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Q: We've been looking at homes in Mammoth for the past year and at one point we asked our agent if we should consider looking in the Crowley area. Our agent said "it wasn't for us" but we've looked on our own and it seems like we can get a lot more for our money. We'd like to know what you think, should we be looking there?
A: The Crowley Lake area has changed dramatically in the past 15 to 20 years. Most people just think about fishing when they hear the name but the area does have plenty to offer. For your agent to simply dismiss the Crowley alternative as "it isn't for you" could mean many things. But most likely you have given your agent strong indications that it really wouldn't be a fit. But it is worth having a discussion about.
There are some real positives to the area. The lower elevation (a thousand feet lower, give or take, from Mammoth) means significantly less snowfall. After the kind of winter we have just had, that looks very appealing, even to second homeowners. The old saying is that summer starts a month earlier and lasts a month longer "down there." And it does. There are many days when Mammoth can be lightly stormy and it can be clear blue skies in Crowley. That difference alone has created the demand and growth we have seen.
From the real estate prospective, there is a real sense that you get more for your money in Crowley. There are only a couple of condominium projects in Crowley so we are really talking about single-family homes. In the current market in Mammoth, the $600,000 to $800,000 price range buys you an older home that usually is compromised in some way–a substandard lot and/or location, an older structure, etc.
In Crowley, that price range (especially the higher end of the price range) can buy a large modern built home on a nice lot, either in one of the new subdivisions or in one of the older areas that might have some really nice natural landscape. The reason for this is the inherent lower land values in Crowley and lower building costs. Those lower building costs are in part due to the elevation difference (snow load requirements, etc.) and differences between Town of Mammoth Lakes costs/requirements and those of Mono County.
Until you have actually lived in Crowley, you can't appreciate how spectacular the views are. Some properties have lake views and most have dramatic views of the Sierra, and some views of the Glass and White Mountains. And like Mammoth and all of Mono County, the area is very limited on development because of the limited amount of privately owned land. That will provide for the preservation of most of the natural open space that presently exists.
There are some downsides to the Crowley area. Anybody who has lived in Mammoth is spoiled for the lack of a real commute. Anything nearing two miles is arduous. So a 15-minute commute seems intolerable. But the view is wonderful and the congestion light. And many Crowley residents will point out that the time saved shoveling snow displaces the commute time. There is the inconvenience of having to plan your day if you don't want to make the drive more than once. And forget making those spur-of-the-moment decisions to do something or go someplace, like you can in Mammoth.
Another major downside for many second homeowners is the lack of tall pine trees in Crowley. It might sound crazy but many folks just can't have the "mountain experience" without towering pines to look at. And most brokers will agree that an investment in Crowley will most likely never appreciate like an investment in Mammoth, but that remains to be seen.
There are some interesting trends in the Crowley market. While the majority of homeowners are local residents, with many of them taking large equities out of Mammoth and "moving up" to Crowley, more and more second homeowners are looking at Crowley. Many are aging baby boomers that like the opportunity of a single story home on a larger lot. Many don't like the idea of maintaining a home during a big winter or like the idea of being able to "walk-away" during the winter and not worry about it. Some are looking for a larger lot for RV parking.
Another trend is towards larger homes. The homes in the Sierra Springs subdivision (the one closest to the Highway) are getting larger and larger. The first homes in the new LakeRidge Bluffs subdivision should be going up this summer and they will be big. That subdivision is destined to attract high-end second homeowners and they are going to want room for all of the kids and grandkids.
So Crowley "might not be for you" but on the other hand might be just what you are looking for after you have weighed all of the factors. The cost difference alone after acquisition, mortgage, taxes and maintenance may allow you to spend more time in the Sierra or retire earlier. Now there's a good reason to consider it.
Paul Oster is Broker/ Owner of RE/MAX of Mammoth. An archive of his past Q&A columns can be found a www.remax-mammoth.com. You can send him your real estate related questions to P.O. Box 2618, M.L. 93546-2618 or email him at pauloster@earthlink.net. All questions will be researched and presented with the greatest care but accuracy is not guaranteed. For legal, accounting, construction, etc., advice, seek out the appropriate professional.
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