Need advise about moving from Maui to Palm Springs Ca (Indio: for sale, foreclosures)

[Wanderinfool]

Hi,
My friend and I ( retired and in our early 50's ) want to move from Maui to the Palm Springs, Ca areas.
We need advise about the costs of living there -- electric/gas/ propane.
Which area is better for living -- air quality, activities ( not into bar life ) -- Coachella Valley or Inland Empire ??
We want to rent a (furnished ) place..........any and all info is much appreciated. Planning to move in about 6 weeks and need to make an informed decision.

Thanks for all replies !

[CoachinU]

Rancho Mirage or LaQuinta will be most upper class, It will take you a while to get used to the heat but if you have a pool you will love it. You can take a 20 minute tram ride up the mountian to weather thats always 50 degrees less than the desert. It neat.

Good Luck to you

[Twinkle Toes]

Rancho Mirage and La Quinta, yes ... but also Indian Wells and Palm Desert and parts of Palm Springs. Also the newer part of Indio (Shadow Hills) is very nice. I don't think the tram area is 50 degrees ( ) cooler than the valley floor - maybe 20.

The air quality here is superb! You can definitely find a furnished place. You should come out here and check out the area. Yes, summers are pretty brutal, but you DO get used to them eventually. Actually summers here are great because all the snowbirds have flown the coup and you can get into restaurants without waiting, and the streets are traffic free.

For whatever reason, when it's season and all the snowbirds are here - that's when all the road construction takes place. No, it can't be at night, or during summer - it has to be while everybody and their grandma are here!

[LivingInTheDesert]

Cost of living is about medium range - I lived in hawaii, on Oahu for 8 years - my sister still lives on the big island - you would see a definite improvement in the cost of food. Electric bills here are outrageous. You need to factor them into the equation. For 2500 square foot house - with four occupants electricity ran 190 - 750 per month last year with the 750 for about 4.5 months - AC runs 24/7 May, June, July, Aug, and part of Sept.
Rent is cheeper than hawaii, cost of buying is excellent right now as foreclosures sit next to homes for sale at half the cost of the full price home next door.
My husband and I are about your age and we prefer the Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, La Quinta areas to the Palm Springs area which is great to visit.
Very Clean Air here.
Anything else?