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Sheri’s Palm Springs Area Blog

Whether it be real estate updates, restaurant reviews, events, or highlights of unique homes in Palm Springs, follow Sheri as she covers all that Palm Springs and the surrounding area has to offer.

Dining Around The Desert: Armando’s Bar & Grill, Palm Desert

Armando’s Dakota Bar & Grill continues to thrive while other restaurants seem to come and go. Armando’s is not really known for the atmosphere or are they? People watching at Armando’s can be interesting to say the least. The patio out front overlooks the sidewalks of El Paseo Drive and inside you’ll find an old school Mexican bar and grill (but with a very modern big screen TV).

On a recent visit my husband Bill and I choose to sit at the bar for dinner and drinks and take in the local color. Service was prompt even when busy, as the staff at Armando’s really hustles. I ordered a fabulous Peach Margarita while Bill went for the traditional Margarita rocks. Watch them make their Margarita’s and you’ll know why local legend says they can ‘destroy you.’ Bill tasted his and asked the bartender to turn his one drink into two–problem solved.

On To Dinner For Two At Armando's

For dinner I ordered the Tostada Salad, which was huge and awesome. Bill ordered a combination dish featuring a home made chicken tamale and a chicken enchilada. Both were very good as were the black beans and rice. My salad was so large that I took half of it home later.

The danger at Armando’s beside their killer Margarita’s, are their traditional chips and salsa. We just keep enjoying those darn chips until I asked our server to please take them away. I guess those salty chips really do encourage people to order more of Armando’s drinks.

Researching Palm Springs Area Restaurants

Before we dine out, Bill or I will usually check out the online reviews on both Yelp and TripAdvisor. Looking at Armando’s, the reviews were very positive, and we agree after our recent visit that Armando’s is definitely worth at try when you're in a Mexican food mood. A very worthy alternative is the nearby and smaller Fresh Agave Mexican Bar & Grill, also in Palm Desert. We'll visit Fresh Agave this summer and post a review.

Armando’s Dakota Bar & Grill is located at 73260 El Paseo, Palm Desert. Reservation are suggested during prime times. (760) 346-0744. We could not find a website for Armando's.

From Sheri Dettman
In Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog, Dining Around The Desert

What You See Is What You Get At Stonefield Estates

Dozens of people have been touring the new model home at Stonefield Estates at Santa Rosa each week and the feedback has been extremely positive. Visitors have been sharing with us that they like all the luxury amenities in the model home which are included in the price. From the custom pool and spa to the high-end chef’s kitchen–It’s all included. Crown molding, wood beams, granite counters, full back splash and much more–included.

One couple mentioned that they had recently visited another new home development in the Palm Springs area. The base home was priced in the $800’s, but signage in the model home indicated the home had over $200,000 in upgrades. That’s simply not the case at Stonefield Estates.

Visitors touring the model home often take a moment to relax pool side, and have been commenting as to how they envision themselves enjoying a Stonefield Estates home with family and friends. It’s all part of what we call our resort lifestyle here in the desert.

Sales Update: 3 Homes Remain In Phase-2

10 Homes have been completed and sold in phase one. Just three homes remain in phase two.

From Sheri Dettman
In Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog, Featured Properties

Another Perfect Evening At Andalusia, La Quinta

If you're looking for luxurious indoor/outdoor living with great views, you'll want to consider Andalusia at Coral Mountain in La Quinta. Resort lifestyle living in a golf course community doesn't get much better that this, especially considering the new lower Golf membership fees.

Social and fitness membership is included in the monthly HOA's, making Andalusia a good value for golfers and non-golfers alike. Please contact me for further information or to arrange a private tour of both the models and resale homes at Andalusia.

Another great option for your consideration at Andalusia is this featured plan-3 home of 3,551 square feet located on a great view lot at 81445 Carboneras, and is offered at $1,165,000.

And Just Sold by Sheri At Andalusia

Just last week Sheri sold another Andalusia home located on the golf course at 81343 Andalusia Drive that was priced at $1,350,000. This south facing home included 3,890 square feet of living space including four bedrooms and five baths.

From Sheri Dettman
In Recent Sales, Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog, Golf Communities

Palm Springs Area Real Estate Update For March 2013

At the risk of repeating myself again this month, single-family home prices in the Palm Springs real estate market are continuing to rise while the available inventory of homes and condos continues to decrease. Five of six valley cities recorded sales price increases in March of 2013 compared to March of 2012.

Andalusia, La Quinta Plan-1 Home

March 2013 Single Family Home Average Sale Prices Compared To 2012

Indian Wells: $1,095,000 / $936,000 (+ 16.99%)
La Quinta: $609,000 / $556,000 (+ 9.53%)
Rancho Mirage: $583,000 / $616,000 (- 5.36 %)
Palm Springs: $456,000 / $442,000 (+ 3.17%)
Palm Desert: $427,000 / $356,000 (+ 19.94%)
Indio: $243,000 / $207,000 (+ 17.39%)

Available Valley-Wide Inventory Single Family Homes & Condos

The available inventory of both Palm Springs area single-family homes and condos has continued to decrease during the last three months.

March 2013 - Homes: 2,515 / Condos: 1,157
February 2013 - Homes: 2,671 / Condos: 1,212
January 2013 – Homes: 2,800 / Condos: 1,228

Data Source: Desert Area MLS®

From Sheri Dettman
In Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog, Real Estate Market Updates

Sunset At Lake La Quinta

The sunsets here in the Palm Springs area can be pretty spectacular. As the sun dips over the nearby Santa Rosa Mountains, the colors reflected off any cloud cover over the valley or mountains can be pretty amazing.

We don’t get many days here in the desert with significant cloud cover. But when we do, keep an eye on the sky at sunset. You’ll often be rewarded with a free show at cocktail hour from your patio deck or sidewalk café. The photo above was taken from the deck of a Lake La Quinta waterfront home we have listed.

Some evenings you’ll see a clear sky overhead with nearby clouds just peaking over the tops of our western mountains. These sunsets can be some of our most spectacular shows and there’s no ticket required.

From Sheri Dettman
In Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog, Lifestyles & Things To Do

Sellers Tip: How Much To Market Your Palm Springs Area Home?

When I need a good chuckle I’ll take a look at some of the Q&A on some of the national real estate websites. Recently a home seller posted this question. “How much does a Realtor spend on marketing a listing?” A dozen or so Realtors chimed in with their answers and I found the answers to be, well - interesting.

Agent A: $200

The first agent disclosed, “I spend $200 to do an open house.” That’s it. He went on to say, “I’ve learned to budget well and I have a free real estate website.”

Agent B: Depends

“From some of the listings I see in the area lately, close to nothing! But to answer your question, I would estimate the marketing costs for an average property to be between $500 and $1000.”

Agent C: Impossible To Answer!

“Great question…impossible to answer. The money depends on the particular situation…. the amount however could exceed $1000 annually.”

Agent D: Not Very Much

“If the agent is a decent photographer and has decent computer skills (like me), they save by doing a lot of the work themselves.”

The Average Agent Invests Just $1,500 In Marketing Annually

Do these answers surprise you? I believe these answers are fairly typical in real estate today. And that's based on the National Association of Realtors poll which disclosed that the average Realtor invests just $1,500 annually in marketing. Further, the top ten percent of Realtors invests just $10,000 annually in marketing.

Dear Palm Springs Home Sellers; Ask For The Plan!

Palm Springs area home sellers deserve to know in advance how and where their property will be marketed. So here’s a tip: If you’re considering listing your desert home for sale, please ask to see a marketing plan. Look at everything your agent promises to do for you in marketing your home in advance. And yes, ask how much they plan to invest?

From Sheri Dettman
In Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog, Selling - Info For Sellers

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

Dining Around The Desert: Bucatini Trattoria, La Quinta

One of the benefits of owning a Palm Springs area home is being able to enjoy patio dining just about year-round. Bucatini in La Quinta is a welcome addition to the desert restaurant scene! At Bucatini, you have your choice of a nice patio area out front, a bar area, and a main dining room which is adjacent to the kitchen.

For both my husband, Bill, and I, the house-made pasta tops the charts at Bucatini. Bill’s favorite is the Pappardelle Bolognese with wide ribbon egg pasta in a classic slow braised Bolognese meat sauce, topped with pecorino romano cheese. For me, it’s the Farfalle Del Contadino. This bowtie pasta dish includes grilled chicken, olive oil, garlic, mushrooms, and white wine in a tomato cream sauce. Yummy!

Pasta, Pizza, Salads & Lots Of Daily Specials

In our two-dozen plus visits (more on that later), we’ve also enjoyed some nice salads, several other pasta dishes, such as Lasagna Emilina, several nightly specials, and a few pizzas made in the Marra Forni wood fired brick oven. And while most dishes have been very good, I say again that the pastas are the real stars at Bucatini! Every single pasta dish we have sampled was cooked al dente and sauced to perfection.

Bucatini offers a great value and a friendly staff. And at the end of a long day serving our own clients, it’s great to just wander in and enjoy a nice meal with a good wine at a price that is hard to beat. We might be guilty of going there too often because we find it to be a fun neighborhood restaurant where we often see friends and clients.

Bucatini Trattoria in La Quinta is located at 46-660 Washington Street, in the south end of the strip mall location off Trader Joe’s. Say hello to manager Chhavy, who we have on speed dial. Reservations are suggested. (760) 777-9007

PHOTOS: Bill Dettman