Palm Springs Real Estate Blog

Are you searching for some of the most spectacular cities located in the West? Your search may have just ended. You see, we have some exceptional properties available and some rock bottom prices too. I am confident that once you read about some of the fabulous cities in here in the California Desert you will fall in love. In the Coachella Valley, there are many great neighborhoods, in our most favorite area cities: La Quinta, Indian Wells, and Historic Palm Springs to name a few. In this series, I will spotlight some of the cities located here in the Coachella Valley.

The activity is here, and in the surrounding cities; where you will find some of the most fantastic entertainment ranging from weekly to annual festivals, read on to learn about some of these prize California towns have to offer you. Let’s take Palm Springs for example. Glorious Palm Springs is the hub of activity for most of the West, here you will find some history of our country that is truly amazing. Palm Springs began its existence as a residential living area around the late 1800’s after being growing to be a prevalent rest stop for the stagecoach lines. Halfway between New Mexico, and Los Angeles, this location was made famous in later years by renowned Hollywood actors and Read the rest of this entry »

If you enjoy a great festival that gives a huge presentation but manages to keep the small, home town feel to it then here in Indio, California you will find exactly that. At the annual Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival, hosted by the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, there is something for everyone. From the lure of the games and activities to the food and fun it is one non-stop joy ride lasting for ten days in February. It’s coming soon and runs, February 15th -24th in 2008!! Hosting some of the biggest names in the music industry, the festival has managed to book entertainment by some of these top stars such as Leann Rimes, country music singing sensation joined by Banda Novillo and Heart. If that does not seem sufficient to draw in the crowds, you can also see an amazing performance by Gerardo Fernandez and Read the rest of this entry »

Here’s a peek at some of the Modern Architecture that is everywhere here in Palm Springs. Palm Springs had an abundance of world famous architects who worked in the 50’s such as Albert Frey, Donald Wexler, Richard Neutra, as well as others. There are many home owners who have done extensive restoration projects all over the city to return these homes to their original condition. I found this video on YouTube, please enjoy it!

Bravo TV’s Bryan Thompson take you off the beaten path in the desert around Palm Springs to show some great Modern architecture new and old.

Every nation has attempted at some point in time, in some way, to keep the spirit of their past alive in their hearts and the hearts of their people. Here in Indio, California this is one of the top priorities. Some years ago, there was an idea brought forward to assist in preserving the past of the inhabitants and people of Indio, but as with any new idea, without proper attention and stimulation it fails to grow and for a season there was no activity.

It was not until 1996, when David Hernandez visited Indio and the Riverside County Date Festival was in action, that the idea was brought up once again to paint murals to impact the city and it’s residents. These murals would draw attention to the small city of Indio, drawing visitors, commerce and economic relief. Aid was requested from local residents as well as local businesses. Everyone was given a chance to become a part of something bigger than themselves, and to help preserve a piece of history that would define their city.

As a way of earning the much needed income to produce the murals, an idea was born of Read the rest of this entry »

Nestled in the awe inspiring foothills of the San Jacinto and San Gorgonio mountains, lies the Morongo Indian Reservation. As one of nine reservations set in 1865 by President Grant, the Morongo Indians have since built their homes, and their fathers, after them. Generation after generation has passed through those 32,000 acres and have lived, loved, breathed, and died culture, freedom, and a determination to make a better way of life for each new generation.

September 28, 29, and 30 were prime examples of some of this culture and heritage we know so little about. The 17th annual pow wow of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians involving some of the most amazing displays of courage, beauty, sportsmanship and a willingness to allow us a view of their private world.

What is a pow wow, you may ask? These pow wows Read the rest of this entry »

Imagine the noise, the crowd is going wild, the smell of fresh cooked hot dogs, roasted peanuts, and popcorn is everywhere! Where are you? Palm Springs Stadium is where you should be, completely losing yourself in the joy of one of America’s favorite past times — baseball. Palm Springs Power Baseball has formed teams annually, with returning players helping to earn the love of fans all over. They play baseball and collect toys among many other things. Most recently was their “Christmas in July” game that requested the help of fans to gather loads of toys to be sent to Toys for Tots for Christmas. With the help of their mascot, Rocky the Ram, and all the “power fans”, dozens of toys were gathered to give. The Palm Springs Power compete in the Southern California Collegiate Baseball Association, which consists of six teams - East L.A. Dodgers, So Cal Bears (Fontana), California Glory (Ontario), Fire (Orange County), and Saints (Dominguez Hills).

This power baseball reaches out to the community at large, and offers Read the rest of this entry »

Are you searching for a new way to liven up your life? Maybe experience something you have never done before? Desert Adventures’ Red jeep tours is waiting to take you on a truly amazing journey, located mainly within 15 minutes from most Palm Springs resorts. Whether you are the company CEO, and looking for a way to build your employees’ team work rating, or you are on holiday at one of the fabulous resorts located around Palm Springs, Indian Wells, or La Quinta, to name a few, Desert Adventures’ Ranch has something to keep everyone content.

The desert may seem plain and somber to an outsider looking in, but here at Desert Adventures, you will have a chance to view the desert through a new set of eyes. Explore the beauty and might of the beautiful desert, journeying with us on a red jeep tour through some of the most beautiful areas of the desert, located on our 1000 acre private desert preserve.

Desert Adventures’ Team-building programs offer a great opportunity for companies trying to encourage team work within their employee ranks. By endeavoring to give them challenges they are forced to handle as a team and yet allowing them to enjoy the beauty of nature and one another’s company in a relaxed atmosphere. It will definitely build physical and mental strength in those that visit the ranch. Hosting a company Desert Discovery party here is also welcome, using the perfected programs that are tailored to meet the individual needs of each and every group that comes. The proof of perfection lies in the 80+% of repeat customers that pass through those doors each year and the variety shown for each planned activity only serves to show the insistence of Desert Adventures to make their ranch your first choice for a red jeep tour, team-building event, a planned party, or a simple desert get-away weekend. They hold the needs and desires of the client as the top order of business, and in doing so have served many satisfied clients in the 20 years they have been open for business.

What you want and what you are looking for determines what you will find at Desert Adventures. They boast mind boggling tours that give you an up close first class look at the unbelievable Joshua Tree National Park and the San Andreas fault, two of the most amazing geological wonders.

Boasting as recipients of numerous local, regional, and national awards in excellence of operation, business, and customer satisfaction, Desert Adventures would like to add you to their list of cliente. Nowhere else can you expect to find such spacious surroundings as well as the delight in finding something amazing and breathtaking to pass your time each day you spend there. The journey is well worth it, and the location alone will have you mesmerized at the beauty of the surrounding desert while you enjoy the ambiance of it all. Come experience the awe inspiring desert by hiking or indulging in a red jeep tour — experience Desert Adventures’ Ranch where the desert comes alive. Call Mary now at (760) 494-0416. Get More Information at: http://www.red-jeep.com/

To receive up to a $20.00 pp discount go to http://www.red-jeep.com/jeep_tours.html

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A FLYER WITH OUR CURRENT PUBLIC TOUR DESCRIPTIONS, PRICES AND SCHEDULES (requires Adobe Reader)

Article by: Elaine Stewart - Your Palm Springs Real Estate Expert: http://www.investdesert.com/

The Modernism of Palm Springs’ Renowned Architect, Albert Frey

Palm Spring’s own Albert Frey (1903-1998), an internationally-renowned architect, left his signature throughout the desert during his career. Many of his projects, whether they were schools, public buildings, commercial sites or ranch style combined his ideas of modernism and commercialism. As he often stated, he could not have practiced his lifetime devotion to his profession without keeping his business’s door open.

He lived in Palm Springs from 1934 to his death, from a time when there were 1500 residents in the bustling city it is today. He became involved in the city through a partner. When he arrived, he fell in love with the area, especially the Read the rest of this entry »

Eating is one of America’s favorite pastimes and here in Palm Springs there is definitely no shortage of excellent restaurants available for your dining pleasure. Whether you crave something fast, cold and fulfilling or something hot, spicy and satisfying; we have it all and we have narrowed it down for you to the top 3 restaurants in Palm Springs. These 3 give you a wide selection of sensory pleasing food to choose from while enjoying the ambiance of each different surrounding area. Read on for a breakdown of some of the best eating establishments here in Palm Springs.

For an authentic taste of Mexican cuisine, your choice would be Las Casuelas Terraza, recently ranked among the 50 best Hispanic restaurants across America, by the Hispanic Magazine. Here you are treated like family, regardless of your origins and the menu tempts your appetite like no other. Offering a spacious outdoor patio for dining-al-fresco or a low lit corner for relaxation, you will find Las Casuelas Terraza is the one restaurant that immerses you in the Hispanic culture, while offering you a temporary reprieve from day to day life. The bar is a favorite hangout at night and the Margaritas are Mui bien!!!

Not only is the restaurant among the top 50 best, but also makes my top 3 pick of restaurants in Palm Springs. This beautiful eatery is found along historic Palm Canyon Drive and has been opened to the public for nearly two decades. During this time the menu has been refined over and over and has taken a trend upward in offering some of the most amazing dishes as well as quick pick-up meals referred to as Pronto Food to Go. For an authentic taste of the West, visit Las Casuelas Terraza.

If your taste is leaning toward a more formal setting, and perhaps a good wine with an excellent steak, then Read the rest of this entry »

Where is the place to be every Thursday evening? In historic, downtown Palm Springs, where you can find some of the most eclectic, and amazing artisans anywhere. Only here can you immerse yourself in sensory delights that border on spectacular, and the lure of more to come keeps the weekly visitors returning every Thursday evening.

Offering a variety of sights, sounds, and smells ranging from familiar to unknown, the Palm Springs Villagefest promises to make your weekly expedition to downtown Palm Springs a delightful one. Visitors from all over are making this a must-see on their travel agenda, to experience some of the local culture as well as foreign. Finding so many different artisans in one organized setting can be a definite challenge, but here you get exactly that.

As an organized event that takes place weekly on Thursdays, the Palm Springs Villagefest is astounding in the familiar order of events, while offering the artisans that Read the rest of this entry »

So many people visit Palm Springs each year that it is hard to go anywhere in the world without people knowing about the city. Most of the people that come to Palm Springs to live or buy a second home or vacation home are merely tourists who visited and fell in love with it here. Who wouldn’t fall in love with Palm Springs, as there is so many activities here, but you probably already know that.

What you may not know is that the Palm Springs Air Museum, next door to the Palm Spring’s Corporate Jet Center and across the runway from the main completely remodeled air terminal is a flying museum. Nearly all the antique and WWII vintage aircraft fly. These aircraft fly often and there are frequent events going on all the time. The Air Museum also hosts traveling exhibits like the Leonardo DaVinci working model museum.

The Air Museum is staffed with volunteers, all local and they know their airplanes. There is an Aviation Library up stairs, as well as a working simulator for “friends of the museum” club members. The gift shop has every type of museum gift imaginable for the aviation, military and space enthusiast in your family.

Palm Springs Airport sits on a special Trade Zone designation, as it is an International Airport with connection daily flights to Read the rest of this entry »

For those of you who may not have a chance to get out and see the lights this year, I have put together a collection of computer Christmas Light Displays, done to music.

These were all found on www.youtube.com I hope you enjoy them and a Happy Holidays to
everyone!

Chipmunks Christmas Light Show

Dedicated in the memory of Jacqueline Miller Bennett. 25 years ago, this holiday, she lost her battle against cancer. Awareness of breast cancer through education and early detection can prevent the loss of another mother or daughter.

Over 120,000 lights in sync to the music of The Trans-Siberian Orchestra. This year the show is 10 minutes long. The location of the house is at the corner of Bob Mitchell and Paseo De Oro in El Paso, Texas.

Animated Christmas Light show done to a techno version of Jingle Bells by Ochre. House is located in Valencia, CA near Helmers School

Saks 5th Ave Snowflake Christmas Light Show New York City

The Biggest Little Light Show in Reno! Video of our Christmas Lights this year

House and lights in sync to Trans Siberian’s Wixards in Winter

This Poster Writes: This is my first year doing animated Christmas lights. This years songs are Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Sarajevo 12/24, Trans-Siberian Orchestra - A Mad Russian Christmas

Christmas light show at Macy’s in the old Wanamaker building on Market St. in Philadelphia, Pa

There is always something happening in Palm Springs, and it is happening every single day. Just looking at the local newspaper the number of events and activities going on can make you dizzy and in Palm Springs, there is never a dull moment. Just look at some of these events coming up on the Famous Palm Springs Events Calendar in January and February 2008: Read the rest of this entry »

There is no doubt that Palm Springs with all its hotels, spas, resorts, golf courses, restaurants and the Palm Springs International Airport, as well as the renowned World Class Convention Center is a vacation destination hot spot. In fact, a friend of mine who use to live in Hawaii has a daughter who is in the travel business and she jokes around a lot and says; “This is the only business you can send your customers away and still make money” and where does she most often send them? Palm Springs.

We often joke around about this - maybe this is why they both decided to move here. Of course, their cars looks kind of silly with Hawaiian Plates, I mean you really cannot drive here from Hawaii. They finally explained the simple process to have a car shipped back to the mainland and the move to Palm Springs was a lot easier than they thought. She explained to me that it was the best move they ever made - we get a lot of that around here.

As, I was thinking about this on my way to a local community meeting, I stopped in for a croissant deli breakfast sandwich, as I was running early again - the traffic here is nothing like the rest of California. Anyway, up pulls this beautiful car with a bumper sticker;

Read the rest of this entry »

So anyway, I turned on the TV nightly news, yes, I know, I know, its all negative isn’t it? In one part of the country people are flooded out, another people are caught in ice storms and the rest of the nation is in severe drought. I sure am thankful to live out here in the Palm Springs, Palm Desert Area, where the weather this time of year is so awesome, out door dinner on the patio of one of the “El Paseo’s Award Winning Restaurants” is a perfect end to a perfect day. The weather tonight was about 68 degrees and the food was terrific, it always is here, well all over the Valley really, it has to be, as all these top restaurants have to compete with all the 4 and 5-Star Golf Course Resorts. Sitting out on the patio is fun, it’s so neat to see all the Christmas Shoppers and the free-shuttle golf carts moving people around. I saw a couple driving an antique car and they waved, we gave them Read the rest of this entry »

The names of cities usually have a bit of trivia behind them, and the popular tourist and vacation home town of Palm Springs is no exception, and perhaps that is why our friends were talking about this the other day. When you think of the name Palm Springs, you think of palm trees and springs.

Yes, there are huge numbers of Palm Trees in Palm Springs, they are everywhere; in front of the resorts, restaurants, businesses, spas, airport terminal, movie theatres and hotels. In fact, they are everywhere you go, everywhere you look, it makes you feel, well just happy is the word I am looking for, just plain happy. The rates of depression in Palm Springs are next to nothing and many people who move here from Washington State, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah and even Wyoming say they were just so depressed until they moved here. The cure; maybe it is the Palm Trees - it makes everyone smile.

So we figured out the Palm part of Palm Springs, so what is with the Springs part of the city’s famous name? Well, the city got its name from Read the rest of this entry »

Many folks are worried about the weak dollar, some estimates say it is 13% undervalued currently and they know it has sunk nearly 30%, which sounds just horrible if you have money in the bank. Nevertheless, as savvy realtors out here in the Palm Desert and Palm Springs, we realize it means more foreign buyers coming to buy second and third homes. It also means many of the snowbirds from Canada who visit each year, can now afford that dream home here.

The Canadian dollar was about even with the US Dollar in September and it keeps getting stronger against the US Dollar and the snowbirds from Canada, particularly British Columbia are loving it. The United States currently has 80 billion dollar trade deficit with Read the rest of this entry »

The other day I was dealing with a young professional couple, who wanted to live in Palm Desert. One of them had transferred his corporate job to the area and the other was in a highly in demand job career and knew it would be no problem securing work in the medical field here. I showed them a few homes, a couple of condos and some gated community golf course properties without the age restriction.

They were so excited, but the big stickler for them was that they just do not trust the market with all the negative news on TV. The mass media sub-prime lending fallout, and the real estate bubble burst is all they could talk about, and yes as a Realtor all those things concern me as well. But, I know this market like the back of my hands from Palm Springs all the way through the Coachella Valley to La Quinta.

When you have a pulse on the community like I do, it is essential that you convey your confidence, break out the statistics, show them the homes that have sold, and the ones that had not. Tell them why. I sat down for two hours with them showing them Read the rest of this entry »

National Association of Realtors Headquarters

Perhaps you heard in the news about a Detroit Real Estate Company that also ran an on-line listing service and the discount real estate brokers in the area complained that their listings were give secondary treatment. Well the Federal Trade Commission took the case and tried to get a judgment against the company. A Federal Judge threw out the case and dismissed the whole thing. This was a big win for the National Association of Realtors.

Most MLS multi-listing services are owned by brokers anyway, and a ruling against this company would have had severe impacts across the nation for MLS’s everywhere. The Wall Street Journal had run a story on this on December 13, 2007. The FTC had sent out a huge number of press-releases when they filed the case and it hit the AP, with 1000s of newspapers running the story.

This is not the first time that the FTC has had a judge foreclose on a case, it is happening more and more each year. Generally, the FTC monitors classified ads with the help of local divisions in nearly all states. Since our industry does quite a bit of classified and newspaper advertising, there is no doubt that your ads have been gone over with a fine tooth comb and as they say, “no news is good news” and if you have not been contacted, well, you are like me.

This is not the only issue involving real estate that the FTC is currently dealing with, Read the rest of this entry »

Apparently, the Senate is moving fast to get a bill to the President’s Desk to stave off the next wave of foreclosures, as it looks like about two million foreclosures are imminent in the next few quarters. The analysts predict some 460,000 additional homes will hit the market due to these foreclosures. Law Enforcement Agencies are worried that this will increase crime. It is said that a one-percent rate in foreclosures creates a 2.8% increase in crime within a community. Those areas, which had seen massive growth during the top of the real estate bubble in 2005 and 2006 will take the brunt of the problems, which will sink real estate prices in those areas another 25% or more.

Wow, those are some scary statistics and I am sure happy to be working and living here in Palm Springs, where, a few more homes on the market will not be significant, rather provide us with a bit more selection to choose from. For me personally, I would like to see more listings, so I can help my clients into the very best property of their choosing.

California Senator Barbara Boxer has sent around a memo stating: Read the rest of this entry »