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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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

Riverside County November Sales

Buy Now in the Desert or Wait?

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

What to Trash at Home and What Not

[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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Happy Thanksgiving! 2013

" As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." ~ John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Color Trends for 2014

Many of the major paint companies have already released their new paint line ups for 2014. Pantone also announced its Fashion Color Report for spring 2014 in September. The color that appears to be the favorite for 2014 is blue. Muted, serene, and simplicity were the words used to describe this year’s color line up by paint giants Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams. From Pantone’s report, their palate ranged from muted and simplistic to vivid and bold. While making color decisions based on trends isn’t always a good idea, it’s a nice place to start looking for colors that maybe around for a while.

Why look to the paint companies for color trends?

Paint companies can track what’s happening in color trends in real time. Based on what consumers are buying, and tracking the slightest change in what’s being purchased, they can predict where the trend is heading. Their forecasts are built on this information and can be the most current look at what people are truly looking for in colors for their homes.

Sherwin Williams

In Sherwin Williams’ 2014 Color Forecast, they offer four pallets, each with their own intrinsic personalities:

-Reasoned – a neutral pallet with nice grays with layer subtle undertones. One to watch from this would be Crushed Ice (7647). It’s a warmer gray that is simple without being sterile.

-Diaphanous – soft smoky colors that are light, delicate, and ephemeral. A nice selection here would be Balanced Beige (SW 7037)

-Intrinsic – a riot of colors that evoke the feelings of a fiesta. Georgian Bay (SW 6509) would be a good choice for staying with the 2014 trend of blue.

-Curiosity – “Where mad science meets fantasy.” The colors are muted with mostly dark blues, browns, and grays.

Benjamin Moore

In their Color Trends 2014, Benjamin Moore presented Breath of Fresh Air (806) as its 2014 color of the year. A bit lighter than their ever popular Palladian Blue (HC 144), it will prove to be a go-to color for any room. The colors offered are a wonderful array of neutrals that will match each other, so that each room will work with and transition into another. The colors are softer and lighter, without being too “candy” or “Easter Egg.” Another color to watch from Benjamin Moore is Van Deusen Blue (HC-156), which pairs well with Breath of Fresh Air.

Pantone

The color juggernaut Pantone is the global authority on color and provides professional color standards for design industries. When they talk colors, people listen. The 10 colors that they’re talking about for the women’s spring fashion line up include:

-PANTONE 15-3920 Placid Blue

-PANTONE 16-3823 Violet Tulip

-PANTONE 15-6114 Hemlock

-PANTONE 16-0000 Paloma

-PANTONE 15-1225 Sand

-PANTONE 14-0852 Freesia

-PANTONE 18-1651 Cayenne

-PANTONE 17-1360 Celosia Orange

-PANTONE 18-3224 Radiant Orchid

-PANTONE 18-3949 Dazzling Blue

When looking for color trends, remember that it’s easier to change clothes than it is to change the color of paint on the walls. The colors may be a bit more risky, because there’s less commitment. This can be seen in Pantone’s offering of pairing pastels with bright hues. Remember that in the end, it’s about what color palette appeals to you and makes you feel at home.

If you are thinking about a remodel, redesign, or reorganizing; then I am your redesign professional!

If you are considering selling your property, and you think it needs staging; I am your neighborhood professional!

Call me at 760.567.7282 and Follow me on Facebook!!

October Homes Sales in Riverside County

Happy Veterans Day!

7 Ways to Save with Green Plumbing in the Desert

Desert Luxury Realty

What does it mean to be ecologically minded? It’s a promise to pollute less, and save resources like water and electricity. That is where green plumbing comes into the picture. If you’re renovating or moving to a new place, a little pre-thought can save you money.

Green Plumbing

Low flow – Install bathroom fixtures like toilettes and shower heads that waste less water. Also, install an aerator to the bathroom sink which makes less water come out stronger.

Grey water –Water from the bathroom basins, showers, baths, and washing machine can be recycled directly within the home and used to flush toilets for example.

Rain water tanks – Installed in different parts of the yard, tanks collect water when it rains to be used for irrigation during dry spells.

Hot water – Instead of using one big tank and having the hot water travel a distance – and cool down in the process – install tankless heaters next to where it is needed. Less water is wasted by waiting for the water to turn hot, and less electricity/gas is used to reheat the water.

Water Heating – The cheapest way to heat the house water is by using solar energy. These systems have been used around the world for at least 30 years and have improved tremendously. The sun is a cheap, renewable energy source that does not pollute.

Drip Irrigation – If you live in a hot and dry climate, drip irrigation is the best way to water your garden. Water doesn’t go to waste with sprinkle heads that spray all around where some of the water evaporates before it even hits the ground.

Insulate – If you live in extreme weather, insulating the house and exterior pipes is the biggest money saver. There are many environmentally friendly insulation products. Nowadays, green plumbing is also offered as a course in some community colleges.

If you are thinking about a remodel, redesign, or reorganizing;
then I am your redesign professional!

If you are considering selling your property, and you think it needs staging;
I am your neighborhood professional!

Fall Back in the Desert this Sunday!

Change your Batteries in your Smoke Alarms, too!

Art Under the Umbrellas Premiers Saturday at Old Town - Be There!

Saturday, October 26, 2013
10 am to 4 pm
Old Town La Quinta

Live Music. Free Admission. Free Parking

Reconnect with old friends or make new ones at Art Under the Umbrellas—the Coachella Valley’s primo series of one day art shows, which gets underway Saturday at Old Town La Quinta, launching LQAF’s 2013/14 Desert Season.

The October show will also commemorate National Arts and Humanities Month (NAHM) as an officially registered event of NAHM 2013.

With a diverse mix of 80 talented artists exhibiting their unique artwork and fine crafts, Art Under the Umbrellas promises a sun-filled day of shopping for unique jewelry, discovering hand crafted gifts, or a special fine art piece for the home.

 Old Town La Quinta's great selection of trendy boutiques and fine restaurants will round out the day's enjoyment.

The October 26th season opener will introduce 11 artists new to Art Under the Umbrellas and will spotlight some long time regulars who have committed to exhibiting at all eight shows of the 2013/14 season.

Chad Allen and Garrison Wayne of Canvas in the Garden are known for their award winning hand-painted designs on canvas.

Darlene Goins is as colorful and vibrant as the wild cache of jewelry she displays in her booth located at the Desert Club entrance to Old Town La Quinta. Her smile is worth a thousand words!

Penelope Krebs is a master in the art of painting her beloved, delicate birds with incredible precision using watercolors.

Directions to Old Town La Quinta:  From I-10 or Highway 111, take Washington Street south. Go west on Calle Tampico for two blocks; Old Town is on the left.  Visit LQAF.com or call 760-564-1244.

**All information and illustration from LQAF.

October Newsletter

Here are some Tricks to make your Desert Home Halloween Ready and transition into November!

Mary Williams Interior Redesign

Halloween is just around the corner and what better way to prepare than to DECORATE? Here are some fun ideas to get your home ready for Halloween Tricks and Treats but great enough to last until Thanksgiving!!

Pick Up Some White Pumpkins for Elegant Fall Decorating

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Kitchen ideas, bathroom ideas, and more ∨ Use the help of top home decorators to select a matching nightstand and new lampshades for your own bedroom design. Browse inspiring bedroom design, then outfit your personal beds design, convertible futon ordaybed with designer bedding linens and decorative throw pillows.

If you are thinking about a remodel, redesign, or reorganizing; then I am your redesign professional!

If you are considering selling your property, and you think it needs staging; I am your neighborhood professional!

Call me at 760.567.7282!  Follow me on Facebook!

C.A.R. releases its 2014 California Housing Market Forecast

News release - October 8, 2013

California home sales and prices to rise in 2014 as market transitions toward primary home buyers

LOS ANGELES (Oct. 8) – After distressed sales lost their hold on much of California’s market, the state’s housing market will continue to improve in 2014, with sales shifting toward primary home buyers and both sales and home prices posting further gains, according to the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®’ (C.A.R.) “2014 California Housing Market Forecast,” released today.

The C.A.R. forecast sees sales gaining 3.2 percent next year to reach 444,000 units, up from the projected 2013 sales figure of 430,300 homes sold.  Sales in 2013 will be down 2.1 percent from the 439,400 existing, single-family homes sold in 2012.

“The housing market has improved over the past year, and we expect this trend to continue into 2014,” said C.A.R. President Don Faught.  “As the economy enters the fourth year of a modest recovery, we expect to see a strong demand for homeownership, as buyers who may have been competing with investors and facing an extreme shortage of available housing return from the sidelines.”

C.A.R.’s forecast projects growth in the U.S. Gross Domestic Product of 2.8 percent in 2014, after a projected gain of 1.8 percent in 2013.  With nonfarm job growth of 1.9 percent in California, the state’s unemployment rate should decrease to 8.3 percent in 2014 from 9 percent in 2013 and 10.5 percent in 2012.

The average for 30-year fixed mortgage interest rates will rise to 5.3 percent but will still remain at historically low levels.  a projected 28 percent increase in 2013 to $408,600.

“We’ve seen a marked improvement in housing market conditions in a year with the distressed market shrinking from one in three sales a year ago to less than one in five in recent months, thanks primarily to sharp gains in home prices,” said C.A.R. Vice President and Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young.  “As the market continues to improve, more previously underwater homeowners will look toward selling, making housing inventory less scarce in 2014.  As a result of these factors, we’ll see home price increases moderate from the double-digit increases we saw for much of this year to mid-single digits in most of the state.”

“The wildcards for 2014 include federal, fiscal, monetary and housing policies – such as the mortgage interest deduction and mortgage finance reform – as well as housing supply and the actions of the Federal Reserve, which will ensure a higher rate environment,” Appleton-Young continued.

All above information is from the California Association of REALTORS®.

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What Features do Buyers Value in a Home in La Quinta?

Whether you just purchased or have owned your home in the Desert for awhile, this is the PERFECT time to redesign before you come back for Season!
Wouldn’t it be great to come home to a totally redesigned home in the Desert?
No worries and no messing with the mess!!

If you are thinking about a remodel, redesign, or reorganizing;
then I am your redesign professional!

If you are considering selling your property,
and you think it needs staging; I am your neighborhood professional!

Call me at 760.567.7282!
Follow me on Facebook!

California August Housing Market

According to the recent news release from the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS’® (C.A.R.) August 2013 resale housing report, following a strong performance in July, California’s housing market pulled back in August as mortgage rates continued to inch up, although sales of condominiums and townhomes remained robust.

• Sales of condominiums and townhomes surged almost 8 percent from last August in California, and are up nearly 5 percent year to date compared to last year, according to the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS’® (C.A.R.) August 2013 resale housing report.

• Home prices continued in an upward trend in August, reaching levels not seen in more than five years. The statewide median price of an existing, single-family detached home was up 1.7 percent from July’s median price of $433,910 to reach $441,330 in August, the highest price recorded since December 2007.

• Sales in August were down 2 percent from a revised 443,500 in July and down 1.9 percent from a revised 443,030 in August 2012. The statewide sales figure represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2013 if sales maintained the August pace throughout the year.

• The available supply of existing, single-family detached homes for sale inched up in August to 3.1 months, up from July’s Unsold Inventory Index of 2.9 months. The index was 3.2 months in August 2012.  The index indicates the number of months needed to sell the supply of homes on the market at the current sales rate.  A six- to seven-month supply is considered typical in a normal market.

• The median number of days it took to sell a single-family home also edged up to 28.8 days in August from 27.8 days in July, but was down from 41.1 days in August 2012.

• Mortgage rates moved higher in August, with the 30-year, fixed-mortgage interest rate averaging 4.46 percent, up from 4.37 percent in July 2013 and up from 3.60 percent in August 2012, according to Freddie Mac.  Adjustable-mortgage interest rates in August averaged 2.65 percent, slightly down from 2.66 in July but down from 2.67 percent in August 2012.

All 1" information is from the September 16, 2013 the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) news release.

September 2013 Newsletter

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How to stay within or under budget

Mary Williams Interior Design

A lot of staying within or under budget in a remodeling or redesign project is finding great bargains in the Desert – and I love a great bargain! In fact, I have been finding great bargains all over the place in the most unsuspecting places. What and who I know will save you money with any project – large or small. There is a reason to work with me because “There’s REALLY Something About Mary!”

A Savvy Shopper's Secrets to Sales

Remodeling, decorating, and more ∨From Shabby Chic home accessories to contemporary furniture and wall mirrors, browse thousands of decorating ideas to inspire your next home project.
Select garden furniture to match your style, garden storage sheds or even greenhouse designs to personalize your landscape.

If you are thinking about a
remodel, redesign, or reorganizing;
let me take your home from drab to FAB!

If you are considering selling your property,
and you think it needs staging;
I am your neighborhood professional!

Call me at 760.567.7282!