La Quinta, California

La Quinta, California
Desert Luxury

Desert Luxury Realty

Thank you for visiting my blog. When you choose Mary Williams, as your real estate agent, you are working with a team of seasoned professionals who cater to your every real estate need. Buying or Selling your home does not need to be full of hassels or needless pressure. Take it easy and enjoy the luxury of the desert. I look forward to assisting you with your search or sell of your home. Contact me today!

Friday, December 27, 2013

November Housing Sales in the Desert

Coachella Valley single family homes and condo median home price increased to $265,000 from $249,000 in November, a 6.4% increase over October and 23.5% increase over last year.
745 homes sold in the Desert 7.7% fewer than last year.
Single family home sales were down 18.8% from last year.

Median price for homes in the Desert:

La Quinta - $380,500
Palm Springs - $287,000
Coachella Valley - $250,000
Riverside County - $275,000
Inventory was low throughout the Desert area in November contributing to the decline of home sales. Generally during the summer months, inventory consists of a three month inventory. However, inventory generally lasts about 5.5 months during the winter months.
According to a recent article on MyDesert.com, John Burge, president of the Palm Springs Regional Association of Realtors, expects the high end of the market to pick up in January.
During the summer, the desert hovered around three months of inventory. In November, the inventory increased to about five and a half months, according to the California Desert Association of Realtors.
Inventory increased from 2,418 single-family homes and 1,070 condos in October to 2,671 single- family homes and 1,238 condos for sale in November, according to the REALTOR® Association.
Whether you are buying or selling in La Quinta and surrounding area, give me a call. There Really IS Something About Mary! Call me today to find out!!

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Tuesday, December 17, 2013


Come Enjoy some
FUN HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES at
The La Quinta Resort & Hotel
Stroll any evening at the resort, view the largest Christmas tree lit up
and relive "It's a Wonderful Life"
or
Friday, Dec. 20th
Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire
or
Saturday, Dec. 21st 3-4pm
Holiday Cooking Class
Call 760-564-4111 to RSVP

or
Sunday, Dec. 22nd 6:30pm
Twenty 6 Restaurant
has the Best Hot Chocolate Ever
!

All above information is from pam@justsignmeup.com - and is for information only.

December 2013 Newsletter

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Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Buy Now in the Desert or Wait?

graph 12-11-13

Desert Luxury Realty

The year 2013 can be categorized by a significant turnaround in the housing market across the nation. While lack of homes available for sale constrained home sales in many markets across California, it contributed to a substantial increase in home prices. Existing single family sales for 2013 are predicted to fall 2.1 percent short of 2012 sales, yet median home prices are expected to show a 28 percent improvement over 2012--with the median reaching $408,600.

The increase in home prices coupled with a percentage point increase in mortgage interest rates led to a sharp decrease in affordability. Despite decreased affordability, current market conditions still warrant buying a home sooner rather than later.

First, interest rates are still at historical lows but are poised to increase in 2014. Over the past year, mortgage interest rates increased by about one percentage point, from about 3.5 percent to 4.5 percent. On average, a half percentage point fluctuation in the mortgage rate changes the payment by $100 per month on a median priced home of $415,770. Most of the predictions for 2014 put the 30-year fixed rate mortgage at 5.3 percent (see Figure 1).

While interest rates have moved down since their spike during the summer, the uncertainty over the Fed’s policies makes it difficult to hope for any improvement in interest rates. The Fed's bond buying is the key consideration--not just the tapering, but the general pace of withdrawal. While tapering was considered certain in September, December 2013 is now an increasingly possible date after the most recent employment report showed marked improvement in hiring.

The second reason to buy a home sooner has to do with the new lending rules going into effect on January 1, 2014 which are set to raise the cost of borrowing. The ability-to-repay rule and the associated qualified-mortgage definition will raise the overall cost of originating home loans, with borrowers taking the brunt of the financial hit.

There are two other important market conditions to keep in mind. We started the year with a heated market that was at times described as ”a bubble”. Since the autumn, the housing market has cooled off. On one hand, due to decreased affordability and increased mortgage rates, demand for housing has subsided and bidding wars are not as frequent or as aggressive as we saw earlier in the year. Additionally, inventory of homes for sale has shown improvement with more homes on the market now. These two conditions suggest a more favorable market for buyers and one that resembles a shift towards a “normal” market.

Still unsure? Call me at 760-567-728 today and let’s go over your options – Historically, the Desert’s “Season” is one of the greatest times to buy & enjoy a home in La Quinta.
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** All above information is from the California Association of REALTORS Snapshot

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

What to Trash at Home and What Not

trash[social]Whether you’re getting ready for the Holidays or moving, there are times you will want to know what you should toss out … or not. This list may help as you go through your things.
The expiration dates on medicines and food have been in the news lately. Most manufacturers of such products admit that the ‘sell by,’ ‘best by,’ and ‘best before’ dates have nothing to do with the safety of the food. A survey done by the NRDC together with Harvard University Food Law and Policy Clinic found that the current system of expiration dates is very confusing to the customer. It leads 9 out of every 10 Americans to prematurely throw away food. This “Dating Game” has to stop and there is a need to establish standard, clear language for quality and safety, they recommended.
What about the bigger items in your house? Do they have expiration dates as well?
Many things around the house have expiration dates; it’s just not stated anywhere.
Pillows –To check if a pillow is past its prime, most people just look at the cover. If you fold a pillow in two and it doesn’t bounce back, experts say it’s time to replace it.
Mattress – Do you know when your mattress is past its best? As long as there are no lumps and valleys on the surface, most would say. But they don’t take into account the dust mites accumulating in the mattress over the years. Experts suggest to change a mattress every 10 years or so.
Toothbrush – Regardless of their condition, toothbrushes must be replaced every 3-4 months. After that, they become a bacteria bed.
Mascara – To perform as it’s meant to, the mascara should not be older than 3 months.
Lipsticks – Lipsticks are breeding ground for bacteria. They should be thrown away after 2 years.
Liquid Makeup – This should be replaced every 6 months.
Facial Cleansers – Most cleansers expire after 6 months.
Towels – Towels that you use every day are expected to last 2-5 years.
Dish Washers – These are expected to last 9-11 years.
Washers – Washers can last 10-11 years.
Dryers – Dryers can last as long as 10-13 years.

Here are some household things you should not throw in the trash.

Batteries – We’re talking about the rechargeable, lithium-ion batteries. Household batteries post 1997 can be thrown into the trash.
Electronics – Again, some contain hazardous materials that are better recycled.
Energy Efficient Light bulbs – These contain small amounts of mercury, meaning they must be disposed of safely. Most hardware stores collect them.
Used Paint – Liquid paints and solvents are dangerous and flammable. They should either be recycled or allowed to dry completely; by keeping the can of paint open. Once it’s solid, you can throw it in the trash.
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