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    Part of John Denver’s Former Rocky Mountain Estate Just Hit the Market for $8.5 Million

    Nearly three decades after his death at age 53, a chunk of John Denver’s longtime Denver estate is newly available. The legendary singer/songwriter had the mountain getaway in Aspen‘s exclusive gated Starwood community custom-built at the height of his career in the early 1970s, and though the main residence is off the market, a couple of buildings on an adjacent parcel are now up for grabs, asking a dash under $8.5 million.

    Originally designed as a guesthouse and recording studio, the property was last sold this past April for nearly $4.8 million. Since converted into a full-fledged home courtesy of extensive renovations, the two wood-sided and metal-roof structures feature a total of five bedrooms and an equal number of baths in a little more than 2,900 square feet of rustic living space that still retains a stained-glass installation from Denver’s tenure.

    A stained-glass installation left behind by Denver’s estate is featured prominently in the fireside living room.

    Michael Brands

    RELATED: An Aspen Estate Sells for $108 Million, Becoming Colorado’s Most Expensive Residential Sale

    Tucked away on five acres of land overlooking picturesque valley and mountain vistas, about 15 minutes outside of downtown Aspen, the single-story residence is highlighted by a spacious great room boasting wood-beam ceilings and a wall of sliding glass doors opening to an expansive deck. Within that space, a cozy living area is warmed by a striking stone and copper wood-burning fireplace flanked by built-in shelving, and a sleekly designed kitchen is outfitted with a central island, stainless appliances, and an accompanying dining area.

    Elsewhere is a fireside primary suite displaying an inviting bath equipped with dual vanities and a large shower; and outdoors, the separately deeded lot with its own driveway hosts a relaxing hot tub and a step-down gathering area that’s ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining. There’s also a one-car garage.

    A kitchen and dining area offers up sweeping mountain views.

    Michael Brands

    RELATED: Aspen Is Getting Its First ‘Watch Week’ This Summer

    Per the listing, which is held by PJ Bory of Christie’s International Real Estate Aspen Snowmass, a $750 annual HOA fee also provides the new owner access to Starwood’s exclusive amenities, which include 24-hour security, postal and fire stations, a conference room, tennis courts, cross-country ski trails, horse pastures, and 70-plus acres of meadows and hiking trails.

    One of the most popular and bestselling acoustic performers of the ’70s, Denver’s numerous hits included Take Me Home, Country Roads, Sunshine on My Shoulders, and Rocky Mountain High. In addition to an induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and a Grammy win for “Best Musical Album for Children,” he founded the environmental foundation Windstar. The New Mexico native died in October 1997 when an experimental plane he was piloting crashed into California’s Monterey Bay, with his cremated ashes scattered across the Rocky Mountains. 

    Click here for more photos of John Denver’s Aspen house.

    Michael Brands More

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    Forget Aspen. Buyers Are Avoiding Crowds and Snapping Up Luxury Homes in Boulder Instead.

    While Aspen and Vail are arguably the country’s most famous destinations for skiers, Boulder is quickly becoming one of Colorado’s hottest spots for high-end real estate.  

    New homes are popping up on the market and Boulderites are snapping them up at a rapid rate, according to Mansion Global. In 2022, only 10 properties priced over $5 million were sold while there were absolutely zero takers in the $10 million or more range. However, this year, at least 14 homes over $5 million have closed and there have been four homes that sold for over $10 million.  

    Homebuyers are flocking to Boulder, Colorado instead of famous ski towns like Aspen and Vail.

    George Rose/Getty Images

    “In Boulder, we’ve always had extremely luxurious homes, they’ve just never come to market before,” Compass agent Patrick Brown explained to the listing site. “Now that we’re starting to get a luxury market here, people are willing to settle and they’re willing to invest in the extremely high-end market. In the luxury market, we’re stronger than we were last year despite other parts of the market having stabilized or have slowed down a bit.” 

    Due to the increase in demand and an overall lack of inventory, the average price for a luxury home in Boulder spiked from $5.89 million to more than $8 million. Plus, the average construction cost has grown from $500 per square foot to $700 and sometimes $800 per square foot over the past five years, which has turned buyers attention towards modern, newly built homes rather than ones they’ll have to renovate.

    Luxury homes in Boulder are now commanding over $8 million.

    Glenn Asakawa/Getty Images

    “Our luxury market is extremely strong. We got exponentially more expensive between 2020 and 2022, and we’re definitely a lifestyle destination,” Mile Hi Modern broker Jennifer Egbert told Mansion Global. “It was surprising at first to see high-dollar houses move at a rapid rate, but that’s what this market has turned into. There’s almost not enough high-end inventory.” 

    Of course, there are still options if you’re looking to own a prime piece of ski country real estate. In Old North Boulder, a $6.3 million hillside manse is currently in the building phase but is slated for completion in spring 2024. On the other hand, this renovated Edwardian-style home in Mapleton Hill can be scooped up right now for $4.2 million. At the tippy top of the market is a $13 million glass and stone estate that appears to be the most expensive home in Boulder County.  More

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    Reclusive French Entertainer Claudine Longet Lists $60 Million Aspen Estate

    Over the summer, a 5.4-acre estate within the private Red Mountain Ranch enclave just north of downtown Aspen, Colo., came to market with an $80 million price tag. Had it sold for anywhere near the sky-high asking price, it would have easily surpassed the current record—$72.5 million—for the most expensive home ever sold in the wealthy and notoriously pricy Rocky Mountain retreat. Alas, with no takers ready to break that real estate record, the price has since tumbled by about 25% to its current (and still eye-popping!) $59.5 million. 

    Described in marketing material as “Aspen’s last great property,” the unpretentious estate “offers privacy, luxury, and stunning views from Aspen Mountain to Mount Sopris.” In addition to the main house, which disperses three bedrooms and three bathrooms over about 3,500 square feet, there’s an almost 1,400-square-foot studio/guesthouse with another bedroom and bath, plus a detached two-car garage.

    The main house sits just above a small private pond.

    Mountain Home Photo/Sotheby’s International Realty

    Capped by a green metal roof, the wood-clad two-story main house spills out to a huge deck and a flagstone patio perched above a boulder-strewn lawn that rolls down to and surrounds a postcard-ready private pond with the Rocky Mountains as its dramatic backdrop. The guesthouse, which also has a deck with stunning mountain views, is privately squirreled away from the main house amid a forest of mature cottonwood and aspen trees. 

    Gorgeous and alluring at every time of year, with a slender stream that meanders through it, the picturesque property has the potential to be split into several lots, according to listings held by Lex Tarumianz of Aspen Snowmass Sotheby’s International Realty and Brian Hazen at Coldwell Banker Mason Morse.

    A stream meanders through the estate’s rolling landscape.

    Mountain Home Photo/Sotheby’s International Realty

    Tax records show the property is owned by French entertainer Claudine Longet, now in her 80s. Longet skyrocketed to showbiz stardom in the early 1960s when she married crooner Andy “Mr. Christmas” Williams. During her time in the showbiz limelight, she released numerous albums and appeared in many TV programs and movies, including opposite Peter Sellers in Blake Edwards’s 1968 box-office hit The Party. (She also sang the dreamy song Nothing to Lose in the film.)

    Sometime after she and Williams split up in 1970, Longet moved to Aspen, where she’s lived a quiet life among the world’s snow skiing glitterati since she was convicted in 1977 on a negligent homicide charge in connection to the accidental shooting death of her then boyfriend, former Olympic skier Spider Sabich. She later married local Aspen attorney Ron Austin, who represented her at her trial. The couple has long maintained a home in Hawaii as well.

    Click here for all the photos of 209 East Reds Road.

    Mountain Home Photo/Sotheby’s International Realty More

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    Yellowstone IRL? You Can Now Rent Kevin Costner’s Colorado Ranch for $36,000 a Night

    While Kevin Costner’s character on Yellowstone refuses to sell his cattle ranch in Montana, the actor has no problem opening his 160-acre Colorado homestead IRL. In fact, the Dutton-esque dwelling is currently up for rent for a whopping $36,000 per night.  

    Dubbed Dunbar Ranch, Costner’s Aspen compound is aptly named after the lieutenant he played in the Oscar-winning film Dances With Wolves. He originally bought the parcel of land back in 2000, before turning it into the wilderness retreat it is today, reported the New York Post. The pastoral property sits at the base of Independence Pass, hidden amongst the Elk Mountain Range and secluded within a lush pine forest. In terms of accommodations, the spread has 12 bedrooms across its three stately residences with enough room to sleep over two dozen people. The standalone structures include a main house, village house and river house. There are also 24/7 caretakers, private lakes and a baseball field on-site. You know, just in case you wanted to live out your own Field of Dreams fantasy.  

    Kevin Costner’s ranch in Aspen, Colorado is available to rent for $36,000 a night

    David Marlow Photography/Amy Mottier with Coldwell Banker Mason Morse

    The crown jewel, however, is the main estate which spans an impressive 5,800 square feet and is decked out with rustic decor resembling an upscale cabin. Think lots of exposed wood, warm oak ceilings and stone accents. In the living room, you’ll find a striking double-sided fireplace that will come in handy during the winter months. Even more amazing, though, is the primary suite, which has a secret trap door that leads down to a hidden hot tub with its own waterfall and jaw-dropping views of the Rockies. Because why not? 

    A trap door in the primary bedroom leads to an outdoor hot tub

    David Marlow Photography/Amy Mottier with Coldwell Banker Mason Morse

    When you’re not hitting the area’s iconic slopes, there’s plenty to do around Dunbar Ranch. Depending on the season, guests can go tubing down the sledding hill, spend the afternoon ice fishing or explore the property on cross-country skis. In the summer, kayaking, paddle boarding, hiking and biking are all on the table. Additional activities including horseback rides can also be arranged, allowing visitors to channel their inner cowboy.  

    Amy Mottier of Coldwell Banker Mason Morse-Aspen has the listing.  

    Click here to see all the photos of Dunbar Ranch.

    David Marlow Photography/Amy Mottier with Coldwell Banker Mason Morse More

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    Dunbar Ranch in Photos

    <!– <!– _ _ _ ____ _ _____ _ ___ | | (_) | _____ / ___|___ __| | ___ | ____| |__|__ | | | | |/ / _ | | / _ / _` |/ _ | _| | '_ / / | |___| | Dunbar Ranch in Photos – Robb Report ad More

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    This 316-Acre Colorado Ranch Once Owned by Late Rocker Joe Cocker Just Listed for $18 Million

    Many of late music legend Joe Cocker’s greatest hits are songs that he put his own soulful spin on. Now one lucky buyer has the opportunity to add their own twist to the cover artist’s former Colorado abode. 

    Known as Mad Dog Ranch, the British rocker’s English Tudor–style estate sits on 316 acres in the picturesque North Fork Valley. The 15,873-square-foot manse and guest house were custom-built in 1994 by award-winning architect John D. Kelley for Cocker—who later passed away in 2014 at the age of 70—and his wife. Altogether, the lavish spread contains a whopping 15 bedrooms and 15 bathrooms, which justifies its hefty $18 million price tag. The ranch even comes with Cocker’s extensive art and book collection, plus a historic snooker table that once belonged to King Edward VII. 

    A Colorado ranch that once belonged to late British singer Joe Cocker has just listed for $18 million.

    Joshua Johnson

    “This is the most remarkable home I have ever walked into, and the attention to detail is uncompromising,” listing agent Dan Dockray of LIV Sotheby’s International Realty in Colorado tells Forbes. “It’s situated in the most serene and exclusive location on the West Elk Mountains; there is nothing else like it. The home is luxurious beyond expectations and yet still feels comfortable and unpretentious, an outstanding combination of vision executed in a dramatic setting.” 

    The stately main residence offers up seven suites, 10 bathrooms and four powder rooms. Among its most notable elements is a massive terrace that spans the length of the entire home with patios, seating areas and outdoor fireplaces. Internally, there are old-world details, including soaring vaulted ceilings, sweeping staircases and stone fireplaces. Elsewhere you’ll find a living room, a chef’s kitchen, a formal dining room, a cozy library and a billiards area.  

    Known as Mad Dog Ranch, the home was inspired by English Tudor–style estates.

    Joshua Johnson

    Outside, the grounds are the only thing able to one-up the château itself. Think sprawling gardens, 60 acres of irrigated pastures, horse stables and dual amusement park-sized water slides that lead to a large swimming pond. There are also hiking and biking trails that run throughout the property and the prized pad itself is surrounded by a national forest. “The setting is powerful, enchanting, and it provides the ultimate escape,” adds Dockray.

    Whoever gets to scoop up Cocker’s former digs, there’s a good chance they’ll be singing, “You are so beautiful, to me.” 

    Click here to see all the photos of Mad Dog Ranch.  

    Joshua Johnson More

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    Mad Dog Ranch in Photos

    <!– <!– _ _ _ ____ _ _____ _ ___ | | (_) | _____ / ___|___ __| | ___ | ____| |__|__ | | | | |/ / _ | | / _ / _` |/ _ | _| | '_ / / | |___| | Mad Dog Ranch in Photos – Robb Report […] More

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    MLB Hall of Famer Larry Walker’s Former Colorado Mansion Hits the Market for $4 Million

    In 2020, Larry Walker made history as the first ever Rockies player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Now, the retired slugger’s former Colorado mountain mansion is up for grabs.

    Originally built in 1996, Walker’s one-time estate has hit the market for $3.9 million and offers up some seriously stunning vistas. Located less than an hour outside of Denver and nestled into the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the wilderness residence features eight bedrooms and 12 bathrooms. Spanning 12,452 square feet, the home sits on a roughly six-and-a-half-acre lot in the secluded enclave of Evergreen. 

    “The previous owners of this Hall of Fame home paid special attention to the home’s exterior, mirroring what is typically only found along some of the state’s best hiking and biking trails,” notes the listing, which is held by Delroy Gill and Stuart Crowell of LIV Sotheby’s International Realty. The outdoor areas here really do feel like stepping into a postcard-worthy park. Think a spacious backyard with an expansive deck and a lush, private stone patio. At the front, you’re greeted with a cascading waterfall feature reminiscent of what you might come across on a scenic trek.  

    A mountain mansion in Colorado once owned by Rockies player Larry Walker just listed for $3.9 million.

    Fortem Media/LIV Sotheby’s International Realty

    Inside, the manse has seen its fair share of modernizations throughout the years. Today, you’ll find vaulted ceilings, six fireplaces and brand-new hardwood flooring throughout. Of course, what would a renovation be without the addition of some contemporary amenities? The pad has been updated with a wine cellar, a sauna, a library, a gym and a home theater. There’s also a guest house positioned above the garage. 

    The home has been renovated and includes a home theater and game room in the basement.

    Fortem Media/LIV Sotheby’s International Realty

    Upon entering the main home, a statement-making grand staircase is the first thing to catch your eye, outfitted with rod iron handrails. If you’re curious, it leads up to a lofted living room that has perhaps the best views of the nearby mountains. Elsewhere, a chef’s kitchen has been decked out with state-of-the-art appliances including two ovens, three stovetop ranges and a gigantic fridge. A large center island acts as the anchor of the space. Downstairs, the basement has been converted into the ultimate game room, with its own billiards table and bar. The only thing Walker’s one-time home is missing? A batting cage. 

    Click here to see all the photos of Larry Walker’s former Colorado mansion.

    Fortem Media/LIV Sotheby’s International Realty More