Real Estate in the Rockies

Owning property is one thing. Making sure it goes where you intend, without leaving a legal mess for your family, is another. In this episode of Real Estate in the Rockies, Ashley Kappel and Jessica Chariton sit down with Salida estate planning attorney Charlotte Selix to unpack what Colorado property owners should understand about wills, trusts, probate, beneficiary deeds, and how real estate fits into an estate plan.

Charl...

Who gets to build a life in a Colorado mountain town when housing costs keep rising?

 In this episode, Ashley Kappel and Jessica Chariton sit down with Wayles Martin, Mayor Pro Tem of the City of Salida, general manager of a local restaurant and a Chaffee Housing Trust homeowner. Wayles shares how the community land trust helped her move from unstable renting into homeownership, then brings that lived experience into a wider co...

Cost segregation can sound like an advanced accounting concept, but the basic idea is straightforward: certain parts of an investment property may depreciate faster than the building as a whole. When those components are properly identified through a detailed engineering study, real estate investors may be able to accelerate depreciation and reduce taxable income sooner.

In this episode of Real Estate in the Rockies, Ashley Kappel a...

What can today’s Colorado mountain towns learn from a resort community that has already spent decades navigating tourism, second-home ownership, housing pressure, and reinvention?

In this episode of Real Estate in the Rockies, Ashley Kappel and Jessica Chariton sit down with Mark Gordon, Broker/Owner of Christiania Realty in Vail and a longtime leader in local, state, and national real estate organizations.

Mark shares what Vai...

What does sustainable growth really look like in Colorado's mountain communities?

In this episode of Real Estate in the Rockies, Ashley Kappel and Jessica Chariton sit down with Joe Smith, Mountain Regional President of Collegiate Peaks Bank and Vice Chair of the Chaffee County Economic Development Corporation.

Joe shares a unique perspective shaped by nearly two decades in community banking, commercial lending, economic development,...

Buying a home in Colorado's mountain communities is about more than finding the perfect property. Increasingly, it's also about whether you can insure it.

In this episode of Real Estate in the Rockies, Ashley Kappel and Jessica Chariton sit down with local State Farm agent Kate Woolman to discuss why homeowners insurance has changed so dramatically across Colorado.

From wildfire risk and rising rebuilding costs to second homes, vacan...

If you own property in a Colorado mountain community, there's a good chance your water comes from a private well. But how much do you really know about what's in that water, where it comes from, or how future development could impact it?

In this episode of Real Estate in the Rockies, Ashley Kappel and Jessica Chariton sit down with geochemist Dr. Devin Castendyk to explore groundwater, private wells, water quality, mining history, a...

What really happens at the Colorado Capitol, and how do legislative decisions impact homeowners, renters, Realtors, and Colorado mountain communities?

In this episode of Real Estate in the Rockies, Ashley Kappel and Jessica Chariton sit down with Brian Tanner, Vice President of Public Policy for the Colorado Association of Realtors, to pull back the curtain on Colorado's legislative process and explore the policies shaping housing a...

Short-term rentals have become one of the most emotional and controversial conversations happening across Colorado mountain towns.

But what happens when the conversation moves beyond politics and focuses on people, community, balance, and long-term planning?

In this episode of Real Estate in the Rockies, Ashley Kappel and Jessica Chariton sit down with Lisa and Summer, the founders of Rainbow Rentals, a Salida-based short-term rental...

Colorado mountain towns are changing rapidly, and the conversations around growth, housing, affordability, and community identity are becoming more complicated than ever.

In this episode of Real Estate in the Rockies, Ashley Kappel and Jessica Chariton sit down with top Colorado Realtor and business leader Treasure Davis for a thoughtful and candid conversation about what’s happening across Colorado mountain communities and wh...

Wildfire season in Colorado mountain towns is no longer a distant possibility, it is something communities must actively prepare for. In this episode of Real Estate in the Rockies, Ashley Kappel and Jessica Chariton sit down with Chaffee County Public Health Director Andrea Carlstrom to discuss wildfire preparedness, evacuation planning, emergency communication systems, air quality concerns, and what residents can do right now to p...

What happens when a community does not have enough senior housing, assisted living, or memory care options?

In this episode of Real Estate in the Rockies, Ashley Kappel and Jessica Chariton sit down with local leaders Marilyn Bouldin and Andi Bruno to discuss the growing need for senior housing in Salida and across Colorado mountain towns.

As populations age and housing options remain limited, communities are facing difficult questio...

What does it really take to develop property in a Colorado mountain town, and why do some projects succeed while others never get off the ground?

In this episode of Real Estate in the Rockies, Ashley Kappel and Jessica Chariton sit down with longtime Salida resident, realtor, and developer Walt Harder to unpack the realities of real estate development in mountain communities.

With over 20 years of experience in both real estate and d...

What is really happening in Colorado mountain town real estate, and why does it matter even if you are not buying or selling?

Welcome to Real Estate in the Rockies, a podcast focused on Colorado mountain communities like Salida, where real estate is not just about transactions, it is about how towns grow, who can afford to live there, and what the future looks like.

In this first episode, Ashley Kappel, an attorney, and Jessica Chari...

Can affordable housing actually work in a Colorado mountain town, or is it financially impossible without major tradeoffs?

In this episode of Real Estate in the Rockies, Ashley Kappel and Jessica Chariton sit down with Paul Andrews, developer of The Crossing in Buena Vista, a community designed to be 50% affordable housing.

Paul brings decades of high-level real estate and financial experience to this conversation and shares what it ...

What does it really take to buy, build, or own property in a Colorado mountain town?

Welcome to Real Estate in the Rockies, a Colorado real estate podcast that explores the unique challenges and opportunities shaping mountain communities today. From water rights and wildfire risk to zoning regulations, housing shortages, and land use decisions, real estate in the Rockies is anything but simple.

Hosted by real estate attorney Ashley K...