Life in Sun City Palm Desert

Greetings Desert Lovers,

I can hardly believe tomorrow is the 1st of November. Our snowbirds are steadly arriving and you can feel the hum of the community as we ready ourselves for another fabulous season. The activity clubs such as golf, baseball, tennis, biking, hiking, billiards, bocce and bowling are getting organized. Meetings have started for the resident interest groups and all things are under way. You can feel the buzz as friends see one another after a summer away. Life is good.

The Santa Rosa golf course opened this week after scalping and reseeding. The grass looks like velvet. The San Gorgonio course is being scalped and reseeded and should be ready for play in about two weeks. There is no doubt that our championship courses are of the highest quality here in Coachella Valley, home to over 120 golf courses.

Residents have been decorating for Halloween. The quantity is not high but the quality is spectacular. It is really fun to drive through the community and see how talented some of our neighbors are.

Yesterday I added a new video to my website (LindaNovick.com)of the Sun City Palm Desert Yacht Club. There were out in force for a big race on the fishing pond lake. Members are engaged in the sailing of radio controlled boats, both sale and power. Watching a regatta is really a kick. We are talking serious competition here.

The Trim 'N' Tone class just got back from a 5 day party cruise. These girls (and guys) really know how to have a good time. There are many other fitness classes in addition to two complete fitness centers.

Our bi-annual Arts and Crafts Show will be held on November 19th, 20th and 21st. Articals from the Art Club, BZB's, Ceramics Club, Crafty Ladies, Homecrafters Club, Jewelry Club, Paper Arts Club, Quilters, Stained Glass Club, Stitch 'N Sew, and our Writers Circle Club will be providing hand made articles for sale. There is some amazing talent here at Sun City Palm Desert.

If you have been thinking about moving to an active adult community, you must consider Sun City Palm Desert. We are certainly the flagship of gated golf and tennis communitys for the +55 active senior. Many here are retired and many still work. For the most part, those that are retired use the club amenities during the week and those that still work enjoy the activities on the week-end. The main theme here is that everyone is grateful to live in such a beautiful environment where friendships are found at every event. And forget the extremely low association dues.

For addition information on Sun City Palm Desert call me, Linda Novick at 760-397-3652. You can also see videos of activities here at Sun City on my website at www.LindaNovick.com. You can also email me to request a copy of my monthly e-newsletter. I have been helping people find their perfect dream home for over 37 years. I would like to apply for the job of assisting you.

Sun City Palm Desert Active Adult Community by Linda Novick, Realtor

Hi Readers,

It is Friday night and I thought I would share a couple of things that have happened here at Sun City lately. First of all, one of our palm trees fell over last Sunday. I have lived here for 10 years and have never heard of this happening. But there it was, laying across our main street. Fortunately no one was hurt, but you can bet I will be watching for flying palm trees in the future.

I also have been busy making a few videos for those of you who would like to know a bit more about our beautiful guard gated golf and tennis community. The latest one showing our great library can be viewed at the following website: http://www.wellcomemat.com/video/DCDA66BF71. I also did a video on how my husband David and I made the decision 10 years ago to purchase here at SCPD. I tried to be very open and take a look at some of the real questions that face us when choosing to move into a senior retirement home. We are so happy we made the move. The friends that we have made and the adventures that we have shared with them are the best in our lives. Live here is so unbelievable that we have to pinch ourselves on occasion to make sure we aren't dreaming. If you think you would enjoy this lifestyle, please give me a call. I would love to help you find the perfect retirement home, and to introduce you to a life worth living. Give me a call at 760/397-3652. Together we will make your dreams come true. You can also reach me by email at lindanovick@windermere.com.

We are into October now and and weather is right on cue, down into the 90's during the day and the low 70's at night. I'm excited to start walking outdoors again and playing golf on Tuesdays with the ladies. I have missed that this summer as I have worked almost daily. This has been one of the most active real estate summers here in the Coachella Valley in many a year. In May we had over 8,000 properties for sale in the Valley and now we are below 5,000. Of course many were foreclosures, and that brought the investors in from all over, primarily Los Angeles County. According to the National Association of Realtors there are still over 7 million foreclosures to be released over the next couple of years.

We have seen between 1.2 and 1.4 million buyers using the $8,000 tax credit to buy their first home (or first within three years). All sales using the tax credit have to close by December 1, 2009. There are, however, 12 more bills in Congress to make money available for home buyers, and not all of them are for first time buyers. The bill that is creating the most buzz is one for a $15,000 tax credit to anyone (not just first time buyers) who plans to occupy the home. We should see the results of those bills within the next month or so.

This is the time of year here in the Valley and at Sun City Palm Desert, where I specialize in real estate, that the golf courses are scalped and reseeded for the coming year. It is amazing to watch as one day the course is beige from the scalping, and within 3 weeks is green and plush. The trees are getting their haircuts and the planting of the winter and spring flowers is beginning. Snowbirds are starting to return and pretty soon the place will be buzzing about summer adventures and travel as friends reunite and begin a new season.

The Clubs here at Sun City Palm Desert are planning their schedules and agendas for season. Schedules for ladies, mens and couples golf will be posted online. Tennis courts are ready for you. Flyers describing hikes, bicycling trips, travel trips and other outings will be posted. The softball season will soon begin and teams will be at the ball diamond practicing. The 2 fitness centers will be full again, artists will be spinning and firing and painting their ceramics, taking classes in oils and pastels, how to make jewelry, create stained glass projects, wood projects, sewing, knitting and all other crafts. The creativity of residents here is quite amazing, as you can see for yourself at our bi-annual craft fairs. And don't forget about the billiard club, the bocce club, pet club, card clubs, writers club, drama, singing clubs and games in general. It is all here, and in abundance at Sun City Palm Desert.

If you are an active senior (55+) and would like to live in one of the most desired gated golf communities in the nation, then give me a call. I will help you find your dream home.

Linda Novick, Associate Broker, Windermere Real Estate Coachella Valley

Direct: 760/397-3952 Email: lindanovick@windermere.com

Website: www.lindanovick.mywindermere.com Blog: www.suncityrealestate.blogpost.com

Sun City Palm Desert 9/04/09

As my fellow realtors were previewing my new listing at 35871 Cumberland Court, a 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath home with pool and spa here in Sun City Palm Desert, I heard them all remarking about the beauty, peacefulness and privacy the back yard affords. And while that is all true; it is one of the loveliest backyards in Sun City; I got to thinking that everything about Sun City is the best of the best. You could absolutely get rid of your car and the expense that goes with it, and use your golf cart for everything. We have 3 restaurants inside our gates, an on-site post office, 2 golf courses, tennis courts, stocked fishing pond, complete library, 2 fitness centers and so many game clubs and game rooms it would be hard to settle on just 4 or 5. Plus we have direct gate access to the shopping center next door where we can grocery shop, bank, get prescriptions filled at the drug store, buy clothing and eat at more restaurants. Talk about having it all! This is where active adults dreams do come true.

Linda Novick, Associate Broker
Windermere Real Estate Coachella Valley
Direct : 760-397-3652
Email: lindanovick@windermere.com
Web Blog: http://www.suncityrealestate.blogpost.com/
Website: http://www.lindanovick.mywindermere.com/

Ethics in Real Estate

Blog #3 8/27/09

Greetings and welcome back. This blog is a bit, actually a lot, more serious than the past. I have something that I need to share.

I have been selling real estate in So Cal for over 37 years and I have always firmly believed that ethics; ones conscience, principle, standards and morality; had to be impeccable in order to be a successful sales person, no matter what the product. While updating my Facebook and Twitter pages today I ran across a blog that really brought into question the lengths some people go to when marketing a product. The blog was talking about a video posted on the web by a couple of real estate agents. I watched the video, thinking it was kind of quirky, not unlike the Keystone Cops of old. It even had the music, but with their own lyrics. While I didn't find distain with the video, I did wonder what kind of person would be moved to call these realtors after watching this goofy video. The agents who posted the video are probably nice people, but a poor judge of character when it comes to the seriousness of the public today.

My question was answered in reading Marc Davison's blog. To quote Mark: 'In my opinion, this so completely misses the mark given the serious nature of the most important transaction of our lives'. He goes on to state that this is not the way to market responsibility, and I totally agree. Marketing should not make you look foolish; just the opposite. And of all times to be cartoonish; when the consumer is deeply mired in fear and confusion regarding real estate; the rampant distrust they have regarding some of its practitioners. We are talking about hopes and dreams here, many whose have been crushed by the current economy. Fears of what the future will bring keep many awake at night. As real estate practitioners, we should have knowledge about how the economy is affection our markets, and provide clients with whatever it takes to help make their dreams come true. At the very least, we should know which direction to point them for assistance if they are in trouble. Real estate is not a game and should not be taken lightly. We have an obligation to be ethical and always exibiting integrity at every level of our business.

Linda Novick, Associate Broker Making real estate dreams come true for over 37 years
Windermere Real Estate Coachella Valley
Direct: 760-397-3652
Blog: http://www.suncityrealestate.blogpost.com/
Email: lindanovick@windermere.com
Website: http://www.lindanovick.mywindermere.com/