Your Guide to Incline Village Real Estate
If you are considering purchasing a home at Lake Tahoe, and would like to look at Incline Village, here are a couple of things to consider:
1. Sticker Shock
Thanks to Nevada's favorable taxes (no state income tax, no inheritance tax, and favorable treatment for many businesses, including single-member LLCs), the Nevada side Lake Tahoe tends to draw wealthy buyers who are looking for a tax haven. Think: Well-heeled retirees, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and founding CEOs (makes for interesting happy hour conversations at Lone Eagle Grille's lakefront bar). Big money has kept the cost of Incline Village homes higher than those on the California side of the Lake. You will get more house for the money on the CA side, but if what you need is a Nevada tax home, that leaves Incline & a handful of communities on the East Shore on down to Stateline.
Incline Village: NYT Top 10 Places to Live
If that's you, and you can afford it, Incline Village has been ranked by the New York Times as one of the Top 10 places to live for those who also love the mountains. The beaches (including one with a seasonally heated pool & another with a boat launch and kayak storage) are all private to Incline owners and their guests, and the community offers 2 excellent golf courses, Incline-owner rates at Diamond Peak Ski Area (with stunning views of Lake Tahoe from all the front runs), and quick access to the Tahoe/Reno International Airport (click here to read more about the advantages of the Incline Village lifestyle).
Incline Village Houses and Condo Options
Prices start around $1 million for a smaller home on a small lot, and go up to almost $50 million for waterfront estate homes, with a nice selection of lake view homes in the $3 million to $7 million range. If you're looking to just dip a toe in the Incline Village housing market, condominiums might also be a nice option, including some properties right on Lake Tahoe (several with docks and boat slips) in the $2 - 3 million range.
Incline Village Homes for Sale
2. Geography
Incline is not the only cool community on the Nevada side of the Lake, but it is the only NV town in the northern part of the Lake, and most buyers tend to gravitate to either the north or the southern end of Lake Tahoe, depending on their goals and what they like to do for fun.
The state line between California and Nevada runs roughly down the middle of Lake Tahoe (just east of Kings Beach on the North side of the Lake). And in both states, the northern communities rimming the Lake have a much different feel from the southern. In Nevada, the southernmost city is Stateline, which offers high-rise hotels, casinos, and nightlife galore. Gambling is not legal in South Lake Tahoe (the California side of south Tahoe), but the vibe there is more like a city with shopping centers, hotels, and 4-lane roads.
Foe example, it takes twice as long to drive Highway 89 from South Lake Tahoe to North (on two-lane roads with hairpin turns) as it does to travel the same direction on Highway 50 (with a 4-lane highway till you reach Highway 28):
So if you like the northern end of the Lake, as many Incline buyers do, Incline is basically your last stop before you hit Glenbrook near Spooner Summit or travel on south toward Zephyr Cove.
3. Walkability vs Views
One question I often get from buyers: What's the BEST neighborhood in Incline?
Honestly, there is no right answer to that question. The most exclusive would certainly be the Lakefront Estates lining the waterfront side of Lakeshore Drive (one of my colleagues at Chase recently sold the highest price lakefront ever: $47.5 million for a 12,000 SF main home on 1.2 acres of waterfront). But you have equally stunning properties high up in the hills with panoramic views of Lake Tahoe that sell in the $10 - 20 million range. And, of course, everything in between.
If you appreciate being able to walk or bike to the Lake, the Lakeview, Central South or Millcreek neighborhoods south of Highway 28 would be the best fit for you. The area is mostly flat, and you can walk the 3 mile paved trail along Lakeshore Boulevard (also where the beaches are located) or connect at the east end of Lakeshore to the stunning 3-mile "Impossible Trail" that's paved all the way down to Sand Harbor state park (one of the most beautiful walks in the world).
If you must have those Big Blue views, and the lakefront prices are too steep, there are many gorgeous homes higher up the mountain with panoramas that will make you never want to leave the house.
4. What Do You Do for Fun?
Seriously, it's Tahoe. What you do for fun here is sometimes more important than what you do for a living.
With two excellent golf courses (the Championship and the Mountain courses), the central part of Incline Village offers a number of homes on or close enough to the fairways that you can get around on your golf cart. Click here to the Complete Guide to Golf Course Homes in Incline Village
Browse Golf Course Homes in Incline Village
Incline Village Boating, Hiking & Biking
Many houses higher up in Incline are close to terrific hiking trails. And closer to the shoreline, you can find some of the Best Boating locations on Lake Tahoe ...
If boating is your thing, Ski beach in the Millcreek neighborhood (next to the pier at the Hyatt's Lone Eagle Grille) has a boat launch for Incline residents. Not a bad idea in that case to find a home with a parking pad for your trailer. The Hyatt also rents buoys for the season. It's pricey, but with a boat concierge on staff to handle the dinghy piece of launching, well worth the price. Or consider one of Incline's lakefront condos with a pier or marina ...
Browse Lake Tahoe Waterfront Condos in Incline Village, NV
Posted by Jackie Ginley on
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