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 offer
- Smart pre-listing suggestions for sellers
- The good, the bad, and the ugly of home inspections—including shotgun-wielding homeowners and snake-infested crawlspaces
It’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 Hickory
E: [email protected]
C: 970-367-7255
W: https://www.hickorypropertyservices.com
Brian 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]
W: www.steamboatrealestateandinvesting.com
W: www.steamboatsprings.luxury
Ryan 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 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 guidance needed to make confident decisions that meet their unique lifestyle & financial goals. His insider understanding of construction and development gives clients a unique edge in navigating the nuances of Steamboat and loves blending each client's needs with everything this remarkable region has to offer.&nbs
Ryan Cox is a Boutique luxury real estate advisor and broker with Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty and host of Steamboat Real Estate & Investing. A longtime Steamboat resident, Ryan brings an entrepreneurial and investment perspective to real estate shaped by experience in residential construction, development and real estate investment & lifestyle properties. He previously co-founded SmartPads, a Steamboat-based modular construction company, which he lead, grew and ultimately sold in 2024.
Today, Ryan advises buyers, sellers and investors across the Yampa Valley, combining local market knowledge with firsthand experience in lifestyle properties, construction, development, entrepreneurship and real estate investing.
Steamboat Real Estate & Investing explores real estate, investing, entrepreneurship and the people building interesting businesses and lives in Steamboat Springs.
www.ryancoxrealestate.com
Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryancoxsteamboat/
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/12Mckmps9GzzsA0CLnLcs2
Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/steamboat-real-estate-investing-with-ryan-cox/id1814625853
[email protected]
