The 7 Best SoCal Desert Locations for Night Sky Viewing In Greater Palm Springs, CA

A road trip away from a city’s bright lights on a clear night will be a treat for anyone who looks up to the skies. Here in Southern California, we’re especially lucky to live in a place with some of the best night sky viewing in the continental United States. You just have to venture at least 100 miles away from Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Here are 7 spots in our local deserts that offer brilliant views:1. Joshua Tree National Park is a classic stargazing destination and one with plenty of public programs during the winter and spring seasons. Most of the events take place at the Cottonwood Campground amphitheater, which is known as one of the darkest places in the park — only the glow from Palm Springs and a nearby truck stop affect the view. A complete listing of events and locations can be found in the link below.

via The 7 Best SoCal Desert Locations for Night Sky Viewing | Environment | SoCal Connected | Shows | KCET.

What Do Homeowners Say About Homeownership?

Many people still believe that owning a home is the way to acquire wealth for retirement.  However I have a few caveats:

1. You will have to find a home and stay there for a long time.  Hopping around will not work in a slowly appreciating market.  (Slow = what it used to be. No more get rich quick)
2. No home equity loans to buy toys. If you take out a loan on the home’s equity improve the home with it!
3. Use a Realtor® who knows the area and the market you desire.  And if you need information, go to him or her as a good source.  Any Realtor worth their salt will talk to you about their area with no obligation intended.

Read on…….From the Article:

There is no shortage of experts that want to let us know how Americans feel about owning a home after the collapse of the residential market in the last five years. They MUST be devastated. They MUST feel trapped like prisoners in their own homes. They MUST be sorry they ever bought the house. These assumptions seem logical at times and can occasionally be supported by anecdotal evidence.

However, we want to go to the only people who truly understand how homeowners feel – the homeowners themselves. There have been three major surveys done this year that can shed light on the issue:

The National Housing Survey

This survey conducted by Fannie Mae showed:

* 96% of all homeowners said home ownership has been a positive experience.

* 64% consider buying a home as a safe investment. Buying a home was considered safer than buying stocks by over three times the number of people (64% vs 17%).

The top four reasons to buy:

1. It means having a good place to raise children and provide a good education

2. You have a physical structure where you and your family feel safe

3. It allows you to have more space for your family

4. It gives you control over what you do with your living space (renovations  updates)

American Attitudes About Home Ownership

via What Do Homeowners Say About Homeownership? […]

Real estate: It’s time to buy again – Fortune Finance

Forget stocks. Don’t bet on gold. After four years of plunging home prices, the most attractive asset class in America is housing.  The number of new homes in the pipeline nationwide is quite low.

From his wide-rimmed cowboy hat to his roper boots, Mike Castleman fits moviedom’s image of the lanky Texas rancher. On a recent March evening, Castleman is feeding cattle biscuits to his two pet longhorn steers, Big Buddy and Little Buddy, on his 460-acre Bar Ten Creek Ranch in Dripping Springs, a hamlet outside Austin in the Texas Hill Country. The spread is a medley of meandering streams, craggy cliffs, and centuries-old oaks. But even in this pastoral setting, his mind keeps returning to a subject he knows as well as any expert around: the housing market. “I’m a dirt-road economist who sees what’s happening on the ground, and in 35 years I’ve never seen a shortage of new construction like the one I’m seeing today,” declares Castleman, 70, now offering a biscuit to his miniature donkey Thumper. “The talking heads who are down on real estate will hate to hear this, but America needs to build a lot more houses. And in most markets the price of new homes is fixin’ to rise, not fall.” […]

via Real estate: It’s time to buy again – Fortune Finance.

7 Things You Should Know About Moving To Greater Palm Springs

7 Things You Should Know About Moving To Greater Palm Springs

Our weather provides exceptional beauty

Whenever you buy a home in any area, don’t you wish someone would tell you some of the very key things you need to know about the area, be they good or bad?

WELL A GREAT REALTOR WILL DO THAT FOR YOU!

So here are a few things you should know about our fair Paradise.

1. The Weather is Gorgeous. Palm Springs has gorgeous weather year round and yes the summers are indeed HOT! But do you also know it can be a harsh climate at times?  It’s dry as a bone and can get windy in some areas but the trade-off is fair to those of us who choose to live here year round.  In the end, its worth it to have 9 months of gorgeous and 3 months of hot.
2. It’s a Tourist Town. This place is a tourist town slash Snowbird Paradise from Thanksgiving until late April so there are lots of people here (but no big traffic jams) but with that comes opportunity for business and events
3. Tons Of Things To Do. Speaking of events we have a slew of things happen throughout the year.  Namely our International Film Festival; The Bob Hope Classic; The PNB Parabis Tennis Open; Kraft Nabisco (The Dinah) Women’s Golf Classic; Coachella Fest; Stagecoach Fest; Gay Film Festival; Palm Springs Pride; Tour de Palm Springs and a whole lot more.
4. Culture is Here. Want culture?  We have a beautiful art museum, the McCallum Theater, the Annenberg Theater; art galleries galore; top rate movies; the iMAX and local theater too.
5. Shopping Galore. We are the place to shop.  Beginning at El Paseo- our very own “Rodeo Drive” all the way to the shops of downtown Palm Springs, we have it all.
6. Outdoor Sports For Everyone. Our desert is perfect for hikers, bikers, rock climbers, and tennis and golf enthusiasts (125 courses in the area) so bring your gear and we will have some fun.  Add to that Knott’s Water Park; the Painted Desert; Hiking up at the top of Mt San Jacinto; Joshua Tree National Monument and so much more.
7. Great Values In Real Estate. And finally we have some of the best values in Real Estate you could ever imagine.  If you are looking for that perfect vacation or rental property, this is THE place to make the deal that will get you a home you will love in a place that affords a healthy and active lifestyle.  The prices couldn’t be lower for that once in a lifetime deal.

Couldn't you see yourself by this pool?

So get to know the town where you’d like to relocate.  And to do that, find yourself a great Realtor who has been in business in the area for a long time.  Then you will know you are getting the advice you need to make the decision to buy in a city without getting any surprises later on after the deal closes.

Why You Should Sell Your Home With An Internet Connected Realtor

Does that make sense?  I hope it does because the Realtor you choose to sell your home should have access to market your home on all the major websites not just the Multiple Listing Service.

Yes the MLS is seen by all the agents in the area and some buyers know how to access it too.  And many websites like Redfin can pick those up on their website but then comes the other sites that may not be able get them such as Craigslist so unless your agent does it, they don’t get out there.

The extensive marketing network for RE eBroker

Also, your Realtor should be fully out there via his Blog , Peer Groups Blogs, as well as a Facebook business page thus ensuring that all the buyers possible will see your listing.

Remember that as time goes by, more and more people begin their home search on the Internet either by looking for a home they like or looking for an agent.

So give us a call and allow us to show you how our Team approach to selling your home will work for you.  Our success stories will amaze you in how fast we have sold the properties we list.

We Are CONNECTED!

5 Things Home Buyers Do That Turn Sellers Off (and Kill Deals)

The market in Palm Springs is strong with great values.  The demand is such that a foreclosure or short-sale home that is priced right and in good condition will go for full price or more.  Following these tips and the advice of your Realtor will help ensure that you get the home you love at a price that is right for the local market.

5 Things Home Buyers Do That Turn Sellers Off (and Kill Deals)

from Ask Tara @Trulia

On today’s market, every savvy seller wants to know what turns buyers off, so they can get their homes sold as quickly as possible, for as much as possible.  But buyers, take note – there is a minefield of seller turn-offs you can trigger that hold the potential to keep you from getting the home you want at the best price and terms, or to unnecessarily complicate dealings with your home’s seller.

Lest you think all of today’s sellers are under the gun and will just put up with whatever behavior buyers dish out, be aware that there are still many multiple offer situations in which buyers have to compete with each other to get a home – buyers who trigger these turnoffs tend to lose in those scenarios.  Also, avoiding these seller turnoffs can create a transactional environment of cooperation and avoid things turning adversarial.  That, in turn, can empower you to score a better price, get extra items you want thrown into the deal, and even negotiate more flexibility around your escrow and move-in timelines – all perks that can make your life easier and your budget go further.

For sellers, these turnoffs pose the potential of irritating you out of an otherwise good deal – maybe even the only deal you have!

Here’s a few of the most common buyer-perpetuated seller turnoffs, with tips for sellers on how to keep an emotional (and economic) even keel, even if your home’s buyer makes some of these waves:

1. Trash-talking. Trash-talkers are the home buyers who think they’re going to negotiate the list price down by slamming the house, telling the sellers how little it is really worth, how the house across the street sold for nothing, why the school on the corner should make them desperate to give the place away, etc. This strategy never works; in fact, when you attack a seller and their home, you only cause them to be defensive, and think up all the reasons that (a) their home is not what you say it is, and (b) they shouldn’t sell their home to you!

Sometimes this happens with buyers who actually love a house and just walk around it fantasizing about all the ways they would customize it to their tastes while a seller is there.  Sellers: avoid being at home while your home is being shown.  Buyers: save your commentary for your agent; if you do encounter the seller in person keep your conversation respectful and avoid critiquing the house or the list price.

2. Being unqualified for mortgage financing. When a seller signs a buyer’s offer, most often the seller agrees to effectively pull the home off the market, forgoing other buyers who might be interested.  As such, the only thing worse than getting no offers on your home is getting an offer, getting into contract, then having the whole thing fall apart when the buyer’s loan falls through – especially if that could have been predicted or avoided up front.

Sellers: Work with your agent to vet your home’s buyers’ qualifications, including their loan approval, down payment and earnest money deposit – before you sign a contract.  It’s not overkill for your agent to call the buyers’ mortgage pro before you sign the contract and get a level of comfort for how robust their qualifications are.  Buyers: Get pre-approved.  Seriously.  And make sure that you don’t buy a car, quit your job, deposit lottery winnings or do any other financial twitchery between the time you get loan approval and the time you close escrow on your home.

3. Making unjustified lowball offers. No one likes to feel like they are being taken advantage of.  And sellers generally know the ballpark amount that their home is worth, as well as what they need to sell it for to get their mortgage paid off.  Yes – the price you pay for a home should be driven by its fair market value, rather than the seller’s financial needs, and deals are more available in a market like the current one, in which supply so vastly outpaces demand. But just throwing uber-lowball offers out at sellers hoping one will hit the spot is not generally a successful strategy, especially if you really, really want a given property.

Sellers: Don’t get overly emotional about receiving a lowball offer; counter at the price you and your agent decide makes sense based on the total circumstances, including your motivation level, recent comps and the interest/activity level your listing is receiving. Buyers: Work through the similar, nearby homes that have recently sold (a/k/a comparables) before you make an offer to factor the home’s fair market value into your offer price – also factor in how much you want the place, too.  Don’t be amazed if you make an offer far below asking, and don’t get a response.

4. Renegotiating mid-stream. Sellers plan their finances, moves and  – to some extent – their lives around the purchase price a buyer agrees to pay for their home.  If you get into contract to buy a home, find out during inspections that costly repairs need to be made, then propose a lower sale price, repair credit or even actual repairs to the seller, that’s sensible and fair.  But if you were aware that the property needed a lot of work before you made an offer on it, then you come back asking for beaucoup bucks’ worth of credit or price reductions midstream, expect the seller to cry foul.  And holding the seller up two weeks into the transaction because you caught a case of buyer’s remorse? Not cool, and not likely to foster the spirit of cooperation you may need to get your deal closed.

Sellers: avoid mid-stream price renegotiation by having a full set of inspection reports and repair bids at hand when you list your home. Buyers: try to avoid renegotiating the entire deal unless you get some major surprises at your inspections or inflating small repairs to try to justify a major price cut.

5. Misleading or setting the seller up. Remember when we talked about buyer turn-offs?  Being misled by listing photos or very fluffy property descriptions was high on the list.  The same goes for sellers.Offering way over asking with the plan to hammer the seller for a reduction when the house doesn’t appraise at the purchase price?  #LAME  Making an as-is offer planning the whole time to come back and ask for every penny ante repair called out by the inspectors?  Lame squared.

Sellers: If you get multiple offers and are tempted to take a sky-high one or one that claims to be all cash, consider requesting proof that the buyer has sufficient funds to make up the difference between what you think the home will appraise for and the actual sale price, and statements showing the cash truly exists.  Buyers: Don’t be lame. I’m not saying you have to tell the seller exactly what your top dollar is, but making offers with terms designed to intentionally mislead is really, really bad form – and can result in losing the home entirely if and when your bluff gets called.

P.S. – You should follow Trulia and Tara on Facebook, too!

Reprinted with permission from Trulia.  Please see: http://goo.gl/BX0Oc

The Beauty of Palm Springs…..What does Real Estate Cost?

The Beauty of Palm Springs…..What does Real Estate Cost? It’s a bit more than you may think but it’s still a great buy! Look at the chart below and see that prices are holding steady in the first part of 2011.  Foreclosures are still very hot and a very good deal.  Look for additional posts coming up about buying a foreclosure property but know that I have a wealth of information about how this process works and I can help you find a very good value for your next home.

92264, Palm Springs Recently Sold Homes

Building Your Personal Brand; The 85/15% Rule

You might be surprised how great self-marketers spend their time.  They spend a lot of time behind the scenes promoting themselves, learning about the market place and building a personal brand.

What about you?  What percentage of your branding efforts are behind-the-scenes?  Do you think that means you have to get your face and brand out there as much as possible?  Well broadcasting yourself out there 24 X 7 may not be the most effective means to that end.

This short article by Ryan Rancatore demonstrates how as much as 85% of what great personal brand builders do is really behind the scenes. With a scant 15% devoted to putting their message in public, Ryan recognizes that a lot of time is spent in self-education and one-on-one communication.

Check out this graphic:

So how do you do content research simply and without hours at the computer?  Easy!

An example I use is that I have Google Alerts set up for me using Key Words I need in my area.   Every day, Google sends me an email that reports what search activities have taken place using my specific search terms.

Example:  Palm Springs Events OR Events in Palm Springs, CA. Now when new content shows up, I can read it and blog on it quickly.

Another tool to use is the RSS Reader. WHAT is that you ask?

Now now, take it easy.  Its just another way to have your favorite site’s new content delivered right to your RSS Reader or Home Page every day.  How do I do that?  Well check out this link to Tech Savvy Agent and give it a try; its simple to do.  Oh and btw- Tech Savvy Agent is one website you need to use if you haven’t already checked it out.  I’ve learned a lot from them and its all FREE!

For a closer look at the activities that make up Rancatore’s 85/15 Rule, check out his short article here:

http://personalbranding101.com/the-85-rule-of-personal-branding

Now asses your own activities.  What are your percentages?  How are you assessing your effectiveness? And what tools are you using to streamline your information gathering and branding?

Graphic is reprinted by permission of Ryan Rancatore.  A link to his article is provided at his request.

Safe and Careful Banking With Your Smart-Phone

Safe Ways to Bank With Your Smart Phone

Follow these steps to lower the risk of having your personal information stolen.

By Cameron Huddleston, Kiplinger.com

Using your smart phone to check your bank account balance or deposit a check is convenient. But is it safe?

Hackers are getting better at finding ways to tap into smart phones and capture people’s account numbers and other personal information. However, there are ways to lower your risk of becoming a victim, says Michael Gregg, a cyber security expert and founder of Superior Solutions. Here are his tips:

Don’t use public Wi-Fi to access accounts online. Use your phone provider’s network, instead, because it’s more difficult for hackers to tap into it. Public Wi-Fi connections, on the other hand, are easily compromised not just by savvy cybercriminals but by anyone who downloads a free program, which allows users to see what others are doing online and log onto their accounts as them.

Watch out for smishing (fake text messages). If you get a text message supposedly from your financial institution warning you that there may be a problem with your account, don’t click on any links or call a number in the message. The link could take you to a phony site with malicious software that will give criminals access to your phone. And the number could connect you with scammers who are trying to collect your account information. Go directly to your bank’s Web site to check your account or to get a customer service number. And if you get a text message asking you to download a security update for your phone, don’t be fooled. Smart phone makers don’t send out security updates by text message, Gregg says.

Be careful where you browse. Go to sites you know to conduct financial transactions. And before downloading any banking applications, check your financial institution’s site to make sure it offers one. Apple puts all apps for the iPhone through serious scrutiny, but other smart phone makers do not. A year ago, more than 50 fraudulent mobile banking apps appeared in the Android marketplace and were removed once they were discovered — after many had bought and downloaded the apps.

Don’t jailbreak your iPhone. You’ll lose your security mechanisms, Gregg says, if you tamper with your iPhone so it can run on another service provider’s network or download additional apps.

Reprinted with permission. All Content ©2011 The Kiplinger Washington Editors. http://www.kiplinger.com.

REALTOR® Magazine-Daily News-Buyers Ready to Snatch Bargains This Spring

REALTOR® Magazine-Daily News-Buyers Ready to Snatch Bargains This Spring.

Buyers Ready to Snatch Bargains This Spring

Bargain prices on housing combined with low interest rates below 5 percent may bring the real estate market its busiest spring season in years, economists say.

Distressed sales continue to put downward pressure on home prices, which may lure more buyers off the fence and ready to snag a deal during the typical prime-time buying season.

Some builders are ramping up discounts on new homes as well as boosting commissions to brokers to try to spark more transactions.

Sellers of existing-homes also are getting more competitive in pricing their homes.

“After three years of the housing downturn, people are becoming much more realistic in terms of valuing their homes,” says Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of REALTORS®.

An improved job market with better income potential may also motivate more people to buy, says David Berson of the PMI Group.

“Household formations are also very important,” Berson says. “Kids may have moved back in with their parents, or two people may have moved in together, because of job concerns. Now they can move into their own place.”

While interest rates are sitting comfortably below 5 percent for now (30-year fixed rates averaged 4.76 percent last week), economists warn the attractive low rates won’t last long.

“Few think mortgage rates are going lower,” says Mark Zandi, Moody’s Analytics chief economist. “It’s more likely they will be 6 percent than 4 percent next spring. This lights a fire under buyers.”

Source: “Discounts Expected in Spring Housing Market,” The Wall Street Journal (March 22, 2011)