Speechless Sunday:  Rare August Thunderstorm in La Quinta     I was stationed in our California Lifestyle Realty office this afternoon in Old Town La Quinta.  A summer storm came through that had the trees blowing, rain coming down, phone went out, and the surrounding streets flooded.  When is subsided I carefully drove through the deep water, and found an alternate route home.  We need the rain, and now that I'm safely home... I'm grateful! 08/25/2013

Locals 7 Best Happy Hours in La Quinta    Heading to Happy Hour for an early bite is a favorite here in La Quinta... especially during the summer.  With hot afternoons and balmy evenings, it just makes sense to cool off at at a local restaurant early in the evening and take advantage of the incredible specials available at happy hour... 3pm-6pm.      Here are some of our favorite places to go for Happy Hour!       1.  The Wine Bar in Old Town La Quinta is attached to a retail wine shop, so you can pick out your bottle and pay no corkage in the Wine Bar!  They also have Wine-Tastings, and flights of wine that you can try.  We like the fig and prociutto flatbread pizza and the ham & cheese on a baguette.   2.  The Grill on Main has a regular crowd for their 2-6pm Happy Hour and half-price... 08/25/2013

I am calm and nice. I work everyday. When you need me, I will be there. If I do not answer your call or call back quickly, please wait as I am either in a crisis with someone else or fixing your issue fast. I expect you to be available for calls, texts, emails. I expect you to be kind and calm. Be prepared for some stress. Not everything goes perfectly. Please listen to me and follow my advice. I have closed nearly 2500 homes. Please trust me to what is best for you. I am professional, honest, ethical, and fun loving too. I treat your money like it is my own. Ask me all the questions you want. Remember me for all of your future real estate needs and also please refer me to your friends and family. Thank you. 08/25/2013

Old Profile Contents About me: When you assemble a group of talented and committed professionals into one group like The Lori Bowers Group, it's no wonder their sales numbers top the charts and their motto is ,     "If you are thinking of buying or selling a home, call us - WE GET RESULTS!!!"   The Coachella Valley is where we call home. We serve the greater Palm Springs Area including Indio, La Quinta,Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, Palm Desert, Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, and Coachella.         Certifications:   A full-service team includes both sales and administrative staff to facilitate the needs of each client, and that is what Lori's team provides.  Concentrating full-time in sales is Lori Bowers, Broker® who has sold real estate in the Bay area and now in the Coachella Vall... 08/25/2013

I have a list of several home inspectors for my buyers to interview. Buyers choose home inspectors for many reasons. 1. Price - some are $200 and some are $700 for the same house 2. The condition of the home - a newer home usually has less issues and does not take so much knowledge and detail 3. Personal connection with the inspector that helps build trust and accountibility 4. Schedule and availability of buyers and inspector 5. Knowledge of an area by the inspector helps the inspector know what specifically to look for 6. Reputation in the community 7. Follow up by the home inspector to be sure issues are addressed appropriately by the seller 08/25/2013

I spend alot of time showing and selling houses. One of my main tools is to have the buyers rate the homes on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the best and then to tell me why they rate it the way they do. I have them tell me what they like and do not like about their house. Over the years, I have received many interesting results. usually the wife is much happier in the home then the husband and usually they both like and dislike different features of the home. It is also interesting that many times what they liked about the home when they bought the home, they dislike now. I do believe our needs change over time and also decorating changes over time. Listening to people evaluate the home they live in is very helpful to me as I show homes to buyers. I learn if the buyers are realistic, on... 08/25/2013

How do you chose a good time for an open house? I have learned over the years that this really depends on the area. In Los Angeles, California, most open houses are held on Sunday afternonon fron 1-4 pm. I like this as people are used to this time being open house time. I tried to get this going where I live in the Palm Springs area and so far it has not caught on. I do know that over 3 hours is usually not effective. Most people come at the beginning or the end of the open house. I also like to do open houses earlier in the day during our hot summer. A 10-1 open house works well in the summer. In the cooler months, I ilke 1-4 as it gives people time to play golf or do their personal activities in the morning. In conclusion, I would say anytime is the right time for the  house. They hou... 08/24/2013

Wordless Wednesday:  Summer Blooms We are in heading into the deep heat of summer here in La Quinta, and when I walked to the mailbox this afternoon I passed these beautiful bouganvilla blooms.  They thrive in the heat... and so do I!   Hope you are thriving this summer too!  Best,  Kathy     08/21/2013

Homes with the Best Mountain Views in La Quinta  Homes with the Best Mountain Views in La Quinta  I saw an article today about house hunting for mountain view homes and browsed through the homes and photos... not one of the homes has our wonderful warm climate!  Sure you get the mountains in Tahoe, Washington, and Idaho... but you also get snow and cold weather! Here are a few homes with spectacular mountain views in La Quinta, California and you can bring your swim suit and golf clubs instead of your flannels and woolies!   1.  The home pictured above is 77875 Laredo in the Haciendas at La Quinta neighborhood.  Located close to Old Town La Quinta and the historic  La Quinta Resort & Spa, this 3BR/4BA beauty has incredible fairway and mountain views!  $719,000       2.  Pictured at righ... 08/21/2013

5 Frequently Asked Questions about Living on a Golf Course in La Quinta       1. Question:  Do you have to be a member of a club in order to live on a golf course?     Answer:  It depends on the neighborhood.  For example at La Quinta Country Club, Duna La Quinta, Santa Rosa Cove, The Enclave, The Citrus, PGA West, you can purchase a home in the community without joining the country club.  At The Hideaway, The Tradition, Rancho La Quinta, The Madison Club, and a few others, club membership is mandatory with a home purchase.   2.  Question: Do you have privacy when you live on a golf course?      Answer:  Depending on your proximity to the fairway or green, or the cart-path sometimes the golfers can see you as well as you can see them.  Some homes have landscaping that provides privacy f... 08/20/2013

I have done hundreds of short sales in the past 8 years. Right now, I am processing one short sale. This is the least amount of short sales for me in a very long time. Where I live and work in La Quinta, California, the real estate market has been healing for over 2 years. Our prices are not nearly as high as they were in 2007, but they have risen enough that we are seeing very few short sales. Most people who owed more than home was worth either short saled the home a few years ago or now have some equity.  Others continue to keep their home as they are seeing values continue a slow rise and feel they have a good investment. The short sales will continue for several more years, but the amount of short sales continues to decrease in my area. I am so happy to see this. People deserve to ... 08/20/2013

Let's wait to see what happens -We have been hearing this for years in real estate. At first it was cool to wait to be sure the prices went low enough. That was about 5 years of waiting. Then the real estate prices started to go back up and people wanted to wait to be sure they would keep going up. Then about one year ago, buyers and investors too, started to buy real estate again. Guess what? The prices continued a slow and healthy rise. Then the interest rates jumped about 1%. The sales slowed as people qualified for less. Now we are back to the waiting game. People are waiting to see if the prices will go down, if the prices will go up, if the interest rates will rise or go down. The bottom line is that you are buying your home. Buy it now! This is the time. Prices are pretty stable ... 08/20/2013

Should You Tell Your Buyers NOT to Buy a Home with Stairs?   I live and work in the beautiful resort and golf communities near the Palm Springs area of California- particularly in the La Quinta neighborhoods.  We are blessed with incredibly beautiful views and homes, and with the economy and market improving... the baby-boomers are back and ready to find their perfect second home. Today I showed homes to a couple from LA in the PGA West neighborhood of Palmer Private.  Half of the homes in their price range had bedrooms upstairs, and some had stairs as you entered, and the full condo on the second floor. I don't encourage buyers to buy homes with stairs because:  Number 1:  Homes with stairs are difficult to sell in our market Number 2:  As we age, stairs become an issue. Number 3:  Hom... 08/19/2013

5 Frequently Asked Questions Golfers Ask About La Quinta La Quinta Country Club, 9th hole     1.  Question: Are their public golf courses available for La Quinta residents?      Answer: Yes!  SilverRock Golf Course in La Quinta has discounted rates for residents. The historic La Quinta Resort & Spa has both the Mountain and Dunes courses open to the public, and PGA West has The Stadium, the Nicklaus Tournament, and the Greg Norman courses.  2.  Question:  Where are the best places in the desert to buy clubs, golf clothes, and gear?      Answer:  Pete Carlson's in Palm Desert, Lumpy's in La Quinta, and most resorts have great resort wear and golf gear year-round.                                                                                                                               ... 08/18/2013

We are in the midst of summer here in La Quinta, California. The past, present, and future forecast is for weather in the 110+ degrees. It is dry heat now with humidity on the way. How do we sell houses in this heat? We sell them the same way we do when it cools down. This is a beautiful safe area with low home prices and a small town atmosphere. Believe it or not, over 65% of our residents have this area as their primary home. Many people do leave for a month or more in the summer, but we still have a lot of people here. We also have  many  people who come here in the summer to buy or lease a home as they think they will get a better deal when it is hot. The sellers are usually not here and usually do not care about the heat. Nonetheless, we do sell many homes when it is 110+. Many rea... 08/16/2013

Here are some tips for a successful closing: 1. Have a good lender who is proactive and detail oriented and keeps you updated 2. Coach the buyer on what he/she need to do to get the home closed 3. Daily check the file and complete necessary steps and repairs 4. Stay in touch with escrow to be sure they are proactive and up to date with their paperwork 5. Stay in touch with other agent to be sure their parties are set to go and all paperwork is complete 6. Visit home regularly to be sure the condition is the same as when offer was accepted 08/15/2013

5 Frequently Asked Questions from Buyers at La Quinta Country Club   1. Question:   Do I have to become a La Quinta Country Club member in order to live in the neighborhood?     Answer:   No.  Club membership is not mandatory to live in the La Quinta Country Club neighborhood.   2. Question:  What are the HOA's at La Quinta Country Club?      Answer:  The HOA dues vary depending on which area of the neighborhood you live.  They range from $180.00 to $695.00/mo.  Check with your agent for details in each area.   3. Question:  Are the community pools and spas heated in the winter?      Answer:  One or two of the pools in each neighborhood are heated throughout the winter.   4.  Question:  Can I play the golf course, even though I am not a member?     Answer:  No, the golf course is for me... 08/14/2013

  Last year I represented my neighbors when they purchased this La Quinta Country Club home for $800,000.  They have been in the process of renovating it and are excited to finally be moving into their dream home on the lake left of the 8th fairway at La Quinta Country Club.  I captured this photo at dusk the other night when I was out playing a few holes.  SEARCH FOR HOMES AT LA QUINTA COUNTRY CLUB Follow LA QUINTA COUNTRY CLUB HOMES on FACEBOOK 08/14/2013

I am very lucky that where I live most people do not expect to see homes in the evening. Even people that work will either take off work to view homes or view them on the weekend. I learned a long time ago that it is hard to get a real feeling on a home in the evening. It is much easier and more realistic to view the home during the day. Then after the offer is accepted, I am happy to go with the client to view the home at sunset too. In many areas, there is a safety issue about showing homes in the evening. If I ever do show homes in the evening, I take a friend or another agent with me. Usually clients understand why I do not show homes at night. 08/14/2013

Arnold Palmers's Restaurant has a beautiful expanded new patio!   Arnold Palmer's in La Quinta just keeps getting better!  They have expanded their inviting patio to accomodate more diners at tables and around cozy fire pit.  The new palms provide a lush setting, and the southern views of the Santa Rosa Mountains are breathtaking! The famous putting green is still there for those cocktail hour challenges, and they provide Palmer's has a great Happy-Hour and they are open this summer with nightly live entertainment! See you at Palmer's! Summer ScheduleLive EntertainmentWednesday thru Sunday5:30-9:30Wednesday and ThursdayPaul Villalobos & Mark Guerrero Friday, Saturday & SundayReggie “The Vision” Alexander          See you at Palmer's!   SEARCH FOR HOMES NEAR PALMER'S IN LA QUINTA 08/13/2013