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We are looking to retire in Minden, Nevada. Would anymore be kind enough to provide information on living in Minden. Costs of 2,200 square ft home. Does Douglas County or Minden receive afternoon wind like Reno? I have read spring afternoon winds in Reno are horrendous?
Any and all information/perspective would be appreciated.
Welcome to the neighborhood. My wife and I are retired, actually early retirement inmy case since I'm not of the usual retirement age, and we recently moved to Minden.
It's quieter here than the big cities and yet it has an active small town atmosphere. It also has real easy access to the Lake Tahoe area with it's entertainment and recreation opportunities and almost as easy access to the larger town of Reno if you want to get your city fix. I think Minden has a pretty perfect location.
We've actually been coming here for many years so we knew the area well before we moved to town. We liked it during visits and we like it now that we're settling down. Depending on what you're look for, you may find it a perfect little town for you too.
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Would anymore be kind enough to provide information on living in Minden. Costs of 2,200 square ft home.
Holy cow, it really depends on what you're looking for beyond just the square footage issue. I suppose that pretty nice housing can be found from the low 300's on up into the 500's and maybe more. I also know of some real nice "Garden Homes" in the mid-200's. However, don't take those ranges as gospel. Instead, run some queries on the following local real estate websites. There's lots of variables and prices have come down a little bit, recently, so you might find something nice for less than the range I gave you. Here's some links:
If you compare the hosue prices, you should find that houses in Minden are more expensive than equivalent houses in Carson City, Dayton, and Reno. There's a reason that equivalent houses are more expensive down here, but that's probably something you'd need to experience for yourself.
Disclaimer: BTW, I'm not saying that there aren't very nice and very expensive houses in any of the other areas. There are some real nice and spectacular homes in the other areas. I'm just referencing "apples to apples" homes.
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Does Douglas County or Minden receive afternoon wind like Reno? I have read spring afternoon winds in Reno are horrendous?
The winds can vary. It's both a seasonal thing and it will vary throughout the day and from day to day. For example, the winds you're speaking about are a summer thing that happens in the afternoon. It's usually quiet in the morning. Over the past couple of months, there have been some really windy days. However, the last two days haven't been windy at all. It's actually been a very gentle and soft breeze that I find rather pleasant. It's the kind that doesn't mess your hair but quietly rustles the leaves on the trees.
The nature of the area also dictates a difference between the Reno area and Minden. For example, it's hotter in Reno than down here. When they're in the high 90's, it seems like MInden is in the low 90's or high 80's. BTW, that also goes for the wind too. I've been in both places on the same day and it seems that the wind is stronger up in Reno, but that varies too depending on where you are in Washoe County (Reno).
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Any and all information/perspective would be appreciated.
If you have any other questions you want to ask directly to me, feel free to drop a Driect Message. I'll be happy to answer them if I can.
Here's a few more links you may find helpful in your research:
What part of Minden has mostly newer construction? East, West? Your personal preferrence of community to live in Minden and why? Thanks very much for your input.
What part of Minden has mostly newer construction?
There's new construction all over, so let me explain it a little.
First, when you think of Minden, you may also want to think about Gardnerville. They're like the Twin Cities, just smaller. They abut each other with Minden on the north and Gardnerville on the south. They're so close that sometimes it's hard to tell if you're in Minden or Gardnerville. With that said, I'll offer up some new developments in both areas.
First, Minden has a new development at the north end of town. It's called La Costa. Here's a link to the builder's website for the La Costa tract. It's off of Ironwood near an established neighborhood called Winhaven and pretty close to the Carson Valley Inn.
There's another one just to the east of Las Costa by the same developer. I think that it's called Monterra. Click here to get to the builder's page for this neighborhood. It's still on the north end of Minden, just a little to the east of the main street through town. It's off Buckeye.
These two developments are tracts of homes by a production builder. If you want something more custom on acreage, head east of town. I'm not talking miles. It's more like 1 mile or so out a road called Buckeye. You can drive around the area, from Buckeye and south, and find many nice homes.
The area east of town has individual-built homes for sale. Some have been built on spec by a builder and other empty lots are available if you want to build your own house.
Then, if you want to be more out of town but still have a Minden address, there is a development at the top of Johnson Lane. Many houses have been sold while others have been built and are sitting for sale. They seem to be on 3/4 to 1 acre.
The disadvantage to the area is that you're outside of the Town of Minden. It would take something like 7 or 8 minutes to get into town.
Then, there is an area called "Chamber's Field." It actually has a Gardnerville address, but you will see that it's southwest of Minden. To get into Minden, it would take maybe 5 minutes, but that's only because you're limited to 25 miles per hour and you'll hit a stoplight.
In that area are a couple of nice new home developments. There're near the intersection of Centerville and Dresslerville Roads. One of them is especially nice with custom-built homes and I know of a few that are for sale right now. There are also lots available where you can select a builder and have something built
Gardnerville also has a couple other new home developments right in town. One is somewhat in the center of town nad is named Chichester. It's not as upscale as the houses on the north end of Minden or out in Chamber's Field, but you can also save some money.
Another development is off of Stoddick and appears to be reaching buildout. It's also not as upscale as the north end of Minden, but the houses seem nice.
Again, I mentioned these areas of Gardnerville simply because they're so close to Minden. Some of them would have you into the south end of Minden within two minutes, even though you're in Gardnerville. They're that close.
I'm going to mention another area of the Carson Valley (Douglas County), that's not Minden but is within 10 mintues of Minden. It's the Genoa area. Genoa has some gated golf course developments with all kinds of houses. I don't know if that kind of thing interests you, but it's available in the valley.
Genoa also has quite a few custom-built homes, but I'm not aware of anything brand new and unoccupied right now. However, you may want to look into it when you're in town.
BTW, if you settle up in Genoa, there aren't any grocery stores in town. You'll be driving into Minden for your day-to-day shopping, which will be about a 10 mintue drive to the store. However, I guess that part of the price some people pay for living on the golf course or in the ambiance of Genoa.
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East, West?
I wanted to bring up something about the east v. west part of the valley. The simple rule of thumb is that the further east you go in the valley, the dryer it gets. The west side is nestled up against the Sierra Nevada mountains and has the water from them. That makes the west side greener overall with green alfalfa fields and cattle grazing in the fields throughout the area.
Conversely, the east side of the valley, as it heads into the Pinenut range of mountains, gets dryer. It gets browner and scrub-brushy and the groundwater level goes deeper.
I would say that the Town of Minden is kinda' in the middle between the east and west sides of the valley. If I had to give a preference, I would say it's more to the west side than the east side because it's surrounded by green fields, cattle ranches, and the east fork of the Carson River.
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Your personal preferrence of community to live in Minden and why?
Well, only if you remember that it's my preference. It may not apply to you and others and it doesn't mean that the other areas aren't nice and don't have their advantages. In fact, we strongly considered a couple of areas when we were in the looking stage.
We settled on the area on the north end of Minden for a variety of reasons. Those are the ones in the La Costa and Monterra tracts.
First, at this stage in my life I don't need acreage. Acreage means work to care for it. It might be work that some people want to do, but I don't find it attractive any more.
We also don't have a need for the room. My horse years are far behind me. That's why we stayed away from the rural-esque properties on the east side of Minden or at the top of Johnson Lane.
One of the north end developments that we chose has a yard large enough to entertain me without becoming a burden. It also has other houses in it for those seeking almost no yards for the most minimal care.
Second, one of the north end tracts is immediately adjacent to a new town park with a pond and walking trails. Minden has many parks throughout the town and this one is just one of their newest. The ponds in this park attract geese, ducks, and other water fowl, which we find attractive. It's just nice to get out and walk the dogs in such a place.
Third, we don't plan on moving and our location has some advantages for us as we age. One of the tracts is within walking distance of a new little shopping area called Minden Village, which has as part of it a nice up-market grocery store (Sierra Nevada Trading Company). It's not as big as a supermarket like Ralley's, but it's not as small as a little corner market.
It reminds me of a community, not in style but in concept, where my grandparents lived. Neighborhoods made for walking with easy access to the "corner market." One day may come when I might not be around and/or we would not be able to easily drive to the grocery store. I would want my wife to be able to stroll to the store for her daily needs as my grandmother did many years ago in the midwest. Our location offers that opportunity.
Fourth, the north end of town seems to be the area where the new stuff is going in. After Minden Village with it's market and other nice restaurants or specialty stores, a new shopping area is going in at the intersection of US395 and Hwy 88. Planned shopping will include a Wild Oats store, which is a kind of health food store. It would be within easy access.
The north end developments are also close to the movie theater in town. In fact, it's even within walking distance. Again, that might be an advantage in later years, but for now it's nice to get there with the only delay being the time it takes for the garage door to open and close.
Fifth, we still have easy acess to places like the Carson Valley Inn and old town Minden. I suppose we could walk there, but riding bikes to them are probably more appropriate, especially the old town area. I envision us riding to the farmer's market each Tuesday, on Esmeralda Street, and selecting various fresh vegetables. My wife is looking forward to bringing them home in the basket on her bike. The ride there and home will only take a few minutes and will take us through some pretty neighborhoods.
Otherwise, we were strongly considering the developmets in the Chambers Field area south of Minden in Gardnerville. The advantage they have are the views. They have some real gorgeous views of Job's Peak in the Sierra Nevada.
The disadvantage is that they don't have any of the advantages I listed above. Pretty much, you need to drive to get anywhere. The drive may not be long, perhaps five minutes at most, but there is a drive. Again, that may come into play in later years
I hope I've helped a little. So, have you already been to town? Have you had the chance to look around so that the steets I've mentioned make some kind of sense? I hope it's made some kind of sense.
BTW, we moved here from SoCal, after traveling around the country checking out some other areas. What part of the country are you coming from? Actually, no matter where you're from, you should find someone from your neck of the woods.
Good luck with your search. If I can provide any other insight, please post again.
ON EDIT: Here's a link that shows some of the inventory currently available in the La Cost tract. Click here Just scroll down to the La Costa section. Once there, you will notice two 2203 sq ft houses. That's about as close to the 2200 sq ft house you first asked about. Click on them to see the floorplan.
I happen to know the location of both houses. One is midblock on an interior street in the development. The other one is on an interior development corner lot. If I were considering either one, I'd certainly take the corner lot. The only traffic would be your neighbors. There's really no reason for any through-traffic to seek out that street.
BTW, you can also deal on the prices with this developer. I know that from experience. These homes are standing inventory and I know they want to clear them off the books so they can start on other houses. I can't say how much you'd get off of the price, but I'm sure it would be attractive. AGain, good luck on whatever you decide.
Last edited by garth; 09-07-2007 at 10:51 AM..
Reason: added links
Thanks Very Much for your post! We are moving from So. Cal but please do say it too loudly. We are tired of the traffic, conjestion, etc. Looking for a smaller community and much less conjestion.
We have not been into the area for many years. Looking at Phoenix, Arizona & Las Vegas, Nevada but too hot. Enjoy biking and hiking during the longer summer months. Want a more temperate climate similar to So. Cal. Not much of a winter snow sports person. I understand, Minden gets some snow.
How many inches on average? Agains, thanks very much for posting. We will be there for a long weekend to look around.
Thanks Very Much for your post! We are moving from So. Cal but please do say it too loudly.
You're welcome, and don't worry about the SoCal thing. There's lots of "your type" in northern Nevada, including me. I'm a native San Diegan, actually North County, who's career took him to northern L.A County for the final working years. Seeing the changes in SoCal over the past decades, I escaped too and am glad to have done it.
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Looking at Phoenix, Arizona & Las Vegas, Nevada but too hot.
Wow! There's quite a bit of difference between those big cities and Minden, even Carson and Reno for that matter. It all depends on what you're looking for, so you might find them attractive for some reason. However, it's difficult for me to see them being used in the same sentence with anything in Northern Nevada, especially Minden.
One thing that I think you'll notice about Northern Nevadais the difference between it and Southern Nevada. It's kinda' like California, which can be considered three different states - SoCal, CentCal, and NoCal. They're each very different in terms of topography, climate, culture, and politics - at least traditional politics.
Nevada seems to be in a similar situation, except it's like two states . . . kinda' like a SoNev and NoNev. Again, each can be different in climate and topography as well as political leanings. It's something to consider if you had been preferring the lifestyle and politics of the LV area.
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Enjoy biking and hiking during the longer summer months. Want a more temperate climate similar to So. Cal.Not much of a winter snow sports person. I understand, Minden gets some snow. How many inches on average?
Hummmmmmm, Minden is much more temperate than the cities of Phoenix and LV you mentioned. It certainly does not get anywhere as hot up here in the summer. However, the comparison to SoCal depends on what part of SoCal you're considering. It'll be nothing like any beach communities but it will certainly be nothing like the inland/desert towns. I would say it's somewhere between those two regions.
As you noted, we do get some snow in the winter, although it's absolutely nothing like you'll find in Tahoe, Big Bear, Julian (San Diego County), or anything in the Sierra Nevada. Normally, it'll snow later than most areas and then end earlier than the traditional heavy snow areas. You'll see something like an inch or two fall and then melt away within a few days. That will happen a few times, maybe four or five or so times, throughout the winter to give you the total listed on this website. It all depends on the year.
The snow issue is actually better down in Minden than up the Washoe Valley, which is between Carson and Reno. That area has a higher elevation, although not as high as Tahoe. The snow will fall and tend to stay around up there. That's of import if you want to drive to Reno after a snowfall. Whereas you can drive around Minden without chains or any problems, you'll probably be required to put them on if you expect to get past Carson City. It's also possible to need the chains in Carson City since they're also a little higher than Minden.
Please know that it doesn't remain that way throughout the entire winter. US395 will get cleared very quickly so the drive won't be bad on most days. The issue only comes to light if you need to get to Reno during or immediatley after the snowfall.
What happens in Minden is that, even though it gets cold enough to snow in the evenings, the days usually warm up enough to melt anything within a short time. That doesn't mean that a year won't pop up every decade or so when a big snow might hit the area, but normally you need to drive up the mountain, to Tahoe, to get to the 5 foot snow drifts. It's pretty to see the big snow up on the mountains but it's also nice to do it from a clear porch while sitting in a sweater.
BTW, if you like biking, I see people all over the area doing it in greater and greater numbers. The country roads can be a bit sknny, so you'll need to be careful, but those rides through the Sierras, past the fields and cattle, and into the Pinenuts can be beautiful.
I think you'd be making a mistake to pass on Minden and instead move to LV or, (cough, gasp, wheez) Phoenix. We have such beauty up here without the big city baggage, and yet we have easy access to entertainment, big city amenities, and anything else that a larger city has to offer. I look at Minden/Douglas County as having the best of both worlds.
Hopefully someone else can jump in with some insight for you, too. I enjoy helping, but it would be good to get the benefit of someone else's expereinces in the area. Pending another's viewpoint, feel free to ask anything else.
OK, it sounds like Minden, Nevada has pretty much everything, we are looking for in a retirement community. Now to play devil's advocate. What is it about Minden, you do not like. Utility fees, property taxes, access to health care, etc. Anything, which comes to mind.
I understand, there is a community college nearby. Does it offer a variety of courses for seniors to study. Not just the typical artsy stuff but also academics in various pursuits.
If you could add or remove something from the Minden area, what would that item be? Knowing no place on earth is perfect but still seeking to find our own heaven.
As far as small towns go, Minden is fine. My issue with the town is the growth. It is growing too much for my taste.
The community college is Western Nevada Community College in Carson City check them out on line.
When you visit be sure to eat at J&T and the Overland. Great Basque food, and you will hear the old times still speaking Basque.
What is it about Minden, you do not like. Utility fees, property taxes, access to health care, etc. Anything, which comes to mind.
One litle bugga-boo I have is with people who move into a community from outside and try to change it to the place they left. If they liked it where they were, why did they leave? If they like the new community that they chose, why change it? I'm not suggesting that either of us fall into that category. It's just that some people might read it that way so I put in this little disclaimer for their benefit and so I don't get beat-up.
With that said, real property taxes aren't bad. They're a little cheaper than what you'd find on a equivalent priced house in California and a lot cheaper than what you'd find in another state without Sate income taxes. The money to run the government has to come from somewhere and I've noticed that other no income tax states tend to get their money from either higher property taxes, higher sales taxes, and/or higher/additional personal property taxes. In the case of Nevada, the gaming revenues to the State seem to keep those other things down.
The utility fees also aren't bad. For example running the A/C isn't quite as dramatic as it would be down in the hotter part of the State, so the cost of electricity hasn't made itself known to me in a bad way. I don't have a long-term feeling for it, but my impression is that it will cost me less than in California, even though I wasn't that far from the moderating ocean weather.
Water is also reasonable. For example, most of the homes in town do not have water meters on them. They've been requiring them on new construction, but they're not being read. So, until things change, you pay a flat fee for your water no matter how much or how little you use. It's $35 per month. Eventually it will change to a usage rate, but I don't see that in the very near future.
When you talk about gasoline, it's also a little less expensive than in your home state. I've found that it's not quite as cheap as some Southern of Midwestern states, but it's still been a few cents cheaper than anywhere I've recently been in California. For example, regular gas at the local name-brand station has been running $2.63/gallon. How does that compare around your current location?
Access to health care is also decent. Conversely, you won't be within driving distance to something like UCLA Medical Center in L.A., Scripps Clinic/Hospital in San Diego, or something like the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota. However, everything you need for day-to-day care can be found in Minden or Carson City, and Carson also has a big brand new Hospital in the north end of town.
It's all close, even closer in time and mileage than the doctors and facilities in a big city when you realize that you have to drive across town in traffic to get to them. For example, it would take me something like two hours in daytime traffic to get to UCLA Medical Center in L.A. For the same drive time, I can almost be in Sacramento from Minden, and less than half of that time in Reno (50 minutes). That opens up a lot of medical care options if you need somthing different than is available in Minden, Gardnerville, and Carson City.
Now, what about things I don't like? Well, how about vehicle registration fees. They used to be cheaper in Nevada than in California before Arnold cut them in half a few years ago. Now, it seems like Nevada is equivalent or a little more expensive than California's registration fees. Personally, I'd like to see them more along the lines of some states with low fees, like $80 for two years to register a new car, or something like that. However, I doubt that would ever happen.
What else don't I like? I think they need to lower the speed limit on US 395 as it gets into the north end of Minden. It's already set at 25 mph in town, but in the area of the north end development, the limit is still at 55 and 65 mph, as though the road was still going through undeveloped area. They've already put in some street lights, which appear to be ready for a trilight signal, but they haven't moved the lower speed limit further north yet. I think it's coming since a side street has a 30 mph limit listed, but I don't know when it will come.
Overall I think those are some really minor issues, but you asked so I told you. Otherwise, I like what I found here so I'm happy.
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I understand, there is a community college nearby. Does it offer a variety of courses for seniors to study. Not just the typical artsy stuff but also academics in various pursuits.
Yes, there is the Wester Nevada Community College in town. It's up Buckeye. However, the one in Minden is small. Did I say small? It's really small and has limited courses. It is in a nice building, but again, it's small. Hey, that might be another thing for the "do not like" list.
I did pick up a course booklet a couple months ago. I only glanced through it because I have enough to do right now, but I noticed that not all courses are offered in Minden. Some are only offered in the Carson City Campus and others are only offered in other Campus, of which there are a few spread around the region. Beyond that, I don't have a lot of info for you.
They do have a website, and the courses are listed on it. If I can find the link, I will post it, otherwise I'm sure that a Google search will pull it up.
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If you could add or remove something from the Minden area, what would that item be? Knowing no place on earth is perfect but still seeking to find our own heaven.
Hummmmm, . . . "add or remove" . . . I'll have to think about that one . . . Okay, let me call it my "wish list."
I wiiiiiiiish . . . that Kingsbury Grade (to Tahoe from Minden/Gardnerville) wasn't something like an 8% grade. That's steeper than is allowed on the Interstate system, which is limited to 6% grades, so be prepared for the steeper climb if you don't want to use US50 to get up the hill.
I wiiiiiiiish . . . that Carson City would improve the look of the gateway's to their city, clean up their medians, and improve the look of their town. It's not that I really care that much because I chose not to live there, but I do go into the area from time to time and the dirt medians, weeds between the rocks sinking into the soil, and the general unkempt look of the main drag into and out of town is unsightly. However, that's someone else's home, so who am I to tell them how to spend their local funds . . . but you did ask for my wish list.
I wiiiiish . . . that they would complete Muller Parkway. It's a bypass around Minden/Gardnerville to allow commercial traffic, or anyone else wishing to get from one end to the other, to travel at a rate quicker than 25 mph. It will take some of the trucks off US 395 and aleviate the volume of through-traffic currently using the main drag through town.
BTW, Muller Parkway is being completed little by little, but I don't know when it will actually be a fully completed road from one end to the other. Hopefully, it won't take decades.
I wiiiiiish . . . we can still retain our rural character, even with the current development . . . and yes, greatbasinguide brought up a very viable issue. Minden is growing. However, that's what happens. It happened to my childhood home, where we had a nice small town located on the beach, without a stop light, and a half hour to any other place. Now it's house-to house development and elbow-to-elbow residents all trying to dictate to each other how to live and change the community into something that they left.
Douglas County and the residents have been wrestling with that issue, as my little community should have done decades ago, but didn't. Douglas County's answer was a "Slow Growth Initiative." Without going into great detail, the Initiative morphed into a County Ordinace, which allows only so much buliding to happen in any given year. It's allowed at a controlled rate, rather than left to run rampant and unchecked.
Combined with the Master Plan, the Slow Growth Ordinanace is designed to keep the community grwoing in a planned and healthy manner. Without trying to turn this into a big political discussion, I will only say that I think it is a good thing and am glad to see the residents taking an active interest and role in the continued health of their community.
So, growth will happen. It's just the nature of things. The things that the current residents' forefathers found attractive are the same things that I found attractive and that others will find attractive in the future. The goal is to not let those attractive things get trampled to death but instead be accomodated in some form or fashion. Will it be a successful marriage? Who knows? However, to do nothing is certainly not the answer as evidenced by other areas where growth was let to run unchecked without regard to the history, vitality, and health of the community.
Whewwww . . . Is that enough of a soapbox? I betcha' you didn't expect something like that, did ya'.
Oh well, did you have any other questions? I gotta' go for now, but if there's anything else just post and I'll check back in tonight. See ya' later.
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My wife and I are retired, actually early retirement inmy case since I'm not of the usual retirement age, and we recently moved to Minden. 
