This Small Mountain Community Has the East Coast's Most Expensive Ski Homes -- WSJ

By Jessica Flint | Photography by Ian Thomas Jansen-Lonnquist for WSJ Tucked into Vermont's Green Mountains, Stowe's 05672 ZIP Code has the priciest residential real estate of any major East Coast alpine-ski destination. Grounded in a history of winter sports and hospitality even before Stowe Mountain Resort opened in the 1930s, this small community has recently evolved into an all-season refuge. While buyers traditionally came from the Northeast, a new wave is fleeing the summer heat of Sunbelt states, driving secondary residences to nearly 70% of properties, according to Caroline Marhefka, a real-estate agent of Four Seasons Sotheby's International Realty. The August median listing price was $995,000, according to Realtor.com (Realtor.com, operated by News Corp, developed this methodology exclusively for The Wall Street Journal.) This demand shapes an architectural landscape where newer modern farmhouses and contemporary builds stand alongside older cedar homes and classic Swiss-style chalets. Meanwhile, historic homes are protected by the town's Historic Preservation Commission to safeguard Stowe's classic New England character. Stowe's commercial district comprises two thorou