How often do we turn on the news and see a sad story?  Or how often do we hear about the positive things kids do?  Well I think we need to talk about the positive, upbeat, and good things our kids are doing... Amelia Earhart Elementary Elementary School in Indio, CA collected over 300 pounds of candy and stuffed animals for the Army National Guard.  FedEx shipped the boxes for free!    This was the schools way of giving back to or troops and participating in Operation Gratitude.  If you would like to participate you can send candy and stuffed animals also. Operation Gratitude/California Army National Guard 17-330 Victory Blvd., Van Nuys, CA 91406 Attention  Charlie Othold   Thank you Amelia Earhart Elementary for giving back! 11/13/2009

I recently sold another home at Sun City Shadow Hills in Indio.  Fantastic deal.  My clients bought a standing inventory home.  Pulte, the builder, is offering incentives to buyers.  They are serious about moving these homes.  I was told that Sun City Shadow Hills is the most successful new home development in California.  Don't know if it is true, but it would not surprise me. Sun City is located north of the 10, between Jefferson and Monroe.  It is a 55+ golf course community with two clubhouses (one is soon to be under construction, the other is up and running) and a golf course clubhouse.  Their web site says that homes start at $228,000 for a two bedroom home with over 1200 sq. ft.  When I did a web search, I found one for $191,000. No doubt, one of their standing inventory homes. ... 08/17/2009

Del Rio and Mariposa Models for Sale Most of us have heard the comment as we walk our clients through the model homes, "If this model was for sale we'd buy it today." Well now is the perfect opportunity!  Sun City Shadow Hills have just released their Del Rio (1550 sq. ft.) and Mariposa (1771 sq. ft.) models for sale this morning!!!  They are the two models located on the golf course, just to the left of the sales office.  These homes can close within 30 days.   Both golf course homes are priced to sell!  The Del Rio has 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths, and a Den priced at $330,000.  The Mariposa has 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths, and a Den priced at $335,000.  Call us right away at the numbers below to see these Model Homes, they will go fast. Clubs and Classes A wide variety of great clubs, activities, spe... 08/01/2009

Fairs and festivals are the perfect opportunity for you to get away from your hectic lifestyle and enjoy some good quality entertainment.  Whether you and the spouse want to head on down or if you want to enjoy a pleasant weekend with the family, the Riverside County Fair allows you to do just that. The 64th annual Riverside County Fair and Date Festival is on this weekend. This year's festival is just right around the corner coming up on February 13-22 of 2010.  To make sure you do not miss out on the incredible events and attractions that will be coming, don't forget to pre-order your tickets today. This year's entertainment lineup includes Kansas, Graciela Beltran, Night Ranger & Rodney Atkins. The crowd favorite which is Super Fiesta, will be back on the closing Sunday with Banda Li... 12/02/2008

Find Indio Golf Homes, Search Indian Springs Country Club   Indio New Listings l Indio Foreclosure Listings l Indio Short Sale Listings l Indio Single Family Homes 11/27/2008

With so many resort areas and beautiful communities to choose from in the state of California, it really is hard to go wrong.  Sun City Shadow Hills is just another gorgeous community to take into consideration located in the Palm Springs Desert Resorts Area. As the newest addition of Del Webb's community, this resorts area is surrounded by amazing mountains and amazing landscaping.  It offers the perfect option for people looking for a reasonably priced home starting in the $200's.  And with ten new floor plans to choose from, you are sure to find something that suits you best. This is far from the type of community you can expect to stay inside with.  You are bound to get out and enjoy the relaxing and luxurious lifestyle that can be experienced in gorgeous California.  Whether it is ... 11/18/2008

For more than 50 years, The Eldorado Polo Club in Indio, CA has been joining together the appeal of the 1,000 year old game of polo with the glamour of Los Angeles and Palm Springs, and mixing in a lot of cowboy for good fun. The result is a unique mixture of old and new, tradition and innovation, champagne and long-neck Coronas, that has come to be known as polo, desert style. Polo was first played in California in 1877, not long after the sport was brought to the U.S. from England by Mr. James Gordon Bennett. By the turn of the century, polo was being played in the San Diego area, on Coronado Island. Los Angeles quickly became an electrifying center for the sport, boasting several top ranked polo clubs and a long list of celebrity players such as movie star, Will Rogers. When Palm Sp... 10/09/2008

I recently made contact with a local blogger in my area.  A little over 13 years ago, her 10 year-old son was abducted and brutally murdered.  She has made it her cause to teach children and adults safety tips that may help keep this from happening to another child.  I hope this message can help save the son or daughter of someone who reads this. A Message for Parents From Christopher's Clubhouse   Children are targeted as victims because they are more vulnerable than adults. They are more trusting and far easier to lure into dangerous situations. Statistics show: • An estimated 797,500 children are reported missing each year. In 40 percent of stereotypical kidnapping cases, the child was killed. • 896,000 children were determined to be victims of child abuse and neglect. That is one ch... 08/11/2008

Many people now look forward to purchasing a perfect retirement home when they reach retirement age. Downsizing is a popular trend for people who don't want to continue to be deal with the expense or responsibility of maintaining and keeping up with a a large household during their retirement years. There are many factors to consider when selecting a retirement home. Choosing among the many different retirement living options is an important decision. Most people don't want to have to move several times during their retirement years, so it's worth taking the time to research retirement living alternatives before choosing your retirement home. Patio Home LivingPatio homes are a popular choice for retirees who don't want to maintain large house but who do want to continue living in a sing... 06/22/2008

Sun City Shadow Hills is Dell Webb's latest addition to the desert resort communities in Indio. It is another beautifully designed active adult living community.  Taking a deep rooted pride in excellence and dependability, Del Webb Sun City communities offer promises of  a myriad of activities, enjoyable golfing, tennis and community living that inspires even the most eclectic of tastes. The spacious Montecito Clubhouse boasts a full social calendar offering something for everyone to enjoy! Call Elaine Stewart to see property at Sun City Shadow Hills at 760 668-2399 06/13/2008

HIPPIFEST at Fantasy Springs Casino, Palm Springs, CA84245 Indio Springs DriveIndio, CA 92203 21-Day Tour Celebrates The 40th Anniversary Of The Summer Of LoveWHEN:     July 19, 2008, 8:00 p.m. WHERE:  The Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, CAMark your calendars for an event you don't want to miss! Hippifest celebrates the 40thanniversary of the Summer of Love with performances by 60's and 70's icons, Jack Bruce of Cream, The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, Badfinger featuring Joey Molland, and Jonathan Bear and Melanie on July 19, 2008, at 8:00 p.m. at the Fantasy Springs Casino located at 84245 Indio Springs Drive, Indio, CA 92203. MEMORIESTake a stroll down memory lane and experience the 60's and 70's.  Groovy! Can you dig it? Far Out! Right On! Let's Boogy! Chill!  Hey Dude! It was a tim... 05/04/2008

Negligent owners in Indio could be finedAs foreclosure rates hit all-time highs, valley cities explore ways to keep empty houses from attracting vagrantsINDIO - The abandoned, foreclosed home on Caribe Street looked OK from the outside.Inside, it was obvious that squatters - homeless people who stay the night in vacant houses - had invaded.Plates with crusted food, empty beer cans and pillows were strewn throughout the home.Used, wadded-up toilet paper piled high in the bathrooms."I wouldn't want to live next door to a house like that," Indio police Lt. Forest Meadows said.It's a scene that's starting to crop up in neighborhoods across the valley - a byproduct of skyrocketing foreclosures.Indio, with nearly 1,500 homes in foreclosure in the city's limits, is leading valley cities in tak... 04/27/2008

Power Brokers International Palm Desert Sue Margiotta * 760-238-2160www.e-desert.com DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION1. Indio planners eye Sun City outskirts ...includes a hotel, grocery store, convenience stores complete with pharmacies, a gas station, a business park and various sit-down and fast-food restaurants. 2. Developers looking across I-10 for growth...The four projects proposed for that area eventuallycould add thousands more residents to the already-burgeoning city of 77,146. Dillon Trails on 207 acres..Stonewater on 800 acres... Inner Beauty on 1,000 acres...Indio Trails on 900 acres 3. Indio plans to rise again as Coachella Valley hub a desolate 34-square-mile stretch of land north of I-10 nestled between the Little San Bernardino Mountains and Indio Hills would become part of Ind... 04/09/2008

North Indio Conservation MapIndio Hills, area of proposed new developments, conservation mapDesert Tortoise, Joshua Tree National Park, Indio Hills Conservation Area, Indio Hills Palms Conservation AreaCommon NameSpecific EpithetPalm Springs pocket mousePerognathus longimembris bangsiPalm Springs (Round-tailed) Ground SquirrelSpermophilus tereticaudus var. chlorusPeninsular bighorn sheepOvis canadensisSouthern yellow batLasiurus ega (xanthinus) Arroyo southwestern toadBufo microscaphus californicusDesert slender salamanderBatrachoseps aridus Desert pupfishCyprinodon macularius macularius Coachella Giant Sand treader CricketMacrobaenetes valgumCoachella Valley Jerusalem CricketStenopelmatus cahuilaensis Coachella Valley Fringe-toed LizardUma inornataDesert tortoiseXerobates agassizii (or... 04/07/2008

http://www.palmspringslife.com/media/Palm-Springs-Life/Financial-Guide/Annual-2007/Coachella/ Fiesta Development, a private company headed by partners Larry Redman and Richard Ashby, hopes to have approvals in place by the end of the year and begin construction in the spring of next year on what ultimately will include more than 8,000 housing units, ranging from garden apartments to mini-estates with sweeping views of the entire valley. Two golf courses, 1 million square feet of commercial and office space, and a hotel site will be easily accessible from Interstate 10 via a new interchange.Because of the unique topography of the site as it changes elevation from the valley floor up the Chiriaco Summit grade, 46 percent of the project land will be open space dedicated either as parks or ... 04/07/2008

Developers looking across I-10 for growth  http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080330/NEWS05/803300330/1011/news05  Indio officials expect the desert tract to sprout thousands of homes, shops, schools and public safety buildings. A master plan that would provide a blueprint on how that could happen is in the works."This whole area is just vacant. It's so massive. It's (like) a whole new city," said Sean Moore, a senior planner leading the city's expansion efforts.Already, 24 square miles - or 15,360 acres - of the 34-square-mile tract along Dillon Road fall under the city's sphere of influence. The move was approved in September by the Riverside County Local Agency Formation Commission, which handles annexations.A sphere of influence is an unincorporated area next to or... 04/07/2008

A couple of weeks ago I wrote this blog about the condition of foreclosed homes in our area.http://activerain.com/blogsview/415317/Property-Condition-for-ForeclosedSome of you may remember the picture of the pool I took:I did not approach the city council, but it seems it was on their minds as well.Negligent owners in Indio could be finedXochitl Peña • The Desert Sun • March 21, 2008http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080321/NEWS01/803210392/-1/NLETTER01&source=nletter-news A new law goes into effect April 4 targeting abandoned homes with overgrown landscaping, stagnant pools and other eyesores that scream "empty" to squatters.The law requires that abandoned properties be registered with the city and maintained. If not, the owner - usually the bank in foreclosed situati... 03/21/2008

I did a search and came up with some interesting statistics.  In what the media calls a dead market, sales are strong.  Of the 134 homes going into contract or sold last month, almost a third of those did so after being on the market under 30 days.  What does this mean for the buyer?Prices are in the range of many more buyers now. Lower prices can mean lower down payments, closing costs and taxes.Banks are loosening up their criteria to create new loans.Properly priced homes are selling.  The home you like today may be gone soon.  The days of sitting and waiting are slowly going away.The time to start looking is now, while prices are low.Interest rates are still affordable.  If you have any questions about homes available in our market today, please feel free to give me a call or send m... 03/13/2008

If you enjoy a great festival that gives a huge presentation but manages to keep the small, home town feel to it then here in Indio, California you will find exactly that.  At the annual Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival, hosted by the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, there is something for everyone.  From the lure of the games and activities to the food and fun it is one non-stop joy ride lasting for ten days in February. Hosting some of the biggest names in the music industry, the festival has managed to book entertainment by some of these top stars such as Leann Rimes, country music singing sensation joined by Banda Novillo and Heart.  If that does not seem sufficient to draw in the crowds, you can also see an amazing performance by Gerardo Fernandez and Blues Traveler. ... 01/11/2008

Every nation has attempted at some point in time, in some way, to keep the spirit of their past alive in their hearts and the hearts of their people.  Here in Indio, California this is one of the top priorities.  Some years ago, there was an idea brought forward to assist in preserving the past of the inhabitants and people of Indio, but as with any  new idea, without proper attention and stimulation it fails to grow and for a season there was no activity.  It was not until 1996, when David Hernandez visited Indio and the Riverside County Date Festival was in action, that the idea was brought up once again to paint murals to impact the city and it's residents.  These murals would draw attention to the small city of Indio, drawing visitors, commerce and economic relief.  Aid was request... 01/06/2008