Real Estate Information

 The snow was  angling in, crashing into the windshield last night on the way home.  The wipers were just about keeping the snow away. Trucks are backed up waiting  their turn to climb the summit. Wow, yet another winter starts in Truckee. I’ve seen a bunch of them.   I wonder what this one is going to bring? 

          The mornings after a storm always seem the same.   Big pines and firs, huddled in their thick coats of snow, and it’s quiet.  Even the squirrels are still curled up in their nests, sitting on their big pile of nuts.  They haven’t even poked their noises out to look around and see how cold it is.

 Don Schaller

Broker Owner

Schaller Family Realtors

Dickson Realty Truckee

alltruckeehomes.com

There is a movement afoot to be the host of the 2022 Winter Olympic games with Squaw Valley and a number of other ski resorts being the focal point of the activities.

          Many things will have to fall into place to assure Tahoe’s acceptance.  Where to house the millions of people that will attend the Winter Olympics is one of the largest issues.  Transportation from the lodging areas to the ski areas looms as a big item.   Current thinking looks at Sparks, Nevada as being the most logical place to house the most people with its’ abundance of lodging.  This means that Reno and South Shore will play a large part in the approval process.  While transportation looms as a big consideration, special train use to Truckee and the ski areas seems to be a viable answer.

           The project, is and will, require all of the areas near the ski resorts to work closely together to solve the various challenges.

           We have 11 years to keep you informed with the progress.

  Don schaller

Broker Owner

Schaller Family Realtors

Dickson Realty Truckee

Alltruckeehomes.com

          Boreal Ridge again is the first ski resort to open.  Boreal, located on Highway 80 near Soda Springs, has again beaten  the competition.  Opening with one run and 10 to 12 inches of snow and will continue operation as long as conditions permit.  This is the time of the year when you want to borrow someone else’s skis because rocks and the ground takes a toll on skis.

          Aiding the early winter, Boreal will be utilizing its’ snowmaking equipment.  Evening temperatures are supposed to be in the high twenties for the next 10 days so Boreal may stay even until the first storm.

Don Schaller

Broker Owner

Schaller family Realtors

Dickson Realty Truckee

Alltruckeehomes.com

          Every year about this time, Truckee’s Noon Rotary puts on its’ fund raiser, The Cadillac Ball.  The First Ball, more than 20 years ago featured as the Grand prize a refurbished Cadillac.  Cadillacs being expensive and hard to locate, $10,000 has been the prize most years.  Even a new Toyota snuck in one year.  This year, however, a brand new 2010 Cadillac SRX will go to the lucky winner.

          The Cadillac Ball generally collects $70,000 to $75,000 which goes back into the Truckee community for different charities such as Project Mana, The Senior Center, Meals on Wheels, various school projects such as the Truckee high school band,  sports teams, and the Legacy Trail ( the trail along the Truckee River) and other needy projects during the course of the year.

           The theme this year will be “007”.  Attendees will arrive in their favorite 007 outfits.  The meeting of characters will gather at the new Ritz-Carlton at Northstar next Saturday the 13th.  The evening will include drinks, dinner, awarding the Cadillac and dancing.   Many of the revelers will be staying the night at the Ritz so there’s no telling how long the party will last or, how people will feel the next morning.

 Don Schaller

Broker Owner

Schaller Family Realtors

Dickson Realty Truckee

Alltruckeehomes.

          The Aspens are almost finished shedding their summer green coats in exchange for autumns reds and oranges.  Plants and trees need to be bound for snow and storms.   Irrigation needs to be turned off, water turned off to the house and all water purged.   Don’t forget the antifreeze for the drains.  

           La Niña seems to be the prediction for this winter.  Historically, La Niña is the opposite of El Niño which brings greater than average cold and precipitation.  Holding true to its El  Niño description, last winter  brought 155% of normal snowfall along with colder temperatures which seemed to last for a year and a half.

           Interestingly, these weather changes are brought about simply by ocean  temperatures off the western shore of south America, cooling for El Niño  or, warming for La Niña.  Curious that ocean temperatures, thousands of miles from the Sierras, could affect us so much.  The climatologists are afraid to predict what this winters weather is going bring. It seems about 50/50 warm or cold.  That’s pretty safe.  Could that fear be brought about by too many bum predictions?  By the way, this mornings temperature in Truckee tipped the scale at sweltering 15 degrees.  Brrrrr!

           It’s time to get the skis out, grab a Bud, go out to the garage, turn on the Dead  and start sharpening and waxing.  It won’t be long.

 Broker Owner

Schaller Family Realtors

Dickson Realty Truckee

alltruckeehomes.com

          Northstar at Lake Tahoe has long been the favorite ski area for families for its user friendly staff and facilities forgiving ski hill.   Noted for importing young people from other countries to act as lift operators and other public meeting jobs.  It was not unusual to hear, a “Ga Day Mate” in the lift lines.  The young people from other countries have given the atmosphere at Northstar an energy and smiles not found in most of the other ski resorts in this winter playground.

          Northstar has undergone many changes in the last 10 years,  notably the emergence of East West Partners of Vail Colorado who remodeled most   of the Village and turned it into a European village with classy boutique shops, large condominiums, restaurants and even an ice skating rink.   While not a part of Northstar, even a Ritz Carlton has been added to the property.

           The transition from Booth Creek, the former owners of Northstar, to Vail, is still rather new, but, it is rumored that the present staff will remain in place.  So, we in the Truckee Lake Tahoe region are glad to hear that.

           Curiously, a former general manager of Northstar, Bill Jensen,  had a dream for Northstar being a destination resort, complete with boutique shops, ski-in-ski out-homes, restaurants and a refurbished ski hill.  15 years after his departure it has become a reality.  So folks, wait long enough and your dreams too may well be realized.

 Don Schaller

Broker Owner

Schaller Family Realtors

Dickson Realty Truckee

Alltruckeehomes.

          Contrary to current real estate analysts’ opinions of a declining real estate market, many people are looking to real estate to protect their investments, instead of the many other financial options out there.  Here’s why.   For most investors, money in the financial markets is absolutely unpredictable with the stock market jumping 200 points one day followed by 300 points down the next.  Many investors are thinking that if they can buy a home at 40% below the market and can wait for the market to right itself, they have an opportunity to make a 30% to 40% profit in several years.  Current thinking goes that their investments are safer and more predictable  in real estate than in the stock market during the same time period.

     Historically, real estate has been a favored vehicle to protect against inflation since real estate value goes up with inflation, coupled with, the benefit of a place to spend get-a-way time or, even rent.    With interest rates in the low 3.40% to low 4’s and homes discounted 35% to 40%, savvy buyers are taking this as a golden opportunity.

Don Schaller

Broker Owner

Schaller Family Realtors

Dickson Realty Truckee

alltruckeehomes.com

         C. Anders Holmer, better known as Andy, unless you are before him in his Superior Court, then it’s  “Your Honor”.  His  judgeship has lived in Truckee with his wife Laurel for 36 years, raising 2 children and being Truckee’s Superior Court judge.  Andy has presided over family law, criminal cases, and most eastern counties civil, misdemeanor, juvenile, drug and mental cases.

         Andy has handled a full range of cases for Nevada County.  I have had an opportunity to sit in on several of the trials that Andy has presided over, not being tried, Thank You, and came away with the feeling that Andy was an exceptional judge with his thoroughness, intelligence and that scarcest of all qualities, compassion.  Andy will be sorely missed in our mountain town of nearly 17,000 souls.

 Don Schaller

Broker Owner

Schaller Family Realtors

Dickson Realty Truckee

Alltruckeehomes.com

          Bank of America and GMAC have lifted or partially lifted their freeze on foreclosures in 23 states.  After internally checking their procedures for handling foreclosures, they state that a paperwork review shows no problems.

          Thus ends a potential problem that has simmered for several months.  Other lenders nationwide have not as yet begun to reinstate their foreclosures.   The market has found it interesting that a problem that was forecasted to take months and predicted to cost billions has ended in a few weeks.

Don Schaller

Broker Owner

Schaller family Realtors

Dickson Realty Truckee

Alltruckeehomes.com

           The Millenials -  You have noticed them texting, talking on cell phones and playing games on their I PHONES.  These tech savvy young people were born between 1980 and 2000. They favor social networking sites such as Twitter, Face Book and even Plaxo and are moving rapidly into the home owning environment.

           Many of these young people are gaining jobs in the high tech industry, receiving excellent salaries and are wondering where to put their money.  Some are concerned with the risk as they have seen friends or family experiencing the result of an ”at risk” housing market.  So, caution plays a prominent role in entering the housing market.  I think caution is an admirable trait in any investment, and especially now.  If more caution were used in purchasing homes in the last few years, much of our present real estate heartache would have been avoided.

 Don schaller

Broker Owner

Schaller Family Realtors

Dickson Realty Truckee

Alltruckeehomes.com