Pine CO real estate

Who knows how many conversations about owning Pine CO real estate have started this way. Or more likely, the animal being considered would have been a horse. There are lots of horse people up in the hills around the picturesque little town of Pine, and yaks have indeed found themselves at home in the hills. There’s plenty of room to roam the mountain slopes and valleys on horseback, and it’s a hikers’ paradise with miles and miles of great trails. Rock climbers test their skills in nearby Sphinx Park, among other excellent locales in the vicinity. Mountain biking and fly fishing along the South Platte River are popular activities as well. Yaks, and some people, just seem to like it for the peaceful views.

In the foothills southwest of the Denver Metro area, at an elevation of 6,811 feet, Pine offers home settings ranging from mountain cabins to established neighborhoods on spacious lots, including luxurious retreats and turn-of-the-20th-century historic buildings. Most of the area is in Jefferson County, with the westernmost part reaching into Park County; in both, the tax rates are modest. The schools of both counties are well regarded. In Jeffco, Elk Creek Elementary was rated “High” in the 2005-06 Colorado School Accountability Report, with academic growth as stable. West Jefferson Middle School, located in nearby Conifer, offers a rich academic and afterschool activities program, and parent involvement is high as one might expect in a small school. Conifer High School achieved an “Excellent” rating on the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) tests for school year 2005-06, and the Girls Softball team won the Colorado State Championship in 2003. For homes in the western sections of the area, the Platte Canyon School District includes Deer Creek Elementary, Fitzsimmons Middle School, and Platte Canyon High School. All were rated “High” on the CSAP for 2005-06, the same as the nearby Jefferson County schools with the exception of Conifer High’s Excellent. When you consider looking at Pine Colorado real estate for sale you will find that the school system offers everything you need.

As you drive out US Highway 285 from Denver you see some homes and restaurants around the crossroads at Colorado Highway 126 (Pine Valley Road). If you think that’s all there is to Pine, though, you’ve made the same mistake that many others have, going by on the highway. To get to the historic old town district you take Pine Valley Road a few miles south through a twisty canyon until you come to Crystal Lake, the South Platte, and the old town of Pine where Elk Creek joins the river. After you take a look around town, in the summer you might try heading a mile and a half farther north, up Elk Creek Road to the Bucksnort Saloon in Sphinx Park. The Bucksnort, besides having probably the best name ever for a bar, is a century-old log building in a setting that includes boulders bigger than houses. The word “picturesque” may be overworked around our old Colorado mountain towns, so we’ll leave you to come up with a better one.

The population in the Pine ZIP code area 80370 was estimated at 3,351 in 2004, up very slightly from the 2000 official census report. Pine Colorado real estate has been a fairly stable area in terms of price and availability. The year 2006 began with average prices at $415K and median $350K. Although seasonal variations saw increases in the spring and dips in late summer, the December 06 - January 07 figures averaged out to remarkably the same, at $414.5K and $349K respectively. The number of Pine Colorado homes for sale was 63 in January 06, a peak of 83 in July, and 50 in December. If you love the mountains, fresh air, animals, rustic and (that word again – fill in your own) places, then it’s pretty likely one of the available Pine Colorado homes will be perfect for you.

Be sure to check out our search tool for Pine real estate, Automated Homefinder, for more information and access to over 40,000 Colorado listings. You will not only find everything you need to decide on Pine CO real estate listings, but you can also broaden your search to make sure you haven’t missed considering any of the other fascinating places that Colorado has to offer. It’s free, and there is never an obligation.