Spacious, near-new mountain home with easy access to Serene Lakes, SugarBowl and Royal Gorge.  Custom built and well-designed for summer living or heavy winter snow.  This unique and elegant home is situated on a large, 1/3 acre lot which makes it a “one-of-a-kind” find in Serene Lakes.  Just 13 miles west of the quaint town of Truckee, 2-3/4 hrs. from the Bay Area, it’s convenient location makes for easy access to and from local ski area.  Two blocks from Lakes Serena and Dulzura and 6 miles from 5 local ski areas, in the peaceful community of Serene Lakes nestled between SugarBowl and Royal Gorge ski areas. In the summer, there’s great road and mountain biking, running and hiking on local trails that connect to the Pacific Crest Trail and swimming in the many alpine lakes that dot the area.  This home offers a lovely great room with vaulted ceilings that opens up the room for wonderful entertaining, with an eye on the rear deck for cozy outdoor sitting and grilling and a gourmet kitchen to accommodate a crowd.  Inside, with the 5 bedrooms, (2 masters), 3 baths and 2 separate sleeping lofts, this beautiful, spacious, functional home  has been designed with recreation in mind!  A Great Find & a Must See!

A darling chalet with lovely views of beautiful Lake Tahoe. The home features two wonderful front decks to enjoy the Tahoe seasons. Featuring a spacious remodeled kitchen, cozy living room with gas stove, bonus loft and multi-purpose room ideal for extra sleeping space or a family area. Ideally located to central Kings Beach with it’s incredible beaches, shopping, dining and endless recreational possibilities.This is a bank owned property and being sold As-Is. Call listing agent for more details. 

· Multi-purpose room
· Remodeled kitchen
· Gas stove in living room
· Beautiful Lake Tahoe views
· 2 front decks
· Fenced in back yard
· Plenty of parking
· Built in 1973, 1,440 sq. ft.

Here’s a great lot for sale in the peaceful community of Serene Lakes. Level and nicely treed. Good afternoon sun. Easy year-round access.  Just a terrific place to build your mountain getaway!

NOTE: Check with Sierra Lakes Water District (530-426-7800) for additional details on sewer permits and plant expansion.

PICTURE PERFECT
This wonderful mountain cabin maintains it’s rustic  roots and combines it with a tasteful remodel that compliments the style.  Nestled on a quarter acre directly on beautiful Donner Lake.  Enjoy the endless opportunities the lake provides including relaxing and swimming on your own pier with ample space for your boat and other toys. 

The home provides for all your friends and family.  Quaint upper level features a loft/bedroom area with private bath. Main level maintains its’ cabin charm with two cozy bedrooms, a living room and country kitchen. The lower level has been remodeled to reflect modern comfort with wet bar, family room, recreation area, huge guest room and two full baths. There is plenty of storage throughout including a huge laundry room with bonus closet.

• 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths
• Plenty of off street parking
• Parking pad at street
• Private pier + floating dock
• Triple pane windows
• Wood & tile flooring throughout
• 2 stone hearths
• Hydronic heating
• 3,260 sq. ft (per Assessor)
• Built in 1954, tastefully remodeled

A  truly elegant townhome in prestigious Fleur du Lac, a gated community on beautiful Lake Tahoe. Completely remodeled in 2005 by Loverde Builders, the design reflects the owner's extensive art collection and their love of classic, historic, wooden boats.  Loverde took one of the most luxurious, traditional units at Fleur du Lac Estates and created a reflection of the owner's taste in a highly contemporary design. Only 22 homes have the distinctive privilege to enjoy all the luxurious amenities offered.

This townhome has direct lakefront access and views. Amenities include a yacht club, marina with private slips, clubhouse, pool, beaches, tennis courts, fitness center, lakeside bocce ball, year round spa, steam rooms, housekeeping, shuttle service, on site manager, maintenance staff, security, housekeeping and event planning.

Fleur du Lac Estates History

The Kaiser Estate was constructed beginning in 1938 when Henry J. Kaiser purchased this 15-acre lakeshore site. Upon acquisition of the site, Mr. Kaiser launched a feverish 30-day campaign during which 300 men labored 24 hours a day on three, eight-hour shifts in order to complete the buildings in time for a party celebrating the completion of the Hoover Dam.

The original Estate consisted of 17 large homes, small cottages, servants’ quarters, a yacht club and boat house. These buildings were constructed of rugged rock and timbers with finely detailed wrought-iron grill work accentuating the architectural design.

Initially, the Estate was created as an exclusive hideaway for Kaiser and the heads of the other five companies who joined forces to build the Hoover Dam project.

• Morrison-Knudsen Co. – (Built the Trans Alaskan Pipeline)
• Utah Construction – (Merged with GE in 1976)
• J.F. Shea Co. – (Built the Golden Gate Bridge)
• Pacific Bridge Company – (Built the Tacoma Narrows Bridge)
• MacDonald & Kahn Ltd.

The Yacht Club served as a social gathering place and the boat house contained Kaiser’s world renowned hydroplanes (His favorite being Fleur du Lac) which he would race while the most elite crowds would gather along the shore to enjoy a day of racing (His favorite competitor was R. Stanley Dollar, Jr.) at the lake.

From the early 1960’s until 1979, the Estate went through a series of transitional uses, including that of a private school, the primary on-location scenes for Francis Ford Coppola’s film, “The Godfather II”.

In the early 1980’s, a project was started that included the remodeling of existing structures and the construction of 22 luxurious chateaux ranging in size from 4,300 to 6,000 square feet. Kaiser’s original Yacht Club has been refurbished and restored in an even grander manner than the original and the Boat House has been transformed into an exquisite management meeting/party room. Two of the original homes have been restored to serve as an office and to house the on-site property manager.

Terrific tri-level cabin, with room to entertain a lot of folks — wonderful for family and friends or great as an income opportunity!  Huge lakeside deck overlooking Lake Dulzura.  Comfortable living room with massive granite fireplace.  Spacious upstairs loft with more views of the lake.  Big downstairs rec room.  Lots of wood and exposed beams thru-out for that warm, cozy mountain feeling.  And don’t forget those incredible views of the lower lake at Serene Lakes! Less than 100’ to lake’s edge, it’s nearly lakefront without a lakefront sticker price and who wouldn't like that!

Immaculate retreat in a peaceful park-like setting that has been meticulously maintained! A few miles to Frenchman Lake, the Plumas County reservoir offersyear round activities. Turn-key compound with all of the furnishings, appliances, lawnmower, 5th wheel, 3 sheds, even 2 snowmobiles included. 2.64acres ofsecluded grounds backing to Forest Service Land. Main house has generously sized rooms, 2 bedrooms, 2 full baths, breakfast nook, bar area, gas stove +pellet stove. 2 RV hook-ups + outdoor bath.

This immaculate mountain cabin, with high ceiling, wood walls and exposed beams, is a great getaway or a great investment property!  The main level offers a cozy living room, nice dining area and kitchen, guest bedroom, full bath and multi-purpose utility room. Upstairs is one very large bedroom with lookout porch and smaller guest bedroom (no closet).  A huge basement with full head room and a workshop (complete with tools) is on the ground level. A well established floorplan, a quiet location and a proven rental history, what more could you ask for?

This wonderful design is seen throughout Serene Lakes and why not? It works!  It’s the ever-popular, light, bright, quality constructed DeWitz-Engel chalet.  Open and spacious, with lots of big  windows, vaulted ceilings and exposed beams, this lovely mountain home offers a large great room, dining area and kitchen on the main level along with one of  two master suites and an additional guest bedroom.  The upper level features a nice- sized loft off a second, spacious master suite.  On the lower level you’ll find the laundry area plus a huge “bonus room” with any number of uses — a “dormitory”, a separate family room, a rec room — whatever you like! And if you want to enjoy the outdoors, you have your choice of a sunny front deck or a private rear deck.  With furnishings included, it’s ready for you to enjoy — you’ll only need to bring your toothbrush!

Stages One and Two involve most of the towns of the Tahoe basin and there are special events and parties to be had everywhere.  For a complete list of events, check out www.amgentourofcalifornia.com or www.facebook.com/dicksonrealtytruckeetahoe.
We’ll be in front of our offices on Monday along the tour route to watch the peloton as it goes by.  Feel free to come join us!

Think about it! It is truly so interesting to see how we all, grown men and women, have such an easy time ‘running’ companies; being the ‘bosses’, managers, supervisors, investors… with no trouble at all and yet, when it comes to human interaction and our own ‘self’ is at stake, we shy away from the confrontation big time……why is that? Is courage in the moral sense a forgotten commodity? Is it that much easier to be tall and strong in the physical sense – you’ll get admired and receive pleasant comments – than in the moral/mental stage when your soul gets the work-out and only those who get the pleasure of knowing you will appreciate your courage? To me, moral courage will always win over physical courage – no matter what your physique may look like.

Dreaming of a “Cabin in the Woods”? Want to live the Goldilocks-life….perhaps without the three bears?  Here’s your perfect opportunity! I just listed this darling cabin in Tahoe Donner. It comes with the mandatory woodstove, the loft and high ceilings, plenty of windows to let the sun shine in as well as wood clad walls for the true rustic feel….. The address is 11116 Sitzmark Way.  Since it’s situated on a rather quiet street, a bit below street level, it does allow for privacy and the peace and quiet you seek when coming up here. Just give me a call or send me an email – 530 550 5018;
agrahn-nilsson@dicksonrealty.com – for further details. You’d love to see and know more about this sweet property. Anna, Dickson Realty, Truckee, CA.

That’s what it’s all about….. we all really do want the same “end”.  The escrow to close!

In Real Estate, as in many other arenas of a salesperson’s world, the ultimate goal is to close the deal. Not only for the ability to say “Yeah - we closed the deal” – but even more for the satisfaction of knowing the amount of people who are truly happy and content because of the closing. And we could ask ourselves – will it happen quicker and smoother when working together….or does it not really matter. I’m a firm believer in Co-Operation. We were taught this as early as when attending Kindergarten; we teach it to our children as they are moving along the tracks of life and we keep hoping for our ‘world’ to remain in that mindset. Work in sync not in discord….  When negotiating a purchase on behalf of a Buyer, try to take into consideration the Seller’s story, and in doing so your ways of Co-operating become much clearer. It’s not just your Buyer who has a story  - the Seller does too. Help yourself and the agent on the other side to keep both ‘stories’ in mind. The end result is what we all want to achieve so why make it hard when it can be so much easier? All we have to do is to Co-Operate!!!

What a word, and what a concept….
Who can be optimistic when you just lost your job?
Who can think happy thoughts when your friends and neighbors have to move away,
 “-because they can’t afford to stay in their house” ?
Despite all the “bad going on around us”, thinking Happy Thoughts – i.e. being Optimistic – truly gets the world turning in another direction.  My daughter accuses me for being too optimistic, yet I feel that it’s the way to go/be. There will be another “audition”; another job; another house…. we all know that; in its own time…. Yet, in the midst of the unfortunate what does it take to get to the fortunate instead?  Join in with Happy – and the outcome has to be just that – Happy! 

Our area is beautiful this time of year and people come from all over to enjoy all the outdoors has to offer here, whether hitting the slopes or driving up from the lower elevations to bring the kids to see some snow and play in it for the day. It always makes me smile to see the families whose cars are lined up along the road as they unload sleds, toboggans and kids.  But the beauty can also be dangerous.The current weather pattern here leads to extremely icy conditions. Beautiful days in the 50’s soften the snow and makes for great skiing, but then it hardens to a concrete like surface overnight because of our low nighttime temperatures. The local paper this morning listed two heartbreaking stories of completely avoidable deaths in our area just within the last week. And there was a lost boarder recently whose fun day on the slopes ended her life. 

So take it easy out there! These are not the conditions for hot-dogging and out of control skiing. Helmets are an absolute must at all times – until you are off the slopes completely. Kids who are sledding should be wearing them, as well. Never head off out of bounds alone. Make sure you are always with a buddy or someone knows your plans. 
Have fun, but be safe about it!

In 1863 the town of Truckee did not exist. In fact, all that was visible along the banks of the Truckee River were rocks and virgin forest—except for one solitary log house built by pioneer Joseph Gray.

Native Americans roamed this Sierra region. A small white settlement near the head of Donner Lake served the many coaches and their teamsters and passengers who passed daily along the Dutch Flat-Donner Lake Wagon Road, enroute to Virginia City and the luring Comstock Lode.

Joseph Gray believed that this area would be a good place for a tavern and way station for weary travelers. It was near this spot that transportation routes converged—the Henness Pass route from the upper North Fork of the Yuba, and the Dutch Flat-Donner Lake turnpike. Five years hence the Central Pacific would choose the same area as the focal point for its mountain operations.

Constructed of native tamarack and lodgepole pine in about 1858, Gray’s cabin was located at today’s southwest corner of Jibboom and Bridge Streets. Experts have examined the 24’x20’ building and noticed no evidence of any kind of saw used to build the structure. The timbers had all been hewn with axes into the shape of a house.

Initially, the small cabin sat alone beside the only road, and it was here that Gray ran a frontier hostelry, which served weary travelers arriving on the six-horse Concords of the California Stage Company. Twenty and thirty-horse freight wagons rolled past the cabin day and night. Gray’s establishment was a place where travelers and teamsters could rest and enjoy all the comforts and hospitality of a friendly roadside inn, purchase supplies, and obtain directions or information.

Integrity is regarded as the quality of having an intuitive sense of honesty and truthfulness in regard to the motivations for one's actions. How does this enter into Real Estate, you may ask. Oh sure it does—I can still recall the first time out with my real estate license “in hand” (hung in the office of my Truckee Broker); my 2 year old daughter in tow, driving up to the house in a fairly beat up Honda station wagon and at that point hearing the owner of the house say—”You sure have a lot of integrity” - made me wonder ’what was I really doing’? Could a real estate agent behave/look/be this way?  Of course she can… Integrity in real estate makes itself show when the agent as well as the client, behave from what they believe in —not from “how much money they can make”…. What’s your take on Integrity?