Palm Desert Country

Palm Desert Country attracts homebuyers who desire immediate access to golf courses, restaurants and highly rated schools. Homebuyers often choose Palm Desert over Palm Springs, which is 14 miles away, because housing is less expensive. “There’s a lot of families, but a lot of older people with no kids. Very popular amongst snowbirds,” says Anthony Caronna, a Coachella Valley native and broker for 4th Dimension Real Estate.

The architectural features of many houses include clay tile roofs, stucco exteriors and backyard pools. The properties offer enough yard space for grilling or lounging with friends under the shade of palm trees. You can find a two-bedroom, two-bathroom condominium overlooking the second hole of Palm Desert Resort Country Club for $340,000. In Golden Sun Estates, a gated community developed in the 1980s, you can buy a two-bedroom house with a covered patio for $410,000. You can purchase a five-bedroom early 2000s Mediterranean-style home with a spa and backyard putting green for $1.2 million.

Many of Palm Desert’s children are educated at Ronald Reagan Elementary, with an A rating from Niche and a 15-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio. Palm Desert Charter Middle School has an A-minus rating from Niche and offers a curriculum that focuses heavily on art and STEM. Students can move on to Palm Desert High School, which has an A rating from Niche and offers Advanced Placement courses.

The area includes the Palm Desert Country Club and Resort, which offers a public golf course and The Cactus Club, a pub-style restaurant serving classic American fare like prime rib and meat loaf. The houses alongside the golf course do not belong to a gated community and HOA membership is not required. Sixty-nine two-bedroom villas are in the early stages of construction. They will feature front and back terraces offering views of the 18-hole course and the Santa Rosa, San Jacinto, and San Gorgonio mountains beyond. Woodhaven and The Oasis are two nearby clubs that offer private membership but are still open to the public. Both locations include gated communities where HOA fees are required.

If you need a break from the golf, the centrally located Freedom Park offers public access to eight pickleball courts, three baseball/softball fields, three basketball courts, two volleyball courts, two multipurpose fields, a dog park, multiple playgrounds and a picnic shelter. “The City of Palm Desert offers really easy living,” says Honey Guleria, executive premier director of Windermere Real Estate and 20-year resident of Palm Desert. “The whole community is geared towards resort-style living. It’s a big change for people driving out from L.A. where there’s a lot of traffic. Everything here is so much more convenient.”

Palm Desert Country offers grocery stores, restaurants and boutiques. Many residents knock out their weekly shopping at Albertsons. Cups Café, a neighborhood coffee shop, specializes in shrimp frittata and chilaquiles, a Mexican breakfast dish with fried tortillas, sauce and cheese. Pacifica Seafood Restaurant offers homey open-air dining and vegetarian options. Color Pop Boutique specializes in candles, cosmetic grade micas and body and bath supplies. Or stop by OMG Collectibles & Sports if you like buying and selling Pokémon or MLB cards.

The neighborhood also provides convenient access to Route 10 to drive 20 miles to Palm Springs or 124 miles to Los Angeles. The yearly Coachella Valley Music and Arts is also a significant tourist draw for the city. The neighborhood is also five miles from Acrisure Arena, a 10,000-seater that opened in December 2022. Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle have performed there, and the Lakers have played there. Locals also enjoy visiting the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, which features about 50 distinct gardens and 150 species of animals.

Written By

William Palicia

Photography Contributed By

Samuel Evans

Video By

Lucas Dyke