When Winter Complicates Everything
Buying a mountain property in winter can be tricky. I'm not saying don't do it—sometimes you find the perfect place and you don't want to wait until spring. But you need to know what you're getting into because weather, access issues, and just the general chaos of ski season can throw wrenches in your closing timeline.
The Inspection Challenge
Snow can literally hide problems. Your inspector can't see the roof condition if it's covered in three feet of snow. They can't check the foundation or grading if everything's buried. The deck might have structural issues that won't be visible until spring.
Some buyers add a spring re-inspection clause to their contract. You close now but have the option to have critical exterior items re-inspected once the snow melts. If major problems appear, you can negotiate repairs or price adjustments. It's not standard, but it's becoming more common.
Appraisal Complications
We talked about appraisal challenges earlier, but winter adds another layer. Appraisers use comparable sales, and if there are fewer transactions in winter months, finding good comps can be harder. Also, snow can make it difficult to photograph and properly evaluate exterior condition, which can lead to conservative appraisals.
Access Issues
Some mountain properties have seasonal access restrictions or aren't plowed regularly in winter. If the inspector, appraiser, or title company's surveyor can't physically get to the property, your closing timeline gets delayed.
Before you go under contract on a remote property in winter, verify that access will be maintained. Sometimes this means coordinating with an HOA or neighbor, or even arranging to have a road plowed on a specific day.
Title and Survey Delays
Boundary surveys can be impossible to complete when property corners are under four feet of snow. If your lender or title company requires a current survey, you might need to request a survey waiver or close with a plat map instead. This is usually workable but adds complications.
Title work can also take longer during ski season because title companies in resort towns are dealing with higher volume and reduced staffing (people take ski days—it's just how mountain towns work).
Occupancy Timing
If you're buying a property with a tenant or rental management in place, coordinating move-out during ski season can be tricky. Rental leases might run through March, and asking tenants to vacate mid-season when they've booked ski trips can create conflict.
Consider whether you can close with a leaseback to the seller for a few weeks or months, or structure your offer to allow for delayed occupancy if rental income is important to the seller during peak season.
Insurance Challenges
We already talked about how insurance can be tricky in mountain areas. Add winter to the mix, and sometimes insurers are reluctant to write new policies on properties they can't properly inspect. You might need to provide recent photos or inspection reports to satisfy insurance requirements.
The Timing Sweet Spot
If you have flexibility, late March or April can be a good window. Competition is lower than in summer and fall, but weather is starting to improve so inspection and access issues are less severe. Plus, ski season is winding down so there's less chaos generally.
But honestly? If you find the right property in January, don't let winter stop you. Just build extra buffer time into your closing timeline, use experienced local professionals who understand mountain property complexities, and be prepared to problem-solve when weather inevitably causes some kind of delay.
Thinking about making a winter offer on a mountain property? Talk to us first—we can help you structure the contract to protect yourself from weather-related surprises.
