To Pikes Peak Region Realtors, “up the pass” means up Ute Pass west of Manitou into Woodland Park. This beautiful little mountain town is also known as the City Above the Clouds. I got to experience the full meaning of that years ago after showing a couple Black Forest on a chilly, foggy day, we pulled up into Woodland Park, CO in the afternoon, up out of the clouds. What a pleasant moment… And viewing Pikes Peak from a whole different angle!
Woodland Park is a great mountain town, with local shops, breweries, and more recently a Wal-mart (clearly the mark that Woodland Park has “made it” as an American town 😉 ) PLUS a modern medical facility. Including Walmart, there are 3 large-name grocery stores. Locals also know there is plenty of Mexican food options, plus the famous “Donut Mill” Restaurant… So much more than just donuts for breakfast, they make breakfast burritos and more!
Let’s get back to the showings!!.. I love showing up here particularly in the summer and fall. In the summer, it’s a comfortable 5-10 degrees cooler than Colorado Springs, so on those blistering days, if you had to WP and homes in the trees, a nice breeze will also help keep it cool. With these particular clients, we had a little chuckle because one owner came back home during our showing and was complaining about the 75-degree heat. The fall is nice because while the trees are primarily Ponderosa pine, the scattered aspens make for a beautiful view all around. Not everyone has a view of Pikes Peak from their deck, but most lots outside the city center will have some nice trees to make you feel oh-so-Colorado!
The houses I showed over the past week have been in the $275-350,000 range and 1700-3300 sq ft, most with .5-1 acre. Some are updated, some carry the rustic decor of 20-30 years ago. I was very surprised at the high percentage of split-level style homes. The poor husband of this couple I showed couldn’t keep them separate in his head. After 3 days and 18 showings, he was “lost”. So we head back out tomorrow to see the “favorites” again, so he can remember what they’re buying before they head back home before moving here. The split-level style comes mostly out of necessity, a mountain town means, most homes are built on a hillside and the tuck-under garage is fairly common.
I wish I had taken more pictures, but let me know if you or your friends/family want to move this way, I’d love to show up in Woodland Park again soon!! I often say, if we didn’t daily commute to Colorado Springs, we’d strongly consider Woodland Park!!
