September 2014 – Gallaudet Properties

September 29, 2014

A Slice of San Antonio Coming to La Quinta?

It’s exciting to live in a community where things are happening and that’s the way it feels right now in La Quinta.

It was recently announced that plans for the SilverRock Resort could include a river walk lined with excellent restaurants and retail establishments, similar to the River Walk in San Antonio, Texas.

Developers presented their ideas to the city council here and the public got a chance to see what changes are in store for the home of the Arnold Palmer Classic Course at Silver Rock, which was the site of the Bob Hope Classic from 2008-2011.

For residents and visitors
Locals were pleased to see how the changes are being planned not only for the benefit of visitors, but for local residents as well. I mentioned the river walk above, but that’s just part of the trail system envisioned for the 500-plus acre property. People will be able to walk or ride bikes all throughout the area.

Along with developing the natural aspects of the property, the plans include a second luxury hotel, a conference center, homes, luxury camping facilities, gardens, recreational water activities and much more.

Centered around the Arnold Palmer Classic Course, the project is being developed around a really strong core. The course was in Golf Magazine’s “Top 10 New Golf Courses You Can Play in America” in 2005 and is a consistent award winner, including Zagat America’s “Top Golf Courses Award” three times…so far.

Golf course information
When you download our free golf resource guide, you’ll see that it serves as a Palm Spring country club membership guide by detailing fees and additional information. You’ll find SilverRock in a kind of circle of great La Quinta courses that includes The Tradition, La Quinta Resort, the Citrus and Rancho La Quinta.

Mountain View Country Club Clubhouse — Mountain View Country Club

You’ll also see that this area is blessed with many great restaurants. Residents certainly don’t waste a lot of time in their vehicles when they live in La Quinta. The same is true for Indian Wells and Palm Springs real estate in general.

The good news is that you don’t have to wait to play the Arnold Palmer Classic Course. It’s open to the public and in beautiful shape right now. Just call for a tee time. In the same way, there are fantastic homes available in the area right now as well.

Flexible searches
Use the search feature on our site to begin your hunt. You can enter all kinds of search terms, such as the name of the golf course or community you’re most interested in. Try terms like Mountain View Country Club, PGA West, Rancho La Quinta, The Citrus Club, The Hideaway, The Tradition or others to get some good ideas.

When you need more information, we’re ready to help out. We can answer your questions, offer insights that you can’t get with online searches and get you out to see some properties.

Give us a call and share in the excitement!

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September 25, 2014

La Quinta: Coffee, Wine and Golf Mecca

See what you think about this description:

“You’ll enjoy its medium body and low acidity. It’s well balanced, somewhat woody with herbal undertones and a long finish.”

Okay, what am I describing with that? If you guessed wine, you’re mostly right. If you guess coffee you’re mostly right too. Really, I just randomly picked some words and phrases commonly used to describe both drinks and it turns out there’s quite a lot of overlap in the terminology connoisseurs use describe wine and coffee. I go to Crema.co, to get my coffee delivered to me weekly. I love their service and have yet to be disappointed.

Morgan's in the Desert — Morgan’s in the Desert

We’ve discussed food in La Quinta and the greater Coachella Valley here before and when you download our golf resource guide, you’ll quickly notice that it’s also a good guide to local restaurants. I want to go back to that topic today, but with a twist; we’re going to look at two very interesting and top quality establishments, one that is noted for its wines and the other for its coffee beverages.

And the winner is…
If you have a serious interest in wines, you’re probably familiar with the Wine Spectator. It seems to be the semi-official arbiter for anything having to do with wines, at least in the United States. The magazine has once again given Morgan’s in The Desert its “Restaurant Wine List Award of Excellence.” The restaurant is located at La Quinta Resort and Club.

The award recognizes how Chef Jimmy Schmidt is able to offer wines that pair beautifully with his creations as well as satisfy a wide variety of wine lovers. If you follow the restaurant throughout the year, you’ll see that Chef Schmidt often pursues seasonal themes that highlight the restaurant’s 3,000-bottle wine collection.

And speaking of exceptional drinks, let’s turn our attention to a new coffee drink that you can enjoy at Juicy Juicy in Bermuda Dunes: “bulletproof coffee.” It’s becoming popular for its incredibly smooth texture and perceived health benefits – however, be warned, this is not a low-calorie drink.

A frothy coffee drink
The three basic ingredients are premium coffee (two cups) made from freshly ground beans, butter from grass-fed cows (2 tablespoons or more), and a top-quality oil such as coconut or MCT (1-2 tablespoons). It’s all tossed in a blender and whirled it until it gets frothy and smooth.

Why butter from grass-fed cows? Unlike butter from grain-fed cows, grass-fed cows produce butter rich in omega-3, which our bodies need. “Your body runs off of that omega-3 oil throughout the day, and when that energy runs out, it’s just your own energy kicking in,” Juicy Juicy owner Karen Levreri recently explained to the Desert Sun.

Here’s a plan…
Now that we’re all craving something to drink, let me suggest this: the next time you visit the desert looking at real estate in La Quinta, Indian Wells or the general Palm Springs area, treat yourself to at least one “bulletproof coffee” to keep you going strong throughout the day and then enjoy a relaxing meal with a great bottle of wine at Morgan’s in The Desert in the evening.

It’s the perfect way to end a day of real estate shopping or golfing at La Quinta Resort, or any of the other courses in our area, don’t you think?

One final word: Don’t forget to press the button at the bottom of the page to get your free Palm Springs golf guide. It has the courses all mapped out and even gives you the information you need for Palm Springs country club memberships.

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September 24, 2014

July, 2014 Sales Analysis

Here are the latest sales numbers for all homes sold within the City of La Quinta as well as all Golf Course homes in La Quinta from January, 2008 through July, 2014.

The inventory of “Active Listings” in the Coachella Valley decreased again from June to May which is usual as we enter the summer season. The number of Sold units decreased over the same period last year (July, 2013) which is the trend for the summer months. The main reason is that the inventory has decreased in June and July. The pace at which real estate prices increased in the October to January period seemed to slow to a more normal rate in February through July. The price rise slowed as did the home sales. The activity in the million dollar+ market seems to have picked up but prices have not increased as much as they have for the under a million dollar homes. The national real estate market been a little fluky over a leveling off in the late spring where the national sales actually dropped in August. Our market in the Desert usually slows during our hot summer months and the blogs and statisticians are still predicting a strong national 2015 market so we are looking forward to a great 2015 season.

Below is the chart depicting the “bubble” in sales versus the historical 4.5% annual appreciation. As predicted by the National Association of Realtors back in 2005. It will be interesting to see how close the actual sales prices stay to the “Normal Appreciation” line in the coming months. One of the reasons for the recent price increases is that we have seen more American buyers in the market than in the past few years which is a sign that our economic outlook seems to be improving.

Here are some yearly sales figures (units) for the City of La Quinta from 2002:
Year – All LQ – Golf Course
2002 – 1,356 – 259
2003 – 1,572 – 640
2004 – 1,938 – 785
2005 – 1,563 – 638
2006 – 1,118 – 483
2007 – 942 – 444
2008 – 1,076 – 405
2009 – 1,202 – 409
2010 – 1,360 – 518
2011 – 1,446 – 510
2012 – 1,532 – 587
2013 – 1,537 – 567
2014 – 924 – 450
YTD
* Remember that the sales numbers represent “Closed” escrows. Since the average escrow is between 45 and 60 days, the decision to purchase the homes that closed in June was probably made in March to early April.
For more information about the Coachella Valley Real Estate market, Please call us at (760) 203-2621!

Source: DesertAreaMLS

September 15, 2014

Golf Tournaments and Some Very Funny Men

Some funny things can happen on the golf course. If you’re a long-time golfer you’ve probably seen that little white ball take some crazy bounces.

But as well as funny things happening on the course, a lot of funny folks have been associated with the sport.

Here in the Palm Springs area, Bob Hope hosted his “Bob Hope Chrysler Classic” from the 1960s through to his death in 2003 and then another funny man, George Lopez took over the helm.

There are days when it seems like every time you flip on the television you see George Lopez in a new sitcom or talk show. He’s one of many celebrities who’s a huge fan of golf and that probably explains why he purchased a home in La Quinta about two years ago.

Lopez loves it here
He told the local paper here not long ago that he found himself staying at La Quinta Resort and playing the courses there so often that he should probably find a house. It’s pretty good testimony to La Quinta Resort and the courses in our area when a man like George Lopez – who could live and play anywhere – buys a home here.

Not too “dis” any other golfing mecca, but Lopez said that he bought in La Quinta after selling a home in Pebble Beach. I hear they have some nice courses there as well…

By the way, although Lopez is no longer hosting the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic – now the Humana Challenge – he is still very active in the celebrity golf tournament scene. He has his own tournament, which is held each year in the Los Angeles area. He gets a lot of big names and the money raised goes to support recovery programs.

Keep Lopez in mind when you come to La Quinta to play a few rounds and look at property. Who knows, you might run into him as you wait to tee off. And if you want to see exactly how the various courses and communities here are spread out along the floor of the Coachella Valley, be sure to download our free golf resource guide.

Guide gives great details
It’s the ideal place to begin your search for the perfect location. We’ve color-coded the various types of courses: private clubs, public clubs, public courses, resort clubs, and private courses. You can use the map to tell which courses have homes and which don’t offer real estate. We also include estimates of home prices as well as deposits and dues for golf club memberships.

The first thing that impresses most people is the sheer number of great courses and real estate options they have. Courses like the Citrus Club, Mountain View Country Club, Rancho La Quinta and several others are always at the top of home buyers’ lists. Another good option is the Painted Cove neighborhood here. It’s close to Old Town La Quinta and just a short golf cart drive to Silver Rock Golf Resort.

There’s never enough space in these articles to outline all the places we’ve come to love so much and that’s one reason we encourage you to give us a call. We can answer your questions and help you locate some homes that would be perfect for your family and lifestyle.

And hey, you might discover that George Lopez is a neighbor. No joke!

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September 5, 2014

Even Locals Enjoy Our Resort Hotels and Attractions

One of the great things about living in La Quinta and the Coachella Valley is that you can enjoy water activities virtually all year long. If you come from the northern climes, you really understand and appreciate how wonderful and valuable this is.

Couple this with the incredible infrastructure of resorts and hotels that we have here and you get a very interesting combination that creates some great opportunities for local residents.

Splashtopia Rancho Las Palmas — Splashtopia @ Rancho Las Palmas

Many hotels and resorts offer special deals at different times during the year and right now some of these are being combined with various recreational water attractions. If you have children, grandchildren, or are just “young at heart” you might want to check these out.

Take a local vacation
For example, I recently heard that the Desert Princess Palm Springs Golf Resort is offering a special “Family Fun in the Sun” package that includes two nights lodging, for a family of four that includes tickets to the Wet ‘n’ Wild water park as well as entrance to the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens.

Sometimes it’s a lot of fun just to get away from home, enjoy a nearby world class resort and have some crazy fun with the family at a water park. And when you live here, you have a lot of options.

I’ll mention one more, since I’m on the topic of recreation that gets you wet. Rancho Mirage is just down the road from La Quinta and it’s home to the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa. It features “Splashtopia” with its 450-foot long river, two water slides and sandy beach. It has a special rate going through the summer season for local residents.

And when you need a time out from the water slides, the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa also has all the amenities adults need to get them relaxed and ready for whatever lays ahead.

You always have golf
Of course, while we have our share of great water parks to help us cool down, I know that many of you find your greatest pleasure and challenges out on the golf course and there’s probably no place on earth that gives you more choices than La Quinta, Indian Wells and the Palm Springs area. Further, when you buy a home on or near a golf course, it’s like living on a resort property 365 days a year.

As a prime example of this, you need to explore La Quinta Resort when you’re in the area. With three golf courses, a variety of tennis courts and a spa, it’s not “like” living on a resort, it “is” living on a resort. If everyone enjoyed homes like these, I’m afraid a lot of resort hotels around the world would see a major drop off in business.

To give you a more detailed overview of the golf courses in our area be sure to download our free golf resource guide. We’ve designed it as a map so you get a bird’s eye view of the Coachella Valley and can see where all the golf courses are located. We also include information about costs and even give you a great list of local restaurants.

After you scan our golf course resource guide, give us a call and we can answer any questions you might have.

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