Salary Needed to Live in South Lake Tahoe without Struggling (Carson City: ski resorts, real estate)

[corgiomma]

Hi all, I might have a job offer with a school in South Lake Tahoe, and I'm just trying to get an idea about whether the salary on offer is going to be enough to get by in the area. The school pays between 53,000 and 56,000. I would be moving there alone with my smallish dog, and I'd be looking to rent a small one-bedroom place, or with any luck at all, purchase something for less than 250,000-even if it's just a studio. I've looked at real estate, so I know that's kind of a long-shot. Anyway, I don't have any debt, so I imagine my salary would mostly go towards housing, but my concern is whether this move is even doable with the salary. To give an idea about my spending habits, I generally avoid restaurants because I feel like eating out is kind of a waste of money; however, I would want to get a ski pass every year, and so outdoor recreation would be a bit of an expense. What else - saving is also pretty important to me as I am no spring chicken, and I'd like to hit that retirement goal in 20 years, but again, I'm not sure if that would be realistic on this salary. Any and all insight is welcome. Thank you

[ChrisMT]

You can afford to rent at that salary in Lake Tahoe. You might be able to purchase a studio or condo type of home in your price range in the right situation. There are a ton of ski villages and condo type homes up there and something might open up that works for you, you never know!

If you are OK with commuting you can live down in Carson City and would be able to purchase something in your price range here. The commute is 30-50 minutes depending on weather. The commute can be more challenging in stormy weather, but my husband travels up there several times a week and Highway 50 is kept very well maintained and cleared. You would need a vehicle with AWD for the best experience. There also seems to be car pools from Carson City, I see cars parked in a dirt lot off Highway 50 that gives that impression. Truckee or Minden/Gardnerville could be an option as well; however those commutes can be more difficult.

Many folks in this area on limited salaries purchase season ski passes, there are many, many ski resorts and some are more affordable than others. Also, you can work at a resort and get reduced or free tickets.

Your salary is plenty by Northern Nevada standards; however if the school is in California, the taxes can really drive up the cost of living expenses

[Hal Roach]

That is good money for Tahoe. Lots of money there, and little of it from local wages. Most casino towns have good food and entertainment promos, unlike the Colorado resorts, where everything is a ripoff.

[TheShadow]

If your school will be on the CA side of the state line, you will be paying CA income taxes on your salary. You will also want to look into property taxes based upon state and city of residence. Also be aware that, although you won't need AC in the summer, you will be paying for a lot of heat for 6 months per year, and that gasoline costs approximately twice in CA what it costs in most of the country due to gas taxes. You will absolutely need an AWD or 4WD vehicle, because even when it's plowed, it can be icy, and you will be driving in snow A LOT.

Do your due diligence on anyplace you are considering purchasing, especially condos, as far as the HOA dues, and the rules regarding short term rentals, unless you want to live next door to a bunch of AirBNB units filled with partiers and out of state vacationers. Be sure to find a place with assigned, covered parking or you will be shoveling your car out in winter.

[corgiomma]

'Living next to a bunch of AirBNB units'. I hadn't even thought of that, but really appreciate someone did. I lived in Truckee and Alpine Village from 2001 to 2004, so I know what I'm getting into weather-wise with the snow and car, but costs have gone way up since that last time I lived in the area, and I just wanted to get some insight about whether the salary would be enough to get by and not struggle financially. I'll check out Carson City as well since it seems like it's doable as a commute. I'm a lot more familiar with the North Lake/Truckee area, and South Lake would be totally new for me as I've only ever driven through South Lake on the way to someplace else. Are there any areas in or around South Lake I should avoid living? Thank you all so much for the tips!

[ChrisMT]

South Lake can have very bad traffic downtown year-round and the highway in the Camp Richardson area can get backed up for over an hour during peak tourist seasons in the summer and fall. My husband uses Pioneer Trail, as do many of the locals, to get around the downtown traffic. Not sure where the college is, but keep the traffic in mind for an easy commute.

I am not sure what tourist season is like in Incline vs. SLT, but Lake Tahoe has become a tour-group type of destination for large groups of tourists from all over the world the past few years. This has created more issues for daily life as far as living with crowding on streets, beaches, restaurants etc...

As far as bad areas in SLT, there definitely are some pockets, not sure the specifics though.

Carson City is super dog friendly for your pet, SLT also has dog friendly beaches, but the heavier brush and trees can make it a bit more challenging for small pets as far as leaving them alone in a yard or off leash hiking (coyotes) although areas on the outskirts of Carson City can have this problem as well. I have to be careful with my two large dogs even where I live because of coyotes packs, mountain lion and a bobcat that come into my garage at times, I do not leave them outside at night...this depends on location

[Bamaman1]

There's no substitute for feet on the ground when you're looking for a place to live.

I used to take a group of friends to South Lake Tahoe skiing, and we usually rented through Lake Tahoe Accommodations. Some of the lake front properties we stayed in had absolutely incredible views. We went for about 10 years.

We took a CSI investigator that went to the FBI Academy with the night shift Lieutenant on the South Lake Tahoe Police Dept. He usually skied with us while we were there. He absolutely loved raising his family--were incredible skiers of high school age.

I'm envious, and wish you well.