Mountain homes
Buying a Second Home in the Mountains Near Denver
Pick a Colorado mountain home by drive time, winter access and insurance first.
A live person answers. Not a robot, not a phone tree.
Drive time, winter, insurance
How do I choose a mountain second home near Denver?
Pick a mountain home by drive time, winter access and insurance first, then the view. Evergreen's single-family median over the last 12 months is $965K (MLS, updated November 10, 2026), while Summit County single-family homes averaged $2,388,559 in Q4 2025 (Land Title). Get a written insurance quote before you sign a contract.
Foothills or resort town?
- Foothills: Evergreen sits about 43 minutes from Denver Union Station without traffic (OSRM routing estimate). Single-family median $965K over the last 12 months (MLS, updated November 10, 2026).
- Summit County: single-family average $2,388,559 in Q4 2025 (Land Title via comtnrealty).
- Aspen: single-family median $13.2 million in 2025 (Aspen Board of Realtors via Colorado Sun).
- Conifer, Genesee and Morrison are also foothills areas west of Denver.
What needs checking on a mountain home?
- Water: public, private well or other. The seller discloses the source.
- Septic: type, permit date, last inspection and last pumping go on the Colorado disclosure.
- Radon: Colorado sellers disclose known radon and give buyers radon information (SB23-206).
- Roads: county-plowed or private, and who pays. Internet: confirm the provider and speed at the address before you offer.
How does financing work?
- 2026 conforming limit: $1,249,125 in Eagle County, $1,209,750 in Garfield and Pitkin counties and $1,092,500 in Summit County; $862,500 in the Denver metro counties (FHFA).
- Loans above those limits are jumbo loans.
- {{MIKE}} quotes second-home terms on your numbers.
Can I rent it out?
- Each town and county sets its own short-term rental rules.
- In Breckenridge, a rental license does not transfer when the home sells.
- Read the town and county rules before you count on rental income.
- Summit County posts its short-term rental rules and FAQs online.
How do I budget a mountain home?
- Insurance: get a written quote first. Snow removal and private road fees.
- HOA dues in resort condos and townhomes.
- Property tax at the 2026 local-government assessment rate of 6.80% (Colorado Division of Property Taxation).
- Your time: weekend traffic on I-70.
Does altitude matter?
- The CDC places altitude illness at 8,000 to 10,000 feet (CDC Yellow Book, 2026).
- Breckenridge sits at 9,600 feet (Breckenridge Resort). Denver sits at 5,280.
- Spend a few nights at elevation before you buy. Talk to your doctor.
- Denver to Evergreen is a smaller climb than Denver to Summit County.
Financing by Rate: Mike Oswald, VP of Mortgage Lending, NMLS #261003, (720) 677-5816. Guaranteed Rate, Inc. d/b/a Rate, NMLS #2611. Equal Housing Lender. Licensing: nmlsconsumeraccess.org. You may use any lender; The Kenna Group receives nothing for the introduction. Not a commitment to lend; loans are subject to credit approval.
Homes for sale now
Mountain homes for sale near Denver.
Single-family homes from $1,000,000 in Evergreen, Conifer, Morrison, Kittredge, Bailey, Pine, Indian Hills, Idledale, Idaho Springs and Georgetown. Active and Coming Soon listings from REcolorado, the Denver MLS.
Want to see one of these, or a home that is not on the market yet? Call or text 303-955-4220. A live person answers.
Quick answers
Questions, answered.
How far are the mountains from Denver?
Evergreen is about 43 minutes from Denver Union Station without traffic (OSRM estimate). Summit County is farther west on I-70.
What is the jumbo limit in Summit County for 2026?
$1,092,500 (FHFA). Loans above it are jumbo loans.
Do mountain towns charge a transfer tax?
Some do, including Aspen and Crested Butte. Check the town before you write an offer.
Sources
Where the numbers come from.
- MLS (REcolorado), Evergreen single-family sales, last 12 months
- Land Title data via comtnrealty, Summit County market stats Q4 2025
- Colorado Sun, Aspen Board of Realtors data (Mar 20, 2026)
- FHFA Conforming Loan Limit Values Map (2026)
- SB23-206, Disclose Radon Information for Residential Property
- Summit County, Short-Term Rental FAQs
- CDC Yellow Book 2026, High-Altitude Travel and Altitude Illness
- Breckenridge Resort, Breckenridge elevation
- Colorado Division of Property Taxation, Residential Local Government Assessment Rate (2026)
On the map
Where are these luxury areas on the map?
Each numbered pin is a luxury area mentioned on this page. Tap a pin to see homes for sale there.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Pins show an area’s approximate center.
Where to go next
Keep reading.
Free playbook
The Colorado Luxury Downsizing Playbook.
Sell the estate, buy the right home, move once. The 12-week plan, the tax and cash questions, the ranch, patio, 55+ and golf communities, and the checklist. 8 pages, free.
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Private consultation
Ask us about buying a second home in the mountains near denver.
303-955-4220A live person answers. Not a robot, not a phone tree.
- Private showings on your schedule, including evenings and weekends.
- Off-market homes from The Kenna Group's agent network.
- One point of contact from the first showing to the closing table.
Kenna Luxury Real Estate is a division of The Kenna Group at Keller Williams DTC (KWDTC).