Blog Posts
Man of La Mancha Play
June 25, 2009
I recently went to see the play “Man of La Mancha” in Mill Valley last Sunday. The weather was gorgeous and the play was incredible. One of the highlights was the theme song - “The Impossible Dream.” It was really a fitting song for all of us during these tough times. Since many of our homeowners are from the Bay Area, I wanted to share this story with everyone. Looking at the program, I noticed a clever ad from ProMortgage.
They put their own words to the song “The Impossible Dream” (see to the left).
Once again, very encouraging to all of us during this time! Sing along with Randi.
Shared Ownership in Tonopalo
June 24, 2009
Wow! What a great price for this special unit. Walk right onto the beach from this beautiful ground level lakefront unit. Very private. Outstanding amenities, owner club house features fitness, game, video, large sitting room, and library. Pool, hot tub, fire pit, barbeque and 270 feet of sandy beach, kayaks, sailboats, along with a pier and 12 buoy’s! Not to worry, if you don’t have your own boat, you can make use of the 26 ft Formula speed boat equipped with driver!! 1/7 share=6 weeks a year+ unlimited. For more information click here.
Special Offer for 2 consecutive weeks in August for $550K!
Lakefront and Luxury Estates Tour Tomorrow
June 23, 2009
Exciting event at Lake Tahoe tomorrow! Chase International is putting on a Lakefront & Luxury Estates Tour. Some of the most beautiful and impressive homes around the lake will be held open tomorrow from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Feel free to come and go as you please and see some of the gorgeous homes at Lake Tahoe! Click on the invitation to the left for a map and list of homes featured on tomorrow’s tour.
The San Francisco Chronicle has just written an article on tomorrow’s event. Click on the link to read more about the Estates Tour!
Lake Tahoe & Truckee Monthly Real Estate Sales Stats
June 4, 2009
Home sales have picked up a bit in the Tahoe Truckee area this past month. 55 homes and 7 condos sold during the month of May 2009. Once again, the most activity was in the $300K - $499K range (18 sales) and the $500 - $699K price range (17 sales). 8 homes sold in the $700K - $899K range and 6 in the $1,200,000 - $1,499,000 range. 1 home sold for over $2 million this past month.
This information was taken from our local multiple listing service and is for the dates of May 1-31, 2009. Click on the image below for an enlarged version of the chart.
Lake Tahoe & Truckee Monthly Real Estate Stats
May 11, 2009
The April 2009 sales stats for the Lake Tahoe and Truckee area are out. 36 homes and 11 condos sold during the month of April. The most activity was in the $300K-$499K range with 17 total homes selling in this price range. 5 homes sold for $299K or less which has been quite unusual for our area in the past. 2 homes sold for over $1 million and 1 of these homes sold for over $5 million on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe.
This information was taken from our local multiple listing service and is for the dates of April 1 - 30, 2009. Click on the image below for an enlarged version of the chart.
Challenges of Selling an Older Home in this Marketplace
May 5, 2009
This is definitely a challenge and one very close to my heart today having two listing in an area of a large inventory of new or newer homes, “How can I sell my two listings that are both 20+ years old against all this competition? “ Yes, they are in Tahoe Donner, which is one of the most popular areas in the North Lake Tahoe region. It is the first exit off of I-80 to Truckee, has all the amenities that anyone could desire including a downhill and cross country skiing for the winter and a private beach with boat launch and picnic area at Donner Lake in the summer. This plus equestrian facilities, fine food dining, a sports center, eleven tennis courts, golf, trails for hiking, biking and many a fun party, Tahoe Donner offers it all.
In Tahoe Donner there are over 140 homes on the market each month with 7%-10% selling. So how do you promote your older home listing that is on 1.5 lots, 4000+ sq. feet or has a special view when it is 20+ years old? Most buyers feel it would take $200,000 to upgrade to today’s standards against the new comparable homes where a buyer can move right in and have beautiful wood floors, granite and flagstone for their kitchen counter tops and floors and no additional work needed. They may have less square footage but have all the necessary rooms which are new. Most people don’t mind smaller bedrooms when they are active outside people.
The answer is simple but difficult for sellers to accept. The house has to be priced right for the situation. In today’s market when only 7% - 10% of the properties are being sold, you need to be in that 10%. In other words, you need to price your house to sell. How? - By being the very best bargain in your price range at that time.
Someone will buy the 1 ½ lots or a special private view of an older home if the price makes up for the improvements needed. Otherwise, the buyers will move on to a smaller house that doesn’t need all the extra TLC. This is a time when it is even more important to have the right real estate agent. Talk to your professional real estate agent. Let them do the work for you to get the best price, but to get it “sold”.
Lake Tahoe First Quarter Sales Stats 2009
April 11, 2009
The following graphs show some of the real estate sales information for the first quarter 2009. The first graph shows sales volume in the Lake Tahoe area for the dates of January 1 - March 31, 2009. The second chart shows sales by price banding in the different areas around the Sierra Nevadas. The second chart also compares first quarter sales stats in 2008 to the first quarter in 2009. Click on the images below for enlarged versions of the graphs.
Tahoe Truckee Real Estate Sales Stats
April 6, 2009
The following chart shows the sales stats for the Lake Tahoe and Truckee area for March 2009. The chart breaks down the sold properties by area and by price range.
The most activity was in the $300K - $499K range (13 single family homes sold). 11 homes sold in the $500K - $699K range. There were 9 homes over $1 million that sold in March 2009. A total of 41 single family homes and 10 condos sold during the month of March.
This information was taken from our local multiple listing service and is for the dates of March 1-31, 2009. Click on the image below for an enlarged version of the chart.
Tahoe Truckee Monthly Sales Stats
March 11, 2009
The following chart shows the sales stats for the Lake Tahoe and Truckee area for February 2009. The chart breaks down the sold properties by area and by price range.
The most activity was in the $300K - $900K price range, especially in the $500K - $700K range. 7 homes over $1 million sold during the month of February. A total of 7 homes sold in the $299k & under price range which has been unusual for the area in the past. There were a total of 38 single family homes and 8 condos that sold in the month of February.
This information was taken from our local multiple listing service and is for the dates of February 1-28, 2009. Click on the image below for an enlarged version of the chart.
11719 Kitzbuhel in Tahoe Donner
February 23, 2009
Over 2200 sq. feet on one of the best streets in lower Tahoe Donner just reduced to $550,000. What a deal for Tahoe Donner. This home has been lovingly cared for with new grantie in kitchen, newer carpet, fireplace extraordinaire, house restained in summer of 2008. With two bedrooms, great room, kitchen and bath on the main floor, master bedroom with bath plus 4th bedroom on the lower floor. The 4th bedroom has bath and kitchenette and could be lock out for in-law. There is lots of parking and a one car garage. This is a great house for entertaining and family gatherings. For more information, click here.
