In this post, I will provide a summary of 2010 Montreux Real Estate Sales and illustrate what the overall real estate trends for the last five years have been for Montreux.

2010 Home Sales in Montreux
Total sales for 2010 show a 19% increase over 2009, with 21 total home sales. Buyers in 2010 took advantage of some great buys! The average price-per-square-foot for 2010 was $229. A contributing factor to the increase was the fact that Montreux home prices have decreased by 14%, in the last year

Busy January
The word has gotten out that there are some incredible buying opportunities in Montreux right now. Since January 1, 2011, 8 homes have either gone into escrow or have sold. That is 38% of all home sales for 2010 (21 total). Not a bad start to 2011!

Montreux Real Estate Trends
I am often asked about the trend of Montreux real estate prices. Following are two charts that show the total number of homes sold and the price per SF trends for the last five years.

Pending home sales rose 2.0% in December for the fifth increase in the past six months, according to an index released Thursday. The National Association of Realtors said its pending home sales index rose to 93.7 from a downwardly revised 91.9 in November. The index is still 4.2% below the level in December 2009, however.

The data reflects contracts and not closings, which normally occur with a lag time of one or two months. The index is based on a large national sample, typically representing about 20% of transactions for existing-home sales.

A 2.0% rise is not a huge number, but it is a step in the right direction. I can say that the Montreux real estate market has seen an increase in activity!

On another note, I wrote an article about Montreux Short Sales I urge you to read.

I will be sending my next email blast shortly. If you want to receive the email, please fill out my contact form, and I will add you to the list.

You can feel it in the air, the end of summer is near. In typical Northern Nevada style, the forecast has called for 65 to 85 degree weather in the same week!

We have had a wonderful summer and if all goes according to plan, quite a busy one in terms of luxury real estate activity. Since June 1st there have been 6 home sales and 6 lot sales in Montreux. The latest sale was over $2 Million and represents the highest sales price and price/SF of the year.

Currently there are 5 properties in escrow and officially "pending", in addition to a handful more that are in the works. If all goes according to plan the net result of this summer's sales activity will be very positive.

Montreux Art Festival
Sunday, September 12th 10:00-4:00pm
Montreux Cares is hosting a fundraiser Art Festival on Sunday September 12th at the Patty Sheehan Practice Hole from 10:00am to 4:00pm.  We have 18 wonderful and diverse artists displaying their wares.  You are invited to experience a wonderful day of art, wine tastings, snacks and the beauty of Montreux Golf and Country Club.  Bring a chair, relax with a glass of wine and enjoy this special event.

Montreux Open House
Sunday, September 26, 2010 1:00-4:00pm
Mark your calendars for the afternoon of Sunday September 26th from 1-4pm. We will have a Montreux Open House, featuring three exquisite properties, at various price points. Maps and details will be at the Montreux gate house and Welcome Center. This will be the ideal way to take a closer look inside the Montreux community. For additional details contact your Montreux Real Estate Agent at 775-849-9444.

Update on Mortgage Rates
Mortgage rates for 30-year fixed mortgages rose just a bit this week, with the current rate borrowers were quoted on Zillow Mortgage Marketplace at 4.27 percent, up from the record breaking low of 4.26 percent set last week.

Summer is in full swing at Montreux and everyone is loving it! If there is ever a time to come and see "the jewel of the Sierra", it's right now. The course is green and the flowers and trees are in full bloom. The word must be catching on because the traffic at our Welcome Center has tripled in the last month. The activity is fantastic!

Recent Montreux Sales
The summer momentum continues with four closings since our last update: two Montreux homes and two Montreux homesites have closed.

6638 Gebser (custom home) - 4,555 SF $800,000 sold price
20540 Latour (a Les Maisons model) - 3,268 SF $1,150,000 sold price
#918 De Chardin (custom homesite) - $120,000 sold price
#720 Gauguin (Renaissance homesite)- $85,000 sold price

The Reno-Tahoe Open -- July 12th-18th!
The Reno-Tahoe Open is back at Montreux! We are proud to announce some great PGA TOUR professionals have committed to play in the 2010 Reno-Tahoe Open, occurring July 12 - July 18 at Montreux Golf and Country Club.

Click here to view a complete listing of the athletes you will see at the west coast's only summer stop on the PGA TOUR.

This is the 12th consecutive year for the Reno Tahoe Open, Northern Nevada's only PGA stop.

*We would like to invite you to be our guest at this years' Reno-Tahoe Open. We have tickets for you, our valuable client! We only have a limited number of complementary tickets, so call me at 775-849-9444, before they run out!

Les Maisons Model Open During the Reno-Tahoe Open - Saturday and Sunday noon-2 pm
If you need a break from the sun and action of the RTO, then stop by the Les Maisons Model, located behind the "Fiesta Loca" hole at 20520 Latour. This beautifully appointed model is offered at $1,595,000, including all furniture. We will have the model open Saturday and Sunday 12 - 2 PM.

Montreux Open House -- Saturday July 24, 2010 1:00-4:00pm
Mark your calendars for the afternoon of Saturday July 24th from 1-4 pm. We will have a Montreux Open House, featuring three exquisite properties, with various price points. Maps and details will be at the Montreux gate house and Welcome Center. This will be the ideal way to take a closer look inside the Montreux community. For additional details contact Your Montreux Team at 775-849-9444.

Fiesta Loca on the 16th Hole
You can party on at this fiesta-themed hole with margaritas, a taco bar, even a Mariachi Band! Excellent viewing opportunities abound and amazing Mexican food make this a must-see part of the 2010 Reno-Tahoe Open. Just $5 gets you into this tent and the Loco Loop shuttle makes getting there easy!

In this current real estate market it's very important you get a professional real estate evaluation from an experienced Realtor. Your Realtor is the only one who can provide you with an honest assessment of your home's value.

As a professional real estate agent focusing on the luxury real estate market, I base the selling price on many real estate market factors, including:

• Real Estate Market Conditions
• The Actual Condition of your Home
• Repairs or Improvements your Home Needs
• The Timeframe for Selling your Home

The sales price you set is a critical factor in selling your home. If your home is priced correctly, you should be able to sell in your alloted timeframe. If it's not, you might sit on the home for awhile.

When I evaluate the sales price for any home, the goal is to get the home priced at market value. Market value is the price at which a particular house, in its current condition, should sell within 30 to 90 days.

If your home is priced too high this will limit potential buyers. My goal is to show your house to as many potential buyers as possible. Another downside to an incorrectly priced home is time on the market. When a home is on the market too long, it may get the wrong perception. Buyers may wonder, "what’s wrong," or "why hasn’t this sold?"

If your home stays on the market longer than the average selling time, you might ultimately get a lower selling price. To sell it, you might have to reduce the asking price several times. Ultimately, you will probably get less than if you had priced the home correctly from the start.

Homes that are properly priced in the beginning always get you the fastest sale for the best price!

For more information on selling your home, please read these articles:

• Selling Luxury Real Estate
• 5 Steps to Sell Your Home
• Ten Important Features to make your Custom Home Stand Out from the Crowd
• To Remodel or Not to Remodel
• Show Off the Sizzle Not the Steak in Real Estate Sales
• The Seven Seller Sins

The overall trend of luxury real estate sales in 2009 showed improvement over 2008.

The total number of Montreux homes sold significantly increased year-over-year, yet the pressure on prices was evident.

There was a total of 17 Montreux homes sold in 2009--an increase of 30% compared to the full-year 2008. Additionally, 5 custom Montreux lots were sold. This represents a 40% increase in Montreux custom lots compared to the previous year.

Although overall sales numbers increased in 2009, home prices dropped. The average price per square foot for the Montreux homes sold in 2009 dropped by 30%, in comparison to 2008.

With the correction in prices, many of the buyers in 2009 found Montreux real estate and Montreux custom homes now represented an incredible value.

Of the 22 Montreux properties that were sold in 2009, the sales break down included:

• 1 Chalet
• 1 Cottage
• 2 Creekside Manors
• 4 Custom Homes
• 9 Renaissance Homes
• 5 Custom Homesites

Check my website often to get updates on Montreux real estate and luxury real estate listings.

In addition, I have also opened a Twitter account. I will post relevant Montreux real estate information as well as general real estate news. Click here to follow me on Twitter!

If you have any questions, or would like to visit Montreux, please contact me today!