We can already take a good South Lake Tahoe picture, but now we want to know how… and why! (Lake Tahoe Real Estate Blog / April 13, 2011 / Richard Bolen) We shot the image at left a few days ago. It's me at the Lake Tahoe Real Estate Blog workstation. It's not a good photograph for numerous reasons, and the class we're taking in digital photography at Lake Tahoe Community College will teach us all of the reasons why. The first thing we see that's wrong ins the flash bounce back off of the window behind me. The florescent lights you see, by the way, are there… well, it's a set really that we used yesterday to record on-camera video and audio recording for the Lake Tahoe Television station. Yes, your Lake Tahoe Real Estate Blog has made it to TV. We have recently become the reporter for R... 04/17/2011

It's Still Ski Season In South Lake Tahoe! (Lake Tahoe Real Estate Blog / April 12, 2011 / Richard Bolen) Although the calendar tells us it's spring, here in South Lake Tahoe, we know that the best way to decide the season is to, well, look out the window and then step outside!  By looking at Gunbarrel (the ski run most easily spotted from many places in town),  we can see that there's still plenty of snow (and often plenty of sunshine). And when we need to get equipment for ourselves or our friends, one of the best places in town is the Powder House. Since 1994, Powder House has grown to become the largest and most complete ski & snowboard rental shop in South Lake Tahoe, California. You just can't beat the value of ski and snowboard rental packages, and their locations are oh so conv... 04/15/2011

Distressed properties pull median sold price down on both sides of our state line. (Lake Tahoe Real Estate Blog / April 12, 2011 / Richard Bolen) The one thing we look at most intently to track South Lake Tahoe home values is the median sold price. This is a more accurate number to follow trends and changes in value than the average sold price, which is more heavily skewed by high and low sales than the median. We have been tracking the South Lake Tahoe median sold price in exactly the same manner since Q1 2002. Here is our first printed newsletter we did on home values back then, and the exact method we used to crunch the date back then is exactly the same as we use today. It is an apples-to-apples comparison of home values in every sense of the phrase. For more almost a decade! The vi... 04/14/2011

Duck Tours for Those of Us Without Feathers – A New Way to Sightsee On the Lake! (Lake Tahoe Real Estate Blog / April 12, 2011 / Richard Bolen) And now for something completely different………when we heard "The Ducks have landed at Lake Tahoe", we thought, well, yeah, there are ducks here. Plenty of geese, too.  Turns out, though, that we were thinking of the feathered variety, which are not the ones we'll be talking about here!  A new and truly unique business has opened in South LakeTahoe, Tahoe Duck Tours. They offer land and lake rides,and guess what, you tour aboard a vintage WWII amphibious truck (called a DUCK). Duck Tours are a modern repurposing of these historic vehicles, allowing you to experience the sights and sounds of Lake Tahoe from both land and water.  Visitors and local... 04/13/2011

Distressed properties, a little less than half of South Lake Tahoe, CA home sales. (Lake Tahoe Real Estate Blog / April 11, 2011 / Richard Bolen) About one in two South Lake Tahoe, CA home sales is a distressed property, either a bank owned foreclosure (REO) or a short sale. The incidence of South Lake Tahoe, CA distressed property sales has been rather consistent since Q1 2010. There is only a 1% difference in the volume of foreclosure and short sales from all of 2010 compared to Q1 this year. The video sequence here is from our recent real estate seminar that was held at Lake Tahoe Community College. Throughout our seminar we frequently discuss what it takes to sell in today's market. Accurate pricing is the key to success, and we take great care in helping a seller get to that point.... 04/12/2011

Savor Sandwiches Served at Surfboard Tables in South Lake Tahoe (Lake Tahoe Real Estate Blog / April 8, 2011 / Richard Bolen) What? Beach Hut? Surfboards? Well, yeah!  Hey, we've got beaches at South Lake Tahoe, and we've got the beach culture, and the Beach Hut Deli!  Beach attire acceptable (well, OK, it's a restaurant, you gotta have shoes – flipflops will do!) For a completely different sandwich experience, the Beach Hut Deli is the place to go. As they say, they "don't just make the best sandwiches", they "build them".  And build them they do! Every ingredient is top quality and completely fresh. Many of their sandwiches contain bacon, cream cheese, fresh sliced avocados and other delicious combinations.  Delectable is the word that comes to mind when describing these sandwiches.  ... 04/11/2011

Tahoe Keys Luxury Home Neighborhood, South Lake Tahoe, CA: First Quarter 2011 homes for sale activity. (Lake Tahoe Real Estate Blog / April 7, 2011 / Richard Bolen) We have just updated all Tahoe Keys neighborhood real estate activity in South Lake Tahoe for all first quarter 2011 luxury home sales. Current escrow and all active listings are presented as well. Please note “Tahoe Keys  (CA)” found in our left sidebar. 2011 Tahoe Keys home sales, here. Final 2010 Tahoe Keys single family home luxury sales, here. 2009 Tahoe Keys single family home luxury sales, here. Current Tahoe Keys, South Lake Tahoe single family luxury homes in escrow,  here. Current Tahoe Keys, South Lake Tahoe single family luxury homes listed,  here. Also note that we have added information about distressed sales ... 04/09/2011

The Most South Lake Tahoe home sales in the last 5 years. (Lake Tahoe Real Estate Blog / April 7, 2011 / Richard Bolen) We have reported an increasing in South Lake Tahoe, CA housing demand before. There were more sales in 2010 than in any other year in the last 5 years. Over the last 365 days, which includes this first quarter of 2011, that sales pace continues. In fact we have seen 10 more sales this year compared to last year at the same time. The video sequence here, while addressing South Lake Tahoe, CA 2010 homes for sale results in our recent real estate seminar, also points out the need that all real estate reporting ought to be qualified. "Show, don't tell" is our position. Throughout our seminar we frequently discuss what it takes to sell in today's market. Accurate pricing is... 04/09/2011

The reasoning behind the South Lake Tahoe home seller. (Lake Tahoe Real Estate Blog / April 5, 2011 / Richard Bolen) There are a few reasons that motivate today's South Lake Tahoe home seller. One has to do with their family plan. Throughout our seminar we frequently discuss what it takes to sell in today's market. Accurate pricing is the key to success, and we take great care in helping a seller get to that point. Sometimes it does take a while. The seminar was in three parts. This is the fourteenth segment of Part I. You can also find Part I in it's entirety in our Vimeo account here. It is about 56 minutes in length. The table of contents for the subjects covered in Part I of our seminar follows: 1. Seminar introduction. 2. Seminar structure and themes. 3. Better understanding Real E... 04/07/2011

Get A Bird's Eye View of Lake Tahoe – from a Helicopter ! (Lake Tahoe Real Estate Blog / April 5, 2011 / Richard Bolen) OK, so we've seen Lake Tahoe a number of different ways.  We've driven around it.  We've bicycled.  We've hiked it. We've even rented a boat (kayak or canoe, power or sail). So now for something completely different – seeing Lake Tahoe from the sky! That's right, let's join the birds and see the whole lake from that heavenly perspective, the wild blue yonder! But wait! We don't have wings, and don't own a plane…….so what do we do? We call HeliTahoe ! With daily flights from South Lake Tahoe, Minden, & Truckee airports, HeliTahoe offers unique views of some of the most spectacular landscape in the world, from Emerald Bay's breathtakingly beautiful waters to Sand Harbor... 04/07/2011

South Lake Tahoe Sale Statistics for March 2011 When it comes to numbers...I can geek out.  I love numbers and I love to figure out what the South Lake Tahoe market trends are like.  One way to keep track of the South Lake Tahoe housing market is to study the monthly sale statistics.  I'm please to say that the numbers for South Lake Tahoe sale statistics for March 2011 have come back rosy from last month stats. Below are line charts to the past six month South Lake Tahoe sale statistics. *Information taking from South Tahoe Association of Realtors Read our March 2011 Sale Statistics for East Shore of Lake Tahoe (NV Side)   Search the South Lake Tahoe MLS for Homes for Sale   We are The Yee Hedley Group of Chase International We've been selling real estate in Lake Tahoe for the past 40 ... 04/05/2011

Welcome to Drew Kondo's bank-owned property list for South Lake Tahoe, California, and nearby areas. For bank-owned properties on the Lake Tahoe Nevada south and east shores, click here. If you’re interested in receiving the bank-owned property lists by e-mail, please let me know at drew@southtahoehouses.com. If you are interested in property on this list or any property in South Lake Tahoe, e-mail me or call me at (530) 545-1831. Property Address - Price - Beds/Baths/Garage Spaces 1041 River Dr. - $116,910 - 3/1/0 3682 Alder Ave. - $119,900 - 2/1/0 1482 Black Bart Ave. - $120,000 - 2/1.75/0 1897 Delta St. - $122,500 - 3/2/0 1148 Herbert Ave. #D - $139,900 - 3/1.75/0 (condo) 918 Julie Ln. - $142,900 - 3/1.75/0 2515 Armstrong Ave. - $149,900 - 2/1/0 1805 Arrowhead Ave. - $155,000 - 2/1/1... 04/05/2011

South Lake Tahoe, CA Housing: Up in demand, 5% down in value. (Lake Tahoe Real Estate Blog / April 2, 2011 / Richard Bolen) Well, it continues to be good news for South Lake Tahoe, CA home buyers. Home values are a $15,000 better deal for home buyers than they were six months ago. Housing demand continues at the same pace as that of 2010, where South Lake Tahoe saw more homes sold than in any year since 2005. The details follow, and source charts are below.  South Lake Tahoe, CA Home Values : Changes in South Lake Tahoe, CA home values are expressed by tracking the median sold price. Q1 – 2011: The median sold price for the first quarter of 2011 is: $281,250. (Tahoe Keys not included) The Median sold price for Q1 2011 including the Tahoe Keys is $290,500. Last 180-days: The median sold... 04/04/2011

The South Lake Tahoe Housing Deal… can you recognize it when you see it? (Lake Tahoe Real Estate Blog / March 31, 2011 / Richard Bolen) Sometimes it's difficult to recognize the housing deal one is looking for… when it is starting you right in the face. Don't worry, this happens to all of us in South Lake Tahoe from time to time. Most folks think that a deal is a reduction off the list price, and you know, often that is absolutely true. Sometimes though, the deal is found in how much more house one gets for the money. The video here helps one identity that deal, where you get so much more house for the money. This we think helps buyers better recognize the deal they are looking for. We hope you enjoy, and appreciate what is one of the most important slides and discussions in our last So... 04/02/2011

Real Estate is always reported from the top… what if baseball were reported like that? (Lake Tahoe Real Estate Blog / March 30, 2011 / Richard Bolen) It doesn't make sense, how real estate is reported. That goes for the nation and South Lake Tahoe too. But the truth is we're programmed for some reason to always consider a declining real estate market from the point of view of the highest it has ever been. This is something to consider: the South Lake Tahoe median sold price is 7% lower than it was a year ago. How often have you heard, or seen it written, that this represents a 7% better deal for home buyers? This video segment also contains a missive asking what if baseball were reported like real estate. Enjoy. The seminar was in three parts. This is the twelfth segment of Part I. You ... 04/01/2011

Fun and Fantastic Scenery coexist happily at Lake Tahoe with Tahoe Boat Rentals (Lake Tahoe Real Estate Blog / March 29, 2011 / Richard Bolen) You know it's true……..just ask Scott at Lake Tahoe Boat Rentals……."going to Tahoe and not renting a boat is like going to Disneyland and not getting a ticket!" We can't think of a better way to enjoy Lake Tahoe than actually being ON Lake Tahoe! To be out on the lake,  with blue skies above (and maybe some puffy white clouds), and that emerald green changing to deep blue water below….ahhh. But what if we also want to play? After all, there's water-skiing, wake-boarding, tubing……..well that's what this spotlight is for – to let people know how they can enjoy those things at Lake Tahoe even when they don't own a boat! We take this opportunity to i... 03/31/2011

In other words, how much of a better deal for a home buyer is a South Lake Tahoe, CA home now than before? (Lake Tahoe Real Estate Blog / March 28, 2011 / Richard Bolen) All South Lake Tahoe, CA home buyers are shopping for a deal. We discuss that in this video from our recent South Lake Tahoe real estate seminar. The seminar was in three parts. This is the eleventh segment of Part I. You can also find Part I in it's entirety in our Vimeo account here. It is about 56 minutes in length. The table of contents for the subjects covered in Part I of our seminar follows: 1. Seminar introduction. 2. Seminar structure and themes. 3. Better understanding Real Estate News. 4. A hardheaded Seller named Tom. 5. Putting you in front of the market: the purpose of our real estate seminar. 6. A market ... 03/30/2011

The following are bank-owned properties in South Lake Tahoe, California. Property details and pictures can be accessed by clicking on property addresses. Property Address - Price - Beds/Baths/Garage Spaces 1041 River Dr. - $116,910 - 3/1/0 3682 Alder Ave. - $119,900 - 2/1/0 1482 Black Bart Ave. - $120,000 - 2/1.75/0 1897 Delta St. - $122,500 - 3/2/0 918 Julie Ln. - $142,900 - 3/1.75/0 2515 Armstrong Ave. - $149,900 - 2/1/0 2505 Chris Ave. - $165,000 - 2/1/2 1046 Herbert Ave. - $165,900 - 3/2/0 1148 Herbert Ave. #D - $170,000 - 3/1.75/0 (condo) 1805 Arrowhead Ave. - $174,900 - 2/1/1 942 Lodi Ave. - $184,900 - 3/2/1 1247 Tata Ln. - $189,900 - 3/2/0 1977 Washoe St. - $194,900 - 3/1.75/0 3107 Easy St. - $197,950 - 3/2/1 1444 Matheson Dr. - $219,900 - 3/2/0 807 Patricia Ln. - $219,900 - 3/1/... 03/28/2011

South Lake Tahoe Home Values are higher when Tahoe Keys, Lakefront Properties and Glenbrook are included. (Lake Tahoe Real Estate Blog / March 26, 2011 / Richard Bolen) south Lake Tahoe, CA home prices are skewed higher by three different luxury home neighborhoods; the Tahoe Keys on the California side of our market, and Lake Front Properties and Glenbrook estates on the Nevada side of our market. Each of these three neighborhoods skews the current median sold price higher, sometimes as much as 10% and more, and each of these areas is unique to all other South Lake Tahoe neighborhoods. Because properties in these areas are so offsetting, both agents and appraisers only look at properties from these areas in their financial work-ups, home comparisons and certifiable appraisals. Check out... 03/28/2011

Comprehensive virtual tour lists for South Lake Tahoe and the Lake Tahoe Nevada south and east shores have been updated. They can accessed by clicking the following links: South Lake Tahoe virtual tours Lake Tahoe Nevada virtual tours The following virtual tours were added (click on property address for property details): 836 Tata Ln. - $279,000 - Virtual Tour - Property Detail 2184 Lupine Trl. - $759,000 - Virtual Tour - Property Detail South Tahoe Real EstateSouth Lake Tahoe MLS Search 03/27/2011