Assessor releases list of top 10 property owners

Douglas County's top 10 property owners account for 7.8 percent of the county's total assessed valuation, according to Assessor Doug Sonnemann.

About a third of that is owned by Harrah's and includes Stateline casinos Harveys Harrah's and Bill's for a total assessed value of $77.72 million.

Edgewood Co. is the second largest owner of property in Douglas County, with $36.3 million in property, including Harveys parking garage, the Horizon and MontBleu casinos, Edgewood Golf Course and agricultural property throughout the Valley.

The top five are rounded out by NV Energy which owns property valued at $31 million, Harich Tahoe Development which owns $26.4 million in property and Carson Valley Center at $12.2 million.

Another utility, Verizon, has property assessed at $12.1 million, at No. 6.

Two private Lake Tahoe home owners appear on the list of top 10 properties.

A 15,391-square-foot estate on 34 acres in Round Hill owned by Sierra Sunset is the seventh most valuable property in Douglas County at $10.26 million.

Minden manufacturer General Electric has the eighth highest assessed value in the county with $9.48 million in property.

Homeowners Joel and Ann Horowitz are ninth on the list with $9 million in assessed valuation. Joel Horowitz is the co-founder of Tommy Hilfiger.

The 10th largest owner, according to the Douglas County Assessor's Office, is the Bently Family Limited Partnership with property valued at $8.96 million.

Meanwhile, housing sales increased substantially over the first quarter of 2010 to a number not seen since 2006.

Sonnemann reported 170 homes sold in Carson Valley during the second quarter of 2010. However, the median home price dropped to its lowest level since 2002, at $215,000. The average home price for the second quarter was $258,079, down from $265,725 in the first quarter.

The last time 170 homes were sold was the fourth quarter of 2006, when the median price was $410,000. The average price was $481,302.