"I'm talkin' about a place where the beer flows like wine. Where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. I'm talkin' about a place called Aspen." Lloyd (Played by Jim Carrey) - Dumb and Dumber
Sitting at an elevation of just under 8,000 feet along the Roaring Fork River, in a remote part of the Sawatch and Elk Mountains, this hard to reach and isolated part of the Colorado Rockies was founded by an adventurous group of miners. Established in 1879, Aspen quickly became a boomtown after emerging as the United State's most productive silver-mining district. These days it certainly still feels like a boomtown, but for an altogether different reason, instead of chipping away in a silver mine, it has made its modern day fortune from something different; the business of sliding down frozen water on two wooden planks. Yep, you guessed right, it's downhill skiing. The Aspen Skiing Corporation began life in 1946 by building a chairlift on Aspen Mountain. Since then, three separate ski areas sprung to life from the late 1950s onwards, these are Buttermilk, Aspen Highlands, and Snowmass. All combined it makes up one of the best-known ski towns in the world.
If you're thinking of searching for places to rent in Aspen, then you've struck gold! Or perhaps one should say silver, given the town's heritage
"I'm talkin' about a place where the beer flows like wine. Where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. I'm talkin' about a place called Aspen." Lloyd (Played by Jim Carrey) - Dumb and Dumber
Sitting at an elevation of just under 8,000 feet along the Roaring Fork River, in a remote part of the Sawatch and Elk Mountains, this hard to reach and isolated part of the Colorado Rockies was founded by an adventurous group of miners. Established in 1879, Aspen quickly became a boomtown after emerging as the United State's most productive silver-mining district. These days it certainly still feels like a boomtown, but for an altogether different reason, instead of chipping away in a silver mine, it has made its modern day fortune from something different; the business of sliding down frozen water on two wooden planks. Yep, you guessed right, it's downhill skiing. The Aspen Skiing Corporation began life in 1946 by building a chairlift on Aspen Mountain. Since then, three separate ski areas sprung to life from the late 1950s onwards, these are Buttermilk, Aspen Highlands, and Snowmass. All combined it makes up one of the best-known ski towns in the world.
If you're thinking of searching for places to rent in Aspen, then you've struck gold! Or perhaps one should say silver, given the town's heritage. Despite a small year-round population of just under 6,700, its status as an all-season tourist hotspot means that Aspen has an abundance of rental homes. Finding an apartment need not be a chore around these parts. However, take into consideration that the market is geared towards the needs of visitors. Therefore apartment prices are usually listed by their daily or weekly rate. However, it should be possible to negotiate a rate if you're seeking an annual tenancy. You'll want to allow around 2-3 weeks to find that perfect place though.
Wood Fire Ski Lodge or Cutting Edge Condo
When you start looking for rental apartments in Aspen, decide upon what kind of place you want. Many skiing enthusiasts are desperate for cutesy wood fire ski lodges or Alpine-style chalets, while others like modern rental condos with closer proximity to Aspen's downtown core. Whatever your preference, you are sure to find something to suit your needs in this charming ski town. Try to make a list of what your priorities are. Think about whether you'd like a dishwasher and washer and dryer in your property. Hot tubs and swimming pools are common extra perks found in many apartment units too. Most rental properties have been built and furnished to an extremely high standard, so it's highly unlikely that you'll encounter issues such as poor insulation, damp or frozen water pipes.
Ski In/Ski Out or Main Street Chic
If you're a keen skier or snowboarder, you'll probably want a place close to the trails, that means within walking distance of either Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk, Snowmass, or Aspen Highlands. If you want to be closer to shops, restaurants and other amenities then you might be happier on Aspen's Main St. However, the town isn't all that big so don't think that by prioritizing one thing, you'll have to sacrifice the other. Almost all needs are catered to across the town anyway. Understand that owning a car will make life a lot easier in Aspen and will give you quick and easy access to the slopes located further away such as Snowmass, a 20-minute drive west. It will also allow you to drive to neighboring towns further down the valley and cities such as Denver. However, there is a local bus service operated by the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority.
Making it Happen
Just like the town's altitude, demand for property rentals in Aspen remains sky high. Most rental properties tend to cater toward the higher end of the market and as a result prices are on the more expensive side. Given that most letting agents and landlords have no trouble renting their apartments on a weekly basis throughout peak season (June-September and December-April), be prepared to do some convincing that you'll bring more financial security and regular income to them as a tenant. The high cost of rent means that you should expect letting agencies and landlords to thoroughly vet you. They'll want to be sure that you can pay the rent on time each month. This mean a background and credit check is standard procedure, but they will also want proof of income or funds in order to ensure you are a serious potential tenant, not somebody wasting their time. Don't fret though, if you really mean business, none of this should be too much of an issue.
Aspen occupies the thin strip of land stretching across the Roaring Fork Valley floor and covers roughly 3.5 square miles. There is quite a bit of variation in the town's neighborhoods, although maybe isn't all that surprising considering that it's a major international winter sports holiday destination.
West End: A short walk from downtown, the West End is one of Aspen's oldest neighborhoods and this is reflected in the red brick Victorian architecture, a remnant of the town's silver-mining boom years. You'll also see plenty of newer properties too, including apartments. Every summer it is home to the world-renowned Ideas Festival.
Centennial: Apartments tend to be a bit more affordable here. It's located just underneath Smuggler Mountain, which has great access to the area's hiking trails and mountain bike paths.
Cemetery Lane: Perhaps Aspen's only purely residential neighborhood, you'll find a mix of the old and new here. Located on the town's western flank, it feels like a somewhat separate community but it's only a short bus ride or 15-minute walk into downtown.
East End: Nestled on the hill side, this neighborhood has unrivaled views of Aspen Mountain. It's a mix of newly built Alpine Chalet-style homes and older condos built in the 70s and 80s.
Most people will have preconceived notions of what a life in Aspen might be like. With all those beautiful mountains surrounding the town, abundant winter sports opportunities and a huge range of designer shops and fine dining options, you'd be forgiven for assuming that life here is one long vacation, if only eh? Well for some it is, but for everyone else it's quite the same as any other place, people get up in the morning and earn a living by going to work. But you'd be hard pressed to find any Aspen residents that are unhappy with life in these parts. If you're seriously considering calling Aspen your next home, you'll make the most of life here by embracing all that mother nature has to offer on the doorstep. Be that skiing, hiking or mountain biking. However, if that sounds far too adventurous for your tastes, just look out the living room window and gaze up at those awesome Rocky Mountain peaks and you won't regret moving here.
