ASPEN — Five mountain- resort counties will set a combined record of $8.56 billion in real estate sales even with a recent cool-down in the market.
The total was reached by the end of October in Garfield County and the counties that are home to the Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge and Steamboat ski resorts, according to Land Title Guarantee Co.
Last year, the combined sales in the same area totaled $7.41 billion through October 2006.
The area’s lowest average home price was Garfield County’s $450,240, the report said. The highest average was Pitkin County’s $4.52 million. Elsewhere, the average home price was $1.41 million in Eagle County, $928,776 in Routt County and $794,391 in Summit County.
Garfield County’s real estate market is fueled by the natural gas boom in Rifle and Silt and by second-home sales. Its dollar volume of $1.03 billion through October was close to topping last year’s record $1.05 billion.
Pitkin County, home to the Aspen and Snowmass Village resorts, is having its second-best year for sales and could break last year’s record. The county reported $2.22 billion in sales through October.
Eagle County notched sales of $2.54 billion, putting it on pace to challenge its record of $2.8 billion, set in 2005. Real estate in Vail and Beaver Creek are helping drive the sales.
