There still aren’t a lot of events you can attend in person but there are things happening online that you can join in on. Here are just some of the many online events happening in October, courtesy of our colleagues Peggy Sue, Catherine and Kathleen at First American Title:

Plano Virtual Comedy Festival | Oct. 1-4

A weekend of comedy events you can attend right from the comfort of your laptop, desktop or mobile phone! Featuring some of the best comedians in the country, the organizers are bringing all the fun of Plano Comedy Festival straight to you without you having to leave your home! For more information, please visit: www.planocomedyfestival.com

Virtual Bronx Book Fair | Oct. 2-5

Literary fun includes panel discussions, keynote speaker, children story hour, women panel, writing workshops and music. For more information, please visit: www.pw.org/literary_events/virtual_bronx_book_fair

Portland Dance Film Fest | Oct. 2-11

Ten days of over 60 films screenings, workshops, world premieres, and fun. 26 spectacular PDFF Picks, 9 moving documentaries, 24 mini films created while sheltering in place, and the world premiere of the Oregon Dance Film Commission. For more information, please visit: http://portlanddancefilmfest.com 

The Ozarks Maker Faire | Oct. 3

This event will be celebrating and showcasing a variety of makers whether they’re of the fine arts type maker or the industrial maker. Just a few examples are: hacker, woodworker, silversmith, coder, drone pilot, baker, and candlestick maker! For more information, please visit: https://theozarks.makerfaire.com

Ohio Poetry Day Virtual Celebration | Oct. 3

The afternoon kicks off with a reading by Kari Gunter-Seymour, who will then be interviewed by OPA President Chuck Salmons. After a short break, the OPD contest winners will be invited to read their winning poems. For more information, please visit: www.ohiopoetryassn.org

Int'l Edgar Allan Poe Festival & Awards | Oct. 3-4

Poe-themed performances, vendors, booksellers and music, plus family-friendly activities, poetry and art. For more information, please visit: www.poefestinternational.org

Say NO Bullying Virtual Festival | Oct. 4

Will feature entertainment, empowerment speakers and celebrity appearances. Join the worldwide community and Say NO Bullying. For more information, please visit: www.saynobullying.org/festival 

The New Yorker Festival | Oct. 5-11

Will feature talks, panel discussions, and performances with some of the most talented and influential figures of our time, from the worlds of politics, activism, literature, food, and entertainment. For more information, please visit: www.newyorker.com

Concert of Colors | Oct. 6-11

The Concert of Colors is metro Detroit’s free annual diversity-themed music festival.  Global music at its finest at this colorful, festive, upbeat coveted summer event. For more information, please visit: www.concertofcolors.com

Good Mental Health Festival | Oct. 9

The Good Mental Health festival is designed to improve the way people think and feel about mental health, the festival includes positive mental health talks, presentations & workshops. For more information, please visit: www.thisiscalmer.com/good-mental-health-festival

Fort Collins Book Fest | Oct. 9-11 & 16-18

The book fest includes a variety of interviews with authors, book talks, readings, panels and writers workshops. For more information, please visit: www.focobookfest.org

Oyster Festival | Oct. 10-18

Virtual festival-goers will be able to access and participate in an entire weeks worth of fun, informative and downright delicious activities, including: virtual tours of the oyster life, including habitat, harvesting and history and livestream presentation and conversation with an oyster historian. For more information, please visit: www.yorkhistorycenter.org/event/oysterfest

Digital Chocolate Festival | Oct. 14-20

Celebrate Cacao’s mission is to share their passion for, and educate others about the fine quality, bean-to-bar, ethically produced chocolate being made in the UK! The Digital Chocolate Festival has been created as a platform to continue to promote and advocate for craft chocolate makers during the global pandemic. For more information, please visit: https://celebratecacao.co.uk

Wild & Scenic Film Festival | Oct. 15

A series of thought-provoking and breathtaking local, national and global short films exploring the protection and restoration of wild lands and waters, food systems, climate change, biodiversity, litter prevention, and much more. For more information, please visit: www.prc.org/filmfestival 

Rare Books LA Virtual Book Fair | Oct. 15-18

Rare books, fine prints, classic photography, unique ephemera and more await your discovery online. For more information, please visit: www.rarebooksla.com

The Virtual Kentucky Bourbon Festival | Oct. 15-18

Promotes Kentucky Bourbon & the Bourbon Capital of the World by hosting a celebration that contributes to the economic and cultural vitality of communities in Bardstown, Kentucky. For more information, please visit: www.kybourbonfestival.com

AFI (American Film Institute) FEST 2020 | Oct. 15-22

The virtual edition will have the same programming structure with sections highlighting new auteurs and world cinema, as well as filmmaker conversations and the AFI Summit. For more information, please visit: www.afi.com

OC Film Fiesta Festival | Oct. 15-25

Featuring more than 40 films from around the world, conversations with filmmakers, workshops and special programs, this year’s OC Film Fiesta will be a virtual event that can be enjoyed anywhere!  For more information, please visit: www.ocfilmfiesta.org

Bronzeville Art District Virtual Trolley Tour | Oct. 16

You can virtually visit any of the galleries, art institutions or studios and experience amazing art and entertainment. For more information, please visit: www.bronzevilleartdistrict.com 

RetroPop Live! Halloween | Oct. 17

What better way to celebrate the Halloween season than with a Horror festival filled with nostalgia? Enjoy cast reunions from iconic 80s and 90's horror movies including the cult classic Killer Klowns From Outer Space, a Friday the 13th 40th Anniversary Cast Reunion, Child's Play, virtual meet & greets, autograph signings and collectible spotlights. For more information, please visit: www.retropoplivehalloween.com

EarthxConservation | Oct. 19-21

This three-day virtual event is designed to raise awareness about conservation and responsible resource use, and create understanding about how appropriately managed hunting, fishing, and agricultural activities around the world are critical to further conservation resulting in environmentally protective use of the biosphere. For more information, please visit: www.earthx.org

International Yoga Festival Online 2020 | Oct. 21-25

This yoga festival offers yoga classes, lectures, meditation, workshops, music, kirtan, wellness, inspirational talks and much more at the comfort of your own home. For more information, please visit:
www.eventbrite.com/e/international-yoga-festival-2020-tickets-111508920182

Austin Film Festival & Conference | Oct. 22-29

Recognized as one of the top film festivals in the country, this cinematic event shines the spotlight on both top-billed films and indies alike. For more information, please visit: www.austinfilmfestival.com

Denver Film Festival | Oct. 22-Nov. 8

This year the Denver Film Festival is hosting the Festival on its new virtual platform, which will allow it to bring Official Selections, exclusive filmmaker conversations, bonus content, special guests and more, to all of Colorado. For more information, please visit: www.denverfilm.org

Boston Veg Food Fest 2020 | Oct. 24

A special and exciting virtual event including outstanding speakers, a platform for vegan products and businesses and nonprofit and a Vegan Marketplace. For more information, please visit: www.bostonveg.org/foodfest

Fall for Art | Oct. 25-30

A juried art show & sale virtual fundraiser sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Ulster County featuring artists of the Hudson Valley showing and selling their 2D and 3D work. For more information, please visit: www.fallforart.org

Virtual Halloween Painting Party | Oct. 31

Hosted by Paint for a Purpose, this is a 1.5 hour course led by an expert artist to guide you through the creation of a spooky painting inspired by Halloween. Release your creativity while painting along. No experience needed. For more information, please visit: www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-halloween-painting-party-tickets-116696202483

Halloween Cookie Decorating Class | Oct. 31

Sign up to learn the basics and decorate Halloween cookies with founder and baker Vonteyah of Sweetie Vs Desserterie! This is a class for beginners and no experience is necessary! Also, this class is online only! Each step will be demonstrated along the way. For more information, please visit: www.eventbrite.com/e/halloween-cookie-decorating-class-tickets-119621249377

The Briggs Group and/or First American Title Insurance Company, and the operating divisions thereof, make no express or implied warranty respecting the information presented and assume no responsibility for errors or omissions.

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We recently had the pleasure of using our marketing plan to sell our client Mikel’s  well-maintained, 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom turnkey furnished villa in Palm Desert’s Desert Falls Country Club. The home features many upgrades, including a renovated kitchen with newer maple cabinets, granite counters, stainless steel appliances and large master bedroom bathroom with remodeled walk-in tiled shower, tile floor and stone counters. The Desert Falls Country Club community is 24 hour guard gated, with 896 homes, a Ronald Fream-designed 18 hole championship golf course and clubhouse, a large state of the art exercise facility, 8 lighted tennis courts, 4 pickleball courts and 32 pools and spas. We wish Mikel, the buyer, Ginger, and her agent, Ossil, all the best.

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The NHL’s newest expansion team, the Seattle Kraken, revealed that Oak View Group and the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation have announced plans to build a privately funded, state-of-the-art sports and entertainment arena, with an adjacent training facility and community gathering spaces, in the Coachella Valley. The arena will serve as home to the Kraken’s AHL Palm Springs affiliate team. A first concept, presented in late 2019, proposed an arena located on 16 acres of tribal land in downtown Palm Springs belonging to the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. The new plan centrally locates the arena to make AHL games and a world-class lineup of musical acts and family entertainment more accessible to fans across all nine major cities of the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Desert Hot Springs, Indio and Coachella).

The arena complex will be located on 43-plus acres of land at Interstate 10 and Cook Street in Riverside County near the city of Palm Desert. The arena will be more than 300,000 square feet and feature 10,000-plus seats plus modern suites and premium hospitality clubs. The arena and adjacent facility will serve as a year-round community gathering space in addition to the training center for the AHL team and a future site for youth hockey, figure skating, adult skating and other community-friendly activities. Live Nation, the world's leading live entertainment company, will work as a strategic partner to also supply the arena with its large stable of top touring artists and premium live events. In addition to sports and entertainment, the arena will accommodate conventions, large meetings, international events, award shows and exhibitions at no risk to Riverside County taxpayers. Construction of the new arena is expected to create hundreds of permanent and temporary jobs for the community

Ground-breaking and arena construction are scheduled for 2021, with completion currently scheduled for the last quarter of 2022. The Kraken's AHL Palm Springs franchise is targeting to begin play in the 2022-23 season. Kraken general manager Ron Francis and assistant GM Ricky Olczyk are exploring all options for finding other competition options for a certain number of reserve players during the 2021-22 NHL season, including the possibility of sharing an AHL roster with another NHL team. Olczyk also explained all 18- and 19-year-old players selected by the Kraken in the 2021 NHL Amateur Draft who don't make the NHL roster are required to return to their Tier A or Tier B junior hockey teams, NCAA college hockey teams or, in the case of European youngsters, respective teams in Sweden, Finland, Russia, Germany and several more nations on that continent. The rule encourages further development of young players' growing body and hockey skills. 

For season ticket and club seat information about the AHL Palm Springs franchise, hockey arena fans can visit www.ahlpalmsprings.com and www.palmspringsarena.com.

To read the original article/release by Bob Condor, please visit: Central To The Mission

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We recently had the pleasure of helping Jason and Alyssa purchase their second desert dream home. This completely remodeled, like-new home offers an open floor plan, vaulted ceilings, 4 bedrooms and 3  bathrooms, all new cabinets, quartz counters and wood-plank look floors through-out the home. Throw in new lighting, new hardware, new tile showers, an oversized back yard with big swimming pool, freshly coated pool deck and fresh landscaping and you have an incredible new home for Jason and Alyssa. We wish Jason and Alyssa, the Seller, Roll Sparrow LLC, and their agent, Jolie, all the best in this next chapter of their lives

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In order to show the rapidly changing market conditions due to the Coronavirus and stay at home order, local real estate market experts Market Watch LLC developed shorter term housing metrics, based on 28-day averages, for their August 2020 COVID-19 Desert Real Estate Report. Some highlights:

To show how the Coachella Valley housing market is doing compared to other regions, Market Watch chose to present closed and pending sales data for both Los Angeles County and Orange County. Because average escrow times in these two counties are between 30 to 35 days, when pending and active under contract sales are shifted forward by 35 days, pending sales become a good indicator of closed sales. Market Watch noted that the 3-month surge in sales in Los Angeles County, which began in June, appears to be flattening out (but at a high level). LA County pending sales are averaging 215 units a day (46% higher than the 158 pending sales per day one year ago).

In Orange County, pending sales are 37% higher than one year ago and closed sales are 24% higher. Market watch questioned whether this is just a post quarantine snapback that is beginning to fade or the beginning of a longer-term housing expansion.

In the Coachella Valley escrow times for detached homes average 20 days, so pending sales are shifted forward 20 days to estimate what closed sales will be. In August, pending sales of detached homes averaged 22.5 units a day (up 36% from the 16.5 daily pending sales one year ago). Market Watch noted that single-family residence sales are beginning to flatten out like they are in other California regions.

Closed sales of condos in the Coachella Valley in August averaged 7.8 units per day (5% above one year ago). Pending sales averaged 8.4 units (up almost 45% from 5.8 units one year ago). Market Watch thought this would mean that closed condo sales in September should rise another 15% over August levels. However, condominium sales in the Coachella Valley appear to be flattening out after the post-quarantine surge (like condo sales in other California regions).

Average weekly pending sales of detached homes in August increased year-over-year by 139% in Rancho Mirage, 62% in Palm Springs and 54% in La Quinta. Average weekly pending sales of condos increased year-over-year 108% in La Quinta, 67% in Indian Wells and 60% in Palm Desert.

Year-over-year, detached home average square foot prices increased 13%, while attached home average square foot prices increased 11%. Market Watch was of the opinion that this trend will continue and possibly even accelerate.

Detached home average square foot prices experienced double-digit increases in all of the Coachella Valley cities, with the exception of Cathedral City (with a 0.1% decrease in average square foot price year-over-year) and Rancho Mirage (with a 0.6% increase in average square foot price year-over-year).

Total Coachella Valley housing inventory on September 1st was 1,959 units (compared to 2,645 units on September 1^st, 2019). Market Watch noted that housing inventory has decreased by over a thousand units since the beginning of the California stay at home order on March 19th. Market Watch felt that seasonal pressures should begin to raise the inventory level in September and October. They further noted that low inventory has been putting strong upward pressure on home prices throughout the region.

The average number of daily new listings has risen to 37 units a day (compared with 14 units one year ago). Because home sales have also been rising, the increase in new listings has not yet translated into increasing inventory, but if home sales begin to slow, the housing inventory should increase. The average number of daily canceled and expired listings in August was 10 (compared to 12 one year ago).

The average number of days in the market for detached homes in August was 80 days (compared to 77 days one year ago). The average number of days in the market for condos in August was 81 days (compared to 69 days one year ago). Market Watch pointed out that condos, being much lower-priced, are taking just about as long to sell as detached homes, which are significantly higher priced. They felt that this indicated that the Coachella Valley condo market is struggling somewhat.

Market Watch noted that the average sales price discount for single-family residences has decreased from roughly 3% at the end of June to 2.2% at the end of August. The average sales price discount for condominiums has decreased from roughly 3.4% at the end of June to 2.6% at the end of August.

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In the third piece of good news for our local travel and hospitality sectors in the last week, JetBlue announced that it will launch 24 new routes later this year, including nonstop service between Palm Springs and Fort Lauderdale. Apparently, this is part of JetBlue’s strategy of offering unique, new nonstop western U.S. destinations from Fort Lauderdale not served by any other airline and reactivating some temporarily parked aircraft. The Palm Springs-Fort Lauderdale flights will be offered twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays starting on December 17th and running through March 2021. JetBlue currently offers seasonal flights from Palm Springs to both John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York (expected to begin November 6th) and to Boston Logan International Airport (starting on December 19th.

JetBlue is New York's Hometown Airline™, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles (Long Beach), Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue carries more than 35 million customers a year to 100 cities in the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America with an average of 925 daily flights.

To read JetBlue’s press release, please visit: JetBlue Adds Two Dozen New Routes

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We recently had the pleasure putting our Marketing Plan to work to help Charles and Dorothy sell their desert home. This home is a spacious 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom home on over a one third of an acre lot. Recently updated with wood-plank-look floors in the main living areas, newer plush carpeting in the formal living room, dining room and bedrooms and a kitchen with refinished cabinets, stone counters and stainless steel appliances. The living room, family room and master bedroom open to a covered patio which runs across the entire back of the house and overlooks the pool/spa and large grass play area, perfect for bocce ball, croquet, horse shoes or any other kind of play. We wish Charles and Dorothy, the buyers, Jared and Ashley, and their agent, Tricia, all the best.    

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Happy Labor Day from The Briggs Group

Let your work speak for you. Happy Labor Day to everyone! On Labor Day we give thanks for our ability to work, for access to jobs, fair wages and opportunities to grow. Have a Happy Labor Day as you take time off to enjoy the day.

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Local real estate market experts, Market Watch LLC have just released their August 2020 Desert Housing Report. Some highlights:

Market Watch noted that the combination of exceptionally low inventory and rising sales is having a profound effect on Coachella Valley home prices, especially prices of detached homes (or single family residences). At the end of August, the Coachella Valley detached home median price was $495,000 (an increase of 20% year-over-year). Market Watch explained that since the median value is a statistical calculation, not all of this gain came from price appreciation. In fact, they felt that 15% of the increase came from price gain and the other 5% of this increase came from the fact that this year's grouping of homes in August was 5% larger than last year.

The Coachella Valley attached home median price at the end of August was $289,000 (an increase of 4%  year-over-year). While the attached home median price increases have been much smaller than the detached home median price increases, Market Watch noted that we are now entering a seasonal period (from August to March) when attached home prices increase. They felt that the large increase in attached home median price that occurred last month might mark the beginning of this seasonal period.

The 12-month change in median home prices by city confirm that detached home median prices are increasing much more than attached home median prices. Market Watch pointed out that La Quinta lead all Coachella Valley cities in both detached and attached home median price increases (with its detached home median price increasing by 27.9% year-over-year and its attached home median price increasing by 12.8% year-over-year). Market Watch also noted that Palm Springs is the only Coachella Valley city with a detached home median price above the previous high median price reached during the 2004-2006 bubble years (in fact, 20.6% higher). Market Watch pointed out that attached home median prices increased year-over-year in 3 cities (La Quinta, Palm Springs and Palm Desert) and decreased in the other Coachella Valley cities.

Market Watch expressed surprise by the increase in Coachella Valley home sales (increasing by 8% year-over-year for both detached and attached homes) after the expiration of the California stay at home order, since this is normally the slow period of the year.  

Four cities (La Quinta, Palm Springs, Indian Wells and Rancho Mirage) registered significantly higher home sales than one year ago. Market Watch called out the 41% increase in homes sales year-over-year in Rancho Mirage and the 32% increase in La Quinta.

Market Watch explained that the decline in home sales for homes priced under $300,000 was due to lower sales of attached homes, which are primarily in this price range. They noted that the increase in home sales was primarily in homes priced over $500,000 (and particularly in homes priced over one million dollars).

Coachella Valley housing inventory reached a new historic low on September 1^st, with 1,959 homes for sale (compared with 2,641 homes for sale on September 1^st, 2019). Market Watch stated that this low inventory level was one factor that’s been driving home prices higher and creating bidding wars (with the other factor being surging sales). Together, this has created an over balancing of demand above supply that is creating the upward trend in home prices.

Market Watch explained that because of growing sales and record low inventory, the month of sales ratio was at a record low 2.5 months on September 1^st (compared to 3.3 months one year ago). The median value for days in the market was 56 days (the lowest days in the market number over the last 5 years).

Year-over-year, the months of sales ratio was lower in every price range, but was particularly lower for those homes priced between $500,000 and $1 million. Market Watch noted that the months of sales ratio was under three months in every price bracket up to $800,000 and in the $800,000 to $900,000 price range was only 3.2 months. They felt that this showed that the strength in the Coachella Valley’s housing market was broad-based in all price categories.

On September 1st, the months of sales ratio in all 11 Coachella Valley cities was the same or lower than it was one year ago. In addition, 8 cities had ratios under three months. Market Watch mentioned the months of sales ration of 1.9 months in Palm Springs (in light of the number of homes there near the million-dollar level and the fact that areas with higher priced homes usually have higher months of sales ratios).

The August median value for sale price discount from list was -2.04% (slightly higher than it was one year ago). This implies that an average home in the region offered at $400,000 sold for $391,840.

 The Legal Stuff

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More good news for our local tourism and hospitality industries. Allegiant Air recently announced two new seasonal routes to Palm Springs International Airport (PSP). The first route is Boise, Idaho to/from Palm Springs beginning Nov. 19, 2020, with introductory fares as low as $49 each way (subject to Allegiant’s terms and conditions). The second route is Eugene, Oregon to/from Palm Springs beginning Nov. 20, 2020, also with introductory fares as low as $49 each way. Allegiant currently offers seasonal service to Palm Springs from Bellingham Washington. Las Vegas-based Allegiant links travelers in small-to-medium cities to world-class vacation destinations with all-nonstop flights and industry-low average fares on its all Airbus fleet.

To read Allegiant’s press release, please visit: https://ir.allegiantair.com/news-releases/news-release-details/allegiant-announces-seven-new-routes-fares-low-29-each-way

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