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Buying – Info For Canadian Buyers

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 Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog, Buying - Info For Buyers, Buying – Info For Canadian Buyers
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 Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog, Buying - Info For Buyers, Buying – Info For Canadian Buyers
Sunny Palm Springs Area Real Estate!

Sunny Palm Springs Area Real Estate!

One of the primary reasons why so many people from around the world come to the Palm Springs Area and of course consider Palm Springs area Real Estate is our great winter weather. Clients tell me everyday that they just want to be warm. They want to see the sun and be outdoors enjoying golf, tennis and shopping or just simply relaxing around the pool or on their decks with family and/or friends.

Here’s the extended Palm Springs area forecast for this week. Enjoy a little sunshine in both Fahrenheit and Celsius versions.

This Weeks Palm Springs Area Weather In Fahrenheit

And In Celsius For Our Canadian Friends & Clients


If you're coming to visit and would like to see property or any of our gated communities please try to give me advance notice as our Palm Springs area real estate market is quite active. And please don't hesitate to contact me for further information–even a simple real estate question.

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

The Perfect Storm For Canadian Buyers

Golf homes at the Haciendas in La Quinta

The combination of drastically reduced home prices in the US, a strong Canadian Dollar in relation to the US Dollar, and low interest rate financing options seems to have created the perfect storm. And this particular storm offers warm sunny days year-round here in the Palm Springs area. Dreams of sunny days by the pool or daily rounds of golf during the cold Canadian winters are not hard to imagine for most Canadians!

Here’s What Numerous Canadians Are Taking Advantage Of:

  • Historically Low Real Estate Prices In The United States
  • An Easy and Straightforward Purchase Process
  • Reasonable Property Taxes and No GST or HST
  • A Variety Of Ways To Structure Ownership For Tax Planning
  • No Realtor Fee When You Buy Most Properties
  • Canadian Loan Programs

Buying a home in the Palm Springs area is a worthy goal for many Canadians. Here's a link to the full article "Canadian Buyer Information"

From Sheri Dettman
In Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog, Buying – Info For Canadian Buyers
New Visa Proposed In U.S. For Canadian Home Buyers

New Visa Proposed In U.S. For Canadian Home Buyers

Winter golfing at Rancho La Quinta Country Club

A new bill introduced in the US Senate last month just might bring more Canadian’s south of the border and for longer periods of time. The VISIT-USA Act proposed by Senators Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and Mike Lee (R-UT) proposes two different variations of a 3-year non-immigrant residential visa. One of which is a Home Ownership Visa, which is the subject of this blog post.

The VISIT-USA Act would create a new visa for Canadians citizens who meet the following conditions:

  1. Use at least $500,000 in cash to purchase one or more residences in the United States. Each property must be purchased for more than 100 percent of the most recent appraised value; and
  2. Maintains ownership of residential property in the United States worth at least $500,000; and
  3. Resides for more than 180 days per year in a residence in the United States that is worth at least $250,000; and
  4. Are not otherwise inadmissible to the United States

Proposes Expanded Stays From 180 to 240 Days per Year!

Under current immigration law Canadians visitors cannot spend more than 180 days in the U.S. The new visa would extend the number of days Canadians could stay in the U.S. from 180 to 240 per year and would be renewable every three years. If this bill were to become law we may see a radical change to the migration patters of thousands of Canadian snowbirds.

The new visa would not allow Canadians to work in the U.S. or obtain any U.S. benefits such as social security or Medicare. But U.S. tax residency could have numerous advantages for Canadian retirees. Once the dust settles on this proposed bill, Canadians may find that they have additional after tax dollars to use and enjoy in their new sun filled retirement.

Stay tuned for more on this new proposed bill.

From Sheri Dettman
In Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog, Buying – Info For Canadian Buyers
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 Sheri's Palm Springs Area Blog, Buying - Info For Buyers, Buying – Info For Canadian Buyers, Owning - Homeowner Tips & Resources
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