Robbie's Top Home Buying Tips:
How to spot value -- and RESALE value -- in new Pagosa homes.

BALANCE
Look at the overall "balance" of the home's quality and features. Is the home too big for the tiny lot it was built on? Is it too small for its large lot? Did the builder use expensive light fixtures -- but cheap bathroom fixtures? Ideally, your new home will be consistent throughout in the quality of materials used, so that most features project the same level of value.

ROOF
Winter snow loads can be hard on Pagosa roofs. The most common roofing material in Pagosa is metal "pro-panel." This is a very durable material that sheds snow efficiently. Another common material is composite shingles, which "hold" the snow and may increase the insulating value of the roof during snow season. But shingles need to be high quality, and expertly installed, or you will find yourself replacing them after just a few seasons.

Look at how snow will shed off the roof during the winter months. The north side of a home gets very little sun during the winter, so the snow will stay much longer than on the other sides of the house. If the house has its front door or garage door on the north side, look carefully where your snow piles will end up. (For reference, Pagosa Peak is due north from most Pagosa residential areas.)

Homes with complex roof structures -- many peaks and valleys -- can sometimes suffer from ice dam formation, which sometimes damage roof materials and lead to major roof repairs. A simple roof line is much less prone to damage.

SIDING MATERIALS
Vinyl, cement and composite siding materials are fairly inexpensive and durable, but will not add resale value to your home like the beauty of cedar or wood siding. On the other hand, wood siding takes a real beating from Pagosa's high-altitude sun, so you need to keep your wood siding well maintained, with high quality stains or other protective finishes.

DRIVEWAYS
Asphalt driveways often fare better than concrete in Pagosa's variable climate. Concrete suffers not only from freezing and thawing -- causing clips and cracks -- but is even more prone to failure if it was poured during cold weather.

DOORS
Are the doors cheap hollow core, or nice solid wood doors? Look at their installation closely and test them out. With the dramatic climate differences throughout the year in Pagosa, doors and other home features can expand and contract -- they need to be good quality and carefully installed from the very beginning, or they will give you trouble down the road.

Look closely at the molding -- is it clear, solid wood or "wood-look" plastic? Did the contractor fill the nail holes? Little details can tell you about the contractor's overall approach to quality.

WINDOWS
Winter can be cold in Pagosa. You will want windows that are double pane, gas filled. Single pane windows often suffer from condensation during the colder parts of the year.

HEATING
The two most popular heating systems in new Pagosa homes are radiant in-floor and forced air. Radiant in-floor is more expensive to install but may be more economical to operate. It produces warm floors and a very slow-changing, even, overall temperature. Forced air, on the other hand, can quickly warm a cold house when you return from work or play. So many homes with in-floor heat also feature a wood stove or gas stove, for quickly heating a cold house.

BASEMENTS & CRAWL SPACES
Most newer Pagosa homes are built with crawl spaces or basements, rather that on slabs, because the spring thaw often leads to a high water table -- and water seepage under your home. See if the crawl space has a sump pump installed to deal with this problem. A fan can also help with moisture problems. The crawl space needs to have enough vents for proper air circulation.

SKYLIGHTS
Pagosa's dry climate and generous sunshine is very hard on the sealants normally used in skylight installations. Purchasing a home with skylights can be risky.

BUILDER REPUTATION
If you know the builder of your potential home, ask around to see what his reputation is. How long has he been building in Pagosa? Is he known for high quality work? Does he respond quickly to problems at show up after the sale of the home?