Fritz Burns Swimming Pool in La Quinta opens SOON     La Quinta's Fritz Burns municipal pool, located at Fritz Burns Park, opens on June 2! Plan your summer swim activities: Lessons, rentals, movies, special events, and more.       General admission drop in is $3 for adults and $3 for youth age 15 and under.      Check on the benefits of a swim pass for both LQ residents and non-    residents.    If you’ve got a pool, this is a chance for your family to take lessons, get the kids out of the house, get the visitors out of your yard, and let the kids socialize with new friends.  Call the UMCA at 341-9622 or the pool 771-4347, or drop in to the pool to get your brochure with all the details of swim hours, lessons, rental fees.    There will be a special Fathers Day event on June 15, when D... 05/27/2013

  Set the Stage!     Spring is here and it is typically the busiest time of the year for Realtors.  Here in the desert, it slows down a bit but don’t be fooled: this may be the best time to buy and sell.   If you are considering selling, here are some tips to stage your home for success!     Every Square Foot Counts A home feels spacious without clutter, time to remove it!  Make the rooms feel open and welcoming.   Steel the show! Stainless-steel appliances are in demand these days.  If you don't already have them, remember that a small investment can bring big return.   Do You Smell That? Lightly spray air or fabric fresheners and to let in fresh air, if you have ceiling fans, show them off!   Got Light? A brighter room is a more inviting room.  Remember to let the light in and make su... 05/26/2013

I wish I was one of the Realtors in my office that has a "farm".  They live there, list there, sell there, get new listings there, sell there.  Boom!  I'm not one of those few, lucky agents.  I sell in the whole Palm Springs valley..Palm Springs (west side) to La Quinta, Indio, and Thermal (East side).  A lot of territory.  I LOVE that I get to go all over the Valley!  It's hot, hard and tiring, but I also get the chance to get out of my own area..even development.  I like figuring out the streets, the developments, the shopping areas, restaurants, popular hangouts..education is fun. I can only imagine how much easier it would be just to cover a few square miles..wow!  Sweet!  Yesterday, my San Diego clients came over on their second visit.  Narrowed it down between Rancho Mirage, (cent... 05/26/2013

Your credit score is broken into 5 main categories: Payment history accounts for 35%. Being late on a payment will have themost impact on your credit score. Amounts owed is 30% of your score. Have a positive effect on your score by keeping your balances at 50% or less of available credit. Length of creidt history accounts for 15% of your score.> a lack of credit will keep your score low. Also, keep accounts open as closing accounts will lower your score. New credit is 10% of your score. Every time you apply for credit an inquiry is registered which lowers your credit. Having 4-6 accounts helps your score. Types of credit accounts for 10% of your score. Mortgages, retail cards, automotive loans and leases, installment agreements have a positive effect on your score.Have a good mix of cre... 05/22/2013

I feel we have a real estate market that is better for both buyers and sellers than a few years ago. Interest rates are still at all time lows. Loans are alittle easier to get than a few years ago. Prices have increased a bit. There are still good deals out there. The challenges to me are that sellers feel the market is improving and they want prices from when the market was at the peak. The prices are not there yet and probably will not be in this area for some more years. The buyers still want prices from 3-4 years ago when the market was at the low. My challenge as a broker is to bring the buyers and sellers together so all are happy and the market keeps moving. 05/22/2013

Here is a tip to help you get top dollar for your home. A pristine clean and well maintained home gets more money. Declutter is first. Then new or like new carpet and paint. The yard is to be tip top manicured with flowers of yellow, pink, and whie. Closets are near empty and military clean and organzied. The cabinets and drawers are also spotless. Even the garage is near empty with not even dust. The cleaner the house, the more money it will bring and the quicker it will sell. Everyone likes a home that shows pride of ownership and is well cared for and extra clean and shiny too. Clean it yourself and then call the professionals and then clean more. You be happy you cleaned and cleaned and cleaned! 05/21/2013

JUST SOLD PGA WEST CONDO! This 3 Bedroom/3 Bath PGA West Condo on the Nicklaus Private Golf Course in La Quinta, listed at $367,000, just sold for $360,000!  We had the offer within the first week, and with a 30-day escrow it closed on Monday! I can find you a great place at PGA West, or any of the other golf communities in the desert... or sell your current home FAST! IS YOUR LISTING SITTING, OR SELLING? SEARCH FOR HOMES IN LA QUINTA 05/21/2013

When you get a reasonable offer on your home, take the money and run! There is an old rule in real estate that your first offer is usually your best offer. Don't be greedy. Over the period of a lifetime a few thousand dollars really will not matter. Are you truly ready to move onto to your new home and your new life? This unsold house is costing you money everyday. Take the plunge. Accept the offer and take the  money and run! You will be glad you did.  05/19/2013

As a real estate broker over the years, I have learned to adapt my life to be on call and ready to go 24/7. I have learned that whatever I need to do for my personal life and at home, I need to do early in the morning - exercise, clean the kitchen, make the bed, grocery shop, laundry, etc. I never know when someone will call to view homes or make an offer or some other issue will develop that needs immediate attention. Over the years, this has become my 'normal.' It is odd to me when I go out for lunch on a rare day off and see people living a really 'normal' life. Over the past year, I have been taking more time off and enjoying time with myself and my family more. With that said, real estate is my passion and is always in the back of my mind and I am set to go! 05/12/2013

 La Quinta kids’ summer classes at the La Quinta Museum    The La Quinta Museum is hosting an experience for elementary school age children called Cahuilla Summer Camp running for six Wednesdays beginning  June 12 through July 24 (no class July 3).  Come find out what was it like to be a child in a Cahuilla family hundreds of years ago? What did you eat? Where did you sleep? What did you wear? What chores did you have? What games did you play? Michelle Hedgecock of Caliso Learning will share her knowledge of Cahuilla culture with hands-on activities using some of the materials in the Museum’s collection. Sign up today for these free classes.  They are open to elementary school age children for 6 Wednesdays from 10:30 -11:45 am.  Make your reservation now because space is limited!  Call ... 05/11/2013

Looking for something to do after Mother's Day brunch? Mother's Day is generally a great day for open houses, especially here in the desert where the temperature is a beautiful 90°. The skies are clear, gentle breezes and clear views of the mountains everywhere! PGA West in La Quinta has six golf courses spread out over approximately 1200 acres. There will be many open houses for viewing .on the Greg Norman course, which is where my open house is, there will be approximately six homes to view. Come on by! 81345 Kingston  Heath  Dr. is offered Designer furnished including a golf cart for $1,399,000.  The most popular floorplan , the Ventana, with a detached Casita sits on a stellar homesite with highly sought after southern views.  The elevated resort style Pebbletec, saltwater,  pool an... 05/11/2013

Here in La Quinta, California, we are blessed with sunshine nearly everyday. From October to May our weather is usually between 65 and 85 degrees. From June through September we usually have 85 degrees early in the day and up to 110 or more. I am so happy this week as we have had a whole week of weather with highs in the low 80's. Guess what - I sold 3 houses this week. Even the people who live here are happy to be out and about. The people  moving here are really grateful for such great weather when viewing homes. It is so wonderful to walk in the morning, have the doors at the office open, and have homes very comfortable when viewing. 05/09/2013

La Quinta Cove Market Update Spring 2013   The market in the La Quinta Cove has changed in the last year.  Unlike other parts of the desert that have been slower to recover, the Cove has rebounded and the lower end homes under $120,000 are nearly impossible to find.  Last year we had an investor that purchased 23 homes ... all of them under $130,000.  Now when a home comes on the market under that price point a bidding war ensues and multiple offers are the norm.   Most of the homes in the La Quinta Cove are 1100-1400sq. ft. 3 bedroom/2 bath with small backyards.  They are ideal for the active rental market and tenants are abundant. With its proximity to Old Town La Quinta and it's wrap-around mountain views, investors find the La Quinta Cove very desirable! HOMES FOR SALE:  62 Homes ar... 05/07/2013

I absolutely support office caravans for new listings, here in the Palm Springs Valley. Why not? I always gain some important feedback for my sellers. We all know that the first 30 days of the listing are critical. Why not get as many fresh eyeballs, especially educated realtor eyeballs, into your home? First impressions are huge for potential buyers. I love to watch my fellow agents first impressions of my listings… It helps me! And then I can help my seller… It's a win-win! I have found in my listing presentations that some sellers don't like the idea of a bunch of people trooping through their home .However, once I explain the value of the "troops" experience, they generally come around.  I tried to attend as many caravans as I can, even if I don't have a new listing. I have also fou... 05/06/2013

LA QUINTA COUNTRY CLUB MARKET REPORT SPRING 2013   HOMES FOR SALE:  35 Homes for sale ranging from $320,000 to $1,599,000. HOMES IN ESCROW:  5 Homes in escrow as of 05/06/2013. HOMES SOLD YEAR TO DATE:  8 Homes SOLD as of 05/06/2013 Inventory has continued to grow as more and more homeowners have decided to list their La Quinta Country Club home.  There are approximately 515 homes that line many of the fairways or neighbor the golf course.  With an eclectic mix of homes ranging from classic haciendas to contemporary and modern, the La Quinta Country Club neighborhood has a home to match almost any country club buyers needs! SEARCH FOR HOMES IN LA QUINTA COUNTRY CLUB Follow La Quinta Country Club Homes on Facebook  La Quinta Country Club Tour La Quinta Tennis Villa REDUCED $200,000! Tenn... 05/06/2013

Our real estate market is as close to a perfect market as you can get. Buyers want more than than their budget will allow. The sellers want a higher price than the market will bear. We have adequate inventory. The weather is perfect. Interest rates are low and mortgage brokers are aggressive. Whether you are an investor, 2nd home buyer, move up buyer, or primary home buyer, now is the time to buy. for sellers, the prices have gone up some and have leveled out so now is the time to buy. My advice for all: DON'T BE GREEDY. You can get a good fair deal whatever side of the table you are on. 05/05/2013

No need to wax. Just sweep and mop on a regular basis and they stay clean and shiny. Mop floors with clear water or just a dash of liquid dish soap. Be sure to change the water when it gets cloudy. Too much soap or dirty water will make the floors dull or sticky.Don't use scrub pads on ceramic tile floors or you might scratch them. Our professional cleaners wash most floors by hand, cleaning, and drying a small area at a time. 05/03/2013

You can do a simple web search to see if you are one of many property owners who overpaid their taxes and see the amount they are elgible to claim. Under Revenue and Taxatiobn Code 5097 and 5102, property tax refunds that go unclaimed for four years after the payment date or one year after the mailing of the claim form ( whichever islater) may be transferred to the county general fund on order of the Board of Supervisors. Once approved by the Board of Supervisors, a transfer to the general fund occurs if a verified claim is not filed by Thursday August 1, 2013. Visit the website: www.countytreasurer.org/propertytaxrefund.aspx  to view the list of umclaimed refunds, to print a claim form, and for additional information.   This notice was printed in the Desert Sun on May 2 and 3. 05/02/2013

Here in La Quinta, California,( near Palm Springs) as real estate agents and brokers we sell a lifestyle and the buyers get a home for free. People buy homes here for the over 140 world class golf courses, social life, beautiful mountain views, warm sunny days almost everyday, biking, hiking, spas, fitness. This area is really popular for retired people. The restaurants and shopping are good. The people are friendly. There are lots of parties. This is a great place to live.   04/30/2013

I suggest you hire a certified mold inspector to inspect any home at the time of sale. Other times to have a inspected include: 24-48 hours after a water leak When you see mold on the walls, floors, vents, ducts, or other areas When you see moss or other growth anywhere in your home If you can smell moisture and it does not go away or get worse As we all know, it is way better to be safe than sorry when suspecting mold. The best plan is to call a certified mold inspector and get it located and remediated or cleared. 04/30/2013