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Incline Village Real Estate Blog Daily Updates For the Incline Village MLS

February 2008      March 2008     April 2008      May 2008     June 2008     July 2008

August 2008

April 30, 2008
We've got a pretty small mix of properties to gaze upon in today's Incline Village real estate update.  Starting things off is the $200,000 price redeployment for the stunning piece of architecture at 527 Sugarpine Drive.  Contained inside 6877 ft.² of living space you will find five spacious bedrooms, five baths, a spectacular gourmet kitchen and the highest quality finishes throughout.  There is even a nice lake view to go along with the new price of $3,495,000.

It looks like the latest price reduction for the mixed use property at #3 Country Club Mall drew some attention as this residential/commercial condo got an accepted offer today.  The new asking price of $375,000 and the ongoing marketing efforts of the listing agent helped to put this property into escrow.

With two new listings, one of which is a repeat and one other price reduction that doesn't totally bowl me over I think I'm going to call it an evening.  I wrote another offer today and with any luck I might just be able to enjoy part of Thursday off.  You just never know when you'll get these flurries of activity and with ski season over I don't have to worry about any powder days interfering with business.

April 28 - 29, 2008
With only 3 price reductions and none of them tantalizing enough to get me away from doing the filing on my 4 new escrows, I'm going to get back to sorting papers. Enjoy the Incline Village real estate update from Monday below. Oh, I wrote offer #5 today...

We've got a pretty small mix of properties to gaze upon in today's Incline Village real estate update.  Starting things off is the $200,000 price redeployment for the stunning piece of architecture at 527 Sugarpine Drive.  Contained inside 6877 ft.² of living space you will find five spacious bedrooms, five baths, a spectacular gourmet kitchen and the highest quality finishes throughout.  There is even a nice lake view to go along with the new price of $3,495,000.

It looks like the latest price reduction for the mixed use property at #3 Country Club Mall drew some attention as this residential/commercial condo got an accepted offer today.  The new asking price of $375,000 and the ongoing marketing efforts of the listing agent helped to put this property into escrow.

With two new listings, one of which is a repeat and one other price reduction that doesn't totally bowl me over I think I'm going to call it an evening.  I wrote another offer today and with any luck I might just be able to enjoy part of Thursday off.  You just never know when you'll get these flurries of activity and with ski season over I don't have to worry about any powder days interfering with business.

It was a tumultuous day on the Incline Village real estate market with 4 properties going into escrow, one property closing escrow, 2 price reductions and four new listings.  Three of the new listings were repeats but one of them is worth a closer look since it came back on the MLS at a significantly lower price.  1011 Apollo is a panoramic Lakeview home beautifully remodeled with an asking price of just under $1.8 million.  If you check out any of the new listings today this is the one to keep your eye on.  With four bedrooms, five full baths, a two car attached garage and over 4000 feet of living space this three story home in Incline Village is potentially the best value in a remodeled panoramic Lakeview home at North Lake Tahoe.

I am pleased to announce that of the four properties going into escrow today two of them are my listings.  #74 McCloud which has arguably the nicest setting of any of the two bedroom units currently on the market on the Village Boulevard side and 1049 Apollo the big Lakeview home are the two properties in my listing portfolio that got acceptable offers.  The other properties that went into escrow today on the Incline Village MLS are #7 Country Club Villas (which is no surprise due to the very reasonable asking price) and my broker's new listing at 160 Pinecone Rd. that came on the market just a few days ago.

So, when we tally up the results of the past week I ended up with four new transactions in escrow and a total of six sides since I am representing the buyer and the seller for the homes located at 1049 Apollo and 609 Woodridge.  I have a lot of work ahead of me the next five weeks and getting deals into escrow is only half the battle.  You have to nurture them every step of the way through the closing process and beyond.  80% of the real estate agents in Incline Village and Crystal Bay did less than four transactions in all of 2007, so I guess I could say I had that last week I had a heck of a good year!

April 26 - 27, 2008
It's a good thing that I was able to carve out eight hours to sleep each night because otherwise I've been overwhelmed with four new transactions and a fifth one on the way.  I've put three pieces of Incline Village real estate into escrow in the past five days.  I am waiting for the response on a counter offer tonight and a fifth offer will be written on Tuesday morning.  Now I have to nurture each transaction smoothly along so that buyers and sellers can be satisfied with the outcome. 

The entire Incline Village real estate market had eight properties go into escrow in the past seven days and I've been involved in four of the transactions.  Now if I could just have that kind of market share all year round things would be pretty spectacular.  Sizing up the newest transactions, I am representing the buyer of a house, the seller of a condo, and both the buyer and seller on two other houses.  Now where is that assistant I have been looking for???

In contrast, it was a pretty lackluster weekend for the Incline Village MLS.  There were a total of four new listings (two of which were repeats), and two properties went into escrow.  The little fixer-upper condo at #22 Mountain Shadows got an accepted offer and could very well be the lowest price condo to sell in the complex this year.

Checking out the new listings on the Incline Village real estate scene we've got a remodeled freestanding condo at 928 Wendy Lane.  This four-bedroom, four bath property features over 2000 ft.² of living space and a two car attached garage.  The asking price of $620,000 is significantly higher than any previous sale in the complex, so I'll have to check out the interior when this one hits the MLS tour.

The other new home for sale in Incline Village is a fixer upper,  with lakeview located at 701 Tyner.  I've been through this property a couple of times and it does have a pretty decent Lakeview.  Featuring three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2318 ft.² of living space and road noise at no extra charge, the natural landscape gives it real Tahoe feel.  The asking price is $738,000 and I'll leave it up to my viewers to decide whether this is a fixer-upper or a tear down.  If I see anyone pulling into the driveway with a bulldozer, then I guess I'll know your answer... 

April 25, 2008
It was another tumultuous day for this Incline Village real estate agent as I continued to nurture one of my counter offers forward, work on the two recently opened escrows and got another listing in Bitterbrush (more about that on Monday).  On top of all that, one of my sellers came up from the Bay Area and we enjoyed a leisurely lunch overlooking Lake Tahoe at the Lone Eagle Grill.  It was nice to catch a little bit of a break but now it's time to analyze the four new listings, seven price changes, one property going into escrow and the place closing escrow on Friday.

With so much to report and so little time, I'll have to condense today's Incline Village MLS update down to just the highlights.  Topping off the new listings, 160 Pinecone Rd is set in what is arguably one of the more beautiful locations in the entire Mill Creek subdivision.  Just two blocks from Lakeshore Drive and situated on .36 of an acre, the rear of the home overlooks Forest Service land and a beautiful pristine creek.  Inside 2512 ft.² of living space (all on one level) you'll find three bedrooms and 2.5 baths to go along with a two car attached garage.  Tastefully remodeled and featuring cathedral ceilings in the living area plus spacious bedrooms, the asking price of $1,375,000 is sure to draw a lot of interest.

Anyone searching in the $800,000 price range will want to take a look at my listing on Donna Drive which got a $35,000 price reduction down to $799,000.  The seller is very motivated and would like to see an offer for this beautifully remodeled three bedroom, two bath, 1460 ft.² home with a two car attached garage on .365 of an acre.

The other significant price reduction of the day is for the beautiful home located at 346 Winding Way.  Built in 2006, this five-bedroom, 4.5 baths, 3541 ft.² architectural gem dropped nearly $100,000 and is now priced at $1,699,000.  With high-end finishes throughout the 3541 ft.² of living area this one is definitely worth a look for anyone seeking a nice quiet retreat in Incline Village.

I am very pleased to report that the gorgeous freestanding condo that was given a very favorable right appear recently at #13 Lodgepole Park closed escrow yesterday at $1,190,000.  Both buyer and seller should be happy at the quick transaction and fair price reached.  Had more buyers reacted quickly enough there very well could have been a multiple offer situation in the price driven up closer to the asking price $1,250,000.  It's very rare that properties in this elegant development ever come on the market and buyers have to be prepared to pull the trigger when these opportunities arise.

News Flash:  I just learned that 624 Tumbleweed went into escrow.  I am very happy for the sellers and hope they have a smooth escrow as they transition into the next phase of their lives.  This property was touted as a Super Deal Alert here just two weeks ago.

April 24, 2008
As I've said in the past, just like politics all real estate is local and that is never more true than when it comes to Incline Village real estate.  While the national media keeps spouting doom and gloom, I keep putting properties into escrow and writing new offers.

  I am pleased to report, that the only deal going into escrow today is for the house located on the Championship Golf Course at 612 - 14th Green, where I represent the buyers.  I have been diligently working with this very nice couple from the Bay Area searching for just the right spot and I think we've found a superb location and a great value.

We also had three properties close escrow and three new listings on the Incline Village real estate market today.  After coming on the market at the astonishingly high price of $955,000 nearly 2 years ago, the single family home at 785 Mays Blvd closed escrow at the very reasonable price of $655,000. 

All buyers should take note that an asking price is nothing more than an invitation to negotiate.  In 2008, buyers need to write offers close to fair market value on the properties they like and ignore the asking prices.  Overpriced properties have become almost epidemic in resort areas such as Lake Tahoe, Aspen, Jackson Hole, etc.  It's important that agents and buyers look at recent sale prices, not asking prices, to determine the fair market value before writing an offer.

The other two properties that closed escrow today make up the last remaining parcels on the old Ponderosa Ranch.  Some very fortunate buyer purchased what is quite possibly the only property zoned for horses in Incline Village.  The total sale price of $6 million is incredibly reasonable especially since there are three parcels and a beautiful lodge style home included for the package price.  Fabulous views and a stunning mountain lodge, what more could you ask for other than to have Ben Cartwright joining you at your barbecue in the evening.

Checking out the new listings on the Incline Village MLS today we've got a $399,000 condo in original condition in Creekside leading things off and that's all I've got to say about this property.  Raising the adrenaline level significantly is the panoramic Lake view condo at #54 Bitterbrush.  Priced at $550,000, this two bedroom, two bath, 1188 ft.² condo features an attached carport to go along with the fabulous view.  In original condition, but very well maintained it looks like the competition is heating up in the Bitterbrush complex.

And last but not least we have a beautifully remodeled home at 928 Lakeshore.  If you've got about $3,650,000 in your budget and want to be close to the beach you have to check out this property.  Featuring three bedrooms, 3.5 baths, a four car attached garage, over 4400 ft.² of living space and high end everything, Lakeview subdivision shoppers will want to peruse the interior of this stunning home.

April 23, 2008
It was another crazy busy day for this Incline Village real estate agent as I am still in the middle of two counter offers, showing property to a new buyer client and working on another potential offer.  While most people consider this to be the off-season, I have built a truly year-round real estate business here in Incline.  Now if I could just find a good assistant to help me through the summer time...

Today's Incline Village real estate update brings us 2 new listings (both of which are repeats), three price reductions and one property closing escrow.  We will get to the closed escrow in a moment, but first, the big news of the day is the $310,000 price reduction for the gorgeous piece of newer construction at 996 Tyner Way.

If you have been looking for a home with a great mountain feel and high quality construction throughout, the property at 996 Tyner provides you with all of that plus spectacular views of the mountains.  With just under 3500 ft.² of living space, this four bedroom, 3.5 bath home was built in 2006 and comes with a two car attached garage.  Located next to a vast expanse of Forest Service land, this property is definitely worth the drive to the top of Tyner Way.  The new asking price of $1,240,000 makes this the absolute best value in this price range anywhere in town.

The condo for sale in Incline Village that closed escrow today was never on the MLS.  It looks to me like this may have been a FSBO at the 999 Lakeshore complex.  The final sale price of $1,104,000 appears to be very fair for this three bedroom, three bath, 1,440 square-foot property.  It's pretty impossible to purchase anything in a lakefront complex in Incline for under $1 million anymore.  However, there is one unit in this complex in the low 900s that is worth a look if you don't mind the fact that it is an inside unit and you will be staring at buildings across the parking lot instead of looking at the Lake.

April 22, 2008
The frantic pace of activity continues for this Incline Village real estate agent.  This morning after scrambling together the escrow timeline for yesterdays transaction, I had to dash around to see some new properties on the MLS tour and then meet clients at 10:30 to write another offer.  Then, at 11 it was time to go out with another set of clients to look at some properties and contemplate another offer.  By midafternoon, I had received a counter offer on the contract I wrote this morning and continue to await the counter offer for one of my listings in McCloud.  While other agents are waiting for the phone to ring I'm trying to figure out the best way to hire an assistant to help me so I can continue to push the marketing curve.

The Incline Village real estate market brings us three new listings ( all of which are repeats), one price reduction and one property going into escrow on this chilly Tuesday.  As predicted, #107 McCloud which is the updated condo with a peek of the Lake, got an accepted offer today.  I had a feeling when this property came on the market that it would be the next two bedroom condo in the complex to sell.  The combination of location, view, interior upgrades and price make this a worthy choice.

Our only price reduction today is for the very cute Lakeview home at 968 Little Burro.   Dropping $25,000 down to $799,900 this three bedroom, two bath, 1450 ft.² home with a one car attached garage is located near the end of a very quiet and private cul-de-sac.  If you don't need a lot of square footage, this is a fabulous location with a real mountain feel.  There is the possibility of expanding the home, but it will take a little creativity.

There was nothing too exciting on the MLS tour today.  I wish I had better news, but the tour consisted mostly of overpriced, low end condos with a couple of fixer upper houses thrown in .  The only piece of Incline Village real estate on today's tour that merits any comment is the cute 2BR, 2BA + loft home at 513 Catherine.  At only 735K, this is one of the better low elevation values on the market at the present time.  Tastefully updated with open beam, cathedral ceilings and a nearly level, fenced lot, this home is worth a closer look for anyone shopping in the under 800K range.

April 19 - 21, 2008
In case you have been wondering about the Incline Village real estate updates for the past couple of days I've been just a little bit overwhelmed with four offers, multiple counter offers, and showing property.  You didn't really miss anything over the weekend on the Incline Village MLS as there was no activity to report on Saturday and Sunday.

Monday brings us zero new listings, three price reductions, 2 properties going into escrow and one property closing escrow.  #96 Bitterbrush closed escrow today at the fair market price of $489,000.  I think this ratifies the asking price that I set for my listing at $520,000 for #111 since it's an end unit and is very nicely furnished, while #96 was an inside unit.

I am very pleased to report that my pocket listing ( or as my broker likes to say "in house listing") for the home located at 609 Woodridge Circle went into escrow today. It took a tremendous amount of work but I was able to bring the buyer and seller together on agreeable terms and price. This is a Lakeview fixer upper situated on just under .9 acres with four bedrooms, 2.5 baths and 2230 ft.² of living space. The asking price was just under $1 million and both parties seem to be pleased with the results at this point in time. Getting an accepted offer is really just the start of things, the escrow process here is quite lengthy and involves a vast number of contingencies.

The other home for sale in Incline Village that went into escrow today is the fixer-upper/tear down located at 610 Second Creek.  I hope the buyer will be amenable to talking with me about doing some defensible space since their property is very overgrown with trees and I don't want a fire starting at their house and burning uphill to my place. 

Checking out the price reductions on today's Incline Village real estate scene, the only one that grabs my attention is the hundred thousand dollar markdown for the Lakeview home located at 553 Silvertip.  I think this property is now very reasonably priced at $1,790,000.  It is very difficult to find a home for sale in Incline Village with this much square footage, a great Lake view and a short level driveway anywhere near this price.  Okay, so the architecture on the lower two floors is a little bit boxy and not that exciting, but the top floor with that fabulous great room, fine lake view and spectacular kitchen make it worth the price of admission.

April 18, 2008
It was a very busy day for the title companies on the Incline Village real estate market.  We had five properties close escrow, the largest total in one single day in recent memory along with one transaction going into escrow.  There are also three new listings and five price reductions (all of the price changes are on the low end) to contemplate on this breezy Friday.

I am pleased to report that my deal for the home in Incline Village at 721 Bunker Ct. closed escrow on Friday. The final sale price of $1,110,720 represented a super value for my buyer. The net price works out ot $390 / sq. ft. which is amazing for this great house located right on the Mountain Golf Course and backing up to open space and Forest Service Land. The other listing agents in the neighborhood are not going to like me when they see what this sale does to the comps...

I would love to tell you a lot about the remodeled home at 732 Tyner Way but there are no interior pictures and only the briefest description to go along with the property information.  It looks like this home only has a peek of the Lake and it not the big panoramic Lakeview that you would find across the street at one of the odd numbered houses on this stretch of Tyner.

The other new listing on the Incline Village real estate market that is worth a look is the home located at 513 Catherine.  This two bedroom, two bath, 1360 plus square foot home with a loft also features a two car attached garage and a relatively level lot.  Just a short walk from the Championship Golf Course, the asking price of only $735,000 makes this one of the better low elevation values.

Since none of the price reductions really get my heart racing today, let's zoom ahead to the properties that closed escrow.  The spacious home located at 746 Mays Blvd. sold for the very reasonable price of $1,450,000.  When this came on the market over a year ago priced at just under $1.8 million I thought the asking price was incredibly unrealistic.  The final sale price bears this out.  #2 Third Creek sold for the bargain price of $917,000.  Readers of this column will remember this property being touted as the most beautifully remodeled three bedroom, 2.5 bath condo in the entire complex.  My congratulations to the listing agent for putting the deal together and adroitly handling both sides of the transaction.

And last but not least, #163 Mountain Shadows, which is one of the more nicely updated properties in the complex closed at $415,000.  It looks to me like prices have temporarily leveled off in this complex in the 400K to 425K range, for the most part.  There are some fixer upper units for sale at under $400,000, but these properties do need quite a bit of work to bring them up to the quality of #163.

April 16 - 17, 2008
After another monstrously busy day working on every aspect of Incline Village real estate (new listing, deal in escrow, CE class, counter offer, lining up showings, etc) it's nice to catch a breather with this evening's column.   Just 4 new listings today on the MLS and all of them are repeats.   The big news of the day is that my buyers close escrow Friday on the house at 721 Bunker Ct.  I'll reveal the sales price in tomorrow's column after the sale is recorded with Washoe County.  Enjoy the Incline Village real estate update from Wednesday below.

It's a little bit after 10 p.m. and I'm wondering if summer is already upon us with the pace of activity for this Incline Village real estate agent.  Between hours of telephone calls to negotiate a couple of transactions, showing property, a few dozen e-mails, lining up showing appointments for this weekend and the usual marketing chores this could have been the first 15 hour day of the summer for me. 

There is a lot of good inventory at reasonable prices on the Incline Village real estate market.  The buyers I am showing around town have more than one quality property from which to choose in every price range.  It comes down to weighing the attributes of each property and since no home or condo is perfect, evaluating what are the most important features for you along with price and upkeep considerations.

The Incline Village MLS brings us one new listing, two price reductions and four properties closing escrow today.  The really big news today is the new listing at #7 Country Club Villas.  These freestanding condos have rarely come on the market in the past five years and this one appears to be very reasonably priced at just under $1.1 million.  The pictures make it look like the interior is mostly original and the property is being offered unfurnished.  This three bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2108 ft.² property overlooks the common area and features a two car attached garage.  If you have been waiting around for a property in this complex to come on the market at a fair price, contact me right away as I'm sure there will be a lot of interest.

The beautifully remodeled condo for sale at #21 Village Highlands closed escrow at the very fair price of $1,450,000.  When this originally came on the market a very long time ago with a different listing agent and a price tag of nearly $1.7 million I nearly had a coronary.  At that time I had a feeling that the property would sell for somewhere between $1.4 million and $1.5 million regardless of how beautifully the interior had been reconstructed.  With only three bedrooms, it's hard to push the price point beyond $1.5 million without any kind of view.  I am sure the new owner will get many years of enjoyment from this elegant property just one block from Incline Beach.

There is one price reduction on today's Incline Village real estate update that caused me to do a double take.  Dropping just over $200,000 is the tastefully elegant home at 915 Jennifer.  With over 3900 ft.² of living space this five bedroom, three bath home was built in 1994 and features dramatic architecture on a lot just under one quarter of an acre.  Now priced at $1,170,000 you get a lot of bang for your buck and plenty of room for the entire family to stretch out.

April 15, 2008
It was a fabulously busy day for this Incline Village real estate agent, where I barely had a chance to catch my breath between each mission that I accomplished.  Starting out with the early-morning MLS tour where I had #58 Royal Pines as a featured property, followed up by floor time during which I wrote an offer, then showing property for a couple of hours, which brought me all the way to 3 p.m. and that was just the start of my day.  Good thing I got my taxes done a month ago...

So it's another late night adventure as we get to the Incline Village real estate update.  Three new listings of dramatically different types of properties and two price reductions grace the headlines today.  It's not every day that I get the opportunity to lead off with a $47 million home for sale on Lake Tahoe in Incline Village but that is exactly what I have for you.  585 Lakeshore Drive is a five bedroom, five bath, 6626 ft.² home situated on 8.75 acres of beautiful lakefront property.  Located at the west end of Lakeshore Dr.this property features three separate single family homes plus a buildable lot.  Having been on the grounds before I can tell you this is truly a spectacular parcel and the perfect place for a family compound or corporate retreat.

After that introduction, I can't really follow it up with anything to say about the other two new listings today.  So let's cruise along to the price reduction that merits a few electrons.  1354 Zürich Lane in upper Tyrolean Village drops $20,000 today and is now looking like a good value at $476,000.  This two bedroom, two bath, 1192 ft.² chalet has been remodeled from top to bottom.  Located in a garden like setting which is very rare for this part of the village, high-end materials have been used throughout to complement the beautiful scenery.

April 14, 2008
After experiencing the warmest days of the year recently, we had arguably the windiest day of 2008 on this blustery Monday at Lake Tahoe.  Blowing around in the breeze on the Incline Village real estate update are three new listings, three price reductions, one property going into escrow and one property closing escrow.  Two of the three new listings on the Incline Village MLS are repeats and the actual new listing is a rather nondescript three bedroom, two bath, 1168 ft.² condo in Forest Pines.  Priced at just under $586,000 this property is just a short walk from Incline Beach.  Pardon my lack of excitement.

The only price change that gives me any kind of an adrenaline rush is the $20,000 reduction for the beautifully remodeled freestanding condo at 1208 Styria.  I love the location of this property at the end of a tiny little cul-de-sac with sweeping views of the Diamond Peak Ski Area.  The new asking price of $629,000 makes this three bedroom, two bath, 1568 ft.² property worth a closer look.

I am happy to see that the recent price reduction for the house for sale at 502 Jensen Circle brought a willing buyer to the table.  The new asking price of $699,000 is just what this property needed to draw attention to it.  The home for sale in Incline Village that closed escrow today is the property I wrote about just a couple of weeks ago located at 869 Ophir Peak Rd.  The final sale price of $1.2 million with a seven-day escrow and all cash shows that prime lots at low elevation are still in high demand.

April 11 - 13, 2008
There was no activity on the Incline Village real estate market on Saturday. I was actually able to take most of the day off and enjoy some time hiking and strolling on the beach.  The scenery is spectacular this time of year! It was so nice and warm that lots of locals were sunbathing at all 3 beaches in the village.   The update from Friday is below.

It looks like spring is finally upon us on the North shore of Lake Tahoe.  With the snow melting rapidly and the streams coming to life, the sounds of nature are everywhere.  It's a perfect time for buyers to look at Incline Village real estate in person before the summer crowds arrive. 

This is one of those rare years where sellers would love to make a deal before summertime rather than waiting for the crowds to show up in July and August.  We currently have about 390 properties for sale in Incline Village and Crystal Bay (the inventory will climb close to 500 by summertime) and it's likely we will have somewhere in the range of 200 to 250 transactions in 2008.  For buyers it's a great time to negotiate; for sellers it's the time to put your best foot forward and price your property reasonably.

The Incline Village real estate update for this gorgeous Friday brings us 2 new listings to go along with three price reductions and two properties going into escrow.  The new properties for sale include #63 Third Creek which appears to be a good value at $972,000 for the giant size 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2542 ft.² floor plan located adjacent to the Creek itself.  This inside unit has a one car detached garage and the architecture features the mountain/cabin style that exudes Tahoe charm.  I think this will likely be the next condo in Third Creek to sell based on the price, location and floor plan.

The other new listing on the Incline Village MLS is a very cute and beautifully remodeled condo at 465 Peepsight.  Priced at just under $480,000, this three bedroom, 2.5 bath, 1372 square-foot condo is situated near the Mountain Golf Course on a very quiet little cul-de-sac.   Those of you looking in the $500,000 price range, may wish to take a gander at this end unit.

Two of the three price changes don't really excite me, but the one that does merit a look is 1057 Tomahawk Trail.  Dropping $30,000 to the new asking price of $669,000 the remarks now say "bring all offers".  I think this property which has income potential could be a good long-term investment play if you can get it at the right price.

Sorry I didn't finish the column on Friday night, so before I go out for a hike on this beautiful Saturday morning let me fill you in on the two properties that went into escrow yesterday.  On the lower end, we have a little duplex at 910 Harold Dr. which I mentioned in a previous column was a super value at the asking price of $450,000.  At the opposite end of the spectrum I am thrilled to see the stunning piece of new construction at 345 Country Club Dr. fetching $2,550,000 get an accepted offer.  This is one of the finer quality properties on the street and I'm sure the new buyer will get a lot of enjoyment from this spectacular home.  

April 10, 2008
We have a handful of items to report on the Incline Village real estate update on this gorgeous Thursday at Lake Tahoe.  After weathering a minor cold spell the last few days it appears that spring has arrived.  I attempted skiing up at Mt. Rose for an hour today and it was pretty good in the trees on the Slide Mountain side while still a bit firm on the Rose side.  It was nice to get in a bit of fresh air after a rather exasperating meeting with the owner of the local Coldwell Banker Incline Village franchise.  That's all I will say for the moment, more details in a future column.

For your viewing enjoyment we have one price reduction, two properties going into escrow and one property closing escrow on the Incline Village MLS.  The property that sold today is a little condo in Pinebrook that went for the eminently reasonable price of $197,000.

It was nice to see the $250,000 price reduction for the elegant home located at 545 Country Club Dr., my only question is what took so long?  Now priced at $3,250,000 this is a property that anyone with a pet giraffe will absolutely love (or maybe you just have a lot of tall friends who appreciate high ceilings).

The condo that went into escrow today is #163 Mountain Shadows which I have been saying for a long time was the best value currently on the market in the complex.  I'm actually stunned it took this long to get an accepted offer, so congratulations to the new listing agent.  The beautifully remodeled home at 956 Garen also got an accepted offer today at the opposite end of the price spectrum and bearing a price tag of $1,345,000. 

Hopefully sales will begin to pick up now that the weather is nicer.  Closed escrows are down when compared with the same timeframe in 2007 but that very well could be due to the big snowstorms we had in December and January.  I will have a better handle on how this year is trending at the end of May.

April 9, 2008
It was an interesting day on the Incline Village real estate market and the most significant news is my new listing at #58 Royal Pines.  Priced at only $495,000, this four bedroom, two bath, 1752 ft.² end unit comes fully furnished.  If you've been shopping for a low elevation condo in Incline Village or Crystal Bay and don't want to pay a fortune, this spacious and well maintained property is far and away the least expensive property in the complex.

There were three other new listings on the Incline Village MLS, one of them is a repeat and there are 2 price reductions, one of which is worth further examination.  1357 Valais is a very tastefully remodeled three bedroom, two bath, chalet in upper Tyrolean Village.  Slashed $50,000 down to the new asking price of $599,000, this 1357 ft.² property is a little gem and definitely worth a look at the new asking price.

April 8, 2008
It was a busy day for this Incline Village real estate agent between the MLS tour, shooting pictures for my new listing (which you'll read about on Wed.), along with coordinating the virtual tour, and staying on top of today's activity.  We've got one new listing, to go along with 2 price reductions and one condo closing escrow on today's update.

After being on and off the market since September 2006, #11 White Pines finally closed escrow today at the fair market price of $445,000.  The original asking price of $577,000 was reviewed in this column as being on the high side and here we are a little more than 18 months later with the property finally selling at 23% below that price.  I think sellers have to be realistic in our current market and not reach for the stars.

The new listing on the Incline Village MLS is a one fourth interest via the Tenants in Common concept for a three bedroom condo in the cloud.  This 25% share is priced at $200,000 for what looks like a nicely remodeled unit.  Contact me if you would like more info, as you really need to be comfortable with your "partners" in this type of arrangement.

After being on the Incline Village real estate market for just over three months, the seller of #22 Mountain Shadows has slashed the price a little over $35,000 down to $329,500.  This end unit fixer upper is now worth a look for those of you shopping in this complex who are willing to take on a project.

April 7, 2008
There are 9 different properties making the news on today's Incline Village real estate update. 3 new listings, 4 price reductions, 869 Ophir Peak going into escrow and #85 Royal Pines closing escrow at $535K.   The buyer of 85RP got themselves a very nicely remodeled condo at a very good price.

Leading off the price reductions is the often mentioned mixed-use condo located at #3-120 Country Club Dr.  Now at the bargain basement price of only $399,000 anyone willing to take a risk that they can find a good tenant for the commercial space below might have a little gem on their hands.

Those of you looking for a spacious home and new construction will find food for thought both in the price reductions and the new listings today.  The masterpiece at 527 Sugarpine was reduced significantly today and is now only $3,695,000.   This home was built in 2005 and never occupied.  Over 6800 ft.² greets you divided up into five bedrooms, five full baths, one half bath and a Lake view to compliment everything.

Rounding out the price reductions on the Incline village real estate scene is the $60,000 scalping at #58 Bitterbrush which is now priced at $529,000.  Now priced in line with market conditions, this Lakeview condo is much more competitive with those units down the street.

Our new listings today in Incline Village and Crystal Bay include a repeat but with a new agent for the stunning piece of new construction located at 549 Ponderosa.  This 8000 plus square foot property is utterly spectacular from top to bottom.  Featuring a Lakeview to go along with six bedrooms, six full baths, two half baths, a three car attached garage this is a beautiful piece of architecture at low elevation in Incline Village.  The new asking price of $4,800,000 is substantially reduced and I'm sure the new listing agent will do a great job marketing this property.

The other two new listings on the Incline Village MLS today include #4 Northwood Estates priced aggressively at $385,000 and a top to bottom remodel job at 411 Valerie Court.  If you don't mind driving well up the mountain, you will find a Lakeview home with five bedrooms, 4.5 baths and 3650 ft.² of living space.  Priced at $2,649,000, I'll have to check this place out as it gets closer to completion since there are no pictures of the interior.

April 4 - 6, 2008
There was very little action on the Incline Village real estate market over the weekend, so I guess I picked a good time to fly down to the Bay Area. I'll be back in Incline on Monday afternoon and later in the day I'll have a chance to do the weekly update and write about the minor action over the weekend. The update from Friday is below.

At first glance today's Incline Village real estate update looks rather daunting with six new listings and one price change.  But upon closer examination we realize that three of the new listings on the MLS are repeats, two more are major candidates for remodeling (the one on Ophir Pk is gutted inside), and the last one looks like it could be a very good deal.

The home for sale at 624 Tumbleweed Circle is a four bedroom, three bath, 2307 ft.² property with a two car garage that is situated on just less than one quarter of an acre.  Priced at only $700,000 and remodeled in the year 2000 this is one of the more intriguing listings in this price range in 2008.  This part of the neighborhood generally has rather gentle driveways, so my only guess is that the seller is pricing this where it will draw a lot of interest.  If you have been looking for a good value in this price range and square footage contact me for more info.

At a slightly higher price point we have two pieces of Incline Village real estate for those of you who are good with a hammer.  919 Driver is right on the Championship Golf Course in a fabulous location.  Featuring four bedrooms, three bathrooms and nearly 2900 ft.² of living space to go along with a half acre lot, this appears to be fairly priced at $1,295,000.

If you would prefer the Lakeview subdivision and are looking to take on a major project, the house located at 869 Ophir Peak Road presents an interesting challenge.  The house backs up to properties that are situated on Lakeshore Drive and also boasts a lot of one half acre that is virtually level.   The asking price is $1,250,000 for this four bedroom, three bath, 4652 square-foot property.  This home is not for the faint of heart as the inside has been gutted completely.

April 2 - 3, 2008
Thursday came and went in a blur, I met with three different clients, showed property to two, wrote an offer, and managed to squeeze in skiing 10,000 vertical feet at Mt. Rose.

Since I am trying to wrap things up before heading to the Bay Area and there was very little to report on the Incline Village real estate market today, this is going to be a quickie.  Our only new listing is a repeat, the one price reduction is less than 2% for a house selling near $1.5 million and the real news of the day is drum roll please.........

#63 Bitterbrush the spectacular Lakeview condo priced at only $777,000 fell out of escrow today.  Here's the link, check it out it's the best deal in a Lakeview condo in Incline Village or Crystal Bay under $1,000,000 in my opinion.  Even though I'll be traveling, I've got my laptop and cell phone and can write an offer for you subject to your viewing and approval.

The Incline Village real estate update from Wednesday is below.

It was a super busy day for this Incline Village real estate agent as I was frantically accomplishing a couple of dozen tasks before I fly down to the Bay Area on Friday.  It's time for my quarterly visit to see old friends and partake of urban civilization for a long weekend.  So, we are in the express lane tonight with just one new listing, one property going into escrow and one price reduction on the Incline Village MLS for this sunny Wednesday.

After what seemed like an eternity, the home for sale at 785 Mays Blvd.  finally went into escrow today.  This property near the Village Shopping Center came on the market June 7, 2006 at the rather astonishing asking price of $955,000.  After numerous price reductions and a Val-iant marketing effort, the asking price of $799,000 finally caught someone's attention.  (The Val-iant is a play on words, Val Flynn is the listing agent).

Those of you shopping for a quality low elevation condo in Incline Village may wish to take notice of the price reduction for #58 Village at Incline.  Located right across the street from the Hyatt Hotel and Casino and behind the Country Club Mall for easy access to everything.  Featuring two bedrooms, 2.5 baths, a two car detached garage, just under 1600 ft.² of living space and very spacious rooms, this well maintained property is now only $659,000.  The units in this complex make excellent vacation rentals and at the new asking price this condo is definitely worth a look.

Last but not least, anyone looking at Incline Village real estate in the Mill Creek subdivision may wish to stop by the new listing at 217 Pine Cone Road.  I previewed this property today since I have clients coming into town that may be interested in the place.  I'm not sure if the 1968 square feet shown in the MLS is correct after having walked through the house, but maybe my depth perception is off. 

The asking price of $945,000 is right in line with general property values in this part of town.  I think this two bedroom, two bath home with a two car attached garage presents both remodeling and tear down/development opportunities.  Other homes in the neighborhood push the $4 million price point so it would be difficult to overdevelop the lot.

April 1 , 2008
It's not an April fools joke, the Incline Village real estate market really did have 10 different things happening today on the MLS.  We've got 5 new listings, 3 price changes and two properties going into escrow ( both of them in Bitterbrush) for your cerebral gymnastics. 

#66 and a #4 Bitterbrush each got accepted offers today.  These three bedroom properties are two of my favorites in the complex based on their price, view and floor plan.  I was actually surprised that #66 lasted this long since it has a very rare level entry into the kitchen, living and dining areas, with the bedrooms down below and every room having Lake views.

If you like Gambrel style homes, then you will love the place at 938 Jennifer St.  Frankly I don't, and with the pictures being about the size of a postage stamp I don't want any of you to sue me you for eyestrain.  So let's rock on to the potentially premiere new listing on the Incline Village real estate scene which is 664 Tyner Way.  I am perplexed by the address since every house on Tyner Way that is on the down slope has an odd number and everyone on the upslope has an even number, but that does not appear to be the case for this Lakeview property.  The asking price of $999,000 seems very reasonable on paper for this 2200 ft.² home featuring three bedrooms, two baths and a two car attached garage.  The lot is 4/10 of an acre and the home appears to be very livable.  I am going to try and preview this property on Wednesday so please contact me if you would like further details.

Checking out the price reductions today the condo at 928 Wendy Lane #5 is now ripe for the picking at the new price of $449,000.  The $50,000 price redeployment shows a serious motivational message on the part of the seller.  One of my buyer clients purchased unit #4 in 2007, so you can be assured of having nice neighbors!  With with over 2000 ft.² of living space, this four bedroom, three bath end unit features a two car attached garage, which is extremely rare in this price range.  Located just two blocks from the Championship Golf Course, this condo is now a Best Buy in my opinion.

Diving into the new listings today on the Incline Village MLS, we've got a modestly updated condo at #126 Mountain Shadows with an asking price of $537,000.  I'll have to check the place out to see where this number came from, as the three bedroom floor plan has been selling in the mid-400s lately.  Continuing along in condo land, #107 McCloud appears to be an end unit with very nice views and a private setting.  This two bedroom, two bath, 1111 ft.² property is one block from Incline Beach and being offered unfurnished.  The asking price of $589,000 complements the peek of the Lake.

I would love to tell you more about the four bedroom, two bath, 1632 ft.² home nestled in the woods at 804 Geraldine, but without a single interior picture there's not much I can do.  This is a high elevation property that features very nice views of the mountains.  Offered at just under $623,000 and with a two car garage this one piques my curiosity, although I'm apprehensive that it may need significant updating since there are no interior photos.

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August 2008