(Bill Stevenson / Northstar-at-Tahoe)

You can once again ski or ride at huge discounts when you purchase Skiing for Schools lift tickets.  Proceeds go directly to the Excellence in Education Foundation.

Lift tickets (non-refundable and purchased in advance) will be valid for any one day within a specified week at one of several local resorts.

For a list of resorts and dates plus more information on the Excellence in Education Foundation, visit our  website and support our schools!

Average sold price during the month was $568,542, up slightly from the average sold price in 2010 of $537,233.

With interest rates dropping and great properties being offered (currently 146 active on the market in Tahoe Donner), buyers are enjoying the shopping experience of finding their beautiful mountain home at great prices!

Great deal of the month: http://tsierra.paragonrels.com/ParagonLS/Default.mvc#1,1

To see all the great homes for sale, visit www.dicksontruckee.com

There are two tubing runs that have been carved with high banks and long snaking turns, to end in a large central bowl area. From the end point, you can easily access the walkway back to the top to go again and again. The tubes are large and comfortable – plenty of room for a parent and child to go together. They also have long leashes to make the haul back up to the top much easier. Attendants are there to set you up for your slide and maintain proper spacing for safety. They’ll also spin you if you request it.

Adjacent to the tubing area are three groomed sled runs with high banks at the end to prevent out of control sledding. There are walkways to the sides of the sled runs to maintain the integrity of the slide area itself. Tahoe Donner provides the sleds as part of the amenity, so you don’t even have to worry about bringing your own.

Conveniently, there are picnic tables at the top of the sled hill and I saw many Grandparents settling in there to watch the kids at play and enjoy the sunny day.

Being back among small children and young parents brought back many wonderful memories. We spent many hours with friends and their children sledding here in what now seems a lifetime ago.  here is perhaps no better amenity for a family, including the older generation, to be able to enjoy together. And that’s what life is all about!                                                                                                         

 http://www.tahoedonner.com/snowplay.html

We enjoy Tahoe living…..Many locals have flexibility so that they can easily adjust their schedules to get out and enjoy as well as appreciate the lifestyle this Tahoe area offers us, a lifestyle we feel blessed to have available to us right out our doorsteps.

Today I went for a snowshoe, taking in the gorgeous scenery and crisp fresh air. Afterwards, I went home, freshened up, and then off to work for the remainder of the day.  The luxury of having the National Forest right outside our doorstep as well as access to seven major ski resorts, all within a 20 minute drive is absolutely priceless.  Tahoe Donner offers a nice downhill ski area, a world class cross country ski center and lots of trails for exploring and snowshoeing.

This past week we received 4- 8 feet of fresh new snow….If you enjoy the fresh mountain air, snow sports and the breath taking scenery….COME ON OVER, VISIT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD – Tahoe Donner Truckee California.

Sunset Magazine named Truckee "Most Well-Rounded" Ski Town

Buying a home means more than finding the right house. It’s about finding the right area and community. It’s one of the reasons we’re so lucky to live where we also like to play. The Truckee Tahoe area not only boasts some of the ski resorts, but it’s also a community that embraces its identity to the fullest. If you’re a winter sports enthusiast, or often vacation in ski towns, you should consider a vacation or permanent home in the Truckee Tahoe area. Check out some of the latest recognition that the area has received:

Lake Tahoe ranked #1 in Orbitz’s Top 10 Early Ski Destinations

Lake Tahoe ranked #2 in TripAdvisor’s Top 10 Ski Rental Home Destinations

Squaw Valley USA, located on Highway 89 between Truckee and Tahoe City, Calif., ranked #17 of Top 20 Ski Resorts in Conde Nast Traveler’s 2010 Ski Poll

Sunset Magazine’s “The West’s Best Ski Towns” named Truckee the most well-rounded ski town for its ability please all ages, proximity to ski resorts for a variety of skill levels, great dining choices and diverse lodging options.

AOL Travel listed Tahoe in the 10 Top Ski Destinations in the United States more than a dozen major ski areas and some great winter snowstorms.

Read more about our Truckee Tahoe neighborhoods and consider making Truckee Tahoe your home.

I quickly responded to him with the reality that there were actually only 125 homes currently listed in Tahoe Donner (of nearly 5500 in the subdivision) and there were 25 homes currently in escrow which would represent just a 5 month inventory of homes currently on the market.  As well, I mentioned that it is late in the winter, which can be one of the slowest times of the year in our market.

Once my client realized these “actual” statistics, he felt much better about his investment and was glad he had contacted me rather than believing his friend or watching the local or national news headlines.

This story illustrates that many people only take the time to read a couple of articles in the newspaper (or online), and watch the nightly news.  We should never lose sight of the fact that the media’s job is to sell newspapers and magazines and to get great ratings for their TV shows.  Their job is to grab our attention with sensationalized headlines.

Real estate is very localized and calling a real estate professional in your particular area of interest is the only way you will get an accurate portrayal of what is really going on.