Thursday, August 31, 2017

The Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival

The Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival is coming up on September 8-10th. One of the areas premier gourmet events is happening at Northstar, California. The Village at Northstar will turn into a culinary mecca for the weekend with a splash of wine! Bring the whole family and enjoy 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. The Farm to Tahoe dinner and Vertical Mountainside Wine Tasting are already sold out, however, this year is sure to be an exciting and successful event. My favorites are the "Take a Hike! & Progressive Picnic" and "The Grand Tasting & Culinary Competition" to close out the weekend.
  
Saturday, September 9th at 11am get ready to explore the great outdoors of the Tahoe National Forest. With a professional trail guide there to point out all the native flowers, birds and trees that surround, you will not want the four mile hike to end. Need more convincing? There will be various trailside beer tastings and tapas along the way!
 
Sunday, September 10-the most anticipated of all events. "The Grand Tasting & Culinary Competition" is 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 



Tuesday, August 22, 2017

The Golf Academy at Old Greenwood

The Golf Academy at Old Greenwood

There are many golf options in the Tahoe area. It can be fun to go around and experience all of them. The next month or so is a great time to play while the courses are still open but the crowds have faded.

The Golf Academy at Old Greenwood is the best in the area, hands down. Keith Lyford, Golf Magazine’s “Top 100” instructor is the director of the Academy. Each instructor has been personally selected by Lyford so you can be assured that they will meet his particularly high standards. Lyford is on site daily and actively involved in each participants personal improvement.


Beginner golfers will learn from the start to steer clear of forming bad habits. Intermediate golfers will capture more fluid, powerful swings and advanced golfers will shave enough strokes to reach the next level and become more competitive tournament players.

In addition to five star instruction, the facility is outstanding. The Golf Academy at Old Greenwood is a 15 acre training complex that hosts a 1,500 square foot learning center equipped with an indoor/outdoor hitting bay, flat screen TV’s, lockers, club storage, a fully staffed reception area and high speed internet access.


The outdoor classroom consists of two large all-grass tees and a five acre short game facility with several greens for putting, chipping and sand play. The golf technology available gives players and instructors scientific information to help improve play. The Flightscope tracks the balls entire trajectory which helps fit players for a new driver, chart club yardages or perform a full game evaluation. The 4-Camera Video Analysis captures player's swings for replay evaluation. The TOMI Putting Lab provides feedback on nine key parameters of the putting stroke. This allows instructors to formulate a clear picture of each stroke and can also help fit a putter to individual stroke tendencies.


Options at The Golf Academy at Old Greenwood include: golf schools, golf clinics, private golf lessons, golf school vacation packages and junior golf academy with 5-day summer camps. From short game development to driving full-out, everything you need to improve has been incorporated into the Academy and it’s all right here in Tahoe.


Katie Tyler

Realtor®
BRE 01442453
c 530 277 1012 

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Alibi Ale Works


This building in downtown Truckee on the corner of Bridge Street and Jibboom Street holds a long history dating back to the 1940’s. What was "Coffey’s Garage" has since been home to a couple of banks and a Crossfit gym. Locals are excited about the latest business taking charge of this building. Alibi Ale Works is now open with an entirely updated interior offering a comfortable gathering space. Having roots in the area, this is the second location for Alibi. Their Incline Village location has been in operation since 2014 after a Kickstarter campaign in 2012. Now, adding a special something to downtown Truckee, Alibi is serving up 22 draft beers daily, delicious food bites and live music. 


BeerThere is a constant rotation of beers on draft with 22 offerings each day. Every beer is made with 100% Lake Tahoe water. Whether it is dark, light, hoppy or sour, each one has a delicious character. I tried the nitro beer on draft that day. It was the Coconut Brown that surprisingly had a of flavors in the smooth nitro cream.
  

FoodThe specialty here is nachos. Love nachos? With 7 different varieties to choose from, be prepared for your idea of nachos to be turned upside-down. Start with the Korean nachos and finish off with the s’mores nachos! Small bites are also offered like cheese, olives and a vegetable platter.
  

MusicMusic is offered multiple nights a week with everything from mellow solo artists to high energy bands that will get the crowd out on the dance floor. I am excited to experience this new music venue myself with room to move and great bands like locals Coburn Station and Muzicka, a 16 piece folk band from Czech Republic.
 

Click here for more information.


Katie Tyler

Realtor®
BRE 01442453
c 530 277 1012 

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

The Thunderbird Lodge

The Thunderbird Lodge 

Lake Tahoe has over 2 million years of history. One of the most fascinating and intriguing stories lies within the walls of the Thunderbird Lodge. In 1939, the Thunderbird Lodge was completed on the shores of Lake Tahoe along with a yacht to get to and from the Lodge for George Whittell, Jr., one of the wealthiest men in California at the time. This estate was part of 20 miles of shoreline, now comprised of several buildings on a six acre parcel on the east shore of the lake. The history of the property is rich with tales about the 600 foot long secret tunnel, exotic animals, a card house built especially for poker games with friends like Howard Hughes and an aviary that was home to over 40 birds. This architecture blends many elements with stone masonry, ironwork and woodwork. Couple the architecture and boat-in location with the flamboyant lifestyle of George Whittell, Jr., this piece of Lake Tahoe has endless stories to tell.
 


This property is now part of the Thunderbird Lodge National Historic Site and open for tours. Legend springs to life as you discover the lighthouse room, old lodge, servant’s quarters with original kitchen, as well as the underground tunnel leading to the cavernous boathouse. In the boathouse see the legendary wooden speedboat, Thunderbird, card house, gardens, waterfalls and fountains.
 


There are many ways to experience this bit of Lake Tahoe history. Make it a special night and join in the winemakers dinner hosted at the Thunderbird Lodge. Gourmet dinners are paired with California winemakers as a fundraiser for the property. As the sun sets, the views are unparalleled. 
  

Other tour options include viewings by land, boat or kayak. By boat, try the continental breakfast and picnic lunch. This four hour tour will cruise the shores from Zepher Cove to the site location. A day on the Lake is heavenly. By land, try the Friday afternoon wine and cheese tour. This tour offers more time to explore the gardens and waterfalls while enjoying good wine and snacks. This year, the waterfalls are sure to be impressive. By Kayak, the adventure begins at Sand Harbor and includes a luncheon along the way, a truly unique experience.

This is the summer to discover the mystery and the legacy of the Thunderbird Lodge.

Click here for more information.


Katie Tyler

Realtor®
BRE 01442453
c 530 277 1012 


Tahoe-Truckee Market Update: August, 2017

Tahoe-Truckee Market Update

August, 2017 

Prior year comparisons would indicate that year-to-date production for the local real estate market has been sluggish. Indeed, 6% fewer residential sales have transacted year-to-date leading to an 8% reduction in total real estate volume when compared to the first seven months of 2017. 

A deeper examination reveals that, while certain pockets of the market have hit saturation, the majority of the region continues to thrive. While average price has dropped slightly over this period from $849,000 to $827,000, median price has surged ahead by 10% from $539,000 to $595,750. 

Rising median price contrasted with a slightly diminished average price indicates more homes selling in lower price points.  Translated, primary neighborhoods have outperformed resort communities showing strong demand for full-time homes, investment properties and perhaps, a more modest lifestyle. 

For example, Tahoe Donner, the common denominator community combining primary and second homes, has sold 6% more homes at 5% higher prices than the same period last year. Martis Camp, a phenomenon that has driven the local market to new heights in recent years, has sold 36% fewer homes taking almost $50 million in sales volume out of the market compared to last year.

The combined performance of Gray’s Crossing, Old Greenwood and Lahontan show an identical performance to last year at the same time having sold 28 homes at an average price just above $1,500,000.

Reasons for this shifting dynamic are many; tight inventory creating fewer selections for consumers, a general shift toward more conservative second home purchases or, perhaps, saturation of qualified purchasers for the most expensive local offerings. 

July, 2016 began what may have been the most prolific 90 day period for real estate sales ever in the Tahoe Truckee region. While 2017 may not live up to these lofty standards, we are undoubtedly headed toward another sensational Q3 by historical standards. 


Katie Tyler

Realtor®
BRE 01442453
c 530 277 1012 



Thursday, August 3, 2017

Lake Tahoe Concours d’ Elegance


August 10 – 11, 2017

The first Concours d’Elegance was held in 1972, just after companies stopped making wooden speedboats and made the switch to fiberglass boats. This year we look forward to the 45th annual Lake Tahoe Concours d’Elegance. The event is staged at the historic Obexer's Boat Company in Homewood on Lake Tahoe’s beautiful West Shore.




Every time you see a wooden boat on Lake Tahoe, it’s hard not to marvel as it speeds by or pulls up to the dock as you sip cocktails on the Sunnyside deck. The Councours event brings all the wooden boats and wooden boat lovers together for an action packed weekend. On display are exquisitely maintained boats restored to the highest level of authenticity as they appeared when they were shipped from the factory. Boats and boat enthusiasts will travel from around the world to share their passion for wooden boats.
 

The weekend kicks off with the Opening Night Gala. The event takes place at the Tahoe Maritime Museum with wine, cuisine, music, art and dancing. Other social events that surround the Councours are the Men’s Grill and Ladies Luncheon that includes a fashion show. These are classic events that have become tradition for many who attend each year. The Concours d’Elegance is a timeless event that merges the history of Lake Tahoe with the finest setting and entertainment that Lake Tahoe has to offer today.

Click here for more information.



Katie Tyler

Realtor®
BRE 01442453
c 530 277 1012