The 2009 Real Estate Market

Open House - Palm Springs CA

Palm Springs Open House - Kingspoint.

OPEN Saturday, 1/31/09, 1:00pm-3:30pm

2733 S Kings Rd E

3 bdrms, 2.5 baths.  If you appreciate modernist architecture, you'll love this home!

Click on the link above for additional pictures and property details.

Asking $535,000.

I look forward to seeing you at the open house!

Russell Hill    760.902.3121    Russellhill@dc.rr.com

Palm Springs real estate activity for 1/27/09 & 1/28/09

Homes for sale in Palm Springs.  Palm Springs homes for sale.  Ruth Hardy Park. Sunrise Park. Little Tuscany. Park Imperial South. Canyon North

Here's the activity for 1/27 and 1/28.  Let me know if you have any questions.  If you're not familiar with this blog, click on the link at the address to see property details and pictures.  The link is good for 30 days from the post date.  Contact me if I need to refresh the link for you. And, welcome to the blog!

Central Palm Springs:

New Listings:

671 N Via Acapulco, Sunrise Alejo, 2/2, $219,900.

334 Villaggio E., The Villas in Old PS, 3/3.5, $799,000.

1111 Tachevah, 3/1, $234,900.

1337 E Buena Vista Dr., Ruth Hardy Park, 2/2.75, $321,000.

505 W Vista Chino, Little Tuscany, 5/5.5, $2,695,000.

In Escrow:

3522 E Paseo Barbara, El Rancho Vista Estates, 3/2, $199,000.

211 N Sunset Way, Sunrise Park, 3/2, $365,000.

Sold:

608 N Farrell, 3/2, $375,000.

South Palm Springs:

New Listings:

1794 Araby, Park Imperial South, 3/2, $325,000.

641 El Placer Rd., Demuth Park, 3/2, $89,900.

2370 S Via Lazo, Canyon North, 3/4, $1,233,000.

In Escrow:

2001 E Camino Parocela, #I58, 2/2, $279,500.

Sold:

74 Portola Dr., Los Pueblos, 3/2, $240,000.

Russell Hill     760.902.3121     RussellHill@dc.rr.com

Los Angeles: A Buyer’s Paradise

The media’s dire portrait of the real estate market fails to emphasize that for buyers (at least in Los Angeles) the terms are more favorable than in any time during the past 20 years.

There is no denying we are in a downturn (the ‘worst recession since the depression’ seems to be its moniker). However, all the elements that have contributed to So Cal’s boom – the diversified economy (small businesses, big businesses, ports, universities, youthful population, media companies, sunshine!) – will lead to the next boom when we exit this down-cycle.

At the beginning of the decade, while property values rose and lending underwriting guidelines were relaxed, buyers lost their “buying power” as the market shifted dramatically in the favor of sellers.

By the height of the effervescent market in 2005, buyers were forced to make no-contingency offers at prices well in excess of the asking price – and then would compete with rafts of other equally-ebullient buyers – in the hopes of getting a home (fingers crossed that the foundation isn’t cracked.)

Those days are long gone. Buyers who have good credit and documentable income with a 20% downpayment can benefit from the best interest rates in 40 years (hovering around 5% depending on the loan amount). They have a wide selection of excellent properties to choose from. There are abundant deeply discounted bank-owned properties that are floated on the market. Buyers can now have the luxury of ‘shopping around.’

Some might argue that it’s unwise to buy when no one knows where values are going. True, no one can read the tea leaves. However, loan underwriting guidelines change, interest rates fluctuate, governmental regulations can be revised.

Two of the Obama Administration’s proposals – a six-month moratorium on foreclosures, and a ‘locked’ 4.5% interest rate for buyers – will shore up the market and diminish the buyer’s advantage overnight. Homes and investment properties bought today could indeed be the ‘buys’ that are discussed over dinner parties ten years from now.

Jamie Adner
www.adnergroup.com

Vista Las Palmas

Homes for sale in Palm Springs.  Palm Springs real estate for sale.

Below are the sales statistics for Vista Las Palmas for the last three years.

2008:

13 sales, median sales price $935,000., $385.50sf

2007:

17 sales, median sales price $1,025,000., $472.25sf

2006:

22 sales, median sales price $1,125,000., $515.06

Let me know if you have any questions!

Russell Hill    760.902.3121     RussellHill@dc.rr.com

California Foreclosures Quantified

In California, more homes were foreclosed upon in 2008 (236,000) than in the previous nine years combined. The number of homeowners who were in default on their payments in 2008 also hit a new high – 404,000.

It’s not the “ticking bomb” of subprime mortgages which is at the heart of the most recent foreclosures and defaults – it’s job losses and cutbacks which render even “prime”, qualified buyers with good credit scores incapable of making their monthly payments. Current unemployment in California is more than 9.3%.

More evidence of that trend can be found in the default rate on "prime" loans, those made to borrowers with good credit. The rate of default for “prime” borrowers rose 340% in the three months ended Sept. 30 over the same period in 2007.

The areas In California that have been most impacted by foreclosures are the Inland Empire, the Antelope Valley and the Central Valley, outside of the urban core, where many “nothing down” first-time buyers made purchases on over-inflated homes with overly-lenient lending terms.

By some measures, two-thirds of recent sales transactions in California are on foreclosed homes. This partially explains how the median price of homes in Southern California fell to $278,000 in December, a steep 33% drop from the $415,000 median price in January 2008.

Jamie Adner
http://www.adnergroup.com/

My Maps Australia Awards 2008 – And the winner is…

The 2008 My Maps Australia Awards have come to an end. In the quest for Australian mapping fame we've been receiving My Maps from all over the country. Many entrants surprised us with their outstanding creativity and quirky Aussie knowledge.

Congratulations to our 10 winners, whose entries were judged tops on creativity, originality and ease of use:

It's a sign - Melbourne's history in old signs: Anthony Malloy
Public arts in Sydney: Hendrik Therik
Photodiary of a nomad: David Briese
Brisbane coffee: Josh Russel
How to get a girlfriend: Malvin Sharma
RTA Sydney traffic cameras: Hayden McInnes
Darwin to Adelaide - a 3,200km road adventure down the Stuart Highway: Kristi Barrow
VFL/AFL grounds of Australia: Tim Wiese
Fairfield City Golf Course: Sigurjon Runarsson
Biggest Loser Australia locations: Peter Craig

The 10 winners each received a "Best My Maps" award and an iPod. The grand prize winner, Anthony Malloy, won a 13" 2.1 GHz Macbook.

Hayden McInnes

Kristi Barrow

Malvin Sharma

Thanks to everyone for participating!

Posted by Katharina Friedrich, Product Marketing Manager

Taming the Foreclosure Tsunami

The Los Angeles Times reported today that a new law intended to help homeowners in distress has caused the number of Notices of Default – the first step to foreclosure -- to drop to its lowest level in a year. In the fourth quarter of 2008, 20% fewer NODs were recorded than during the previous quarter, and 7.7% fewer than during the same period in 2007.

All is not rosy, however. 2008 ended with a steep rise in the number of defaults, suggesting the tsunami of foreclosures has ebbed temporarily, but still poses a major threat going forward. Common wisdom suggests that the real estate market won’t stabilize until the number of foreclosures is brought under control.

The Obama administration intends to tackle the foreclosure problem aggressively. Various proposals have been put forward including: (1) a six-month foreclosure moratorium; (2) a doubling of the mortgage interest deduction; (3) a tax credit for those who buy homes; and, (4) a federally sponsored mortgage refinancing program.

The Obama administration is petitioning congressional leaders to commit $50 billion to $100 billion "to a sweeping effort to address the foreclosure crisis."

What no one has clearly addressed is what the government and banks are going to do with homeowners who are “underwater” -- whose mortgage debt is higher than their home is now worth. Will the bailout that is rescuing the citadels of Wall Street, sputtering auto companies and deadbeat home buyers leave these citizens pursuing the American Dream high and dry?

Jamie Adner

http://www.adnergroup.com/

Palm Springs real estate activity for 1/26/09

Palm Springs real estate.  Palm Springs homes for sale.  Palm Springs condos for sale. Mesa, Canyon North, Ruth Hardy Park, Seven Lakes Country Club, Park Imperial South. 

There are quite a few listings for 1/26.  Just a handful of pendings.  As usual, these are for south and central Palm Springs.  

Central Palm Springs:

New Listings:

314 E Stevens Rd., #9, Lantana Lodge, Studio, $75,000.

1050 E Ramon Rd., #70, Ramon Estados, 1/1, $104,900.

277 E Alejo Rd., #112, Villa Alejo, 1/1, $125,000.

500 E Amado Rd., #308, Deauville, 1/1, $210,000.

500 E Amado Rd., #412, Deauville, 2/2, $310,000.

673 E Arenas Rd., 48@Arenas, 2/2.5, $409,000.

3623 E Avenida Fey Norte, El Rancho Vista Estates, 3/2, $529,000.

675 N Plaza Amigo, Ruth Hardy Park, 3/2, $579,000.

In Escrow:

None

Sold:

None

South Palm Springs:

New Listings:

65 Westlake Cir., Seven Lakes CC, 2/2, $250,000.

2408 S Camino Real, Canyon North, 3/2, $699,000.

270 W Overlook Rd., The Mesa, 4/3.5, $1,150,000.

3035 Arroyo Seco, Monte Sereno, 3/4.5, $1,375,000.

In Escrow:

2071 S Caliente, Canyon South 1, 2/2, $129,500.

1750 S Araby, Park Imperial South, 2/2, $325,000.

2215 S Caliente Dr., Canyon North, 3/3.5, $879,000.

Sold:

None

If you're tracking an active property and want to know if there has been a price reduction, contact me and I'll get the current information for you.  My expertise is south and central Palm Springs, single family homes and condos.  All price points!

Thank you so much for visiting my real estate blog.  If you like it and find it useful, please tell your friends, family and neighbors!

Russell Hill     760.902.3121     RussellHill@dc.rr.com

Catch a Falling Knife

During the past year, the world has been upended by the financial crisis. Call it shock, awe, whatever you like, from every vantage point it's been a gut-wrenching time.

2008 was a year marked by declining property values, increases in "bid-ask" spreads (the chasm between sellers' and buyers' pricing of properties growing ever wider), the flooding of the market with bank-owned properties and short sales, and the dwindling of loan money directed at consumers.

Whether a buyer or a seller; a broker or a developer; in the residential or commercial sectors -- flux and uncertainty prevailed. The 'irrational exuberance' of the bubble era has been replaced by irrational pessimism which seems to know no bottom.

With 'creative destruction' running rampant throughout the economy, turbulence will continue for the foreseeable future.

But one day, this, too, shall pass. An end will come to this economic free fall. We will wake up to rising real estate values, increases in employment, and restaurants and retail spaces that are filled (the ones that survive, that is).

This 'buyer's market' will inevitably be superseded by a 'seller's market', with bidding wars and irrational optimism. From the current wreckage will emerge opportunities. One party's loss will contribute to another party's gain. While wealth is being destroyed, the seeds of tomorrow's equity are being created. The contrarians, who see the hope of tomorrow from the bleakness of today, will be the ones who will be rewarded.

So, think quickly, act decisively, keep yourself attuned to the upside, not the downside. Incredible opportunities present themselves every day (to those who aren't faint-hearted). Catch the falling knife.

Jamie Adner

http://www.adnergroup.com/

Palm Springs real estate activity for 1/24/09-1/25/09

Palm Springs real estate.  Palm Springs homes for sale.  Palm Springs condos for sale.

Here's the activity over the last weekend.

Central Palm Springs:

New Listings:

411 W Arenas Rd., #1, Sunkist Villas, 2/2.5, $369,000.

In Escrow:

471 S Calle El Segundo, #C5, Biaritz, 1/1, $134,900.

Sold:

None

South Palm Springs:

New Listings:

323 Westlake Ter., Seven Lakes CC, 2/2, $239,000.

600 S Vista Oro, Warm Sands, 3/3, $344,900.

2065 S Palm Canyon Dr., The Mesa, 4/3, $874,000.

In Escrow:

2412 S Madrona Dr., Canyon Estates, 3/2.5, $257,500.

1595 Palm Colony, Biltmore Colony, 3/3.5, $649,000.

2071 S Caliente Dr., Canyon South 1, 2/2, $129,500.

Sold:

None

Russell Hill    760.902.3121     RussellHill@dc.rr.com

Palm Springs real estate activity for 1/23/09

Palm Springs homes for sale.  Palm Springs condos for sale.

Here are new listings, escrows and solds for Friday, 1/23/09 (south and central Palm Springs).

Central Palm Springs:

New Listings:

474 S Calle Encillia, #E1, Biarritz, 1/1, $119,900.

901 N Arquilla Rd., Ruth Hardy Park, 3/3.5, $1,100,000.

733 N Dry Falls Rd., Vista Las Palmas, 3/3, $1,849,000.

In Escrow:

476 W Baristo, Silver Palm Villas, 2/2.5, $314,900.

Sold:

2074 N Mira Vista Way, Casa De Oro, 2/2, $129,000.

2920 E Via Vaquero Rd., 3/5, $780,000.

South Palm Springs:

New Listings:

1798 Firestone, Fairways, 1/1, $165,000.

7481 Paseo Azulejo, Cathedral Canyon CC, 2/2, $289,000.

In Escrow:

1950 Golf Club Dr., #1, Mountain Shadows, 2/1.5, $129,900.

1056 S Manzanita Ave., Deepwell, 4/3, $799,000.

Sold:

960 E Palm Canyon Dr., #204, Biltmore Colony, $200,000.

2480 S Linden Way, #C, Canyon Sands, 2/2, $225,000.

1431 S Cerritos Dr., Versailles, 3/2, $295,000.

1422 E Mesquite Ave., Tahquitz River Estates, 3/2, $376,000.

If you're new to my blog, hit the link at the address to see property details and pictures.  Thanks for visiting my blog.  I hope you find it useful.  Please contact me if I can help you with a Palm Springs real estate question!

Russell Hill     760.902.3121     RussellHill@dc.rr.com

Our Newest Listing - Our own home

We are sorry that we are moving, but our loss could be your gain. Please check out our home that is now for sale.

The Mesa Neighborhood, Palm Springs, CA

South Palm Springs.  

Here's the second in a series on sales stats by neighborhood.  The Mesa neighborhood is located in South Palm Springs, tucked up against the mountains.  

2008:

10 sales, median sales price $710,000., $352.20sf

2007:

8 sales, median sales price $989,250., $353.73sf

2006:

12 sales, median sales price $$805,000., $412.85sf

Hope you find this information helpful!  I'll post the Vista Las Palmas statistics next!

Russell Hill    760.902.3121     RussellHill@dc.rr.com

Palm Springs real estate activity for 1/22/09

Palm Springs homes for sale.  Palm Springs condos for sale.  Tahquitz River Estates, Sunrise Park

Central Palm Springs:

New Listings:

470 S Calle Encillia, #B13, Biarritz, 1/1, $139,850.

277 E Alejo Rd., #126, Villa Alejo, 2/2, $230,000.

1329 Trofeo Cir., Sunrise Racquet Club, 2/2, $259,000.

3573 E Camino Rojos, El Rancho Vista Estates, 4/3, $519,000.

In Escrow:

None

Sold:

1913 E Amado Rd., Sunrise Park, 3/2, $384,900 (a great deal, by the way!)

South Palm Springs:

New Listings:

None

In Escrow:

1635 La Reina Way, Saddlerock Gardens, 2/2, $259,500.

1650 E Mesquite Ave, Tahquitz River Estates, 4/2, $525,000.

210 W Camino Carmelita, The Mesa, 4/4, $558,000.

Sold:

None

Russell Hill     760.902.3121     RussellHill@dc.rr.com

Open House - Palm Springs CA

1836 Monaco Cir., Canyon Vista Estates, Palm Springs.

OPEN SUNDAY, 1/25/09, 12-3PM

2700 SF, 2 bdrms, 2 baths

Asking: $460,000.

Click on the link at the address for property details and more pictures.  

COME SEE ME!

Russell Hill     760.902.3121      RussellHill@dc.rr.com

Palm Springs real estate activity for 1/21/09

Palm Springs homes for sale.  Palm Springs condos for sale.

Central Palm Springs:

New Listings:

1364 E Andreas Rd., Palm Regency, 2/2, $449,000.

3365 E Camino Rojos, El Rancho Vista Estates, 2/2, $299,800.

1528 E Verbena Dr., Ruth Hardy Park, 2/2, $309,000.

In Escrow:

2195 Tamarisk, Sun Villas, 3/2, $209,900.

921 N Camino Condor, Sun Villas, 3/2, $375,000.

Sold:

350 W Vereda Sur, Old Las Palmas, 4/4, $865,000.

South Palm Springs:

New Listings:

2345 S Cherokee Way, #158, Oasis Resort Condos, 2/2.5, $139,000.

491 Paseo Soleado, 3/2.5, $460,000.

2716 S Kings Rd W, Kings Point, 3/2, $625,000.

400 Ridge Rd., The Mesa, 5/3.5, $1,860,000.

In Escrow:

4445 E Calle De Carlos, Demuth Park, 3/2, $139,900.

950 S Calle Paul, Demuth Park, 3/2, $114,900.

Sold:

None

If you're tracking a property and want to know if there has been a price reduction, let me know, and I'll get the information for you.

Thanks!

Russell Hill     760.902.3121     RussellHill@dc.rr.com

Buying vs. Selling..What should I do 1st........

In a buyers market like we have in Chicago, clients who are looking to sell their current home and purchase another have a tough choice to make. Should they sell their current home, or purchase their next home first? There is no one-size-fits-all answer, but here are a couple of scenarios to consider:

A. Sell Home 1, Then Buy Home 2: In this market, you have a lot of control over the purchase of your home. If you sell Home 1 you will know exactly what you have to work with financially as you approach the purchase of Home 2. You will also get a better price on both homes. That is because you will not be under any pressure to sell Home 1, therefore you will not be tempted to jump at a low offer. You will get a better price on Home 2 because you will be working with a definite timetable, and will not need to make your offer contingent on the sale of your home. A seller who has to deal with a sale-of-home contingency will, almost by definition, expect more money for the sale of their home. Sellers look for two things when they are selling their home: top dollar and security in the sale. Which would you rather give them?

B. Buy Home 2, Then Sell Home 1: This option is often the most comfortable one for people who want to move up. There is something that is difficult about selling the home you live in when you don't know where you are going to go. Finding your new home first gives you the motivation to sell your current home. The whole process falls together better in your mind when you go out and purchase a home first. The risk of this option is that you will lose out on Home 2 because you are not able to sell Home 1. This is a significant risk in a market where there is a 7-month supply of homes on the market. Also, as I noted above, you will have to give the seller more money if you use a sale-of-home contingency, and you will feel significant pressure to sell Home 1 as quickly as possible, putting you in a position to take less money for it. This pressure will come from the knowledge that you could lose Home 2 at any time because of the "kick out" clause in the contingency. This allows the seller to kick you out of the sale if a non-contingent offer comes along and you are not able to remove the contingency because your Home 1 has not yet sold. This possibility is heavy on people's mind after they spend significant time, money, and mental energy to work out the purchase of Home 2 (ie. negoitiations, home inspection, and planning for the future in Home 2).

C. Buying Home 1 First Without a Sale-of-Home Contingency: This is only an option for people who can afford to carry mortgages on both homes. For a seller to accept a contract under these circumstances, they will require proof that you are able to carry both mortgages. In a sellers market, a move-up buyer could prove their ability to do this--sometimes only with a high-interest loan they could qualify for, but would not actually want to take. This strategy worked for people in a sellers market because they would turn around and sell Home 1 the following weekend, then be able to qualify for a more favorable loan on Home 2. The worst case scenario of not selling Home 1 was extremely unlikely. In the current buyer's market, someone using this strategy is very likely to end up with an unfavorable loan or at best paying two mortgages for a while. Of course, those who have the financial means to carry two loans, and to qualify for two loans that are of a reasonable interest rate may choose to buy first and hold onto both home as long as they need to.

Another option is to get a bridge loan to hold both houses until you can sell House 1. If finances are tight for you this will put a lot of stress on you, and may put you in a desperate position when you are negotiating with a person wanting to buy your home.

For most people, I recommend getting Home 1 sold before you put a contract on Home 2. You should go out and see what is available for you to purchase before you put your home on the market. This will give you an idea of the types of homes available to you. It will also give you the motivation you need to get your current home sold.

Palm Springs real estate activity for 1/20/09

Palm Springs homes for sale.  Palm Springs condos for sale.

Central Palm Springs:

None!

South Palm Springs:

New Listings:

2001 E Camino Parocela #L84, Mesquite Country Club, 2/2, $229,000.

1802 S La Paloma, Canyon South 3, 3/2.5, $280,000.

949 Arlene Dr, #A, Mesquite Greens, 2/2, $289,900.

852 E San Lorenzo Rd., Tahquitz River Estates, 3/2, $899,000.

In Escrow:

1150 E Palm Canyon Dr., #46, Rancho La Paz, 1/1, $84,900.

182 E Morongo Rd., Tahquitz River Estates, 3/2.5, $799,000.

Sold:

None

As always, click on the link at the property address to see pictures of the property and details about the home.

Russell Hill    760.902.3121    RussellHill@dc.rr.com

Deepwell neighborhood, Palm Springs, CA

I thought it might be useful and interesting to see the sales activity for particular neighborhoods. 

Here's the data for Deepwell.

2008:

13 sales, median sales price, $560,000., $235.90sf

2007:

23 sales, median sales price, $760,000., $335.47sf

2006:

21 sales, median sales price, $690,000., $308.25sf

I'll post data for other south and central Palm Springs neighborhoods over the next several days!

Russell Hill     760.902.3121      RussellHill@dc.rr.com

Palm Springs real estate activity for 1/17/09 - 1/19/09

Palm Springs homes for sale.

Here's the activity for the last weekend and the MLK Holiday.

Central Palm Springs:

New listings:

1736 E Sandalwood Dr., Sagewood, 2/2, $229,000.

437 W Club Dr., Village Racquet Club, 2/2, $259,900.

926 Village N., Village Racquet Club, 3/3, $325,000.

715 N Sunrise Way, Ruth Hardy Park, 3/2, $239,000.

1765 Royal Desert Palm Ct., Little Tuscany, 3/4.5, $1,289,000.

1150 E Paseo El Mirador, Ruth Hardy Park, 3/3.5, $1,495,000.

1700 N Tuscan Rd., Little Tuscany, 3/3.5, $1,995,000.

1455 N Vine Ave., Old Las Palmas, 5/5, $3,250,000.

In Escrow:

1189 Primer Cir., Sunrise Racquet Club, 2/2, $239,000.

2041 E Sandalwood, Sagewood, 2/2, $229,500.

375 Ameno Dr., E., Tierra Hermosa, 2/3, $359,000.

Sold:

None

South Palm Springs:

New Listings:

1446 S Camino Real, Biltmore, 2/2, $139,900.

1111 E Palm Canyon Dr., #317, Ocotillo Lodge, 1/1, $159,000.

2345 S Cherokee Way, #130, 2/2.5, $169,990.

469 Desert Lakes Dr., Seven Lakes Country Club, 1/2, $175,000.

1462 S Andee Dr., Versailles, 2/2, $389,000.

4445 E Calle De Carlos, Demuth Park, 3/2, $139,900.

4040 E Mesquite Ave., Demuth Park, 3/2, $248,900.

1155 S Camino Real, Tahquitz River Estates, 4/2, $525,000.

In Escrow:

74 Portola Dr., Los Pueblos, 3/2, $249,000.

1475 E Sunny Dunes Rd., Warm Sands, 3/2, $289,000.

Sold:

None

Russell Hill    760.902.3121     RussellHill@dc.rr.com

Carpe Diem....Change is Good!

'Our challenges may be new - but those values upon which our success depends - are old - true - the quiet force of progress throughout history.'

new era of "hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord."

14 tweaks to cut your home’s CO2 output and save $$Green

Palm Springs real estate activity for 1/16/09

Palm Springs Real Estate.  Palm Springs homes for sale.

Friday's real estate activity.........

Central Palm Springs:

New Listings:

1919 E Alejo Rd., Sunrise Park, 3/3.5, $525,000.

1387 E Verbena Dr., Ruth Hardy Park, 3/3, $575,000.

In Escrow:

450 N Greenhouse Way, Greenhouse, 2/2, $150,000.

477 Village E, Village Racquet Club, 3/3, $259,000.

Sold:

None

South Palm Springs:

New Listings:

6025Arroyo Rd #3, Mountain Shadows, 3/3, $159,900.

2210 S Calle Palo Fierro, Canyon CC Colony, 2/2, $269,000.

2995 E Avery Dr., #B, The Pointe, 2/3, $399,950.

2959 Lantana Ct., Canyon Heights, 3/3, $699,000

538 S Indian Trl, Warm Sands, 4/3, $649,000.

2431 S Yosemite Dr., Canyon North, 4/3, $899,000.

2397 S Caliente, Canyon North, 4/4.5, $985,000.

1533 E Maricopa Dr., Canyon North, 4/4.5, $1,595,000.

In Escrow:

4890 N Winner's Cir., #D, Waverly Park, 3/2, $235,550.

Sold:

none

Russell Hill    760.902.3121     RussellHill@dc.rr.com

Vista Las Palmas Open House!

Palm Springs Real Estate. 

Open Sunday, January 18, 11-2pm.

5 bedrooms, 5 baths. Large lot.  Bigger views! Quartzite stone floors.  Listed at $1,195,000.

1100  Vista Vespero, Palm Springs.  Click the link to see more pics, property details.

Russell Hill    760.902.3121     RussellHill@dc.rr.com

Palm Springs real estate activity for 1/15/09

Homes for sale in Palm Springs, CA.  

Here are the new listings, pendings and solds for south and central Palm Springs.  You may notice that I've missed a few days of posting new activity.  Instead of trying to play catch up in postings, please contact me if you're looking for a particular home, whether you're looking for a new or sold listing!

Central Palm Springs:

New listings:

1268 Ramon Rd #53, Hermosa Villas, 2/2 $179,500.

375 Ameno Dr E, Tierra Hermosa, 2/3, $359,000.

In Escrow:

774 Prescott Dr., Old Las Palmas, 2/3, $899,000.

Sold:

264 W Hermosa Pl., Old Las Palmas, 3/3, $895,000.

South Palm Springs:

New Listings:

1111 E Palm Canyon Dr #221, Ocotillo Lodge, 1/1, $85,000.

2349 S Calle Palo Fierro, Canyon View Estates, 3/2, $299,000.

2220 S Madrona Dr., Canyon Estates, 3/2.5, $319,000.

1833 Araby Dr., #27, Villa Alegria, 2/2, $324,900.

1630 S La Reina Way, #2C, Diplomat, 2/2, $389,000.

1588 Bolero Cir., Canyon Estates, 3/2.5, $549,000.

In Escrow:

1655 E Palm Canyon Dr., #105, Smoketree Racquet Club, 1/1, $85,000.

1207 Antiqua Cir., Sunrise Villas, 3/2, $279,000.

Sold:

810 E Palm Canyon Dr., #202, Biltmore Colony, 2/2, $325,000.

5401 E Lakeside Dr., Tahquitz Creek Golf, 4/2.75, $285,000.

As always, click on the link at the property address for pictures and property detail.  The link is good for 30 days from the date of this post.

Russell Hill    760.902.3121     RussellHill@dc.rr.com     RussellHill.net

 

Repositioning is Key to Faster Home Sale....

Check out this interesting article on repositioning.. It is the market NOW! Carpe Diem-Great time for qualified buyers!


http://searchchicago.suntimes.com/homes/1380749,HOF-News-cover16.article

Check out this Low Low Price for nice Condo!

Tweet of the Day....

"When you tug at a single thing in nature, you find it attached to the rest of the world." — John Muir

Carpe Diem....My friend/business colleague Roger Long@Wineshippers had a great experience@16!

For my 15^th anniversary at work, I was taken to the restaurant ‘16’ at the new Trump Tower. When I called and made the reservation I asked what the corkage fee was. The hostess said why, they have a 500 bottle wine list. I told her that I had a favorite wine I would prefer. There was a $50 corkage and it couldn’t be anything on their wine list and she would have to check and get back with me. Needless to say they didn’t have a ‘98’ Chateau Margaux, a first growth bordeaux. When we arrived the bartender didn’t know what it was and was surprised that I brought my own wine. Our waiter, though, was very impressed and I let him have a taste.. I’m such a snob, I had to take my own wine to Trump’s restaurant.

Michael Castro

Jason Castros' lil bro - Michael Castro audition in Kansas City for American Idol 8. First thing you'll notice is his mohawk hairstyle. Some parts of his hair is colored pink and it really looks nice on him. And he also got that very cute smile. I would really like to see more of him in Hollywood.

Michael Castro

The Castro Brothers

Austin, TX

I haven't posted recently because I was in Austin, TX visiting my folks.  I grew up in Austin and graduated from The University of Texas-Austin.  I make it back to visit each year, but it was this year that I noticed some big changes to the city and the downtown skyline.  I'm amazed at the building going on there!

I had a great time rediscovering the Hike and Bike Trail around Lake Lady Bird, formally known as Town Lake.  Both days I took a run, short as it was, the trails were packed with people.  The trails were sometimes crowded when I was in high school, training for the cross country team I ran with, but nothing compared to now.  I discovered to two new treats in Austin - Stacey Pool, which is heated to 78 degrees by a natural spring, and is FREE; and a fun restaurant downtown, Ranch 616.  Good food, great service and a really fun, quirky atmosphere.  I never miss going to the Whole Foods located at their headquarters at 5th St and Lamar Blvd

I also wandered around the UT campus a bit and was flooded with memories of those days. And, I was amazed at how young the students are!

Russell Hill     760.902.3121     RussellHill@dc.rr.com

Colored Highlights

A slightly bouffant emo hair with side bangs that go across the forhead and are always parted to one side giving you a trendy yet elegant emo look. Popular colors for highlights currently tend to be blue, red and purple.

REAL ESTATE | There's still a boom in the city -- if you know where to look

Check out this great link..Real Estate is a great investment now. Historically low interest rates and motivated realistic sellers make for a win-win situation...


http://www.suntimes.com/business/roeder/1376304,CST-FIN-roeder14.article

Adam Lambert for the win!

Is Adam Lambert the next American Idol? Check his video on youtube singing 'Dust in the Wind'.

Adam Lambert spiky emo haircut.



Adam Lambert sporting a tousled emo hairstyle.

Powering a Google search

Cross-posted from the Official Google Blog

Not long ago, answering a query meant traveling to the reference desk of your local library. Today, search engines enable us to access immense quantities of useful information in an instant, without leaving home. Tools like email, online books and photos, and video chat all increase productivity while decreasing our reliance on car trips, pulp and paper.

But as computers become a bigger part of more people's lives, information technology consumes an increasing amount of energy, and Google takes this impact seriously. That's why we have designed and built the most energy efficient data centres in the world, which means the energy used per Google search is minimal. In fact, in the time it takes to do a Google search, your own personal computer will use more energy than Google uses to answer your query.

Recently, though, others have used much higher estimates, claiming that a typical search uses "half the energy as boiling a kettle of water" and produces 7 grams of CO2. We thought it would be helpful to explain why this number is *many* times too high. Google is fast--a typical search returns results in less than 0.2 seconds. Queries vary in degree of difficulty, but for the average query, the servers it touches each work on it for just a few thousandths of a second. Together with other work performed before your search even starts (such as building the search index) this amounts to 0.0003 kWh of energy per search, or 1 kJ. For comparison, the average adult needs about 8000 kJ a day of energy from food, so a Google search uses just about the same amount of energy that your body burns in ten seconds.

In terms of greenhouse gases, one Google search is equivalent to about 0.2 grams of CO2. The current EU standard for tailpipe emissions (Ed: Australia bases its standards on these) calls for 140 grams of CO2 per kilometre driven, but most cars don't reach that level yet . Thus, the average car driven for one kilometre produces as many greenhouse gases as a thousand Google searches.

We've made great strides to reduce the energy used by our data centers, but we still want clean and affordable sources of electricity for the power that we do use. In 2008 our philanthropic arm, Google.org, invested $45 million in breakthrough clean energy technologies. And last summer, as part of our Renewable Energy Cheaper than Coal initiative, we created an internal engineering group dedicated to exploring clean energy.

We're also working with other members of the IT community to improve efficiency on a broader scale. In 2007 we co-founded the Climate Savers Computing Initiative, a group which champions more efficient computing. This non-profit consortium is committed to cutting the energy consumed by computers in half by 2010--reducing global CO2 emissions by 54 million tons per year. That's a lot of kettles of tea.

Update on 13/1 at 11:45AM: Harvard professor Alex Wissner-Gross provided new details on his energy research, in a TechNewsWorld article.

Posted by Urs Hölzle, Senior Vice President, Operations

New Price for Cute Home in West Mobile

Backpage now in Mobile

We have a new CraigsList like page available in Mobile. Please check out Backpage.

Unlike Craig's List, when you post an ad for Mobile, it gets advertised on the other large cities in Alabama. We have been using the site to advertise local listings in Louisiana and in states such as Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois. Now we have a version for ourselves. Advertising is free.

It wasn't a bad year for real estate sales!

2008 turned out to be a decent year for me, personally.  I sold a total of 12 properties in 2008, most of which were in Palm Springs.  Five of the twelve were my listings, the remainder were those that I represented the buyer in a purchase.  In two of my listings, I represented both sides(buyer and seller) successfully!

Here's what I sold in 2008

316 San Domingo, El Dorado, $150,000. Represented seller and buyer.

752 S Palo Verde Ave., Tahquitz River Estates, $730,000.  Represented seller and buyer

2602 N Biskra Rd., Desert Park Estates, $416,000.  Represented seller

1833 S Araby Dr., #17, Villa Allegria, $385,000. Represented seller

1657 S Riverside Dr., Tahquitz River Estates, $430,000. Represented seller

1510 S Camino Real 214A, Biltmore, $102,000. Represented buyer

30593 Sterling Rd., Century Park, (Cathedral City) $234,900. Represented buyer

1180 E Mesquite Ave., Tahquitz River Estates, $535,000. Represented buyer

9 Cartier Ct., Versailles (Rancho Mirage), $699,000. Represented buyer

1013 St Bimini Cir., Sunrise Villas, $233,000. Represented buyer

67885 Fotthill Rd., The Cove (Cathedral City), $440,000. Represented buyer

1985 Sandalwood, Sagewood, $262,000. Represented buyer.

I love selling real estate, regardless of the market.  I'm looking forward to another successful, fun year!

Russell Hill    760.902.3121    RussellHill@dc.rr.com

Central and South Palm Springs December '08 Sales Results

Palm Springs Real Estate.  Palm Springs homes for sale

All considering, sales were decent in December.  The stats for central and south Palm Springs are below.

Central PS:

12/08: Median sales price $610,500., $355.73SF, 12 sales

12/07:  Median sales price, $777,500., $356.09SF, 12 sales

12/06:  Median sales price, $674,000., $307.47SF, 8 sales

4th Qtr '08: Median sales price, $500,000., $296.99SF, 25 sales 

4th Qtr '07: Median sales price, $596,000., $356.71SF, 28 sales

4th Qtr '06: Median sales price, $570,000., $348.64Sf, 40 sales

South PS:

12/08: Median sales price, $391,000., $213.08SF, 10 sales

12/07: Median sales price, $667,500., $277.01SF,  20 sales

12/06: Median sales price, $542,500., $313.66SF, 14 sales

4th Qtr '08: Median sales price, $492,000., $231.98, 39 sales

4th Qtr '07: Median sales price, $637,500, $287.45SF,  46 sales

4th Qtr '06: Median sales price, $629,000., $322.43SF, 49 sales

Russell Hill    760.902.3121    RussellHill@dc.rr.com    RussellHill.net

Palm Springs Homes for Sale -new listings, in escrow and sold

Here are the new listings for today (south and central Palm Springs).  I've also included new sales and solds!

Central Palm Springs:

New Listings:

2195 Tamarisk Rd., Sun Villas, 3/2, $209,900.

222 N Calle El Segundo #544, Plaza Villas, 2/2, $239,000.

780 N Seville Cir., Sunrise Alejo, 2/2, $254,500.

731 E Alejo Rd., St Tropez Villas, 2/2, $339,000.

2012 E Sandalwood Dr., Sagewood, 2/2, $235,000.

2069 El Alameda, Sunrise Oasis, 3/2, $279,000

1490 Via Roberto Miguel, El Rancho Vista Estates, 3/2, $235,500.

1283 E Tachevah Dr., Ruth Hardy Park, 3/2, $349,950.

2142 Paseo Roseta, Sunrise Park, 3/2, $389,000.

2155 E Tachevah Dr., Sun Villas, 3/2, $425,000.

844 N Topaz Cir., Vista Las Palmas, 3/2.5, $1,095,000.

670 N Rose Ave., Vista Las Palmas, 5/5, $1,249,000.

1360 E Tachevah Dr., Ruth Hardy Park, 4/4.5, $1,525,000.

855 W Via Vadera, Vista Las Palmas, 3/3, $1,695,000.

1155 Los Robles Dr., Vista Las Palmas, 3/3, $1,495,000.

In Escrow:

none

Sold:

none

South Palm Springs:

New Listings:

1601 S La Reina Way #D, Saddlerock Gardens, 3/2, $249,000.

2190 S Palm Canyon Dr., #57, Canyon CC Estados, 3/2, $250,000.

1833 S Araby #36, Villa Alegria, 2/2.5, $298,400.

1672 Tam O'Shanter, Fairways, 2/1.5, $115,000.

2001 E camino Parocela #A2, Mesquite Country Club, 2/2, $319,500.

1480 E Sierra Way, Canyon Estates, 4/3.5, $799,000.

3917 E Sunny Dunes Rd., Demuth Park, 4/3, $144,900.

1344 E Camino Primrose, Warm Sands, 3/2.5, $419,000.

695 S Warm Sands Dr., Warm Sands, 3/2, $589,000.

1325 E Via Estrella, Canyon North, 3/3.5, $1,875,000.

In Escrow:

2696 S Sierra Madre, #F6, Twin Springs, 2/2, $249,000.

226 Toro Cir., Canyon View Estates, 3/2, $429,000.

Sold:

2073 S Caliente Dr., Canyon South 1, 2/2, $175,000.

949 Arlene Dr., #B, Mesquite Greens, 2/2, $280,000.

760 S Mountain View Dr., Demuth Park, 4/3,  $345,000.

248 E Palo Verde Ave, Tahquitz River Estates, 3/2, $360,000.

Russell Hill  760.902.3121   RussellHill@dc.rr.com    RussellHill.net