The new tech playground: Truckee-Tahoe real estate market lures freelancers in

  TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA - 08/11/2017

With the benefits of Silicon Valley just a short hop away, yet far enough to wind down from the stresses of business for entrepreneurs and freelancers alike, it’s no wonder the real estate markets in Truckee-Tahoe are booming. The plethora of outdoor pursuits available in the area offer a welcome work/life balance for those looking to work and play hard. Here, we take a look at just what makes Truckee Tahoe so popular.

The perfect base for those making their income in Silicon Valley

San Francisco is one of the most expensive cities in the world. The wages in Silicon Valley can often reflect this, but when living expenses are astronomical, it doesn’t leave as much left over as it should. This can be a real drain for anyone beginning his or her quest up the career ladder, as living off a beginner’s salary in Silicon Valley isn’t easy. Instead, it makes much more sense economically to invest in nearby Truckee real estate. An increasing number of people are realising this, and so they are building their wealth in San Francisco and then retaining more of it by investing in property in Truckee and Lake Tahoe. After all, merely renting a property in Silicon Valley is more expensive than buying Truckee real estate.

“What we have found is that people in the Bay Area, particularly those who work in the tech industry, are smartly generating their income from a Silicon Valley-based employer, and then investing that money into a home in nearby Truckee, CA because it is so much more affordable,” said Janie Sharp, owner of the Sharp Real Estate team, a leading California-based real estate firm that specialises in the Truckee-Tahoe real estate market. “I mean, it’s far more affordable for them to own a property in Truckee than it is to rent in San Francisco, and so it makes perfect business sense.”

A growing freelance environment

Businesses are recognizing the appeal Tahoe and Truckee real estate has for freelancers and tech professionals, and this has led to a growing freelance environment. Co sharing offices are widely available across Truckee and Tahoe, and business owners in Silicon Valley are increasingly taking on freelancers that only need to come into their headquarters once or twice per week or month.

The co sharing work environment is something that appeals to most freelancers. The Lift is a prime example of this, providing 24-hour access to office space for full-time and part-time members. Rates are affordable: $20 per daily drop-in, $150 for a monthly part time membership, and $300 for a monthly full time membership. Members benefit from Wi-Fi, a kitchenette, a startup library, and access to a color laser printer.  Another option is the Tahoe Mill Collective. Members benefit from their own desk, desk chair, power strip and light, as well as access to high-speed wireless Internet, storage lockers, and a printer. There is also a tea and coffee bar, a café next door, a private conference room, and access to gathering, events, speaker series, and happy hours. Co sharing offices like this provide everything that a freelancer could require.

Kristi Hood, the co-owner of Sharp Real Estate, explains the situation perfectly: “We have a number of clients who leverage the best of both worlds; they live in Truckee, California, and work remotely from one of the co sharing offices here in the town. They then hop on a short half-hour flight to San Francisco, CA, once or twice per week, if they need to go into the main headquarters of their place of work.”

Travelling to Silicon Valley, or any other part of San Francisco, is easy from Truckee and Tahoe. The likes of Surf Air and Blackbird enable you to fly to San Francisco within a mere 30 minutes, meaning you can easily check in with your employer whenever required.

The appeal of Truckee itself

Truckee real estate does not only appeal because of its affordability and convenience. The area has a lot to offer itself, from the popular Truckee golf course, Coyote Moon, and many other outdoor activities, such as hiking and skiing, to the beautiful scenery and numerous shopping options.

The Coyote Moon Golf Course is one of the most incredible golf courses in the world, providing an amazing mountain golf experience. Coyote sits on 250 acres of secluded hills in the Lake Tahoe area, amongst a beautiful Trout creek, wildflowers, huge granite outcroppings, and towering pines.

Ed McGargill of Coyote Moon said the following: “Our golf course here at Coyote Moon is a local favourite, the millennials in the tech industry love it also. They often say that our golf course looks like something they would expect to see in a film or an Xbox video game because the supreme beauty makes it seem surreal. We don’t sit in the middle of a resort, so it’s pure golf, and this is why we are one of the favourite Truckee golf courses amongst locals.”

Of course, one cannot mention Truckee and Lake Tahoe without alluding to the stunning scenery and the beauty of mountainous living. You only need to look at photographs online to get a little taster of what to expect. For most people, this appeals to them much more than the hustle and bustle of busy city life. Who wouldn’t want to wake up and look at breathtaking landscape every morning?

It’s not hard to see why Lake Tahoe and Truckee real estate has become so popular with tech freelancers. It gives freelancers the ability to enjoy the best of both worlds. The beauty is, they can invest in affordable real estate in a luxurious, mountainous area, while embracing a co sharing office environment and making a short 30-minute trip to see their employer whenever required. And, of course, weekends can be spent playing golf, exploring the nearby landscaping, or hitting the slopes, providing a work/life balance it would be hard to replicate anywhere else.

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