Inside Steamboat Home Inspections - Pro Tips, Red Flags & Wild Stories!

Welcome back to Steamboat Real Estate & Investing—your inside track to real estate, mountain living, and intelligent investing in Steamboat Springs, Colorado with me your host, Ryan Cox.This week’s guest is Brian Hickory, owner of Hickory Property Services. With more than a decade of construction project management experience and years of inspection work across Northwest Colorado, Brian knows homes inside and out.We discuss:Pro tips every buyer should know before making an offerSmart pre-listing suggestions for sellersThe good, the bad, and the ugly of home inspections—including shotgun-wielding homeowners and snake-infested crawlspacesIt’s a detailed, practical, and entertaining look at home inspections in the Rockies.Plus—stay tuned for a quick snapshot of the current Steamboat Springs real estate market, including prices, inventory, and buyer leverage.📌 Resources & Links:Connect with Brian HickoryE: [email protected]: 970-367-7255W: https://www.hickorypropertyservices.comBrian Hickory is the owner of Hickory Property Services LLC. He has been performing inspections in Northwest Colorado since 2018 and has extensive knowledge of both commercial and residential buildings from his decade of experience as a Project Manager. After growing his business over the years, he has brought on board a team of inspectors to provide the best inspection service available to their clients. He and his team are proud members of the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors and follow the comprehensive Standards of Practice bound by a strict code of ethics. Brian and his team bring a unique approach to each inspection that is detailed, informative and delivered with excellent communication.Born in Colorado Springs, Brian attended Colorado State University and is a graduate of the Construction Management program. Contact Ryan Cox: Ryan Cox, Broker Associate Steamboat Sotheby's International Realty E: [email protected]: www.steamboatrealestateandinvesting.comW: www.steamboatsprings.luxuryRyan Cox is a top‑performing luxury real estate broker at Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty, with an eight‑year track record and a proven history of delivering development projects in Steamboat Springs. A University of Colorado Leeds School of BusinesRyan Cox is a top‑performing luxury real estate broker at Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty, with eight years of Steamboat brokerage experience, multiple record-setting sales, and a proven history of delivering development projects in Steamboat Springs and beyond. A University of Colorado Leeds School of Business marketing graduate, he honed his business acumen over nine years at Smartwool (VF Corp) before co‑founding and scaling SmartPads—a luxury prefab home building company that delivered over 50 residential and commercial projects to mountain towns across the Western U.S., culminating in a successful sale & exit. He also led an international luxury residential development in Costa Rica. Drawing on that global perspective and Sotheby’s international network, Ryan delivers sophisticated market intelligence and an insider’s view of what it takes to satisfy discerning luxury buyers and sellers at every price point.Recognized with Sotheby’s Global Summit Awards (2017–2023) and named among RealTrends America’s Best (Top 1.5% in 2023), Ryan combines hands‑on construction and brand‑building expertise with sharp negotiation skills, compelling storytelling, and a highly tailored, boutique approach. He’s set multiple sales records as listing agent in premier neighborhoods like the Sunlight Subdivision, Steamboat Pines, and The Sanctuary. As a dedicated buyer’s advocate, he educates clients thoroughly—arming them with the market insights and strategic guida...