Now it seems the real estate market has gone one step further than ever. before I felt like once buyers put their money into escrow, most of the time it would close with minimal issues. Now once it is in escrow, many buyers start in again as to why they should not close the sale. Here are some reasons I have heard recently: Cracks in the cement Not enough trees in the yard Vacant lot next door Hinge missing on garage door Neighborhood too quiet A better home may come on the market soon Prices may go down Seller is making money on the sale\ and on and on an on ................ What do I say in response? Most of the time I laugh and say," you really are going to not buy this house because of _________________? Let's talk this through. What's the worst that can happen if you buy this house... 08/12/2013

Today is my first scheduled 'floor-time' at California Lifestyle Realty, Dunes Clubhouse.  Each on-site location is unique and has different features... early morning golf traffic at the Dunes or the PGA Tournament Clubhouse.  Also- MD Burger Spot &  Ernie's,  in house restaurant and bars with people coming and going-- and lunch is readily available.  The Lifestyle location at the La Quinta Resort & Spa is located in the heart of the world-class resort and adjacent to shops, Twenty-Six, Morgan's in the Desert, and all of the meeting rooms.   Old Town La Quinta location sits right on Main Street, near shops and restaurants, and  across the street from Old Town Coffee Shop! The views are'nt too bad either!     08/09/2013

I am now officially over the hill. I am 60 years old today. I am grateful to healthy and happy. I have a great family. My husband is wonderful. I have a son in Hawaii I adore. My daughter and husband and grandkids bring me joy. My parents are alive at 85 and are healthy and happy. The past few weeks I have been reviewing my life and am so grateful for the friends I have met through the years. many of my friends are directly related to me being their real estate broker. I love selling real estate. It is still my passion after selling nearly 2500 homes. For today, I am celebrating a wonderful personal and business life. Of course I am going to a home inspection, showing a few homes, getting a massage and lunch with my girlfriends who also work with me, and a nice dinner with my husband. m... 08/09/2013

I went to Hawaii in April to visit my son and sold over $8,000,000 in real estate within a month of my return. Now I went with my husband and we visited my son. I returned one week ago. So far I have sold 3 homes for $1,500,000 approximate and leased 3 homes, plus I have 3 more buyers for approximately $1,500,000. I also have 2 listings in the pipeline. It looks like I need to go Hawaii each few months to keep my business flowing. I can have fun and make money too. 08/02/2013

Today begins a new chapter for me and our SchoweProperties team!  I have my first "up-desk" session today at the California Lifestyle Realty office at the La Quinta Resort & Spa.    There are many great places to work, but I have to say that mine is one of the most beautiful!  This office located within the grounds of the historic La Quinta Resort is buzzing with activity, even in the summer! I am really excited about working with California Lifestyle Realty... and will be closing our first sale next week!           08/01/2013

We have over 100 days each year in La Quinta, California of over 100 degrees.  Most days it is a dry heat, but it is still hot. Over the years we learn tips to deal with the heat. 1. Go out early in the morning to get a breath of cool air before it heats up. 2. Wear light clothing in light colors. 3. Drink lots of water. 4. Cool towels and ice packs help. 5. Wear a hat or visor. 6. Stay in the shade whenever possible. 7. Use a visor sunshade to keep the car cool when parked. 8. Use your garage. 9. Keep blinds closed during the day to save on air conditioning. 10. Enjoy a swimming pool. 11. Misters help a lot. 08/01/2013

1. I have not sold my house 2. I do not want to the prices these sellers want for their homes 3. I am in no rush 4. I am waiting for lower prices and  lower interest rates 5. I am concerned about the HOA 6. I want to get to know the neighborhood better 7. I want to save more money 8. I am waiting to see what happens with my job 9. I am waiting to see what else comes up for sale 10. I want a pool 07/31/2013

Years ago when I started in real estate I worked with a broker who "suggested" that we go look at 10 homes a day.  I thought that was a bit much... but I get it now. She was absolutely right! There is no better way to ramp up your game, start real estate conversations, deepen your local knowledge, and become the neighborhood expert than to PREVIEW, preview, Preview, and then preVIEW all the homes in your area of concentration. I have just started with a new brokerage, California Lifestyle Realty, that is affiliated with the La Quinta Resort & Spa and PGA West.  It is a La Quinta based operation and it features homes in The Citrus Golf Club, Santa Rosa Cove, Duna La Quinta, and all of the PGA West properties.  This is a perfect fit for me because of my golf background... and I live right... 07/24/2013

If you're an outdoor person, and you can take the heat, summer hiking is awesome in the Palm Springs Valley.  But..hikers beware!!  Every single season, we have a brave, but crazy soul who doesn't believe the heat can beat them up.  Wrong!  At least one person is air lifted off a cliff somewhere here in the desert, when they get dehydrated, disoriented and panicked.  Use your heads people!  You cannot beat the heat! However, we have amazing hikes here in our Valley.  Here are three of my favorite hikes.  I much prefer hiking in the desert when it's a bit cooler, but I do still go out.  If you leave early in the morning or after twilight in the evenings and be sure to pack lots of water, it's still stellar.  The summer desertscape has it's own beauty.  Summer flowers and summer wild life... 07/23/2013

Buying down interest rates to get a buyer to be able to better afford a home and their payment was common several years ago. Recently, the interest rates have been so low that buying down the interest rates really did not make much difference. If you have buyers who were looking when the rates were as low as 3.5% and could buy a $400,000 home for a payment of about $1500 a month, and  now they can only afford a $300,000 home to reach a $1500 a month payment, they can buy down the interest rate to get it down or close to 3.5%. Many times the seller with contribute. Each .125% is about 1% of the total loan price. So for a $400,000 home to buy the rate down to 3.5% from 5% would cost about $20,000. This is a great tip to get deals put together and have a win for buyers and sellers too. 07/23/2013

PGA West in La Quinta has amazing views, from the mountains, to the fairways, to your own private backyard waterfall!   Janis Borgueta inspired me with her post Auto Awesome on Google+ Upload a Photo in Motion to Your Blog! to try out the new Auto Awesome feature in Google +.  When I was out previewing this week, I snapped some photos that I thought would make an impact with the Auto Awesome program.  I captured this backyard "spool" with waterfall on our tour of PGA West Nicklaus Private in La Quinta!  Thanks to Janis, it was easy to add to my blog and my website!     07/19/2013

The entire Riverside County will be reporting a more solid bottom line..after years of short sales and foreclosures turning our Palm Springs Valley real estate market on it's head, looks like our property values have recovered significantly. I would have to imagine that in most Counties in our United States, the recorders are reporting increasing property tax values.  That means the amount of money going to the County tax coffers goes up and many of the programs that were hit or cut can begin to recover.  Here in my Palm Springs Valley..part of Riverside County, we have seen a really strong recovery.  Of course that corresponds to a really HARD hit decrease in property values which we did see for the past 6 years.  We were right there with Las Vegas and Florida as the hardest hit counti... 07/17/2013

Here are a few examples on how higher interest rates affect buyers and sellers. A month ago a buyer qualified for a $300,000 house with a payment of approximately $1200 per month. Now to get a payment of $1200 a month, the can only afford a home about $250,0000. This affects sellers as well as they have less buyers for their home. Also as real estate agents and  brokers, we just got a pay cut as people can afford less for their home purchase. Buyers need to jump in now before the rates go higher and sellers need to negotiate now before prices and affordability go lower. 07/14/2013

This formula for profit in fix and flip houses is pretty much workable in any price range. I am doing a few examples. 1. Low end condo - 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, 704 sq. ft. in a country club neighborhood with golf, pool, tennis, fitness, restaurant.buy it for $50,000. Put in $10,000 in improvements - paint, carpet, reface kitchen and bath cabinets. Sell it for $80,000. Deduct your costs going out of $5000 approximate. Your net profit is $15000 approximate. This is a 25% return on investment. There is a recent sale at $80,000 so there is a comparable sale for appraisal. 2. Home is 6000 sq. ft. with 6 bedrooms, 6 baths, 3 car garage. Home is listed at $745000. I figure this based on a $700,000 sale price. There is a recent sale of the same home redone and sold for $940,000. This home will nee... 07/12/2013

It's well documented here in the steamy Palm Springs Valley, that we are a seasonal, vacation community.  Meaning that we have a very set "season" and it runs from mid October through mid-April.  I've been living here in the desert since mid 80's so I've experienced this "flee the heat" mentality every April/May.  The past 5 years have seen some changes however.  Our "season" is lengthening.  I have many clients that originally intended to live here during our unbeatable winters, then head back to cooler climates.  They are changing their minds after experiencing our desert lifestyle. There is still a noticeable decrease in numbers of cars at the end of the season, but compared to past "ends of seasons", those numbers are climbing.  Our slower, friendly desert style of life is addicting... 07/09/2013

The current real estate market is changing daily. Here are challenges to the current real estate market: 1. Interest rates are rising 2. Buyers want to pay the prices of 2009 and sellers want get the prices of 2006 3. There are many homes available but not many in great condition 4. Appraisals are tough 5. Loans take a long time 6. Most homes have a lot of deferred maintenance for areas like pools, appliances, and air conditioning 7. Spit shine clean seems a long time ago 8. 115 degrees is just too hot to view homes 07/09/2013

People have lots of ideas of what makes a 'good deal' in real estate. A low price of course is at the top of the list for most people. A low price is combined with a desired location, condition of the home, upgrades on the home, size of the lot, condition of the home, size of the home, floor plan, school districts, amenities of the area, Homeowner's Association dues and amenities, terms of the sale. A complete package of all of the above meeting the desires and needs of the buyers is an amazing' good deal.' With that said, most people only get about 70% of their wants and needs when buying a home. Picking your 'perfect house' for value and needs is the key. 07/08/2013

Dry heat or not, it is hot in the summer in La Quinta, California. Here are a few ways we beat the heat and enjoy the heat. Here's to another long hot summer! 1. Lounge in the pool- morning, afternoon, and under the stars. The pool is without a doubt one of the best places to be. 2. Take a trip to the Top of the Tram in Palm Springs. 3. Spectacular summer movies. 4. Stay inside and read a good book followed by a nice nap. 5. Take a long stroll through the mall. Retail therapy works well in the heat. 6. Iced coffee at Starbucks or a nice cold Margarita fits the  bill. 7. Pick a nice restaurant with a view of the valley to have a long relaxing lunch or dinner. 8. Knots Soak City Water Park is a winner in the heat. Enjoy the hot sunshine each day. This area is so beautiful whatever the tem... 07/07/2013

The polo season is exactly the same as our regular season..in other words, from mid-October through mid-April.  As the season has lengthened here in the Palm Springs Valley, with more and more people choosing to stay longer and longer, so has the polo season. Eldorado Polo Club shuts down completely.  Now that Goldenvoice owns it and is figuring out how to utilize it for Events etc., the regular polo season will not be changing at that club. Empire Polo Club, however, has built itself into quite a summer polo facility.  Vicki Owens continues the management of players/fields throughout the entire summer..used to shut down in August, but not any more.  Games are starting right now at 7:30 a.m. and last chukkar is generally over by 10 a.m.  Then the horses are cooled down with baths, and r... 07/06/2013

Will higher interest rates affect home prices? Will buyers have a sense of urgency to buy before prices even go higher? We have to recognize that interest rates of 5% are not that high. Many of us have not paid 5% in our lifetime. With that said, this extra 1-1.5% does make a difference for home affordability. People who could afford a $400,000 home a few weeks ago now can only afford $350,000 or less. Will the prices adjust for this or will people just buy less of a home. Time will tell, but if need to buy a home or even refinance a home, the time to act is now. 07/06/2013