How Much Home Can I Afford?

     Knowing how much home you can afford is more crucial than ever.  This handy calculator will help you get the whole picture.  As you enter your figures it will help you see the true cost of your loan. Keep in mind the percentage of your monthly expenses that will be devoted to your housing expense should probably not exceed 30% of your income.  Calculate my monthly Payment

If you need an Insurance Agent to give you a quote please just let me know and I would be happy to refer one.  Also, keep in mind that property taxes in the Palm Springs area average 1.15% of purchase price so we use 1.25% as a general guide.  Typically your property taxes will be lower than this.

Lastly, be sure you understand the closing costs. Closing costs are the cost of the financing.  While they are deductible, in  most cases on your taxes, they  can eat into the amount of money you have to put down.

Bob Hope Classic Back In Town Jan 17th- 23rd 2011

   This yearly tradition in the Desert features a  tournament with a  unique five-day format played over four different courses.  This year the course are  Silver Rock,  Palmer Private and Nicklaus at PGA  West as well as La Quinta Country Country Club.  (As a point of interest the very first year the tournament was held the courses played were Thunderbird, Tamarisk, Bermuda Dunes and Indian Wells Country Clubs.

From the start, the Classic has  attracted an unbelievable variety of celebrities to compete in the tournament's pro-am competition.  This year spectators will see  Tony Dovolani, Peter Gallagher, Bo Jackson, Kurt Russell, Scott Hamilton, Bret Baier, Alice Cooper, Eric Dickerson, Ron White, Steve Azar, Julius Irving and William Devane to name a few.

Legendandary Early stars included: Bing Crosby, Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Phil Harris, Desi Arnaz, Ray Bolger and Hoagy Carmichael.  Dwight Eisenhower was the first former President to play in the tournament and  Bob Hope  who added his name to the tournament in 1965 and became the Classic's Chairman of the Board.

Tickets start at just $25 and are available the day of the tournament on an as available basis or may be ordered on line.

Two Celebrity Homes Come On The Market

Palm Springs and the surrounding Desert area has long been a home away from home for many of the biggest names in Hollywood. Recently two properties with a Celebrity past have come on the market. Both are exceptional properties and have much to offer beyond their celebrity pedigree.

In Palm Springs the William Holden Estate in the Deepwell neighborhood has been listed for 1,495,000. It was alos once the home of Tippi HedrenThe interesting thing about this property is that it sits on four lots and straddles two streets. With amazing western mountain views and plenty of land this architecturally interesting home is truly one of a kind. See details on the William Holden Estate. 

In Rancho Mirage the neighborhood of Thunderbird Heights has seen the former home of Bing Crosby come on the market for 3,495,000. See the details of 70375 Calico Road Rancho Mirage CA This property has over and acre of ground and 6,700 square feet of living space. Truly spectacular.

Moving Guide

Moving can present many big challenges. The key part of vacating your home is finding the right mover.  In addition to finding a reputable mover you need to understand what is and is not covered as part of your move. 

Tip: A quick call to your insurance agent is probably a good idea.  Many time home owners policies cover your goods while in transit. make sure you have all the bases covered when it comes to your big move. 

Use this link to down load the industry handbook to selecting the right mover and knowing your rights:

Download PSagents Complete Free Moving Guide

Please fee free to share this link with friends and family.

A Real Estate Shortage?

As unimaginable as it might sound, a record low inventory of available properties is starting to show up in dozens of areas around the country. Right here in the Coachella Valley - Palm Springs - there is a pent up demand for homes in certain price ranges. With the big banks involved in so much of the potential inventory reaction times are slow and don't always match the needs of the market. This month in Real Estate talks about this issue in a a little more detail.

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Don't Miss The Film Festival Starting Thursday!

The film fest returns this year, its 22nd, with an expected crowd of attendees numbering some 100,000 plus. With a mix of brand new films, other film fest winners and cutting edge foreign films there is an endless variety of films to enjoy.

Award recipients have already started to be named for the Gala black tie awards event to be held during the Festival. Carey Mulligan and Jennifer Lawrence are slated to receive awards for break out performance and rising star awards respectively. Other honorees this year include Michael Douglas, Ben Affleck, Danny Boyle, Diane Warren and Robert Duvall.

Past honorees at the event have included Jennifer Hudson, Dakota Fanning, Scarlett Johansson. Attendees and other honorees have include such stars as Clint Eastwood, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bridges.

Not only is the film festival fun but it gives Palm Springs a chance to shine in the spotlight of international media attention. Be sure to get your tickets early as many showings will sell out. Got to the Palm Springs International Film festival website for more information and ticket reservations.

Whatever you do miss this great event and the chance to see world class films in our own backyard!

 

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