Relocation & Lifestyle Guide
Living in Palm Springs
Sunshine, mountains, pools and a calendar full of fun. Here's what desert life is really like.
Moving to the desert, buying a winter getaway or finally making that vacation spot your full-time home? Palm Springs blends small-town friendliness with big-city culture, all set against the San Jacinto Mountains. Here's my insider's look at life in the Coachella Valley.
Michael's Faves
A few things I never get tired of
The Aerial Tramway
Ride the rotating tram cars up Chino Canyon to the cool pine forest of Mount San Jacinto State Park. It can be 30 degrees cooler at the top!
Downtown & VillageFest
Palm Canyon Drive is lined with restaurants, galleries and vintage shops, and the Thursday-night VillageFest street fair is a local tradition.
Pool Life
Boutique hotel pools, backyard cannonballs and endless sunshine. In Palm Springs, poolside is a lifestyle, not a vacation.
Hikes, Canyons & Windmills
Hike palm oases in the Indian Canyons, tour the famous San Gorgonio Pass wind farm or head to Joshua Tree for the day.
The Desert Calendar
A year in the sun
Peak “season.” Sunny 70s, the Palm Springs International Film Festival in January and Modernism Week in February.
Wildflowers, tennis at Indian Wells each March and the big music festivals in Indio in April.
Hot, dry and blissfully quiet. Locals love the hotel deals, pool days and mountain escapes.
The temperature drops, the snowbirds return and the social calendar fills right back up.
Good to Know
Smart questions before you buy
- Land lease vs. fee land. Some Palm Springs properties sit on Agua Caliente tribal land and are sold with a land lease. Prices can be lower, but lease length and payments matter. I'll explain the details on every home we see.
- Vacation rental plans. Palm Springs requires a city permit for short-term rentals and limits them in some neighborhoods and HOAs. If rental income is part of your plan, let's check the current rules first.
- HOA fees and what they cover. Many condos and gated communities include landscaping, pools, insurance or even cable. Comparing what you get is just as important as comparing fees.
- Summer utility costs. Air conditioning runs hard from June to September. Solar panels, dual-pane windows and newer HVAC systems can make a big difference.
- Second-home and seasonal buying. Lock-and-leave condos, 55+ communities and furnished properties are popular with part-time residents. I'm happy to be your eyes and ears while you're away.
Ready for the Desert?
Let's find your happy place
Tell me about your dream desert life, and I'll put together a custom list of homes and neighborhoods to match.