Lake Front Properties

The coveted opportunity to own a property with direct Lakefront access spans the shores of Lake Tahoe, Donner Lake, Serene Lakes, Fallen Leaf Lake, Cascade Lake. Along the way you’ll discover distinct unique communities, each with its own history and flavor. Depending on your wish list, ownership opportunities range from charming “Old Tahoe-style” cabins to luxurious modern estates to lakefront condo developments equipped with all the amenities.

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When considering a lake front property there’s a lot to think about. Naturally, neighborhood selection is important, however, there are some factors that affect how each home really lives year-round:

• Proximity to the road (consider noise and snowplow service)
• Does the property have a pier Does the pier have steel or wood pilings-shared pier
• Depth of pier and/ or beachfront (fluctuating lake levels can affect usability)
• Community Amenities
• Beachfront entitlements and topography
• Privacy

Lake Tahoe lakefront real estate begins around $1,500,000 for a condominium and $3,000,000 for a single-family home. They can reach $40,000,000 and higher for the most luxurious estates. The shoreline of Lake Tahoe stretches an amazing 72 miles and hosts a limited number of homes scattered along the lakefront. Due to restrictions on new developments, Lake Tahoe lakefront homes for sale are both unique and coveted, properties with piers and waterfront access even more so.

North Shore

On Lake Tahoe’s North Shore, which runs west from Incline Village through Crystal Bay, King’s Beach, and down to Tahoe City, lakefront cabins, condominiums, and luxury homes can be found. North Shore Crystal Bay is known for its ultra luxury estates while Stateline to Brockway springs is distinct in the large granite boulders and sandy coves, Kings Beach and Tahoe Vista are known for warm water and sandy beaches, and from Carnelian Bay to Tahoe City many houses are on the side of the slope which affords more expansive views of the lake than houses located at shoreline. 

West Shore

The West Shore begins south of Tahoe City and continues through Sunnyside to Rubicon and Emerald Bay. Lakefront properties in Sunnyside, Homewood, and Tahoma are a mix of very large luxury homes along the lake interspersed with a few Old Tahoe cabins. South of Sunnyside are some very large estates. The best beaches on the lake can be found from Chambers Landing to Meeks Bay and Rubicon Bay, an area known as the Gold Coast. There are several historic estates located in Meeks and Rubicon Bays that were built around the turn of the 20^th century and have had many famous guests.

East Shore

The East Shore Begins with Incline Village, known for its multi-million dollar mansions along Lakeshore drive, most with private beaches, piers, and buoys. From Incline heading south along the East Shore are the infamous granite boulder beaches of Sand Harbor (Nevada State Park), Hidden Beach, Chimney Beach, etc. South of theses wonderful beaches are several private estates including the Thunderbird Lodge. South of this is Glenbrook, a private community with a sandy cove and great history, followed by Cave Rock, Linclon Park, Lakeridge, and Skyland neighborhoods with private yellow-sand beaches and boat launches. Just south of these neighborhoods is the area known as Zephyr Cove which has a mix of condos and homes located on two large, sandy bays; Zephyr Cove and Marla Bay.

South Shore

South Lake Tahoe Lakefronts begin with Nevada Beach (Nevada State Park) and Edgewood Golf Course at Stateline. This area is right in the heart of the city, with Casinos, hotels, condos and lakefront homes with shared private and public beach access. Just beyond this is the California State Line and the city of South Lake Tahoe with a long stretch of yellow-sand beaches and lakefront home options. Just beyond is Tahoe Keys, a unique marina resort community with over eleven miles of inland and lakefront space. Past the Keys, the western side of South Lake Tahoe is known as Camp Richardson, it is primarily Sate Park beaches; Pope’s Beach, Kiva Beach, Baldwin Beach, with a few lakefront neighborhoods. The far western side of South lake Tahoe encompasses Cascade Properties and Emerald Bay, both of which have some amazing lakefront homes, some of which are historic. 

Lake Front Condominiums

Lakefront communities on the North Shore like Brockway Springs, Chinquapin, Dollar Point, and The Northwoods offer recreational resources to owners like piers with buoy fields, swimming pools and sandy beaches. Star Harbor, has a pier, pool, harbor, and tennis courts and Tahoe Marina Lakefront is located in the heart of Tahoe City and has a private pier and beach as well as tennis courts and a pool and easy access to town. The historic properties of Tahoe Tavern and Tavern Shores have nice beaches and amenities such as a long pier, pool and tennis courts and are located a short walk south of Tahoe City. Also on the West Shore are three prime condominium lakefront developments; Cedar Point has just 18 units with also a wide range of amenities including a pier, pool and private beach; Fleur du Lac is a private gated community with a private harbor, pool, tennis court and yacht club; and the Chambers Landing Condominium Development is an exclusive, gated, lakefront complex with a private pier, buoy field, a sandy beach, four tennis courts, a pool and the The Chamber’s Landing Bar & Restaurant. Click HERE to see lakefront condominium listings only.

Donner Lake

Donner Lake is a small lake located in Truckee Ca. The lake is 238 feet deep, and is well known for trout fishing, kayaking and paddle boarding. Lake front homes range from small classic mountain cabins to luxurious homes. Most of the lake front homes are located on the south side of the lake. These properties often have private piers, and some have small rocky sand beaches. The north shore of the lake has split lake front homes (a road between the home and the water access) which include great lake views and many have private piers and beach access. Donne Lake is a tight community that is quieter and more affordable than homes located on Lake Tahoe.

Serene Lakes

Serene Lakes are a pair of freshwater lakes, located in the mountains west of Truckee and about 15 mi northwest of Lake Tahoe. Serene Lakes consists of two connected bodies of water, Lake Serena and Lake Dulzura, which together span about 77 acres. Serene Lakes lake front homes offer a quiet forested mountain setting at a fraction of the price of Tahoe and Donner lakefronts. 

Fallen Leaf Lake

Fallen Leaf Lake is located one mile south of Lake Tahoe and is 2.9 miles long, 0.9 miles wide and 415 feet deep.  Homes in the historic neighborhood of Fallen Leaf Lake are usually lakefront or hidden among the trees with lake views. There are old ‘Tahoe Style’ cabins, newly constructed homes with boat houses and docks and wrap around decks, as well as historic wooden cabins that sit on acres of land.  This South Lake Tahoe neighborhood lies directly beneath Mt. Tallac—the most iconic of Tahoe’s mountain peaks, which results in fantastic mountainous views. This neighborhood is very boater friendly! 

With 40 + years of experience in the Tahoe Truckee market, Greg can walk you through the primary differences in lifestyle and vacation experiences offered by all of the different Lakefront communities on the North and West Shores of Lake Tahoe, Donner Lake and Serene Lakes on Donner Summit.  If you’re interested in the Nevada side of the lake, Greg would be happy to refer you to an expert in those communities as well, just send me an email: grankin@chaseinternational.com