Indio, CA

A couple of weeks ago I wrote this blog about the condition of foreclosed homes in our area.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/415317/Property-Condition-for-Foreclosed

Some of you may remember the picture of the pool I took:

I did not approach the city council, but it seems it was on their minds as well.

Negligent owners in Indio could be fined

Xochitl Peña • The Desert Sun • March 21, 2008

http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080321/NEWS01/803210392/-1/NLETTER01&source=nletter-news

A new law goes into effect April 4 targeting abandoned homes with overgrown landscaping, stagnant pools and other eyesores that scream "empty" to squatters.

The law requires that abandoned properties be registered with the city and maintained. If not, the owner - usually the bank in foreclosed situations - could face fines or criminal prosecution.

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Has your area been forced to take any steps to maintaining public safety and appearance?

I did a search and came up with some interesting statistics. In what the media calls a dead market, sales are strong. Of the 134 homes going into contract or sold last month, almost a third of those did so after being on the market under 30 days.

What does this mean for the buyer?

• Prices are in the range of many more buyers now.
• Lower prices can mean lower down payments, closing costs and taxes.
• Banks are loosening up their criteria to create new loans.
• Properly priced homes are selling. The home you like today may be gone soon. The days of sitting and waiting are slowly going away.
• The time to start looking is now, while prices are low.
• Interest rates are still affordable.

If you have any questions about homes available in our market today, please feel free to give me a call or send me an e-mail. I love working with buyers to help them achieve their dreams of owning a home!

-Mark

General disclaimer: All information retrieved from Desert Area Multiple Listing Service is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.

If you enjoy a great festival that gives a huge presentation but manages to keep the small, home town feel to it then here in Indio, California you will find exactly that. At the annual Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival, hosted by the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, there is something for everyone. From the lure of the games and activities to the food and fun it is one non-stop joy ride lasting for ten days in February.

Hosting some of the biggest names in the music industry, the festival has managed to book entertainment by some of these top stars such as Leann Rimes, country music singing sensation joined by Banda Novillo and Heart. If that does not seem sufficient to draw in the crowds, you can also see an amazing performance by Gerardo Fernandez and Blues Traveler. These and others will fill some of your time with music that will follow you throughout the day, and give you an up close view of your favorite stars.

Also up for fun and entertainment will be the races. Here at the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival they bring new meaning to racing by bringing in camels, zebras and ostrich'. Joining in the fun are rides and entertainment from the carnival section of the fair, offering the familiar and loved rides with lighted broadway and carnival barkers to make the scene complete. Taking you back to your fondest memories of theme park adventures, Riverside County Fair keeps the homey feeling while giving you a big carnival experience. Enjoying some of the food there is a must since it will be multi cultured as well as your usual displays.

Giving you a chance to meet the Queen and her Court is a rare experience to be had. Join the other fair goers as they are given a chance to meet the beautiful Queen Scheherazade and her beautiful court members as they make an appearance at the fair. Following the viewing of the beautiful Queen, you will find another entrancing display of beauty and magic. Enjoy a night or several of viewing the Arabian Nights musical pageant. Let the beauty of another culture carry you to a distant land for a short while with singing and dancing.

Having broken previously set attendance records, the 2007 festival was one that made it to the charts as memorable and successful. People from all over, locals and visitors alike, came and joined in the fun, food and enjoyment. Previous records of more than 200,000 visitors were topped with over 303,000 visitors to attend the last festival. People from all over travel to visit Indio during this time, adding to the fun and entertainment by making the crowds vary in nationalities, gender, and age. Young and old alike enjoy this festival with all the fantastic daily entertainment and exhibits. Displays are set up for your perusal, and items are bought and sold. Visiting the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival is one visit you should not forget to schedule. Pictures courtesy of the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival.

Every nation has attempted at some point in time, in some way, to keep the spirit of their past alive in their hearts and the hearts of their people. Here in Indio, California this is one of the top priorities. Some years ago, there was an idea brought forward to assist in preserving the past of the inhabitants and people of Indio, but as with any new idea, without proper attention and stimulation it fails to grow and for a season there was no activity.

It was not until 1996, when David Hernandez visited Indio and the Riverside County Date Festival was in action, that the idea was brought up once again to paint murals to impact the city and it's residents. These murals would draw attention to the small city of Indio, drawing visitors, commerce and economic relief. Aid was requested from local residents as well as local businesses. Everyone was given a chance to become a part of something bigger than themselves, and to help preserve a piece of history that would define their city.

As a way of earning the much needed income to produce the murals, an idea was born of offering signed and numbered paintings done by the artist for those that wished to own a spectacular piece of artwork. Being offered at varying prices, this artwork was personal and only a certain number of them were painted. This idea quickly aided in raising money for the mural project, as well as encouraging businesses to donate money and paintings bought to those less fortunate. The money raised was used to begin the project which was to include eight murals to be completed by 2003.

Not only did this idea serve to unite a community in emblazoning their past for the world to see, but also served to bring people to a new awareness of their cultural beginnings and history of what shaped the city they resided in. By educating people on their beginnings and their past, the city council of Indio was preparing a new generation to carry on the stories and history to their younger generation and them to theirs as well. It was the beginning of an act to preserve history, one mural at a time.

Viewing these murals has become something of a tourist attraction, and attention is drawn to them annually during the Riverside County Date Festival held in Indio, California. Viewers are able to see the murals and learn of small pieces of history of the city and the residents, bringing them a new understanding of the way of life as it was, and to see where some of the values carried today had originated. Life changes drastically from one year to the next, but the Indio murals have frozen some moments in time for everyone to look back and see where it all started.

Notice and appreciation is given to the donors and to the people that aided in making the Indio murals project a reality. With so many different people working together, it became a part of their history to be viewed by the world, placing Indio as a reality on the map and giving the residents something to be proud of. They show pride in their cultural roots and their heritage and all of this is evident in the murals depicting their history and what once was.

Elaine Stewart Check out Indio Real Estate at: www.investdesert.com