Pacific Union Real Estate Insider Blog

Palm Springs Pacific Union Agents Visit The Palm Springs Air Museum

2010-03-03T14:25:00.000-08:00

Pacific Union Real Estate in Palm Springs recently announced plans for community awareness and interaction projects including workshops, seminars and tours of area attractions. As part of that series, agents toured The Palm Springs Air Museum last Tuesday afternoon. After a lunch provided by The Freedom Fighters Cafe located in the museum, several docents took smaller groups of agents through the exhibits.

The Palm Springs Air Museum houses one of the nation's largest collection of World War II flying aircraft displayed in modern, well lighted, air-conditioned and clean hangars. The Buddy Rodgers Theater shows daily documentaries about aviation in the military with an emphasis on World War II. In addition to planes and historic artifacts, the museum is host to a library of 6300 volumes primarily related to aviation and American military history.

Complimenting the extensive displays, the museum sponsors Saturday commemorative educational programs for visitors and members which often include exhibition flights. On those days, members and visitors can participate in the sights and sounds that made history.

Many of the Pacific Union agents had not been to the museum before but all attendees were impressed with the volunteer staff, their knowledge and their personal stories and input.

Current Real Estate Market

2008-10-20T22:43:00.000-07:00

The current financial sector is obviously creating difficulty for the real estate market. One thing to remember is that all price points are selling, but people have to remember location, location, location continues to play an important part in your decision making process. Talk to your real estate professional and do your homework. There are great properties available right now.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

Case Study 22

2008-07-11T08:40:00.000-07:00

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

IPhone information versus other smart phones

2008-07-11T08:35:00.001-07:00

Yahoo Finance speaks on the IPhone.
Walt Mossber sizes up the competition.

The iPhone is "the best, most complete smartphone" on the market and clones such as the Samsung Instinct are a poor substitute, says Walt Mossberg, personal technology columnist for The Wall Street Journal and co-executive editor of AllThingsD.com
That said, Mossberg does not think Apple has won the smartphone wars by any stretch, for the following reasons:

First, the iPhone's touch screen is a "non starter" for many people, which means phones with 'QWERTY' keyboards from Research In Motion, Palm and others will remain in demand.

Second, AT&T is the exclusive service provider in the U.S. and their service is spotty, at best, in many parts of the country. In addition, even people who want the iPhone may be reluctant to pay fees to break an existing contract with another carrier.

Third, as impressive as the iPhone's hardware is, software is the key to smartphone success. Mossberg believes Apple has a chance to turn the iPhone into a platform via the App store, as discussed here. But he certainly isn't discounting competitors from RIM to Nokia to Microsoft and Google, which each have deep pockets and deep software expertise.

CLICK HERE to view the full article and information.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

Trina Turk Residential Boutique

2008-05-22T15:22:00.001-07:00

Now Open in Palm Springs—The Trina Turk Residential Boutique!Imagine the graphic prints of Trina’s clothing collection in pillows to pop the interiors of your home. The Trina Turk Residential Boutique is located next door to the Trina Turk Apparel Boutique.

Phil Smith of The Art Office designed Trina Turk residential, which is located right next door to our original boutique on N. Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs. In addition to the items made with Trina Turk signature prints, you will find a carefully curated selection of beautiful items for the home including Missoni towels, one of a kind handmade vessels from Atwater Pottery, cloisonné lidded jars from Fabienne Jouvin, Trina Turk Candles and more!

Trina Turk Residential
895 N. Palm Canyon Drive

Palm Springs, CA 91802

phone: 760.416.2856

Jott the newest time saver

2008-03-25T14:36:00.000-07:00

At its most basic level, webapp Jott is a voice to text transcription service: you call Jott, leave a message, and Jott transcribes it and emails you or your contacts the text. That alone can capture the big idea that pops into your head on the drive to the office, but Jott can do a whole lot more than send you email. With Jott's built-in links and tools that capitalize on its email-sending abilities, it can give nearly any personal organization system a go-anywhere, add-anything boost. Today we've got a quick primer on how to turn your phone into a ubiquitous capture tool that zaps info into all your favorite organization apps by voice.

For more information there's wonderful information through lifehacker.com at THIS LINK.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

Julius Shulman Exhibit at The Palm Springs Art Museum

2008-02-21T00:26:00.000-08:00

The Palm Springs Art Museum

Julius Shulman Exhibition to Debut
February 15th - May 4th, 2008

The exhibition Julius Shulman / Palm Springs will focus on Shulman’s extensive and historically lengthy (70 year) documentation of the modern architectural movement in the Palm Springs area. The spectacular desert landscape provided inspiration to numerous superb architects, whose vision and output created a unique architectural mode in the Southern California Mid-Century Modern movement; and Shulman made it his passion to document these buildings and homes. The exhibition will consist of over 150 photographs. "Julius photographed the rem aining imporant architectural properties in the Palm Springs area and the excitement around those new works is already creating much anticipation.", said Exhibition Curator Michael Stern. The photos are compiled from the holdings of The Getty Museum and Palm Springs Art Museum, as well as private collections.

The Palm Springs Art Museum is located downtown in an architecturally-significant E. Stewart Williams designed building.

For more information, call 760.332.4800 or CLICK HERE.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

"One Night Only"

2008-01-23T16:14:00.001-08:00

“One Night Only” will be held on Thursday, May 1, 2008 at the McCallum Theatre. The new beneficiary this coming year is Jewish Family Service of the Desert (JFS).

Michael Childers and a host of other incredibly generous people are working to bring back "One Night Only". It has developed a reputation for delivering a powerful evening of entertainment. This past April, five time Emmy award winner Doris Roberts hosted the best of Broadway and Hollywood, including Stephanie Powers, Andrea Marcovicci, Bruce Vilanch, Sally Kellerman, and numerous other show stopping performers.

I'm working to help them make this the most successful event to date and hope to see you there. Please RSVP to Ken Katz, Event Director, at kkatz@dc.rr.com.

For more information on Jewish Family Service of the Desert, CLICK HERE.

Modernism Week in Palm Springs

2008-01-08T22:15:00.001-08:00

Modernism Week is an annual collaboration between the Modernism Show, Palm Springs Preservation Foundation, Palm Springs Historical Society, Palm Springs Modern Committee, Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce and the Palm Springs Art Museum focusing on design and architecture events and programs in Palm Springs California.

Thursday, February 15 - Saturday, February 24 2008.

An assortment of scheduled events are detailed on the link provided.

To learn more CLICK HERE.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

Discover your carbon footprint

2008-01-08T21:08:00.000-08:00

What is a carbon footprint? Basically it is an estimate of how much carbon dioxide we emit through the burning of fossil fuels for activities such as household energy consumption and transport use (e.g. car and plane).

GE has done a great job of creating a site to learn your consumption use.

To learn more CLICK HERE.

Palm Springs Art Museum Launches New Website

2007-11-26T16:05:00.000-08:00

The Palm Springs Art Museum has launched a new website that is much easier to navigate, is vibrant and interactive, and allows for access to an instant calendar of all current events.

DID YOU KNOW: The Museum's permanent collection of more than 55,000 objects features art of the Americas and 20th-century California art. The collection includes modernist and contemporary painting and sculpture, Western American art, Native American and Mesoamerican art and artifacts, contemporary studio glass art, photography, modern architecture and design, and graphics/works on paper.

Take some time to not only peruse their new site, but tour the museum as well. You won't be disappointed.

Write In Post - Recycling

2007-11-21T15:15:00.000-08:00

This information was submitted in the comments to a recent posting on recycling within our blog and we thought you'd like checking it out...

Palm Springs City Council has passed two resolutions in November to make single stream recycling a reality in 2008. A contribution of $2,000,000 was made to PSDS for containers and trucks to pick up the new containers. Hopefully by July 2008, we will no longer have to separate our recycled items. Now we also need to work on a plan to use solar power on our homes...the Resource Conservation Committee is looking for ways to use renewable resources and cut our power bills especially in our summer months when we use our air-conditioners. Wouldn't it be great to use the sun to cool our house? Talk about thinking outside the box!

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

Green Tip Of The Week - Global Green

2007-11-21T15:05:00.000-08:00

Global Green USA is a national environmental organization addressing three of the greatest challenges facing humanity:

- Stemming global climate change by creating green buildings and cities.
- Eliminating weapons of mass destruction that threaten lives and the environment.
- Providing clean, safe drinking water for the 2.4 billion people who lack access to clean water.

To learn more or show your support CLICK HERE.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

Tech Trends

2007-11-21T15:01:00.000-08:00

By Renwick Congdon

A large part of the Web 2.0 landscape is made up of blogs, wikis and programs that integrate both mediums, along with other technologies.

Blogs are essentially personal journals or commentaries created by individuals, perhaps within teams or organizations, for broad consumption and published on the Internet. Communities on the Web use blogging sites to air their opinions or add to an existing body of material on a given subject area.

The purpose of blogs may vary from site to site; for example, some bloggers use the medium as a diary, while others provide supporting or antithetical views on a topic. The postings-the term used for the publishing of a blog entry-are usually self-moderated.
A wiki is a Web site that enables users to add new content or amend existing content. As soon as you post on a wiki, all users are able to contribute, by adding or amending the original document. They do not have to ask permission-from the author or an administrator-because everyone is empowered to contribute. The wiki community manages change and ensures accuracy and relevance. A great example is Wikipedia (http://www.wikipedia.com/).

The shared-document collaboration element is the main difference between blogs and wikis. The originating author relinquishes ownership of the content on a wiki publication.

For more information on this CLICK HERE.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

Christie's Art Auctions

2007-11-02T12:23:00.000-07:00

How to sell:
Many factors have made Christie's the auction house of choice for consignors: exceptional client service, unrivaled experience in the international art market, and a global network of salerooms and offices.

A unique and tailor-made strategy to obtain optimal returns for our auctions draws on Christie's wealth of resources, including a lineup of accomplished auctioneers; an international group of experienced specialists in more than 80 categories; an extensive database of potential buyers around the world; and a team of skilled marketing and public relations professionals.
CLICK HERE for more information.

How to buy:
Buying at auction is an exciting experience but it is also serious business. Research and inspect the property you are interested in and learn about the bidding process before registering to bid.
CLICK HERE for more information.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

Architectural Research Locations

2007-10-29T22:26:00.000-07:00

There's an extensive array of Architectural information available. If you have extensive knowledge or if being in Palm Springs has tweaked your Architectural interests take some time to research the styles and details you enjoy.

Here's a few websites we've found quite informative and useful in our continued quest for knowledge:

Palm Springs Preservation Foundation

National Trust of Historic Preservation

Society of Architectural Historians

Architectural International Database

We have several additional websites of interest if you'd like more information. Please feel free to contact us, or leave a comment below if you'd like any additional links we have that you might enjoy. Your local library is another wonderful resource.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

Green Tip of the Week: Online Sustainable Materials Library

2007-10-21T21:50:00.000-07:00

Ecolect: A Sustainable Materials Community

Ecolect is a combination of 'ecology' and 'intellect'. This is an extrodinary online group that is focused on being the largest, freely accesible sustainable materials library in the world.

Now it’s up to you, users and fellow designers, to take the site and run with it. That’s how Ecolect can remain a growing, as a relevant resource.

CLICK HERE to link to their site.

Christie's Great Estates Message from the President

2007-10-21T21:10:00.000-07:00

Pacific Union is the exclusive luxury affiliate of Christie's Great Estates. Christie's Great Estates, a wholly owned subsidiary of Christie's, the world's oldest fine art auction house, was established in 1995 and is the largest network of real estate brokers dedicated to the marketing and sale of important properties. The network comprises more than 850 real estate offices and nearly 35,000 sales associates in more than 45 countries. The combined annual sales volume of all affiliate real estate companies is approximately $125 billion.

The Christie's name is synonymous with quality, integrity, and customer satisfaction, and the marketing efforts of Christie's and Christie's Great Estates provide far-reaching exposure to a qualified audience of homeowners and homebuyers. Christie's Great Estates is your best source for international luxury real estate and the most influential luxury real estate group in the world. Each office around the world has close affiliation and has spent time working with one another on numerous occasions.

Kay Coughlin, President & CEO of Christie's Great Estates, provides a brief overview of the company's proven services to successfully market and sell luxury real estate worldwide.

Blogging

2007-10-21T16:53:00.000-07:00

Well you're certainly reading one, but do you have one?

People in all age ranges are enjoying their time on the web that much more by creating blogs. It's their opportunity to have a location where they say everything on their mind or focused on an activity they enjoy or their career.

Blogger.com is an excellent example of a place you can go to create a free online blog. Use it with friends, family, clients, work...whatever you like. They give the user several templates in creating the look and feel, but everything is very simple. You can insert images or video and it's incredibly easy with help around every corner if needed.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions on creating blogs.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

Canyon Country Club History

2007-10-09T12:30:00.000-07:00

The Canyon Country Club is a gorgeous location in South Palm Springs. The club itself is currently going through a significant remodeling and branding effort. The new name you'll be seeing about town for the club is "Palm Springs National". Below is some incredibly informative details found on the Canyon Country Club website.

Prior to the club’s opening in 1961, developers had long coveted a 550-acre tract of Indian-owned land in southern Palm Springs. In 1960, after years of complicated negotiations with the Aqua Caliente Indian tribe, Harold Simon, a Palm Springs attorney, wrote the largest Indian land lease in American history. When the lease was signed, the plan for Canyon Country Club was crafted. Incidentally, the first name for the new club was to be “Wind Free.” But, several neighboring Coachella Valley communities objected to the name because of the comparison it made to “windy” development efforts.

Canyon Country Club consists of a stunning, modern clubhouse, designed by renowned architect Don Wexler, a leading contributor to the “Palm Springs Modern” genre, the club was destined from the start to be a magnet for the elite.

The starter shack had a red phone directly to the White House because President Johnson followed by Spiro Agnew spent two seasons at Canyon Country Club.

For more information CLICK HERE.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

Green Tip of the Week - Building Green TV

2007-10-02T11:56:00.000-07:00

Building Green TV has created a very informative location to go for news, video and links to some incredibly interesting and worthy sites. An example of some of the videos they have is there segment on Living Roofs, which is included here...

For more information on Building Green TV CLICK HERE.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

Local Prices Continue to Rise

2007-10-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

Coachella Valley's decline not as big as county, other regions.

Published in The Desert Sun: Michael Perrault Oct. 2, 2007

Home sales across the Coachella Valley fell 25 percent in August compared with the same month last year, though the median price edged up, a new report shows.

The valley wide median price rose to $390,000 in August, a 1 percent increase compared with August 2006, La Jolla-based real estate information firm DataQuick Information Systems reported Monday. In a separate report, the California Desert Association of Realtors and California Association of Realtors - which compiles monthly sales and price statistics somewhat differently from DataQuick - showed the valley's median price was up 6.4 percent from a year ago to $377,920, while sales volume tumbled 16.8 percent.

For full information on the article CLICK HERE.

Palm Springs Property Focused At Christie's Hong Kong

2007-09-17T14:11:00.000-07:00

Frenzied Bidding Set High Prices for Asian Art

A Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate Palm Springs property was situated front and center during the event.

Real estate and art went hand in hand at the Christie's Asian Art, Jewellery and Watches Spring Auctions held in Hong Kong this May. Christie's Great Estates was present at the sale, where a video presentation showcased some of the finest properties offered anywhere in the world. Copies of Christie's Great Estates magazine and property brochures were distributed to the estimated 15,000 people who visited the auction site over the course of five days. The sales totaled more than HK$1.52 billion, or US$195.4 million. High prices for works from across Asia were realized as frenzied bidding took place. The top-selling lot at the 20th-Century Chinese Art sale that took place on the opening day of the sales was Scenery of Northern China, by Wu Guanzhong, that sold for US$4,118,400.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

Green Tip of the Week - Recycling

2007-09-17T10:27:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of information found on GlobalGreen.org.

Businesses and Environmentalists Allied for Recycling (BEAR) is a unique alliance of businesses, recyclers, environmentalists and other stakeholders working to maximize the recycling of beverage containers.
In 1999, only 41 percent of beverage containers were recycled, amounting to the annual disposal of 114.4 billion beverage containers (7.7 million tons). Aluminum can recycling rates dropped from a peak of 65 percent in 1992 to 55 percent in 1999, the lowest level in the last decade. PET bottles were only recycled at a 20 percent rate. BEAR's goal is to increase the national recycling rate of all beverage containers 80 percent.
The Multi-Stakeholder Recovery Project (MSRP) is one of BEAR's central efforts to move towards its eighty percent recycling goal. In this project, stakeholders from throughout the beverage and recycling value chain are working together on a Task Force to identify innovative strategies to increase beverage container recycling consistent with a set of eleven guiding principles.
The BEAR project embodies GG USA's mission of working as a mediator, facilitator, and catalyst to eliminate waste, support sustainable businesses and jobs, and protect the environment.
For more information on BEAR, CLICK HERE.

Make sure you and your offices are doing your part. Ask your boss or other decision makers if your offices are doing all they can to help make a difference in the recycling efforts.

Palm Springs General Plan

2007-09-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

Published in The Desert Sun.com
Cindy Uken, Palm Springs Information Coordinator: Sept. 13, 2007

The proposed blueprint that will guide the City of Palm Springs for the next 20 years is now in the hands of the City Council to determine its fate. The City Council will meet in Special Session on Monday, September 17 at 6 p.m. in the City Council chambers to discuss and debate the merits of the Plan.

The draft of the Comprehensive General Plan update and its associated draft Environmental Impact Report are available for review online at http://www.psplan.org/ or they can be viewed at the reference counter at the Palm Springs Public Library, or at City Hall in the City Clerk's office and the Planning Services counter.

- This was published online at TheDesertSun.com as a reader submitted article. For more information on the article, CLICK HERE.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

Local Cities That Best Fit You

2007-09-14T08:37:00.000-07:00

We go to great lengths in working with clients to determine what area works best for them. Each city in our valley is unique in it's own right and offers exceptional opportunities for enjoyment to the people that live there.

Consult with your real estate professional as you're deciding on the best community for you. Each professional is able to go through an overview of the communities to help better inform and prepare you for the decisions ahead of you.

Whether you're looking for the perfect architecturally significant property, mid-century pad, tuscan villa, equestrian, golf course living or the perfect country club we can help.

Our website COMMUNITIES section gives additional detail on our local communities.

Advertising in today's market - Print Media

2007-09-12T15:57:00.000-07:00

When deciding where best to advertise keep a few thing's in mind.

Print media isn't quite as hyped today as it's online counterpart, but it can still serve a positive purpose and be beneficial. Different real estate companies have created different partnerships in advertising for their agents to hopefully take full advantage of. When dealing with office co-op advertising or advertising on your own, here are a few helpful hints to make sure you know:

- The publications distribution outlets: Where are the magazines put so the consumer will see them?

- What online partnerships they've created: The better publications in the market today have either a sister website they'll include your properties in for free with your print cost, or have created partnerships across brand lines to better aide their advertisers for the dollars spent. This is a very valuable tool. Publications that have partnered with say three different online sites will automatically load the listings you have in their publications to the other online sites as well so you get a much bigger bang for your buck.

- Do they make it to press on time: Some publications aren't able to make it as a monthly publication and their print run slips a month or two months from when they planned on getting it out. Know how they are running so you don't get caught paying for something in advance you may not be receiving.

- Does the publication suite the needs of the agent: Some magazines will aide in creating the ad for you at no additional costs, as it's built into the cost associated for the ad. Some publications don't mention this right away, so be aware of all you get for your money.

After print and they look wonderful, make sure to give a copy to your seller so they can see their home included in the publication. It's an often over looked detail, but they'll be appreciative.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

Green Tip of the Week - Tankless Water Heaters

2007-09-08T10:57:00.001-07:00

New tankless water heaters deliver between 200 to 500 gallons an hour of instant hot water. With no pilot light and no tank to heat all day, a tankless water heater can realize a savings of up to fifty percent on utility bills. Most homes use hot water for a cumulative total of about one hour per day, yet they typically keep 40 or 50 gallons (oftentimes more) of water hot 24 hours a day. Having a system that eliminates the storage and heats water only as you use it can dramatically reduce your energy consumption.

Tankless Water Heaters are also design friendly, being about as large as a suitcase and weighing only 60 pounds. If that isn't enough, the tankless water heater is almost entirely recyclable, so if you ever decide to replace it, it doesn’t have to go to the landfill.

Gas vs. Electric: If you have a choice between the two, gas units are typically more powerful and are more energy efficient than electric. Make sure to always hire a professional for installation.

For more information CLICK HERE, or to determine details in choosing the best brand/type for you CLICK HERE.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

Christie's Post-War & Contemporary Art

2007-09-06T14:22:00.000-07:00

First Open:
Post-War &Contemporary Art
Sale 1872
10 September 2007, 10:00 am & 2:00 pm
20 Rockefeller Plaza, New York

These are images of two Lot's that will be auctioned.
Make sure not to miss it, as it's sure to impress.

Sale 1872, Lot 127
Tom Friedman (b. 1965)
Yarn Dog, 2006
yarn and wheat paste
Estimate: $180,000-220,000

Sale 1872, Lot 213
Richard Prince (b. 1949)
Untitled (Cowboy), 1999
Ektacolor print, number two from an edition of two
Estimate: $100,000-150,000

To view more information CLICK HERE to visit the Christie's Website.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

The Dangers of Overpricing Your Home

2007-09-06T14:04:00.000-07:00

The vast majority of serious buyers and agents simply will not make offers on homes they consider significantly overpriced.
Overpricing discourages qualified buyers & attracts less-desirable prospects, i.e., buyers who make “low-ball” offers.
Overpricing wastes the optimum moment of Buyer/Broker interest in the property—when it’s new on the market and our marketing campaign is in full swing.
Overpricing kills the “sense of urgency” in the buyer and broker communities that typically leads to achievement of the highest sales price.
Overpricing helps sell competitive properties—as they stand out as a good value in comparison.
The property becomes “stale” on the market, which—because buyers assume there must be something wrong with the house—dramatically reduces value in buyers’ minds. Sadly, this usually results in a sale price less than if it had been properly priced to begin with.

It is in the seller's best interest for their home to be priced competitively in the market and comparable to those around them. Having a competitively well priced home gives a far greater opportunity to portray well to potential buyers and sell your home closer to the asking price. If a home is priced too agressive and high for the market it not only significantly lowers the chances of sale, but also allows carrying costs to quickly add up.

Christie's Auction Photographs

2007-08-26T15:01:00.000-07:00

Christie's Auction House will be auctioning:

Photographs from the
Isadore & Kelly Friedman Collection
Sale 19517
September 2007, 10:00 am
20 Rockefeller Plaza, New York

Lot 5
Ilse Bing
The Honorable
Daisy Fellowes' Gloves
by Dent, London,
for Harper's Bazaar, 1933
gelatin silver print,
printed later
Estimate: $2,000-3,000

Lot 67
Paul Strand
New York, from Camera Work,
October 1916
photogravure
Estimate: $5,000-7,000

For more informtion on this or other coming auctions visit Christie's Website.

Preparing The Property For Sale

2007-08-26T09:13:00.000-07:00

There are a number of items you can do to aide your seller regarding getting the most money for their home. This may often include working on several aspects of the property before it goes on the market.

§ Anything that adds more value than it costs should be seriously considered. Many changes cost comparatively little and yet may dramatically enhance value.

§ Create a detailed checklist of possible things to do—from cleaning, painting and simple rearranging to landscaping, minor remodeling and pre-sale repairs—to prepare any property to show in its best possible light.

§ Bring a professional staging consultant to suggest additional ways how to show the property to its maximum advantage.

§ This is not a reflection on taste; it is a cold calculation on how to make you more money by achieving the highest possible sales price in the shortest possible time.

§ From a list of options, the seller can then decide how much or little they want to do.

§ Your expertise and resources to prepare their property to show and sell is one of the major advantages you can offer your clients.

It comes down to how the house looks in regard to the offering price. The better the property looks, the more money a seller has the opportunity to receive. Whether the property needs a few repairs or it's been completely remodeled it's important to give sellers feedback on how they will best achieve the highest possible sales price.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

What You Need To Know About Escrow

2007-08-26T08:45:00.000-07:00

What is Escrow?

Escrow is the process by which the interests of all parties in a real estate transaction are protected, ensuring that all conditions of the sale have been met before property and money change hands.

Escrow is an independent depository wherein all finds, instructions, and documents for the purchase of your home are held, including your down payment, your Lender’s funds, documents for the new loan, hazard and title insurance, inspection reports, and the grant deed from the seller. At the close of escrow, the “Escrow Holder” delivers these items to the appropriate parties, disburses the funds, and handles the associated paperwork.

What Does an Escrow Holder Do?

The Escrow Holder is a neutral third party that maintains the escrow account and impartially oversees the escrow process making sure all conditions of the sale are properly met.

The Escrow Holder’s duties include:

- Serving as the neutral third agent and the liaison between all parties involved.
- Requesting a preliminary title search to determine the status of title to the property.
- Requesting a beneficiary statement of debt or obligations to be taken over by the buyer.
- Requesting a payoff demand from beneficiaries when the seller is paying off debts.
- Complying with the Lender’s requirements as specified in their instructions to escrow.
- Securing releases of all contingencies or other conditions imposed on the escrow.
- Preparing or securing the deed and other documents related to escrow.
- Prorating taxes, interest, insurance, and rents.
- Preparing escrow instructions.
- Receiving purchase funds from the buyer.
- Receiving loan funds from buyer’s lender.
- Closing the escrow pursuant to instructions supplied by the seller, buyer and lender.
- Recording the deed and any other documents.
- Disbursing funds as authorized by the instruction including charges for title insurance, recording fees, real estate commissions and loan payoffs.
- Preparing final statements for all parties involved that account for the disposition of all funds held in the escrow account.

Opening the Escrow

The Buyer’s Real Estate Agent will open the escrow and place the initial deposit into an escrow account as soon as the buyer executes the sales agreement. At the opening of escrow, the buyer may be asked to provide identification information such as you birth date and social security number. This information remains confidential.

Palm Springs - La Quinta The Perfect Time To Buy

2007-08-25T16:03:00.000-07:00

Our community is growing rapidly. People are relocating for full-time enjoyment, while a large majority are buying vacation and investment homes so they can take full advantage of all our communities have to offer. The perfect weather to enjoy golf & tennis, or the perfect mid-century architectural gem. There's something for everyone. The constant is the magnificant views throughout the valley.

There has been a significant number of reports by media outlets regarding a downturn in the market, but as we saw previously taking "the bubble" for instance the media can tend to play doom-and-gloom far more than they might should. We certainly have a wonderful inventory of homes. This allows buyers a variety of choices, with the best properties selling quickly. Palm Springs and the surrounding communities are primarily a second home / vacation home market that is different in scope than primary housing markets. We continue to grow and as we grow our prices continue to rise, so there's no time like the present to find your perfect retreat or investment property. Whether you plan on retiring here in a few years or are ready to make weekend trips more often the perfect getaway is here, from Palm Springs - La Quinta there's no time like present time.

Vacation Home Sales Set Record

2007-08-25T15:35:00.000-07:00

Published in: Unique Homes Magazine
Written by: Ken Weingartner

The vacation home market enjoyed a record 2006 and forecasts point toward a sunny future.

According to the National Association of Realtors, a record 1.07 million vacation homes were purchased last year, an increase of 4.7 percent from the 1.02 million sold in 2005. According to NAR's data, the typical vacation home buyer was 44 years old with a median income of $102,200 and bought property a median distance of 215 miles from their primary residence. One-fourth of the buyers paid cash.

"The demographics favor vacation home sales because large numbers of buyers are in prime buying ages, and buyers want recreation property for personal use," said David Lereah, NAR's chief economist.

A study released in May by the American Affluence Research Center determined the potential existed for the purchasing of 1.1 million homes over the next 12 months by the wealthiest 10 percent of Americans. Nearly 6 percent of respondents, representing 11.2 million households, planned to purchase a vacation home, compared to 4 percent planning to purchase a primary residence.

One result, labeled as "surprising," was that 60 percent of the target market for private residence and destination clubs expressed being unfamiliar with either concept.

Vacation and investment home sales accounted for 36 percent of all existing and new residential transactions in 2006.

"You can't lump second home sales in with overall home sales; they really are two separate and distinct markets," author/analyst Christine Karpinski said. "So don't let the doom-and-gloom sayers discourage you, and don't let a sluggish real estate market in your area do so, either. You're on a whole different playing field." CLICK HERE to find more information at Unique Homes.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

Professional Photography Key For Online Success

2007-08-23T14:23:00.000-07:00

The Internet is continuing to grow more and more significant in the marketing of real estate. Reports show that over 80% of all home buyers go online when starting their real estate search. This gives the support to why it is more important than ever to have professional photographs taken of properties when the home is listed for sale. With each property having only seconds to attract interest, the photographs are the key in attracting a buyers attention.

Take for example: If you're in the bookstore walking down the isle searching for a magazine that sparks your interest the first thing that attracts your attention is the cover photograph. If the image captures your attention you'll pick the magazine up and flip through it.

The same goes for online property searches. If you are looking for a home online and hundreds of thousands of listings are at your fingertips you are certainly looking for the house that has all your criteria, but in today's high inventory market you aren't going to take time to look at every property. You'll scroll through the images and as a photograph captures your attention you'll stop, open it and read the property information.

We recommend all properties to have professional photography taken to represent the property in its best light...next time we'll discuss those pesky marketing remarks.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

Home ImprovementsThat Pay Off

2007-08-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

HGTV on-the-web
In an up-and-down market it's important to make the right decisions when it comes to updating your home. Find out how the top 15 home improvements rank, plus get tips on maximizing the return at resale. HGTV's guide to renovation is an asset to keep in mind when starting any project. CLICK HERE for more information.

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

Merv Griffin's dream will live on in La Quinta

2007-08-16T11:20:00.000-07:00

Construction at housing development bearing entertainer's name will continue.

THE DESERT SUN - August 15, 2007
LA QUINTA - Merv Griffin has died, but his dream of an equine community will live on according to his plan.

The developers of Griffin Ranch, a venture consisting of MG Ranch Land, a real estate company founded by the late Merv Griffin, and Trans West Housing announced Tuesday that they intend to complete the community with full respect to Griffin's visions and specifications.
The master-planned equestrian community sits on 259 acres that originally was part of Griffin's personal estate.
Griffin's home, barns and thoroughbred training track are adjacent to the new ranch.
According to Trans West Housing President Barry McComic, the late entertainer and astute entrepreneur participated at every level in the planning of the community.
"Griffin Ranch was his idea, and we're fortunate that he was an active, creative participant throughout the planning process. He had a special, people-oriented style and a great sense of humor that engaged and amused the Griffin team. He was a true visionary, and he was an inspiration to all of us who worked with him." With complete build-out of Griffin Ranch planned... (For more information on this article Click Here.)

Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate is the desert area's exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates and serves the real estate needs of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta.

Christie's Great Estates Magazine

2007-08-16T11:06:00.000-07:00

An outstanding estate on the shores of Lake Washington, in Seattle's most exclusive waterfront area, was selected as the cover of Christie's Great Estates magazine. The architecturally rich home features 135 feet of lake frontage, including a private beach, boat hoists, and exquisite gardens. The expansive interior includes stunning views of Lake Washington from almost every room in the residence. Madison House, the exclusive affiliate of Christie's Great Estates in Washington, is offering the property for $15,500,000. Published four times a year, Christie's Great Estates magazine is mailed globally to a strategically targeted list of the wealthiest homeowners in more than 100 major cities and towns. With a readership comprising approximately 280,000 of the world's most influential people, including international entrepreneurs, business executives, celebrities, and other affluent individuals, the magazine is sold at newsstands and bookstores in upscale communities throughout the world. Click here for more information on Christie's Great Estates magazine.

Short Sale Information

2007-08-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

Our market is beginning to have foreclosures, with that the option of short sale arises. Here is a Q&A from the LA Times that gives information for agents and their clients.

LA Times: Real Estate Q&A
By Robert J Bruss
Inman News

Question:
After listing our home for six months with no purchase offers, we were unable to keep up the mortgage payments and defaulted. The realty agent suggested a “short sale” for less than the mortgage balance. Rather than foreclosure, our mortgage lender agreed to accept a purchase offer for about $16,000 less than the mortgage balance. We were happy to get rid of the house and its mortgage. But then we received an IRS 1099 form showing $16,000 taxable income to us. Is this a mistake?

Answer:
It’s no mistake. When a mortgage lender agrees to a short sale for less than the mortgage balance, the IRS considers the amount received by the lender, which was less than the amount owed, to be taxable debt relief income to you as the borrower.
The IRS reasons that because you won’t have to repay that $16,000 loss the lender incurred, it is the same as if you had received $16,000 income, such as job salary. Although you may not agree with the IRS viewpoint, debt relief in the form of a mortgage short sale is taxable to borrowers.