The Kraft Nabisco Championship going to be the very first major golf tournament of the year for the women of the LPGA Tour.  After a great 2008 season, it is time to get things rolling in 2009.  This year, the Kraft Nabisco Championship tournament will be taking place at the Dinah Shore Tournament Course.  This scenic course is located at the Mission Hills Country Club in beautiful Rancho Mirage, California.  This course is near Palm Springs, California and is absolutely stunning.  The weather is perfect, and the surroundings are equally impressive.  The tournament will be held for the 38th consecutive year at this wonderful location. LPGA golf fans everywhere are getting set for the event which kicks off on Monday, March 30th.  This day has been designated for practice rounds.  Then on... 02/28/2009

Search All Palm Springs Area Real Estate; Search Golf Course Homes  It doesn't get any better than this. Enjoy snow covered mountain tops and a warm, sunny blue sky! Where do you get all of this and more? Only in the Palms Springs area! There's no better time than now to buy with home prices down 40 - 50% in some areas. It is a buyers market right now! Don't miss your opportunity to own a piece of this paradise. Search the Desert Area Multiple Listings for free! 02/23/2009

There have been a lot of questions in our office from clients today regarding the $8,000 tax credit being signed today for first time buyers.  We've consulted with one of our loan brokers here in Palm Springs, who has offered the following explanation with the help of CNN Money: Final score: $8,000 for homebuyers First-time purchasers get a tax credit windfall if they buy before December. By Les Christie, CNNMoney.com staff writer Last Updated: February 17, 2009: 12:13 PM ET NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- There's a nice windfall for some homebuyers in the economic stimulus bill awaiting President Obama's signature on Tuesday. First-time buyers can claim a credit worth $8,000 - or 10% of the home's value, whichever is less - on their 2008 or 2009 taxes. A big plus is that the credit is refun... 02/17/2009

Palm Springs welcome the 2009 Modernism Week again this year.  The annual show and sale features 80 premier national and international decorative and fine arts dealers presenting all design movements of the 20th Century.  I am proud to be a sponsor this year, and will have a booth at the show featuring current mid-century and modern homes on the market.  Vist www.palmspringsmodernism.com for more information. Corresponding with the show, will be a Modernism Home Tour which will highlight some of the best mid-century and modern properties currently available.  I will be holding the following two homes open this weekend: 931 Alejo Vista  Modern Townhome in the heart of Palm Springs, with your own private pool and spa.  $575,000  2 Bdrm, Loft, 3 baths, double car garage. Open Sat and Sun 1... 02/13/2009

Have you ever heard the term "party like a rock star"?  Well, if you take out rock star add in movie star then that is just what was happening at Vista Las Palmas in the middle of the 20th century. During the rise and heyday of Las Vegas some very famous celebrities took their respites here. Everyone from the members of the Rat Pack to Sidney Sheldon had a place in this community and the public knew about it. Back then the area was known as the Beverly Hills of Palm Springs. Even Elvis spent his honeymoon in Vista Las Palmas! It was certainly the place to be back then and many legends were created in and amongst the star studded parties and evening soirees. Anybody who was somebody visited the area nestled in the private confines of Palm Springs.  Vista Las Palmas offered an atmosphere ... 02/09/2009

 Monday, February 2, 2009 By Rob Zwemmerwww.DesertRealEstatePrices.com Good Monday morning               78°F | 50°F A Weekend full of Sun, Excitement and Burgers. It does not get any better than this.  Yesterday's Super Bowl game was probably the best I've ever seen.       The Steelers and the Cardinals created an absolute thriller,with the Steelers becoming again World Champion. The Real Estate Market here in the Desert is also creating a lot of hype.  The Season here in the valley has definitely kicked off and the snowbirds and home buyers are back in town in more force than ever.Despite the negative economic news Home Sales here in the Palm Springs Area was up again in January of 2009 versus 2008 by 7%. There are great deals to be made with some homes selling as low as 40-50 cents o... 02/02/2009

The Stage Coach Country Music Festival brings together a wide variety of performers and vendors.  Sponsored by Toyota Tundra, the two-day festival boasts an impressive lineup with some of the top artists in American country music.  The event will take place on Saturday, April 25th and Sunday, April 26th 2009.  It is scheduled to be held at the scenic Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.  On top of all the great music across different stages, there will also be vendors, food booths, a BBQ competition, and an expanded camping area with amenities and an RV camp ground to accommodate the thousands of people who will flock to this event. Who is going to perform?  Well, the headliners are Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney, Reba, and Kid Rock.  Tons of other artists and bands are slated to play th... 01/31/2009

Just a reminder that the 9th Annual Palm Springs Modernism Show & Sale will return on February 13-15.  This year's show will feature 75 exhibitors from across the U.S. and Europe presenting vintage furniture, decorative and fine arts reflecting all design movements of the 20th century.  I'm proud to be one of the co-sponsors again this year and will have a desk set up at the show to provide information on the Palm Springs Modern Real Estate market.  For more information, including a list of additional exhibitors, visit www.palmspringsmodernism.com The modernism show preview party on Friday night benefiting the Palm Springs Modernism Week Commitee kicks off a 9-day celebration of modernism including architectural tours, gallery openings, vintage car show, and so much more.  The full list... 01/30/2009

Hotel Zoso is located in beautiful Palm Springs, California.  The luxurious accommodations and scenic surroundings are just part of the reason why this hotel is so popular.  The rooms and suites feature plush furniture and enormous plasma TV's.  Work stations and wireless internet access are available to all guests.  Situated in the panoramic Coachella Valley, Hotel Zoso lets you take in all that this wonderful region has to offer. There are many more elements that make Hotel Zoso special, so read on and discover more. You can enjoy some delicious California cuisine at the eatZ restaurant on site.  Fresh food made by a highly respected chef and great drink selections will leave you immensely satisfied.  The restaurant is open for all meal times, so there's no need to worry about what ti... 01/29/2009

Do you love architecture? Palm Springs is a mecca for architectural properties, both residential and commercial. The Palm Springs Are Museum will be offering the 'Palm Springs Architecture 101 Series" this year on Saturdays.  Responding to popular demand, they are offering a series of classes that will focus on four local icons: Albert Frey, William Cody, Donald Wexler and E. Stewart Williams and will trace the roots of their work, looking at their development and impact on the community.  Each class will include a visit to a site designed by the subject architect. The first class will be focused on Albert Frey January 17 Lecturer: Bill Butler SITE VISIT: Carey/ Pirozzi House, Albert Frey, 1956, AF, 1983 addition and alterations, AF, Class I Historic Site   Palm Springs Architecture 101... 01/14/2009

As of October 17, 2008 Palm Springs owners of vacation and event homes will have to register their home and pay occupancy taxes to the city of Palm Springs. Owners will have 60 days to comply with the new regulations and register their homes with the city of Palm Springs. Some of the rules include: Limits on number of people staying overnight and occupying the house during the day.  The owner or someone representing the owner must be available at all times and respond to complaints within 45 minutes. Trash must be stored in city containers and only visible on Palm Springs trash collection days. Each property's owner must pay bed taxes each month to the city. For Palm Springs residents not complying with the new law, fines will start at $250 for the first offense and four or more violati... 01/12/2009

Most of the mid-century neighborhoods in Palm Springs, have overhead utility wires and telephone poles-  its a fact of life, unfortunately.  I joke with clients, that the overhead wires are  part of the mid-century character of a neighborhood-  they never had underground utility lines in the 50s and 60s when these homes were built! Some neighborhoods, such as Deepwell, have worked with the City to underground the wires.  However with the current economy and budget cuts, I don't think that is going to happen soon-  so in the meantime, we just have to live with the wires! The way your house is oriented, does make a difference regarding views.Here's what I've learned  and experienced over the years regarding views and house orientation. Regarding living in the desert full time, orientation... 01/10/2009

The excitement is mounting as the Palm Springs International Film Society gets prepared to launch the 2009 Palm Springs International Film Festival from January 6-19 2009. This year's line- up of films is like none ever. The festival schedule is packed full of great events and great films. This year's festival is sure to launch a year of great award winning films containing veteran actors and newbies alike. From international Oscar winning starts and directors to aspiring independent film makers this year's Palms Springs International Film Festival has it all. Film lovers of all kinds will be sure to have the time of their lives this year. It all starts with at Palm Springs High School at 6:30pm with a Gala Screening of Last Chance Harvey starring Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson who bo... 01/05/2009

Some clients spend months looking for properties-  they agonize over the process...When they find something they like, they are convinced the price is too high! Regardless of what I explain to them regarding reality, comps, inventory and appraised value, for whatever reason, they still feel the property is over priced.  We refer to these buyers as  "Fence Sitters" When these Fence Sitters come back to the market to look again on subsequent trips to the desert, they learn that the properties they were once interested in, have sold.  Often times, there aren't any other units available in their favorite neighborhood or development when they return.  Those properties they were convinced were overpriced, ended up selling. But once again, they continue their hunt-  find other properties and t... 12/29/2008

This show changes every season and is located in Downtown Palm Springs, CA. If you are coming to Palm Springs get your tickets in advance as they usually sell out. Just one more thing that makes Palm Springs special. 12/28/2008

12/27/2008

I'm not sure what happened this year, but there's been a sudden surge of buying activity here in Palm Springs-  Normally December is our slowest month of the year-  however in the past week, we've put three homes into escrow!  We have buyers appointements scheduled every day through New Year's Eve.   Its as if buyers are finally waking up to realize the great foreclosure deals out there and are jumping on the opporunities...all three houses were foreclosures priced at well below 2004 prices. Of course, its absolutely beautiful this time of year..although a bit chilly for us (in the 60s as the high), the mountains surrounding the village of Palm Springs are just covered with snow! All of my "snowbird" clients agree the best way to experience snow is looking at it on the mountain tops! If... 12/26/2008

For those of you visiting Palm Springs, you must include a visit to the new Riviera Spa and Resort on the corner of Vista Chino and Indian Canyon.  Recently reopened after a multi-million dollar facelift, this is truly the new "hot spot" for all of Palm Springs!  Unique modern retro inspried decor-  the chandeliers are worth seeing alone! There's plenty to see and enjoy-  three hip bars- the lobby bar, pool side or bikini bar-  where you can lounge poolside with your favorite cocktail-  in the evenings there are firepits all around the pool with cushy bed-type lounge chairs to enjoy- We dined at the Circa 59 restaurant-  it was absolutely amazing-  great space, super friendly staff and service, great food as well!  http://www.psriviera.com/riviera_dining.aspx So next time you're in town... 12/15/2008

Well as predicted, the first of a series of storms has slammed into Southern California.   I woke up this morning only to discover the unprecidented damage caused by the gusty winds.   Ok-  we have it easy here in the desert-  its going to be in the 70s today, but we may actually get some rain this week.  Heartfelt sympathies for those in other parts of the country that are experiencing severe weather!  And remember, if you need to escape and see some sunshine, Palm Springs is a quick flight away!  We are a welcome haven for snowbirds all winter long! 12/14/2008

Top 10 Reasons to Buy Palm Springs Area Real Estate in Today’s Market: (1) Declining Prices = Improved Affordability,Over 50% affordability (2) Bargains – Short Sales/REO’s & Motivated Sellers Priced to Sell (3) Favorable rates for qualified Buyers: FHA, VA & Conventional (4) Renters & First Time Homebuyers can now buy at approximately what they were paying for rent and receive tax advantages. (5) Declining Inventory-Inventory has been declining mthly in 2008 (6) Investors coming into real estate instead of stocks for it’s tax advantages and stability. (7) Higher loan limits for conforming mortgages at the lowest rates (8) Housing still the American Dream with quality of life benefits that are not just economical. Long term investment in real estate has always created wealth and securit... 12/03/2008