So we need to talk.

Not about this. I'm aware. Hey, it’s the only thing I can grow on this head of mine now.

But about this.

More homes above a million dollars are canceling their listings than actually selling. And if you're thinking "well, that sounds bad" — that means you’re probably a seller. But here’s the deal, it's probably going to get worse before it gets better.

But first. A reminder of why we choose to call Southwest Colorado home.

I'm Matt Martin, a realtor with Team M-Squared. But also a part-time skier, when snow actually falls from the sky — which this year has not. We've had the worst winter on record.

But you know what is falling though?

Demand for million-dollar homes.

Sales for homes over a million dropped 17% in 2025. And before you say "well maybe they're just overpriced" — yes. That's exactly what I'm saying. That's the whole thing.

Here's where it gets interesting.

Go back to 2020. Market explodes. Prices go insane. Cancellations go up too, but that was mostly COVID anxiety — people pulling out because they didn't know if civilization was ending. Reasonable.

2021 — sales shoot up. Cancellations stay flat. Great. Things are working. This continues through 2024, when sales grow 42%. Kinda shocking.

But here's the part nobody talks about. Cancellations grew 111% that same year. More homes were being pulled off the market than sold. And by 2025, the gap had stretched to 15%.

Then 2026 shows up. Through February alone — 21 cancellations. A record and a 75% increase over last year at the same time.

Now look at the data on price per square foot — what sold versus what canceled. Markets peaked in summer 2022. And sellers of million-dollar homes? They were still reaching for the sky. Those that cancelled were way off base on the price of their homes. Right now, today, the average canceled listing is priced about $155,000 more than what it's actually worth.

And I've been inside a lot of these homes. I've seen the listings. I genuinely wish I could show you some of these photos, because you would look at your screen, tilt your head like a confused dog, and ask yourself: how in the actual hell is that worth a million dollars?

Here's the answer: it isn't.

So if you want to sell in 2026, you have to price for 2026.

At Team M-Squared, we've made a decision: we're not taking listings from sellers who aren't realistic. Not because we don't want the business — we do. But because sticking a sign in someone's yard for six months and then watching it expire doesn't help them. It helps nobody.

When we take your listing, here's what happens. We’re gonna be honest with you. We tell you the real number.

Not the number that you want to hear.

The number buyers will actually pay.

Then we go find those buyers ourselves rather than just submitting the listing to the MLS. We’re talking Texas. New Mexico. Arizona. California. We know where they come from and we know how to reach them through targeted advertising.

Case in point: we had a barndominium off Highway 84 with a 4,800 square foot garage.

Over a million-dollar price point. Super tricky to sell. Especially during the slowest time of year to sell anything in Pagosa Springs.

Most homes like that sit for 110 days before they even get an offer. We got an offer in under a month. Because the seller trusted the pricing. And let us market the potential of the property. Which that’s where the buyer came from.

Now…What about everything under a million — which is about 85% of this market?

Slightly more grounded over here. Homes under a million are selling at about 4.6% under original list price. Over a million, it's 7.5%.

Cancellations are up 66% across the board.

Days on market up 57%.

The number of sales and prices have been basically flat for three years.

One bright spot: homes under $300k are growing fast — 46% sales growth. Budgets are being constrained and buyers are choosing Condos, mobile homes, places in Aspen Springs. If you're in that price range, things are moving.

So the big question. You’re in the market to buy or sell. What should you do?

I'll be straight with you, because I genuinely can't stand it when realtors say "now is a great time to buy or sell!" like it's a reflex. That’s not useful. It’s a lie.

Here's the real answer: if you don't have to sell right now, wait. The last major correction — 2007 — took about six years for prices to fully recover. In this current market, we peaked in 2022. We're four years in. Best guess is two more years before we see meaningful appreciation again.

Now I'm not predicting a crash for this year. Not unless things go fully sideways geopolitically — which, with a war with Iran, is now apparently on the table. Gas prices are rising. Inflation could become an issue again when we’re spending $1B a day on this war.

But outside of this uncertainity, expect modest price declines, or at best, flat. It should be like a gentle wave cruising through the ocean. Up and down slightly.

For buyers: it's actually a decent time to get in. But only if you're willing to hold at least for five to seven years.

That's my honest read.

And honestly? Whatever your situation is…Pagosa beats Texas in the summer. Maybe we need to include winter in that too. Texas hit 106 degrees in February this year at Falcon Dam. Hottest ever winter temp in US history.

So if you want to escape the heat, hit us up. We’d love to be your guide and share with you the magic of Southwest Colorado.

Cheers.

Is it true…are we about to go into a recession. But first, let’s remind ourselves why we live and vacation in beautiful Pagosa Springs, Colorado.

It’s taken me some time to get this market recap out for 2025. And that’s because I wanted to wait and see if we could get a glimpse of what’s in store for 2025. And after three months in, well everyone is about as confused as Mother Nature has been so far this winter in Pagosa Springs. For reference, it’s been one of the worst snow years that many of the locals can remember. I think Wolf Creek is around 53% of snow pack for where it should be this time of year. Alright, back to the recap.

Ok here’s what’s going on in terms of the big macro picture of our local economy.

1. Consumer sentiment has fallen to its lowest levels since Covid.

2. The yield curve, which has predicted the last three recessions, recently went positive. Indicating a recession is just around the corner.

3. The US stock market has lost over 10% since recent highs while the global stock market has performed rather well.

4. And nearly 92% of CEO’s say they are concerned about a recession, due in big part to tariffs. Which have been all over the place.

One day they’re on. They next day they’re off. One day they’re 25%, the next day they’re 200%.

The problem here is uncertatinity. No one really knows what’s going to happen because there’s no clear signals as to what’s for real or not. And so in response, betting markets have increased the chances of a recession. Whether that happens or not remains to be seen.

But let’s prepare ourselves a little bit. Let’s ask the question what if we do go into a recession. And what will happen to our local real estate market. And I think that’s the key here…local. What could happen in major cities across the United States may not impact retirement areas like Pagosa Springs.

For instance…you might have heard in the news that inventory in residential real estate markets has now eclipsed pre-pandemic levels. Which is critical in getting housing prices to fall. And this is true for some pandemic hot spots such as Texas, Florida, Arizona….and even Colorado!

Colorado inventory is up 12% when compared to pre-pandemic levels.

But here’s what you have to remember. Colorado’s Western Slope is not the same as the Front Range. Southwest Colorado makes up only 4% of the state’s total population. Even though it accounts for 21% of Colorado’s land mass.

And it’s a very different story for our area compared to the rest of Colorado. Compared to pre-pandemic levels, Pagosa Springs is down 25%. And this is in big part because of a lack of construction in our area compared to these suburbs and cities. And because of that, our prices remain relatively stable when compared to greater Colorado. And especially Texas, where almost half of our market ends up coming from.

So if a recession does hit, it may not impact Pagosa Springs nearly as much as it could the Front Range. And even if it does, real estate typically fairs rather well in recessionary environments. In fact, real estate values continue to rise. Only during the Great Recession did we experience significant valuation decreases. What a recession usually means for real estate is lower interest rates. Which makes homes more affordable to the masses. Causing more demand to enter into the market. Which is why prices usually go up during recessions.

Demand

Speaking of demand, let’s take a quick look at how demand and supply faired in 2024. And whether we can expect similar numbers this coming summer.

New listings for Pagosa Springs in 2024 jumped up significantly compared to 2023. But because 2023 was a record low year, we’re still well short of average market conditions. And when I say average, I’m referencing the five year period before covid.

Sales in 2024 were down 1% for all properties compared to a year ago. But still did better than the recession years of 2010 through 2014. So in essence, demand continues to hold.

But there is some change in the winds for Pagosa Springs…Condo’s and townhomes had a little bit of different story than Houses did in 2024. When compared to a year ago, Condo listings were down 6% whereas houses were down 25%. But sales for Condo’s were up 26% while sales for houses were down 9%. So there’s definitely more inventory and more interest in Condo’s. Because it is at a much lower price point.

And this was evidenced in December and January. Where the median price for Pagosa fell pretty drastically. But the price per square foot held steady.

There’s also some potential trouble for our luxury market. In 2024, only 48% of homes above the million dollar price point crossed the closing table. Compare that to 2021 through 2023 where it was almost 60%.

Now understand that this is the kind of data you’re only gonna find from Team M-Squared. We dig deep to make sure you have all the information and confidence you need to either sell or buy here in Southern Colorado.

Team M-Squared

Now when it comes to selling your home, it comes down to two things. Price and Exposure. And we guarantee you more exposure than your competitors with our marketing program. Here’s the deal…we go far beyond just posting your listing to the MLS. We do more to get you more. Which means spending thousands of dollars on creating quality, cinematic advertising materials that capture a buyers attention. And then advertising those materials through targeted campaigns to residents and tourists passing through this area. The proof is in the numbers.

And when it comes to buying, well something huge happened this past December. Sherpa Real Estate bought Jim Smith Realty, creating the largest real estate agency here in Pagosa Springs. Not only do we have more listings than anyone else right now, but being with the largest and best real estate agency gives us a huge advantage when it comes to finding your dream home.

Alright, enough with the little promo. Back to the data. So now you know what happened in 2024. What can we expect this summer. After all, this is why most of you are watching this video. Well, here’s what I think.

What to Look For This Summer

First…If you are a luxury seller, it’s absolutely vital to have your home priced correctly. I believe this will be another year where the majority of homes above the million dollar price point will not sell because of unrealistic pricing expectations. Most will either cancel or expire. And they have the freedom to do that because of the low interest rates they are locked into. They don’t have to sell. And if they don’t have to sell, then prices will remain rather stable.

But here’s the deal, if you do need to sell and you don’t have incredible views or a home that looks like it was built in the 2020’s rather than the 1990’s, you’ll need to discount your price a little bit. In fact, in 2024, homes over a million dollars averaged a closing price that was 10.4% under their original list price. Nearly four points more than homes under a million dollars.

Second…Pagosa is still doing fairly well compared to other Southwest Colorado Regions. In 2024, sales were down only 15% compared to the five year pre-covid average. Compare that to to La Plata County where sales were down 44%. I think this trend will continue because Pagosa Springs is still one of the better deals out there in all of Colorado within a 30 miles radius of a ski area. And that’s not going to change anytime soon. It makes far more sense to buy a home here than along I-70, where you’ll sit in traffic for hours on end trying to get to your vacation home.

Construction Challenges

And finally….speaking of traffic. There are some challenges ahead in Pagosa Springs that could affect our local economy beyond just a recession. Now, one of my values is to always be honest with you. So I’m not going to sugar coat this at all. It’s not my style. But starting on March 24th, CDOT (Colorado Department of Transportation) is ripping up Highway 160 through Downtown Pagosa and replacing it with concrete. Once finished, it’s going to look amazing. But the issue is that construction is scheduled to last two years. And it will disrupt some of our local businesses. There will be delays in traffic. Parking on the street will be eliminated. And it’s going to test a lot of people’s patience.

But here’s the deal. Pagosa still has a kick ass location in Southwest Colorado. It still has awesome restaurants and local businesses ready to serve residents and tourists. It still has the San Juan River for tubing adventures. It still has the perfect climate during summer. It still has the same mountains and beauty that we get to stare at every single day. The only thing changing is that Pagoslow…may just go a little slower until the project is complete.

So I have hope for the future. I have hope for our economy. I have hope for our citizens.

Because I know who the people are in this community. There’s so much talent and ambition here.

And Pagosa is open. It’s open for business. It’s open for real estate. It’s open for adventures. It’s open for change. It’s open for a better lifestyle. It’s open for you.

Thanks so much for watching. If you have any questions, contact Team M-Squared. We’d love to help you dream of a better life here in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Cheers!

So…there could be some cracks starting to appear in the real estate market here in southwest Colorado. More on that in a second. But first, let’s remind ourselves why we choose to live and vacation here in Pagosa Springs.

Summertime in Pagosa is my absolute favorite. Hey, after suffering through years of hell in Texas, this place truly does feel like heaven. And I know many of you watching are looking to escape hell as well, so let’s chat about the real estate market and where it’s headed. So let’s get it.

Alright, like I said at the beginning, there does appear to be some cracks appearing. But…let me state this up front. Just because there’s some cracks doesn’t mean that prices are gonna crash. And there’s a key reason for this.

Take a look at this chart. This compares the Case Shiller Home Price Index to the United States Money Supply. 

The M2 money supply is a measure of the total money supply in the US. Whereas the Home Price Index measures the change in value of single-family homes on a monthly basis.

As you can see, the home price index is tightly bound to the money supply. So long as the money supply continues to increase, so will the home price index. And when the home price index gets out of line, like during the Great Recession, it falls back down to reality and lines back up with our money supply.

And right now, the price index is in line with our money supply. As inflation rises, so will home prices.

So no, our market will not crash. But there could be some speed bumps along the way that cause some price corrections here and there.

So let’s chat about what happened in Q2 2024 and if some of these corrections could possibly happen.

As we’ve stated over and over the name of the game is supply vs demand. Q2 - April, may and June - are the three months out of the year with the highest number of new listings that come onto the market. Now last year had historic lows for these three months when it comes to new listings. So how do you think 2024 stacked up against it? Well, as expected, Q2 was up only 1% from a year ago.

And this is because everyone is still locked into super low interest rates. It’s hard to give up a 3% rate for one that’s in the 7’s. So people are choosing to hang onto their homes and investments instead of upgrading into something new. Unless they have…

Cash.

Bank of America Report

In fact, Bank of America recently came out with a report that it may take 6 to 8 years to unwind these lock-ins from super low interest rates. Which means that it may not be until 2030 until we get back to normal pre-covid inventory.

And this is the exact reason why prices continue to remain high. The median price for a home in Pagosa hit 785 in June. Up 19% from a year ago. Price per square foot hit 376, up 11% from a year ago.

So if prices keep rising, then what are these supposed cracks that I keep hinting at? Well, two thoughts here.

First…condo’s.

Inventory is starting to increase more for Condo’s than Single Family Homes. New listings for condos are up 28%. Compare that to Single Family Homes, which are down 4% year over year. But here’s the real kicker. Active Inventory is up 94% for condos. Whereas for homes, it’s up 32%. So supply is starting to drastically outpace the demand for condo’s. And when supply outpaces demand, that’s where you can start to see some price corrections.

Second…million dollar homes.

Million dollar plus homes now make up 31% of our active inventory. Compare that to the pre-pandemic market of only 15%. So it’s more than doubled over the past five years. This price category tends to sit on the market much longer than sub million dollar homes. And the percentage off asking price tends to be greater as well.

The pool of buyers for million dollar homes is much smaller than those under a million. In fact, once you hit the two million mark, it’s tiny. Since January 2013, only 13 homes over two million have sold in Pagosa Springs. Compare that to Durango, which has 50.

So it’s my suspicion that the million plus market has the potential to become over saturated for the remainder of the year. I just don’t believe there’s enough buyers at this price point to churn through this inventory.

Which makes it all the more important when it comes to listing your home to choose a realtor that goes beyond just putting your home on the MLS. And that’s what Team M-Squared specializes in. We’re more than realtors. We’re marketers. And we spend thousands of dollars on advertising materials to ensure you get more exposure for your home than your competitors.

As a result, you’ll get thousands of more views which translates into better offers and faster closings. And if you’re looking to buy, we go deep into the data, just like this video, to ensure you’re receiving the right deal for you. We’re here to guide and protect you every step of the way. If you have any interest in buying or selling, hit us up. We’d love to chat with you over a beer.

Alright, so what does all this data mean for the future. That’s what most folks want to know…where is the market headed.

As mentioned, condo’s and million dollar properties may struggle a little bit to get to the closing table. But for the entire market, it really boils down to three things here…

1. These properties need to be updated.

2. These properties need to be clean and taken care of.

3. These properties need to be priced and marketed appropriately.

If your property does not check off these three boxes, it’s gonna struggle in this market.

Overall, I think the market remains stable. But there will come a point soon where outdated properties will drop their price enough to become value plays. And once these properties hit the closing table, it will bring both the median price and median price per square foot down. 

As we approach September, activity should slow down due to the upcoming election. This is normal and usually happens. So it should be a slow Q4.

And then as we hit 2025, depending on economic conditions, we can start to possibly look forward to rate cuts. Just how many rate cuts remains to be seen.

But listen, this is all crystal ball stuff. I don’t know for sure exactly how this will all go down. But what I do know is that real estate over the long run only goes one way. And that’s up.

Alright, thanks again for watching. If you have any interest in buying in this corner of the greatest state in the nation, hit us up. We’d love to be your guides. Or just have a beer with you. Cheers!

The big story to start out 2024…real estate prices continue to climb to record highs. But….but…well, before I get into these butts, let’s remember why we are all drawn to this magical area.

Ah, Pagosa Springs in the spring. The snow has melted. The temps have warmed up. And life is completely chill as various businesses take their seasonal breaks.

But not for us real estate agents…things are picking up. So let’s take a look at how this year started off. It’s the Q1 recap for 2024. Let’s go.

Three takeaways…

1. Price Per Square Foot. It continues to climb. We hit record highs in February and then topped it in March. If we go off the three month rolling average, we’re now sitting at $355 for all residential properties. 19% higher than where we were a year ago. And 4% higher than our previous peak in July 2022.

2. Inventory is climbing. But this one is a bit deceiving. Right now, new listings are up 51% when compared to a year ago. But there’s more to the story than this. Typically, if listings don’t sell in the fall, sellers will often take the property off the market for the winter and re-list in March and April. In March 2023, approximately 17% of new listings were listed at some point during the previous six months. But this year, that number jumped up to 38%. What this means is that we’re basically flat when compared to a year ago when it comes to new inventory that wasn’t previously listed. So inventory remains a problem.

3. Demand remains flat. So far this year, 53 properties have crossed the closing table, up slightly at 4% when compared to a year ago. But still down about 24% from the five year pre-covid average. Now remember that the first three months are always the slowest when compared to the rest of the year. Our buying season doesn’t really begin until summer. But I will say this…it feels like demand is starting to pick up. We’re definitely starting to receive more calls and inquiries about buying real estate than we did at this point last year.

Alright, so what does this all mean for the market going forward. And this is where it gets tricky. Because we’re talking about crystal ball stuff. But two things to pay attention to…

One…There’s a lot of expectations out there that the Fed’s will cut interest rates three times in 2024. In fact, back in January, the market was pricing in a 75% chance that cuts would begin in March. Well, it didn’t happen. Recent inflation data in March saw an increase of 3.5% from a year ago. Well ahead still of the Fed’s target of 2%. So now the market is pricing in a 56% chance that the Fed’s will cut their rates in June. But just like how March didn’t pan out the way traders thought, I’m beginning to think June won’t either. And now I’m not expecting any significant rate cutes until 2025.

Two…There’s this little lawsuit settlement that happened last month. There were a class action lawsuit brought by sellers of homes claiming that the National Association of Realtors conspired to inflate real estate agent commissions by enforcing cooperating compensation to buyers agents.

Which ironically, the lawyers of this lawsuit are taking home a cut of up to 40%. Think about that…Lawsuits over realtor commissions of around on average only 4% to 6%. But yet these guys are collecting 40%? I should’ve been a lawyer.

Anyways, as a result of this lawsuit, two big changes are taking place in our industry. The first being that buyers agent commissions will no longer be allowed to be displayed on the MLS - which is the tool where agents display their listings to other agents and in turn, websites like Zillow display these listings to the public. And second, NAR agreed to require MLS participants working with buyers to enter into written representation agreements with their buyers before the buyer tours a home.

Now these changes don’t mean that sellers will no longer offer compensation to buyers agents. It just means it can’t be displayed on the MLS. So for the most part, I don’t think anything will really change all that much. But it could start a trend where some buyers forgo representation and choose to go directly to the listing agent.

Now I don’t recommend this. Buyers agents advocate and protect you from being taken advantage of by the seller. And this area is very different than cookie cutter suburbs where every sixth house is exactly the same. In Pagosa Springs, everything is custom. There’s water rights. Wells. Easement obstacles. Tap fees. Certificate of Occupancy issues. All kinds of issues that you typically don’t see in big developments in Texas. So it’s important to have proper representation.

But that won’t stop some buyers from going on their own. Which means for sellers that marketing matters now more than ever. You can’t just rely on the MLS anymore. You have to advertise in order to get in front of as many buyers as possible. And this is what Team M-Squared specializes in.

Instead of only using the MLS, we create quality content to market your home through various social media and advertising channels. We then target buyers interested in moving to Pagosa Springs, Colorado. This is our way of ensuring you receive more exposure than your competition.

The real estate industry is changing. But we’ve always been ahead of the game. We’re innovators. We’re leaders. And we’ll guide you through this complicated process.

Ok…so overall, what does this all mean for the values of homes in Pagosa Springs. I think for the rest of the year, prices continue to remain stable. Both buyers and sellers have become accustomed to these higher interest rates. And they’re more comfortable jumping into the market now that they realize that rates will never go back down into the 3’s. Because at some point, you just have to make your move. You can’t wait forever to make a change in your life that you desperately want. And come summer time when Texas is 110 degrees every single day, people will want to retire or make the move to beautiful and comfortable Colorado. And while affordability is relative, there’s not a better deal in Colorado near a ski area than what Pagosa Springs has to offer.

So both supply and demand will slightly increase throughout the year. And then as we approach the election in September, activity will quiet down. Going into 2025, activity will pick up again. And if interest rates do start to fall, look out. Prices could start to march up again.

So there you have it…what to expect as we head into the summer. If you have any interest in buying or selling real estate, hit us up. We’d love to have a beer with you and chat about this amazing area we get to live and play in. Till next time…cheers!

Let me just say it. Pagosa and Southwest Colorado is not for everyone. There are some challenges of living here that you may not be used to in places like Texas, Arizona and California. So I’ve complied a list of 10 Reasons Not to Move to Pagosa Springs.

Hey there, my name is Matt Martin. I’m a local realtor. If you ever been curious what it’s really like to live or buy a vacation home in this area, you’ve come to the right place. Not only do we produce quality videos on the fun and beauty of this area, it’s also my goal to provide value by giving out honest guidance that helps you determine if the mountain lifestyle here in Southwest Colorado is the right fit for you.

If this list actually sounds appealing to you, then you’re probably gonna fall in love with this place.

Alright…Let’s go.

#10 Remoteness

Pagosa Springs is pretty much it’s own world. It’s surrounded by millions of acres of national forest. And it’s neighbor to the north, Hinsdale County, is the most remote county in the entire lower 48.

The closest mid sized town is Durango, which is over an hour to the west. It does have it’s own airport. But if you need to access a major airport, it’s either a 5 hour drive to Denver. Or a three and a half hour drive to Albuquerque.

We actually prefer Albuquerque because of how much easier it is to get through security compared to Denver. Plus, you don’t have to go over the pass…which when major snow storms hit the area, the pass often shuts down. Which delays travel and shipments of supplies and goods.

So if you need quick and easy access to the modern conveniences of life, it can be a little more challenging here in Pagosa. On the positive side though, it keeps the crowds away. There’s no traffic jams. There’s little pollution. And there’s little noise other than the occasional barking dog.

#9 Shopping and Restaurants

Because Pagosa is so remote, your shopping choices are limited. Our Walmart is one of the smaller ones out there. And there’s only two other grocery stores here, City Market and Natural Grocers.

But if you’re looking for something like Target, the nearest one is two hours away in Farmington, New Mexico.

Which means you’ll have to rely a little more on Amazon Prime. 

For those coming from more populated areas, you’re probably used to next day delivery or even same day. But here in Pagosa, it takes usually four to seven days to deliver your packages.

As far as restaurants go, there are some great ones here making some delicious food. But choices are limited. Which means visiting the same ones on a regular basis. And there’s not much fast food food here. Just McDonalds, Subway and Sonic.

But I view this as a positive. Avoiding fast food leads to a healthier lifestyle. You’ll feel better, look better. And save more money.

Which is also true when it comes to shopping here.

Before hitting that “buy now” button on Amazon, maybe you’ll think twice if you really need that item. And with the lack of major retailers here, you’ll end up supporting more small businesses, who are your neighbors and your friends. Which is a great thing!

#8 Small Town

Now I think there’s always something to do in Pagosa. The skiing, the biking, the hiking, camping, kayaking, tubing…this place is an outdoor paradise. But if the outdoors aren’t your thing, you’re probably gonna get a little bored here.

Pagosa is a small town and there’s just not a lot to do here if it doesn’t involve the outdoors.

Now that’s starting to change. We now have axe throwing, a movie theater, and other businesses trying to fill this void. But we definitely lack the options that the suburbs and cities have.

And the night life…well, there’s not much of it. Downtown can look like a ghost town sometimes after 8pm.

But chances are, this is why you are interested in this area. You desire the peace and quiet of a small town where you can see the stars at night.

#7 Pagoslow

It’s a different pace of life here. It’s much slower compared to where you’re likely coming from. Which leads to the nickname Pago-slow.

There’s challenges of living in a more remote area. Which means it can take longer to find a repair guy or to get supplies in stock. Restaurants aren’t open every day of the week. Lines are longer certain times of the year. And it takes some time for government agencies to respond to any questions or permit requests.

Over time though you get used to this slower lifestyle. The stress of the hustle and bustle of the city doesn’t belong here. And you find that having to wait a little bit longer to get things done isn’t so bad after all.

But I can’t lie either. Sometimes it can be frustrating when we’re so used to these instant gratification from these devices called our phones.

I know a lot of this is simply first world problems. But you do need to be more prepared for this slower pace of life and how that can alter your schedule and expectations.

#6 Cell Service

Speaking of slow…that’s the case also with our cell service in this area. With our topography and vast expanse of land, you’re not always gonna have the best signal.

Driving up to Wolf Creek or even out to Durango, you’re a signal for half the drive.

Now if you’re staying within the Downtown or Pagosa Lakes area, you will a decent connection. But you also to be aware that during busier times, the networks can get overloaded and the data transfer rates can slow.

Internet as a whole can be challenging in some spots. But it’s honestly no longer an issue now that star-link is available. And Pagosa is actively working on providing fiber to downtown and uptown, which should be available to everyone over the next couple of years.

I do want to add this…we didn’t move here to stare at a screen. We’re here to live a life outside in the mountains. And not being dependent on that phone or computer helps you live that life you really want to live.

#5 Potholes and Gravel Roads

We have a lot of potholes here. And some are gigantic. This is due to the nature of living in a winter environment. Potholes tend to develop mostly in the winter with the freezing and thawing of roads.

The problem though is how long it can take to get potholes repaired here. Colorado is home to the third lowest property taxes in the nation. And the overall taxation here is lower than states like Texas. Which is a huge benefit…right?

But that also means lower revenue for our town and county infrastructure. Combine that with our small population but large amount of land mass, it can be very hard to keep our infrastructure up to date. There’s not enough gravel pits in the area.

Now this is quite the controversy here depending on your views and politics. But here’s how I look at this issue.

Yes, we have large potholes and gravel roads. But I’m also saving quite a bit of money in property and sales taxes compared to Texas. And I have off-road vehicles for a reason. I just wish it wasn’t to get into the grocery store parking lot. But this all does come down to values. And I can put up with the pot holes and gravel roads to stare at this kind of beauty every day.

Which leads to our next point.

#4 Mudseason

During March, April and May (and even February this year due to warmer than usual temps) all that snow we received over winter melts. It creates ponds and streams all over town and in our backyards. It turns our dirt and gravel roads into muddy messes. And all that mud collects on our cars and ends up in our garages.

Mud season is my least favorite time of year. It’s a great time to go on vacation. But it’s also a break from our tourist seasons. Town is quieter. There’s not as many people here. The lines at restaurants are no more. And it’s the start of rafting season along with the excitement of the upcoming summer. Which also happens to be peak season for reason number three.

#3 Tourism

Pagosa is a tourism town. Tourism is what provides the economy here along with many of the jobs and businesses in Pagosa Springs.

But with that tourism comes people. The population of town can double during peak weeks. Traffic increases. The shelves at our grocery stores empty out. Wait times at restaurants become longer. Powder days get tracked out faster. And Pagosa no longer seems like such a small town.

So there’s this love / hate relationship with tourism here among the locals. Some despise it. Others see it for what it is…an economic benefit that allows many of us to live this mountain lifestyle. But I’d say the silent majority here don’t even give tourism a second thought. They know the tricks on how to navigate it and still find there’s more than plenty of room for everyone to enjoy the peace and quiet of these mountains.

Honestly, where you live will determine how much tourism you see. Downtown is definitely busier than uptown. But if you don’t go downtown, you’ll hardly even notice the amount of tourism. Most neighborhoods remain quiet. Which leads us to…

#2 Vacation Home Community 

Less than 50% of homes here are occupied full-time by their owners. This means the other half are either second homes, long term rentals or short term rentals.

Now less than 10% homes here are rented out as STR’s. But they have generated some controversy here.

Opponents of STR’s will say they contribute to a loss of community. That occupants tend to be louder, they leave lights on and leave trash out that attracts bears and other animals.

Others will say that STR’s are really no different than long term rentals or full time owners. People are people. But STR’s tend to be better kept than LTR’s and contribute more money to our local economy.

Now here’s my own experience. STR’s on average are occupied 36% of the time. So they sit empty most of the year. I’ve yet to have a single problem arise with any of the STR’s near me or their renters. Everyone has been respectful. So I’ve never had a problem with one.

But when it comes to community though, due to the number of second home owners here, I think you’re more likely to find your community through clubs, organizations or other entities that share the same interests or beliefs that you do. Rather than your own neighborhood.

And finally, our number one reason why you may not want to move to Pagosa.

#1 Winter

People fall in love with Pagosa because of our amazing summers. They buy a house in the summer, enjoy our incredible transition to fall. And then here comes winter. They’re not quite prepared for it.

Downtown Pagosa receives on average about 67 inches of snow a year. Uptown receives even more, closer to 100 inches. And with all that snow comes quite a bit of work. Especially if you have to shovel your driveway and porches. And just when you think you’re done, the plows will come by your house and push all that snow from the road onto your driveway. Causing you to say a few curse words and then bust out the shovel once again.

Make no mistake! Winter is work!

But with that work comes some amazing opportunities to play in our outdoors. The amazing powder days at Wolf Creek can’t be beat. Then there’s cross country skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and more. But if you don’t enjoy playing in the snow, it can be hard to get through a winter here.

Honestly though,  it’s not as cold here as you would think. Pagosa has over 300 days of sunshine a year. And so long as the suns out on a winter day, it can actually be quite pleasant. There’s been days in January where I’m walking around without a coat because of how warm the sun feels. But once the sun goes down, it does get really cold. Often down into the single digits with occasional times below zero. All the more reason to cozy up next to the fire on a cold winters night.

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So there you have it. My top ten reasons to not move here. For some of you, this inspires you even more to make the move. For others, maybe it means just living here in the summer. Either way, let me know in the comments if I got it right, if I got it wrong or if I missed anything.

If you’re looking to move to this area, please reach out. We’d love to help you find the perfect home for you.

And as always, if you have any question what-so-ever about Pagosa or this area, we’d love to help you out. We’re proud to be a quality and useful resource even beyond the world of real estate. So reach out to us and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Until next time, cheers!