La Quinta Communities – Page 4 – Gallaudet Properties

August 1, 2014

The Night Life Tradition Continues

When you live in a place that has been the semi-official hideaway for the biggest names in entertainment and politics, you hear a lot of stories about “back then” and collect a lot of local lore.

The Coachella Valley and Palm Springs area is that kind of place and a good part of the lore that you pick up here centers around the night life. From the 1940s through 1965, one of the hottest spots was a nightclub/supper club called the Chi Chi in Palm Springs. World class entertainers such as Jerry Lewis, Sophie Tucker, Louis Armstrong, Lena Horne, Edgar Bergen, Nat King Cole and Dorothy Dandridge graced the club’s circular stage.

All the big movie stars enjoyed evenings at the Chi Chi as well as the studio heads, like Jack Warner and Cecil B. DeMille. “Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my closeup…”

Relax after a round of golf
I imagine a lot of the guests who hit the Chi Chi for dinner and an evening of entertainment, needed a little relaxation after a day on the links. By the way, while the Chi Chi is gone, you can get a great feel for that era at the Riviera Hotel in Palm Springs. It was built by the Irwin brothers – who founded the Chi Chi – and Mark Shuman in 1952 and has undergone some recent renovations that bring back its original splendor and glamour.

I also want to quickly mention The Purple Room Supper Club at the Club Trinidad Resort in Palm Springs, because it has a heritage that extends to the days of the Chi Chi. The Purple Room got its start in the 1960s – when you could find Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack there – but changed through the years. Fortunately, it’s been revived and today hosts some great entertainment and dining six nights a week.

Acts change every night so you can enjoy all styles of music, hilarious celebrity impersonators, comedy and more. Its restaurant, Trio, offers an extensive menu. You’ll find that Trio supports local, organic and sustainable agriculture; you’ll be impressed by the quality.

Daytime and nighttime activities
Clubs like The Purple Room really create a balanced lifestyle in this area. There are activities that get you outside during the daytime and then entertainment to keep you, well, entertained at night. Of course, an evening at a top quality restaurant with family and friends is always a wonderful way to spend some time as the sun sets.

By the way, not only does our free Golf Course Resource Guide give you all the important details on courses in the La Quinta, Indio, Indian Wells, Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage area, you’ll find an extensive listing of restaurants. Download it today and look it over.

As you scan the map in the guide, you’ll be able to quickly visualize how convenient developments such as the La Quinta Resort are to everywhere you’ll want to go, whether it’s a great restaurant, the shops in Old Town La Quinta or one of the neighboring courses, such as the PGA West in La Quinta, The Hideaway Country Club, Indian Ridge Country Club, and many more.

This is one of the greatest single assets regarding La Quinta real estate, Indian Wells real estate and property throughout the Palm Springs area: everything is convenient. When you want to be doing things and not just spending time behind the wheel of your car, this is the place to be – just like it was for the Rat Pack.

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July 23, 2014

Another Desert Gem: The Custom Architecture

With the Palm Spring–Palm Desert area so popular with the entertainment crowd over the years, you find some incredible architecture here that you wouldn’t find in other communities this size.

One architectural style is represented here perhaps better than anywhere else in the country: Mid Century Modern. In fact, so many noted architects designed homes and other buildings here in that style, that “Palm Springs Modern” has become well known on its own merits.

One of the best examples of this is Frank Sinatra’s Twin Palms Estate, which has been recognized as a Class 1 Historic Site. It was designed by architect E. Stewart Williams and the local legend is that Old Blue Eyes strolled into Williams’ office in the spring of 1947, eating an ice cream cone and announcing that he wanted the home built by Christmas. It was Sinatra’s home during much of his tumultuous time married to Ava Gardner.

There are fascinating tours of noted Coachella Valley architectural gems throughout the year and the current owners of Sinatra’s estate open it for tours once a year in February during Modernism Week.

Custom homes today
The tradition of outstanding design continues today and many communities around and near golf courses offer stunningly original designs. If you get a chance to tour Sinatra’s Twin Palms Estate, you’ll see how Williams incorporated the beauty of the natural setting into his design. You’ll see that same quality if you’re shopping for a new home in our area and we have the pleasure to head out and look at some properties.

Melding the desert scenery, such as the Santa Rosa-San Jacinto Mountains, with home design is one of the things that makes living in this area so special. You’ll see that approach to design in many of the custom homes at La Quinta Resort, including the properties of the Enclave Mountain Estates.

Enclave Mountain Estates is an exclusive gated community of custom homes on the grounds of La Quinta Resort and Club. Each home is distinct and ideally designed for its setting. The attention to detail in the homes in this community is extraordinary. You’ll find that properties run from around 3,600 to 7,100 square feet and make great use of outdoor living space as well.

Golf course architecture
When residents here want to venture out, they’re just steps away from the Mountain Course, which was designed by the renowned Pete Dye. Since this article has been highlighting architecture, I suppose I should mention a little about golf course architects as well. With his Mountain Course, Dye has really given us a course that not only challenges golfers but also treats them to some magnificent mountain vistas; he has worked with the environment just as great structural architects do when they design custom homes.

Why don’t you download our free golf resource guide so you can get a good overview of how courses and communities are spread out over the Coachella Valley? If you’re considering La Quinta real estate, Indian Wells real estate or a home anywhere in the general Palm Springs area—and have an interest in golf—our guide is a great place to start. Of course, we’re always ready to answer your questions and help in any way we can.

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July 17, 2014

May, 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 May, 2014.

The inventory of “Active Listings” in the Coachella Valley decreased from April to May which is usual as we approach the summer season. The number of Sold units decreased significantly over the same period last year (May, 2013) which was the best month since 2008. The main reason is that the inventory has decreased in April and May. 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 May. 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 homes.

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	1537	567
2014 YTD	650	335

* 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

June 9, 2014

Spring 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 throughApril, 2014.

The inventory of “Active Listings” in the Coachella Valley increased slightly from January through March but then slowed slightly in April as we approached the end of the “season”. The number of Sold units rose even more making the real estate market in La Quinta move to a normal market status of a 6 month supply. One of the reasons was that although the sales increase in February was lower than expected, the increase in March was higher than expected and fell off slightly in April. The pace at which real estate prices increased in the October to January period seemed to slow to a more normal rate in February and March. The price rise slowed while the home sales increased. 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 homes.

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	1537	567
2014 YTD	514	262

For more information about the Coachella Valley Real Estate market, Please call us at (760) 203-2621!
Source: DesertAreaMLS
CATEGORIES: BUSINESS OF REAL ESTATE, FORECLOSURES, LA QUINTA COMMUNITIES, LA QUINTA HOME FOR SALE, MONTHLY SALES REPORTS, PRICE ANALYSIS, SHORTSALES
TAGS: CHRISTIES INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE, CITY OF LA QUINTA, COACHELLA VALLEY GOLF, GALLAUDET PROPERTIES, HK LANE REAL ESTATE, LA QUINTA, LA QUINTA GOLF, LA QUINTA GOLF PROPERTY, LA QUINTA HOME SALES, LA QUINTA REAL ESTATE, SALE REPORT

June 2, 2014

Old Town La Quinta: A Unique Desert Oasis

Southern California is famous for a lot of things, but something that is in short supply here is the unique and cute downtown area, especially in smaller communities. I’m not sure, but I think maybe the concept of the “strip mall” was invented in California.

This is one attribute that makes La Quinta stand out from many of the neighboring communities. Visitors are always impressed by Old Town La Quinta and local residents are grateful to have such a diverse group of shops, restaurants and services all centered in one picturesque setting.

Fittingly, Main Street runs through the heart of Old Town La Quinta. Brick sidewalks, palm trees, the Spanish architecture and bougainvillea create an “Old California” feel. And with the mountains framing the entire scene, it’s really a drop-dead gorgeous setting.

Great shopping, fine dining
But it’s probably the boutiques, restaurants, salons and spas that are really the draw. It seems more difficult than ever to find one-of-a-kind items when you’re out shopping today. That’s not the case in Old Town La Quinta. You’ll discover things here that you’ll never see in the big mall stores.

In a similar way, the restaurants all do something a little different. There are none of those homogenized national brands where you get the same menu if you’re in Tampa or Toledo.

Proximity to golf
If you’re a golfer, whether you’re playing the Tradition, Rancho La Quinta, PGA West or virtually any of the others in the area, you’re only about five to 10 minutes from Old Town La Quinta.

The La Quinta Resort has three of its own courses, the Mountain and Dunes which are public, and the Citrus which is private. Home shoppers have 10 gated residential communities to explore and compare there as well as several communities and courses that basically surround the La Quinta Resort.

If you’re like many of the folks who settle in our area, you’re looking for a lifestyle that doesn’t put you behind the wheel of your car for hours each day. That’s why having your home, your recreation and a prime commercial district such as Old Town La Quinta all nestled in with each other makes such a positive impact on the lifestyle here.

With not having to drive miles between home, golf and shopping, people suddenly find that there are more hours in the day to do the things they want to do.

You can’t put a price tag on that. However, we have put a price tag on our area golf guide: it’s free. Hit the button below and download it today so you can have your own copy.

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May 9, 2014

Everything World Class, Even the Health Care

Visitors to La Quinta and the Palm Desert area expect five-star accommodations, excellent dining and a full-time concierge. And with the number of Hollywood celebrities that make their way here, rolling out the “red carpet” (literally) is a common occurrence.

However, in other parts of the nation that level of customer service isn’t generally associated with a medical center.

We’re blessed to have the Greg and Stacey Renker Pavilion at the Eisenhower Medical Center. Of course no one looks forward to spending time in a hospital like they do a vacation resort, but it’s great to know an upscale facility like this is available in our area.

Our family got a first-hand look at what they do at the Renker Pavilion recently when my husband, Tom, went in for back surgery. To say we were impressed by the level of care, the quality of the food, the privacy and all the amenities would be an understatement. As we navigated through the challenges that Tom’s surgery gave us, the care and support we received at the Renker Pavilion made a huge difference in our lives.

Access to excellent medical care is becoming increasingly important to families and individuals as they decide where they want to live. Newspaper headlines have shown us that there are some corners of our nation that are underserved by the health care system.

Fortunately, residents in La Quinta don’t have that problem. Top quality medical facilities are abundant and the Greg and Stacey Renker Pavilion might just be the “bloom” on the desert rose. It truly sets the standard for personal service and comfort as well as individualized medical care in the health care industry.

Giving back to the community
I might also mention that the Renker Pavilion exists because of the hard work and dedication of Greg and Stacey Renker. Both found themselves fighting life-threatening illnesses. They were so grateful for the treatment and heartfelt care they received at the Eisenhower Medical Center that they decided to spearhead the founding of this very special facility. Community spirit and philanthropy are a big part of life in the desert.

Many of us who love the fact that we have so many golf courses to choose from here also appreciate the fact that we have great health care options, like the Renker Pavilion at the Eisenhower Medical Center.

Maybe someday we should publish a map with health care resources just like we have our golf resource guide. What do you think? By the way, our golf guide is free and you can get it just by clicking the button at the bottom of this page. It gives you a great overview of La Quinta, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, Indio and neighboring areas.

If you’re looking for real estate on or near a specific course, it will get you off to a great start in your house hunting. We’d recommend using our powerful search feature as your next step, or grab the phone and give us a call.

La Quinta real estate
You’ll find that just as the Renker Pavilion sets the standard for catering to the needs of its patients, the country clubs in our area set the standard for satisfying their members. One that comes to mind is The Citrus Club at La Quinta Resort.

The amenities are incredible, including its three courses, a great pool, tennis, spa, fitness center and more. Homes in The Citrus at La Quinta are equally outstanding and a number of prime properties are available right now.

You can probably tell that we’re in love with this area and we truly enjoy sharing it with others. Give us a call and let us introduce you to the possibilities.

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May 2, 2014

A Mixed-Use Development for La Quinta?

Desert living, and the communities here, have always been a fascinating microcosm of the United States. Over the years, people have come here from everywhere—from as close by as the glitzy Hollywood hills to as far away as the snowy Northeast and beyond.

A development recently proposed for Old Town La Quinta might bring another dimension to life in this area—a mixed-use “live and work” project (click here for more information).

Many US urban centers have been revitalized in recent years by an influx of affluent home buyers who want to live in the city core for the sake of convenience and being “close to the action.” This has led to developments with retail on the ground floor and condos up above. It has been successful in a number of cities.

Bringing new retail
It will be interesting to see how this project proceeds. It would certainly be a good addition to all the other great options home buyers have in La Quinta and the surrounding communities. Further, we think everyone would enjoy the kind of retail stores and restaurants that typically come with these kinds of projects.

People have been doing interesting projects in our area for generations and one name that has been prominent is Indian Wells. The Indian Wells Country Club has been host to avid golfers since 1956. Everyone from retirees working to lower their handicaps, to celebrities, to the world’s greatest professionals have played the club’s two courses.

Homebuyers who want to locate near these renowned 36 holes have a lot of options today. And if tennis is your game, you probably recognize Indian Wells as the home of the BNP Paribas Open, often called the “Grand Slam of the West.”

Golf courses in Indian Wells
If you take a look at our free Palm Springs area Golf Resource Guide, you’ll find Indian Wells Country Club just a short distance from the La Quinta Resort. You’ll see that the area is very well situated for shopping and restaurants as well. You’ll also notice that the number of courses in this corner of the desert is truly impressive. Avid golfers don’t need to drive far when they want to test their skills away from their “home course.”

Folks looking for property in the area will discover a wide range of homes in communities such as The Reserve, Toscana Country Club, El Dorado Country Club, Vintage Country Club, Monte Sereno Estates and the Indian Wells Country Club itself, among others. With everything from condos to 8,000-plus square foot homes available, there is really something for everyone in and around Indian Wells.

A great place to start your adventure is with the search feature on our website and be sure to have our Golf Resource Guide handy as well so you can get an overview as you explore properties and communities.

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April 28, 2014

Narrow Fairways, Broad Real Estate Options

The names Arnold Palmer gave the fifth through tenth holes on the course he designed at PGA West here in La Quinta, speak volumes. They start with “Intimidator” at number five and continue to “Monster” at the tenth.

They certainly present a challenge for most of us amateurs, but even more than that, they represent the wide variety of courses that are available to golfers in La Quinta and the surrounding communities.

You can dial in virtually any “degree of difficulty” that suits your playing level. This diversity gives the homeowner another advantage. If you’re planning to move here, you’ll probably discover fairly quickly that your home will be a popular destination for visitors—your family and close friends.

And if one weekend you have a newbie to the game visiting, you can head to a course that matches that skill level. Next, when you have scratch players come into town, you can set them loose on courses that will test exactly how long and accurate they are.

See your golf options
To get a very detailed overview of your golf options—including both public and private courses—be sure to download our free golf guide. It gives you all the critical information you need and even serves as a general Palm Springs country club membership guide. The link is at the bottom.

PGA West Property — Private Residence at PGA West Stadium

Now let’s tie two of our main interests together—golf and real estate. If you’re a golfer you want to see your numbers go down. If you’re a property owner, you like to see your numbers go up. Rising property values are good for owners and they reflect a healthy market.

Recent reports show a strong market for both new and existing homes in La Quinta, Indian Wells and the general Palm Springs area. Year-to-year figures show that new home sales were up 19 percent in the Coachella Valley in February and median prices rose by about 25 percent for homes and condos.

Explore the communities
Solid figures like these are always reassuring for a community and a positive sign for prospective buyers. Further, with the variety of communities in the La Quinta real estate market, you always have a lot of properties to choose from.

For example, within the gates of La Quinta Resort there are six communities, including The Mountain Estates and The Enclave, both of which feature large custom homes, as well as La Quinta Resort Spa Villas, which are condos near the spa. So, there are properties for virtually every budget and lifestyle.

And if living in a golf course community isn’t critical for you, you’ll want to check out luxury gated communities such as Painted Cove, Puerta Azul, Hidden Canyon, Talante and others.

So download our guide, look it over and give us a call. I think you’ll enjoy our positive and relaxed approach to helping you find the perfect property in La Quinta or the greater Palm Springs area.

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April 18, 2014

Music, Art and Golf, Oh My!

There’s no doubt that La Quinta and the surrounding desert communities are a paradise for people who enjoy sunshine, the outdoors and golf.

PGA West Stadium Course — Hole #17 @ PGA West – Stadium Course

It’s also paradise for folks who like to do a little people watching. If you’re at all familiar with the area, you know that it’s been a hangout for celebrities for generations. The show business glitterati still visit, but today we get a much more diverse group of global celebs.

Athletes, music and more
World class athletes make the pilgrimage here, especially golfers and tennis pros and now with the annual music and arts festival in Coachella, a wide range of top recording artists make the scene. The concert series which wraps up with “Stagecoach” April 27 makes for several great days of people watching. And if one of your favorite recording artists happened to be on the bill, you would have had the time of your life.

Of course, that’s only a couple of weekends a year and while the festival may come and go quickly, the golf and other attractions here are pretty much available 365 days a year. Further, real estate shoppers have a huge range of options.

It certainly ‘ain’t no hound dog’
By the way, Elvis’s Palm Spring “honeymoon house” is on the market. So if you have an extra $10 million dollars and want to buy a great property and piece of pop icon history at the same time, we’ll get the papers going for you.

However, for most of the home shoppers we work with, a great home either on or near one of our beautiful golf courses in La Quinta fits the bill perfectly. And just like concert goers had their choice of artists to see at the recent music festival, golfers here have just about as many choices when they head out to play a round.

The La Quinta Resort has three courses itself. PGA WEST has six courses and many more residential golf communities are just minutes away, including The Hideaway, Rancho La Quinta and Mountain View just to name a few.

There are great courses throughout the valley, as you’ll see when you drive through Palm Springs and over to La Quinta. And to make sorting them out a little easier, we’ve pulled together a very handy Golf Resource Guide. If you want the big picture—as well as a lot of specific details—about Palm Springs area golf clubs, don’t miss this free download.

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April 14, 2014

Desert and Home Sales Blooming!

Some newcomers to desert living are surprised by the varied pleasures each season brings with it. Over the last several weeks many of our neighbors have been keeping an eye out for the spring desert bloom.

A wide range of desert wildflowers, cacti, trees and shrubs burst into blossom each year and for the observant desert dweller, it provides a lot of beauty and adventure. The time to start looking is generally in March and the show can run through much of April. There are several websites that keep people posted on what’s blooming where.

Visit a local garden
Another way to learn about the plants you see as you cruise around the area, is to visit the gardens at The Living Desert. In one place you’ll discover the diversity of the native plants. Give them a call to see what’s blooming so you can time your trip to maximize the colorful show.

Of course, the weather that prompts our seasonal bloom encourages other activities in La Quinta, Indian Wells, Palm Desert and the greater Palm Springs area. To say that it’s perfect golfing weather would be something of an understatement. Further, the weather that makes it ideal for hitting the links also amps up the interest in owning property on or near one of the renowned courses that we have in our area.

Take a home tour
While the real estate professionals at Gallaudet Properties enjoy an occasional hike to explore the local wildflowers, more often you’ll find us exploring new home listings with our clients, trying to find the perfect property. At this time of year, the desert blossoms with both buyers and sellers, if you’ll excuse a fairly bad play on words. Also, unlike the wildflower display, the golf courses are here for us to enjoy virtually every day, all year long.

The La Quinta Resort membership, which includes the private Citrus Club, alone has 3 golf courses – 1 private and 2 semi-public. Along with that there are tennis courts and a spa for members and/or resort guests to enjoy. And for the home buyer, there are 10 gated communities in the area nestled around those golf courses. That provides a lot of selection. Buyers can always find exactly the kind of property they are looking for and be on or near their favorite courses.

Get the latest info
Above I mentioned that you can have the latest news regarding the spring wildflower bloom sent straight to your email. If you’re a big fan of flowers and gardening, that’s a resource you’ll want to use. Google: Coachella Valley Desert Plants.

In much the same way, Gallaudet Properties has pulled together a golf resource guide. It’s free and will get you up-to-date on all the local courses and golf communities. You can get an overview where they are all located as well as information on private course membership fees and monthly dues.

It’s must-have information for anyone considering a move to the La Quinta, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells and Indio area. Download it today.

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