Buying and owning at Snowshoe, from owners who have done it.

Start with why you are buying

We love owning here. But a ski condo is a lifestyle purchase first and an investment second. Prices climbed over the last few years, and with today’s interest rates and some of the condo fees, a property that pays for itself is hard to find. If the plan only works on paper when every weekend is booked, take a hard second look.

Ski season is most of the year

About 75 percent of your annual revenue will come in ski season, and that is only about 130 days. The start and the end of the season book at lower rates than the middle. Build your model around winter, and treat summer as a bonus.

The mountain does not open all at once

Opening day starts in the Village. Soaring Eagle and South Mountain open later, and so does Silver Creek. If you are paying for ski-in, ski-out, ask which lift and which trail actually serve the unit, and when they usually open. A place like Top of the World can be one of the better bargains on the mountain, but it is not as ideal when Soaring Eagle is not running. Those early weeks show up in your rates.

Fees, assessments, and taxes add up

Local taxes on rentals are modest, but they still add up. Put them next to your HOA fees, if you have them, and the Mountain Top Assessment, and the total is real money every year. Add it all up before you fall in love with a property.

Not every property has an HOA

Plenty of single family homes, in neighborhoods like West Ridge Road, may have no HOA at all. If you are looking at one of those, check what covenants, road agreements, and dues apply before you buy.

If the property is in a condo association, townhome community, or HOA, look hard at the association itself: how stable it is, what assessments are coming, and yes, the drama. Many of the Village buildings are in the middle of big projects or on the verge of one. The easiest way to find out is to talk to owners in the building. The Snowshoe Mountain Home Owners group on Facebook is a good place to start.

Competition is real, especially in summer

There is amazing competition for guests here, and it shows up in the rates you can charge. In summer, supply dramatically outstrips demand. Plan your numbers on what similar units actually earn, not on what the best weekend of the year looks like.

Personal use matters a lot

Holidays and prime weekends are a big share of the year’s revenue. Those are also the weeks you will want for yourself. If your family plans to take two full weeks over the holidays, the math gets tough fast. Decide how much you will use the place before you build the spreadsheet, not after.

There is still value in a fixer

You can still find value in a unit you can fix up, especially in some of the Village buildings or places like Top of the World. We have renovated every unit we own at Snowshoe, and we have been down this road a lot. Before you buy a project, check the assessments, the reserves, and, if there is an association, where it is headed. A beautiful kitchen will not save you from a big special assessment.

Snowshoe is remote

The nearest Walmart Supercenter is in Elkins, about 50 miles away and well over an hour by car. The nearest Lowe’s stores, in Lewisburg and Buckhannon, are close to two hours away, and the nearest Home Depot, in Bridgeport, is farther than that. Plan supply runs, and know that Snowshoe Delivery Service will bring things up from Walmart.

Apps and remote locks help enormously. Finding good help is the hard part. Pocahontas County had about 7,600 residents in 2025, spread over 940 square miles, or about 8 people per square mile. The median household income is $42,119, and only 42.8 percent of residents 16 and over are in the labor force (US Census QuickFacts). Labor is tight, and good contractors are scarce. Find great people, and treat them exceptionally well.

Managing it yourself or hiring it out

Management fees on the mountain run about 18 to 25 percent of your rental revenue. Run your numbers with that fee in them, because it can make a deal really tight.

We manage our homes ourselves. If you pay someone else to manage your unit, you trade peace of mind (or at least quiet) for control, including control over your rates and your marketing. Only you will have your best interests at heart.

Buying: the brokers on the mountain

There are two main brokers on the mountain, and both are excellent.

RE/MAX Snowshoe, led by veteran broker and owner Martha “Marty” Giddings. RE/MAX has served Snowshoe since 1986, and Marty has 64 years of combined experience in the area with her husband Michael Hughes. You won’t find anyone who knows more about Snowshoe than Marty and her team. The VisitSnowshoe family has used Marty exclusively to build their portfolio of exceptional homes, and recommends her to family and friends looking for special homes of their own.

snowshoeresort.net

First Tracts Real Estate, led by broker and owner Dave Simmons. Another good choice, First Tracts partners with the resort and has a convenient sales office in the Village.

firsttracts.com

Banking: plan ahead

Not every big bank will lend on the mountain, and some will not lend in every building or complex. Plan ahead, and ask early whether a lender will finance the specific unit you want. Local may be the way to go, so do not forget the community banks.

We have worked with Davis Trust Company in Elkins, where Hoy Ferguson is president and chief lending officer, and with Citizens Bank of West Virginia, which has a Snowshoe branch. We have had great experiences with both.

Questions to ask the association before you buy

If the property is in a condo association, townhome community, or HOA, ask these before you make an offer.

• What are the current dues, and what did they look like the last three to five years?
• Are any special assessments planned or being discussed?
• When was the last reserve study, and how funded are the reserves?
• What big projects are coming: roof, siding, decks, elevators, parking?
• Is there any pending litigation?
• What are the rental rules? Are short-term rentals allowed, and are there any minimum stays or registration rules?
• Who is the management company, and how long have they been there?
• Can I see the current budget, the last few years of budgets, and recent meeting minutes?
• Is the Mountain Top Assessment bundled into the dues, or billed separately, and what does it run for this unit?
• Does the MTA have a sunset date for this development, and has it changed before?
• Will lenders finance units in this building?

Before you sign

None of this is financial or legal advice. It is what we have learned as owners. Talk to your broker, your lender, an attorney, and a CPA before you buy. And if you want to get a feel for the mountain first, stay a few nights in a VisitSnowshoe home. For the history behind the slopes and the buildings, see CheatMountain.com.