Jackson Hole Homes

Possibilities Endless For Creating The Perfect Jackson Hole Home

One visit to Jackson Hole is often all it takes to inspire a visitor to purchase Jackson Hole property. With the Tetons as a backdrop, and moose and elk as your neighbors, Jackson Hole offers the perfect location for that dream “home on the range.”

If you are considering home ownership in Jackson Hole, you might first want to prepare yourself for “sticker shock.” During the winter of 2002, the average price for a home in Teton County topped $1 million. From 1990 to 2000, property prices tripled in Jackson Hole. As daunting as these statistics appear, eager Jackson Hole home buyers should not despair. For those who have the energy to explore Jackson Hole, do the requisite research and not rule anything out in advance, there are treasures to be found.

A Jackson Hole home or plot of land is both a productive investment and a fulfilling residence. Property in Teton County has appreciated greatly over the last couple of decades, and for several reasons, it’s a safe bet that land values won’t taper off anytime soon. First and foremost, more than 95 percent of Teton County is unavailable for purchase or development, as it is owned and managed by the government in the form of National Park, National Forest or National Elk Refuge. Such defined limits to growth will continue to place upward pressure on Jackson Hole home and land costs.

In addition, there are numerous lifestyle reasons that have increased demand for a Jackson Hole home and Jackson Hole real estate. Sophisticated amenities of Jackson Hole attract home buyers, from world-class restaurants to fine art galleries. Plus, telecommunications and the Internet give many the freedom to move here while continuing their profession. Finally, many home buyers are attracted to the fact that Wyoming imposes no income taxes and maintains low property and inheritance taxes.

Current Market For Jackson Hole Homes
Currently, condo and townhouse prices begin around $350,000, with an average list price of about $650,000 in the Jackson Hole valley proper – that is, between the Teton Range in the west and the Gros Ventre mountains to the east; from the town of Moran to the north and Hoback Junction to the south.

At Teton Village, the price for low-end condos starts at about $350,000, but the average price for a ski-in, ski-out place is more than $2 million. Several new projects are under development or in the works at the base of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

Choosing A Jackson Hole Home
If you’re thinking about building your dream Jackson Hole home, it is an experience of a lifetime that will draw on all of your creativity, personality and energy. Size up your courage level and plunge in.

 Jackson Hole is home base to many nationally recognized architectural firms to render your dream design and manage it through to fulfillment. A local architect also will be able to tell you much about the traditions and history of western design and materials, about the realities of building for Rocky Mountain seasons, and about Jackson Hole’s specific idiosyncrasies, ranging from site selection to contractors.

If you would rather look at existing houses, the Jackson Hole real estate market runs the gamut from cozy cabins to palatial homes with commanding, hillside views. For those who like to be in the center of activity, the town of Jackson may be the right place to look; it’s got a variety of neighborhoods that mix condominiums with new single-family homes, as well as older, even historic houses.

For more seclusion, try Wilson where you can find both funky old cabins as well as lodges with access to fishing and the national forest. North of town, several subdivisions offer priceless vistas of the Tetons or Sleeping Indian Mountain. Teton Pines has the golf and tennis amenities to recommend it, and of course Teton Village is the place for ski-in convenience and luxury.

Whichever course you think you’ll choose, take the time to meander the back roads around Jackson Hole and talk to locals. You’ll learn the lay of the land, the difference in feel between an east-facing and west-facing hillside, the varying characteristics of our neighborhoods and towns, and the wonderful changes in perspective as you view the surrounding ranges and riverbeds from many angles. //