With the Ritz-Carlton Highlands already taking online reservations for arrivals beginning Dec. 9, anticipation is building for the new five-star hotel under construction midway up the mountain at Northstar-at-Tahoe.  Their are many ownership opportunities and if desired, we have California licensed agents that can get information for you.

Recently, San Francisco celebrity chef Traci des Jardins made an announcement during the Food & Wine Magazine Classic in Aspen about the Ritz-Carlton Highlands’ new restaurant. The joint creation between Ritz-Carlton Highlands and chef and partner Traci des Jardins will be named Manzanita. She noted that Manzanita seemed a fitting name for a Sierra Nevada restaurant and she plans to create a menu that will be a combination of her signature French-inspired California cuisine, with a regional mountain resort influence.

Manzanita’s 94-seat restaurant and 71-seat bar and lounge will be located within the Ritz Carlton Highlands, scheduled to open this fall before ski season arrives. The $300 million project, situated mid-mountain in the Northstar-at-Tahoe ski area, will feature ski-in, ski-out access with mountain valet services, a 17,000-square-foot spa and fitness center and preferred access to the Old Greenwood and Coyote Moon golf courses.  An inter-mountain gondola will connect guests between the nearby Village at Northstar and the Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe resort. The year-round destination includes 170 guest rooms, 23 private Ritz-Carlton residences and 25 Ritz-Carlton Club fractional ownership units.

All this luxury will be just 15 minutes away from Incline Village…

You wouldn’t just open the Yellow Pages to pick out a spouse, or Google “potential wives in your community” to choose a mate.

Entering into a contract with a real estate agent is like starting a marriage, where respect and trust are crucial. So, don’t just draw a name out of the proverbial hat; find a Realtor who will represent your best interests with integrity and compassion.

There are some qualities that great real estate agents share, and which you should consider when selecting someone to help you with one of the largest financial transactions you’ll ever make.

Here are key qualities you want in a great real estate agent:

• · Someone who hears what you have to say and, even more, is able to discern what type of home you would want by listening to your needs, wants, desires, values and dreams.
• · Who will go the extra mile to make the experience less stressful.
• · Who has an extensive knowledge of the community or neighborhood you are considering, and is willing to tell the truth about the pros and cons of a home.
• · Someone with great resources behind him or her, such as Lakeshore Realty’s membership in the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® network.
• · A Realtor who stays in touch, by whatever way you desire, be it letter, phone, e-mail, or blog.

And, when the purchase is complete, you’ll know you have a great real estate agent when the relationship becomes a life-long friendship.