The weather is beginning to cool and the evenings are mellow enough for dining al fresco.  We are approaching my favorite time of year here in the Coachella Valley.  It starts today (we're finally experiencing double digits) and it just gets better and better as winter approaches.  Blinding blue skies against tropical palms and desert landscapes and soon, snow peaked mountains and miles of velvet carpeted golf courses are the views in every direction. It's the end of September and  the most colorless time of year, here in the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta and Indio).  The lawns are been reseeded and the golf courses go through their yearly scalping.  The Palo Verde trees, usually lush with verdant greens and yellow flowers have been ... 09/29/2009

Here in the desert we love our sunshine and we do love heat, but by this time of year we are ready for a breath of cool air- not at 4 AM but at noon and even 3 PM. The summer is our winter and it is way easier than shoveling snow and scraping windows. We are tired of showing homes with AC off in 110 degree heat. Even the pools are like bath tubs. I will re-read this in a few months when the rest of the country is in the freezing range and we are in the 70's and realize how spoiled I am.I guess I'll go get in my 88 degree pool before it cools down.  This is truly paradise- La Quinta, California.   09/28/2009

    This morning, my husband, Kirk, and I enjoyed the season's debut of the La Quinta Farmers' Market, now commencing its second year in the streets of Old Town. You couldn't ask for a more appealing backdrop for a food-and-flowers market than the Spanish Colonial architecture of Old Town. The pedestrian-friendly venue has become the heart of historic La Quinta and the nascent market has transformed normally slow Sundays into the week's busiest day for the retail shops. Between 500 and 1,000 people packed Old Town during the market's first season and the number of vendors this season has increased to 23. Although September in La Quinta has been unusually warm and today promises temps reaching 106°, the early-morning adventure afforded vacation-perfect weather. We savored homemade pastr... 09/27/2009

Selling Tips for Sellers that REALLY want to sell..we all know the basic wisdoms to impart upon our Sellers about how to "tidy up" their potential Sale properties.  The ever used and oft repeated.. Curb Appeal First Impressions are everything! Smells..everyone hates 'em Pets..pen them up! Add sparkle to the windows by cleaning them. Pops of color add zip and draw attention De-clutter.  Package and Store..everything! Neutral colors rule Now, we get to five newer ideas that I just picked up from the recent edition of MONEY magazine, and I think they really pertain to Sellers that REALLY want to sell.  Sellers in my market here in the Coachella Valley, MUST be competitive with the dominant REO's which are driving every market in the valley right now.  Forget about beating their price/sf.  ... 09/26/2009

Looking for something fun to do?  Why not try The La Quinta Playhouse for a unique evening out?  Located in Old Town La Quinta , the playhouse has a new address.  79015 Main St is the new location, still in Old Town La Quinta, next to Stuft Pizza Bar and Grill. This non profit theater is a fun and exciting way to enjoy yourself and also help out a non profit group.  While your down here, stop by and say hello! "The Gin Game" Oct 1-25 Baby With The Bathwater" Oct 29-Dec 6 Shows start at 7:30 pm Thursday thru Saturday and 2pm on Sunday.       09/23/2009

Buyers and Sellers have two very different perceptions of a home.  Sellers tend to see their homes as "the best on the block!"  "People will pay more for mine because...."  "Someone will fall in love with it, just like I did!"  Here is the Seller's view of their home.  The Listing Agent can go over all the comparable homes they can with this Seller, but to no avail.. The potential Buyer, on the other hand sees this same home something like this...The Buyer's Agent can run all the comparables they wish to, but until the Buyers become a bit more educated about the local market. (and lose a few properties), they will not budge from their VERY LOW offers. If the Buyer and Seller do manage to agree on an opinion of the home that stimulates a contract between the two, they will have to deal w... 09/23/2009

  We finally got our dba approved by the CA DRE.  Sid and Laurie Kirkland will also be working under the name "Kirkland Properties".  If you need any assistance with buyers and sellers in the Coachella Valley, from Palm Springs to La Quinta, please let us know.  We do pay referral fees and will treat your clients like gold! This is only a dba, we are still part of California Lifestyle Realty in La Quinta.  The premiere real estate agency in La Quinta with onsite offices at the La Quinta Resort, Old Town La Quinta, The Citrus and PGA West.  No other agency has the presence and expertise in the La Quinta market and surrounding areas. 09/22/2009

Right now more than ever having funds for a down payment is crucial. A lot of buyers are not creative on how or where to get these funds. They think if there is not enough money in their bank account, they cannot buy a home. This is the lenders and Realtors can help to find funds the buyers did not think about. I tell them they have to want to buy a home more than I want them to buy a home in order for it to happen. I have found they usually have to pull  a little money from several sources to make it happen.Here some I have used to help put buyers in homes. What are your ideas?1. Retirement accounts2. Gifts from relatives- even a few hundred dollars from several people add up3. Sell a car, personal items, have a yard sale, jewelry4. Ask for the year end bonus early5. Sell stock6. Tax r... 09/21/2009

I have an excellent transaction coordinator.Thank goodness. Right now it seems the banks are trying anyway possible to delay escrows and dot every "I" and cross every "T." Each day is a new challenge to keep buyers from getting so frustrated that they give up. Even our escrow officer who is sooooo good, has been pushed to her limits recently.  Loan docs are drawn sometimes 2 and 3 times. Files are now 4 to 5 times thicker than just a few years ago. Our job more than ever seems to be: stay calm, be the voice of reason, keep working to get whatever is need to close no matter what, be positive for all sides, and keep going and going. We tell people it is like having a baby. The last few days before closing are like a very hard and long labor. Once the baby is born, the pain is soon forgott... 09/21/2009

1. Most of all we are having more fun and laughing harder than ever2. Each of us is out of our comfort zone on a daily basis- who would have thought we would enjoy doing videos!3. We are learning more each day about technology and ourselves4. Our business is increasing too - more leads and much easier to get listings- clients love the Internet knowledge, presence, and enthusiasm5. This has built even more cohesiveness on our team6. We are learning what agents and clients are interested in learning more about response on comments and video views7. This is reward to us for all the hard work we do in a day. We all have fun doing this.How has social networking changed you and your business? 09/21/2009

I hadn’t realized that Abraham Lincoln was the tallest man to serve as U.S. President (6’4”) and the only one to have a patent in his name (for creating a buoy system to hoist submerged boats). Impressive height and ingenuity–two unexpected traits I mentally add to the resume of our most beloved president.The La Quinta Museum is honoring the bicentennial year of our 16th president with a simple but affecting display of photographs and memorabilia. Recognizing the power of the nascent medium, Lincoln allowed himself to be photographed steadily throughout his presidency, most of them grave, head-on shots that reveal his craggy, somber visage.Some of the shots are iconic, some were new to me, like the tiny tintype of a younger man with mussed hair entitled, “Tousled Lincoln”, that supporte... 09/19/2009

The Investors are back in force here in La Quinta and the Coachella Valley in general. Good news for those of us still in the business!  My experience lately has been pretty much the same for every Buyer..they submit an offer for less than my Comparables and I suggest.  Usually, they have to lose two or three properties before they step up both their price and their time frame.  Foreclosures have become a bit scarce.  They still come up, but because of Pent up Buyer Demand, they usually generate multiple offers.  It's time for the Listing Agents with the REO's to start raising their List Prices!  This would help reduce the multiple offer nightmare, and also help the market begin it's very slow climb back. According to Data Quick Stats as of today, Investors made up 22.7% of Riverside Co... 09/16/2009

It has been along time - maybe a few years - since I heard someone talk about writing in their journal. We still write down 10 things we are grateful for each day and 10 things we want to attract, but I don't know if many people are even doing that. With so much negativity in the universe it is pretty easy to attract the positive right now. I guess blogging is the new journal only the whole world knows. Maybe that brings more accountability and self- honesty? Do we have to dig as deep? Do we really analyze ourselves, our goals, our journey,and most of all the "WHY?" The "PURPOSE"? Do you know anyone who still journals? My 81 year old mother still writes a diary each day. She can tell me what she did twenty years ago and what I did too- how cute is that! Times are changing fast in so man... 09/16/2009

Right now we are lucky to have very low prices just about everywhere go. On the flip side, just about everyone has been hit by the down economy. In my business and personal life, I am very careful to watch day by day to save little by little and it really ads up to be alot over time. I picked up many ideas like this while reading the book "The Millionaire Mind" many years ago. Here are some ideas to think about the next time before you pull out your credit card or wallet.1. We share a sandwich at lunch if we buy one. This save $3-$5 a day. In many cases it is about the same costs as bringing a sandwich from home and can save calories too. 100 sandwiches a year is $500 a year approx. savings.2. I stay out of Starbucks. I know that sounds extreme, but $3 even once a week is over $150 a ye... 09/16/2009

We have pictures that we show our clients after we list their house of homes with "stuff" in them and after we depersonalize the home. We show them statistics that the depersonalized homes sell 30% faster and for 10%+ more money. People look at a home and whether it is true or not, they say- "my dresser is bigger than that and I have more stuff to put on top of it than that, so I cannot buy this house." Another favorite is-" I have more clothes than that, so I cannot buy this house as I do not want a crowded closet like that. "We had a house one time where the owner ( Miss Fashion Diva) refused to move some of her clothes and shoes to a wardrobe box in the garage so we could sell the house. She went to Las Vegas for the weekend with her girlfriends. The husband helped us relocate the cl... 09/16/2009

1. Property appraisal is too low2. Repairs required in the contract haven't been completed3.Sellers say they can't make move out date4. Buyers can't qualify for a large enough mortgage to buy the home5. Buyers purchase a new car 2 weeks before closing6. The inspector finds mold in the crawl spaceGood agents have run in to these and more and know how to work around them. It is best to speak to buyers up front about possible issues before they happen. Make sure buyers are qualified, sellers are ready to move, the home is in good condition, and the home meets market comps plus any other areas of concern are met before listing the house and/or submitting an offer. Crisis prevention is our way of life.     09/15/2009

1. Take ownership of your happiness. Make peace with yourself2. Don't believe everything you think. Go beyond the mind and let go. Incline your mind towards joy.3.Let love lead. Focus on gratitude. Practice forgiveness. Spread lovingkindness4.Make the cellss of your body happy. Nourish and energize your body. Tune into your body's wisdom.5. Plug yourself into Spirit. Invite connectionto your higher power.Listen to your inner voice. Trust life's infolding6. Live a life by inspired purpose. Find your passion. Follow the inspiration of the moment. Contribute to something greater than yourself.7. Cultivate nourishing relationships. Surround yourself with support. Tend to your relationships. See the world as your family.This works! 09/15/2009

This has been really bugging me for some reason this week. Must be the time of year. Seems to me the areas and homes with untrimmed trees really devalue not only the home, but the area too. The home can be nice with landscaping, painting, etc. but look grungy due to overgrown trees., Especially here in La Quinta.we have so many beautiful Palm Trees, but when not taken care of they can look grungy or sickly. Often times people rush to water the grass, plant flowers and shrubs, but forget about the trees. Trees can add so much to the landscape, so don't forget to include them in your list of things to do. 09/15/2009

1. Sellers want real genuine agents that TELL THEM THE TRUTH. People can handle the truth, but want to know what it is. Do not be afraid to let them know the real value of their home.2. Have lots of letters of RECENT referrals. Let the clients talk to each other.3. Stay in touch with them. Find out the method of communication they like whether it is email, text, phone, mail, in person. Also, find out how often they want to hear from you. Make it at least every other day.4. In addition to the above contact, let them know feedback each time their home is shown.5. Make an effort to show up for each showing. This really does help sell the home. It also lets you know the weaknesses buyer see in the home.6. Having lots of listings builds more listings. People look online to see who lists more... 09/15/2009

This is still the key to success is real estate. I have a team of 15 agents and we all answer the phone 7 days a week at least 12 hours a day. Guess what- we are all top producers! Just today I picked up 2 more clients from agents who once again did not answer the phone. We all know people will wait for a doctor or lawyer. They wil not wait for a realtor- even their longtime realtor. They want realtors to be available 24-7. I actually put off being a realtor for about 20 years after I saw my realtor walk out of her party at her house with over 100 people there to go write an offer after she had answered the phone during the party. Now that is my life too. I love being a realtor. I am embarrassed and frustrated by realtors who do not answer the phone. If you are a realtor, please ANSWER ... 09/14/2009