Incline Village & Crystal Bay Homes for Sale
- State
- Nevada, unincorporated Washoe County
- Tax
- No Nevada state income tax (for those who establish residency)
- Local district
- IVGID, which provides water, sewer, trash and recreation
- Character
- Polished resort community, ultra-luxury market
- Ski access
- Diamond Peak, owned by the district; Mt. Rose nearby
- Golf
- Championship (par 72) and Mountain (par 58) courses
- Beaches
- Four restricted-access beaches: Burnt Cedar, Incline, Ski, Hermit
- Best for
- Nevada tax residency plus resort amenities
Entering Nevada, you are at Crystal Bay, home of historic Cal Neva (now in transition) and the closest casinos to North Lake Tahoe. The Tahoe Biltmore closed in April 2022, ready for a new incarnation as a beautiful hotel resort. Stillwater Cove, a luxury condominium built in the early 1980s, sits across the street on the water. Right now, the only casino at the state line is the Nugget, an oldie! From here, pass homes off the water and lakefront properties on the way to Incline Village, Lake Tahoe’s first planned community.
This mellow mountain community of about 6000 acres and 9000 people is now famous for its very pricey lakefront estates, known as ‘billionaire’s row”. It’s also home to the Hyatt Regency Hotel with beautiful lakeside restaurant, Lone Eagle Grill. The village has scattered shopping and retail along with numerous restaurants. Owners enjoy special amenities, including three private beaches, one with outdoor pool, one with a boat launch ramp. Music on the beach is a big draw in summer.
Discounts for owners apply to the two golf courses, one a championship the other executive, beautiful Rec Center and tennis complex and, of course, Diamond Peak, its ski area with gorgeous lake views. There is shuttle service in the community to the ski area in winter. As you probably know, Nevada has no personal income tax so is a huge draw for those leaving high tax states. It takes about 45 minutes via Hwy 431 to get to the Reno-Tahoe International Airport and about 30 minutes to South Lake Tahoe. Speaking of Hwy 431, there is beautiful snowshoeing, cross country skiing and hiking at the summit on the way to Reno, a little before you reach Mt. Rose ski area.
Property here ranges from older condominiums and homes, newer builds with lake views, acreage properties and, of course, the aforementioned lakefront estates. Incline has its own schools, including Sierra Nevada College that has just become a part of the University of Nevada. It also has a branch of the Tahoe Forest Health System providing local care.
What it is like to live in Incline Village
Incline Village and Crystal Bay sit on the Nevada side of Tahoe's north shore, in unincorporated Washoe County. There is no city government. Water, sewer, trash and recreation all run through the Incline Village General Improvement District, known locally as IVGID, which is governed by an elected board of trustees.
That structure is the thing most buyers from outside the area do not expect, and it shapes daily life more than any single amenity. The district owns and runs Diamond Peak ski resort, two golf courses, a recreation center with a pool, a tennis and pickleball center, the Chateau event venue, and four beaches on the lake. A community that owns its own ski hill behaves differently from a resort town built around a corporate operator. Weekday mornings at Diamond Peak feel like a neighborhood hill, not a destination resort.
The year-round population is small and the seasonal swing is large. Winter brings snow and the driving that comes with it, and the Mt. Rose Highway is the route most residents watch during a storm. Summer brings the beaches, the water, and the traffic that arrives with both. Buyers who spend a full year here before choosing a street usually end up happier with the one they pick.
Crystal Bay is a short drive west, right at the California state line. It holds some of the most exclusive lakefront on the lake along with the closest casinos to the north shore, so the character shifts noticeably in a mile.
What to confirm before you make an offer here
Recreation privileges in this district attach to the parcel, not to the buyer. You inherit whatever the parcel carries when you close, and you cannot add privileges later by asking. This is the single most common surprise for buyers arriving from other markets.
Beach access is the part that catches people out. It does not come automatically with every parcel inside the district, and IVGID's own passes distinguish between a card that carries beach access and one that does not. Two homes a few minutes apart can differ on this point, and the difference is worth real money at resale.
So confirm the exact recreation privileges for the specific parcel with IVGID before you write an offer, not after. Ask what the parcel carries, what the annual fees are, and whether beach access is included. I do this for every client on this side of the lake, and it takes one phone call.
This page is general information rather than legal, tax or title advice. Verify parcel privileges and fees directly with IVGID, and residency questions with your own tax adviser.
Crystal Bay / Incline Village frequently asked questions
Compare this community in the Lake Tahoe communities guide, or read the lakefront buyer’s guide and California vs. Nevada comparison.
Weighing who to work with? How to choose a Lake Tahoe real estate agent covers the seven questions worth asking about any specific property.