Palm Springs Valley buyers want to know what are the things to look for when buying a home … that is, besides the obvious structural ones that would be covered in a home inspection? Homebuying can be a very emotional experience for people, unless perhaps you’re buying real estate for investment purposes. Home is where the Heart is, so be sure to tune in to some of the less obvious aspects of the houses you visit while going through the rigors of your search for just the right one.
Most anyone who has ever bought a home will tell you that there are intangible aspects of a home that factored in to their decision to buy it besides the look or style of it, its location, etc. Let’s look at a few of these:
The way the Indoors and Outdoors flow together – especially in Southern California where we live, this is an attribute that is almost a requirement. A large percentage of time is spent outdoors on the patio, next to the pool, in the spa, around the fire pit.
Orientation on the lot – where does the sun rise and set in the Palm Springs Valley in regard to how house is set upon its lot? This orientation affects your heating and cooling bills, but here in the desert, it’s mostly about keeping the house cool. The late afternoon sun from the west can be harsh in the summertime and produce extra heat buildup.
Lot grade – Is the lot very steep, causing potential difficulties with drainage, landscape retention, driveway accessability?
Natural light – Are there enough windows and skylights to provide a pleasing amount of light? If you’ve narrowed your search down, you may want to visit the prospects several times at different times of day or night to get a true feel for what the light is like.
Neighbors – How close are the adjoining homes to the one you are considering? If privacy is a big consideration for you, you’ll want to walk the prospective home and check out where the windows are located and what views you see out of them. You may not like the fact that the neighbor can look right into your Master Bathroom window. Walk the perimeter and see how it “feels.” Here’s a short video below for you to watch with more tips about what to look for in a home…
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ENJOY THE JOURNEY
So pay attention to your senses while searching for your next home to buy. Try visualizing yourself in it and make sure the tangibles and intangibles align with your lifestyle and your sensibilities. When you wake up in the bedroom of your new home or are making dinner in the gourmet kitchen that was an absolute Must on your list, you’ll want to know that you listened to the voice inside of you that knows you and your family and that indeed, the right choice for a home was made.
Palm Springs, California is a community ripe with change. Its downtown is undergoing a Renaissance, with projects aimed at improving its lure to visitors and residents alike. Currently, 14 acres of prime real estate in downtown Palm Springs is being transformed into an upscale attraction composed of new hotels, a park, shops & restaurants, underground parking and more. It has gained attention as one of the largest and most prominent downtown redevelopments in Southern California.
So how is all of this development and the promise of more to come in the future affecting the real estate market in Palm Springs? Is now a good time for you to take the plunge and move to where the living is easy and the sun shines 360 days of the year? Full time or maybe part-time living in Desert Paradise . . . a place to come for long weekends, holidays or for the entire “Season.”
Home resale inventories in Palm Springs, California remained the same with a 0 % change in August 2015, as did Foreclosures and Short Sales. The median listing price for homes in Palm Springs stayed the same in August and there were a total of 10 price increases and 31 price decreases.
The Movie Colony is home to some great historic Palm Springs homes for sale!
With the market holding steady, NOW is a good time to buy your Desert Modern or Historic home in the Mesa or a home in one of the many new developments just built or being built in the area. Call Kimberley Kelly at 760-285-3578 for a preview of the amazing Palm Springs homes on the market today !
Take a look at this video on “How to Make an offer”
La Quinta, California is rich with some of the most beautiful golf communities in Southern California… and in the country, for that matter. Rancho La Quinta Country Club is one of them and offers so much more than just a home. Its carefree lifestyle and luxury amenities make for the complete indoor/ outdoor desert living experience. This gated community sports award winning homes done in Early California style and offers two championship golf courses, Fitness Center, Racquet Club with 9 lighted courts and so much more.
Call Kimberley Kelly today to preview homes in the highly sought after community of Rancho La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta, California. Kimberley has lived in La Quinta for 30 years and been an agent in the area for 15 years. Let her bring her longstanding knowledge and experience into your buying experience, you’ll be glad you did.
La Quinta is very fortunate to offer a wide variety of neighborhood styles, including a neighborhood called Hidden Canyon, which has a mystique all its own. Everyone has their taste as to what they’ look for in a community lifestyle… be it privacy, views, proximity to amenities, golf course frontage, lakeside location, style of architecture, etc. If you value the quiet magic of a home that feels like it’s off the beaten track, yet is located so close to multiple entertainment, dining, shopping and golfing venues … and offers an intimate desert setting hugging up to the stunning mountain surround, then Hidden Canyon is the place for you.
Hidden Canyon has highly desirable qualities making it unique to the area. The lots are large, allowing homeowners to create their very own desert paradise right at home – including private pools and lush desert landscaping. There is no clubhouse, workout facility or community pool here – but the La Quinta Resort & Club is less than 5 minutes away with it’s award-winning restaurants, Spa and special events. You can bike or drive to Old Town La Quinta for grabbing a coffee at its quaint coffeeshop, sipping a glass of wine and noshing an appetizer an one of several eating and drinking establishments or shopping at one of the unique boutiques there. Should you be a golfer, not to worry. Living in Hidden Canyon puts you in close proximity to many public golf courses, such as Silver Rock, PGA West, The Dunes and Mountain courses, to name a few.
Nearby Silver Rock is a golfing paradise
Now is a good time to buy. Should you consider making Hidden Canyon your home, recent home prices range from approx. $720,000 to approx. $950,000. It’s a small price to pay for all that you get for your money at this unique La Quinta desert locale. Call Kimberley Kelly today and set up an appointment to preview the available homes there. Kim knows and loves the area, having been a La Quinta resident herself for many years.
Have you been thinking of buying a home in La Quinta California? If you have, it’s a great time. Season is coming, the inventory will be going up, and the Sellers that have been waiting to list their homes will be putting them on the market! Another reason it’s a great time is because the loans are much more available, and rates are superb! Remember the power of using a local Lender…and Realtor for that matter, once you decide you are ready to buy. If you’re thinking about a golf course property in La Quinta, one of the first things to check out is the availability of loans. Be sure to watch the short video below, as it explains how large a down payment you should be thinking about.
The city of La Quinta is known for it’s “small town feel”. The Locals even sometimes say La Quinta is Rural! Compared to the more populous cities, such as Palm Springs, it is!! La Quinta is a very “artist friendly” town, with lots of interesting things to do. The famous Art Under the Umbrellas is really popular, and is a place where you can actually meet the Artists, discuss with them how they create, commission them to do something specific for you or your home, and perhaps establish a relationship with them personally! It’s fun, it’s exciting, it’s an opportunity to share your artistic and creative tastes.
One of the things that buyers in La Quinta particularly like is the proximity to the La Quinta Hotel & Spa, as well as Old Town La Quinta. Both have so many amenities to enjoy, including restaurants, music spots, quaint boutique shops, and special events such as block parties.
Choosing the La Quinta Community that best suits you is absolutely critical! Whether you are looking for a year round home, a vacation property, or a potential Lease property, it is imperative that you are comfortable with the Community you settle in. It’s not just about the house..though that IS important. A great house in an area that does not “feel” good to you and your family, looses some of it’s sparkle very quickly.
Here in the Palm Springs Valley, there are 9 very different cities to choose between. The West side cities of Palm Springs & Cathedral City, blend into our Centrally located cities of Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert and Indian Wells, which bleed into our more Easterly cities of La Quinta, Indio, Coachella and Thermal. Once you’ve settled on a city, then you need to think about your activities. Do you golf, ride, hike, swim, shop, go out to eat alot? That will help narrow it down to areas within that city. Then you need to decide whether a gated community is more suitable to your needs. Then it comes down to the amount of sun you want on your yard considering the months you’ll be here.
Then you’ll want to look for the best VALUE to YOU within your budget. This is where a LOCAL PROFESSIONAL comes in handy!
Our Desert Area offers a myriad of “Things to Do”. Even in the summer, with our triple digit heat, there are plenty of things to do. This fun facebook page, “365 Things To Do in the Palm Springs Valley.” always offers up some fun activities..both day time and evening!
La Quinta has a charming shopping center in Old Town, which is located very near to the La Quinta Spa & Resort, Duna La Quinta, The Citrus, Haciendas, Santa Rosa Cove, the La Quinta Cove, and all the surrounding areas. Offering several different dining options including Solano’s for American cuisine, Vue (formerly The Wine Bar), and also the always entertaining The Grill on Main Street.
The summer is always a great time to shop for property in our Palm Springs Valley. Sellers that really want to sell tend to leave their properties For Sale during our hot months. Buyers that brave the heat are usually pretty serious about buying in the desert. El Paseo in Palm Desert rocks the entire summer with it’s shops and restaurants. The River is the mall of choice and offers a 16 screen theatre too! Palm Springs has Pool parties regularly at it’s many family friendly Hotels..The Ace, The Hacienda Hotel and the Saguaro all participate. Take a stroll in the Village when it’s NOT season, and get to know the owners of the boutique shopping stores. Modernism is rampant in Palm Springs.
Many golf options available to La Quinta residents
Whether you’re looking for a Golf Course home, a Non-golf course home, or Land or Equestrian Property, the summer is always a good time to “get your feet wet” and start viewing what’s out there.
What makes the Norman Estates at PGA West in La Quinta different than other golf course communities? There are several unique characteristics of this small, friendly, “neighborhood within a community.” Greg Norman designed the community as well as the Norman course that flows around it. The Norman course is the only desert style golf course at PGA West, and now with the drought, we can see that it was ahead of it’s time! There is also a friendly “Australian style” clubhouse, that is warm and friendly.
Each course at PGA West is gated, with 24 hour monitoring. The Norman Estates at PGA West, has a second, pass code protected gate within the PGA West entry gate, creating a really private community. There are only 58 semi-custom homes at Norman Estates. The neighborhood is Tuscan inspired, lots are very large for golf course homes, (smallest is 14,000+ sf.), and there are several exterior elevations, helping to create a varied look from home to home.
I was the original onsite Sales Manager, when these homes were built in 2005-2006, and know each home on each lot intimately! Take the video below to see just one example of the homes at Norman Estates, PGA West. Streets are wide, mature trees offer shady walking, neighbors are friendly and the feeling is one of a true neighborhood at the Norman Estates in PGA West in La Quinta, California. HOA is approx. $550/month and home prices range from approx. $975,000 – approx. $1,500,000.
La Quinta, California is one of our centrally located Palm Springs Valley cities. Buyers looking to be a little further from the downtown Palm Springs activities, but near to the Central desert Valley shopping, as well as the more open areas often gravitate towards La Quinta. La Quinta offers a wide variety of both Gated and non-gated housing options, as well as Golf Course communities such as The Tradition, The Citrus, The Hideaway, Madison Club and Mountain View Country Club to name a few.
Now that the Loan standards have loosened up enough to allow conventional, refinances, VA Loans, and FHA options, buyers always want to know, “How much Cash do I need to close?” Take a minute to watch the very short video below as it helps to break down that question for you…
The famous La Quinta Resort & Spa in La Quinta, California truly is world renowned. The City of La Quinta, the “Gem of the Desert”, is one of the only cities that can claim to have gotten it’s name from a Hotel! Many of my desert buyers request to tour and write offers on the surrounding housing communities because they LOVE living near the Hotel and it’s many amenities.
There are many communities to choose between if you wish to be near the La Quinta Hotel. Many buyers choose to live within the Hotel community itself! They might be interested in the La Quinta Spa Villas, the Tennis Villas, Santa Rosa Cove, and just next door is the Legacy Villas. Legacy Villas and also the Spa Villas are lock and leave condos, which also rent very well as luxury lease units.
The Golf course communities include The Citrus, The La Quinta Country Club, Haciendas and La Quinta Fairways. A short mile away are several more golf course communities.
