Property Care Guide
13148 Roundhill Dr, Truckee, CA 96161
Truckee, CA 96161 · Elevation 5817 ft
Tahoe Donner #10
Location & Property Details
- Elevation
- 5817 ft
- Fire Hazard Severity Zone
- High (CAL FIRE FHSZ)
- Fire District
- Truckee Fire Protection District
- Water
- Truckee Donner PUD
- Electric
- Liberty Utilities
- Gas
- Southwest Gas
TR Tahoe provides year-round property care across Truckee and North Lake Tahoe.
Seasonal Maintenance Calendar for Truckee
At 5817 ft in a High fire hazard zone, this property has specific seasonal maintenance requirements. Actual timing shifts 2–4 weeks in heavy snow years.
Spring
- Clear winter debris, pine needles, and broken branches from roof, gutters, and around foundation
- Inspect roof for damage from snow load; check flashing and shingles
- De-winterize exterior plumbing and irrigation systems
- Check deck boards and railings for rot or separation from frost heave
- Check for galvanized supply pipe corrosion if original plumbing was not replaced - 1980s-era Tahoe construction commonly used materials that show mineral buildup and reduced flow by now
Summer
- Create and maintain 100-ft defensible space (zones 0/1/2 per CAL FIRE)
- Stain or reseal decks during dry weather window
- Inspect and clean chimneys, stovepipes, and spark arrestors
- Test smoke and CO detectors; replace batteries
Fall
- Clear pine needles from roof, gutters, and within 5 ft of structures (Zone 0)
- Winterize exterior plumbing: drain hoses, shut-off exterior spigots, blow out irrigation
- Service heating system and replace furnace filters
- Check roof for loose shingles before snow season
Winter
- Monitor snow load on roof
- Keep attic and crawlspace ventilation clear of snow to prevent ice dams
- Check for ice dam formation at eaves and roof valleys
- Ensure heat tape on exposed pipes is functioning
- Verify heat tape type and rating match the existing pipe material - mismatched tape/pipe combinations from earlier retrofits are a frequent failure point in 1980s-era vacation properties
What This Means for an Owner Here
Houses built between 1980 and 1999 in Truckee occupy a middle band where original systems are aging out but the structures themselves are sound. Owners of a 1992-era home at 5,817 ft do best with a 3-5 year capital plan: which mechanical system is due, which envelope component is past warranty, and what the Truckee Fire Protection District expects for defensible space each season.
Service Area & Utility Context
Inside Truckee Fire Protection District territory, defensible-space compliance and home-hardening recommendations come with active agency support - chipper service, inspection scheduling, and documentation that helps insurance underwriting. The maintenance file should include the most recent inspection report and any open compliance items.
Property Profile
On record: a 1992-vintage 2,785-sq-ft layout, 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms , set on a 0.31-acre lot; classified by the county as 0100-sfr; current assessed value sits at $888,486. The parcel sits at 5,817 ft within Truckee Fire Protection District territory; the last recorded sale was in 2005 at a recorded price of $1,034,000; the assessor lists 810 sq ft of garage area, and the maintenance profile follows the standard pattern for a structure of this age and size at this elevation.
Fire District Inspection: Truckee Fire Protection District
Annual inspection cadence for this district: May through August. Truckee Fire Protection District inspects properties in High and Very High FHSZ zones on a rolling schedule through summer. The High designation in most of Truckee (vs Very High at the lake) allows slightly more tolerance in Zone 2, but Zone 0 requirements are the same. The district coordinates with the Town of Truckee on VHR permit renewals — properties with unresolved defensible space violations may face delays in STR permit renewal. The owners of a 1992-built structure at 5,817 ft who coordinate Zone 0 clearance with their gutter cleaning and roof inspection visits - three tasks, one site visit by a contractor - run the most cost-efficient compliance program in the area.
Tahoe Donner — Community Profile
The Tahoe Donner community is the layer that shapes most non-structural decisions at 13148 Roundhill Dr. Tahoe Donner is one of the largest private residential communities in California, covering 23,000 acres in the Truckee hills north of downtown. The association was established in 1971 and now encompasses approximately 6,500 homes across 25+ sub-units. Amenities include a private alpine ski area (Tahoe Donner Downhill), 65-hole golf course, equestrian center, cross-country ski area, beach club on Donner Lake, and multiple pools. Annual HOA dues cover road maintenance, security patrol, common area upkeep, and amenity access — typically $2,000–$3,500/yr depending on unit and amenity package. Exterior modifications require Architectural Committee approval; the CC&Rs enforce color palettes and natural material requirements consistent with the Sierra aesthetic. The Town of Truckee VHR permit program applies if renting short-term. For a 1992-built structure, the community's role spans access, snow plowing, common-area fire mitigation, and (often) shared utility infrastructure. The HOA distributes maintenance responsibility between owner and association on a property-specific schedule - the matrix lives in the CC&Rs. Understanding which of those is owner-funded vs. community-funded is the central early-ownership task.
Nevada County / Town of Truckee — Permits, Taxes & Compliance
Permits
Portal: Town of Truckee Building Department (townoftruckee.com)
Permit submissions for this 2,785 sq ft property in Nevada County / Town of Truckee go through Town of Truckee Building Department (townoftruckee.com). Permitting jurisdiction splits between the Town of Truckee (incorporated areas) and Nevada County Building (unincorporated). The Town has rolled out updated fire-resistant construction standards in recent code cycles, and any project started after 2022 must meet the new materials and systems requirements. Plan around concurrent TRPA review when the parcel falls inside the Lake Tahoe Basin - that is where most schedule slippage originates.
Short-Term Rental Rules
TOT Rate: 10% (Town of Truckee VHR program, separate from county TOT)
If 13148 Roundhill Dr is operated as a short-term rental, the Nevada County / Town of Truckee 10% (Town of Truckee VHR program, separate from county TOT) TOT applies and registration is enforced. The Town of Truckee VHR program is administered locally and is separate from any county TOT. Annual renewal, proof of insurance, a local contact person, occupancy caps, and noise-ordinance compliance are all required. Certain zones have hit their VHR permit cap. HOA layers (Tahoe Donner, Glenshire, Martis Camp) may restrict STR further than Town minimums. The compliance overhead is roughly two hours per year of documentation if the operator is organized; multiples more if they are not.
Property Tax & Transfer
Nevada County / Town of Truckee administers the assessor records for this parcel (current assessed value $888,486). Truckee is an incorporated town within Nevada County. Town of Truckee handles planning and zoning; Nevada County handles unincorporated areas. California Prop 19 applies to all transfers. The Town of Truckee has been actively updating zoning to add residential density - relevant for future ADU or lot-split planning. A 1992-built structure that has been in a family for decades typically faces the largest gap between assessed value and current market - that gap shapes both transfer strategy and inheritance planning.
Fire Compliance
Agency: Truckee Fire Protection District
Under Truckee Fire Protection District oversight, this parcel sits in a High FHSZ tier. Truckee Fire Protection District covers most of the Truckee area for fire and emergency services. The district runs annual defensible-space inspections, and most Truckee parcels sit in High FHSZ with specific clearance requirements per zone. The district's website publishes the current inspection checklist. The maintenance cadence the agency expects is roughly: clear in spring, verify in summer, reconfirm before red-flag season - three touchpoints per year, not one.
Short-Term Rental Context: Truckee (96161)
The Truckee STR market sits at 0.1% registered operator density. Truckee (96161) is governed by the Town of Truckee, which requires a Vacation Home Rental (VHR) permit separate from any county TOT. The Town imposes occupancy caps, noise ordinance requirements, and an annual renewal process. Despite low TOT registration in the county database, Truckee has a substantial STR market — the VHR program is administered locally. Tahoe Donner, Glenshire, and Martis Valley each have their own HOA rules on top of Town requirements; verify restrictions before listing. A 2,785 sq ft home at 5,817 ft typically sees the spread inside the $32,000–$50,000 band determined by amenity load (hot tub, EV charger, pet-friendly), not by raw nightly rate.
Income estimates are based on Placer/El Dorado County TOT filings and publicly reported AirDNA/VRBO North Lake Tahoe data, 2023–2024. Actual results vary by property type, condition, and operator.
Truckee: Community Background
Development era: 1868 (railroad) — town established
If you walk the streets around 13148 Roundhill Dr, the 1868 (railroad) — town established development imprint is visible in roof pitch, setback, and lot orientation. Truckee's commercial district dates to 1868 when the Central Pacific Railroad arrived during construction of the Transcontinental Railroad. Chinese laborers, who comprised the majority of the railroad workforce, established a Chinatown in Truckee that was a significant community through the 1880s. The town served as a timber and ice industry center through the early 20th century before transitioning to recreation. The historic downtown's brick commercial facades survive from this era, and the town's year-round civic infrastructure — hospital, schools, services — reflects its origins as a working town rather than a resort. For a 1992-built structure here, the relevant due-diligence question is which of those original conventions are still load-bearing and which have been quietly retrofitted past code minimums.
Truckee: Local Events & Lifestyle
Truckee character: Truckee is a real town — with a hospital, schools, a newspaper, and a commercial district that functions year-round. Unlike the lake-oriented resort communities, Truckee has a permanent population that gives it infrastructure and civic services the smaller communities lack. This makes it attractive for primary residences as well as vacation properties, and explains why year-round values in Tahoe Donner and Martis Valley command premiums despite being 15+ minutes from the lake. 13148 Roundhill Dr inherits this orientation. Owners who understand the area's annual cadence (peak weeks, shoulder seasons, off-season quiet) plan their maintenance and rental calendars to match, rather than fighting the rhythm.
Truckee Film Festival
August (4 days)
An independent film festival held annually in downtown Truckee, using historic venues including the Truckee Theater. Draws a creative, arts-oriented visitor base and contributes to late-summer occupancy in the 96161 zip. For owners at 13148 Roundhill Dr, this is one of the calendar markers worth knowing - both for personal use planning and rental availability.
Truckee Thursdays
June–September (weekly, Thursday evenings)
A weekly street fair in historic downtown Truckee with live music, vendors, food, and craft beer. One of the most consistently attended community events in the region; gives Truckee's downtown a summer vitality that distinguishes it from more resort-oriented communities. For owners at 13148 Roundhill Dr, this is one of the calendar markers worth knowing - both for personal use planning and rental availability.
Truckee Tahoe Air Show & Family Festival
July (biennial)
Held at Truckee Tahoe Airport, this event draws aviation enthusiasts and families to a venue that doubles as a scenic gateway into the mountains. A distinctive regional event tied to Truckee's identity. A property at 5,817 ft in Truckee sees this in the surrounding ecosystem of dining, lodging, and traffic patterns each year.
Railroad Heritage
Year-round
Truckee was a Central Pacific Railroad hub beginning in 1868, and downtown's commercial character reflects that history. The old commercial blocks along Donner Pass Road retain their 1870s–1920s brick facades. The Transcontinental Railroad Museum in the restored depot building provides year-round cultural draw.
Property Record
- Bedrooms
- 4.0
- Bathrooms
- 3.0
- Living Area
- 2785 sq ft
- Lot Size
- 0.31 acres
- Year Built
- 1992
- APN
- 045-500-002-000
Data from county assessor public records. May differ from current as-built condition.
Managing a Renovation or Remodel?
Out-of-area owner planning a project in Tahoe? TR Tahoe provides owner’s representative and construction oversight services — real-time photo documentation, invoice review with broker oversight, weekly progress reports, and budget tracking against your contractor’s estimate.
- Real-time photo documentation
- Invoice tracking with broker oversight
- Weekly progress reports
- Budget tracking against contractor estimate
Seasonal Care, Handyman & Maintenance
TR Tahoe has served North Lake Tahoe since 1997. Pine needle clearing, defensible space, snow load monitoring, pipe freeze prevention, deck staining, fire prep — the work that keeps a Tahoe property in good shape and your insurance in force.
Considering Buying 13148 Roundhill Dr, Truckee, CA 96161?
I’m Tristan Roberts — a licensed Lake Tahoe Realtor (DRE #01259729, Coldwell Banker) and the founder of TR Tahoe Property Care. I represent buyers, and I bring both the brokerage and the property-care lens to every showing.
When you view this home with me, I’ll point out:
- What this property’s elevation (5817 ft) and High fire hazard zone mean for ongoing maintenance and insurance.
- How the Truckee Donner PUD water source and Truckee Fire Protection District district affect long-term costs.
- Issues common to 1992-era construction in Truckee.
- STR (short-term rental) viability and county compliance for Truckee.
Broker of Record: Coldwell Banker Realty — DRE #01259729 — 475 N Lake Blvd Unit 102, Tahoe City, CA 96145 (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §10140.6)
Equal Housing Opportunity. We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the nation.
Or text/call directly: (530) 448-1734 · tristan@cblaketahoe.com
Looking to buy, sell, or value this property?
Tristan Roberts is a licensed Coldwell Banker real estate broker with 27 years in North Lake Tahoe (DRE #01259729).
View sale history and market data at cblaketahoe.com →
This page is a property care and maintenance reference, not a real estate listing or appraisal.