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!

Buyers

It’s a buyers market now!

It’s a buyers market now!

It’s a buyers market now!  Here in the Coachella Valley, like the real estate market pretty much everywhere, except the uber luxury market, is pretty much a buyers market at this point.  If you are looking to buy or sell in the Coachella Valley, give local agent (25 years), and resident (more), a call at 760-285-3578.

When I go on a listing appointment now, I really try to impress upon my potential sellers that the market has shifted to a buyers market.  If they aren’t quite motivated, and are sort of half in and half out when it comes to really SELLING, I suggest to them that they might want to hang on to their property.  Perhaps consider leasing it?  Maybe hold and hope that as we approach out season, prices will stabilize or even go up?  Really think about how badly you want to sell.  If a seller wants to sell, they will.

Get a local, experienced agent first off.  Go over ALL the comps.  Not just in your community, but the surrounding communities as well.  Imagine you are a buyer looking for a property similar to yours that you want to sell, what other areas would you be looking in?  Other communities?  Really understand ALL the similar homes/properties available to buyers right now.  Price your property accordingly, then be open to offers.  Do NOT refuse to counter.  Buyers are golden, and this is a buyers market. What does it hurt to counter back, no matter if their initial offer is too low.  Get over it.  Don’t be proud.  If you want to sell, list it correctly, get an agent that will WORK your property, and it will sell!

Take a tour of the BEST deal in the gated, low HOA, non golf course community of La Cantera in La Quinta.  51865 Via Bendita, offered partially furnished, highly upgraded at $1,175,000.

 

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Buyers are golden!!

Buyer are golden in the Coachella Valley!

Buyers are golden here in the Coachella Valley.

Buyers are golden.  Yes, I believe in climate change, and I also am seeing the climate change in regards to real estate here in the Coachella Valley.  Sellers are struggling to understand the changing climate, but if you have an interested buyer, don’t let them go.  Buyers are golden in this changing climate.  If you are looking to buy or sell in the Coachella valley, give me a call at 760-285-3578.

This aint 2022!  Forget about what your neighbor got for their house of the exact same floorplan, same view, same upgrades.  You’ll still sell your home, BUT, you will most likely get less money for it.  Remember Mr. Seller, it is also frustrating for your agent.  We are still marketing, we are still showing, we may even be delivering offers.  The sellers must not get stubborn or insulted.  Just be patient.  There will be a buyer, but you need to be flexible on the price/terms and you’re going to net less than you would have even a year ago.  Take a tour of this gorgeous custom home of approx. 2400 sf, 3 bed/2.5 bath santa fe style home on a corner lot in the La Quinta Cove.  Offered unfurnished for $874,500

 

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Are Foreclosures coming back??

Foreclosure road.

The road to Foreclosure???

Are Foreclosures coming back?  I’ve received several calls from clients that think they’ve spotted foreclosures and want help buying them.  When I checked, the two properties in questions had gone through foreclosure, been sold, and may appear for sale to the public at some point.  Is this a foreclosure pattern?  I have to say that after 25 years in the real estate industry in the Coachella Valley, having done hundreds of short sales after the crash in 2007, I am not experiencing this.  If you are looking to buy or sell here in the Coachella Valley, give Kim a call at 760-285-3578.

I really hope we aren’t going to get another wave of foreclosures, but none of us know for sure what’s up.  I follow the foreclosure websites, but haven’t found them to be very accurate.  I myself have seen just 2 properties over the past couple of weeks, one a condo in PS, one a 10 acre abandoned date farm in Thermal.

Because buyers have had to come up with the standard 3% down for FHA, and a conventional loan for 20% down, they have some skin in the game and aren’t carrying bad notes as they did in the past crash, “The Big Short”, if you will.  Good movie by the way.

The potential problem I am thinking may happen is that many people have tremendous amounts of equity in their properties.  If times get tough, finances get squeezed, it seems to me that more and more people will be tapping into their home equity.  This could for sure contribute to people having to walk away.  Which of us knows what’s in the future?  NONE of us.  Take a tour of this lovely Santa Fe style home, located on an over sized corner parcel in the La Quinta Cove.  2375 sf with 3 beds/2.5 baths/pool & spa/fully fenced lot, saltillo tile floors, vaulted ceilings, $874,500. 

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Coachella Valley Buyers; careful on the lowballs!

Coachella Valley Buyers; careful with the lowball offers!

Coachella Valley Buyers; careful on the lowballs!  I am the first to admit that the Coachella Valley real estate market is shifting from a sellers market to a buyers market.  The prime properties are still sold quickly, if they are priced correctly.  That’s the hitch.  I’ve been doing this 25 years and feel quite confident that I can get an accurate list number for my sellers.  In 2025, I have had to fight hard to not “chase the market.”  Call Kim Kelly, local resident and agent at 760-285-3578.

In the past week, I received offers on two of my listings.  One is brand new, in fact only one week on the market, and the other has been reduced several times over the past 90 days.  Both offers were definitely low balls.  What is considered a lowball?  The agent presenting the offers should have advised their buyers better.  On the new listing, the agent was from San Diego.  She presented an offer that regardless of the amount, could not be justified, or even close to that, by recent comps from that community.  To add insult to the offer, they asked for all the sellers furniture in that silly offer.  I told the agent that she needed to educate herself about the community before she writes an offer like that on a new listing because now the seller is insulted.  Try NOT to insult the sellers!  Sellers will usually respond with a counter offer, even if the offer is low, but often they will not when you cannot back that offer up with recent sales.

The second offer was also low, much below list, BUT this is a stand alone property.  What I mean by that is there ARE no comps for it.  It’s very unique to the area, not in a gated community, and a bit of a white elephant.  The sellers decided not to counter this one either, they felt they were just too far apart in the offer number and the amount of a reduction they were comfortable with.  Odds are good that if these buyers come back, the sellers will not look kindly on them.  Take the tour below of 42605 Byron Pl, Bermuda Dunes.  $2,799,000.

 

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Buyers Agent: Do I need one?

Buyers Agent in Coachella Valley

What’s the use of a Buyers Agent????

Buyers Agent:  Do I need one?  With , and all the rumors swirling around about the lawsuit against the NAR (National Association of Realtors), I’m trying to keep on top of changes, new documents, and procedures.  I’ve been doing this for 23 years in the Coachella Valley, representing both buyers and sellers.  I pride myself on keeping on top of changes, understanding the consequences and performing to the highest level for my clients.  My thoughts are below.  If you are looking to buy or sell property in the Coachella Valley, give Kim Kelly a call at 760-285-3578.

Why would you use a Buyers Agent????

  • I think the number 1 reason is to capitalize on their knowledge of the local market.  I’ve lived in the Coachella Valley for 40 years, and been in real estate here for 23 years.  I KNOW this valley.  I have represented buyers and sellers from the West side cities of Palm Springs and Cathedral City, central valley cites of Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, Palm Desert and La Quinta to the Eastern cities of Indio, Bermuda Dunes, Coachella and Thermal.  It is critical as a successful local agent to KNOW the inventory!  Golf course, non golf course homes, 55+ options, multi acre options, investment opportunities, land opportunities.  My experience is a HUGE reason my buyers turn to me for advice.
  • The second reason is because a local agent with experience should be really good at negotiating.  If you give the sellers this, what do you as the buyer receive?  What is the most important thing you cannot live without in the property search?  What is the least important?  I save my buyers hours of computer work, and questions about locations, cities and communities, and that’s BEFORE we even write a contract!
  • How much do I cost?  That’s negotiable.  It used to be negotiable when I met the sellers in a listing agreement.  The sellers are no longer able to offer buy side compensation.  But I don’t work for free, do you?  Remember that EVERYTHING is negotiable.  The price, how agents get paid, repairs, seller credits at close, furniture, I’ve even negotiated farm animals into deals!
  • Can you skip the buyers agent and go directly to the seller?  Of course you can, as you’ve always been able to in the past. Remember:  The sellers agent works for the SELLER.  The buyers agent works for the BUYER.  Their allegiance is to you, the buyer.  The List price is a starting point.  It’s your agents job to negotiate and get you the best deal on the Sales price, close costs, commission, and repairs..everything you can think of is negotiable.  Think on that.  The tour below is of a 2 acre farm that I have in escrow.  My listing, but we did indeed negotiate the buyers commission in the final sales price..it was just ONE of our negotiable points to get it done!

 

 

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Buyer representation or not?

Buyers representation

Do you need an agent to help you?

Buyer representation or not?  This question is going to need to be answered by every real estate buyer who is looking to purchase a property from here on out.  We agents are now required to get our prospective buyers to sign a “Buyer’s Representation Agreement”, and we must list every address of every property that we tour with the prospective buyers.  As a long time agent, I work with both buyers and sellers, and feel pretty confident that I’ll be able to answer my clients’ questions!  Local resident and agent, Kim Kelly, is available to answer your questions!  760-285-3578.

Buyer’s Agent Agreement Defined

A buyer’s agent agreement is a contract between a home buyer and a real estate agent that defines how the two agree to work together. And that’s it! While an agent typically is the one who requests a buyer’s agent agreement, it’s meant to set expectations and protect both agent and buyer in case one party doesn’t hold up their end of the deal.

Think about it this way: If you were shopping at a store and a sales associate really took the time to help you find exactly what you were looking for, then they earned the commission for your sale. Well, let’s say after all the sales associate’s hard work, a different one swoops in right at the close, rings you up, and takes the first associate’s commission. Not okay, right? That’s the kind of funny business a buyer’s agent agreement protects a real estate agent from.

Likewise, if the sales associate you’re working with ends up doing an awful job, you’ll want to be able to find a better associate, maybe even a better store. Well, if the right conditions are outlined in a buyer’s agent agreement, that’s exactly what it empowers home buyers to do.

But before you sign anything, you need to make sure the right conditions are outlined—that’s the only way the buyer’s agent agreement will work for you. So how do you know good conditions versus bad ones?  The right conditions are:

  1.  What does the buyers agent do for you..the buyer?  This is where we, the agent, need to explain our value.  Most buyers have no idea how much time and effort goes into narrowing the search to properties that fit their criteria.  I’ve got 23 years experience in our Coachella Valley.  I am very familiar with the various communities in our desert cities.  That’s worth alot!
  2. How do I, as your agent, get paid?  The buyer agreement breaks this down.  The buyer pays my commission in the agreement.  Remember that commission is negotiable.  Even if you agree to pay this commission, it’s my job to negotiate with the seller to get you the best purchase price and terms.  Let me do my job!
  3. Length of contract.  You can start with a shorter term to try out your agent, then give them a longer term if you are satisfied with them.

Bottom line:  I think a buyer DOES need an agent working on their behalf.  If I were buying in an area I did not know, I’d certainly hire one to help me.

 

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What do buyers REALLY notice in your home?

Indio vacation rental home for sale

What do buyers really look for when they tour your house?

What do buyers REALLY notice in your home?  This is so important when you are trying to sell your property.  The things that sellers worry about are often NOT what a potential buyer cares about!  Here are some of the most common things potential buyers DO notice when they come to tour your home.  If you are looking to buy or sell in the Coachella Valley, give me a call at 760-285-3578.

One of the things that constantly stands out to me when I meet potential sellers is how stubborn they can be.  They seem to think their property is the absolute only one like it and it is decorated perfectly, the landscape is special, the furniture is incredible.  They often just don’t want to hear me about what a buyer will notice.  It is often difficult to convince them that I actually do know what I am talking about!  Choose a good, local agent, and then get your money’s worth..listen to your agent.

5 Things a Buyer REALLY notices in your home

  1.  The Smell!  Good grief people, open the doors and windows!  Get the old people smell out, or baby poop smell out, or pet smell out.  Buyers all react to smell, the instant they walk into your home.  Cinnamon, flowers, cookies, fresh air, just make it nice!
  2. Music:  Yes, put music on if possible, and make it soft and easy to hear.  You are setting the mood, be cognizant of that.
  3. Clutter:  Open the place up!  Come on, just because you love those 3 couches in the living room, doesn’t mean it’ll work for a buyer.  Create a story.  Create a path through each room, a clear, uncluttered path that makes sense.
  4. Natural Light:  People, especially here in the Coachella Valley love the sunlight.  Make it as light and bright as you can.  Shades up, curtains pulled, create a happy, light environment.
  5. Lighting:  This goes along with #4.  Invest in good lighting.  It is critical.  Not just cool, interesting light fixtures, but lighting that suits that area the best.  Art niche lights, plenty of overhead light in kitchen and bathrooms.  If you do have lamps and hanging lamps, make them special.  Work with the natural light and make it better. The video below is of a game at the Eldorado Polo Club, open to all Coachella Valley home owners!

 

 

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Buying a desert home; 2024

Buyers need to understand the new Buyer Rep doc

Buying a desert home; 2024:  Rules will be changing for buyers and their agents probably in August of 2024.  The main one for buyers agents, is that we will have to have our clients sign Buyers Representation Agreements.  If you are looking to buy or sell in the Coachella Valley, contact Kim Kelly at 760-285-3578.

The Buyer Representation and Broker Compensation (BRBC) Agreement is a contractual document used in real estate transactions to establish a formal relationship between a buyer and a realtor or agent. The agreement outlines the terms and conditions for buying a desert home, under which the realtor will represent the buyer in the search for and purchase of a property. It also specifies the compensation the realtor will receive for their services.

I have had my license for 23 years, and have never used one of these agreements.  I always figured that if my buyers liked and trusted me to help them buy a desert home, they’d use me.  If they did not, they would choose a different realtor.  No longer.  Now, whenever I show a property to a prospective client, I have to list the property and they have to sign the Buyers agreement agreeing that I am working for them as their agent.  The other thing that is changing is how we, as agents, are paid.

My job is strictly commission.  Any expenses accrued by me as I work for my clients is on me.  That means hours of computer work, then hours spent previewing, taking my clients on tours and educating them about the desert, are all out of my pocket.  I love all that stuff!  I love working hard for my clients, and many times I have represented buyers that took several seasons to decide on a property.  The commission is always negotiable, but in the past, sellers have usually paid both their list agent’s commission and also the buyers agent’s commission, which has been shared in the MLS.  There will be no more MLS commission agreements made public.  Now, my buyers have to agree to possibly paying my commission, or contributing to it.  What happens next?  Stay tuned.. 2 acre property in the video offered at $1,245,000 

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Flood Insurance in the Coachella Valley; should you get it???

Flood Insurance in the Coachella Valley??

Flood Insurance in the Coachella Valley; should you get it??? Here’s the thing.  I’m a maintenance person.  I believe that if I do what I can BEFORE I need it, I will be in a better position WHEN I need it.  So, with all the changes happening so quickly in regards to our climate..literally, everywhere in the world, it seems a good idea to look into flood insurance.  Living in the Coachella Valley, which is a California desert, this might have seemed a moot point years ago…but now??  Probably a good idea.  If you are looking to buy or sell a Coachella Valley property, whether it’s residential, land, equestrian facility, or development opportunity, give me a call at 760-285-3578.

I chose to have flood insurance, and I live in La Quinta here in the Coachella Valley.  Got it just a couple years ago and so far, even after Hurricane Hilary, I haven’t had to use it.  BUT, as we all know about Insurance, when you need it, it’s a good thing to have.  Then there’s the fact that some insurance companies are no longer willing to write policies in disaster prone areas..this is the problem with Florida right now, and some of our fire prone areas here in the state.  I figure that if I get it now, have a history of it, and take good precautions myself on the property, odds are good I’ll have it there when I really need it.  Yearly estimates are based on the location, square footage of the house, garage spaces, single or two stories..lots of stuff.  Normal yearly fees for the Coachella Valley are approx. $400-$700 depending on how much insurance you want to carry and your deductible.  Not bad since water can do a job on ANYTHING!

Just something to think about if you are currently living here in the desert valley, or thinking of purchasing a home, horse property, or even vacant land.  I guess there really is something to be said for the expression “you can never be over insured!”  Take a tour of this 5 acre property in Sky Valley.  Offered at $1,199,000…

 

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Entry Level Homes are SELLING in the Desert.

In Escrow in Indio, CA. 2 bed/2ba, $209,000

Entry Level homes are selling in the Desert.  The COVID19 Virus is alive and well…unfortunately.  But homes are still moving here in the Coachella Valley.  All 9 of our Valley cities are moving.  Inventory is pretty low, and it is normally lower anyway as we head into the heat, but even more so now as sellers pull their properties off the market.  Many sellers are making the decision that until we can show homes easier, and things have settled down in the Economy, they are waiting it out.  Call Kim Kelly, long time local Realtor selling Entry, mid level, and luxury residences from West Valley to East Valley.  760-285-3578. 

Entry level in the Coachella Valley cities varies from City to City, but basically $350,000 and under is still considered entry level.  First time home buyers can often qualify for an FHA Loan which only requires 3% down.  Conventional loan rates for primary residences are fantastic right now.  15 and 30 year mortgages are available for 3 – 3.7% Interest rates.

Pool Home in Vista Santa Rosa just SOLD!

This cute, clean, 3 bed/2 bathroom home built in 2005, located just West of Indio just closed at $344,000.  Approx. 2100 sf, and featuring a SOUTH facing Pebbletec Pool and Spa, this one went into escrow within a week of hitting the market.  The appraisal came in a bit lower than List price ($350,000), and the buyers and sellers negotiated the difference.  That is what’s selling now..properties that have sane sellers.  The Virus is telling all the Sellers that if they are really interested in moving their properties, buyers are available..you just HAVE to negotiate. The market is softer than it was, so reflect it!  Take the tour on this gorgeous home at Los Lagos in Indian Wells.  A unique community of only 85 homes, all oriented around beautiful walkways and waterfalls..this one is listed furnished at $549,000.

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