Big Mountain Living at Slope.
You get a lot more for your money in Montana project.
When Eric Watson first saw the unique chalets at Slopeside on Big Mountain in Whitefish, Montana, he thought they would appeal to companies that want to host retreats for employees and clients.
Slopeside is an ideal retreat location. But the 3,500-sq.-ft. luxury homes also appeal to individual buyers from Alberta and the rest of the world.
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| The Slopeside development offers an opportunity to buy into the stable Whitefish real-estate market. |
"It's Aspen living at Montana proportions," says Eric Watson, managing director of Calgary-based Ultimate Properties International, which is marketing the homes. "You get a lot more for your money."
No buyer should miss the wonders of Whitefish, located about five hours southwest of Calgary, in beautiful Big Sky Country. The picturesque community offers great skiing, golfing, boating, fishing and other recreational opportunities during the day and plenty of entertainment options at night.
"You get all that at a fraction of the price of what you pay at a lot of the big American resorts," says Watson. "If you want to compare, developers in Canmore are coming with similar-sized units for $2 million-plus. The location is obviously quite appealing."
He's talking about the Northern Montana area, but he could also be talking about Slopeside itself, which overlooks Whitefish Lake, the largest body of water in the region.
"You strap on your skis, you swoosh down all of five seconds and your at the new base lodge," says Watson.
The 12 units, which range in price from $1.5-$1.9 million, feature four bedrooms, en-suite bathrooms, large kitchens and stone fireplaces in an open floor plan. Each home also contains distressed alder cabinetry, antique hardware, granite-slab kitchen countertops, a large dining area and deck, and a mud room where you can store your skis, clubs and other gear.
"In Colorado or even Wyoming, these units would be anywhere from $3 million-$6 million," says Watson. "It gives Albertans an opportunity to buy into a market that is still quite stable with the advantage that there's a lack of supply and there's still pretty solid demand."
Chances are, you have already visited Whitefish, but you might not recognize the revised mountainside, which can now be reached more easily thanks to a new highway that has ended the days of navigating irritating switchbacks.
Slopeside is part of a new Whitefish community master plan that will feature more housing in the future, helping to keep the market strong for years to come.
Slopeside was built by Australia-based developer Walker Corporation, which builds quality multi-family residential, commercial and industrial properties around the globe.
"We've been approached to do a lot of developments in the United States," says Watson. "This is the only one that we've actually taken on to date, because we feel that it has a really strong tie to the Alberta market."
Founded six years ago, Ultimate Properties International has an exclusive affiliation with Christie's Great Estates. Christie's, owned by the same group that operates the world-famous auction house, only allows firms that have a leading market share, meet strict standards of service excellence, and demonstrate proven records of success in handling distinctive properties to become affiliated brokers under the highly respected Christie's Great Estates brand name.
"I'm probably approached by three or four developers a week from the States that want us to market their properties," says Watson. "But we're quite selective in what we bring on."
And Slopeside is designed for the selective buyer.
If you are a skier and/or golfer, you will also receive a membership in the Big Mountain Club. Membership includes activities and events that are complimentary or available at preferred prices.
The golf portion of the club includes two courses. The 18-hole Big Mountain Golf Club, formerly known as Northern Pines, located in Kalispell, was designed by two-time U.S. Open champion Andy North and contains 7,100 yards of rolling hills, reminiscent of Scottish links courses on the front nine and a more traditional back nine.
The second course, Eagle Bend, located at Big Fork, was designed by Jack Nicklaus Jr. The 27-hole layout includes the 6,700-yard Championship Course and the Lake Nine which can also be played as 18 holes using the Championship front or back nine.
Watson invites qualified buyers to come down to Whitefish and experience all that the area has to offer. You can also check out nearby Kalispell, a city of 75,000 that's about a 20-minute drive south and has all shopping conveniences and an international airport with flights to and from major U.S. cities.
Columbia Falls, which offers many excellent fishing spots, and Glacier National Park are also easily accessible.
"People that come down and take a look at Slopeside will appreciate the quality that is put into the units," says Watson. "It's a fabulous offering."
For information, call Eric Watson at (403) 701-5110, e-mail him at ewatson@UltimateProperties.ca, or visit www.slopesidebigmountain.com.
