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Buying – Info For Buyers

What’s Your Reason For Not Buying This Year?

What’s Your Reason For Not Buying This Year?

Palm Desert Golf Homes

My team and I have helped hundreds of buyer clients find their dream home in the Palm Springs area over the last few years, so believe me when I say I’ve heard countless reasons from people getting in their own way of buying and enjoying the desert home they’ve been thinking and dreaming about. Here are some top excuses:

  • “I’m waiting for Palm Springs real estate prices to go back down.”
  • “I’ll think about buying next winter.”
  • “The economy might decline again.”
  • “I have trouble making big decisions so I’ll rent for another year.”

What Recent Buyers Are Saying

We follow-up with our buyer clients on a regular basis to ensure they’re happy and that we’ve done the best job possible. We ask questions like: Are you enjoying your home? Are your family and friends happy with your purchase decision? Are you glad you invested in the Palm Springs real estate market?

These clients often tell me their stress levels have come down a few notches as they now have a desert home to escape to! Whether they’re getting away from winter or gloom, or just simply knowing they have a place to get away from it all with family or friends, all that stress just seems to dissolve as soon as they step into their new home.

So What Are You Waiting For?

So what are you waiting for? Contact us today and we'll be happy to help you find the perfect home for you. We’ll match you with the right community, the right lifestyle, and the right home and hopefully have some fun doing it together.

From Sheri Dettman
In Buying - Info For Buyers, Buying – Info For Canadian Buyers, Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog
Palm Springs Home Buyers & Sellers: Don’t Take It Personally!

Palm Springs Home Buyers & Sellers: Don’t Take It Personally!

Golf Homes At Andalusia, La Quinta

Here's a little advice for Palm Springs area homebuyers and sellers. Never take purchase negotiations personally. No property is ever sold unless there's a willing buyer and a willing seller. And getting to that point can be a dance, and sometimes it can be a little tougher. But please don't take it personally.

I do this almost everyday, and every transaction can be a bit different. Every buyer and seller has a unique personality. Some people buy and sell homes as often as cars, while others might buy or sell just a few times in their lifetime. People's situations and their reasons for buying or selling here in the Palm Springs area can also be varied.

Your Palm Springs Realtor's Job: Part Guide, Part Negotiator

Part of an agent's job is to guide their buyers or sellers through the negotiations while keeping their sanity and their cool. It's counterproductive to take anything personally. Yes, there can be some stress involved, but an agent's job is to keep their clients stress level to a minimum and to do any heavy lifting for them.

A seller receiving a low-ball offer simply needs to submit a counter offer. We're here to help guide you with that. If a buyer gets no response to their submitted offer, their agent can find out why and go from there. But if there is no offer on the table because on side or the other took it personally, then negotiations cease and both sides can lose.

Don't Hit The Panic Button Unless I Tell You To! 

After completing hundreds of client transactions, the one thing in common that I share with our clients is 'don't panic until I tell you to!'  That little 'fire' during negotiations today, or during escrow tomorrow might seem like a big deal now, but it will likely be water in the swimming pool in just a day or two!

Most Palm Springs area real estate transactions actually flow pretty smoothly. The ones that don't are a bit more work but that's my job, and my team's job, to put forth what ever is needed on our client's behalf.

Know that I work with and therefore get to know a lot of the local real estate professionals, and as such I usually know in advance which transactions will be more work than others. That's when our team rolls up our sleeves up so you don't have to. You can get ready to move, and don't forget the sunscreen!

And during negotiations, like I said, please don't take anything personally, unless I tell you to!

From Sheri Dettman
In Buying - Info For Buyers, Buying – Info For Canadian Buyers, Info For Sellers, Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog
Palm Springs Home Buying: A Tip From A Buyer Client

Palm Springs Home Buying: A Tip From A Buyer Client

Janet, one of our recent buyer clients, and her husband recently closed on their new La Quinta home and here are some of her comments: “Sheri, Thanks for everything as we couldn’t be happier! It is amazing that we weren’t even going to look at this property (the property that they purchased) and it was the first one you took us to see–and, of course, our favorite!”

Beginning Their Palm Springs Home Search Online

Here’s what happened: Janet, like many of our clients, started their La Quinta home search online on our website. I also set them up with their own Palm Springs MLS listings portal so they could view new listings as they came on the Palm Springs MLS, as well as those that matched their criteria.

The home that Janet and her husband fell in love with was as home that they didn’t originally think they wanted to go see. But based on their input and their feedback, I thought they should see it. As you know, once they saw this home, that was it–they loved it!

Asking The Right Home-Finding Questions

After helping hundreds of people find their home in the sun, my team and I have gotten very good at asking our buyer clients the right questions, and then listening to their feedback.

We retain a good idea of what our home buyers are interested in, even when they’re not entirely sure yet. After taking buyers to view a few selected properties, I get a good sense of what type of Palm Springs area community they’d like, and the kind of home which would be a great match for them. It’s what we do everyday. Our job is to be part guide and part negotiator. How can we help you?  Email Sheri

From Sheri Dettman
In Buying - Info For Buyers, Buying – Info For Canadian Buyers, Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog
It’s All About The Lifestyle Here In Palm Springs

It’s All About The Lifestyle Here In Palm Springs

Photo: The Vintage Club, Indian Wells

After helping hundreds of clients find their homes in the Palm Springs sun I’ve discovered a few common dominators.

Whether we're looking at Palm Springs area golf and country club communities or non-golf luxury properties, once inside a home we usually head straight for the pool and patio area because after all, people come to the Palm Springs area to enjoy our year-round summer days!

People like to imagine themselves, their families and friends enjoying the outdoor living areas and taking in the views–usually over the golf courses, the nearby mountains and the swaying palms. You can always change the inside paint or furnishings of a home, but the homes location will always be the location, and it's usually the most important consideration for our buyer clients along with the view.

After touring a number of homes or luxury condos, we then help our clients do property comparisons, and pick the home that best ticks all their boxes. We are then one step closer to helping our client have a home of their own to enjoy and share in our beautiful desert.

The next step is submitting an offer to purchase that desert dream home.

From Sheri Dettman
In Buying - Info For Buyers, Buying – Info For Canadian Buyers, Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog
What Every Buyer Should Know About Online MLS Listings

What Every Buyer Should Know About Online MLS Listings

Philosopher Francis Bacon is quoted as saying “Knowledge Is Power.” Today’s Internet certainly delivers a lot of knowledge and frankly from what I see on a regular basis–a lot of junk. I’m amazed at how much inaccurate information is presented daily on so many of the big national real estate search sites.

Not Exactly Fresh

I recently checked on several of my own Palm Springs area properties that are currently listed on our Desert Area MLS®. Zillow® lists several available properties as ‘not for sale’ – information that in this case is actually two years old! And I see the same results on Realtor.com® and Trulia®. On the flip side these sites also show several of my listed properties as ‘for sale’ when in fact they in fact have been in escrow for a number of days (pending sale).

Or Fresh Every 15 Minutes

The MLS property listings you can view on our Sheri Dettman & Associates real estate websites are updated about every 15 minutes directly from our local MLS. Not next week, next month or next year. Keep in mind that the goal of most big national real estate sites is to sell advertising, not to serve homebuyers and sellers. I don't sell advertising and personally I'll take fresh over stale any day!

From Sheri Dettman
In Buying - Info For Buyers, Buying – Info For Canadian Buyers, Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog
Qualifying Your Real Estate Agent Upfront

Qualifying Your Real Estate Agent Upfront

Working with a busy and experienced real estate agent can benefit both buyers and sellers. Top agents have the distinct advantage of having experience negotiating hundreds of transactions for clients from around the world. Top agents also visit more properties, in more communities on a regular basis thereby knowing the market and the latest market trends.

Top agents generally complete 50 or more transactions per year. But did you know that the average real estate agent completes only 12 transactions per year? And here in the Palm Springs area about 24% of agents did not complete a single transaction last year?

Show Me The Transactions

Before choosing a Palm Springs area real estate agent to represent you, consider asking them to print out a list of their transactions from the MLS for the last 12 months. You'll want to look at home many transactions the agent completed, how much those homes sold for, and where they were located. Some agents provide this information on their websites under "recent transactions."

By doing your homework before agreeing to work with an agent, you can be assured that someone billed as a 'top producer' really has the track record and experience to back the claim.

About The Author

Sheri Dettman is the principle Realtor at Sheri Dettman & Associates and is affiliated with Luxury Homes by Keller Williams International in La Quinta, California. Sheri and her team serve the Palm Springs Real Estate Market including the cities of La Quinta, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, Rancho Mirage, Indio and Palm Springs.

From Sheri Dettman
In Buying - Info For Buyers, Buying – Info For Canadian Buyers, Info For Sellers, Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog
Knowing What Others Don’t (And How That Can Benefit You)

Knowing What Others Don’t (And How That Can Benefit You)

The more I know, the better I can serve both buyer and seller clients. I learn something most everyday and many days I’m researching answers and facts to new questions and situations that come up.

What I’m speaking to here is that the more I know about local market knowledge, communication, technical knowledge, listening and problem solving, the better I can serve our buyer and seller clients.

My Not Being Average Can Benefit You

I’ve mentioned before that the average Realtor completes just seven real estate transactions each year. That’s seven times to practice your profession annually. Here in the desert about 24% of agents did not complete one transaction last year! That translates into zero times to practice their jobs.

Of the over 2,400 licensed agents here in the desert less than a dozen complete over 50 transactions per year. And in my opinion it’s hard to stay on top of the changing real estate market if you only work at it part-time. You aren’t as familiar with as many communities and properties and you certainly don’t have much experience negotiating transactions of behalf of your clients.

Choose Your Real Estate Guide Wisely

If you are considering buying or selling a home or luxury condo my suggestion is to do a little research before hiring an agent. How many transactions did they complete last year and in what price ranges? Do they work regularly in the communities that interest you most? Do they have a good reputation with their peers?

I welcome the opportunity to serve your real estate needs. If not me, you’ll want to choose an agent that is busy, successful and experienced. Personally I choose my tax advisor, doctor and dentist the same way!

From Sheri Dettman
In Buying - Info For Buyers, Buying – Info For Canadian Buyers, Info For Sellers, Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog
What You Ought To Know About Rental Property Insurance

What You Ought To Know About Rental Property Insurance

PGA West, La Quinta

Many home and condo owners choose to rent their properties to short-term renters (less than six consecutive months). While this can be a great income opportunity, you'll want to check your homeowner policy for coverage. If it won't cover your home for short-term rental usage you'll want to look for a policy that does.

In speaking with Richard Cox of The Cox Insurance Agency in Palm Desert, Richard said, "We can now cover most rental homes and condos for short-term rentals at a very reasonable cost. Representing a first in the industry, this Comprehensive Property and Liability Insurance Program was created especially for homes and condos that are being used as short-term vacation rentals."

Short & Long Term Rental Coverage 
Richard further said, "This new program can be used by those who book their homes year-round or by those who only book a few days, weeks or months per year. Owners can now have peace of mind knowing that they are properly covered at a reasonable cost."

So, even if you think you are properly covered, you'll want to review your policy, or have your agent review your policy. "Most vacation homeowners are simply not covered for the risk of short-term rentals." 

Richard Cox can be reached at 760.797.1800.
Email Richard

From Sheri Dettman
In Buying - Info For Buyers, Buying – Info For Canadian Buyers, Owning - Homeowner Tips & Resources, Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog
How Important Is Location Here In The Desert?

How Important Is Location Here In The Desert?

Rancho La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta

If you’re a first time home or condo buyer in the Palm Springs area you might be interested in a series of articles that I posted online over the last few months that are linked from our Information For Buyers web page.

Location is near the top of the list for most desert buyers, and yes it is possible to by the right home but in the wrong location. The old adage of location, location, location, is repeated three times to emphasize the importance of location. It basically means that similar or identical homes or condos can be valued differently based on their location.

Once your agent helps narrow down your overall location criteria, s/he will then help you discover your location options within each community to form your ‘short list’. One example is sunlight exposure. Year-round residents and winter residents will likely have different needs and preferences.

Jump to the full article: How Important Is Location?

From Sheri Dettman
In Buying - Info For Buyers, Buying – Info For Canadian Buyers, Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog
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