Moving to the Palm Springs area? What do you need to know about moving to Palm Springs? Stay tuned. Let's find out.
Hi. Neal here, realtor in the Palm Springs area. I help people find, buy and sell homes, and I absolutely love it. Let's get started about the things you need to know about moving to Palm Springs. Palm Springs is a great place to live. In fact, it's really easy to live here, with sunshine 350 days a year, beautiful mountain views in all directions and year-round warm weather, great restaurants, shopping, great medical facilities, golf, tennis, hiking, and all the things to do all the time. It's really hard to find a better place to live. Palm Springs offers a desirable lifestyle. If you're thinking about living here full-time, part-time, or retiring here, you can really get a lot more for your money here than many other California cities. Affordability is one of the bright spots about living here in the nine cities in the Coachella Valley. Our costs are way less than San Francisco, Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego.
I've done another video, Can you afford to live in Palm Springs? It compares the Palm Springs area to other major cities like New York, Boston, and Chicago. You may want to check that video out. The weather here in Palm Springs is a big draw to the area. However, it's not always hot. We actually do have distinct seasons. And depending on where you live in the Coachella Valley, the weather can really vary. We don't get that much rain here, just about five and a half inches a year, and we usually get that rain in about 15 days. Normally, the weather is really dry and sunny, which is why people really love living here. It does get hot here in the summertime. The warmest months are July and August, but it can also be very hot in June, and usually the first part of September.
Temperatures in the daytime are almost always above 100 and can get as high as 120 degrees. We locals usually stay inside in the afternoon and do most of our running around in the morning before it really gets hot. And remember, it is a dry heat so it's not humid like many other parts of the country. Fall and spring temperatures are usually ideal in the 80s and 90s. And winter temperatures are usually in the 70s during the day and the 50s at night. However, some nights can get fairly cold with temperatures in the 40s. Some areas of the desert also get more wind than other areas. For example, the north end of Palm Springs, which is why you see all the wind turbines there.
As mentioned earlier, the Palm Springs area is more affordable than many other California and US cities, even though California is among the most expensive states to live in. The median home prices are generally lower in most of the nine Coachella Valley cities compared to California as a whole. Home and condo prices vary based on lots of factors, of course. The average cost of living, for groceries and healthcare, are also lower here. I've done several videos about the cost of living for each of the Coachella Valley cities. Check them out for further information.
The economy here is primarily, and not surprising, tourism. Tourism generates the most money and jobs. We always have something going on, which is why tourism generates over $7 billion annually here in the Coachella Valley. We have numerous events and festivals, including the American Express PGA Golf Tournament, the LPGA ANA Inspiration Golf Tournament, the BNP Paribas Tennis Tournament at the Indian Wells Tennis Gardens, the Stagecoach and Coachella Music Festivals, the art festivals, and numerous other events taking place all year.
There are a variety of places to live here in the Coachella Valley, and you'll most likely be able to find a place that fits your budget and your lifestyle. From mid-century modern homes, which the area is well known for, to Spanish and Mediterranean style homes to contemporary style, you can find just about all types and styles of homes and condos here. And if you're wondering, "When is the best time of year to buy a home here?" Well, our activity remains strong throughout the year. In fact, in the past few years, more homes and condos have been sold in the summer months than in the winter months, and the prices of homes do not tend to adjust seasonally here.
One question that comes up a lot about buying a home here is, "What is lease land?" Parts of Palm Springs, Cathedral City, and Rancho Mirage are on lease land, that is land owned by members of the Agua Caliente Indians, the original inhabitants of the area. This goes all the way back to 1876 when the Pacific Railroad laid the first railroad tracks here. The government gave the railroad a checkerboard out of every square mile of land for 10 miles on each side of the railroad right away. Members of the Agua Caliente Tribe got the non-Pacific railroad squares. Today, some of the area's most popular neighborhoods are on Indian lease land. If you're thinking about buying here, you really need to check this out further.
Another common question is, "How windy is it?" Well, we do experience wind all across the Coachella Valley, and certain times of the year are windier than other times. The windiest times are usually the end of summer and late spring. What about drought? Droughts here in the desert are a fact of life and there does seem to be some consistent cycles of weather. And yes, we do have earthquakes here. Another question we get asked, "Is dead in the summertime?" Well, not anymore. The Coachella Valley population has increased and we're really a year-round community. In the summer months when it's hot, as mentioned earlier, you do most of your outdoor activities in the morning and the summer evenings are amazing. And remember, that's why we also have lots of swimming pools here.
Another question is, "Is it boring to live here?" Well, the answer really is you can be as bored or as active as you like in Palm Springs. There is something going on year-round, as we mentioned before, and tourism is the largest part of our economy. Besides the events we mentioned earlier, we do have the Palm Springs International Film Festival, Modernism Week, the White Party, Biker Weekend, Tour de Palm Springs, Splash House, Gay Pride. It's really hard to keep up with everything that's going on all the time. And we do have one of the best small art museums in the country, plus all the outdoor activities, including hiking, golfing, pickleball, tennis, horseback riding, and of course swimming.
The Palm Springs area is a world-class destination for a reason. And people really do love living here and the relaxed atmosphere and lifestyle that's really affordable compared to many other communities. Be sure and check out my video about the pros and cons of living here in Palm Springs.
If you have questions about living in Palm Springs, just call, email, or text me. If you're thinking of moving here, buying or selling a home, let me know. I'd love to help you and make your experience as smooth as possible. Now, be sure to watch this next video about the best neighborhoods in the Palm Springs area.
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