The term Snowbird is used to describe people from the Northeast, or Midwestern United States, also Canadians who spend a large portion of winter in warmer locales such as Palm Springs, California.
Canadian and other Foreign Nationals are enjoying many buying opportunities in the US.
Smart Canadians have been flooding the Palm Springs market recently, finding factors in their favor in acquiring Palm Springs properties: Canadians can enjoy Palm Springs real estate prices at their lowest they have been in years. This won't last forever I promise that.
In order to help, we have put together a team of experienced experts to assist our Canadian neighbors with their purchases in the United States. Let us help you with the entire process, by providing the help and knowledge you need when you buy a home in Palm Springs:
Residential neighborhood experts, having worked in the Palm Springs market for nearly eight years, and can help you find the right neighborhood that meets your specific needs. They can help you with your financing options; providing in house lender counseling and pre-approvals Information regarding property taxes and other particulars associated with owning in the US.
Property Management and Rental Management information and assistance are also available, as well as exchange Rates and specific loans for Foreign Nationals.
Please feel free to call for any additional information any day of the week.
James David Mancini presents Palm Springs Living at its finest.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
11th annual House and Garden Walk
11th annual House and Garden tour features four abodes in Palm Springs
The homes include:
Casa de Suenos: A Spanish- style home built in 1938. The property is in its original condition.
Tree Tall Palms: A post-and-beam modern home designed by Donald Wexler for Dinah Shore in 1963.
The other two homes, Sand Acre (a Spanish home rumored to have been frequented by Marilyn Monroe) and Casa Caja (a contemporary home designed by Doug Hudson and Erich Burkhart) which was toured recently by The Desert Sun.
There is nothing documented that says blonde bombshell Marilyn Monroe stayed behind the tall hedges and great wood gates that hide Sand Acre, a Spanish home in the Movie Colony neighborhood built in the 1920s and 1930s.
“So we go with the rumor,” said Larry Rener, director of guest services for Homes Run, which manages the five-bedroom estate.
Sand Acre has the feel of an old Palm Springs home but with “modern amenities,” Rener said. The house features a twisting iron staircase leading to a tower bedroom, fireplaces inside and out, a tennis court, pool and spa, and citrus trees.
“It's totally private,” Rener said. “A lot of celebrities sneak in and out and no one even knows they are here.”
Despite having five bedrooms and six bathrooms, the home feels warm and cozy, with exposed wood beams, hardwood floors and soft furniture.
The picturesque hacienda rents for about $1,800 a night.
Doug Hudson and Erich Burkhart have rented their Old Las Palmas home several times for catalogue shoots — including a catalogue for Design Within Reach.
Photographers appreciate its intense mountain views, privacy and indoor/outdoor features. But the couple's home isn't a conventional house, Hudson said.
It has just two smallish bedrooms that connect in the center via a spacious bathroom with glass walls.
The living area was designed around a ceiling-high fireplace and walls of bookshelves. And the kitchen island is a giant slab of granite. The walls of the home open on several sides to the outdoors, leading to several seating areas, a casita and pool.
“The expectation of a five- bedroom house for the two of us (wasn't practical),” Hudson said, perched in a low-slung chair around an outdoor fire pit. “The house (instead) is one big room. It's very personal for the two of us. We weren't thinking resale.”
Unlike many contemporary homes that sport solely modern furniture, Hudson and Burkhart's home is full of an eclectic mix of finds from 1960s London, Cuba, Asian antiques and German Plexiglas cubes. Designing the home was a departure for Hudson and Burkhart, who previously worked on research facilities and hospitals. Hudson recently finished working as the director of design for the Los Angeles County USC Medical Center.
“This house was so satisfying,” Hudson said.
It was also well received. It was completed in 2002 and in 2005, it was featured in Metropolitan Home Magazine. This brought Hudson more recognition in the desert and before long, he found himself working full time in Palm Springs — designing both custom homes and working on Port Lawrence in downtown Palm Springs.
His partner still works in Marina del Rey and they kept their mid-century modern home in Beverly Hills.
Palm Springs, however, is Hudson's home. He enjoys reading by the fireplace and entertaining outdoors. “(Here) we met all our neighbors really quickly,” Hudson said. “At our house in L.A., we don't know our neighbors.”
Photographers appreciate its intense mountain views, privacy and indoor/outdoor features. But the couple's home isn't a conventional house, Hudson said.
It has just two smallish bedrooms that connect in the center via a spacious bathroom with glass walls. The living area was designed around a ceiling-high fireplace and walls of bookshelves. And the kitchen island is a giant slab of granite. The walls of the home open on several sides to the outdoors, leading to several seating areas, a casita and pool.
“The expectation of a five- bedroom house for the two of us (wasn't practical),” Hudson said, perched in a low-slung chair around an outdoor fire pit. “The house (instead) is one big room. It's very personal for the two of us. We weren't thinking resale.”
Unlike many contemporary homes that sport solely modern furniture, Hudson and Burkhart's home is full of an eclectic mix of finds from 1960s London, Cuba, Asian antiques and German Plexiglas cubes.
Designing the home was a departure for Hudson and Burkhart, who previously worked on research facilities and hospitals. Hudson recently finished working as the director of design for the Los Angeles County USC Medical Center.
“This house was so satisfying,” Hudson said.
It was also well received. It was completed in 2002 and in 2005, it was featured in Metropolitan Home Magazine. This brought Hudson more recognition in the desert and before long, he found himself working full time in Palm Springs — designing both custom homes and working on Port Lawrence in downtown Palm Springs.
His partner still works in Marina del Rey and they kept their mid-century modern home in Beverly Hills. Palm Springs, however, is Hudson's home. He enjoys reading by the fireplace and entertaining outdoors.
“(Here) we met all our neighbors really quickly,” Hudson said. “At our house in L.A., we don't know our neighbors.”
Stefanie Frith covers Palm Springs for The Desert Sun. She can be reached at 778-4757or stefanie.frith@thedesertsun.com.
The 11th annual House and Garden Walk will take place from noon to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, March 15. Four architecturally significant homes will be open for a self-guided tour that raises money for Jewish Family Service. The organization provides counseling, in-home care, meals and transportation for seniors, family education, homeless services, and support groups for Coachella Valley residents. Homes designed by Donald Wexler and Doug Hudson, as well as two Spanish-style estates will be featured. The cost is $75. Information: 325-4088.
The homes include:
Casa de Suenos: A Spanish- style home built in 1938. The property is in its original condition.
Tree Tall Palms: A post-and-beam modern home designed by Donald Wexler for Dinah Shore in 1963.
The other two homes, Sand Acre (a Spanish home rumored to have been frequented by Marilyn Monroe) and Casa Caja (a contemporary home designed by Doug Hudson and Erich Burkhart) which was toured recently by The Desert Sun.
There is nothing documented that says blonde bombshell Marilyn Monroe stayed behind the tall hedges and great wood gates that hide Sand Acre, a Spanish home in the Movie Colony neighborhood built in the 1920s and 1930s.
“So we go with the rumor,” said Larry Rener, director of guest services for Homes Run, which manages the five-bedroom estate.
Sand Acre has the feel of an old Palm Springs home but with “modern amenities,” Rener said. The house features a twisting iron staircase leading to a tower bedroom, fireplaces inside and out, a tennis court, pool and spa, and citrus trees.
“It's totally private,” Rener said. “A lot of celebrities sneak in and out and no one even knows they are here.”
Despite having five bedrooms and six bathrooms, the home feels warm and cozy, with exposed wood beams, hardwood floors and soft furniture.
The picturesque hacienda rents for about $1,800 a night.
Doug Hudson and Erich Burkhart have rented their Old Las Palmas home several times for catalogue shoots — including a catalogue for Design Within Reach.
Photographers appreciate its intense mountain views, privacy and indoor/outdoor features. But the couple's home isn't a conventional house, Hudson said.
It has just two smallish bedrooms that connect in the center via a spacious bathroom with glass walls.
The living area was designed around a ceiling-high fireplace and walls of bookshelves. And the kitchen island is a giant slab of granite. The walls of the home open on several sides to the outdoors, leading to several seating areas, a casita and pool.
“The expectation of a five- bedroom house for the two of us (wasn't practical),” Hudson said, perched in a low-slung chair around an outdoor fire pit. “The house (instead) is one big room. It's very personal for the two of us. We weren't thinking resale.”
Unlike many contemporary homes that sport solely modern furniture, Hudson and Burkhart's home is full of an eclectic mix of finds from 1960s London, Cuba, Asian antiques and German Plexiglas cubes. Designing the home was a departure for Hudson and Burkhart, who previously worked on research facilities and hospitals. Hudson recently finished working as the director of design for the Los Angeles County USC Medical Center.
“This house was so satisfying,” Hudson said.
It was also well received. It was completed in 2002 and in 2005, it was featured in Metropolitan Home Magazine. This brought Hudson more recognition in the desert and before long, he found himself working full time in Palm Springs — designing both custom homes and working on Port Lawrence in downtown Palm Springs.
His partner still works in Marina del Rey and they kept their mid-century modern home in Beverly Hills.
Palm Springs, however, is Hudson's home. He enjoys reading by the fireplace and entertaining outdoors. “(Here) we met all our neighbors really quickly,” Hudson said. “At our house in L.A., we don't know our neighbors.”
Photographers appreciate its intense mountain views, privacy and indoor/outdoor features. But the couple's home isn't a conventional house, Hudson said.
It has just two smallish bedrooms that connect in the center via a spacious bathroom with glass walls. The living area was designed around a ceiling-high fireplace and walls of bookshelves. And the kitchen island is a giant slab of granite. The walls of the home open on several sides to the outdoors, leading to several seating areas, a casita and pool.
“The expectation of a five- bedroom house for the two of us (wasn't practical),” Hudson said, perched in a low-slung chair around an outdoor fire pit. “The house (instead) is one big room. It's very personal for the two of us. We weren't thinking resale.”
Unlike many contemporary homes that sport solely modern furniture, Hudson and Burkhart's home is full of an eclectic mix of finds from 1960s London, Cuba, Asian antiques and German Plexiglas cubes.
Designing the home was a departure for Hudson and Burkhart, who previously worked on research facilities and hospitals. Hudson recently finished working as the director of design for the Los Angeles County USC Medical Center.
“This house was so satisfying,” Hudson said.
It was also well received. It was completed in 2002 and in 2005, it was featured in Metropolitan Home Magazine. This brought Hudson more recognition in the desert and before long, he found himself working full time in Palm Springs — designing both custom homes and working on Port Lawrence in downtown Palm Springs.
His partner still works in Marina del Rey and they kept their mid-century modern home in Beverly Hills. Palm Springs, however, is Hudson's home. He enjoys reading by the fireplace and entertaining outdoors.
“(Here) we met all our neighbors really quickly,” Hudson said. “At our house in L.A., we don't know our neighbors.”
Stefanie Frith covers Palm Springs for The Desert Sun. She can be reached at 778-4757or stefanie.frith@thedesertsun.com.
The 11th annual House and Garden Walk will take place from noon to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, March 15. Four architecturally significant homes will be open for a self-guided tour that raises money for Jewish Family Service. The organization provides counseling, in-home care, meals and transportation for seniors, family education, homeless services, and support groups for Coachella Valley residents. Homes designed by Donald Wexler and Doug Hudson, as well as two Spanish-style estates will be featured. The cost is $75. Information: 325-4088.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Purchasing a Second Home or a Vacation Home
The Tax Benefits of Purchasing a Second Home or a Vacation Home
Your second home or vacation property can offer you significant tax advantages. Depending on how often you use your vacation home yourself, how often you rent it out, and how long it sits empty, you will fall into one of three different tax categories.
The first area includes homes that are rented out often but that are still used often by the owner. Specifically, this applies to homes that are rented more than 14 days a year and have personal use of more than 14 days or 10% of the rental days, whichever is greater. Personal use includes use by family members and anyone else who pays less than market rental rates.Vacation homes fitting this description are considered personal residences. This helps you, because you can deduct interest on up to $1 million of mortgage debt on two personal residences and up to an additional $100,000 for home equity loans. Property taxes are generally deductible, no matter how many homes you own.
The second vacation-home tax category typically applies to houses that are used very little by the owner. Your home will fall under the tax rules for rental properties rather than for personal residences if you rent more than 14 days a year and if your personal use doesn’t exceed 14 days or 10% of the rental days, whichever is greater. Interest, property taxes and operating expenses will all be allocated based on the total number of days the house was used.
The final category is a rarity in the tax laws: It is simple and benefits the taxpayer. This one applies to homes that are rented for fewer than 15 days a year and used by the owner for more than 14 days. These homes are considered personal residences, so you simply deduct the interest and property taxes the same as you would for your primary residence. You need not declare a penny of the income.When buying a second/vacation home, interest is fully deductible. In fact, with your additional property you can even rent it out part of the year and still take full advantage of the mortgage interest deduction as long as you also spend some time there.Be careful. If you don't vacation at least 14 days at your second property, or more than 10 percent of the number of days that you do rent it out (whichever is longer), the IRS could consider the place a residential rental property and cut your interest deduction. All information should be verified with your tax advisor as updates to the tax laws may effect each individuals outcome.
Considering a second home or vacation property has never been more attractive then now, with home prices slashed nearly 45% in some great areas of California including Palm Springs and the surrounding Coachella Valley. Let me help you find that dream home or vacation property.
James David Mancini Realtor Associate CCR Properties, Inc. Palm Springs, CA
Your second home or vacation property can offer you significant tax advantages. Depending on how often you use your vacation home yourself, how often you rent it out, and how long it sits empty, you will fall into one of three different tax categories.
The first area includes homes that are rented out often but that are still used often by the owner. Specifically, this applies to homes that are rented more than 14 days a year and have personal use of more than 14 days or 10% of the rental days, whichever is greater. Personal use includes use by family members and anyone else who pays less than market rental rates.Vacation homes fitting this description are considered personal residences. This helps you, because you can deduct interest on up to $1 million of mortgage debt on two personal residences and up to an additional $100,000 for home equity loans. Property taxes are generally deductible, no matter how many homes you own.
The second vacation-home tax category typically applies to houses that are used very little by the owner. Your home will fall under the tax rules for rental properties rather than for personal residences if you rent more than 14 days a year and if your personal use doesn’t exceed 14 days or 10% of the rental days, whichever is greater. Interest, property taxes and operating expenses will all be allocated based on the total number of days the house was used.
The final category is a rarity in the tax laws: It is simple and benefits the taxpayer. This one applies to homes that are rented for fewer than 15 days a year and used by the owner for more than 14 days. These homes are considered personal residences, so you simply deduct the interest and property taxes the same as you would for your primary residence. You need not declare a penny of the income.When buying a second/vacation home, interest is fully deductible. In fact, with your additional property you can even rent it out part of the year and still take full advantage of the mortgage interest deduction as long as you also spend some time there.Be careful. If you don't vacation at least 14 days at your second property, or more than 10 percent of the number of days that you do rent it out (whichever is longer), the IRS could consider the place a residential rental property and cut your interest deduction. All information should be verified with your tax advisor as updates to the tax laws may effect each individuals outcome.
Considering a second home or vacation property has never been more attractive then now, with home prices slashed nearly 45% in some great areas of California including Palm Springs and the surrounding Coachella Valley. Let me help you find that dream home or vacation property.
James David Mancini Realtor Associate CCR Properties, Inc. Palm Springs, CA
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