Lake Tahoe Golf & Resort Communities: A Buyer's Guide

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The Tahoe–Truckee corridor holds the densest concentration of luxury real estate in the Sierra — and most of it sits inside a handful of private golf, ski, and lakefront club communities. They look similar from the highway and are anything but: course pedigree, club culture, price, membership cost, and rental rules vary enormously. Here's the honest, side-by-side guide Real Estate Tahoe's agents give clients before they tour a single one.

How to choose a Tahoe golf community

• Course & club pedigree — Fazio, Weiskopf, Nicklaus, Coore & Crenshaw. Each has a different feel and waitlist.
• Vibe — ultra-private and estate-oriented (Lahontan, Martis Camp) vs social and amenity-forward (Schaffer's Mill, Tahoe Donner).
• Price band — from the $400Ks at Tahoe Donner to $25M estates at Martis Camp, not counting the Martis Camp membership cost.
• Membership cost — often a separate purchase from the home. See the full Lake Tahoe golf club membership cost guide.
• Short-term rental rules — most private clubs restrict or ban it. Check the STR rules by jurisdiction.

Real Estate Tahoe's short list by buyer type: Martis Camp for legacy buyers who want the most amenities and the strongest resale brand; Lahontan for privacy and value at the estate level; Schaffer's Mill and Tahoe Mountain Club (Old Greenwood and Gray's Crossing) for buyers who want a real club at a lower entry; Clear Creek Tahoe or Montreux for buyers who want the Nevada tax position; and Tahoe Donner or Northstar if rental income is part of the plan, because they are the only golf communities here that allow short-term rentals.

The communities, compared

Lake Tahoe resort & private-club communities

Not every Tahoe club is built around golf. These ski, lakefront, and private-club communities round out the options — several are newer or still under development.

Reno–Tahoe luxury golf communities

Plenty of Lake Tahoe buyers also cross-shop the gated golf communities just over the hill in south and west Reno — roughly a 30-minute drive to the lake, no Nevada state income tax, and often an easier path to club access than the Tahoe clubs. They're worth a look alongside Clear Creek Tahoe, and Real Estate Tahoe's brokers take buyers there too.

California vs Nevada — which side fits you

The state line runs through the lake, and it matters. California communities (Martis Camp, Lahontan, Schaffer's Mill, Tahoe Donner, Northstar) hold the marquee Truckee clubs. Nevada communities (Clear Creek Tahoe, Montreux, Incline Village, Glenbrook) add no state income tax — which for many buyers outweighs the membership math entirely. Real Estate Tahoe is licensed in both states (California firm CA DRE #02235314, Nevada B.1003327.LLC) and works both sides.

Are Lake Tahoe golf community homes a good investment?

Real Estate Tahoe's answer, from the MLS: they hold their value well, but they are not a quick gain or an income property. The median sold price per square foot of single-family homes moved only modestly from 2023 to 2026: Martis Camp $1,788 to $1,800, Lahontan $950 to $972, Old Greenwood $806 to $873, Tahoe Donner $556 to $605 and Northstar $628 to $693. Owners carry club dues on top (up to about $51,000 a year at Martis Camp; see the membership cost guide), and most private clubs ban rentals under 30 days. Buy one to use and enjoy, with the dues in the budget.

Source: Real Estate Tahoe analysis of closed single-family sales in each community in the MLS, medians, 2023 against 2026 through October 12 (Martis Camp 18 and 28 sales, Lahontan 6 and 13, Old Greenwood 18 and 14, Tahoe Donner 122 and 162, Northstar 18 and 27), pulled October 12, 2026.

If rental income is part of the plan, membership cost is only half the math — the other half is whether you can rent the home at all. Most private golf communities prohibit short-term rentals; Tahoe Donner and Northstar are the golf communities that genuinely work as STRs. Full breakdown in the golf-community investment guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Lake Tahoe golf communities are best to buy a home in?

Real Estate Tahoe's short list by buyer type: Martis Camp for legacy buyers who want the most amenities and the strongest resale brand; Lahontan for privacy and value at the estate level; Schaffer's Mill and Tahoe Mountain Club (Old Greenwood and Gray's Crossing) for buyers who want a real club at a lower entry; Clear Creek Tahoe or Montreux for buyers who want the Nevada tax position; and Tahoe Donner or Northstar if rental income is part of the plan, because they are the only golf communities here that allow short-term rentals.

Are Lake Tahoe golf community homes a good investment?

Real Estate Tahoe's read of the MLS: they hold their value well but are not a quick gain or an income property. From 2023 to 2026 the median sold price per square foot moved only modestly (Martis Camp $1,788 to $1,800, Tahoe Donner $556 to $605), owners pay club dues of up to about $51,000 a year, and most private clubs ban rentals under 30 days. Tahoe Donner and Northstar are the golf communities that allow short-term rentals.

Which Lake Tahoe golf community is the most expensive?

Martis Camp has the highest price band — homes run from roughly $4M to $25M — with a Tom Fazio course and a private chairlift to Northstar. Lahontan is also estate-oriented, built around two Tom Weiskopf courses.

Are there golf communities on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe?

Yes — Clear Creek Tahoe near Carson City and Montreux near Reno are the main Nevada-side private golf communities, plus Incline Village's two public courses. Nevada has no state income tax.

Which Tahoe golf community is best for short-term rental investment?

Tahoe Donner and Northstar allow short-term rentals. Most private clubs — Martis Camp, Lahontan, Schaffer's Mill — prohibit rentals under 30 days.

Want help choosing? Email murat@realestatetahoe.com or reach out here and Real Estate Tahoe will walk you through the trade-offs for how you actually plan to use the place.