Timeless Architecture

This amazing property is located in the historic Mesa neighborhood. Today the Mesa is a unique and eclectic collection of architectural style producing a beautiful neighborhood nestled in an awe-inspiringetting. The diversity does not stop there. The individuals who occupy the homes are as unique as the architecture, with occupations and interest spanning every conceivable endeavor. There is one other unique attribute to the Mesa. It is truly a neighborhood of friendly residents, living close to the Garden of Eden on the East slops of the San Jacinto Mountains.

For more information about this property, please contact Patrick-Stewart Properties at (760) 325-9091. This Property is shown by appointment only.

They’re seeing it in Brentwood and Beverly Hills. And now, luxury homes are selling here.
Keller Williams Realty Inc., led by operating principal Michael Hilgenberg, is experimenting to seize on that market. It opened an elegant, new Legacy Division at 50-981 Washington St., in one of the hottest, million-dollar-plus sales areas of the Coachella Valley: La Quinta, where 32 luxury sales were recorded in the first three months of the year.

Hilgenberg said Legacy is opening at this time for these prime reasons:
• The economy has pushed the envelope on distressed sales, softening price in the luxury market in a way that offers buyers more home for the dollar.
• Economists have been saying the market, long in its trough, is trending up.
• Bargains can be had in high-end real estate.

“We think the baby-boom generation, which has been holding off on where to put its money, is going to come off the fence, and pick real estate for their investment,” he said.
“What’s exciting about this is we’re the test case to this whole concept of an exclusive office specific to luxury homes,” he said. “The international division of Keller Williams is watching to see how it’s going to work.”

High-end homes account for about 2 percent of overall home sales in the Coachella Valley and most of the home sales these days are closer to the median sales price range of $200,000.
But Real Data Strategies, which prepares a real estate market report for The Desert Sun, last week issued first quarter 2010 data that shows million-dollar home sales are gaining steam.

They’re up 65 percent.
Total sales volume rose 57 percent to $152 million in the first quarter, as well, up from $97 million in January through March 2009.
Valery Neuman, a luxury residential real estate broker for Windermere Real Estate who was a top sales agent in the Coachella Valley in 2009 with 36 transactions — 15 sales — that totaled $58.2 million, described this period as one laced with opportunity in all price ranges.

“I’m seeing people who have been shopping for a luxury home for a couple of years who are definitely looking to buy now,” said Neuman, a 19-year veteran in desert real estate. “People who came out two years ago are pulling the trigger.”

The recent $10.1 million cash sale of a 9,115-square-foot estate in Bighorn Golf Club by Coldwell Banker luxury sales agents Gerry and Vicki Rodehaver has been taken as another sign of hopeful buying activity in the high-end market. “It’s a sign the high-end market is coming back,” said Patti Rollins, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Office manager in Indian Wells. “It’s been a long haul.”
“We went from quarter-after-quarter with no luxury sales,” Rollins said. “Now, it’s really opened up. I have agents telling me they have buyers coming this summer, and we’re looking at a potentially really strong summer.”
RelatedHigh-end homes sell, but market still in fluxHouses are priced to sellNational news reports are proclaiming that real estate activity is up across the nation.
“We have five sales well over $1 million on my board, and we opened one $5 million escrow today,” Rollins said last week. “We’re very optimistic.”
Coldwell Banker has brought on 11 new real estate agents, she said, and summer vacations are being postponed.
Action comes with a catch.
“If it’s priced to sell, it’ll sell,” Neuman said. “This is not a speculator’s market.”
Prices are down roughly 40 percent from 2006 levels, Neuman said, and the $6 million homes of 2007 are in some cases fetching $4 million, or 33 percent less than they did three years ago.
Mike Smith, of Classic Living Realty, is advertising a short sale in The Vintage on an $8 million home that’s now going for $4.3 million.
And the former estate of Liberace just sold in Palm Springs for roughly half of its former $2.8 million list price.
“The home in Bighorn that sold for $10.1 million originally listed for $11.5 (million),” Rollins said.
Luxury sales like that are playing out with greater frequency in Orange County and the Los Angeles market, Hilgenberg said on the day the ribbon was cut to open Legacy. Managed by son Heath, it will operate with a staff of 16.
Logic follows that the luxury market here will become more active because of growing consumer confidence in real estate acquisitions and reports the high-end properties in the Los Angeles market are starting to sell again, Heath Hilgenberg said.

Interested or buying or selling property in Palm Springs or the Coachella Valley area? Contact Patrick-Stewart Properties today.

Mission Hills Country Club

This week, when you’re exploring the Coachella Valley real estate market for your new Palm Springs home, don’t forget to take a break and enjoy some great golf.

The Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage is hosting the first “major” LPGA golf tournament of the year this week on its Dinah Shore Tournament Course.

The Kraft Nabisco Championship started Monday, March 29 and runs through Sunday, April 4, with championship play beginning Thursday, April 1. The tournament has been held at Mission Hills Country Club for the past 39 years.

In 2009 Brittany Lincicome won the championship and took home the Dinah Shore Trophy after eagling on the final hole of the tournament to win by one shot.

Weather in the Palm Springs area leading up the tournament couldn’t have been better, according to David Johnson, director of golf course operations at Mission Hills Country Club.

“We have received 5 inches of rain already this year and the average annual rainfall here is only 4 inches,” said Johnson, who was quoted in Golf Course Industry Magazine on March 25. “The rough is thick. They are going to need a pitching wedge to get back on the fairway.”

The Kraft Nabisco Golf Tournament is golf’s second longest running tour event at one course (behind the Masters at Augusta National).

This year the Kraft Nabisco Championship offered a “Ticket’s Fore Charity” program in which 100 percent of the proceeds from advance ticket sales were donated to 90 participating charities.

For more information on the tournament and a schedule of events, visit the official Web site.

Interested or buying or selling property in Palm Springs or the Coachella Valley area? Contact Patrick-Stewart Properties today.

Everyone is invited and encouraged to wear Halloween costumes. Bring your friends, family and leashed pets with you for a 2 mile stroll through the famous Movie Colony! The Movie Colony is a neighborhood in Palm Springs, California, and became well-known after several famous movie stars bought homes there between the 1930s and 1960s. Some famous movie stars who called this area home include Cary Grant, Jack Benny, Dinah Shore, Al Jolson and Marilyn Monroe.

No minimum distance is required to participate, so don’t worry about the length. After the walk there will be lunch and entertainment for everyone. Registration for the event begins at 7:30 AM and the walk starts and 9:30 AM. There will be tons of family-friendly activities the day of the event, such as face painting, clowns, playgrounds and cartoon character appearances!

If walking is not your thing, you may be interested in volunteering for the event. Help make the Desert AIDS Walk safe and fun for everyone by welcoming participants, helping with the registration process, and setting up water stations. Water stations are being set up this year instead of distributing water bottles in an attempt to reduce plastic. Additionally, recycling bins will be located along the walk route.

Have a large group of coworkers or friends that all want to walk together? Form an AIDS Walk Team! It’s a great way to build relationships, show support for those fighting HIV/AIDS, as well as an opportunity to walk in the memory of loved ones.

For more information, please visit http://www.desertaidsproject.org/aidswalk. Hope to see you there!

History
The area was first settled by the Cahuilla Indians approximately 2500 years ago. The first group of people searching for mining prospects came in the 1850s followed by ranching and farming families a few years later. By 1875, Idyllwild had substantiated itself as a lumber town.

Nature
People escape to Idyllwild on the weekends because it’s so different yet so close to home. Not far from Garner Valley, the natural surroundings include beautiful pine, oak and spruce trees, blue skies and breathtaking mountainsides. Hiking trails can be found in different areas of the town, some taking you in an adventure deep into the forest. In fact, the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument is comprised of 272,000 acres total… now that’s a lot of hiking!

Idyllwild at Sunset (photo by Shirley B)

Winter can bring some snow to the area, reminding most Southern California residents why they don’t live here year-round. While approximately just 2,000 people live in Idyllwild, as many as 50,000 people visit on clear-sky days.

Town Features
As far as entertainment goes in Idyllwild, there are plenty of attractions to keep the family busy throughout your whole trip. There are no big resorts in the area which helps to keep the town’s charming quality. However there are plenty of vacation cabins, bed-and-breakfasts and cabin motels offering mini-cabins for visitors to stay.

Downtown Idyllwild has tons of shops and art galleries as well as an old time theatre known as “The Rustic.” The theatre shows just one movie three times a day and has a snack stand for people to enjoy popcorn with real butter. You can find all kinds of restaurants in the area too –Mexican, Greek, Chinese, Steak and Seafood, Italian- depending on what suites your mood.

For tourist attractions, check out the Idyllwild Tree Monument in the town center. In 1989, this 50-foot totem pole was carved by a chainsaw in an attempt to salvage a dying 400-year-old Ponderosa pine. Later, it became the final resting place of Ernie Maxwell, founder of the local newspaper. Also, stop by the Idyllwild Historic Society Museum which takes you through the history of the town. The museum has an interesting section which depicts all the Hollywood films shot on location in the area from the 1920s through the 1960s.

Whether it is your first time or your 50th time visiting, there is always something new to be discovered in Idyllwild.

Interested in buying or selling a home in the Coachella Valley area? Contact Patrick Stewart Properties.