So, I am sitting here on a beautiful autumn day, in the office negotiating 2 contracts on one listing – we should all be so lucky!!  Must have priced the house correctly, huh?  (One smart Realtor!)  Only 5 days on the market.  So the question comes to my mind:  Are things beginning to turn around in the Real Estate Market in Truckee and North Lake Tahoe?  While I am waiting for the machinations of e-mail, phone calls, scanning, etc. I decided to run the stats.  These statistics were taken from the sold listings between the beginning of January each year until the end of September each respective year (this year we are not quite at the end – expect a few more closings).   This is what I found:

YEAR               Qty Sold               Vol Sold                 Average Sale            Active Inventory

2009                553               $ 363,649,877                $657,595                    2823

2008                546                  488,204,884                 894,148                     2872

2007                635                  561,638,896                 884,471                     2815

2006                720                  683,205,789                 948,897                     2234

2005                988                  756,058,456                 765,656                     1541

2004               1151                 702,935,829                 610,717                     1656

(These stats are courtesy of the Tahoe Sierra Multiple Listing Service and include all single family residences (homes, condos and mobile homes) EXCEPT those located in Sierra or Plumas County.)

This is just a tiny bit of an indicator but it looks to me that inventory peaked in 2008 and sales have increased (unit wise) in 2009.  I don’t want to make any projections but this looks like overall the beginning of a healthier market.  Inventory is coming down, consequently there are fewer choices for buyers, giving them a sense of urgency.   Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on which side you are coming at it from) we cannot say as much for the average sale price.  You can see that there has been a dramatic decrease since 2005 and that the average is returning to the 2004 level.

Well, I got the paperwork ready for the counter offers so I guess I will move on to the next business of the day our Client Appreciation Party!  Gotta go and cook!!  Sorry that this is kind of a mess but the word press thing is giving me grief today — next time it will be better!!

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A Donner Lake Jog at 7:30 am

Jennifer and I went for a little jog this morning.  It was cold and bright, about 37 degrees F when we arrived and about 41 when we finished.  I took this little video because I am playing with the Flip and wanted to see how it works.  Also, wanted to mark the “close to end of season” so I can look back when the snow is on the ground and remind myself that summer is just around the corner!

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Get Ready Skiers, here comes WINTER!

I can’t believe I am writing this when it is 87 degrees F outside today, September 24, 2009 but this time of year we get lots and lots of calls at the real estate office asking us for referrals to rental agencies that have ski leases.  In case you don’t know what a ski lease is, it is a 5 month lease of a furnished home.  Commonly these leases require the renters to take over all of the utilities such as gas, electricity, snow plowing plus pay 5 months rent up front.

The only down side from the landlord’s point of view is that they have to have furnishings and, of course, the nicer the furnishings, the more money they will get from their tenants.  These types of rentals are popular because people will form groups and share the rental and, in the long run, it becomes more affordable than a hotel room.  So, here are a few links for your information.

If you are interested in this type of situation, better get going NOW.  They are booking up quickly:  In ever popular Truckee, California, the best place to rent is Tahoe Donner (where you can enjoy tons of amenities and apre-ski activities.  A couple of websites that we know of are:  www.truckeereservations.com, www.truckeerentals.com.  If you want to set up by Lake Tahoe, check out www.stayinlaketahoe.com.  A company that handles both Truckee and Lake Tahoe is:  www.mytahoetruckeevacation.com.  These agencies take a commission based on the rent but they are so helpful because they screen your tenants.  Check them out!!

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Affordable & Adorable in Tahoe Donner, Truckee

Here is everything you need and so much more in the way of a great getaway in the amenity rich subdivision of Tahoe Donner in Truckee.  This popular floor plan incorporates 2 bedrooms, 2 baths in the “great room” style and invites easy entertaining and family gatherings.  The living room boasts a real rock FIREPLACE and soaring wooden ceilings, both adding to the ambiance of this mountain home and making it a pleasure to visit.  The residence is set back on the lot affording maximum privacy and the newly installed paver patio backyard provides seclusion and the solitude of a forest setting.  There is an added bonus — a large 2-car garage, lots of off street parking and a dead level lot.  Come and get it before it’s gone!!  Priced modestly at $319,000

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AT&T, Past and Future

I just read an amazing post that I found on Twitter.  It alluded to the fact that we usually look to the past from the future and laugh at the audacity of the predictions that were made there.  In this case though, I think you will share with me in the amazement at how on the mark AT&T was when they made these “predictions” in 1993.  That’s 16 years ago . . . .

Amazing huh?

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