Northern Nevada Luxury Trends Year-End 2022

LUXURY TRENDS Year-End, 2022

DicksonLuxury.com

Farewell to 2022 and Cheers to 2023!

As we say farewell to 2022 and welcome the new year, what are some key takeaways of the luxury real estate market in our region? First and foremost, it wasn’t such a bad year! In 2022, buying and selling of luxury homes was very similar to 2021; there were sales records with some notable sales in the ultra- luxury market. The three highest sales in Reno were between $6.2 and $6.9 million and were all represented by Dickson Realty luxury agents. Additionally, of the 22 sales of homes over $3 million dollars in 2022, Dickson agents participated in 9 of those sales on the listing side and 10 on the selling side. We are pleased to say Dickson Realty leads the market with nearly 50% market share of home sales over $2 million dollars.

Although 2022 sales numbers were similar to 2021, a slowdown in the stream of buyers from out of our state began in the middle of June and continued through the end of the year. The pace of sales slowed, market times extended and overall demand stabilized, resulting in an equalization of the ratio of sellers to buyers. The slowdown was a welcomed reprieve for buyers caught up in the frenzy of multiple offer situations over the last few years. For sellers, the outlook going into 2023 is still reasonable, with demand continuing at a steady pace. Sellers will have to be on their toes to procure a sale in 2023, with their homes looking their best for a positive, strong sales price. We encourage our sellers to consider staging, updating and even modernizing the systems of their homes to affect the highest and best sales price.

We gleaned some positive notes in the overall economy for real estate in a January 6th article in the Reno Gazette Journal naming Reno as the 3rd most popular city in the U.S. for businesses to relocate. Cheers to the Economic Developement Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN) for the outstanding work they do bringing businesses to our region. A recent article in RISMedia’s Real Estate December publication cited a trend report stating, “80% of U.S. based high-net-worth consumers agree that real estate is a safe investment, and over one-third agree that it is the safest investment one can make when compared to stocks, bonds, cryptocurrency, and pensions”.

As Dickson Realty proudly begins its 50th year anniversary, we can say, with gratitude, we look forward to helping you with your selling and buying real estate needs in the coming year and beyond.

COVER HOME:

95 Bear Mountain Place Reno, NV $6,750,000 MLS# 220016132

— Vice President, Luxury Division

Reno-Sparks Luxury Market Snapshot Over $2 Million* 2022 vs. 2021 JAN-DEC

2022

-14%

-0.5%

+6%

-21.1%

2021

TOTAL HOMES SOLD

AVERAGE SOLD PRICE

AVERAGE PRICE PER SF

AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET

Reno/Sparks Sales Over $2 Million*

2022: 98 2021: 114

2022: $2,723,958 2021: $2,737,525

2022: $568.56 2021: $536.36

2022: 127 2021: 161

vs.

JAN-DEC

*Source: Northern Nevada Multiple Listing Service (NNRMLS) residential volume for transactions over $2 million in all Reno/Sparks areas (Area 100), January 1 - December 31, 2022, as of 01/06/2023

Dickson Realty is a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World,® a global community of real estate companies awarded membership based on rigorous standards for service and performance.

Every fifteen minutes a quality client introduction is made within Leading Real Estate Companies of the World.® As a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World,® Dickson Realty combines authentic, local expertise with global connections to the highest quality real estate firms worldwide. We’re Local. We’re Global.

1.2 Million

annual global transactions

4,700 offices

$586 Billion

total annual home sales volume

136,000 sales associates

70+

countries

550

companies

6

spanning continents

Everything You Want, If You Want Everything.

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Offered by: Dickson Realty, Heather Houston, Realtor, NV Lic# S.176629

Top 5 Luxury Real Estate Companies 2022 Market Share for Reno/Sparks Homes Sold Over $2 Million*

DICKSON REALTY

46.8% 9.2%

Chase International

DICKSON REALTY

46.8%RE/Max Gold 6.3% 5.6% 9.2%

BHG Drakulich Chase International

5.2% 6.3%

Ferrari-Lund RE/Max Gold BHG Drakulich

5.6%

30.6%

Dickson Realty market share for 5.2% homes Ferrari-Lund Reno/Sparks sold over $1 million in 2022

Dickson Realty market share for Reno/Sparks homes sold over $3 million in 2022

49.1%

Luxury Home Sales By Month

2022 80 2021

Over $1 Million* 2022 vs. 2021 72 68

60

64

80

61 55 52

# OF UNITS SOLD

49

40

55

49

64

44 58

38

39

56

55

36

39

55

30

46

49

44

39

20

61

52

27

55

68

39

34

40

56

55

72

46

61

60

4931

61

58

38

39

36

34

39

31

30 27

20

0

Jan

0

Jan

Feb

Feb

Mar

Mar

Apr

Apr

May

May

Jun

Jun

Jul

Jul

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

*Source: Northern Nevada Multiple Listing Service (NNRMLS) residential volume for transactions over $1 million in all Reno/Sparks areas (Area 100), January 1 - December 31, 2022, as of 01/06/2023

Luxury Homes By Price Range

ACTIVE as of 12/30/2022

SOLD Jan - Dec 2022

Over $1 Million* In Reno/Sparks 250

253

250

253

# OF ACTIVE & SOLD

200

200 150

132 150 100

100

132

65

64

50

37

64

28

0

12

15

50 0

36

65

$1.0$1.3 $1.0$1.3

37

36

$1.9-

$1.3$1.6

28 $1.6-

$1.9

$2.2 15

$1.3$1.6

$1.6$1.9

$1.9$2.2

30

30 $2.212

6

22

9

8

5

6

5

2

5

1

$5.0-

$2.5

22 6$3.0

9

5$4.06

$4.05$5.02

5$6.01

$2.2-

$2.5-

$3.0-

$3.5$4.0

$4.0$5.0

$5.0$6.0

$2.5-

$3.0$3.58

MILLIONS $ $3.0OF $3.5 $2.5

$3.5-

Months of Inventory

2

$6.0+ 7

2

$6.0+

Q4 2022

Over $1 Million* In Reno/Sparks

Q3 2022

24.3

24

24.3

24 20

MONTHS OF INVENTORY

7

20 16

16.2

16 12

12.2 12.2

16.2

12.2 12.2

12 8

6.1 8 4

4 0

0

1.5

1.3

1.6

1.4

1.5

1.4

1.4

1.1

$1.0$1.31.3 1.5

$1.31.6 $1.6 1.4

$1.6$1.9 1.5 1.4

$1.9$2.2 1.4 1.1

$1.0$1.3

$1.3$1.6

$1.6$1.9

$1.9$2.2

4.6 4.6

3.7 3.4

3.3

3.7 3.4

3.3

$2.2$2.5

$2.2$2.5

4.1

2.8 4.6 4.6

4.1

3.5

3.5

6.1

3

2.8 $2.5$3.0

$3.0$3.5

$3.5$4.0

$4.0-3 $5.0

$5.0$6.0

$6.0+

$2.5$3.0

$3.0$3.5

$3.5$4.0

$4.0$5.0

$5.0$6.0

$6.0+

MILLIONS OF $ *Source: Northern Nevada Multiple Listing Service (NNRMLS) residential volume for transactions over $1 million in all Reno/Sparks areas (Area 100), January 1 - September 30, 2022, as of 10/06/2022

Incline Village Market Snapshot

Incline Village/Crystal Bay - Single Family Homes

2022

4th Quarter 2022 vs. 4th Quarter 2021

2021

(Luxury $2,000,000+)

Units Sold

UNITS SOLD

-47.6%

11 21

FROM LAST YEAR

Median Price

MEDIAN PRICE

$2,610,000

-23.2%

$3,400,000

FROM LAST YEAR

Average Sold Price/Sqft.

SOLD PRICE/SQFT

-18.2%

$783 $957 Percent of List Price Received

FROM LAST YEAR

100%

90.9% 97.2%

*Source: Incline Village REALTORS® (IVR) residential volume for transactions over $2 million in Incline Village & Crystal Bay areas, October - December, 2021 & 2022

% OF LIST RECEIVED

-6.3% FROM LAST YEAR

Incline Village Market Snapshot

Incline Village/Crystal Bay - Condos

2022

4th Quarter 2022 vs. 4th Quarter 2021

2021

(Luxury $1,000,000+)

Units Sold

UNITS SOLD

-70.8%

7 24

FROM LAST YEAR

Median Price

MEDIAN PRICE

$1,250,000

-12.3%

$1,425,000

FROM LAST YEAR

Average Sold Price/Sqft.

SOLD PRICE/SQFT

-8.8%

$781 $856 Percent of List Price Received

FROM LAST YEAR

100%

92.1% 97.9%

*Source: Incline Village REALTORS® (IVR) residential volume for transactions over $2 million in Incline Village & Crystal Bay areas, October - December, 2021 & 2022

% OF LIST RECEIVED

-5.8% FROM LAST YEAR

AVAILABLE

95 Bear Mountain Place – Reno, Nevada Offered at $6,750,000

Connect with the majesty of nature, the people you love, and yourself in this distinctive, unapologetically rustic, and evocative home. Nestled above a cul-de-sac in the Sierra Nevada’s western foothills, 95 Bear Mountain offers unparalleled views and quick access to the Reno Tahoe International Airport, downtown Truckee, and Lake Tahoe. The home’s seamless flow highlights its quality of craftsmanship and thoughtful details, such as hand-finished beams, Albertini and steel windows, and reclaimed materials.

Kathie Bartlett 775-741-5675

AVAILABLE

6755 Franktown Road – Washoe Valley, Nevada Offered at $5,650,000

A coveted location in Washoe Valley featuring peaceful, panoramic views across the valley. In perfect condition with freshly refinished hardwood floors throughout. The comfortable one level floor plan features a great room, wet bar/wine cellar, a spacious study, formal dining with prep pantry connected to kitchen and a laundry/mud room just off the garage complete with dog washing station! Comfortable country living,a ten minute drive to Carson City and twenty minutes to South Reno.

Rebecca Dickson 775-742-2120

PENDING

7400 Tunnel Creek – Washoe Valley, Nevada Offered at $5,400,000

A secluded retreat on five acres in the historic and scenic Franktown area of Washoe Valley with the backdrop of the Sierras and Toiyabe National Forest. Sophisticated, contemporary, architecture and design.

True craftsmanship of construction with the highest quality of materials and meticulous attention to detail.

Rebecca Dickson 775-742-2120

Nancy Fennell 775-691-2674

AVAILABLE

1860 N Winnie Lane – Carson City, Nevada Offered at $5,300,000

Stunning private estate waiting to welcome its new owners! Upon entering through the private gate, you are greeted with the expansive and beautifully landscaped grounds, an elegant porte-coche're, a grand entrance with double stainless steel doors and custom glass side lights. Once inside, you are greeted with a magnificent great room featuring, marble floors and stunning floor to ceiling windows overlooking 3 grand waterfalls and stunning mountain views.

Christina Rice 775-220-6281

AVAILABLE

5223 Nestle Court – Reno, Nevada Offered at $4,500,000

Rare creekside single-level in Montreux! Exceptional quality, made for entertaining. With recent improvements, the custom home feels brand new: new HVAC system, new Lutron & Savant home automation, new paint and carpet & much more. Primary suite with double sided fireplace, new steam shower and a private office retreat, all overlooking the creek. Current home furnishings, electronics, golf cart & Montreux equity Golf membership included. 1500 SF car garage+ golf cart w/ epoxy floors & "gift wrap station".

Sullivan-Neal-Gore 775-813-4890

AVAILABLE

13425 Welcome Way – Reno, Nevada Offered at $4,495,000

This modern architectural masterpiece is a study in contrast with its sharp corners and curved lines. Designed

by Wimberley Alison Tong & Goo lead Designer Charlie Sims, this Award Winning estate has been featured on HGTV and ABC TV as well as showcased by Dupont Luxury Homes and Reno Magazine. Nestled on a bluff near Arrowcreek, this 8011 square foot custom estate sits on 2.42 acres and has unbelievable Panoramic views of the entire City of Reno from the Sierras to the Virginia City foothills.

Jay Kenny 775-848-6549

AVAILABLE

386 Questa Court – Reno, Nevada Offered at $4,375,000

Spectacular custom home in gated ArrowCreek. 1.67 acres with unobstructed city & mountain views!

Circular drive with Porta cache. Foyer leads to grand, open great room, kitchen, formal dining overlooking the city lights & grounds. Extensive landscape and outdoor living spaces creating a private luxury retreat complete with putting green, outdoor kitchen, fireplace & water feature. Main level living includes master suite, 3 additional bedrooms. Perfect for comfortable luxury living or 5 star entertaining.

Carol Bond 775-690-1870

AVAILABLE

4780 Buckhaven Court– Reno, Nevada Offered at $3,500,000

This sprawling home's architecture and design capture the essence of open and free mountain living. The house's elevated position and numerous balconies allow you to enjoy jaw-dropping views of the surrounding landscape. The main feature of the house is the gorgeous living room. With a double-height ceiling and vast windows, the area will surely impress you.

Joseph Wieczorek 775-335-5962

AVAILABLE

11192 Dixon Lane – Reno, Nevada Offered at $3,495,000

Situated on a lush green 2.002-acre lot is this grand and elegant home. With an expansive 6,936sqft of living space, quality finishes and fixtures throughout as well as room to entertain, this property is sure to capture the attention of those looking for a luxurious and private home. From every room, you can enjoy stunning views of the surrounding area thanks to the abundance of windows that let in the perfect amount of natural light.

Joseph Wieczorek 775-335-5962

AVAILABLE

662 Inspiration Drive – Zephyr Cove, Nevada Offered at $3,350,000

Welcome to Lake Tahoe's mountain community of Zephyr Heights! SELLER FINANCING AVAILABLE! Terms for qualified buyers to be 20% down, 5% interest, 30 year amortized loan with a 7 year balloon. This home is nestled between state and federal forest lands. Enjoy the views of beautiful Lake Tahoe and the surrounding mountains. Cozy up to a warm fire from your red batu custom infinity deck during the summer as you gaze at the beauty of the night sky. Enjoy gas and wood burning fireplaces throughout the home.

Andrew Wulf 775-232-2663

AVAILABLE

38 Bennington Court – Reno, Nevada Offered at $3,250,000

Nestled in the pine and aspen trees of St. James Village on 1.92 acres, a spacious mountain paradise with expansive views and breathtaking sunsets, wonderful wildlife encounters and outdoor adventures like no other is this magnificent Lodge Style home. The Main floor centers around the great room open to a spacious kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances; kitchen nook, formal dining room, master suite with heated floors in the master bath/shower, home office, 2nd bedroom/exercise room and powder bath.

Louise Simpson 775-750-1901

PENDING

5108 Bordeaux – Reno, Nevada Offered at $3,200,000

Build a brand new Parc Foret home in Reno's premier gated golf community - MONTREUX. Plenty of time to choose all your own quality interior finishes; completions will be in 2023. This home is a Plan 7; 4 bedroom suites plus a game room. A modern/open great room design with high ceilings, big windows, light & bright.

A private courtyard greets you at the front. Full landscaping for your custom design included in the purchase.

Built by award-winning custom builder LakeCrest.

Sullivan-Neal-Gore 775-813-4890

Current Dickson Luxury Listings Click on the MLS number to view each listing online.

$6,750,000

95 Bear Mountain Place

220016132

Kathie Bartlett , 775-741-5675

$5,650,000

6755 Franktown Road

220012732

Rebecca Dickson , 775-742-2120

N PE DI N G

$5,400,000

7400 Tunnel Creek Road

$4,500,000

5223 Nestle Court

$4,375,000

386 Questa Court

220007969

$5,300,000

220016980

$4,495,000

220011790

$3,500,000

Rebecca Dickson , 775-742-2120

Sullivan-Neal-Gore , 775-849-9444

Carol Bond , 775-690-1870

1860 N Winnie Lane

13425 Welcome Way

4780 Buckhaven Court

220015760

Christina Rice , 775-220-6281

220014402

Jay Kenny , 775-848-6549

220012827

Joseph Wieczorek , 775-335-5962

Current Dickson Luxury Listings Click on the MLS number to view each listing online.

$3,495,000

11192 Dixon Lane

220014768

Joseph Wieczorek , 775-335-5962

$3,350,000

662 Inspiration Drive

220006162

Andrew Wulf , 775-232-2663

N PE DI N G

$3,250,000

38 Bennington Court

220017146

Louise Simpson , 775-750-1901

$3,200,000

5108 Bordeaux

210012623

Sullivan-Neal-Gore , 775-849-9444

5132 Bordeaux

210012626

Sullivan-Neal-Gore , 775-849-9444

G

G

N

N

DI

DI

N PE

N PE

$2,870,000

$2,750,000

20840 Parc Foret Court

5144 Bordeaux

210012627

Sullivan-Neal-Gore , 775-849-9444

G

G

N

N

DI

DI

N PE

N PE

$2,685,000

210015773

Sullivan-Neal-Gore , 775-849-9444

$2,680,000

2490 Faretto Lane

220016890

Kathy Leggett , 775-287-8620

Current Dickson Luxury Listings Click on the MLS number to view each listing online.

N PE DI N G

$2,630,000

5180 Bordeaux Court

220000652

Sullivan-Neal-Gore , 775-849-9444

$2,605,000

5192 Bordeaux Court

210018199

Sullivan-Neal-Gore , 775-849-9444

N PE

G

G

N

N

DI

DI

N PE

$2,550,000

20845 Parc Foret Court

210002412

Sullivan-Neal-Gore , 775-849-9444

$2,470,000

5156 Bordeaux Court

210014473

Sullivan-Neal-Gore , 775-849-9444

N PE DI N G

$2,450,000 5120 Bordeaux

210012625

$2,400,000

220009575

$2,390,000

Sullivan-Neal-Gore , 775-849-9444

6135 Franktown

210014150

Justin Hertz , 775-223-7555

N PE DI N G

$2,395,000 790 Aspen Trail

Joseph Wieczorek , 775-335-5962

5168 Bordeaux Court

210014471

Sullivan-Neal-Gore , 775-849-9444

Current Dickson Luxury Listings Click on the MLS number to view each listing online.

$2,350,000

566 Socorro Court

220016951

Anne Lichty , 775-750-3000

$2,350,000

3664 Spirit Bluff Court

220014556

Sonja Leonard , 775-848-0129

N PE DI N G

$2,260,000 20780 Parc Foret

200015329

Sullivan-Neal-Gore , 775-849-9444

$2,250,000

10550 Thomas Creek Road

220016936

Marilyn Minor , 775-284-3031

20820 Parc Foret Court

200016213

Sullivan-Neal-Gore , 775-849-9444

G

G

N

N

DI

DI

N PE

N PE

$2,170,000

$2,150,000

20800 Parc Foret

20825 Parc Foret Court

210002413

Sullivan-Neal-Gore , 775-849-9444

G

G

N

N

DI

DI

N PE

N PE

$2,130,000

200015391

Sullivan-Neal-Gore , 775-849-9444

$2,100,000

66 Caballada Street

220006728

Heather Houston , 828-489-8124

Current Dickson Luxury Listings Click on the MLS number to view each listing online.

$2,100,000

1040 Country Estates Circle

220014804

Julia Picetti , 775-530-7874

$2,050,000

6640 De Chardin Lane

220016497

Sullivan-Neal-Gore , 775-849-9444

N PE DI N G

$2,000,000

64 Caballada Street

220002977

Heather Houston , 828-489-8124

$1,980,000

1577 Casey Ranch Drive

220011759

Joseph Wieczorek , 775-335-5962

N PE

G

G

N

N

DI

DI

N PE

$1,960,000

34 Campolina Street

220003404

Heather Houston , 828-489-8124

$1,960,000

32 Campolina Street

N PE

G

G

N

N

DI

DI

N PE

$1,925,000

5976 Winding Ridge Drive

220003410

Heather Houston , 828-489-8124

220016945

Anne Lichty , 775-750-3000

$1,925,000

63 Caballada Street

220003006

Heather Houston , 828-489-8124

Current Dickson Luxury Listings Click on the MLS number to view each listing online.

12 Persano Street

$1,850,000

14 Persano Street

220006580

Heather Houston , 828-489-8124

220016999

Heather Houston , 828-489-8124

G

G

N

N

DI

DI

N PE

N PE

$1,925,000

$1,850,000

20 Persano Street

$1,810,000

22 Persano Street

220016529

Heather Houston , 828-489-8124

220014611

Heather Houston , 828-489-8124

N PE DI N G

$1,810,000

33 Campolina Street

220003408

Heather Houston , 828-489-8124

$1,599,000

724 W Pleasant Oak Trail

220012304

Lori Welsh , 775-771-6574

N PE DI N G

$1,585,000

3045 Kauffmann Court

220016532

J.P. Menante , 775-691-9831

$1,525,000

4715 S Saddlehorn Drive

220016558

Kendall Smith , 775-379-7766

Current Dickson Luxury Listings Click on the MLS number to view each listing online.

N PE DI N G

$1,500,000 707 Hart Lane

$1,495,000

16195 Clarence Jasmine Drive

$1,399,000

17225 Snow Berry Drive

$1,345,000

2375 N Harbor Circle

220016146

$1,499,000

220015897

$1,450,000

220011268

$1,349,000

220012429

$1,345,000

Donna Fuller , 775-815-7250

Donna Fuller , 775-815-7250

Sullivan-Neal-Gore , 775-849-9444

Cathy Hamel , 775-224-1957

1149 Kingston Lane

1613 River Hill Way

2365 N Harbor Circle

718 W Pleasant Oak Trail

220014504

Kyle Wentz , 775-720-1981

230000276

Sarah Hughes , 775-741-4011

220014688

Cathy Hamel , 775-224-1957

220014989

Lori Welsh , 775-771-6574

Current Dickson Luxury Listings Click on the MLS number to view each listing online.

N PE DI N G

$1,275,000

2468 Genoa Aspen

220016716

Christina Rice , 775-220-6281

$1,269,000

14245 Domingo Court

220012277

Tori King , 775-250-1306

N PE DI N G

$1,250,000

15 Scattergun Circle

$1,199,000

9910 Copenhagen Way

$1,150,000 1673 Montelena

220009392

M.C. Pierson , 775-742-9442

220017292

Jackie Harger , 775-745-9079

220009778

Katie Bawden , 775-690-3804

$1,200,000 3271 Red Leaf

$1,150,000

100 Scott Court

$1,149,000

5260 Bellazza Court

220007873

Heidi McFadden , 775-232-4188

220014228

Mary Mentaberry , 775-8480361

220014718

Ivy Cohen , 775-830-7821

Current Dickson Luxury Listings Click on the MLS number to view each listing online.

N PE DI N G

$1,149,000

3391 Cheechako Drive

220013905

Marilyn Minor , 775-284-3031

$1,090,000

1885 Dakota Ridge Trail

220014921

Lori Welsh , 775-771-6574

N PE DI N G

$1,085,603

3235 Red Leaf Court

220013533

$1,075,000

220011899

$1,050,000

Heidi McFadden , 775-232-4188

3341 Corey Drive

220013839

Trudy Brussard , 775-772-3014

N PE DI N G

$1,060,000

2695 Spearpoint Drive

The Keenan Group , 775-846-9726

13525 Fieldcreek Lane

N PE

G

G

N

N

DI

DI

N PE

$1,040,000

70 Caballada Street

220016876

Sullivan-Neal-Gore , 775-849-9444

220006722

Heather Houston , 828-489-8124

$1,040,000

68 Caballada Street

220006723

Heather Houston , 828-489-8124

Current Dickson Luxury Listings Click on the MLS number to view each listing online.

69 Caballada Street

220006720

Heather Houston , 828-489-8124

N PE DI N G

$1,000,000

62 Caballada Street

220004472

Heather Houston , 828-489-8124

G

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Heidi McFadden , 775-232-4188

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IMAGINATIVE MIDCENTURY ARCHITECTS FOUND THEIR MODERN DESIGN MATCH IN PALM SPRINGS

By Lisa Klein

Content courtesy of Luxury Portfolio International 2022. Photos courtesy of Unsplash.

P

alm Springs — the fabled oasis in the Southern California desert — immediately stirs up images of golden-era Hollywood parties, the booze-filled glasses of the Rat Pack clinking together poolside.

But Palm Springs had more in its shaker during the mid20th century: the perfect cocktail of openland, open minds and optimism that allowed a faction of relatively unknown architects to mix upsomething new and more intoxicating than celebrity cachet — modern architectural masterpieces in the middle of the desert.

“It comes out of a vivid period which had a clear idea of what it was about,” says Alan Hess, architect, architecture historian and author of several books on the subject. “These talented architects just captured the dynamism, the looking towards the future, the optimism, solving problems of thetimes. It’s a really strong style of architecture.”

These forward thinkers filled the resort town with their take on modernist ideas, and the style of homes, hotels, liquor stores and gas stations that they created came to be known as desert modernism.

Palm Springs is hidden in the Coachella Valley between the San Jacinto Mountains in the sunbaked Colorado Desert, part of the larger Sonoran where it meets the Mojave — a seemingly strange localefor the architectural hotbed it was to become.

The land of future Palm Springs had been inhabited by the Agua Caliente Band of native Cahuilla people for thousands

of years. Things changed with California’s incorporation into the United States and the resulting influx of settlers.

Not long after the town was formally established in the late 1800s, people began flocking to the area for the gorgeous scenery and health benefits of the hot, dry air.

Nellie N. Coff man, along with her physician husband, Harry, created the Desert Inn in 1909 as a hotel and sanitarium. More hotel developments followed and revivals of Spanish colonial, Mediterranean, Pueblo, Monterey colonial and English traditional became the dominant styles of public and private buildings.

Hollywood stars soon took note and started visiting Palm Springs in droves in the 1920s and ’30s to escape the prying eyes of the paparazzi in Los Angeles, where an affair or homosexuality was still a major scandal.

The Coachella Valley, in which Palm Springs is now one of nine cities, also proved to be the perfect distance from Los Angeles movie studios, which the actors were contractually obligated to stay nearby. The palm trees and invigorating weather were an added charm.

“Palm Springs was a small, sleepy town, which, of course, is one of the things that made it popular with the movie stars,” Mr. Hess, who is also on the board of Modernism Week, an annual architectural extravaganza of parties and tours, says. “They weren’t bothered when they were out there.

They could just have fun — and they had a lot of fun.”

Greta Garbo, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, John and Lionel Barrymore, Errol Flynn, Bing Crosby, Spencer Tracy, John Wayne, Cary Grant, Elizabeth Taylor, Bob Hope, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis and Priscilla Presley, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Kirk Douglas, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Lena Horne, Trini Lopez, Debbie Reynolds and Joan Collins — an endless parade of movie A-listers and musicians poured into town.

“Regular” people also started buying second homes in the desert after the Second World War, when money became more plentiful, cars and highways were making travel easier and vacation time allowed the middle class a few sips of the leisurely lifestyle celebs were cultivating there.

It seemed like everyone wanted a piece of the dusty California sun — and had the money to buy it.

Of course, someone had to build it all. Savvy developers — most notably two pairs of brothers, George and Robert Alexander, and Jack and Bernie Meiselman — manifested entire neighborhoods such as El Rancho Vista, Tahquitz River Estates, Vista Las Palmas, Tennis Club Estates, Twin Palms,Sunmor Estates and the aptly named Movie Colony out of the thin desert air.

These entrepreneurs really could have constructed anything during the boom of the 1940s through ’60s, but the developers enlisted the help of some enterprising, designdriven architects who descended upon the valley at the perfect time for their talents to shine.

Those who were drawn in for a drink of Palm Springs found themselves in a waking modern design dream — plenty of

land to work with, a scenic and inspirational backdrop, a moneyed and open-minded clientele, creative freedom and peaceful anonymity.

Richard Neutra, John Lautner, Donald Wexler, William Krisel, Dan Palmer, E. Stewart Williams, William Cody, Albert Frey, John Porter Clark, A. Quincy Jones, Charles Du Bois and Hugh Kaptur were all sought-after for their services, but remained fairly obscure outside of the desert.

Although Neutra and Lautner had designed famous homes in town, “none of these other architects were known,” Mr. Hess says. “That really was their intention. They didn’t want to have big famous firms. They were perfectly happy just to be in Palm Springs and do their work.

“These were all interesting characters. Each had different reasons for being there, just expressing their interests and talent,” he says of the accidental architectural school. “And that’s one of the things that makes Palm Springs kind of extraordinary.”

The group, some of whom worked together in partnerships or on one-off commercial projects,wanted to push boundaries in their buildings.

“It’s not like now, where the builders have the architects under their wings and kind of force them to make these awful things,” says Chris Menrad, a real estate agent in currentday Palm Springs and founding board member of the Palm Springs Modern Committee, a group that works to preserve desert modern architecture. “In those days, architects were architects and the builders respected them. The architects here were just trying new ideas.”

The architects’ experimentation especially extended into the residential realm, where it was surprisingly, although sometimes begrudgingly, accepted. “[Another] thing that makes Palm Springs special is that people who were conservative back homein Ohio or Beverly Hills [and] had a colonial house, when they were on vacation, they were much looser and so they were willing to have a modern house,” Mr. Hess says.

Even Frank Sinatra came around after first asking Stewart Williams to build him a colonial-style home in 1947.

“Williams was just a committed, almost religious, modernist,” Mr. Hess laughs. “And he actually talked Frank Sinatra into wanting a modern house, which is still there. It’s a great house, too.”

The Movie Colony house was named “Twin Palms” for the two towering trees next to the piano-shaped pool. Sinatra lived there for nearly a decade, during which he was married to fellow star Ava Gardner. She once said the home was the site of their most spectacular, of many, fights and there is still a chip in the primary bathroom sink from a thrown Champagne bottle that missed its target.

The all-important desert modern philosophy centered on Palm Springs’ climate and dramatic views, the architects’ distinctive styles a direct response to the natural surroundings and the lifestyle they fostered.

Some style elements, like elsewhere in the country, were decidedly midcentury modern: the mostly low-lying ranch homes had simple, clean lines and very open, informal layouts.

the mountains so that you’re just always living with nature,” Mr. Hess says. “That probably is one of the things that was really done in Palm Springs more so than anywhere else, and consistently.”

Some homes, such as the Kaufmann Desert House, designed

by Neutra for Philadelphia department store magnate Edgar J. Kaufmann Sr. and immortalized by photographer Slim Aarons’ famous poolshot, were a step up from their peers.

Others, such as interior designer Arthur Elrod’s house that featured in a Bond movie, Diamonds are Forever — a Lautner confection — and Robert Alexander’s Palmer and Krisel-designed home where Elvis spent his honeymoon, are also fixtures on Palm Springs home tours, admired for their design chutzpah and early occupants.

But maybe one of the most surprising aspects carefully considered by Palm Springs’ architects was a bit of highbrow design meant for everyone.

While most celebrity homes were custom, entire neighborhoods went up quickly by using tract housing — building multiple of the same or similar homes on a large, divided parcel of land. This was not a suburban, cookiecutter, design nightmare, however.

“The floor plan is the same, it’s postand- beam, it’s almost like an assembly line,” Mr. Menrad says of the tract homes built by the Alexanders and designed by William Krisel in the Twin Palms neighborhood, where he lives in a 1957 version.

“But the rooflines are changed, the facades are changed, the materials that are put on the facades are different, colors were customized, even the roof colors were different.

Others took the locale into great consideration, with stone, stucco, concrete and glass as the guiding materials, using shapes and muted colors such as sage green, rose and pale yellow to some how blend seamlessly into the environment.

“And so, the houses looked custom,” he says. “I mean, I lived here a year before I finally realized these are all the same houses. I like the idea that there are so many people that have these houses.We’re all sort of part of a club within the club of modernists.”

The homes were post-and-beam construction, their iconic rooflines — either flat, “butterfly-winged” or “Swiss Miss” A-frame — all instantly recognizable. The angles of the roofs, different sections of the homes and shade walls were placed just so to deal with the beating desert sun.

Midcentury modernism — although it was not referred to as such in its contemporary heyday —was ultimately an architecture that everybody could understand, at least on a subconscious level.

Perhaps the most important feature in the Palm Springs home was the blurring of the indoors and outdoors.

Clerestory windows and floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors let light and mountain views in, and alongwith concrete block breeze ways, literally opened the house to the outdoors and requisite swimming pool.

“It was indoor-outdoor living in a beautiful way, oriented to

“There’s something when you’re in [the house] that you just feel good,” Mr. Menrad, who also coauthored a book on Krisel, says. “That’s something the architects wanted. They didn’t necessarily want people to go in and look at these details and talk about them in a scholarly way.

“These architects really felt that architecture could change how you lived and felt and experienced life,” he says.

Yet somehow, Palm Springs’ allure eventually faded, and by

the mid-1970s it had been all but vacated for neighboring towns in the valley such as Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage, where newer construction and larger golf courses beckoned.

And it stayed that way for 25 years.

“It actually was a blessing because they didn’t tear down stuff,” Mr. Hess says. “They just left it there, fading in the sunlight.”

Then a serendipitous couple of magazine articles in Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, about intrepid midcentury lovers purchasing and renovating homes in Palm Springs on the cheap, ran at the turn of the century, sparking a new boom that continues to this day — this time in restoration.

Robert Shiell, a retired attorney, part-time property manager and avid art collector, bought his 1959 Palmer and Krisel vacation home in the Vista Las Palmas neighborhood in 2013.

“I was just turned on by the whole lifestyle,” he says. “It was the whole aura of the Rat Pack era in the neighborhood — it sort of permeates the neighborhood.”

Mr. Shiell set about carefully renovating the home, tearing out hedges that covered an original cement block wall and removing a 300-square-foot addition that had enclosed the breezeway. He added more clerestory windows for a better view of the mountains, as well as insulation — often missing originally.

“I was trying to restore as much as we could the original footprint,” he says. “It had those great bones of the midcentury.”

Not surprisingly, he covered the walls with part of his vast contemporary art collection and decorated with vintage and period-inspired furniture and lighting.

Mr. Menrad bought his home in 1999 and also got to work on restoring it to as close to original as possible — a notion he got from working on classic cars. The process was made easier once he was lucky enough to meet the architect, William Krisel, himself.

“He had all of his drawings and plans for everything, even down to researching what the original colors were for the house,” he says. “My belief is that you can’t really draw a mustache on the Mona Lisa. If you just follow the original ideas and plans and be authentic about it, it’ll be beautiful, because that’s how it was intended.”

Both homeowners’ handiwork has been featured on tours during Modernism Week, started in 2006. The event has brought attention to Palm Springs once again, with tens of thousands of visitors coming from around the globe each year to toast its architectural legacy. It is even what first piqued Mr. Shiell’s midcentury interest.

“My partner and I go during Modernism Week on so many of the home tours — we’re just addicted to it,” he says. “There was such great design, it was so signature, it so works with the environment. It’s such a unique, historic, iconic style that should be saved and revered for other generations of people to be able to enjoy.”

THE LATEST GENERATION of midcentury enthusiasts and the many preservation organizations in Palm Springs are certainly keen on protecting and celebrating the achievements of the desert modernists.

“It’s really part of our cultural history,” Mr. Menrad says of Palm Springs design. “Why do we hang a painting in a museum? Architects, to me, are like artists, just as much as a painter or a sculptor. This is really three-dimensional art that you walk through."

2022 Significant Sales

SOLD $8,625,000

Incline Village

SOLD $7,200,000

SOLD $4,900,000

Montrêux

SOLD $4,500,000

Montrêux

Montrêux

SOLD $3,900,000

Montrêux

Juniper Ridge

SOLD $3,500,000

Caughlin Ranch

Seller Representation Kathie Bartlett, 775-741-5675

Seller & Buyer Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

SOLD $3,900,000

Seller Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

SOLD $3,730,000

Seller Representation Brittney Thaler & Don Dees

Buyer Representation Greta Mestre, 775-560-7500

Buyer Representation Kathie Bartlett, 775-741-5675

Seller Representation Kathie Bartlett, 775-741-5675

Incline Village

Buyer Representation Marianne Pearsall, 775-742-2975

Seller & Buyer Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

Seller & Buyer Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

Seller Representation Rebecca Dickson, 775-742-2120

2022 Significant Sales

SOLD $3,140,000

Montrêux

SOLD $3,100,000

Lake Ridge Shores

SOLD $3,000,000

St. James Village

SOLD $2,950,000

Montrêux

SOLD $2,895,000

Montrêux

SOLD $2,835,000

Montrêux

SOLD $2,650,000

Verdi, NV

SOLD $2,600,000

Old South Suburban

Seller Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

Seller Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

Seller Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

Seller Representation Phyllis Martin, 775-384-7573

Seller Representation Margaret Kazmierski, 775-770-8818

Seller Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

Seller Representation Jay Kenny, 775-848-6549

Seller & Buyer Representation Rebecca Dickson, 775-742-2120

2022 Significant Sales

SOLD $2,600,000

Seller Representation Joseph Wieczorek, 775-335-5962

SOLD $2,530,000

Seller Representation Rebecca Dickson, 775-742-2120

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Seller Representation J.P. Menante, 775-691-9831

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Old South Suburban

SOLD $2,600,000

South Suburban

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Montrêux

South Suburban

SOLD $2,500,000

Southwest Reno

Juniper Ridge

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Montrêux

Buyer Representation Joseph Wieczorek, 775-335-5962

Buyer Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

Buyer Representation Lori Welsh, 775-771-6574

Seller Representation Carol Bond, 775-690-1870

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Arrowcreek

Buyer Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

Seller & Buyer Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

Seller Representation Joseph Wieczorek, 775-335-5962

Seller & Buyer Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

2022 Significant Sales

SOLD $2,475,000

Old South Suburban

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Juniper Ridge

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South Suburban Reno

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Montrêux

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South Suburban Reno

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Old South Suburban Reno

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Seller Representation Diane Macdonald, 775-742-2343

Seller Representation Donna Fuller, 775-815-7250

Seller & Buyer Representation Marilyn Minor, 775-284-3031

Seller Representation Lori Welsh, 775-771-6574

Seller & Buyer Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

Seller Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

Seller Representation Joseph Wieczorek, 775-335-5962

Montrêux

Buyer Representation Kathy Leggett, 775-287-8620

West Southwest Reno

Buyer Representation Kylie Keenan, 775-846-9726

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Montrêux

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Somersett

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Arrowcreek

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Incline Village

Seller & Buyer Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

Seller Representation Lori Welsh, 775-771-6574

Seller Representation Lori Welsh, 775-771-6574

Seller Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

Seller Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

Seller Representation David Hughes, 775-771-1783

Montrêux

Buyer Representation Kendall Smith, 775-379-7766

Somersett

Buyer Representation Lori Welsh, 775-771-6574

Seller & Buyer Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

Seller Representation Marianne Pearsall, 775-742-2975

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SOLD $2,173,295

Old South Suburban Reno

SOLD $2,150,000

Montrêux

SOLD $2,150,000

Montrêux

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Old Southwest Reno

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Incline Village

SOLD $2,050,000

Incline Village

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South Suburban Reno

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Montrêux

Seller Representation Chris Whitney, 775-772-2253

Seller Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

Seller Representation Mary Jurkonis, 775-772-1514

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Buyer Representation Charles H. Johns, 775-750-8883

Seller & Buyer Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

Seller Representation Joseph Wieczorek, 775-335-5962

Seller Representation Mary Jurkonis, 775-772-1514

Seller & Buyer Representation Sullivan-Neal-Gore, 775-849-9444

2022 Significant Sales

SOLD $2,000,000

South Suburban Reno

SOLD $2,000,000

Incline Village

Seller Representation Cathy Lancaster, 775-830-6565

Buyer Representation Diana Renfroe, 775-843-0777

Seller Representation Richard Berman, 775-450-1940

SOLD $2,000,000

Seller Representation Amanda Gunter, 775-525-1528

Juniper Ridge

Buyer Representation Marilyn Minor, 775-284-3031

DOWNTOWN RENO 775.324.7000 CARSON CITY 775.882.6300

CAUGHLIN RANCH 775.746.7000 GARDNERVILLE 775.882.6300

DAMONTE RANCH 775.850.7000 INCLINE VILLAGE 775.831.6600

SOMERSETT 775.746.7222 TRUCKEE 530.587.7444

MONTRÊUX 775.849.9444 PORTOLA 530.832.1700

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