “Women’s Happy Hour For A Cause” event, of which she is the founder. If all that isn’t enough, she also finds time to be a key member of Salida’s local women’s roller derby team.

Lacey Scott first discovered Salida on skiing vacations as a child with her parents, visiting from her home in Kansas. With degrees from Pepperdine University and Wake Forest School of Law, Lacey pursued a career in law in Denver for five years, including construction law and environmental engineering, where her interest in real estate was kindled, and latterly at the State Attorney General’s office. After she and her husband Michael found themselves spending all their leisure time skiing, biking and kayaking in and around Salida, they decided to turn their back on the big city and move to where their hearts lay.

A native of Minnesota, Brenda Dempsey has been a resident of Colorado for thirty five years, including the last twenty as a realtor in the Metro Denver area. She recently moved to the Chaffee County for the natural beauty, community and lifestyle. Despite the change of scenery, her passion for real estate remains undimmed, and she feels her knowledge, experience and commitment to the highest ethical standards is a perfect fit for the region’s leading real estate brokerage.

At 52%, the Upper Arkansas River drainage reflects that of average snow pack state wide. While comparisons are being made to 2002, when drought conditions caused water shortages across the state, this time around reservoir storage is in much better shape, and should alleviate the worst effects of a lower run off.

Here in the Arkansas Valley, this will likely manifest itself as diminished run off  for late May and early June, followed by lower than average flows throughout the summer. While rafters and kayakers may be disappointed, fishermen will be looking forward to the increased opportunities that come with lower flows, while for bikers, trails like the Monarch Crest should be free of snow and rideable earlier than the traditional first-week-of-July opening.

What effect the diminished run off is likely to have on ranchers and other water users remains to be seen, although those with junior water rights will be hoping for a late spring surge in storm activity if they are to be able to irrigate as usual.

All in all, the lower snow pack serves to remind us that ultimately, it is Mother Nature, and not ourselves, who call the tune.

For one thing, an increase in interest rates will see more private investor money flow into the mortgage backed securities market. Investors seem to be tiring of the meager returns from Treasury securities, and are looking for opportunities to increase yield.

This in turn will lead to a greater variety of funding being available to the consumer, as lenders will no longer need to adhere to the strict guidelines mandated by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. While this may mean a slow down in the refinance market, it has to be a good thing for the housing market in general, particularly as economic growth and employment outlook brightens.

Certainly, current data supports the conviction that we have turned the corner in the housing market. New home starts and existing home sales are both showing sustained growth, and the National Home Builder’s Association reports optimism is at a five year high. This optimism seems to be borne out in the financial markets in general, with both the S&P and Dow approaching four year highs.

At this time, construction of the new high school is on target, and is due to be completed early August, in time for the start of the new school year on August 20. The final phase will see the completion of the new track, field and stadium in time for the Salida Spartans’ first home football game on Sept 7 – 8.

Once completed the new high school will be state-of-the-art 90,000 square foot structure, featuring energy efficient design and construction, along with the ability to utilize the latest in teaching technologies. Along with the recently completed Heart of the Rockies Medical Center, the new high school will give yet another reason to call Salida the best little mountain town in Colorado.

With over three hundred days of sunshine, it is little wonder that Colorado is at the leading edge of this trend. While the current economic downturn has seen the state tax credit program for homeowners installing photovoltaic systems dry up, Federal tax credits combined with energy company rebates still make sound economic sense, returning up to 8 percent on investment, according to Tim Klco, owner of Peak Solar Designs in Salida. Additionally, the City Of Salida reimburses the sales tax incurred on the system, a rebate of around $400.

While the installation of a photovoltaic system for a 2500 square foot home adds $20,000 to the cost of construction, tax and energy company rebates can make up for almost half of that outlay, before reduced, and in some cases non-existent, energy bills are then taken into account. It is little wonder that Green Built, net-zero homes are likely to become the norm, rather than the exception, in the not too distant future.

The index of measure currently sits at 97, up 8 percent from a year ago. The benchmark for a healthy market is set at 100. Locally, home sales have increased over ten percent YTD over last year, according to Chaffee County Board of Realtors figures.

This improved market is down to a combination of factors – brightening employment prospects, high affordability, rising rents and continued low interest rates are all playing their part. Lawrence Yun, chief housing economist for the National Association of Realtors says these factors are “hopefully pushing the market toward what appears to be a sustained recovery.”

Anyway you look at it, the Upper Arkansas Valley is a great place to live, and now is a great time to be buying a home here.