If you live in Vail, you know we don’t have four seasons.
We have Ski Season, Mud Season, Summer Season and Off Season—which is really Everybody-Get-the-Heck-Out-of-
The rest of America calls it “off-season.”
In Vail, it’s more like an organized evacuation.
One minute everyone is here. The next minute Vail looks like somebody yelled, “LAST ONE OUT, TURN OFF THE LIGHTS!”
Restaurants close. Contractors disappear. Your hairdresser is in Costa Rica. Your dentist is in Italy. Your favorite bartender is surfing in Mexico. And apparently every Realtor in town is either in Cabo, Palm Beach or posting photos from Europe with the caption:
“Finally taking a little time for myself.”
And really, don’t we deserve a little break?
I mean, I’ve survived ski season. Summer season. Fun Buyers. Fun Sellers. Not so fun Inspections. Appraisals. I-70. And people who call at 9:30 at night and begin with those terrifying words:
“Just one quick question…”
Surely I’ve earned seven peaceful days somewhere with a beach, a book and a margarita.
Apparently, real estate disagrees.
Because there is no such thing as off-season for a Realtor.
The minute I board an airplane, the Vail real estate market apparently receives an alert:
LIZ HAS LEFT VAIL. BEGIN ALL TRANSACTIONS IMMEDIATELY.
A buyer who hasn’t returned my calls in six months suddenly wants to buy a $15 million house.
Today.
A seller who said, “There’s absolutely no rush,” suddenly needs something signed before lunch.
And someone I have never met will call while I’m sitting under an umbrella in Hawaii:
“Hi Liz! We’re in Vail for a few hours. Can you get us into that off-market property?”
Of course. (Thank heaven for my over-the-top assistants.)
Because apparently my cell phone works better from Hawaii than it does in Potato Patch.
But the truly ridiculous thing about Vail off-season is that we all leave Vail…and then find each other.
You walk into a restaurant in Cabo and hear:
“LIZ!”
Seriously?
I traveled 1,500 miles to get away and I’m sitting three tables from someone from Beaver Creek.
By day five, there are 14 Vail people at the bar, somebody has started discussing real estate, and we’ve basically recreated Vail Village—only with tequila.
Then comes the inevitable question:
“When are you going back?”
Because that’s the dirty little secret about Vail off-season.
We spend weeks saying, “Oh, I am looking forward to a break.”
Then we leave.
Three days later, we’re checking the Vail weather.
Five days later, we’re checking the snow cams.
Seven days later, we’re wondering if we should change our flight.
And by the time I finally get home, I’m rested, refreshed and ready to tackle real estate again.
I pull into my driveway, unload my suitcase, take one glorious look at the mountains and think:
There really is no place like Vail. Dropping into the Vail Valley in that bumpy little United jet, taking in the mountain beauty reminds me of why I am here in the first place.
Then my phone rings.
“Liz, sorry to bother you. We’re only in town for two hours. Any chance you could show us six houses?”
I look at my still-packed suitcase.
“Absolutely. When can you be ready?”
Because apparently off-season ends the minute my plane lands.
Actually, who am I kidding?
It ended the minute I ordered the margarita. So I’m going to take a little off-season of my own and give Life of a Realtor a short vacation. You’ll hear from me again later this year—rested, refreshed and undoubtedly armed with several new stories.
Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned about real estate, it’s this:
I can take a vacation. My material never does.
About Liz Leeds
Liz Leeds is a luxury real estate advisor specializing in Vail luxury real estate, Vail Village real estate, Beaver Creek, and Colorado’s premier mountain communities. With extensive experience representing exceptional homes and record-setting properties, Liz helps buyers and sellers navigate the luxury market with strategic insight, expert negotiation, and personalized service.
With her membership in REALM, an exclusive global network of realtors, Liz Leeds possesses the connections and expertise to facilitate a seamless transaction.