Lake Tahoe Autumn Food & Wine Festival

As one of Lake Tahoe's premier gourmet events, The Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival held at Northstar California is now in its 31st year. For three days, the Village at Northstar will be hopping with cooking seminars and demonstrations, culinary competitions, wine tastings, a Farm to Tahoe dinner, live music and a gourmet marketplace. 

There are many events throughout the weekend that compliment the main event that is located in the heart of the Village. Some of the favorites that sell out quickly are:Friday, September 9th - the Farm to Tahoe dinner that is served at the top of Northstar California, a unique experience. The night begins with a gondola ride up the mountain to the Zephyr Lodge where there are floor to ceiling windows pan the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The night is filled with beer, wine, live music and mouth watering, locally sourced culinary creations.

Sunday, September 11-The most anticipated of all events. The Grand Tasting & Culinary Competition where more than 25 top chefs in the region will be formally judged for their food and wine pairing. The People’s Choice Award is the most coveted amongst contestants, so be sure to be there and make your vote count.

If you enjoy good company, good wine and the best food in the Tahoe area, mark your calendar for this year’s Autumn Food & Wine Festival.

Click here for more information. 

Katie Tyler

Realtor®

BRE 01442453

c 530 277 1012 

Getting your Home Ready to Sell

Getting your Home Ready to Sell

 

In a study done by the National Association of Realtors, 81 percent of Realtors® said staging helps buyers visualize the property as a further home, while 46 percent said it makes prospective buyers more willing to walk through a home they saw online.  It is important to get the buyers in the home to experience it in person, and equally important the the first impression is positive.

As a listing agent, I am often asked what the homeowner can do to get their house or condo ready to be on the market. 

There are some things that are a "must" and don’t cost anything at all.  Start by cleaning.  Make sure every nook and cranny is sparkling.  Potential buyers can be turned off quickly by the look of an un-kept house or welcomed by a clean fresh environment, this includes smells.  Next step, that only takes time, not money, is to clear the clutter and remove personal items.  Having less personal photos and excess nick-nacks or excess furniture will make the space feel bigger and allow the buyer to see how they would feel living there.  Storage is also a big selling point for buyers.  If you can organize closets and storage space for a clean show this will help your showing value. 
  

If you want top dollar for your home, putting some money in up front can pay off big when an offer is made.  I would recommend 3 areas where your money will be best spent.  First is paint.  Painting will increase the desirability and show a clean, crisp look.  Make sure to pick neutral colors so buyers can see the space, not just the color of the walls.  Second is repairs.  If the door handle doesn’t work or if the fridge is making noise the buyer could be turned off early.  Eliminate cause for concern about the condition of the home and take care of small, easy repairs.  Third is pop!  Add bright pillows, bath towels, flowers or artwork on the wall.  This will draw some attention and give the space a fresh look.  


Finally, on the day of the showing, make sure to open the windows and turn on the lights.  This will make all your hard work shine.  

As your listing agent, I am here to help you with each step of this process.  If this is your second home and you are not in the area, my team and I will make sure that every showing for a potential buyer has all these elements in place.  

Katie Tyler

Realtor®

BRE 01442453

c 530 277 1012 

Tahoe-Truckee Market Update: August, 2016

Tahoe-Truckee Market Update

August, 2016 

Due to the large influence of second home buyers, the Tahoe-Truckee real estate market is one of extremes. July feels like the month when everything came together and the market hit the gas pedal in a meaningful way. 

As most of California recovered from the recession, Tahoe stabilized and experienced some gains but was slowed by subpar winter conditions that sapped certain market segments. While Martis Camp defied all measures of success, certain other communities languished having their buyer pool diluted by this success story.

July’s numbers suggest we may have hit a critical mass that was not seen during the recovery over the last 5 years. 148 transactions represent the largest number of trades in over 10 months and a 4% increase over the prior year. Similarly, average price jumped by 3% to $831,011. 

Most notably, the composition of high-dollar sales is indicative of a continued shift toward new and exciting resort communities. Of the top 10 sales in July, positions 2 through 7 were found in Martis Valley neighborhoods including 4 at Martis Camp from $3,825,000 - $5,200,000 and 2 in Mountainside Northstar’s Stellar Collection at $3,100,000 and $3,550,000.

Only 1 lakefront property, a Tahoe City estate for $5,675,000 eclipsed these mountainside homes.

Other communities showing marked velocity include Gray’s Crossing (2 sales at $1,475,000 and $1,490,000), Old Greenwood (2 sales at $1,400,000 and $1,445,000), Schaffer’s Mill (2 sales at $1,200,000 and $1,335,000), Vintage Northstar ($1,150,000 and $1,735,000) as well as a Constellation Residence adjacent to Ritz Carlton for $975,000.

It appears that this momentum will continue through the rest of the summer with 220 transactions anticipated to close in August alone. While statistically some will fall out and others be deferred, this is an exceptionally healthy rate of absorption for the local market. Notable among these pending sales are an opulent West Shore lakefront for $16,000,000 plus another 10 Martis Camp homes. Lahontan is showing increased velocity also with 3 homes currently pending. As well the most premium home in vintage Northstar is now in escrow at $3,750,000.

Despite the quickening rate of sales, inventory remains ample with nearly 9 months’ supply. In normal years, velocity will ramp up from now through October meaning the best may be yet to come for Tahoe-Truckee real estate.

We look forward to keeping you up to date as these strong market conditions continue.

Katie Tyler

Realtor®

BRE 01442453

c 530 277 1012 

Sugar Bowl to Squaw Valley Hike

Sugar Bowl to Squaw Valley Hike

This does take some coordination and planning ahead as it is best to do a one way shuttle hike. Start by parking one car at Squaw Valley in the main skier parking lot. Then, everyone jumps in the other car for a trip to the start of the hike, Donner Summit. The trailhead starts just past the Sugar Bowl Ski Academy off of Old HWY 40. 

The hike starts out with a rocky stairway switchback path. About a mile in, make sure to continue on the PCT and don’t take the Mt. Judah Loop Trail. Soon you will be on top of Mt. Lincoln feeling like you are on the top of the world with views that go on for miles. From here the trail is clear and the wildflowers are plenty. Pass by Anderson Peak, Tinker’s Knob and Mountain Meadow Lake, a very shallow lake resembling a meadow. Most of the hike stays on or near the crest of the range but there at one point it does dive down into the west side with a tough climb back out. The views, some of the finest in the Tahoe area, are well worth the challenge. 

At about 12 miles into your hike you will get to a junction for the Granite Chief trail. This is where you leave the PCT and head down into Squaw Valley. Now it is down, down, down to the valley floor. The trail is difficult to follow at times but look for the stacked rocks (cairns) as indication you are on the right path. As you are farther down there are many options but no matter which one you follow, you will end up in the parking lot where you left your car at the beginning of the day.
The day will end with 17 miles on your feet, 2,500 feet gained and 4,100 feet descended and a million smiles. There is always the option of après-hike food and drink in the Village at Squaw Valley.

Katie Tyler

Realtor®

BRE 01442453

c 530 277 1012