Tahoe Donner Summer Program Registration

Registration Information

Registration for 2010 day camps and swim lesson programs will take place online at http://onestore.tahoedonner.com. We recommend that you create a login and check that all members that you have registered at the Member Services office appear in your profile prior to the registration date. Information regarding swim lessons and day camps is available in the Summer Fun Guide or online at www.tahoedonner.com. For more information, contact Trout Creek Recreation Center at (530) 587-9437.

Member Registration
Day Camps: Tuesday, May 4, 8 a.m.
Swim Lessons: Tuesday, May 11, 8 a.m.

1. To register as a member, each participant must be identified on your Tahoe Donner profile, even if they are six or under. You may add members to your profile at the Member Services office. The Member Services office, located in Northwoods Clubhouse, is open from 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday–Saturday. A birth certificate will be required to add a child to your profile. Please note: If your child turns seven prior to registration this year, you may be required to pay the applicable member fees for them to be considered a member.

2. Go to http://onestore.tahoedonner.com and create your login. To do so, you will need to enter your name and member ID number exactly as they appear on your member ID card. If you went through the registration process last summer, your login should be the same. Both previous and new users should log in and make sure that all members you may have added appear on your profile.

3. After you complete your registration, you will receive a confirmation email with links to waiver forms that will need to be completed and submitted to Tahoe Donner.

Guest Registration
Day Camps: Tuesday, May 18, 8 a.m.
Swim Lessons: Tuesday, May 25, 8 a.m.

1. To register as a guest, you must obtain either a transferable guest card ID number or a member card ID number.

2. Go to http://onestore.tahoedonner.com and create your login.

3. After you complete your registration, you will receive a confirmation email with links to waiver forms that will need to be completed and submitted to Tahoe Donner.

4. For all programs that are restricted by age, guests will be required to provide a copy of the participant’s birth certificate. Your registration will not be complete until a birth certificate is received. Birth certificates can be emailed or faxed to the address or number provided in your confirmation email.

Important
Please take careful note of the age level requirements for each program and make sure that your child is eligible to attend that program. The age requirements are established for the safety and well-being of your child. Age requirements are enforced as of the first day of the session in which your child is registered. If a child is found to be registered for a program that he/she is not eligible, for his/her registration will be cancelled and no refund will be given. There will be no exceptions with children’s ages for day camps. All children must be potty-trained to attend any camp. Children in pull-ups will not be allowed to attend camp.

Cancellation Policy
All cancellations and/or changes must be made 14 days prior to the first day of the session for which you are registered, and a processing fee of $10 per program will be charged. No refunds will be given for cancellations and/or changes made less than 14 days prior to the first day of the session for which you are registered.

Martis Camp – 20 Sales in First Quarter 2010

Tahoe’s Luxury Second Home Market Stays Hot Into 2010 With $18 Million Sold in the First Quarter at Martis Camp, a Four-Season Family Retreat
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TRUCKEE, Calif., April 1 /PRNewswire/ – Developers of Martis Camp, a very successful private real estate community located in North Lake Tahoe, announced 20 sales in the first quarter of 2010 equaling $18 million, giving signs that the luxury second home market is alive and well in Lake Tahoe.

“We are very excited to see continued sales momentum into the 2010 winter season,” said Brian Hull, director of sales for Martis Camp. “This is the best we’ve ever done in previous first quarters since we began sales in 2006.  We have never had a winter like this – even in the best of real estate markets. Prior to 2010, our pinnacle winter was 2006/2007 when we had eight sales.”

Even in these uncertain times, families are still making the commitment to enhance their lifestyle.  Buyers are mostly from the western U.S. with heavy concentrations in the San Francisco Bay area as well as Los Angeles. Approximately 75 percent of buyers are paying cash and the other 25 percent have used Martis Camp’s preferred lenders for financing.  According to Hull, there are some attractive loan programs currently being offered, and with some cases, buyers are only being required to put 30 percent down. Rates are in the 5% range.  

Scott Keith and his wife, Lori, of the Bay Area recently purchased a home site in Martis Camp.  When they first pondered the purchase, Keith said, “I thought, ‘No one’s going to be doing this, are we crazy?’ But still it seemed to be the right time to us. We wanted to set up that kind of vacation property where we could enjoy family time.”  The couple and their three children hope eventually to build a four-bedroom house on their site. And one added bonus: Prices for contractors are lower than a few years ago, Keith said. “It makes things much more doable.”

Martis Camp Club is a phenomenal offering and features an 18-hole Tom Fazio golf course, direct ski access from Martis Camp to Northstar-at-Tahoe™ via the Martis Camp Express Lift and a vast array of Club amenities, including a Family Barn complex with summer swimming venue, bowling alley, art loft, movie theater, indoor basketball court, soda fountain and outdoor concert park.  Martis Camp home sites range from $450,000 to $2 million.

The Martis Camp community is bustling with construction activity with 12 completed homes, along with 30 single-family custom homes currently under construction and a $42 million clubhouse, called the Camp Lodge. Another 20 homes are expected to start construction this summer.

Martis Camp is growing rapidly thanks to a financially sound and responsible development team. DMB/Highlands Group, LLC, is comprised of two of the country’s premier recreational-residential community developers, DMB Associates and Highlands Management Group.  This team is responsible for the creation of Lahontan, North Lake Tahoe’s premiere golf course community. The developer’s track record and financial strength provides security to owners/prospects.

Which Tahoe Donner Price Range is Hottest?

“How’s real estate?”  This is a question we hear often. During the 1st QTR of 2010, 38 single family homes  sold in Tahoe Donner and 50%  (or 19) of these homes sold for under $500K.  34% (or 13) of the homes sold in the $500K to $750K category, 13% (or 5) sold in the price range of $750K to $999K while a mere 3% (or 1 home) sold in the price range over$1 million dollars.  So, what is the hottest category? The hottest, right now, is the under $500K category with the $500K to $750K category coming in as a close second.

Today (4/16/10) there are 77 Active single family home listings in Tahoe Donner. Prices are at an all time low and there are great opportunities. Whether you want to buy or sell, you should give us a call. We can help you buy with discrimination and if you want/need to sell we can price your property correctly and provide a marketing program that will get your property exposed and sold. Call us!

A Buyer’s Market is a Trading Up Market!

Falling Home Prices Provide Opportunities…

Falling home prices in the Truckee real estate market, including Tahoe Donner real estate and North Lake Tahoe real estate, provide great opportunities for confident homeowners looking to ”trade” up. Even though your home sale price may be lower, the smaller loss at sale can be compensated by greater savings at purchase.

If home prices dropped by 5%, here’s what it could look like if you decided to trade up:

Home Price = $200K                          Home Price =$400K
Sell at $190,000                                   Buy at $380,00
= $10,000 Loss                                    = $20,000 Savings

More now than ever we are hearing reports from Media spokespeople that “now is the time to buy real estate”.  If you are thinking about buying or selling your Truckee real estate, call us today for free advice.

Buyers You Can’t Time the Market – It’s Time Right Now!

Hindsight is 20/20 Vision…Insight for Buyers

Buyers often wait on the sidelines for a clear sign that the market has reached rock bottom before they make an offer on the property they’ve been eyeing. There are two problems with this strategy. Too many times, the “other guy” that was eyeing the same property makes his move and purchases the property before you. The other problem is that too often we don’t know that the market has hit the bottom until it has turned the corner and starts going back up. You can only know for sure that a market has turned through hindsight. In other words, you can’t time the market

A risk of buying in a slow market is that the value of what you buy might drop before it rises. Or, prices could stay flat for some time, which means that you won’t build equity unless you pay down principal on your mortgage. If you should have to move during a time when prices are soft, you might not be able to sell for the amount you paid. To decrease this risk factor, don’t buy for the short term. Buy for the long term.

Give careful consideration to how you finance your purchase. Stay away from mortgages that have short due dates and balloon payments. If the market in your area stays soft for longer than anticipated, you don’t want to be caught having to refinance at a time when your home might not appraise for the price you need to complete the transaction.

A benefit of buying in a soft market is that you have the opportunity to buy at a reasonable price. But the key is to buy the “right property” at the “right price”. As professional Realtors, we can help you determine if a property is a “good buy”. We will give you solid advice about the home you may want to purchase and we will help you throughout the entire process.

13750 Davos Dr, SOLD

Tahoe Donner’s Best New Listing….

Pride of Ownership describes this meticulously maintained split level Tahoe Donner home that backs to greenbelt. This home has an excellent floor plan with a great room that can handle any size crowd, a large bonus room with a wet bar and a freestanding gas stove, 3 decks (the covered deck features a spa tub) and spacious bedrooms. Even more, this home has been well cared for and it shows. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to own one of Tahoe Donner’s best new listings!

• Offered at $575,000, SOLD $545,000
• 3 Bedrooms
• 2 1/2 Baths
• 2 Car Garage
• 2056 Square Feet
• Open Floor Plan with Mountain Views
• Spacious Great Room
• Bonus Room w/ Wet bar and Gas Stove
• KitchenAid Appliances
• Carpet & Tile Flooring
• Newer Comp Roof, Water Heater, High Efficiency Furnace & Air Filtration System
• Recent Driveway Sealing and Exterior Staining
• Pride of Ownership!
• Enjoy a Full Spectrum of Tahoe Donner Amenities
• Call Karen and Robbie Huntoon for more info: 530-448-3624
• Virtual Tour of 13750 Davos Drive
• Printable Flyer

Click on picture to enlarge and start slideshow.

Click Here for More Tahoe Donner Information

Tahoe Donner 1st QTR 2010 Market Update

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Tahoe Donner 1st QTR 2010 Sales Analysis

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This chart illustrates:
1) Number of Homes Sold in the 1st QTR from 2004 through 2010.
2) Comparison of Median List Price to Median Sold Price for the 1st QTR from 2004 through 2010.

An analysis of the sales data concludes that Median List and Median Sold prices are lower in 2010 than they were in 2004 (the benchmark low) and the number of homes sold, when comparing QTR 1 2004 to 2010, shows a decrease of 24%. However, 1st QTR sales in 2010 are up almost 12% from the 1st QTR in 2009.

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Tahoe Donner Consecutive Quarterly Comparisons

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This chart illustrates:
1) Number of Homes Sold in Tahoe Donner QTR 1 2009 – QTR 1 2010 = 265
2) Comparison of Median List Price to Median Sold Price of Homes Sold in Tahoe Donner QTR 1 2009 – QTR 1 2010

The Quarterly data suggests that on average there is about a 4.5% difference between Median List Price and Median Sold Price. (Sold prices being less than list prices). Additionally, on a  Quarterly basis, sales of single family homes in Tahoe Donner have increased 12% when comparing the 1st Qtr of 2009 (34 homes sold) with the 1st Qtr of 2010 (38 homes sold). However, the median sale price has decreased almost 10% from QTR 1 2009 ($557,580) compared to QTR 1 2010 ($502,000).

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Price Category Comparison of Homes Sold

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This chart illustrates:
1) Number of Homes Sold QTR 1 in Tahoe Donner = 38
2) Comparison of Price Categories of Homes Sold in Tahoe Donner

38 single family homes sold in Tahoe Donner during the 1st quarter of 2010. 50% (or 19) of these homes sold for under $499,999, 34% (or 13) of the homes sold for between $500K and $749,999, 13% (or 5) of these homes sold for between $750K and $999,999. There was only one home that sold for over $1 million dollars and it sold for $1,225,000. This home was originally listed at $2,190,000 and was on the market for 639 days. If you are a seller, regardless of which end of the market you are in, you have to price carefully. In the lower end of the market there is more competition so you must price competitively and if you are at the upper end of our market, where there are relatively fewer buyers, you also have to price right for our current market. Too high of a price will almost guarantee that you will sit on your house without looking at any offers. If your goal is to sell, price right. Buyers, now is the time to get off the fence and make a purchase. We will begin to see more and more houses come on the market and the competition will become greater.

We work with both buyers and sellers. If you want honest and expert advice, please give us a call and let us know how we can help you. The majority of our clients are previous clients or their referrals – our clients come back to us because they know we do a great job.  Robbie 530-412-0583 and Karen 530-448-3624.

Sellers – Pay Attention to All Offers!

Selling Your Truckee Real Estate

Whether you are selling real estate in Truckee or somewhere else, selling a home can be an emotional experience because most sellers have a lot more than money invested in their homes. So, it’s understandable that sellers might be reluctant to respond to an offer that is for less than the asking price.

Most sellers have a difficult time being objective about their homes. Detachment is something sellers should strive for, particularly when the market favors buyers. To be a successful seller in a buyer’s market, you need to be able to put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. Ask yourself, if you were a buyer, would you pay the price you are asking for your home?

In a soft market, like we are currently experiencing in Truckee, buyers are prone to making low offers. The exception is when a listing is priced so competitively that a buyer recognizes a good deal and buys the property before others have a chance.

Some sellers might be inclined to inflate their asking price so that they will have room to bargain with a buyer. This is a risky strategy for serious sellers. In a buyers’ market where there are a lot of homes for sale, the best listings at the best prices sell.

The listings that don’t sell usually need price reductions to get them to a marketable range. If the market is trending downwards, this could mean selling for a lower price than might have been possible if the listing had been priced competitively to begin with.

Sellers whose homes are not competitively priced are prime targets for low offers. Even if your home is not badly priced, you could receive a lower-than-asking-price offer if market conditions are uncertain. Rather than being insulted by a low offer, sellers should view it as the beginning of a dialogue that could result in a sale.

Pay close attention to the buyer’s financial capability. Gone are the days where buyers could buy a home with little or no cash down, and without verifiable income. Today’s buyers are subjected to far more financial scrutiny by lenders than they were a year ago. Ideally, buyers should be pre-approved for the financing they need before they make an offer. If they are not, make sure there is a clause in the purchase contract that requires the buyers to apply for financing within a several days of acceptance.

There is more to an offer than price. The terms and conditions of an offer are very important as well. For instance you will want to be aware of the length of the contract (close of escrow), is the offer All Cash or is the buyer going to obtain a loan?, who pays for what?, what is included? – is the buyer asking for all of the furnishings, the snow blower, etc., what are the contingency release time frames? These are all important parts of the negotiations. Buyers and sellers often don’t know in advance what price they’ll accept until they’re in the midst of a negotiation.

If you aren’t satisfied with an offer, you will enter into the counter offer phase. The counter offer process can happen quickly or it can be long and tedious. These days, sometimes, we see counter offers going back and forth a half a dozen times. Be prepared to explore all options before letting a negotiation fail.

Selling in Todays Real Estate Market

Seller Considerations for Selling in Todays Real Estate Market

We’re in the midst of a challenging market in the Truckee and Lake Tahoe real estate markets. One of the most difficult realities for most sellers to face is that prices in their neighborhood may have dropped during the last few years. The trick is to price your home right for today’s market.

This is a great time to “move up”. In Tahoe Donner, for example, with today’s lower prices, it is an advantageous time to buy a newer, bigger or different house. As a seller, you may have to sell for less than you would have a few years ago. But, as a buyer, you may also pay a lot less for the next home you purchase.

When should you list? A seller usually has an advantage selling when there isn’t much competition from other listings. Listing before the busy summer months can put you ahead of the game. There will be more listings coming on the market in June and July and the vacation home market in Truckee is in full swing by August and September.

Thoughts about pricing: Today’s home buyers are extremely price-conscious. If there is alot of inventory to choose from, price will certainly be a big factor. A price that’s too high for the market won’t bring the desired result.

In the current environment, buyers are more cautious about what they buy because they know that the property they buy might drop in value before it starts appreciating. They buy for the long term and are less prone to make compromises.

Condition and maintenance: The condition of your property will be scrutinized more carefully in the current market than it would have been a few years ago. You can sell a property that has deferred maintenance. But, you will sell it more quickly and for a better price if you can repair defects and have the property looking great when it hits the market. If this is not possible, take this into consideration in your list price.

Price reductions: It’s difficult to hit the market price for a property if there haven’t been many recent sales in the neighborhood. If you miss the target and find that your home is priced too high, lower it as soon as possible. A price reduction is no longer a stigma in this market. Letting a listing sit on the market too long at a high price sends the wrong message to buyers and could result in a lower sale price if market prices in your area continue to decline.

When we work with you to sell your home we will provide objective opinions about pricing, repairing, replacing and staging. We want to help you get your home sold in the shortest amount of time for the most money. Give us a call at 530-550-5142.