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Cities Near Palm Springs

If you’re thinking about moving to the Palm Springs area, you may not know that Palm Springs is just one city of nine in the Coachella Valley.

Visitors often refer to our desert cities as Palm Springs. True, just about everyone throughout the world knows about the city, so it’s easy to understand why the name ‘Palm Springs’ is synonymous with the region. As popular but not as well known, are nearby cities that attract both visitors and home buyers. Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta offer what Palm Springs became famous for; majestic desert mountains, beautiful weather, sunshine, tennis, golf, and more…

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Best Dog-friendly Restaurants in the Desert

dog-friendly-restaurants-palm-desert

The Palm Springs area conjures up images of sunny skies, golf, tennis, lounging by the pool, and dining at fine and/or fun restaurants. And, for many of us, with our dog by our side.

While dining with your canine best friend is a common site here in the desert, it’s important to know before you arrive at your chosen eatery that it is indeed receptive to your furry family member. A call or website search will be worth your research. Here are a few of my favorite pooch-friendly restaurants I enjoy with my Lollie!

JC Café

www.jcsonelpaseo.com
Family owned since 1987, and conveniently located on El Paseo Dr in Palm Desert, JC not only offers the freshest food and refreshing cocktails, but hands down has one of the best patio and al fresco dining experience in the desert. Check out the Saturday and Sunday $5 all-day cocktails. The staff will treat your loved furry one with a lot of attention, water bowl, and treats.

Melange at the Chateau at Lake La Qiunta

www.thechateaulakelaquinta.com
The patio is ideal to lunch, dine, and socialize and with a glass of champagne or crafted cocktail. It’s located right on the lake offering incredible views of the lake and waterfront homes, and is ideal to lounge with your pooch.

The Corridor

www.palmspringscorridor.com
This hip and happening courtyard with shade trees, lawn, and outdoor sculptures is surrounded by small shops, cafes, restaurants, and events that can be shared with your dog pal.

Jakes Palm Springs

www.jakespalmsprings.com
Named for the owner’s cherished Westie, this popular eatery pampers pooches with water bowls, treats, and plenty of praise from staff and other diners.

The Café at Venus de Fido

www.venusdefido.com
A popular neighborhood lunch destination, the Café offers healthy and creative plant-based meals using only fresh ingredients. This unique destination offers the upmost pampering for you and your doggie, with Spa treatments for both, doggie daycare, indoor dog park, themed doggie playdates, and Fido birthday parties, Bow-wow-wow!

Farm

www.farmpalmsprings.com
The Farm is like a trip back to the South of France. The experience at Farm is like being transported to the South of France. Expect an extraordinary sensory experience; from the garden-like patio seating, beautiful bouquet of floral landscaping, to our incredible authentic menu comprised of the freshest ingredients, you will be wowed at every turn.

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5 Criteria for Pricing a Home

  1. Location: Homes in the same neighborhood typically follow the same market trends. Comparing your home to another in the same neighborhood is a good start, but comparing it to homes on the same street or block is even better.
  2. Date of sale: It varies by location, but housing markets can see a ton of fluctuation in a short time period. It‘s best to use the most recent sales data available.
  3. Home build: Look for homes with similar architectural styles, numbers of bathrooms and bedrooms, square footage, and other basics.
  4. Features and upgrades: Remodeled bathrooms and kitchens can raise a home’s price, and so can less flashy upgrades like a new roof or HVAC system. Be sure to look for similar bells and whistles.
  5. Sale types: Homes that are sold as short sales or foreclosures are often in distress or sold at a lower price than they’d receive from a more typical sale. These homes are not as useful for comparisons.

 

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Location Location Location

The mantra of smart real estate purchases is “location, location, location,” Taking heed to this discipline can dictate future gains or losses of your selected property. Pricing of identical houses or condos in different areas reflects current demand and future appreciation.

It is important to select an agent who knows the areas and communities in your selected city.  Top agents will review your criteria and then guide you to locations that best match your needs while mindful of area trends.

Starting your home search begins with your list of wants and needs. Determine your price range of targeted homes, what type of view you prefer (if view is important), sunlight exposure, interior and exterior amenities, and your lifestyle.

Here in the Coachella Valley area homes offering views are one of the most requested location options in the desert. And since outdoor living is so popular here, sweeping views can and will add value to an identical property with limited or no views. Some buyers prefer golf course views, while others choose the mountains. Here in the desert you can actually get both.

Maybe you want to live close to restaurants and shopping so proximity to a city center will be an important requirement on your ‘wants and needs list’ of desirable locations. Many Palm Springs area activities are in walking distance or a short golf cart or bike ride away from many locations.

An important consideration in choosing your desert home is whether you want it to be in a gated community with HOA (Homeowners Association). HOAs offer benefits to some buyers and drawbacks to others. HOA’s have rules and regulations. On the plus side is the fact that most HOA’s work hard at maintaining high community standards and appearances so your neighborhood doesn’t become run down or have blighted homes. Keep in mind that there are HOA dues to pay and you’ll need to be aware of the monthly fees and any HOA rules pertaining to using or modifying your property. Before buying a home or condo located within an HOA, you’ll want to read your copy of the HOA CC&R’s (Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions). You’ll be provided this document during the start of escrow after your offer is accepted, and you will be given a period of time to either proceed with your purchase or cancel.

You’ve chosen the Coachella Valley because of the beauty, weather and activities. Use your agent’s area knowledge and expertise to get your desert dream home.