There are so many activities to do around the Tahoe-Truckee area that deciding on location for your vacation home can be one of the biggest decisions in your buying process. I’m hoping to help with this in highlighting our key second home communities here in Truckee. We previously looked at two golf course communities: Old Greenwood and Lahontan, and will now move towards the Big Springs neighborhood in Northstar.
Big Springs is one of my favorite areas in town. This is the newest, and for lack of better term- nicest, single family home community in Northstar; prior to the introduction of Martis 25. Homes here started being built in the early 2000’s and continue to today. Generally, you will find larger homes around 4 or 5 bedrooms between 2,500 – 3,500 square feet as well as a few substantially larger, making them ideal vacation retreats. We often hear that families will look for larger homes of this size to accommodate friends and extended family on Tahoe trips. The prices can range from the mid to low $1 millions up to $5 million with majority being between $1.5 million – $2.5 million. As for location, you are as close as can be to the ski slopes, some properties even being true ski-in/ski-out. If you need or want to go anywhere else, you are right in-between Truckee and Lake Tahoe. Additionally, in our area it is considerably easier to live near your favorite wintertime recreation spots, and commute to your summertime activities, rather than the other way around.
Staying with the thought of lifestyle, your main amenity will obviously be the Northstar Ski Resort. One of the biggest perks of the NPOA Home Owners Association is the door-to-door shuttle bus service which eliminates the need to drive in the snow or on busy days. It is worth mentioning that the HOA payments are only $1,000 per year making the carrying costs of these properties minimal. Along with the shuttle bus service you will have access to the recently renovated NPOA swim, fitness, and tennis center located at the edge of the Village at Northstar. Homeowners will also have the option to further amenities by joining social clubs like the Tahoe Mountain Club, Lahontan or Schaffer’s Mill; all of which open their membership to non-property owners.
For the quality and location of these homes Big Springs is really a great place to be. One of my favorite listings right now is the home at 2009 Red Tail Court. This is a fully custom 3,858 square foot home offered at $2,400,000. As can be common in Big Springs, this home is located at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac that is one street below the Timberline ski lift.
Values in Big Springs have generally fluctuated with the overall market. The highest price ever recorded in Big Springs was a rare ski-in/ski-out home on North Summit Place for $5,500,000 in Fall, 2008. This grand home of nearly 5,500 square feet offered panoramic views toward Castle Peak with immediate access to the Timberline Chairlift. The low water mark was a recent $995,000 sale for one of the original homes in this neighborhood, in need of renovation.
Sales velocity for Big Springs has fallen off somewhat in recent years, undoubtedly diluted by the emergence of newer opportunities in Mountainside at Northstar and Martis Camp. Nevertheless, having had the opportunity to introduce this neighborhood to several clients who have expressed great satisfaction with the Big Springs lifestyle, I’ve found this community to be an excellent option for those seeking a single-family option within a resort environment. The reduced sales velocity has created some of the excellent buying opportunities available today.
2009 Red Tail Court
4 bed / 3.5 bath / 3,858 sq.ft.
$2,400,000
Dylan Griffin
530.448.2322
