Places I've been

• Create your own travel map or travel blog


• Travel Info at TripAdvisor

Be Careful Choosing Inusrance

It is always tempting to take the lowest price offered for something that appears to be the same. This could be a big mistake when it comes to your home insurance. Be sure you understand your coverage when you are shopping rates.

Different Types of Coverage

There are essentially three levels of coverage:

• Actual cash value - This value covers the house plus the value of your belongings after deducting depreciation (i.e., how much the items are currently worth, not how much you paid for them).
• Replacement cost - This is the actual cash value without the deduction for depreciation, so you would be able to repair or rebuild your home up to the original value.
• Guaranteed (or extended) replacement cost - The most comprehensive, this inflation-buffer pays for whatever it costs to repair or build your home - even if it's more than your policy limit! Certain insurers offer extended replacement, meaning it offers more coverage than you purchased, but there is a ceiling; typically, it is 20-25% higher than the limit.

Also don't forget that the value of the land is rarely included in insurance policies. You have to have special insurance if for some reason you think that you might sustain a loss to the actual land your property sits on. If this is a reality for you the insurance rates will probably be very high. One example is flood insurance which has increased quite a bit in the last ten years.

In anycase be sure you are asking the right questions and comparing apples to apples when shopping for insurance rates. If you need a good agent in the Palm Springs Area please feel free to contact me

Special Old Las Palmas Open TODAY 12/17/08

LAS PALMAS TWILIGHT OPEN HOUSE. DEC 17 4pm-7pm  Look For Silver Balloons

A) 407 W Vereda Sur, 6bdrm/7bath; 4,451sq ft Monterey Spanish Colonial Architecture, Beautifully  Remodeled, Furniture Available with home  $1,797,000

 B) 200 Vereda Sur 4 bdrm/4.5 bath, 5363 sq ft, built in 2008 Soaring ceilings, terrazzo floors, & 18ft walls of glass come together in presenting this timeless modern design by LA decorator Vance Burke. This property features exceptional space, dramatic details and truly stunning architecture with gourmet kitchen $3,465,200                                                                                 

C)1277 N. Via Paraiso  Stunning Palmer and Krisel mid-century home. This completely renovated Alexander offers 3,600 square feet of living space with 5 bedrooms and 4 baths. Sitting on one third acre with over sized, sparkling pool, outdoor entertainment area and spectacular mountain views.  $1,595,000

C) 1100 N. Vista Vespero.  5 bdm, 5 ba, 2845 sqft, Seductive Oasis... The Pride of Vista Las Palmas More than $150,000 in recent renovations, upgrades & finishes! This unique Alexander'' mid-century home located on a large corner lot. Slab granite counters, new appliances & cherry wood cabinets highlight the spacious kitchen. The great room with fireplace opens to the backyard & pool via glass walls & sliding doors. Enjoy breathtaking San Jacinto Mountain & Dry Falls views from the new pool & cascading spa with a sheer waterfall feature.

 D)1165 Abrigo  4bdrm/4bath 3030sq ft $800,000

 E) 999 Rose Ave  This Alexander Build has 3bdrm/2ba; and 2 pools! One indoor, one outside. New kitchen with pass through, new baths, new electrical, new plumbing, new ducts, new porcelain floors in entire home. Fabulous, new nine foot sliders in the living area with fireplace. 

Fully wired with Bose speakers indoors, and out.   $796,500.00

F) 1380 N Via Monte Vista Spacious 3300 Square foot Old Las Palmas Estate. Three big Master suites, lushly landscaped grounds, patios, courtyards, fountains and pool Spa.$1,289,000

 G) 201 Camino Norte  4 bdrm/6 bath  Completely remodeled 4 bedrooms 4500 sq of living space includes a gourmet kitchen with Caesar Stone counter tops, Wolf 6 burner stove and double ovens.Sub-Zero built in Refrigerator / Freezer. Butlers pantry and so much more.

Recently reduced to $1,850,000. Motivated Sellers. $1,850,000

 H-A) 840 N Prescott  Spanish Hacienda, 4800 sq ft, 5 bed/7bath. Half acre lot with majestic mountain views. Completely remodeled.  $1,999,000

 H-B) 245 W Mountain View Pl 3bdrm, 3.23bath 2545 sq ft Great Lender Owned private home in Old Las Palmas  $899,900

 I) 823 N. Topaz Circle Unique Alexander with Southwest Flair, remodeled & has casita with expanded Master bdrm suite $945,000

J) 193 W. Merito  Awesome light filled Condo.  Folded plate roof design and over 1800 Sq ft. 2 Bed 2 Bath Private patio. Blocks from Downtown, walk to everything.  $399,000     

Good Reasons To Lock in A loan before 2009!

New loan limits and minimum down payments are coming into effect for 2009. 

A good reason to get something before the first of the year!

------------------------------

FHA’s minimum down payment is being increased from 3% to 3.5% as of Jan 1, 2009. The only way to honor the 3% down payment option for you, is to get your loan approved before the end of the year. So, if you don’t already have an approved offer and a loan submitted, then you should!

· FHA’s new Loan Limit for Riverside County is $355,350, not $500,000. This is also in effect on January 1, 2009, and under the same scenario as above.

· Conventional Loan limits have also been reduced back to $417,000, not $500,000 anymore. Any loan amount above 417K, is going to be considered a jumbo mortgage.

· Reverse Mortgages are going to be a great mortgage tool moving forward to help seniors over the age of 62 purchase a new home, with no income or credit qualification required. Yes, you heard that here first.

· Rates are great today, why not do a cash out refinance on your primary residence at 5%, so you can get the down payment needed to buy a investment property today.

· USDA & VA Loan’s – both offer you 100% financing as long as you qualify for the program.

If you would like more information on any of these topics, or have any other questions, please feel free to contact me 

But It Is So Hot!!!!

How Do You Handle the Heat?       

Many times when I am talking to people about Real Estate in Palm Springs they will ask me "How can you stand the heat in the Summers?"

Actually that question reminds me of when I lived in Colorado and friends and family from other parts of the country always acted as if I had moved to the arctic circle. So one year, for fun, I tracked the total number of days I was, in anyway, inconvenienced by the weather in Colorado.  It amounted to 11 days.  Out of 365 not too bad!

Palm Springs offers such a great lifestyle it is hard to complain about anything.  The summer temps are an integral part of the experience.  The first year you are here for the Summer you wear it as a badge of honor.  You'll tell those stories of how you survived the 120 degree day and lived to tell.  You will participate in the "dry heat jokes."  After the second year you'll notice that nothing over about 105-108 degrees really even seems remarkable to you anymore.  You realize that most of the time in Palm Springs the weather is just one thing- perfect!  Then by the third year you will be looking for a sweater if it falls below 72 degrees!  You really do get acclimated. I used to be pretty hot natured but I now find myself wearing sweaters when it is in the 60's.  A far cry from my childhood in New England where 70 degrees or above meant swimming wether.

The other thing that you have to understand about the heat is that it shapes your day in a new and really rather pleasant way.  It is sort of an enforced siesta.  No one seriously thinks you are going to go out in the peak of the days heat and show houses or put up signs or do much of anything. It is an automatic pass to stay inside. Often times I use it to get paperwork done or return phone calls. It is also great for going to the movies, enjoying a good book or even taking that siesta!

On the days when I need to do outdoor things and get out I do so early and finish those things before the peak hits. Palm Springs is not really a late town anyway so Summers see us rising earlier and enjoying the morning.  It is a whole different pace.... one that is not bad at all once you've given it a try.