Drew Kondo's (mountaindrew) Blog

With Independence Day one week away, I want to discuss South Lake Tahoe’s 4th of July experience. IT IS INCREDIBLE. Our fireworks display, Lights on the Lake, is rated amongst the top in the nation by many. Seeking tourists, Tahoe casinos invest a ton of money into the pyrotechnics. Here are a fe...

My real estate agency, Chase International, has recently unveiled a new website at ChaseNation.com. ChaseNation is a social networking site like Facebook or MySpace. However, ChaseNation is geared toward Reno-Tahoe real estate. In fact, it is the first ever agency specific social networking site....

After some of the statistical revelation I experienced over the last week, it’s become much easier to make conclusions on this market that can be validated with empirical evidence. The median sale price for single family residences increased 9.5%, from $379,000 in April to $415,000 in May. Unfort...

The South Tahoe Association of Realtors (STAoR) staff went to a C.A.R. conference last week. Thus, they didn't publish May market statistics until today. Honestly, I got impatient and started mining our MLS for data. I had no idea what I was in for! Two days, six phone calls, and five hours of da...

Tahoe Keys Waterfront Home Sqft: 3012 Beds: 3 Baths: 2.5 Price: $1,295,000 With a boat dock that can accommodate three boats and a 6-person spa on the rooftop deck, this is a luxury deal! >Click for more info 2003 Christmas Valley Deal Sqft: 2286 Beds: 3 Baths: 2.5 Price: $545,500 This foreclosu...

When showing property, I’m often asked the question, “What will my monthly payment be on this house?” The answer many people give is simply the amount owed on the home each month, which is often called PI – principle and interest. On a $400,000 home, this would be about $1,920 (assuming 20% down ...

It seems like the popularity of Zillow.com is rapidly growing. I’ve heard a few times lately, “Oh, I’ll just check my home’s worth on Zillow!” These people are referring to Zillow’s Zestimate. The Zestimate provides an estimated market value of a home. This is done by entering data on the subject...

It seems that since day one (just two months ago) of my real estate career here in South Lake Tahoe, experienced agents have stressed the importance of getting a loan preapproval letter early from buyers.  Asking for one, however, seemed awkward to me.  It seemed like I was asking them, "You don'...