Coachella Valley Power Association: This joint power authority consists of Riverside Co., the city of La Quinta and the City of Indio. Hopefully this authority will provide authority over electrical services and maybe figure out a way to make the Eastern Coachella Valley a standalone provider. Local resident and agent, Kim Kelly 760-285-3578.
I hear over and over from my potential clients for land purchases in the Eastern Coachella Valley, that they just won’t commit due to the lack of power. Developers especially are in a pickle as they may have fabulous site plans that the City may feel would be perfect for that area/zoning etc., but without the certainty that there will be power to the site by a particular date, they just cannot close their deals.
1. Goals: To work alongside IID to address growth in the Coachella Valley, and how to develop the infrastructure to get more power.
2.Energy Independence: While primarily coordinating regional energy goals, the agency’s long-term objective is to evaluate the feasibility of becoming an independent provider for electric generation and distribution service.
Meetings & Contact Information
Governing Body: The agency is facilitated under the umbrella of the Coachella Valley Association of Governments.
Meeting Locations: Meetings are typically held at the Coachella Valley Water District Steve Robbins Administration Building (75515 Hovley Lane East, Palm Desert).
Contact: You can reach the Energy & Sustainability Department at (760) 346-1127 or via email at cvag@cvag.org
Coachella Valley offers a variety of equestrian things to do!
Coachella Valley 5 Things to do: There is so much to do in the Coachella Valley. Years ago, when I first arrived in the valley, I mean over 30 years ago, it was completely different. I could drive from the polo fields in Indio to the Marriot Hotel to dance in 20 minutes, no traffic, and we could fly around town. No more, but so many other things to do! Local resident and agent, Kim Kelly 760-285-3578.
There are many more than 5 things to do out here in the desert, but here are 5 of the things that my friends and clients really like to do when we are here in the Coachella Valley.
5 Things to do in the Coachella Valley
Polo and Horseshow events: During top season, November through April, both the Eldorado Polo Club and the Thermal Horseshow are up and running. Wednesdays through Sundays, there are polo games and also hunter/jumper events.
Shields Date Garden: This is a classic and so fun. Buy dates, a date shake and watch the short film, The Sex Life of a Date.
La Quinta Cove Trails: There are so many hiking trails in the Coachella Valley. These are right at the La Quinta Cove near Old Town La Quinta. 4 Trail heads, all beautiful. Lots of hikes throughout the valley including Tahquitz Canyon in Palm Springs.
Cabot’s Pueblo Museum: Head toward Yucca and into Hot Springs area for this amazing tour. So interesting and unique to our Coachella Valley.
Coachella Valley Preserve: Check out the valley nature without the long drive!
There are so many fun things to do here in the Coachella Valley. While you’re here, and want to check out the valley real estate for sale, give local resident, equestrian and agent, Kim Kelly a call at 760-285-3578.
Coachella Valley date processing facility on approx 10 acres, asking 3.5 mil
Coachella Valley Land: Land in the Coachella Valley is plentiful and varied in price/acre. If you are looking to develop your equestrian farm, now is a good time to check out the land available. Most of our ag land has ag water available, maybe not right to the parcel, but available to get to it. Local agent and equestrian, Kim Kelly 760-285-3578.
I have been getting calls lately from land owners wanting evaluations. I’m happy to do that, I really enjoy looking at land and farms, and know the Coachella Valley quite well. But, when I give a seller a price/acre, it is the price that I can SELL it for. It’s the same as some residential sellers right now. If they really want to sell, we can sell. But, you aren’t necessarily going to get the price you want. You will get the price that the buyers are willing to pay.
Vacant land prices vary with location, view, condition of the land, fenced or not, water to site or not, private well or not, frontage road or not, zoning restrictions and use restrictions, but probably the most important issue right now is power. We are experiencing a lack of power for development. If you are looking for land to put a barn and arena on, you are pretty solid in any part of the valley. If you want to build a home AND a barn and arena, that could be more limiting in the location due to power shortage.
Be sure you are realistic about what you want to do with your Coachella Valley land BEFORE you buy it. Of course you have contingency period, and developers often have long term contingencies built into their offers, BUT with the uncertainty of power availability, even that is uncertain. Take a look at this 35 acre date producing facility offered for 8 mil.
Coachella Valley Data Center: The next council meeting is 5/27 at 6 pm at 1515 6th St., Coachella, council chambers. Local residents are not happy. We all know we need power, but NOT an enormous Data Center with all that it brings to the local environment and residents. IID can do better! Local resident/agent, Kim Kelly 760-285-3578.
The proposed location for the Coachella Valley Data Center is Filmore and Avenue 52 on approx. 600 acres. They’ll start with 3 data centers and eventually be at 6. Our gorgeous Eastern Coachella Valley is at risk with noise, light, diesel pollution, increased traffic and daily temperature increases of up to 16 degrees! Good grief, we’re already extremely hot, what a dumb idea for our desert. Not to mention the WATER, which is the next centuries gold. This is a very bad idea.
Data Centers Pose Environment threats to animals and humans
Data centers pose several environmental and health risks to surrounding communities, primarily driven by air pollution, noise, and cooling water demands.
ScienceDirect.com
Air Pollution: Backup diesel generators and nearby fossil-fuel power plants emit fine particulate matter and nitrogen oxides (
). This pollution increases the risk of respiratory diseases, cardiovascular conditions, and certain cancers.
Noise Pollution: Constant low-frequency hums from HVAC cooling fans and diesel testing can exceed recommended EPA limits. This can lead to chronic sleep disruption, elevated stress, migraines, and, in severe cases, hearing impairment.
Water Scarcity & Pollution: Heavy water usage for server cooling can strain local drinking water supplies
. Additionally, some data center operations rely on chemicals like PFAS (“forever chemicals”) for cooling and fire suppression, raising toxicity and environmental bioaccumulation concerns.
Light Pollution: Massive data centers require bright, all-night exterior security lighting, which can disrupt local circadian rhythms, melatonin production, and sleep-wake cycles
East Coachella Valley land values: We all know that in the residential world, inventory is low, and the buyer pool holds some power right now, but what about land?? We live in a unique environment here in the Coachella Valley because we have gorgeous homes, lots of golf courses, fantastic weather (most of the time!), and lots to do, but we also have something else..wide open spaces! Local resident and agent, Kim Kelly 760-285-3578.
So east valley generally means Coachella, Thermal, Vista Santa Rosa and Mecca. Land values have remained quite consistent for the past several years in all of these areas, except the Westerly areas. Land prices around the Madison Club, Monroe to Calhoun, 50 to 55, have gone up dramatically. $125,000 to $250,000/acre is not unheard of in this area. As you move Easterly toward Hwy 86, the price/acre drops, and on the East side of of hwy 86, past The Thermal Club and the newly approved Thermal Ranch project, it’s still very reasonable. Here are some approximate acre values..
Coachella and Thermal price/acre for vacant unimproved land is closing at approx 20-22.000/acre. Add Ag water, private wells, fencing and date trees and you’re closing at closer to $23,000/acre to $65,000/acre. Remember that smaller parcels generate a higher price/acre than large parcels.
Mecca: Vacant land in Mecca is our most reasonable price/acre in the Eastern Coachella valley. Large parcels close at approx $13,000/acre to approx $18,000/acre. Smaller parcels, especially improved ones will usually generate a higher price/acre. Take a look at this exceptional 35 acre date producing facility with two homes, zoning in place to develop, and critical location on a signalized corner of 52 and Van Buren, offered at 8 million.
Inventory is dropping fast, which will likely support prices moving forward. Homes are taking a bit longer to sell, but supply tightening is a key signal to watch.
Palm Desert
Median Price: $575,000 0.9%
Sales Activity: 198 homes sold 9.4%
Days on Market: 67 3.1%
Inventory: 908 homes 8.6%
Months of Supply: 6.81
Stable and steady. Prices are holding, sales are up, and inventory is tightening slightly. This is a consistent, reliable market.
Indio
Median Price: $535,500 9.5%
Sales Activity: 111 homes sold 13.3%
Days on Market: 77 30.5%
Inventory: 502 homes 20.4%
Months of Supply: 6.27
Strong demand but slower pace. Homes are still selling, but buyers are being more selective, creating negotiation opportunities despite rising activity.
Indian Wells
Median Price: $1,349,500 29.0%
Sales Activity: 34 homes sold 9.7%
Days on Market: 74 (flat)
Inventory: 145 homes 25.6%
Months of Supply: 6.96
Luxury market reset. Prices dropped significantly, but sales and inventory trends show buyers are stepping back in, creating potential value opportunities at the high end.
Rancho Mirage
Median Price: $800,000 12.1%
Sales Activity: 85 homes sold 23.2%
Days on Market: 65 slightly
Inventory: 476 homes 15.3%
Months of Supply: 7.76
Buyer activity is picking up while prices have adjusted down. More negotiating power still exists, but increased sales and lower inventory show demand is strengthening.
Cathedral City
Median Price: $539,500 3.3%
Sales Activity: 52 homes sold 8.3%
Days on Market: 51 15%
Inventory: 260 homes 13.3%
Months of Supply: 5.79
This is one of the more balanced markets right now. Prices are rising, homes are selling faster, and inventory is tightening, strong signals of a healthy, competitive market.
Palm Springs
Median Price: $605,000 3.2%
Sales Activity: 169 homes sold 11.9%
Days on Market: 67 13.6%
Inventory: 869 homes 15.5%
Months of Supply: 6.73
More homes are selling, but buyers are taking their time. Slight price softening + longer days on market = opportunity for buyers, but demand is still very active
Desert Rodeo, 2026 will be held April 24-26 in Thermal, CA
Desert Rodeo Coming Soon! Don’t miss it..back to year 2. A resounding success last year, April 24-26 will see the rodeo return to the eastern Coachella Valley. The 2026 Rodeo will be at the Desert International Horse Park (DIHP), 85555 Airport Blvd, Thermal, CA. Check out the details here.Local realtor, equestrian, Kim Kelly 760-285-3578
Our Eastern Coachella Valley is growing with each season, and 2026 has seen some new things happening. The Desert Rodeo is being held at the current showgrounds April 24-26. It was a resounding success last year, so it’s back bigger and better than ever.
The Coachella Valley is well known for it’s wide open spaces and equestrian pursuits. The world famous Coachella Festival is held at the former Empire Polo grounds along with the neighboring Eldorado Polo Club. The polo season has wrapped, horses are moved, and players have gone to their next venue. The green fields are now the setting for new art exhibits, temporary housing for all the festival goers and vendors, and it runs for the first 3 weekends of April. So, if you’re here for the Coachella Music Festival, add the Rodeo to your “things to do.”
If you are looking for a Coachella Valley home, equestrian property, event site, or vacant land, give me a call at 760-285-3578.
The Eastern Coachella Valley is getting more power!
East Coachella valley power. Our Coachella Valley is growing! The Eastern Coachella Valley is very familiar to farmers, growers, and equestrians because that’s where all the open land is! Acres and acres of open space. If you are looking to buy or sell vacant land, investment opportunities, equestrian properties, event sites, or residential, give local agent and equestrian, Kim Kelly a call at 760-285-3578.
Significant power infrastructure upgrades are coming to the East Coachella Valley, with a new substation project expected to be completed by summer 2028. This $50 million investment by the Imperial Irrigation District includes constructing a new substation to serve roughly 8,000 customers in the growing region, with construction starting in early 2027. This would be on the Thousand Palms substation. There is another substation that is planned to serve La Quinta and the east valley, and it’s going to be located on 58th st., and scheduled completion along with the Thousand Palms substation, in 2028.
I keep running into potential developers looking to do a project and they simply cannot get power. Well, if they put in their own substation (Maybe 15 mil??), they can get power, but otherwise, the wait time was a long time away and vague. Now, at least we are being told it will maybe have two new substations completed by 2028.
Timeline: Construction on the new substation is scheduled to begin in early 2027, with an anticipated in-service date by summer 2028.
Scope: The project is designed to support rapid residential and commercial growth in the area.
Improvements: The initiative is part of a larger effort to enhance energy reliability and capacity in the East Valley.
Regional Collaboration: The Coachella Valley Energy Commission (CVEC) and the recently formed Coachella Valley Power Agency (CVPA) are coordinating with IID to meet increasing energy demands.
Take a tour of this amazing 35 acre corner parcel on 52nd/Van Buren, already zoned for commercial and medium density residential, though currently an active date processing facility, 8 million.
35 acre date production facility for sale in Coachella, 8 million
Happy Holidays from the Coachella Valley! It was a fabulous year last year, and as we head into the new year, let’s continue to enjoy our beautiful Coachella Valley. If you are looking to head into the new year by buying or selling your Coachella Valley real estate, give local resident and agent, Kim Kelly, a call at 760-285-3578.
The polo season is rock and rolling and the Desert Horse Park is seeing the barns fill up in preparation for the new season of classes! Seasonal residents have returned to spend the winter in their desert paradise, and people looking to buy here in our Coachella Valley are beginning to arrive.
This beautiful date production facility in Thermal is a rare offering for the 2026 season. Encompassing approx. 35 acres, located on the corner of Van Buren and 52nd, consisting of 3 separate parcels, with power, a private well, date production facility, two homes and approx. 1100 date trees. Leja Farms is a family owned and operated facility for luxury dates. The owners are ready to retire, what an opportunity! Take a tour of this amazing property, offered for 8 million, including the turnkey date facility.
Development opportunities in the Coachella Valley.
Coachella Valley development opportunities. If you are looking for development opportunities, this is a good time in the Coachella Valley. Land values have remained pretty much stable for the past couple of years and there is a need for development, especially in the East Valley. If you are looking tobuy or sell in the Coachella Valley, give local resident/agent, Kim Kelly a call at 760-285-3578.
Development is happening here in the Eastern Coachella Valley. Other areas also, North of the I 10, and also in fill parcels. Larger parcels in the Eastern valley are still pretty reasonable/acre, and if you’re patient enough to wait for more power substations to hit our Eastern Valley, this is a good time to land bank. Looks like about 24 months for two substations in the East Valley to be completed, but when they are, expect land values to increase.
Leja Farms, a 35+ acre Date farm with it’s own processing plant, is located on the key corner of 52/Van Buren in Coachella is being offered for the 2026 season for $8,000,000 Turnkey. Turnkey means including the date processing sheds and equipment per Sellers inventory list.
How about this 4.3 acre Bermuda Dunes estate zoned for equestrian, or R12000 development in the future. Located right off of Washington St., just north of the BNP Tennis Gardens,
La Quinta
7.5%
2.1%
