Why I Chose Reno: A Lake Tahoe Native's Story
Why I Chose Reno: A Lake Tahoe Native's Story of Coming Home
Lake Tahoe has always been the place where I feel peace. That kind of beauty takes your worries away. It gives you strength. It rejuvenates something in you that gets worn down by everyday life. Every time I see those waters, it feels like home. Not a place I used to live. Home.
In 2012 I was living in Virginia, going through a divorce. I knew one thing for certain. I did not want to stay there.
That same year I flew out to help my sister take care of her sick baby. At the end of that trip I made a fast roundtrip to Tahoe before flying back to Virginia out of Vegas. I was with one of my best friends, Heather. She was heading up to see her parents who still lived in Roundhill, the neighborhood we grew up in together. When she asked if I wanted to come along, I did not hesitate for a second.
I will never forget driving up Highway 50. Just after you pass Spooner Lake, you get that first glimpse of Lake Tahoe's water. As soon as I saw it, I got emotional. It had been years since I had been home, and in that moment I could not hold back the tears. I was so happy to be there. And I knew, without question, that this was where I needed to get back to.
I turned to Heather and told her I was coming back.
So that is what I did.
I brought my sons to Reno to finish raising them, and I have never regretted that decision. I ended up specifically in Reno because that is where I started my real estate career, working with a broker who gave me my start in this business. I did not mind landing in Reno instead of directly on the lake, because Tahoe is our backyard. I am up there weekly. I get all the beauty and peace of that place while building a life and a career just down the mountain.
That is the part people do not always understand about choosing Reno. You are not settling for something close to Lake Tahoe. You are choosing a life that includes it, without the price tag or the seasonal crowds that come with living directly on the water.
What This Means If You Are Considering the Same Move
If you are sitting where I once sat, wherever that is for you, weighing whether to make a change, whether to come back to a place that feels like home or discover one for the first time, I understand that decision more than most agents you will talk to.
I am not just selling real estate in Reno and Washoe County. I am living the life I chose when I drove up Highway 50 that day and could not stop crying at the sight of the water. I know what it feels like to build a life here, raise children here, and still get to experience Lake Tahoe every single week without it being your full-time address.
A lot of people moving to Reno from California or elsewhere are not just running numbers on cost of living and tax advantages, although those matter. They are asking themselves a bigger question. Will this place feel like mine? Will I belong here? I cannot answer that for you. But I can tell you what it has meant for me, and I can help you understand what daily life actually looks like in the neighborhoods I know personally, from Somersett to Caughlin Ranch to the Newlands Historic District.
As I cover in my book, Selling Your Washoe County Home: The Secrets to Maximum Success, the right home is never just about square footage and finishes. It is about whether the life you build inside it matches who you are becoming.
Reno and Tahoe, Together
People sometimes ask why I did not just move directly to the lake. The honest answer is that Reno gave me what I needed at the time, a place to build a real estate career and raise my sons, while keeping Tahoe close enough to visit weekly. That combination turned out to be exactly right.
Reno offers space, a lower cost of living than the lake itself, and a strong community, while Lake Tahoe remains fifteen minutes away whenever I need that reset. For many of my clients relocating from California, that exact combination is what makes Reno the answer, not a compromise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Shannon Comstock choose to live in Reno instead of directly at Lake Tahoe?
Reno offered a place to build a real estate career and raise her sons while keeping Lake Tahoe close enough to visit weekly. The combination of community, opportunity, and proximity to the lake made Reno the right choice rather than a compromise.
What does Shannon Comstock's personal connection to Lake Tahoe mean for her clients?
Having grown up on Lake Tahoe and chosen to return to the region, Shannon brings first-hand understanding to clients who are weighing a similar life change. She can speak honestly about what daily life in Reno and Washoe County actually looks like, not just what the listings say.
Is Reno a good alternative to living directly on Lake Tahoe?
For many people, yes. Reno offers a lower cost of living, a strong sense of community, and proximity to Lake Tahoe without the price tag or seasonal tourism that comes with lakefront living. Many residents, including Shannon, visit Lake Tahoe weekly while living full time in Reno.
How long has Shannon Comstock lived in the Reno and Lake Tahoe region?
Shannon grew up on Lake Tahoe's East Shore and returned to the region in 2012, settling in Reno to start her real estate career. She has lived in Reno's Southwest since 2013.
What should someone considering a move from California to Reno think about beyond cost of living?
Many relocating buyers focus on tax advantages and home prices, but the bigger question is often whether the place will feel like home and whether the lifestyle matches who they are becoming. Shannon helps buyers understand the day-to-day feel of specific Reno neighborhoods, not just the financial comparison.
Shannon Comstock is a Reno, Nevada real estate agent helping luxury buyers and sellers navigate life transitions with clarity, strategy, and a genuinely personalized approach.
📞 775.842.2000
📧 [email protected]
🌐 shannoncomstock.com
📍 1401 S Virginia Street, Suite 100, Reno, NV 89502
Shannon Comstock is a licensed REALTOR® in the state of Nevada, License S.175542, with RE/MAX Gold.
