Romantic Restaurants Valentine’s Day – North Lake Tahoe

February 14, 2016 By Laura Allen, Broker Associate, Tahoe Real Estate Agent, CA RE 01473598 | 530-414-1260

Romantic Restaurants Valentine’s Day – North Lake Tahoe

It’s Sunday, February 14, 2016, in North Lake Tahoe – Happy Valentine’s Day!

The weather in Lake Tahoe has been fantastic this weekend, the skiing conditions are excellent, and in the middle of a three-day holiday weekend, that is kicking off ski-skate week for many, it’s Valentine’s Day!

While it may be too late to get into the most popular romantic restaurants in the area, you might want to keep these restaurants in mind for later in the week, or for the next time you are in the area.

For some you’ll celebrate Valentine’s Day with a romantic dinner tonight, or if you’re like me and my Sweetheart, we’ve already dined out and started an entire week of doing romantic things for each other just because it was a fun thing to do.

If you up here in the Lake Tahoe – Truckee area this holiday weekend what romantic restaurants should you consider for your special valentine’s Day dinner here in North Lake Tahoe? Here are a few of my favorite romantic area restaurants that are always a hit for dinner.

Graham’s – 1650 Squaw Valley Road, Olympic Valley, CA Reservations 530.581.0454 www.dinewine.com

Graham’s offers unique California cuisine with a European influence. They offer a full bar and an extensive world class, award winning wine list with over 800 bottles to choose from.

The atmosphere is always inviting with white table linens, candle light, and during the winter you’ll enjoy the warmth and glow of the wood burning fireplaces.

We love going to Graham’s and having dinner at the bar. It’s casual, fun, and the conversation is always lively at the bar. The staff is very attentive, and they have no problems catering to my vegetarian needs!

Graham’s menu does vary with the seasons and they always have something special of the menu. Graham’s is located very close to the Village at Squaw Valley and the Resort at Squaw Creek. Reservations are always highly recommended for this local area favorite during the ski season!

West Shore Cafe – 5160 West Lake Blvd., Homewood, CA Reservations 530.525.5200 www.WestShoreCafe.com

The West Shore Cafe offers a variety of California cuisine. This lakefront restaurant is set on the shores of West Lake Tahoe and you’ll find setting amazing. If you time it just right you can catch the Alpenglow and watch the sky and the shimmer on Lake Tahoe turn into some of the most brilliant shades of pink, purple, and rose gold! The West Shore Cafe is located directly across from the Homewood Ski Resort, so this popular restaurant and bar (limited seating) fills up quickly!

Christy Hill – 115 Grove Street, Tahoe City, California Reservations 530.583-8551 www.ChristyHill.com

Christy Hill offers a variety of seasonal California cuisine with a French influence. They have an extensive wine list and a nice selection of wines by the glass. Dinner here is very romantic. If you get there early enough, you can enjoy the alpenglow on Lake Tahoe.

Again, this is an amazing color show, but you need to be there early, before 5:30 p.m. in February, as sunset comes early to our area at this time of year, but if you’re reading this at another time of year, then plan to be at the restaurant about 45 minutes before sunset.

This intimate lakeside restaurant offers wonderful views of Lake Tahoe perfect for a romantic evening. Christy Hill is located in the heart of downtown Tahoe City, California. Reservations are highly recommended for this popular lake view restaurant.

All three restaurants will be open for dinner on February 14, 2016.

Lake Tahoe is always a great place to celebrate love, romance, and the joy that comes from being with friends, family, and that special loved one!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

If you’re in the mood for a romantic dinner on Valentine’s Day, or you’ll be here for the entire ski-skate holiday week in North Lake Tahoe, California now is the time to make your dinner reservations!

Thinking about making Lake Tahoe, California your second home? Check out the homes that are for sale here:

Want to see what condos are for sale in Lake Tahoe? Here are the current listings:

For all of your Tahoe real estate needs –

Laura A. Allen | 530.414.1260 | Laura@TahoeLaura.com
BROKER ASSOCIATE, Tahoe Real Estate Agent
CalRE# 01473598
Coldwell Banker, Tahoe City, CA CalRE#01908304

All information is deemed reliable, but is subject to change, and/or correction without notice.

Romantic Restaurants Valentine’s Day – North Lake Tahoe

8th Annual Black Tie and Tails Gala 2016 Lake Tahoe

February 13, 2016 By Laura Allen, Broker Associate, Tahoe Real Estate Agent, CA RE 01473598 | 530-414-1260

8th Annual Black Tie and Tails Gala 2016 Lake Tahoe

If you love your dog, and like to party, get ready for an evening of dinner, dancing, and lot of fun by supporting the local Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe at their 8th Annual Black Tie and Tails Gala 2016 Lake Tahoe fund raising event, this Saturday, February 13, 2016 starting at 5:30 pm at the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe.

If you’ll be up in the greater Truckee – Lake Tahoe area for the Valentine’s Day – President’s Holiday weekend, this event promises to be a lot of fun for you and your dog. Be prepared to see everyone, including our furry friends decked out in their finest black tie attire.

This one-of-a-kind event is a wonderful gala that will have you walking the red carpet with your best four-legged friend, sipping champagne, enjoying appetizers followed by gourmet meal, dancing, and entertainments! It’s the Ritz-Carlton so you know it will be an amazing event for everyone!

100% of the funds raised benefit the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe, so if you’re looking for a way to support the community and the animals the Humane Society helps, this is a fun and easy way to do it. Here are the details:

8th Annual Black Tie and Tails Gala 2016 Lake Tahoe

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Starts at 5:30 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe, 13031 Ritz-Carlton Highlands Court, Truckee, California

Tickets – $175 /person + 1 Dog

This event sells out each year, so if you want to go, please call Dale Lawrence at 530.582.2468 for tickets. They are no long available for purchase on-line.

This is a one-of-a-kind event and with approximately 350 guests, and their furry friends this event sells out every year! If you can’t attend, but would like to support the local Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe you can still make a difference with a contribution to the organization. Every donation makes a difference.

Get ready to show off your dog at the 8th Annual Black Tie and Tails Event this Saturday, February 13, 2016 at the fabulous Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe!

Thinking about making Northstar your second home? Check out these mountain homes that are for sale in Northstar here:

Want to see what Northstar condos or townhomes are available for sale? Check out the current listings here:

For all of your Tahoe real estate needs –

Laura A. Allen | 530.414.1260 | Laura@TahoeLaura.com
BROKER ASSOCIATE, Tahoe Real Estate Agent
CalRE# 01473598
Coldwell Banker, Tahoe City, CA CalRE#01908304

All information is deemed reliable, but is subject to change, and/or correction without notice.

8th Annual Black Tie and Tails Gala 2016 Lake Tahoe

What is my home worth in Tahoma | Year End 2015

February 8, 2016 By Laura Allen, Broker Associate, Tahoe Real Estate Agent, CA RE 01473598 | 530-414-1260

What is my home worth in Tahoma | Year End 2015

What is my home worth in Tahoma? Are you curious? Check out the current over-all market real estate data as of 02-02-2016 to get a better idea of the Tahoma real estate market conditions.

Real Estate Market Activity for Tahoma, California as of 02-02-2016:

Number of Homes Sold in Tahoma – 2015: 16
Median Average Sold Sales Price for 2015: $479,00
Average Sold Sales Price for 2015: $682,113
Price Range: $175,000 – $8,850,000
Average Sold Median Sales Price to Sold Median List Price Ratio for 2015 in Tahoma: 95%
Average Days on Market (DOM) in Tahoma – 2015:
Number of Homes for Sale in Tahoma as of 02-02-2016: 16
Pending Sales in Tahoma 02-2-2016: 1
Number of Distressed Sales – Court Approval, Short Sales, or REO Bank Foreclosures Homes for Sale in Tahoma as of 02-02-2016: 1

The demand for cabins and mountain homes in the Tahoma area is strong because of the amazing Tahoe lifestyle it offers!

Tahoma, CA is a wonderful West Lake Tahoe community. Tahoma is close to the Sugar Pine Point State Park, Chambers Landing, the Tahoe Cedars Property Owner Association beach area, Meeks Bay Resort and the Homewood Ski Resort just to name a few popular nearby Tahoe recreational areas.

The Tahoma area has great hiking, biking (dirt/off road and paved trails), world-class cross country skiing (Sugar Pine Point State Park is home to the biathlon from the 1960 Winter Olympics), boating, water sports, and is a great place to just kick back and have a BBQ on your deck!

Are you ready to find out what your Tahoma home is worth? Just click on the link below and you will be asked to provide us with some information on your Tahoma property and I will get you a complete home market valuation report.

FREE Market Analysis in Tahoma, CA

While instant home values and market estimates are a growing trend, the reason you’re here is you know most of those instant home values for the Tahoma area that you find on-line are not accurate, and when it comes to money, accuracy matters!

Let’s take the time to make sure we have the right data and information on your Tahoma property, before we provide a real market valuation estimate for your home.

We know that each Tahoma property is unique and we want to make sure your mountain home gets all of the credit and value it deserves for all of those special features.

Tahoma homes that are selling quickly have several characteristics in common:

Well maintained property inside and out
Updated and/or upgraded
Clean, uncluttered, warm and inviting
Ready to show at all times
Priced according to the current market conditions

What can make your Tahoma mountain home or cabin stand-out from the rest? What are the hot-button features Tahoe Second Home Buyers are looking to find?

Kitchen – Newer Updated/Upgraded: solid granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances
Open Floor Plan – The open, great room concept is in demand here
Hardwood floors in the main living areas
Bathrooms – Newer Updated/Upgraded
Energy Efficiency – newer windows, smart home technology, well maintained mechanics
BMP Certificate – Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Best Management Practices (BMP) Work
Fireplace – Gas Log, or Wood Burning in the living room
Garage – Two car preferred, but one car will do (even a carport is a plus)
Mountain – Cabin vibe
Optional Home Owner Association (HOA) for Lake Tahoe: recreational water access and amenities – beach, pier, buoy rental option
Backs to, or is next to open space
Lake Views
Lakefront

If you’re thinking of selling your Tahoma home it will be more valuable if your property has any of these updates, and/or features.

Get a FREE Home Evaluation for your Tahoma Home Here

As a Tahoma Seller did you know that more than 92%+ of Tahoe home buyers will begin their home search on the internet? Now, more than ever your mountain home needs to have the best on-line exposure, presentation, and coverage possible.

On-line marketing is so much more than just entering your property data and a few photos in the Tahoe Sierra Multiple Listing Service (TSMLS). Internet marketing is far more advanced than just having limited, or incomplete property profile data/information, with poor home photos syndicated out to a few mega real estate websites.

Long gone are the days of only putting in the bare minimum property information details with the hope that buyers will call your agent to get their questions answered. Serious buyers view an on-line listing with limited and/or incomplete information as a negative, and that the property may have something to hide.

Tahoe Seller Tip – Provide as much information and property details as you can on your property. The more, the better!

Tahoe Seller Tip – On-line Curb Appeal, pick the best photo that will get buyers to click on your home listing and get more information.

You may not have thought about how important your first position photo is to a potential buyer, but the Internet has become your very first showing to home buyers. It is critical that your first photo have on-line curb appeal and sends the right message about your property!

Every time your home is viewed on-line that Tahoe buyer is making that critical first impression decision on whether or not to have your Tahoma home on their short list of properties to see when they come to Lake Tahoe.

Tahoe Seller Tip – Only use the best photographs to market your Tahoe Property!

To achieve the broadest world-wide Internet marketing exposure and presence, your Tahoma property needs a combination of a fully completed TSMLS property profile, social media, blogging, and video exposure. Experienced real estate agents that understand a strong on-line marketing plan when combined with other key traditional home marketing strategies can really make a difference in getting the word out about your Tahoma home for sale.

What is my Home Worth in Tahoma?

Ready to make Tahoma your second home? Check out what is for sale here:

Need to expand your Tahoma home buying options? Check out the entire West Shore of Lake Tahoe here:

Need more help in trying to figure out your greater Tahoma and West Lake Tahoe home buying options?

Do you want help figuring out the neighborhoods, and the ones that will best meet your needs? Call me at 530.414.1260 and I can help you find the right place to buy!

Overview and summary completed by:
Laura A. Allen | 530.414.1260 | Laura@TahoeLaura.com
BROKER ASSOCIATE, Tahoe Real Estate Agent
CalRE# 01473598
Coldwell Banker, Tahoe City, CA CalRE#01908304

All information is deemed reliable, but is subject to change, and/or correction without notice.
Buyers and Sellers should investigate and verify all information to their own satisfaction.

What is my home worth in Tahoma | Year End 2015

15th Annual Spaghetti Dinner – Sierra Senior Services, Jan 30, 2016

January 30, 2016 By Laura Allen, Broker Associate, Tahoe Real Estate Agent, CA RE 01473598 | 530-414-1260

15th Annual Spaghetti Dinner – Sierra Senior Services, Jan 30, 2016

The 15th Annual Spaghetti Dinner supporting the Sierra Senior Services organization will be held in Truckee, California on Saturday, January 30, 2016.

This annual event is a big fund raiser for the Sierra Senior Services organization. The 15th Annual Spaghetti dinner will start this Saturday evening with doors opening at 5 p.m. at the Truckee Community Center (8924 Donner Pass Road) with dinner being severed at 6 p.m. and BINGO following at 7 p.m.

If BINGO isn’t enough for you, this fun event also includes a silent auction, so you’ll be able to bid on many wonderful items in addition to having a fun evening of food and games!

This fund-raising event that will benefit the Sierra Senior Services program has sold out for the past eight years, with over 500 attendees. You should get your tickets in advance on-line at www.SierraSeniors.org, or at the Sierra Senior Services Center, or at Plumas Bank in Truckee, CA. If you’ve missed out on buying your tickets in advance, you can always try to buy a ticket at the door.

Sierra Senior Services feeds and supports Seniors in the North Lake Tahoe and Truckee Communities. Senior Meals on Wheels is a non-profit organization that provides meals to qualified senior citizens age 60+.

Last year, during 2015, the Sierra Senior Services provided over 38,000 meals (which is an increase in need over 2014) to at-risk seniors who otherwise might have gone hungry. The demand for the services that the Sierra Senior Services organizations continues to increase. Their website is loaded with great information on who they are helping:

Sierra Senior Services (non-profit group that oversees the Meals on Wheels program) only get 30% of their funding from the government. That means 70% of the annual budget comes from fundraising activities and private donations.
In North Lake Tahoe and Truckee, California area 75% of the home delivered meal recipients live alone.
In Nevada County (Most of Truckee is located in Nevada County, California) 62% of the home delivered meal recipients are over the age of 80.
Over 88% of the home delivered meal recipients rely solely on Social Security.
Approximately 54% of the recipients are disabled.
A $75 donation will help feed a senior for a week.

Here are the details for the Truckee event:

15th Annual Spaghetti Dinner – Sierra Senior Services, Jan 30, 2016

Spaghetti Dinner, BINGO and Silent Auction for the Sierra Senior Services

Truckee Community Center

8924 Donner Pass Road, Truckee, California

Saturday, January 30, 2016

Starts at: Door Open at 5 p.m.

Dinner at 6 p.m.

BINGO at 7 p.m. ( 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.)

Cost: $25/Ticket in Advance or $30/Ticket at the Door

Only alcohol sold on premises is permitted.

Everyone is welcome – an all age event. If you can’t make this fund-raiser, remember you can always make a private donation, or provide silent auction items to the Sierra Senior Services at 10040 Estates Drive, P.O. Box 4152, Truckee, CA, or call 530.550.7600, or check out their website at www.SierraSeniors.org.

Come out and enjoy support the Sierra Senior Services program by being at the 15th Annual Spaghetti Dinner, BINGO and Silent Auction this Saturday, Jan 30, 2016 in Truckee, CA!

Thinking about making Truckee your second home? Here are some popular area options:

For all of your Tahoe real estate needs –

Laura A. Allen | 530.414.1260 | Laura@TahoeLaura.com
BROKER ASSOCIATE, Tahoe Real Estate Agent
CalRE# 01473598
Coldwell Banker, Tahoe City, CA CalRE#01908304

All information is deemed reliable, but is subject to change, and/or correction without notice.

15th Annual Spaghetti Dinner – Sierra Senior Services, Jan 30, 2016

MyREAlerts is now known as Buyer/Seller Toolkit – January 2016

January 19, 2016 By Laura Allen, Broker Associate, Tahoe Real Estate Agent, CA RE 01473598 | 530-414-1260

MyREAlerts is now known as Buyer/Seller Toolkit – January 2016

It’s a new year and we’ve made some changes to the www.TahoeLauraLuxuryHomes.com website and you’ll find that the MyREAlerts is now Buyer/Seller Toolkit – January 2016.

You’ll still enjoy the same great, quick property notification system, but we have a new name for it – Buyer/Seller Toolkit.

You’ll find it on the www.TahoeLauraLuxuryHomes.com main home page under either special “Property Alerts” box, or on the website menu on the left side titled “Buyer/Seller Toolkit”, or you can sign up here.

Why the change? Coldwell Banker as an organization made some changes on how our agent websites work, their design, and who provides that website support and service. Those changes went into effect this past fall.

After getting a chance to see how the new system worked, I made the decision to stay with the current website provider and website design that many of you have come to use and enjoy over the past ten years.

It’s been a great website system. Easy to use, and it’s loaded with excellent local real estate information.

It has a lot of good features and with the positive feedback so many of you have shared with me over the years, I knew staying with the Agent Achieve system provided by CoreLogic was the best decision for all of my clients.

On January 1, 2016 Coldwell Banker made the final transition from AgentAchieve and closed out the MyRECafe system, which hosted the MyREAlert system. That transition and change came with a number of technical difficulties that no one had anticipated.

The transition impacted the automatic listing alert system (you have known this as “MyREAlerts” which has been renamed to the “Buyer/Seller Toolkit”). There were also a number of significant technical problems that occurred within my website at www.TahoeLauraLuxuryHomes.com after the transition was completed.

First, let me apologize to all of you for any problems these technical difficulties and problems may have caused you. I know it has been a frustrating time for everyone, and I appreciate your loyalty in hanging in there with me as we work though these technical issues.

I do have good news for everyone! The www.TahoeLauraLuxuryHomes.com website is up and everything is working! We think we have fixed everything, but if you find pages, or hyper-links that are not working, please let me know at Laura@TahoeLaura.com, or give me a call at 530.414.1260

You may have book-marked the old site in your favorites list and you should now update those book-marks to either:

http://www.TahoeLauraLuxuryHomes.com or http://www.tahoelauraluxuryhomes.com/Home/?ID=63413

Just so you know the technical team is currently working on putting in place permanent redirects so your old saved website links will go to the new working website pages (same great information and format), but if you had saved special website pages and they are not working, let me know and I can send you new hyper-links that will work and take you to the information you know and count on for updates.

All of the great features that you enjoyed on my website prior to January 1, 2016 are now available for you to enjoy and everything should be working.

If your property notifications, which are now be titled in your email box as “Buyer/Seller Toolkit – Listing Notification (Your Tahoe Property Search Title)” are still not working, please let me know so we can get the technical team working on your account. If you’d like to update your Tahoe property searches, please let me know and let’s make those changes!

In my opinion the “Buyer/Seller Toolkit – Listing Notification” system on my website is one of the best notification programs out there for consumers.

The property alert system offers a real-time, up-to-the minute distribution system (they don’t hold notifications back and only send them out once a day after midnight). The Tahoe property search feature can be customized to make your Tahoe property searches very specific and super focused, and yes, you can have more than one Tahoe Property search set up!

I hope you are taking advantage of this excellent real estate tool! If you aren’t using this tool, let me know and I can set it up for you!

Buyer/Seller Toolkit has replaced MyREAlerts property notification system – January 2016

Thank you for your patience and confidence in me as your local Tahoe real estate professional! Please enjoy using the website and let me know how I can help you!

Laura A. Allen | 530.414.1260 | Laura@TahoeLaura.com
BROKER ASSOCIATE, Tahoe Real Estate Agent
CalRE# 01473598
Coldwell Banker, Tahoe City, CA CalRE#01908304

All information is deemed reliable, but is subject to change, and/or correction without notice.
Buyers and Sellers should investigate and verify all information to their own satisfaction.

MyREAlerts is now Buyer/Seller Toolkit – January 2016