Coachella Valley Real Estate By Kimberley, SFR, HAFA, GREEN
Residential, Equestrian, Land
I Do Real Estate The Same Way I Played Polo – To Win!
Coachella Valley Properties By Kimberley, SFR, HAFA, GREEN
Residential, Equestrian, Land
I Do Real Estate The Same Way I Played Polo – To Win!

Archive for March 2014

Kraft Nabisco Championship—An Exciting Week for Golf Lovers

Kraft Nabisco Championship—An Exciting Week for Golf Lovers

Kraft Nabisco Championship

This week promises lots of excitement for local golf lovers and those in town to look at Rancho Mirage real estate. Starting Tuesday, April 1 through Sunday, April 6, the 42nd annual Kraft Nabisco Championship will take place at the beautiful Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage. The renowned tournament is considered the first major tournament of the year and kicks off the LPGA tour.

Since 1972, the exciting The Kraft Nabisco Championship tournament has attracted some of the biggest stars in women’s golf. This year, more than 100 female players will compete for the coveted Dinah Shore Trophy in this much-anticipated event—as well as the chance to experience the rich tradition of leaping into the famed Poppies Pond located at the 18th hole. The event is one of the longest-running and most celebrated golf tournaments in history, and in addition to the men’s Masters Tournament in Augusta, it boasts the longest continuous run of any Major at a single venue. Anyone in town for a vacation or to look at Rancho Mirage real estate will enjoy an unforgettable treat by attending this event.

Participants in this year’s tournament including defending champion Sun Young Yoo and 2012 Player of the Year Stacy Lewis, in addition to a bevy of other top professionals from all over the world, including Lexi Thompson, Suzann Pettersen, Yani Tseng, Ai Miyazato, Michele Wie, Inbee Park, Paula Creamer, Jiyai Shin and Natalie Gulbis, among others. Golf aficionados and new fans of the sport alike will have an incredible time watching this thrilling and competitive tournament. Grandstands are located on the 1st tee, 9th green, 10th tee, 17th tee and 18th green with seating on a first-come, first-serve basis. There are a variety of ticket packages available.

The Mission Hills Country Club is located at 34600 Mission Hills Drive in Rancho Mirage.

image: usatoday.com 

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A Weekend of Music in Palm Springs

A Weekend of Music in Palm Springs

El Paseo GardensIf you’re in town this weekend to scope out La Quinta real estate or homes in another part of the Palm Springs Valley, you’re in store for some exciting entertainment, especially if you’re a music lover. Check out the weekend lineup in the desert cities for just a sampling of what the entire season has to offer.

On Saturday March 29 from 10 to 4 pm, The Coachella Valley History Museum Presents: Heritage Festival will be in full swing. Located at the Coachella Valley History Museum, the event celebrates the diverse heritage of the early settlers of the Coachella Valley. There will be multicultural food, unique works by local artisans, children’s activities and entertainment for the entire family to enjoy. On Saturday from 5:15 to 7 pm, The Gardens on El Paseo will host Concerts in the Gardens: Will Donato – Jazz Saxophonist. The evening begins with a wine and cheese reception before an unforgettable concert in the beautiful outdoors.

On Sunday, March 30 from 11 am to 1 pm, the Music in the Gardens on Sunday will take place at the Sunnylands Center and Gardens. Being picnics and enjoy the beautiful weather during this amazing experience. Also on Sunday, the Shadow Mountain Resort & Club hosts Desert Concorso from 9 am to 4 pm. Presented by Concorso Italiano, this new lifestyle event celebrates European fashion, automobiles, music, food and style—it’s a great way for those in town to view La Quinta real estate can get a taste of the lifestyle and culture that is so prevalent in Palm Springs.

Also on Sunday, the Indian Wells Theater at CSUSB in Palm Desert will feature Remembering Buddy Rich. Performed by one of the desert’s most renowned entertainers, Frank DiSalvo, this concert pays homage to the man known as “the king of drummers,” Buddy Rich.

image: 101thingstodosw.com 

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Music & Theatre Palm Springs-Style

Music & Theatre Palm Springs-Style

Palm Springs real estateThis Friday, March 28, kicks off a couple amazing theater productions and offers wide-ranging music options for visitors, locals and those checking out La Quinta and Indian Wells real estate to enjoy. For starters, Robin Thicke performs at the Fantasy Springs Casino from 8 to 10 pm. Located at 84-245 Indio Springs Drive in Indio, this venue attracts world-class performers and audiences from all over the world.

Jazz lovers can enjoy an unforgettable concert under the stars from 7 to 9 pm: Pete Carlson’s Jazz for Jazz Lovers: The Music of Cal Tjader Featuring Gary Foster. Gary Foster pays homage to Cal Tjader, the most famous non-Latin leader of a Latin jazz band, renowned for bridging the worlds of mainstream bop and Latin jazz. Gary has worked on more than 500 movie scores, performed in more than 200 television orchestras and was featured on recordings by everyone from Mel Torme and Frank Sinatra to Toshiko Akiyoshi and Lee Konitz, among countless others. The show takes place at Pete Carlson’s Golf & Tennis from 7 to 9 pm and tickets cost $25.

Love, Loss, & What I Wore starts Friday and continues through Sunday, April 6 at the acclaimed Annenberg Theater, a favorite of everyone who owns Palm Desert, La Quinta and Indian Wells real estate. An intimate collection of stories by Nora and Delia Ephron, this production is an international hit, accomplishing a two-and-a-half year run in New York’s Westside Theatre and receiving a bevy of awards, including 2010 Drama Desk Award – Unique Theatrical Experience and Winner: 2010 Broadway.com Audience Award – Favorite New Off-Broadway Play.

From Friday through Sunday, March 30, the McCallum Theatre hosts Peter and the Starcatcher, a musical prequel to Peter Pan that was hailed by The New York Times as “the most exhilarating storytelling on Broadway in decades.”

image: newseum.org 

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3 Tips for the House Hunt

3 Tips for the House Hunt

house huntingAre you ready to start viewing Palm Springs homes for sale? Getting the house hunt started can be a daunting process, but with a little bit of strategy and planning, you can find your dream house more easily and efficiently. Here are three tips for streamlining the process and making it more enjoyable.

1. Set a realistic budget. The first thing to do before you start looking for Palm Springs homes for sale or any property, for that matter, is to set a realistic budget. Determine how much of a down payment you can afford and start the pre-approval process with a good lender. You should sit down with the other decision makers in the family and break down all of your monthly expenses and income and create a solid budget, complete with projected mortgage payments, homeowners’ association fees and contingency funds. Now is also an ideal time to pull a credit report and make sure everything is accurate and fix anything that isn’t.

2. Get your team in place. It’s essential to find a good team to work with, especially when it comes to real estate professionals. The first thing you should do is find a good realtor with local expertise who will help you navigate this process. You can troll the internet and ask friends and colleagues and anyone else you trust for referrals. Once you have a realtor to work with, you may also want to find an attorney, as well as a reputed appraiser and title company. The most important thing is that you trust your team and enjoy working with them, as you may very well need to spend lots of time together.

3. Keep your options open. Cast a wide net so that you can find the home of your dreams. Put the word out that you’re looking for a new home—let everyone know, including your social media contacts, that you’re in the market. Search online and drive around neighborhoods you are interested in.

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A Week of Palm Springs-Style Culture

A Week of Palm Springs-Style Culture

American Documentary Film FestivalAre you in town to look at international real estate opportunities? Have you always dreamed of owning Palm Desert real estate? Whether you want to retire in Palm Springs, own a vacation home here or enjoy the beautiful weather all year long, there are always plenty of recreational activities to do that make the lifestyle so enjoyable. For entertainment lovers and culture aficionados, this week is exemplary of the wide-ranging options at your fingertips when you reside in the beautiful Palm Springs Valley.

On Tuesday, March 25 and Wednesday, March 26, the McCallum Theatre will feature Alfred Uhry’s classic play, Driving Miss Daisy. Set during the civil rights era and the days of Jim Crow, this timeless piece tells the story of Miss Daisy and her newly hired chauffeur, Hoke, as they take an unforgettable journey through a transformation in American society. This iconic play won the Pulitzer Prize and the film version, starring Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman, received several Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

On Thursday, March 27 from 8 to 10 pm, acclaimed trumpeter Chris Botti returns to the McCallum Theatre by popular demand to share his smooth jazz sound. Located at 73000 Fred Waring Drive, the McCallum Theatre is a favorite among those who own Palm Desert real estate and a must-see for anyone considering buying a home in the area.

Another cool thing to check out this week if you’re in town visiting or are here to look at international real estate properties is the American Documentary Film Festival. The festival is a unique event that is quickly becoming the largest documentary festival and market on the West Coast. In 2013, MovieMaker magazine called it “One of the World’s Top 25 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee,” and “One of the World’s Five Coolest Documentary Film Festivals.” The festival runs from Thursday, March 27 through Monday, March 31.

image: americandocumentaryfilmfestival.com 

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3 Killer Staging Tips

3 Killer Staging Tips

Neutral decorWhen you list Palm Springs homes for sale or put Indio real estate on the market, your property needs to be as appealing as possible in order to yield the highest prices. Whether your property is an equestrian home, a condo or a single-family dwelling, staging it properly is essential for attracting prospective buyers. It’s essential to showcase your home’s greatest strengths and downplay its weaknesses.

1. Go minimalist. The best way to show a home is to leave something to the imagination. All the rooms of your home should look as spacious as possible, which means there should be no unnecessary objects and furniture. De-clutter and eliminate the excess and thin out any areas that look overcrowded so that the rooms look larger. This also makes it easy for interested parties to enter Palm Springs homes for sale and imagine their own furniture and belongings there.

2. Neutralize the decor. Everyone has their own individual taste, so it’s best to make the décor as neutral as possible. Restrict accessories and decorative objects to small groups—and keep it to just a few. Remove family photos and anything that personalizes the décor too much. Again, you want buyers to be able to walk in and imagine their own things inside. Some sellers paint two adjacent rooms the same color to create the illusion of more space. To enhance this further, match the curtains to the paint.

3. Use lighting. A property that is staged well feel warm and inviting. Often times, this is achieved with good lighting. Play with the wattages in all of your interior fixtures and lamps, as well as the outdoor lighting. Try to blend ambient, task and accent lighting throughout the house as seamlessly as possible.

Click here to view listings of Indio real estate and properties available in other parts of the Coachella Valley.

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Theatre, Wine and the Desert Arts Festival

Theatre, Wine and the Desert Arts Festival

Palm Desert Food and Wine FestivalAre you in town to look at Palm Springs homes for sale? If so, this is an excellent weekend to check out all that wonderful activities that the Coachella Valley has to offer. The social season is always a busy one here—and it’s so much fun, you may just find yourself interested in Rancho Mirage real estate, even if you only came here for a visit.

Friday, March 21 marks the beginning of a theatrical run of the award-winning Marvin’s Room at the Indio Performing Arts Center. This play is a hilarious comedy that was adapted for a 1996 film, starring none other than Robert DeNiro, Meryl Street and Leonardo DiCaprio. The production runs through Sunday, April 6.

The Food and Wine Festival Palm Desert starts on Friday and runs through Sunday, March 23 under the Big White Tent between chic El Paseo Boulevard and Shadow Mountain in Palm Desert. Some of the most inspired California chefs will feature culinary delights and wine tasting in this spectacular event designed to showcase the Palm Springs Valley as the culinary destination that it is. This amazing festival will be the perfect inspiration for those who are in town to look at Palm Springs homes for sale.

On Friday, March 21 from 8 to 10 pm, the McCallum Theatre will host An Evening of Classic Lily Tomlin. This unforgettable live performance includes Lily Tomlin’s portrayal of over a dozen of her hilarious characters, including Sister Bookie Woman and Edith Ann. Also on Friday, the Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert will host the Fashion After Week Party following the The Best of Saks Fifth Avenue fashion show at the El Paseo Fashion Week. The party takes place from 9 to 11 pm.

On Saturday, March 22 and Sunday, March 23, the Desert Arts Festival will be in full swing at the Frances Stevens Park. Presented by West Coast Artists, this show features a diverse and eclectic array of exciting works from artists from a wide range of genres and mediums.

Click here to view listings of Rancho Mirage real estate and other properties in the desert cities.

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Moving Tips—Packing Clothes

Moving Tips—Packing Clothes

Packing Clothes for a MoveDid you recently find your dream piece of La Quinta real estate and are moving in soon? Or did you sell your Indio real estate or home in another part of the Coachella Valley and have to move out? No matter if you’re moving in or moving out, packing and preparing is an arduous task. Read on for some tips and guidelines for the best way to get your clothes from your old closet to the new one.

Hopefully, you’ve outgrown your college days where best practices consisted of stuffing all of your belongings into garbage bags and transporting it all in the back of a truck. If you have grown up and are about to move into your new La Quinta real estate, it’s better to be organized about transporting your things, especially your clothing.

When it comes to your dresser, it makes the most sense to use regular boxes and clearly label them for each drawer, so that you can easily put everything back inside when you get to your new digs. If all the items inside are lightweight, you may be able to move the dresser as is.

For all the clothing hanging in your closet, if you fold and label the contents of your closet systematically into boxes, you can avoid wrinkling all your clothes and having the hassle of taking them off and putting them back on hangers. If you choose this route, make sure to layer tissue or packing paper in between and around your clothes to keep them as clean and organized as possible. Another good option is to pack some of your clothes into your luggage—this is an excellent way to multitask as you move, since both the luggage and clothes need to go to your new residence.

However, the most ideal way to move your clothes is transport them in wardrobe boxes, which are long cardboard boxes stocked with a metal bar to hang your clothes on. You can simply transfer your clothes into the box while they are still on hangers, which will make life so much easier when you get to your gorgeous new piece of Indio real estate and are ready to set up your dream closet.

image: myyearwithoutclothesshopping.com 

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Feeling the Spring in Palm Springs

Feeling the Spring in Palm Springs

Desert Willow Gold ResortIt feels like spring break in Palm Springs—but there’s always a relaxed, laidback vibe in the Coachella Valley, which is exactly why so many prospective buyers seek Palm Desert real estate and visitors from abroad look for international real estate opportunities in the area. The gorgeous sunny weather and diverse arts and entertainment opportunities make it such an appealing place to live, visit and play in—check out this week’s lineup for a perfect example.

On Thursday, from March 20 from 6 to 8 pm, the University of California, Riverside Palm Desert will host a screening from the Palm Desert Art Documentary Series 2013-2014: Inocente. The documentary is a vibrant and inspiring coming-of-age story about a young artist who never gives up her dreams, despite being homeless as an undocumented immigrant. There will be a Q&A afterwards with one of the filmmakers. This series is a great example of the incredible cultural opportunities that are available to those who live in the area and own Palm Desert real estate.

Also on Thursday, there will be an outdoor concert at the Desert Willow Golf Resort from 6 to 9 pm: Music & Dining Under the Stars: Chris Compton, featuring live jazz and a French buffet. The Desert Willow Golf Resort is located at 38-995 Desert Willow Drive in Palm Desert. In addition, the McCallum Theatre will feature an exciting, one-of-a-kind concert: Celebrate the Best of Broadway! The performance, which takes place from 8 to 10 pm, features an array of Broadway favorites performed by some of Broadway’s new stars: Susan Egan, Lisa Vroman and Doug LaBrecque. Attending one of these exciting shows is the perfect way for those in town to view international real estate opportunities to get a taste of the cultural life here and all that the Palm Springs Valley has to offer.

image: desertwillow.com

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Living in a Golf Community

Living in a Golf Community

golf propertiesGolf isn’t just for baby boomers—the sport as a whole is growing in popularity every single year over the last few decades. Now more than ever, individual and families of all ages are seeking Palm Springs homes for sale in all of the desert cities. Many seek La Quinta and Rancho Mirage real estate because these areas boasts world-class, championship golf courses and therefore host a bevy of pro and amateur tournaments.

Retirees favor golf because it’s a calming physical activity that can be especially enjoyed in the beautiful yet serene desert landscape. Yet people of all other ages are taking up golf, as it is provides the perfect escape from the stressors of work and life. Since the game is evolving, the culture is transforming as well. Many crave the golf lifestyle and are therefore looking for real estate in some of the wonderful golf communities of the Palm Springs Valley.

At one time, golfers could only hope to find Palm Springs homes for sale in close proximity to a golf course—then the first wave of country club homes emerged in the 1970s and 80s. Yet now there are many opportunities to live on golf properties with opulent courses within that make it easy to completely immerse oneself in the golf lifestyle.

The appeal of living in a golf community extends to those looking for vacation homes and a place to retire—whether it’s the undeniable feeling of living an endless vacation, the plethora of options for recreational activities, or the unparalleled sense of luxury, it’s easy to understand why the demand is rising. Whether you are looking to find a golf property among Rancho Mirage real estate or somewhere else in the Coachella Valley, you will find a dream life where your favorite sport is accessible within minutes.

image: capecodgolfvacations.com

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