While several small towns ring the Lake Tahoe Basin, Incline Village is a community that welcomes people from all walks of life – the retiree and the college student, the uber-wealthy and those with more modest bank accounts, elite athletes and weekend warriors, families and singles.
“Most small towns are homogeneous,” says Shahri Masters of Masters of Tahoe Incline Real Estate. “What I like about Incline Village is that the people here are not all the same. The variety and diversity of people makes it more interesting.”
Masters is one of the many locals who can be credited with helping create that diversity. She is like a seamstress who stitches together the multitude of fabric pieces to create community.
While Masters’ job is to connect buyers and sellers in the real estate world, it’s more than that to her. Each time a property turns over, Masters helps build community.
“I get people connected,” she says. “That’s what I love as a real estate agent. If they have kids, I get them connected with other moms and the schools. If they are empty nesters, this is a great place if they want some solitude or to interact with their peers.”
Masters has coffee with newbies at one of many popular spots in town, invites them to events, shares what is going on in the area, introduces them to locals and brings them under her wing until they feel on solid ground to claim Incline Village as their own.
This is easy for her because she has spent the bulk of her life in Incline Village. Her daughter, who is a doctor, went through the public school system – a testimonial about the local schools’ rigor.
The real estate expert could live anywhere in the world, but she chooses Incline Village.
“I love the feeling of community here,” she says. “I travel all over the world, but it always feels good to come home. There’s a sense of belonging here; you just feel like it’s your place.”
Being a resident of Incline Village means being part of something greater than yourself. There are a plethora of ways to get involved, and there is plenty of space to do your own thing.
Each neighborhood has its own feel, though that inevitably changes over time as people get older, others move in or out, kids leave home, babies are born. Masters has lived through multiple evolutions in her own neighborhood. Five years ago the average age in her niche of Incline Village was 60. At last summer’s block party about a dozen kids younger than 10 were in tow, some in strollers, others creating chalk art on the sidewalk.
“Everything changes,” Masters says. “If it doesn’t, it dies. Change makes things wonderful. It brings life and vibrancy.”
With people coming and going, communities are going to always be changing. While Masters embraces this dynamic, she also holds to the foundation of what makes Incline Village stand out from other towns.
“What I have not seen change is how incredibly beautiful Incline is and its warm and welcoming attitudes,” Masters says.
That sense of community never wavers. Incline Village residents are the individual threads that make the town a home. It’s about being part of something. It’s showing up for fundraisers to help a resident or nonprofit in need. It’s shopping locally – supporting small businesses and ensuring that locals have jobs. It’s attending events whether it’s at the local college, the casino or Shakespeare on the beach.
Incline Village is literally a village built into the incline of a mountain. But it’s so much more than a pretty mountain town nestled against one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. Most homes are close enough to forest trails to take a hike without ever getting in a vehicle. Opportunities for day hikes are endless, or you can be more ambitious by taking the Tahoe Rim Trail, 165 miles around the lake, or explore the Pacific Crest Trail.
Public and private beaches are part of the landscape. Lake Tahoe’s cobalt blue waters are mesmerizing to look at but also inviting for kayakers, paddleboarders and water skiers.
Don’t forget, Incline also has its own downhill ski resort – Diamond Peak. Some trails feel like you are skiing right into the lake. Mountain bike trails extend for miles. Or you can meander on two wheels or two feet along the paved East Shore Bike Trail.
The thing about Incline Village is that it’s compact, so it’s easy to get around. If you don’t want to drive, public buses will get you where you want to go.
With more than 300 days of sunshine, it’s possible you won’t want to leave this Nevada enclave. After all, being a resident of Incline Village is a bit like being on vacation every day. And Shahri Masters can make that happen for you, bringing you into the fold of this welcoming community.
Shahri Masters, License #B1870
(775) 831-8888
inclineliving.com
About the Author Kathryn Reed
Kathryn Reed is an award-winning journalist who has been visiting or living at Lake Tahoe since she was a child. She loves the outdoors – whether it's hiking, biking, snowshoeing, skiing or playing tennis. She is the author of Sleeping with Strangers: An Airbnb Host's Life in Lake Tahoe and Mexico; The Dirt Around Lake Tahoe: Must-Do Scenic Hikes; Snowshoeing Around Lake Tahoe: Must-Do Scenic Treks; and Lake Tahoe Trails for All Seasons: Must-Do Hiking and Snowshoe Treks.
