Green Tip of the Week - Recycling

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.

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.

Palm Springs General Plan

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

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.

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.

Advertising in today's market - Print Media

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

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

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

• 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.

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.