What do you love and hate about the Palm Springs resort area? (Los Angeles: rent)

[ManyPaws]

I am a Realtor here in the Palm Springs resort area (Coachella Valley) and of course just love it here! I have lived in the area (Rancho Mirage) for 16 years. I love the diversity of people here and of course the sun shine. We are pretty laid back and for the most part very accepting. Are area is booming and getting younger every year. When we moved here the majority of the population was senior citizens. Nothing is wrong with that by no means, however, we are getting more and more younger people moving out here and that, I find, adds to our diversity. Which in turn makes me love it even more. I would appreciate any feedback both positive and negitive regarding our "world". Come on out we room for one more!

[fairweathergolfer]

Are you asking specifically about Palm Springs or also the surrounding communities? I spend a lot of time in that area and have for years thus the screen name.

[ManyPaws]

The whole Coachella Valley. I am rather bias since I live and love it here. I feel I will be a better Realtor to get honest feedback on the area here. Please let me know what you feel about our community both positive and negative. Thank you!

[UB50]

The only thing I really don't like about the Palm Springs area is the heat. I don't like heat very much and it gets very hot in the summer. It's beautiful in the winter.

To me, Palm Springs beats out Phoenix and Las Vegas hands down (for desert communities) because it is so close to Los Angeles. I like to shop and Los Angeles is shopping heaven!

[fairweathergolfer]

Hate: The heat. I love the place, but living year round is out.

Not enough land on newly developed properties. I know this is a good thing for second home buyers who don't want to hire for too much maintenance. The older population doesn't want a lot of the headache of upkeep. Even when they are paying someone else, it is work, somewhat.

The very high cost of housing. Who wants to spend 1.4 million on a second home? Sure the very wealthy can, but even for the somewhat wealthy, this is a questionable purchase when other housing prices have skyrocketed in places that the wealthy population will live year round. This also does not include the higher HOAs or the very high cost golf memberships which are not only large when it comes to intitiation fees, but monthly fees as well. Take that all into consideration and man, it is very unaffordable, except as I said for the very wealthy.

I could see those prices holding and increasing if huge amounts of people were settling in for a year round home, but not for a second home that is basically unlivable from May to late September. Sure one could say, what of the homes in the other communities the wealthy buy second and third homes--they are completely out of this world. Yes, but again, there is a limit to the time one can comfortably live in Palm Springs for most. Even in snowy areas, the summers are tolerable, the spring and summer nice. So they become year round homes as well. The higher cost is worth it in those other areas.

Are there lower cost homes and condos? Yes. But not for the group that is between the middle class with excess income or the very wealthy. There seems to be a blank spot there for purchasing. Amenitites and outdoor living are critical to a certain population. Sure there are a lot that buy the home and rent it out, but there is so much of that going on there, it sort of negates it somewhat for others and doesn't work for me as I don't want a person in my home doing certain things that freak me out even when I am not there. So that is not an option to everyone.

I would like to see more high-end classes offered at the local colleges and more artistic events, that also may include intellectual engagement or discussion-- also a strong artist community that offers experimental work in all artistic areas. I think communities that play just to the older population or just the general population are not very stimulating or very challenging. I love to learn new languages and studies the arts (all arts) and their histories. I would love to see this stuff offered consistently and also many more dramas and artistic events that play to new talent and presently successful talent.

Otherwise I would grow completely dead bored there. This has also kept me away for a full on move. Usually when one is young (or stimulation hungry) the best that the area may have to offer is a second home with a stable home in a city. But the plus is this area is close to LA, so all is not lost. One can drive in for that stimulation. I'm just lazy. I want it close.

Love: The heat is not humid (to me anyway), just darn hot., beautiful landscaping and architectural design of homes.

Spa services and access to many spa services (could be even more though-for a younger crowd).

I love all the gated communities and the golf courses are to die for. The mountains range surrounding is just fantastic and beautiful. As an artist it has spiritual power and inspirational vigor. My husband and I rent homes there for long segments of time on golf courses with pools throughout the year and I have tremendous creative bursts there, while he enjoys the golf. I like that it doesn't have a huge population and the pace is slow. I like that its population is spread out between different cities and areas, but interconnected by one road and a freeway (take your pick). I love the different personalities of the areas.

It is far enough away from LA to be relaxing, but close enough to come in for events, functions, workshops, and general entertainment. Love that it has its own airport and is easy to fly straight through to relevant cities through out the US.

Love that it is a play ground for the wealthy, but is not out of range for anyone. Even some low end hotels have neat pools with the Palm Springs experience and one can shop there at an inexpensive price range as well as larger.

Love that they have Home Depots and stuff like that too, instead of just all high end restaurants and businesses that are many times impractical for a regular person who does or prefers to do some of their own work on their home or lawn etc. Many high end communities do not offer this in the city limits. But in the Palm Springs area it is integrated.

I adore the place. I can see why you love it.