Please e-mail Don with your questions or comments.  
Incline Village Real Estate Blog Daily Updates For the Incline Village MLS.

July 31, 2008
After working approximately 450 hours during the month of July it was time for this Incline Village real estate agent to take half a day off and enjoy a hike on Mt. Rose.  With the waterfall still gushing but the wildflowers now passed their peak, it was a most pleasant afternoon wandering through the wilderness. 

The big news that I omitted from yesterday's Incline Village real estate update is that my listing for the home located at 868 Donna Drive closed escrow at $755,000.  With three bedrooms, two baths, a little over 1400 ft.² of living space (that had been completely and beautifully remodeled) and a lot that was approximately 4/10 of an acre in the Woods subdivision, this works out to over $500 per square foot.  I will have the link to the MLS information for you on Friday after I update the status in our system.

Today's Incline Village real estate market brings us four new listings, three price alterations, two properties going into escrow and 1 property closing escrow.  The property that sold today was mentioned here as a Super Deal Alert in the recent past.  #49 McCloud sold at the bargain basement price ( it was a short sale) of $549,000.  Granted the place does need some work, but the buyers still got a heck of a great deal on this two bedroom, 2.5 bath, 1426 ft.² two-story condo just one block from the beach.  Since my clients purchased #48 last year, I hope that both parties will become fast friends since they share the entire building.

I would like to offer my congratulations to the listing agent of 952 Fairway Park Drive.  This is a property that I had shown repeatedly in the past month and was frankly quite surprised that my most interested buyers did not pull the trigger fast enough.  I had warned them that this property would not be sitting on the market much longer and it would certainly be gone by the end of summer if not quite a bit sooner.  Arguably the nicest home in the $1.2 million price range, this three bedroom, 3.5 bath, 2264 ft.² home is located right on the 10th fairway of the Championship Golf Course and affords you excellent privacy to go along with a lovely golf course view.  This is newer construction and high quality materials were used throughout the entire property.  I hope no one is expecting to find another deal like this on the Champ Golf Course in 2008, it's probably not going to happen.

The other property that went into escrow today is only the second multi-unit building to sell in 2008.  217 Lark Court was offered at $759,000 and is one of those rare multi-unit buildings that actually has a separate garage for each apt.  Located just a short walk from the Village Shopping Center, this property has a very good rental history.

Two of the three price changes today are quite dramatic and show me that both of these sellers are very motivated and want to move their properties as quickly as possible.  314 Winding Way, which is a three bedroom, two bath, 1700 plus square foot home just a stone's throw from Preston Field was reduced $119,000 and is now a much more reasonable $750,000.  Situated on a lot that is over one third of an acre, this property will now start drawing a lot of interest at the new price.

The other big price adjustment today is for a condo at 999 at Lakeshore.  #33 was reduced to just under $1.1 million, as the asking price dropped an even $100,000.  When sellers make these types of price adjustments, they are sending a message to all of the agents and buyers in Incline Village that they want an offer.  However, this property has some competition since #7 in the same complex is one of our new listings today.  I would like to tell you more about #7, but at the time I'm writing this there are not yet any pictures of the property.  Supposedly, it is an end unit next to the open space common area and it has been beautifully remodeled.  I will have to preview this property as soon as possible since I have a couple of folks who are interested in this particular complex that has its own private beach.

For you high rollers in the crowd, 580 Ponderosa Ave has a new price and a new listing agent.  The new asking price of $3,750,000 is $150,000 lower then when the property was on the market previously.  This is a low elevation home just one block from Highway 28 that was built in 2005 and features every elegant touch and high end finish that you could possibly want.  Boasting five bedrooms, 4.5 baths, nearly 4600 ft.² of living space and a .37 acre lot, discriminating shoppers in this price range will want to take a closer look at this property.

July 30, 2008
Looking at my calendar this morning I was anticipating a relatively easy day dealing with Incline Village real estate issues.   But, to paraphrase an old saying, "The best laid plans of mice and men get screwed up time and again."  So, instead of having a 1/2 day off to go to the beach or take a nice hike, I was dealing with all the minutae that an agent needs to in order to be successful in our current market.

Today's Incline Village real estate update brings us 2 price changes, 1 property going into escrow and 1 place closing escrow.  Our closed escrow today will send shock waves through the development at 999 Lakeshore.   The nicely remodeled unit at #31 closed escrow at $1.1 mil, and the asking price was $1,275,000.   This is a price you'd normally expect to see on a fixer upper in this complex, so the buyer should be thrilled with getting such a good deal.

The property going into escrow today on the Incline Village MLS is #4 L'Ermitage.  Priced at only $549K, this was one of the better values among the low elevation condos.  With 3BRs, 2.5 baths, and 1600 sq. ft. of living space (no garage at this price), I had just showed this property to one of my buyers on Tuesday afternoon.   Congrats to the listing agent, she's worked hard to market this condo.

Those of you searching for a truly unique and incredibly unusual high end home may wish to take a look at 711 Birdie Way.   Reduced 300K down to $4,695,000, words cannot describe all the special details of this 4BR, 3.5BA, 5,160 sq. ft. property near the Mountain Golf Course.

July 29, 2008
It was another busy day for this Incline Village real estate agent as I spent the morning on the MLS tour, the afternoon showing property and then a dinner meeting with clients before diving into today's blog entry.  Our Incline Village real estate update brings us six new listings four price alterations and one property going into escrow on a gorgeous summer day at Lake Tahoe.

Leading things off is the home for sale at 803 Geraldine that got an accepted offer today.  This partially remodeled, fixer upper / tear down near the 7000 foot elevation had an asking price of only $449,000.  With room to expand and a woodsy setting, it will be interesting to see what happens over the long term with this parcel.

We've got 3 very substantial price reductions to talk about on the Incline Village real estate scene today.  One of my favorite mid-elevation homes at 657 Tyner Way had 49K lopped off the asking price and is now a bargain at only $850,000.  This 3BR, 3BA, 2000 sq. ft. home has peeks of the lake, a sun room, family room, work shop and a storage area that runs the entire length of the house.  The storage area could potentially be excavated and turned into a full 3rd floor, so the property has great upside potential.  The only thing missing is a 1/2 bath on the entry level, and I've figured out an easy way to put one in.  If you're shopping for homes in Incline Village under $1 million, this one merits a closer look.

The remodeled lake view home at 485 Gonowabie in Crystal Bay got a $100K adjustment and is now $1,650,000.  With TRPA approved plans for a garage, elevator and possible expansion, this is one of the best lake view values in Crystal Bay.  Make sure your cardio is in good shape, it's 53 stairs to get to the front door.

The beautifully remodeled home at 920 Lakeshore was whacked $400K today and is now priced at $3,995,000.  I was impressed with this property when I saw it on the MLS tour last week and I'm even more impressed at the new asking price.  Spacious, tastefully elegant and in a great location, Lakeshore Drive shoppers will want to see this place if for no other reason than to get remodeling ideas.

The only new listing that really catches my eye today is #19 Village Highlands.  The asking price of $1,125,000 is far below any other condo in this complex and looks pretty reasonable at first glance.  Those of you familiar with these condos just 1 block from Incline Beach know that the floor plan, architecture and location make these units pretty special when you can find them in the under $1.2 mil price bracket.

July 28, 2008
With only 35 shopping days until Labor Day, the Incline Village real estate market continues along in full swing with one new listing, six price reductions and this agent writing an offer on a condo in a lakefront community today.  It looks like a pretty full MLS tour on Tuesday morning and after a lunch meeting I will be out showing property in the afternoon.  The rest of this week is relatively open at the moment, and now that the smoke has abated this looks like a great time to come up and meet with me to look at homes and condos for sale in Incline Village and Crystal Bay.

The Incline Village MLS brings us one new listing and six price reductions on the final Monday in July.  The new listing at 650 Lakeshore looks like quite a spectacular property!  Bearing a price tag of $4,850,000, this four bedroom, 3.5 bath, 4600 plus square foot Lakeview property features high-end finishes throughout.  You'll find an over-sized great room, stone fireplaces, granite counters, the list goes on and on.  This home also has one of the better locations near the west end of Lakeshore and you are very close to Burnt Cedar Beach.  It looks to me like this house competes very favorably with 732 Lakeshore and also the home on the corner of Lakeshore and Martis Peak.  Anyone shopping for a quality property on Lakeshore Drive, has several good choices in the $4 million to $5 million price range.

Gazing at the price reductions we have three fairly substantial ones to contemplate today.  #61 Royal Pines, which is a stunningly remodeled three bedroom, 3.5 bath, 1752 square-foot condo with a two car attached garage was slashed $45,000 today down to $650,000.  If you would prefer not to share any walls, the freestanding condo at 824 Northwood received a $34,000 haircut and is now only $725,000.  This is one of the better values in the Central District and will likely start to draw more attention at the new asking price.

Last, but certainly not least, is the stunning piece of new construction at 558 Dale Drive which was sliced $110,000 down to $2,875,000.  Featuring four bedrooms, four full baths, two half baths, an elevator and over 5000 ft.² of living space to go along with very nice lake views, this is a beautiful home that was completed in 2007.  The quality is evident throughout this gorgeous showplace and the new asking price puts it much more in line with current market values.  The original asking price of $3.4 million was somewhere out in dreamland, so it's nice to see this property at a more reasonable number.

July 27, 2008
The only action on the Incline Village real estate market today was the long overdue 95K price reduction for the fixer upper / tear down at 866 Freels Peak.   Now priced at $1.2 million, this home for sale in the Lakeview subdivision has a great lot for those of you with the vision to remodel or rebuild this property.

July 26, 2008
It was just a usual weekend day for this Incline Village real estate agent with a listing appointment in the morning, showing property in the afternoon and then doing open house.  I was hoping that we would get a respite from the fires in California, but I awoke Sunday morning to find more smoke pouring into the Lake Tahoe basin.  This time we are dealing with a new fire down near Highway 140 not too far from the entrance to Yosemite National Park.  Unfortunately, the wind is pushing this smoke up from the south and I can't even see the lake this morning.

Anyone thinking of looking at Incline Village real estate may wish to hold off for a couple of days until the skies clear.  Especially if you are contemplating a Lakeview property, you won't have a clue as to what the view is actually like.  All of that aside, the Incline Village MLS brings us one new listing, three price changes and one property going into escrow for us to contemplate.

I wish there were more pictures of the property located at 680 Wilson Way, but there is just one exterior photo for your viewing enjoyment.  But, I guess with the high cost of electrons these days I can't expect more than one exterior picture unless it's me doing the photography.  On paper, the $529,000 asking price was relatively reasonable for this three bedroom, 2.5 bath, 1,551 ft.² condo next to the entrance to the Mountain Golf Course. 

With three price changes on the Incline Village real estate scene today you would think I'd have something to comment on.  But, neither of the two price reductions excites me and I can't explain why the property at 823 Ophir Peak Rd had a $250,000 price increase so I guess I'll leave this category and we'll take a gander at the property that went into escrow on Saturday.

The little fixer upper freestanding condo at #73 Incline Crest got an accepted offer.  This three bedroom, 2.5 bath, 1481 square-foot property located near the old Sierra Nevada College site had been reduced to $335,000 and caught somebody's eye at that price.  It will be interesting to see what type of remodeling the new buyer does with this place, since the property definitely needs work but has a very good location.

I would like to correct an oversight that was brought to my attention by a reader of this column.  My compliments to the buyer's agent for their solid representation in helping their client purchase the property located at 643 Second Creek.  The buyer was able to acquire this property nearly 25% under the original asking price at what amounted to approximately $285 per square foot, a great value in anyone's book.

July 25, 2008
It looks like motivation is the keyword on today's Incline Village real estate update.  With nine price alterations leading the charge and only one new listing and one property closing escrow backing things up, it's one of those days when six figures looks like pocket change to Incline Village property owners and investors.

Three of our price changes today are exactly $100,000 each and the fourth one for the massively proportioned house at 615 Country Club Dr. is proportionately larger at $151,000 in size.  Each of these properties needed to have their price reduced to bring them more in line with market conditions and I am happy to see the sellers and agents working together to market their properties.

#6 Village Highlands, which is a very spacious and well designed three bedroom, 3.5 bath, 2350 ft.² condo with a two car attached garage, open beam ceilings and wonderful architectural character is now coming more into line with the new asking price of $1,195,000.  The very nicely remodeled and Lakeview enhanced home at 538 Dale Drive has become one of the better Lakeview values at $1,495,000.  Boasting four bedrooms, three baths, 3196 ft.² of living space and high end finishes throughout this home is definitely worth a look for anyone shopping in the $1.5 million price range.  Joining the parade is the striking piece of architecture at 346 Winding Way.  Now priced just under $1.6 million, this five bedroom, 4.5 bath, 3541 ft.² home on nearly a half acre is situated on a very quiet and pleasant street at low elevation with easy access everywhere all year round.  (How's that for a run on sentence?)

Our only new listing today is a repeat at 831 Lakeshore Drive, albeit at a new asking price of just under $4.3 million.  If you are looking for a lakefront property and don't really care if you have a view or not, then this is the place to check out now that the asking price is $1.6 million below the original offering price.

Wrapping things up on today's Incline Village real estate market analysis we've got our closed escrow at 919 Driver Way.  This a livable tear down that sold for what I would consider lot value at $1,075,000.  The asking price of $1,295,000 was a nice try, but the reality is properties sell for what they're worth not for what someone thinks they might be worth.  I would like to applaud the seller and their agent for working with a very reasonably priced offer to make this transaction succeed.

July 24, 2008
It's another late night for this Incline Village real estate agent as I was out showing property to two different clients today, working on two new listing presentations and trying to squeeze in some food between appointments.  It's not easy staying fully nourished when you are putting in these 16 hour days, but it's very important with my metabolism of a hummingbird to keep this body well fed.  Besides, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I might have a brief opportunity next week to escape on a 48-hour backpacking trip along the east side of the Sierras and I will need to be in top shape to cover the 25 miles.

But back to the business at hand as we've got two new listings, two price reductions and one property going into escrow today on the Incline Village MLS.  Leading off today's Incline Village real estate update is a property that has been through three listing agents and numerous price alterations over the past 20 months.  I don't normally talk about repeat listings, but in this case I'll make an exception for #33 Coeur-du-Lac.  The new asking price of $545,000 is $40,000 below the last asking price and about where it should have been originally when this came on the market in October 2006.  This is a very nicely remodeled three bedroom, two bath, 1200 ft.² unit and I expect there will be a great feel of interest at the new price.

If you have about twice as much money to burn and are looking for a place almost twice as large, then you may wish to contemplate the condo for sale at 685 Wilson Way #1.  This is a 2524 square-foot condo with three bedrooms, three full baths, two half baths, a two car attached garage and a little peek of the Lake to go along with a mountain view.  Priced at $950,000, you can carry your golf clubs out the front door and walk around the corner to the Mountain Golf Course and tee it up in just a few minutes.

Both of our price changes today are worthy of a quick comment before I try to get a little bit of sleep this evening.  The beautifully remodeled condo at #18 White Pines is now a bargain at only $449,000.  The $46,000 price reduction shows that the seller wants this property sold now and I highly recommend anyone looking in the White Pines or Royal Pines complexees take a gander at this one.

The 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 3100 ft.² home at 824 Ellen Ct. saw $81,000 redeployed and is now a much more reasonable $1,119,000.  Located in the upper reaches off of Geraldine, this property is on a quiet cul-de-sac with a peek of the Lake and mountain views.

Before closing this evening, I want to offer my congratulations to the listing agent of 643 Second Creek.  After much hard work marketing the property and countless open houses, escrow finally closed today at the very reasonable price of $1,645,000.  Those of you who may have seen this home will remember it as the one with the elegant French wine cellar hidden behind an antique clock on the lower level.  Truly a one-of-a-kind home for its architecture and layout of each room, the buyer has a wonderful home to enjoy here in Incline Village.

July 23, 2008
Checking out the action on the Incline Village real estate market, I was very surprised to see the relatively inexpensive property located at 910 Harold Drive appear on the MLS today.  Located right on the Championship golf course, this is a 1576 square-foot, 3BR, 1.5 bath property that was originally a duplex and was converted back into a single family residence.  Priced at only $599,000 it looks like a good value on paper even if it needs updating.

Not a lot of activity to report as we had just one new listing, two price reductions and two properties going into escrow.  The properties that got accepted offers today were both at the lower end of the scale by Incline Village standards.  A nice little freestanding chalet in upper Tyrolean Village and a rather unique but very inviting condo on Miners Ridge Court make up the properties that went into escrow today.

Our price alterations for the day include a darling chalet in upper Tyrolean Village located at 1354 Zürich Lane and a very nice piece of newer construction at 962 Mercury court.  The home on Mercury court features high-quality finishes throughout and was built in 2002.  The new asking price of $1,230,000 is $65,000 below the old offering number.

I would be hard-pressed to show you a more attractive little chalet in the 1200 ft.² range than the one on Zürich.  The new asking price of $440,000 shows me the seller is very motivated and I highly recommend anyone shopping for a two bedroom, two bath freestanding condo take a look at this property.

July 22, 2008
Just a modicum of excitement to report on the Incline Village real estate update on this Tuesday evening.  We've got two new listings, three price alterations and one property closing escrow today in the Mountain Shadows complex as #33 sold for $315,000.  Although, this is not the typical floor plan(it's only a two bedroom 1.5 bath) inside unit with only 1152 ft.² of living space not the usual three bedroom, 2.5 bath, 1360 ft.² configuration.  So, it looks like the buyer got an okay deal but the seller didn't give the place away.

High rollers seeking a luxury home with a little bit of a Lakeview will want to take a look at the stunningly remodeled home at 968 Mica Ct.  Featuring imported kitchen fixtures, extensive use of high-quality materials throughout and a real European flavor to the decor, the most discriminating buyer will appreciate the marvelous touches in this property.  Reduced $100,000 down to $2,095,000, this beautiful home for sale on the east slope of Incline Village is arguably one of the best values in its price range.

Those of you who have been seeking a bargain basement price for a single family home at North Lake Tahoe may wish to take a look at the new listing in the upper nosebleed section at 954 Garen St.   This is what we would call a starter home by Incline Village standards.  Four bedrooms, two baths, 1656 ft.², no garage and a lot that is 2/10 of an acre make the $479,000 asking price seem very attractive.  This is a short sale, and any offer will have to be approved by the lenders.  If you buy the place I'll throw in a snowblower, cause you are really going to need it, at that elevation a shovel just won't do.

For the first time in a very long time I had the opportunity to view some high quality new construction that appears to be reasonably priced.  Located on the parking lot across the street from where the College Avenue branch of Sierra Nevada College used to be, are three incredibly fine pieces of mountain architecture with high quality finishes throughout.  Priced in the $2.4 million to $2.6 million range, each home is situated on nearly one half acre and features exquisite mountain views.  The architectural details and ingenious use of angles give each home a warm and homey feel.  Great for entertaining, the floor plan also provides lots of privacy for each of the bedrooms.

July 21, 2008
We've got quite a variety on the Incline Village real estate update today with 15 price alterations, three properties going into escrow and one new listing.  I would like to offer my congratulations to each of the three different listing agents who got accepted offers for pricing their properties in line with market conditions.  Two of the properties went through price reductions along the way making them much more attractive to prospective buyers.  When you look at the time value of money, it just makes sense to price your property in line with market conditions and be able to reposition your assets in a timely fashion. 

Headlining the price reductions on the Incline Village MLS, we've got a $50,000 downward adjustment for my listing at 859 Golfers Pass Road.  My seller is very motivated and would like to sell their property this summer.  This is a beautifully remodeled and extremely well maintained three bedroom, 3.5 bath, 2827 ft.² home on approximately 1/3 of an acre.  Click here to see the virtual tour.

We will get to the other price changes in a moment, but let's first take a look at the three properties that went into escrow today on the Incline Village real estate scene.  Leading off in the moderate price category is the well located condo at 2 - 38 Forest Pines.  Priced at $549,000, this three bedroom, two bath, 1257 square-foot condo is situated in a complex with a swimming pool and clubhouse plus a common spa just 2 blocks from Incline Beach. 

Moving up the ladder to $1,149,000 we arrive at the three bedroom, three bath home at 759 Eagle.  Over 2400 ft.² of living space, a peek of the Lake and a two car garage makes this an attractive east slope value.  And rounding things off is the beautiful free standing condo at 253 Deer Ct.  Reduced $200,000 from the original asking price (which was stratospheric), the new asking price of $1,295,000 drew a lot of attention and now an accepted offer. 

The other attention getters among the price changes today include #238 McCloud with the seller is showing extreme motivation by reducing the price from $575,000 down to $539,000 and the property is being offered furnished.  This is now the best value in a 2 bedroom, two Bath McCloud condo and since it is an upper unit I would anticipate a great deal of interest during the next few days.

Two other big movers on the day are the beautifully remodeled home on the championship golf course located at 906 Ace Court  which had $75,000 shaved off the asking price and is now a veritable bargain at $1,625,000 and the elegant home at 629 Village Blvd.  The latter property was reduced $50,000 and is now $1,475,000 for this remodeled home that can sleep a small army and would make a great vacation rental.

The only actual new listing on the Incline Village real estate market today is the stunning home at 709 James Lane.  Priced at just a hair under $2 million, this six bedroom, 5.5 bath, 4274 ft.² home is situated on a lot just over one half acre in size.  Located in the ever desirable Lakeview subdivision (which is a misnomer because most properties there don't have a view of the lake), you even get a peek of the Lake from this property.

July 20, 2008
It would be difficult for the Incline Village real estate update to get much briefer as we only had one price reduction as our total sum of activity on Sunday.  Showing some serious motivation to sell, the property at 1069 Mill Creek was reduced $45,000 and is now a very reasonable $1,095,000.  Regular readers of this column will remember that this is the property with the gigandamundo garage large enough to hold all of your grown-up toys.  Mostly remodeled and with one of the larger master suites you'll find anywhere on the north shore of Tahoe, this is now one of the best values within walking distance Lakeshore Drive.

July 19, 2008
Without any smoke in the Tahoe Basin, Saturday was the nicest day in a couple of weeks up here at the lake.   So, it looks like everyone went to the beach or was out in their boats as the action on the Incline Village real estate market was pretty light for mid-summer.  We've got 2 price reductions, 1 property going into escrow and 1 property closing escrow (which must really have occurred on Friday) for your viewing pleasure.

Headlining the Incline Village MLS today is the 100K price redeployment for the property at 448 - 2nd Tee.   Now priced at or slightly under lot value, this is a very livable home on a tiny knoll with a peek of the lake.  Big street to street lot, at only $849,000 anyone looking for a fabulous east slope location will want to check out this property.   Great opportunity to tear down and rebuild a super home on this private lot or just live in the place (which has been very nicely remodeled inside) and own the least expensive home in a very expensive neighborhood.

The very cute and nicely remodeled home at 984 Galaxy closed escrow at the remarkable price of only $566,000.   Located in the upper reaches of the Apollo subdivision (that's around 7500 feet) the final sale price tells me this was either a short sale or REO.   1408 sq. ft., 3BR, 2BA, 1 car garage and a nice setting, congrats to the lucky buyer for snagging a good value.

July 18, 2008
I'm at the start of a very busy 10 day stretch, so the Incline Village real estate updates for the next week and a half might be a little bit sparse from time to time.  I have a different buyer coming into town every single day for five days straight starting on Sunday, so it looks like this Incline Village real estate agent is going to be very busy for the near future.  That's okay, if I'm not working 12 to 16 hours per day in July and August, then there's something wrong.  I always make time to help new buyers and sellers, but it is definitely prudent to contact me several days or a week in advance if you would like to schedule an appointment this time of year.

The Incline Village real estate market brings us one new listing and six price changes on this gorgeous Friday afternoon on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe.  It looks to me like we've got a motivated seller for our new listing today at #16 White Pines which has an asking price of just under $490,000.  With a beautifully remodeled kitchen to go along with four bedrooms, 3.5 baths, a two car attached garage and 1752 ft.² of living space, this is one of the better low elevation values.

Scanning the price changes on the Incline Village MLS we've got two very big movers today.  You don't often see a mammoth price reduction just shortly after a property has been listed, but that exception to the rule is the case today for the house located at 823 Ophir Peak Rd.  This three bedroom, two bath, 1738 ft.² home in the Lakeview subdivision was built in 1973 and is situated on a lot just under one half acre in size.  The new asking price of $1.2 million is a sharp reduction from the original asking price     (when this property was listed on July 17) of $1,395,000.  I've heard of testing the waters, but it looks to me after getting a toe in, the seller realized that a price tag of nearly
$1.4 million was not going to fly.

The other very notable price change today is for the spacious condo located at 105 Village Blvd. - #8 Village Estates.  This three bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2151 square-foot condo located just a stone's throw from Lakeshore Drive was slashed $100,000 and is now offered at $1,250,000.  If you don't mind being right next to Village Blvd., this is a superb location, being so close to the beach.

July 17, 2008
The summer season continues at a steady pace of activity for this Incline Village real estate agent and on some days, our market in general.  This was one of those days as we had five new listings (2 of which were repeats), six price adjustments, one property going into escrow and one property closing escrow on the Incline Village MLS.

Checking out the new listings today we have what appears to be a very good value in a lakefront property in Crystal Bay.  514 Gonowabie is a candidate for either remodeling or teardown/rebuild since it was built in 1974 and is just a little bit over 1800 ft.² in size.  But the location is what you are paying for when you take a look at the $4,850,000  asking price.  This is one of the rare spots in Crystal Bay that has a sandy beach to go along with the obligatory boulders.  If you have been seeking a lakefront property under $5 million, please contact me pronto as I expect this property will draw a lot of interest since we are in the peak summer season.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, is #46 Third Creek with an asking price of only $698,000.  Located in one of the nicer settings without being on the Creek, this two bedroom, 2.5 bath, 1392 square-foot condo is offered furnished.  This particular row of condos has detached garages which actually provide you with a nice buffer from the traffic on Northwood Blvd..

We are finally seeing some necessary price reductions along the Southwood corridor.  During the period from 2002 through 2005 these properties ran up anywhere between 40% and 90% in value.  It is healthy for the market for these properties to retreat in price back to their levels of 2004.  Only during periods of a buying frenzy has there ever been demand for these high density condos which are mostly inside units, without garages, without a view of any kind and no amenities.  Even so, in most parts of the world $400,000 will get you a pretty nice place.  In Incline Village it's what we consider entry-level condo living.

The really major price reduction for the day and probably what I should've put as the headline at the top of the page took place at the Robert Stack Estate.  Slashed over $9 million, the new asking price of $29,900,000 will surely draw the attention of the glitterati and the well-heeled gentry who can afford such a property.  My only chance to stroll around the grounds will likely be on the MLS tour since a $30 million price tag is still well beyond my reach (and frankly the reach of 99.999% of my clients).  So, I can only hope that my one client who could potentially purchase this property does so and that I can then enjoy some nice social gatherings there in the future.

July 16, 2008
I guess that I picked a good day to take off as there was very little activity to report on the Incline Village real estate scene.  We had two new listings, two price changes and two properties closing escrow on this gorgeous sunny summer day. 

I had a very quick and most enjoyable hike to the top of Mt. Rose, setting a new personal record of only one hour 49 minutes from the parking lot to the summit.  You gain approximately 2000 vertical feet in the last 2 1/4 miles, and the view from the summit which is just below 10,800 feet is quite spectacular.  The wildflowers were in full bloom at the base of the waterfall and along the creeks that mark the halfway point of the journey.  If you are considering doing this hike, this is absolutely the best time to go and I highly recommend making the trip if you have the time.  It will take most mortals approximately 3 to 4 hours to get to the summit and about 2.5 hours for the return trip.

Taking a gander at the activity on the Incline Village real estate market, the home that was on the market for a couple of years at 623 Tyner Way closed escrow at $2,275,000.  This is a stunning piece of new construction with a fabulous view of my house (seriously, their entire view is looking right at my house with a few trees in between) and nearly 7000 ft.² in which to roam around.  I just hope the new owners will get in the habit of turning off the outside lights at night, they are really bright and they wipe out a big chunk of my view of the stars.

#143 Third Creek which is a 1512 ft.², two bedroom, two bath inside unit closed escrow at $675,000.  A fairly nice interior and great location near the creek make this the new benchmark property for the standard two bedroom condos in this complex.

The seller of 1075 Flume Rd must be getting extremely motivated as they reduced the price all the way down to $789,000.  Whether you consider this a remodel opportunity or a tear down, the large nearly level lot and fabulous location in the Mill Creek subdivision make this a great value.  It's rare that you'll find a lot of this size anywhere near $800,000 in this location just a couple of blocks from Lakeshore Drive.

Checking out the new listings on the Incline Village MLS today, both are in the just under $700,000 price range.  First up is a remodeled freestanding condo at 1511 Tirol Dr with an asking price of $699,000.  It looks like the work may still be in progress, that's why you don't see a bunch of interior pictures.  Fabulous Lakeview once you make the walk up the outside steps.  Rumor has it this will be a high-quality remodel throughout and well worth the drive to upper Tyrolian Village.

687 Bridger Court is our other new offering on the Incline Village real estate scene.  Priced at $685,000 this remodeled cabin in the woods type of property is situated on a tiny cul-de-sac and next to Forest Service land.  Featuring three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 1536 ft.² and a two car garage, this property is for those who are looking for privacy in a quiet a woodsy setting.

July 15, 2008
It's going to be a rather brief Incline Village real estate market summary as I am heading out the door for a rare day off to enjoy a hike up to the summit of Mt. Rose.  I'm sure there will be a lot of work greeting me when I return this afternoon.  But it's such a gorgeous day and I have been working such long hours for the past three weeks that it's time for a quick breather.

We've got one new listing, five price alterations and one property closing escrow on the Incline Village MLS on Tuesday.  Congratulations to the listing agent who also represented the buyer for the sale of #16 Village Highlands.  The final sale price of $1,120,000 is very reasonable and reflects the fact that although this property is partially updated, the new buyer will probably be investing a few dollars to make this place really special.  Located just one block from Incline Beach, this is one of the best locations and floor plans among all the low elevation condos in Incline Village.

The two significant price changes today on the Incline Village real estate scene include #115 Bitterbrush which was reduced $39,000 down to $550,000.  This two bedroom plus loft, 2.5 bath Lakeview condo is an end unit in a good location with a sunny south facing deck.  The other big mover on the day is 920 Tyner Way a piece of new construction in the upper reaches of Incline Village.  The new asking price of $1,799,000 is sure to draw some attention based on what the neighboring properties have sold for recently.

July 14, 2008
Yesterday truly was the calm before the storm as we've got 17 different properties to ponder when gazing at the Incline Village real estate market today.  Since it's that time of year when I don't really have the extra time to write a dissertation, I'll just have to skim over the highlights for today's Incline Village MLS update.

Highrollers were once again in charge of the action today as we saw not one, not two but three high end properties go into escrow along with a parcel of land in upper Tyrolean Village.  1409 Tirol Drive sold for $99,000 which is quite possibly the least expensive land transaction involving a buildable lot in recent memory.  At the other end of the spectrum, with an asking price of $3,350,000 we have a lakefront community property in Crystal Bay also getting an accepted offer.  240 North Lake Drive is a remodeled 3029 ft.² home featuring three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, a detached garage and your very own buoy to go along with a shared pier.

Also getting accepted offers today are the Lakeview home at 898 Tyner Way with an asking price just a sliver under $2 million and the new construction at 918 Tyner Way offered at $1,975,000.  If all three of these transactions close escrow, it could actually shift the statistical median price for properties in Incline Village upwards by $50,000 or more.  Now some would say that's a radical statement, but if you look at the statistics it's pretty clear why.

There have been very few transactions this year between $1 million and $1.2 million.  Just a couple of transactions more on the high side will greatly impact what is the statistical median selling price in 2008.  Conversely, a handful of transactions on the low end could artificially deflate the statistical median price for a home in Incline Village and Crystal Bay.

What really matters most is what is any particular house worth today versus what it was worth one year ago?  That all depends on the quality of the property, view, floor plan, location, setting and ease of access all year round.  Even though overall demand may have slackened vs. 2007, the median home which is approximately 2600 ft.², in decent condition and at a low elevation or moderate elevation location is still going to cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.2 million give or take a bit. 

As you change elevations, subdivisions, gain or lose the views of the Lake and/or mountains the demand for any particular property increases or decreases.  So, those of you looking to purchase at a 25% discount will have a better chance finding what you want in the aisles at Ross Dress for Less than you will shopping for Incline Village real estate.

Sifting through the price reductions today, only two of the nine really stand out.  If you are shopping in the $8 million price range then you will definitely want to take a look at the stunning piece of new construction located at 797 Ida court.  Built on a promontory of land with spectacular views of Lake Tahoe, words cannot describe the quality of this property and the top of the world setting.

Wrapping things up at the other extreme, is the fixer-upper at #11 Tahoe Palisades.  Adjusted downward $20,000, this freestanding condo has some great upside potential if you have a lot of vision and the ability to turn a fixer upper into something special.

We had 4 new listings today, 3 are repeats and #4 requires a visit before the authorities revoke my poetic license.

July 13, 2008
I was busy working all morning and showing property all afternoon on this hazy Sunday at Lake Tahoe.  I'm not sure what the other Incline Village real estate agents were doing, but it wasn't price changes or new listings because we have only one piece of activity to report today.  Since we had just one new listing and no other action on Incline Village MLS, that tells me to expect a flurry of activity over the next two or three days.

The new property coming on the market is a free standing condo located at 1081 Lucerne.  I would love to tell you a lot about this property, but with only the briefest of descriptions and only one exterior picture for the viewing audience, it's probably better for me to hold my tongue.  This could be a great value or it could be a teardown, I have absolutely no idea, and how often do you hear me say that!

Be sure to check the weekly update which will be revised sometime on Monday for all the latest sales statistics and current market analysis.

July 12, 2008
It was nice to see 2 properties that needed price reductions got them on Sat. making them now very reasonably priced. The Incline Village real estate market brings us four price reductions and one new listing on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.  Since the new listing on the MLS is a repeat, we can dive right into the two significant price adjustments.

932 Dorcey was reduced $61,000 and has a new asking price of $759,000.  My guess is the comparable sale for the house up at 981 Galaxy Way last week is what helped to bring the price of this property to its new level.  976 Jennifer St was reduced $109,000 and at $990,000 is worth a look for anyone shopping in this elevation and price range.  With the ever rare level driveway at high altitude and a spacious 3384 square foot floor plan, this four bedroom, three bath home is now a very good value.

July 11, 2008
With two new listings, four price reductions, and one property closing escrow on Friday it was another steady day of activity on the Incline Village real estate market and a frenetic day for this particular agent.  I am currently nurturing two deals in escrow along with showing property to three different buyers this weekend and working on the marketing for my new listing at 704 Golfers Pass Road.  At least the smoke from the California wildfires seems to have temporarily abated and we can once again breathe that fresh mountain air.

Checking out the new listings on the Incline Village MLS we have one property that really grabs my attention.  108 Steam Circle is owned by one of the long time and most well-respected agents in Incline Village.  Located very close to Lakeshore Drive at the exclusive east end of town, this remodeled three bedroom, three bath, 2146 ft.² property features slab granite, a new driveway and nice landscaping.  The asking price of $1,195,000 looks very reasonable on paper so I will be taking a look at this property on Sunday in case anyone wants more details.

There are two price alterations that merit some consideration.  1075 Flume Rd got a $50,000 readjustment and is now a veritable bargain at only $849,000.  This is probably the most livable home under $900,000 in the Mill Creek subdivision and the .35 acre lot gives you plenty of room in case you wanted to do a tear down and rebuild.

The other significant price change is $59K on the downside for 972 Fairway View Ct.  Now priced at only $1,040,000, this is an absolutely gorgeous freestanding condo with slab granite in the kitchen, open beamed ceilings, two fireplaces, hydronic heat, a two car attached garage and over 2100 ft.² of living space.  Located just 1 block from the Champ Golf Course, this should be on your short list if you're shopping in this price range.

Wrapping things up today is our property that closed escrow located at 615 Alpine View.  The final sale price of $1,395,000 is very reasonable for this 1774 ft.²  panoramic Lakeview home that has lots of upside potential.  Very livable as is, there is an additional 2252 ft.² of coverage for those who wish to expand, or tear down and create a monument to themselves.

July 10, 2008
It was another very busy day on the Incline Village real estate scene as we had four new listings, three price reductions, two properties going into escrow and one property closing escrow. Spearheading the new listings on the Incline Village MLS today is my newest property for sale at 704 Golfer's Pass Road.  I am very proud to have listed this property which is having the exterior painted sometime in the next two weeks, that is why you don't see any outside photos of this home just yet.

Located right on the Mountain Golf Course, this four bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2729 ft.² home features a six person sauna, three decks and a two car attached garage.  The asking price of $1,125,000 makes this a very attractive value.  The living room features open beamed cathedral ceilings, a floor to ceiling stone fireplace, with sliding glass doors to an expansive south facing deck.  All of the bedrooms are spacious and the guest master suite on the entry level has a private bath and is adjacent to the sauna.

Since all of the other new listings on the Incline Village real estate market today pale in comparison to mine, it's time to review the price alterations.  For some inexplicable reason the home for sale at 678 - 14th Green went up $15,000 today.  Moving in the opposite direction, is the beautifully remodeled chalet at 1208 Styria Way in Upper Tyrolean Village.  With 1560 ft.² of living space, this three bedroom, two bath chalet has spectacular mountain views and an end of cul-de-sac location.  The new asking price of $597,000 makes this worth a look for anyone who wishes to be near the Diamond Peak Ski Area.

The closed escrows on today's Incline Village real estate update give us some insight as to the health of our local market pricewise.  As expected, the fixer-upper/tear down at 171 Mayhew Circle closed escrow in the mid-$800,000 with a final sale price of $855,000.  This is about what you would expect for a property on a .401 acre lot in the Mill Creek subdivision. 

So, with no surprise there let's take a look at the fixer-upper at 701 Tyner Way which is situated on a .375 acre lot and provides you with a Lakeview and complementary road noise from the Mt. Rose Highway.  This home was on the market for only 22 days and the final sale price of $705,000 is about 5% under the original asking price of $730,000.  There are so few Lake view properties in the overall scheme of life (only about 10% of all the properties at Tahoe have any kind of the Lake view, from the tiniest peek up to the superduper panorama), someone with a little vision can make this into a very nice place.

Not to be overlooked, is the beautiful home at 473 Eagle that went into escrow today with an asking price of $2,795,000.  This panoramic Lakeview home on the east slope features four bedrooms, five baths, 4900 ft.² and a view that will knock your socks off so you might as well walk around barefoot if it's your own house and enjoy it anyways.

July 9, 2008
After taking a couple of hours off this morning to go for a hike along the Tahoe Rim Trail, this Incline Village real estate agent had one heck of a busy afternoon and evening.  I've got two properties in escrow that need constant nurturing and I'm busy preparing to put a new listing on the Incline Village MLS on Thursday morning.

So, the two new listings and three price reductions today are just a small part of the activity that crossed my desk.  Both new listings are compliments of my office at Lakeshore Realty.

First up, is one of the newer condos in Third Creek.  This property is a three bedroom, 2.5 bath, 1805 ft.², inside unit located very close to the Raley's shopping center.  Built in 1995, #167 features a one car attached garage and views of the mountains and trees.  The asking price of $865,000 makes this the least expensive three bedroom condo for sale in Third Creek.

Our other new listing on the Incline Village real estate market today is #17 McCloud.  This two bedroom, two bath, 1111 ft.² upper unit is in one of the best locations on the Village Blvd. side of the complex.  Set back from the driveway area in a private woodsy setting, this property is sure to get a lot of interest at the $578,000 asking price.

It looks like we've got three very motivated sellers as all of the price reductions today are quite significant.  Getting a dose of reality, #25 Woodminster was reduced to $90,000 and is now priced much more reasonably at $435,000.  This is a two bedroom, two bath, 1672 square-foot condo with a loft and a one car detached garage.  The property originally came on the market in May 2007 at the rather extraordinary asking price of $595,000.  The listing agent is well known for pricing her properties fairly, so I can only guess that the seller tried reaching for the stars when they first put their property up for sale.

The house at 970 Mica Court received a $96,000 alteration on the downside and this beautiful piece of new construction is now priced at $2,499,000.  Even if you can't afford the price tag, I highly recommend that you take a look at this property just to get some remodeling ideas for your own place.  The quality of the materials throughout screams high end and the use of contrasting colors makes this an architectural and interior design gem.

If you're shopping in the higher price ranges, then you may wish to take a look at the incredible home for sale at 755 Burgundy Rd.  Just a smidgen under 8500 ft.², this four bedroom, 4.5 baths showplace sits on two acres of land with a panoramic Lakeview to go along with the $6,995,000 asking price.

July 8, 2008
It was a rather lackluster day on the Incline Village real estate market with just one new listing and two price reductions to report.  The really exciting news revolves around the stunningly remodeled property located at 939 Jupiter that I had the opportunity to preview today. 

Priced at $1,088,000 this is arguably the best value in the $1.1 million price range among all of the homes and condos for sale in Incline Village and Crystal Bay.  Nothing has been overlooked at this 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2162 ft.² home nestled against Forest Service land and situated on a .37 acre lot.  There is even a year-round stream adjacent to the property.  The landscaped grounds are absolutely gorgeous and they complement the lovely architecture

I don't normally get this excited about a new listing, but in this case I just have to make an exception.  Slab granite countertops, cherry cabinets, travertine tile floor, designer lighting, floor to ceiling windows in the great room and 2 river rock fireplaces complete the scene.  There is an exquisite guest master on the lower level that could just as easily be the primary master suite as it opens out to the very private side yard which is beautifully landscaped.  If you are searching for a quality home in Incline Village or Crystal Bay I can't show you a better property in this price range.

I wish there were some pictures on the Incline Village MLS for the panoramic Lakeview home located at 659 Cristina so that you could enjoy the spectacular view.  This is a four bedroom, 4.5 bath, 3328 ft.² home with a separate guest house.  Priced at $2,495,000, this is one of the nicer properties on the East Slope.  I'll have to contact the listing agent on Wednesday and get some pictures for your viewing enjoyment.

Checking out the price changes on the Incline Village MLS today we have two fairly big movers and both in the right direction.  The very spacious home at 595 Knotty Pine received a $99,000 haircut and is now a very reasonable $1,550,000.  Formerly the home of a well respected contractor, this property has what could be the largest and most well-equipped workshop of any piece of real estate in Incline Village.  This expansive home in the Ponderosa subdivision features six bedrooms, 4.5 baths, over 4000 ft.² of living space on a large lot that is just under 3/4 of an acre.  Fabulous lake and mountain views along with tremendous upside potential make this property worth a closer look.

The other big price alteration today is for the four-plex at 325 Alder Ct.  Built in 1965, each unit contains two bedrooms, 1.5 baths 1110 ft.² of living space and an attached one car garage.  The new price of $850,000 is much more reasonable than the previous asking price of $940,000 and no longer in the stratosphere where it was originally listed at $1,375,000 back in 2005 when a different agent was representing the seller.  My motto is "price them write and sell them fast" and it looks like the current listing agent for this property is now adopting my mantra.

July 7, 2008
It looks like we are in full summer mode as today's Incline Village real estate update brings us four new listings (2 of which are repeats), eight price changes and two properties closing escrow.  Anyone who thinks prices are collapsing up here on the North shore of Lake Tahoe only needs to look at the home that closed escrow today at 981 Galaxy Way for evidence to prove otherwise.  The final sale price of $770,000 is very reasonable for this two bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2027 ft.² home that has been partially refurbished and sits on a .24 acre lot.  I had a client who wanted to write an offer for this property at $650,000 last fall and now everyone can understand why the listing agent said that type of an offer would not even be considered.

The other property in Incline Village that closed escrow today is the fixer upper / teardown home in the Lakeview subdivision at 118 Rubicon Peak Lane.  Selling for $1,120,000, this is a livable three bedroom, two bath, 1440 ft.² home located on a .436 acre lot.  My congratulations to the agent who represented the buyer, he and I are competing in a friendly way for the number one position for buyer representation in 2008.

If you're shopping in the under $500,000 category for a condo in Incline Village, then the two actual new listings today might be worth your time.  First up is the lowest price we've seen for a two bedroom, two bath unit in Woodstock in quite some time.  This 1,021 square-foot condo has been refurbished and is being offered at only $288,000.  Located within walking distance of shops, restaurants and The Village Ski Loft, those on a budget seeking a property in the center of town will want to put this one on their short list.  This is a two-story unit, so if you are looking for one level living you can scratch this one.

The other new listing today on the Incline Village MLS is #132 Mountain Shadows which features a rare peek of the Lake in this complex to go along with three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and 1360 ft.² of living space.  No garage, but you are not going to get one in this complex at the $460,000 asking price.

Checking out the plethora of price reductions we start things off with a $200,000 redeployment for the elegant Tudor style home at 990 Trap Court.  Located next to a stream at the end of a private cul-de-sac this remodeled 4,734 square-foot property features five bedrooms, 5.5 baths, a three car attached garage and a wonderful setting on the Championship Golf Course.  The new asking price of $1,999,000 is nearly $2 million below the original asking price when this property hit the market back in 2005.  Anyone shopping for a larger property on the golf course will want to see this property pronto as it's now one of the best values under $2 million.

The other price reduction on the Incline Village real estate market that gets my adrenaline pumping today is for the panoramic Lakeview condo at #116 Crystal Shores Villas.  This two bedroom, two bath, 1160 ft.² condo in a lakefront community provides you with south facing decks to enjoy the spectacular Lakeview and a private marina dedicated to this complex.  If you own a boat and are shopping for a lakefront community condo to park it at, you will definitely want to take a look at this property which is now offered at $1,295,000.

July 6, 2008
We had 3 price reductions as the only action on the Incline Village real estate market on Sunday and 2 of them were quite significant.  Showing great motivation to sell, the price for 952 Fairway Park Drive dropped $100K and is now a very reasonable $1,195,000.

The spacious home on a very large lot at 615 - 14th Green was reduced $50K and is now priced at $1,099,000.   Both properties are worth a closer look for anyone shopping in this price range.

July 5, 2008
It was a rather interesting day on the Incline Village real estate scene today, as we had five new listings (4 of which are repeats), two price reductions and the freestanding condo at 33 Country Club Villas go into escrow.  Regular readers will remember that the property in Country Club Villas was given a big write up here as a Super Deal Alert and almost immediately got an accepted offer.

You'll need some serious coin if you want to partake of the new listing located at 470 Gonowabie.  This is a lakefront property with an asking price of $13 million and based on the pictures I'm guessing the house is a teardown.  Built in 1935, I'm sure it doesn't have everything you would expect with modern building codes.  However, you would be hard-pressed to find a more private location on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe with such a spectacular view.   And if you're concerned about not having full access to the beaches in Incline Village since this home is in Crystal Bay, not to worry.  If I represent you on the purchase of this property, I'll buy you an unbuildable lot in Bitterbrush for around $20K which will give you 5 full IVGID Recreation Passes and full beach privileges.

The notable price change for the day is the very nicely remodeled condo at #43 White Pines Estates.  Reduced $20,000 down to $579,000, this four bedroom, 3.5 bath, 1752 square-foot condo comes with a two car attached garage and is being offered furnished.

Anyone searching for a Lake view property might want to come back in a few days after the smoke from the California fires starts to clear up.  It's almost impossible to tell what type of view any property has with the haze we've been suffering from in the Lake Tahoe basin.  I can take you up to a property and point you in the right direction, but that's not going to give you the full flavor. 

Time for me to get ready for a stretch of floor time in the office before I do open house later in the day.  It will be interesting to see what type of activity I get during this summer's open houses...

July 3 - 4, 2008
At first glance it looks like a super busy day on Thursday on the Incline Village real estate market.   But, drilling down deeper we see that six of the eight new listings are repeats to go along with three price alterations and one property going into escrow.

The only new listing worthy of comment for today's Incline Village real estate update is the stunningly remodeled home at 1076 Sawmill.  Priced at $1,550,000, this three bedroom home features two full baths, two half baths, 2621 ft.², a one car attached garage and a very large .71 acre lot in the Mill Creek subdivision.  Low elevation shoppers looking for a walk to the beach property will want to view this property and compare it to the other homes for sale on Sawmill and Pine Cone Road.

It took a very long time, but the asking price for the home for sale at 800 Geraldine is now finally in the ballpark instead of somewhere out there in left field where it's been for the past two years.  Now priced at a much more reasonable $849,000, this four bedroom, 3.5 bath, 2650 ft.² home comes with a one car attached garage and a quiet peaceful setting with mountain views.  If you are looking for a private location and a well maintained home, this one should be on your short list.

Our last tidbit of news today is that #49 McCloud got an accepted offer.  Many of you will remember this is the short sale for the two-story, two bedroom, 2.5 bath condo.  We'll see if the $549,000 asking price bears any resemblance to the final sale price or if the lenders have pushed the buyer to a higher number in an effort to work out acceptable terms for this property.

July 2, 2008
The annual Fourth of July festivities kicked off today with a parade through the center of Incline Village, which I got to see for about 30 seconds since I was on my way to meet a client to view some properties this morning.  It was another incredibly busy day for this Incline Village real estate agent as I am nurturing two deals in escrow, working on another listing agreement and finalizing the print advertising campaign for the summer.

Fortunately, we have a lot of repeats among the eight new listings today, so that will make it possible for me to get to bed before midnight which is starting to become a rare event.  The Incline Village MLS also brings us four price changes, two properties going into escrow and one transaction closing escrow on this gorgeous summer day at Lake Tahoe.

Jump starting things this evening is the Lake view property at 705 Cristina Drive which is a livable fixer upper on the East Slope.  Priced at $1,238,000, the final sale price of $1,190,000 reflects the fair market value of this property and the accuracy of the listing agent, whom I admire and respect very much.  Congratulations Maureen, I know how hard you work to price your properties fairly and make sellers understand that we are in a market of savvy buyers.

The two properties that went into escrow today on the Incline Village real estate market include #7 Incline Manor which is a very nicely remodeled two bedroom, 1.5 bath, 1,088 square-foot condo priced at $348,900.  Completing the action on the low end today is the cute little condo at 865 Peepsight with an asking price just a smidgen under $400,000.  Quite possibly the least expensive golf course property in Incline Village, the buyer should be very happy with the quiet woodsy setting on this private cul-de-sac.

Gazing at the price adjustments, I am completely perplexed as to why the home for sale at 591 Lucille was increased $45,000 up to the new asking price of $995,000.  This home has been on the market for over 18 months, so I can only guess that the owner is making an adjustment for the weak dollar and probably wished he had priced his property in euros in the first place.  I'm going to start giving my sellers the option of pricing in dollars, euros or barrels of oil, whatever makes them happy.  (Just kidding)

The really significant price change today is $100,000 on the downside for the Lakeview home at the end of the cul-de-sac at 114 Vue Ct.  This remodeled property could potentially be a great vacation rental since it has six bedrooms, four baths, nearly 4000 ft.² of living space and enough parking for a herd of elephants.

I would like to get excited about the new listing located at 115 Tramway, but the asking price of just under $1.5 million has me a little bit befuddled without seeing the entire interior.  Located just a few steps from Lakeshore Drive, this is arguably one of the best locations in the Mill Creek subdivision.  I know the listing agent quite well, so I may have to put in a phone call on Thursday morning to get the inside scoop on this property.

Before I run out of electrons and brain cells, I must tell you a little something about the recently remodeled home at 538 Dale Drive.  This is a great example of a visionary owner taking a property that was a borderline disaster a year ago and turning it into an architectural gem.  They even worked with the neighbors to do defensible space and remove trees that just happened to open up a lot more Lake view.  Featuring four bedrooms, three baths, a two car attached garage, 3196 ft.² of living space and high quality materials throughout, the asking price of $1,595,000 puts this in direct competition with the house down the street at 571 Dale Drive.

If you are planning to look at Incline Village real estate this summer and would like my assistance, please be advised that I am completely booked for the weekend of July 11-13.  I would greatly appreciate it if you could contact me at least one or two weeks in advance to schedule an appointment to look at property, unlike the person who called me last Saturday afternoon 30 minutes before arriving in Incline and wanting me to show them property when I already had a full appointment calendar for the day.  While 90% of the agents around the country might be twiddling their thumbs waiting for the phone to ring, I will likely be busy helping my clients from early in the morning until late at night every day from now until September arrives.

I'd like to welcome Mike Croke the owner of the Village Ski Loft as the newest member of our board of Realtors.  I just hope he knows what he's getting into............the most competitive real estate market in America.

July 1, 2008
It was another frenetic day on the Incline Village real estate market and for me personally.  I put my listing at 868 Donna Drive into escrow today, got a new listing agreement signed for a house on the Mountain Golf Course, showed property to one of my buyer clients and managed to squeeze in a couple of hours previewing properties on the MLS tour this morning. 

Only 1 property on the tour in the $1 million + price range caught my eye today on the MLS tour.  If you've got around $7 million burning a hole in your pocket, then the stunning property located at 1555 Pine Cone Circle might be just what you're looking for.  Rarely have I seen such high quality construction and extensive use of the finest materials throughout an entire property.

During the past two days we had a total of nine new listings, 11 price alterations, one property closing escrow along with the aforementioned home on Donna Drive going into escrow.  I would like to offer my congratulations to my good buddy Tim Lampe for handling both sides of the transaction for the beautifully remodeled and expanded home located at 1565 Vivian Lane.  The final sale price of $6,700,000 does justice to this gorgeous property that many longtime residents will remember as the former vacation home of two of the nicest people ever to inhabit Incline Village, Sam and Toffee Leftwich.  I managed this property in a previous life when I first moved to Incline Village.  It does have a rather storied history because of a tenant who rented the property for a couple of years and caused a ruckus in our business community.   Anyone who remembers Bob DeMaio and his software company knows what I'm talking about. 

Regular readers of this column know that I don't generally talk about repeat listings, but I have to make an exception for the home located at 808 Toni Ct.  Now with a new listing agent and a new price of $1,400,000, that is $200,000 below the old asking price (which is where it should have been in the first place), this two bedroom, two bath, 2,682 square-foot property features a very private end of cul-de-sac location.  Located just below the nosebleed territory on Tyner Way, the property offers mountain views and filtered Lake views to go along with a very serene setting.

Those of you in the crowd seeking a fixer upper at a relatively low elevation at a reasonable price may want to check out the new listing at 418 Pat Court.  With an asking price of only $670,000, this three bedroom, 2.5 bath, 1628 ft.² home is located near the intersection of two cul-de-sacs so you don't have to worry about any through traffic.

Most of the other new listings on the Incline Village MLS the past couple of days were either repeats or properties that don't justify my further expenditure of electrons.  So let's take a leap over to the price reductions on the Incline Village real estate market.

Anyone looking for a panoramic Lakeview property at a good price will want to scope out the four bedroom, five bath, 4000 plus square foot home at 1011 Apollo Way.  The seller is super motivated as evidenced by the $200,000 price reduction that brings this property down to a veritable bargain at $1,595,000.  This tastefully remodeled property has easy access all year round and a listing agent who is very easy to deal with (we used to work together in the same office when I first started selling real estate here in Incline).   I would be hard-pressed to show you a better value in this price range anywhere in our community.

The other significant price reductions during the past 48 hours include a beautifully remodeled home in the Mill Creek subdivision at 1079 Tiller Drive and the gorgeous new construction at 1087 Oxen Rd.  Highrollers only, as these properties are priced at $2,195,000 and $3,299,000 respectively.  Both properties have so many features and high end attributes that I would have to write a book to fully describe them.  If you have any interest in owning a very high quality home within a block or two of Lakeshore Drive, please contact me for more information.

February 2008      March 2008     April 2008      May 2008    June 2008     August 2008