Our new digs.
August 16, 2009
Here is our new office.
Too Much Shopping
August 15, 2009
You can never get enough of shopping with your friends. Here they are, taking a break at the Greagle Craft Fair. Beautiful day and wonderful friends. Happy Birthday Shirl!
Lunch in Plumas County
August 10, 2009
Lunch in Plumas County
Originally uploaded by kappymann
Sunday I was lucky enough to have lunch with 17 friends at this beautiful spot. It is called Big Springs Gardens. Located between Bassetts and Sierra City it is an oasis in the woods. Check it out
at www.BigSpringsGardens.com .
Truckee North Lake Tahoe Stats for July 2009
August 8, 2009
Sorry this is so tardy, had my brain full down in the Bay Area at REBar Camp and Inman Connect. Overload you know. But here they are:
Here’s the wrap up for this month of July 2009. The amount of homes (including condos) sold increased from 63 last month to 82 this month. Tahoe Donner continues to lead the way with a total of 25 single family residences changing hands. Sales at Lake Tahoe seem to have increased with Tahoe City finally registering some statistics and Kings Beach and Tahoe Vista weighing in with more sales. The Westshore at Lake Tahoe also continues to carry its own increasing its sales from 5 to 8 this month. Some of the distressed properties, namely short sales are finally showing up in the “Sold” status. This means that banks are finally figuring out a strategy or at least a system for pushing these properties out of their pipeline. Clearly with 12 short sales and 8 REO’s (bank owned) sold transactions (out of the total of 82), the distressed properties are playing a big part in the market. Here are the statistics from the Tahoe MLS. Solds from July 1 – 31, 2009:
Tahoe Donner: 20 homes, (2 short sales), 5 condos (1 REO)
Northstar: 2 homes, 4 condos (1 short)
Glenshire, Cambridge, Juniper Hill, Juniper Creek, The Meadows: 8 homes (3 short sales)
Prosser Lake Area: 3 homes (1 short)
Sierra Meadows, Ponderosa Palisades, Winter Creek: 2 homes, 1 condo (REO)
Martiswoods, Ponderosa Ranchos: 0 residential properties
Olympic Heights: 0 residential properties
Lahontan: 2 homes (1 REO)
Martis Camp: 1 home
Old Greenwood: 0 residential properties
Gray’s Crossing: 0 residential properties
Truckee Proper: 2 condos (1 REO)
Adjacent to Tahoe Donner: 1 home (short sale)
Donner Lake: 2 homes (1 short sale)
Donner Summit: 3 homes (1 REO)
West shore Lake Tahoe: 7 homes (1 short sale), 1 condo
Tahoe City: 4 homes (1REO), 1 condo
North shore Lake Tahoe: 3 homes
Kings Beach & Tahoe Vista: 7 homes (1 short, 2 REO)
Alpine & Squaw Valley: 2 homes
Shared Ownerships – entire region: 1 (short sale) $64K in Old Greenwood
Mobile Homes – entire region: 0 sales
Condos and Homes sold over $1M in Truckee and North Lake Tahoe: 12
Hghest priced home or condo sold: $3,600,000 Golf Course home in Martis Camp. A 6048 square foot home with 5 bedrooms, 6 baths, 3 car garage on 1.6 acres. Listed for $4,450,000 and sold after 363 days for CASH.
Lowest priced home or condo sold: $200,900 for a little 3 bedroom, 1 bath home in Kings Beach, built in 1955. Banked owned (REO) sold for CASH after 6 days on the market.
The list to sell ratio on the median was 97% . In other words, the homes sold within 97% of the list price.
Becareful of the ultimate bargain
August 2, 2009
Many homebuyers today are shopping for the ultimate bargain and believe me there are bargains to be had. While home values in the greater Truckee area have declined 15-20% since January 2008 that does not account for the devaluation preceeding that time bringing the total savings to a guesstimate of 30-35% overall since this reccession began (and even higher in some pockets). Buyers today have a greater selection and the ability to negotiate the terms of their offer. Interest rates are as low as we have seen them in recent years making this the optimum time to negotiate the ultimate bargain. One must caution against getting too carried away with your bargain hunting as you really do get what you pay for. Don’t focus too much on the price per square foot, but keep in mind that you are already getting 30-40% more for your money today. Many of these bargain homes couldn’t sell because there were so many better homes to choose from and even with all of the elbow grease in repairs & upgrades, it won’t overcome some of the homes downsides. Instead focus on the home that offers everything that you couldn’t afford just a few years ago; size, location, number of bedrooms, garage, etc. Once this economy turns around these homes will appreciate at a better pace and meanwhile you will be in the home you love!
