Mikaela Shiffrin’s Big Win, Colorado’s New Landlord Rules & A Frisco Condo You’ll Love | Episode 141

Ever dreamed of living—and playing—in the heart of the Colorado mountains? I’m Matt Dayton, Breckenridge native, Olympian, and mountain real estate guy. Each week on the Ski Summit Show, we talk about what’s happening on the slopes, what’s changing in Colorado real estate, and how to make the most of your mountain life. 

This week, we’ve got a fun mix:

• Mikaela Shiffrin absolutely destroying a World Cup slalom at Copper Mountain,
• A serious conversation about Colorado’s updated warranty of habitability law and what it means for landlords, and
• A closer look at a Basecamp Lofts condo in Frisco that puts you right in the middle of everything.

Let’s jump in.

Mikaela Shiffrin’s 104th World Cup Win at Copper Mountain

If you didn’t catch Mikaela Shiffrin’s run at Copper Mountain, do yourself a favor and find a replay. Her slalom was smooth, fast, and totally dominant—she won by almost a second and a half, which at that level is just wild. 

To put this in context:

• She’s now at 104 World Cup wins, the winningest skier of all time, men or women.
• She’s not even 30 yet.
• She did this one essentially at home, in Colorado, in front of a ton of locals and people who’ve watched her grow up in the sport.

As someone who’s competed on the World Cup circuit myself, I can tell you—there’s nothing like racing on home snow with people you know in the crowd. I had some of my best results in Steamboat Springs for exactly that reason. You’re still nervous, but there’s this extra layer of energy you can feel from the hill. 

Shiffrin’s win is also a nice early-season reminder that we live in a pretty special place. A lot of people travel across the world to watch or race at these venues. For us, it’s a quick drive.

Colorado’s New Habitability Rules: What Landlords Need to Know

Now, switching gears from racing to real estate law—if you own long-term rentals in Colorado, you really need to pay attention to the state’s updated warranty of habitability rules. These changes tighten timelines and raise the stakes if something goes wrong at your property. 

Here are the big points:

24-Hour and 72-Hour Deadlines

Colorado now distinguishes between emergency and non-emergency issues:

• 24-hour rule: If there’s a problem that affects life, health, or safety, you must respond and begin addressing it within 24 hours of being notified.
• 72-hour rule: For other “uninhabitable” conditions that aren’t life-threatening, you’ve got 72 hours to take action. 

In Summit County, that “life, health, safety” category is bigger than a lot of people realize. Common issues that could trigger the 24-hour clock include:

• Radon levels above the EPA action level of 4.0 pCi/L
• No heat between roughly October and April
• Active sewage backups
• Hazardous electrical issues (sparking, exposed wiring, major outages)
• Severe mold or water intrusion impacting health

Other problems—like non-emergency leaks, broken but essential appliances, or minor plumbing failures—tend to fall into the 72-hour category.

Why Radon Matters So Much Up Here

Radon is a naturally occurring gas, and in the mountains, high readings are very common. When I bought my own house, the radon level tested at 28—far above the recommended threshold—but with mitigation it dropped to under 1.0 and hasn’t been an issue since. 

The law is starting to treat radon more like mold or a gas leak: a serious environmental hazard. If a tenant tests and finds high levels, that can kick in the 24-hour response requirement. Ignoring it or dragging your feet is not an option anymore.

Penalties if You Miss the Window

If a landlord doesn’t respond in time or doesn’t take the issue seriously, tenants may now be able to pursue:

• Rent reductions or abatement
• Alternative housing paid for by the landlord
• “Repair-and-deduct” scenarios
• Attorney fees
• In retaliation cases, treble damages (triple the damages) 

In other words, it’s no longer enough to be “trying your best.” Courts are looking at systems and documentation:

• How tenants are instructed to report problems,
• When notice was received,
• How quickly you responded,
• And whether you can prove it.

Best Practices for Colorado Landlords

If you own rentals up here—especially long-term units—you’ll want to:

• Build clear reporting instructions into your lease (email, portal, emergency number).
• Train staff so that if the front desk or office assistant gets a habitability complaint, they know that the clock starts immediately.
• Do regular inspections to catch leaks, mold, or radon issues before tenants move in.
• Test for radon and keep the written results.

Being proactive will cost you far less than scrambling after a tenant complaint with a lawyer attached.

Market in a Minute: What’s Behind the Price Dip?

Now let’s talk numbers. When we look at Summit County’s median sales price for the most recent month, it looks like there’s been a pretty big drop—from about $1.25M down to around $1.185M. On the surface, that can feel like the market is suddenly softening. 

But once we dig into the actual closed sales, the story is more nuanced.

• There were 132 sales countywide over the period we looked at.
• The majority of those were under $1 million, which naturally pulls the median down.
• On the high end, the top sale was a stunning riverfront home in the South Forty Subdivision that closed around $4.674M—a property that sold for about $2.75M back in 2016. 

Cash is still a big factor up here too. Roughly 35–40% of recent transactions have been all-cash purchases, which has been pretty typical for our market over the last stretch. As interest rates improve, we may see that ratio shift a bit, but for now, there’s still a strong pool of well-qualified buyers who are not rate-sensitive. 

So is the market “crashing”? No. We’re seeing:

• More activity in the sub–$1M range,
• A healthy but not frantic number of high-end sales, and
• A market that’s recalibrating after the ultra-frenzied COVID years.

If you’re a buyer, that sub-million segment is where you’ll find more options right now. If you’re a seller at the high end, it’s more important than ever to price correctly and present the home really well.

Listing of the Week
Basecamp Loft in Frisco (185 Lusher Court #209)

For our Listing of the Week, we took a look at a condo that really captures what I’d call “efficient mountain living”: a Basecamp Loft in Frisco, located at 185 Lusher Court #209.

Here’s the quick breakdown:

• Approx. 590 sq ft of thoughtfully designed space
• Listed around $595,000
• Newer construction with clean, modern finishes
• Mini-split heating and air conditioning—a big plus with those south-facing windows and tight building envelope
• Open, bright interior that lives bigger than the square footage would suggest

What really sells this place, though, isn’t just the inside—it’s the location and lifestyle:

• Walkable to Whole Foods, a local brewery, coffee shop, and more.
• Quick access to I-70, making it a great launch point for skiing at Copper, Keystone, Breckenridge, and beyond.
• Close to the rec path and the lake, so you can bike, walk, and get outside without even starting your car. 

There are also some deed-restricted units in the same development coming in at lower price points (studios in the mid-$300s for qualified locals), which is encouraging for workforce housing. The unit we’re featuring is full market-rate, but it all fits into that bigger picture of trying to keep locals close to where they work and play.

If your idea of mountain living is less about square footage and more about access—to trails, ski resorts, groceries, coffee, and community—this kind of place makes a lot of sense. Live simple, travel light, and spend most of your time outside.

From Shiffrin carving up Copper Mountain to Colorado tightening landlord rules, and from shifting price stats to smartly located condos in Frisco, the theme this week is pretty simple:

Pay attention to the details—but don’t forget why you’re here.

If you’ve got questions about the habitability law changes, the current Summit County market, or this Basecamp Loft listing, I’m always happy to talk through it with you.

Thanks for reading and for tuning into the Ski Summit Show.

See you in the mountains soon…