Happy Halloween to Palermo

A Happy Halloween to Palermo from Positively Palermo. Miss Penny Lane says: She's in the mood for treats.

Photo of the re-painting of the Palermo community

Positively Palermo was asked to post a picture of the paint job going at Palermo. This one was taken a few days ago by the old Enterprise models, looking from the rear gate out. Miss Penny Lane says: She's begun her re-do too.

Market building has rental sign up

A new leasing sign has gone up at the site of the former Julian's Market. We update if we see movement over there. Miss Penny Lane says: She votes for a Starbucks.

Palermo HOA dues will stay the same for three years in a row

Breaking news: Positively Palermo now has the e-mail that indicates that the Palermo HOA monthly due will stay at the $294 level by the board's action. By our calculation, the dues were last hiked up in late 2011 to start in the next year. Dues were not increased for 2013 so this will mean no increase from January 2012, through 2013, and through December of 2014. With dues increasing at over 25 bucks a pop before this three-year period, the Palermo dues could have been approaching $400 per month by now, driving some for their homes. Interestingly, the e-mail suggests that the Palermo reserves have tripled over these two years. Miss Penny Lane says: Her make-up fund won't have to be raided in 2014, so she is happy but she'd gladly reduce her cosmetics bills for Palermo.

Palermo to get re-painted

BREAKING NEWS: Signs have gone up in the community saying that Palermo's residences will be getting a fresh coat of paint. This painting will start later in the month the signs say, and the signs direct you to a Web page of www.cprps.com for info about the progress of the painting. This news is breath-taking considering what the community has been through and what is means for the future. Miss Penny Lane says: She could use a facelift too.

Palermo original carpet types

Positively Palermo is continuing its look at upgrades or options available from the original developer. This is a picture of the carpet samples and names. Miss Penny Lane says: She likes Bashful.

Pools being emptied and cleaned

The annual emptying of the pool has begun at Palermo Palm Springs. Miss Penny Lane says: She's inspired and is getting out her scrubbing bubbles too.

Granite countertop options

Positively Palermo has been asked about the original Palermo upgrades and features available. Here is a sampling of the choices for granite countertops. We will show or discuss other options in the future. Miss Penny Lane says: She's rock solid in her love of Palermo.

3 years ago, Palermo was overflowing with homes for sale

What a different a few years makes. Positively Palermo looked into its archive and found this posting from September 2010 when Palermo was overflowing with distressed properties on the market. Three years later, only one home is up for sale, and it's not a distressed sale but a regular sale, at a price more than double the market lows. The 2010 posting read: "Here's a best guess of what's on the market based on for-sale signs in the windows or eviction/foreclosure-type notices posted on front doors. - 210 Enterprise. Two bedroom, two-floor D unit. 1,286 square feet. - 240 Enterprise. Two bedroom, two-story loft A-unit with a spa. 1,375 square feet. - 248 Sandy Point has a for-sale sign. Two bedroom, two-story loft A-unit. 1,375 square feet. - 258 Sandy Point has a for-sale sign. Two bedroom, two-story B-unit. 1,320 square feet. - 3587 Quiet Side. Two bedroom, single-level G-unit. 1131 square. feet - 3697 Quiet Side. Two bedroom, single-level G-unit. 1131 square feet. - 3586 Sunburst. Two bedroom, single-level G-unit. 1131 square feet. No sign but was listed online. - 3686 Sunburst. One bedroom, single-level E-unit. 831 square feet. (May have been sold recently.) - 3563 Penny Lane. Two bedroom, two-story C-unit with a spa. 1,275 square feet. - 272 Breeze Loop. Two bedroom, two-story loft A-unit. 1,375 square feet. - Also, word has it that a two bedroom, two-floor D unit, 1,286 square feet, on Melody Lane is in foreclosure with a bank auction." Miss Penny Lane says: She wishes aged as well as the timeless Palermo.

Murano rising!

The single-family subdivision of Murano Palm Springs, down the road from Palermo on San Rafael, is rising again with new construction. Murano was a sister development of the Palermo, originally built by the same company, the Enterprise Cos. of Chicago. Murano's undeveloped lots were sold to Far Western Industries after the bank took them over. Palermo's undeveloped lots were sold to another company. Miss Penny Lane says: She's up and rising and ready to take on the day, too.

Happy Labor Day, Palermo

Have a restful Labor Day holiday, and a peaceful drive back to your "other homes" for all the part-time residents here at Palermo for the long weekend. Miss Penny Lane says: Her biggest labor today will be refilling the pitcher of Cosmos.

Post card touts just-listed $299,900 listing

A resident has sent Positively Palermo post card that came in the mail advertising the $299,900 listing. Thanks! Miss Penny Lane says: She'll be shopping today for a new rain hat.

Owners give thumbs down to cars in shorter driveways

Positively Palermo has learned that efforts to allow parking cars in Palermo's shorter driveways (less than 22 feet in length) have not succeeded. In a question posed by the HOA management, Palermo owners voted down a change in the rules that would have made this kind of driveway parking allowable by altering the existing rules. We learned that the vote was not even close. Driveway parking has been an issue over the years. Another second — newer and one might think also less controversial — issue also was voted on negatively by the owners at Palermo. It concerned placing solar energy arrays on the rooftops of condos here, as the roofs are considered common assets. Miss Penny Lane says: She's driven and hot about her love for democracy.

Help your neighbor

Positively Palermo received this e-mail: "Penny, Please help and spread the word. A dog groomer named Red Rover mobile pet grooming has littered the place with biz cards and hung them on the doors at Palermo. Ask neighbors to take them off the homes where no one is there for the summer. How could these people do something like that???? Thx for your time and work for us here." Miss Penny Lane says: Done. She's a step ahead.

Palermo residence on market for $299,900

A Palermo Palm Springs two-bedroom condo is on the market for $299,900, another increase in the offered sales prices of non-distressed sales at Palermo and signaling the steady increase in property values at Palermo since mid-2011. The listing is here. One real estate agent who provide this info to us says it is possible for a bidding war may happen as it is non-distressed and below the "comps" for this type of offering in Palm Springs. Miss Penny Lane says: Palermo's time is now.

Soda/water vending machines in the clubhouse or pool area?

A Palermo resident asked that we pose this question: "Do you favor having a soda/water vending machine in the clubhouse and/or the pool area? Thanks." Miss Penny Lane says: She's more into an adult beverage to quench her thirst when taking a dip.

Vote on parking and solar is coming

Positively Palermo has learned that the homeowners association is holding a vote on allowing more types of parking in the driveways (which is presently restricted by the HOA rules to only certain driveways) and allowing solar energy panels on the roofs. Anyone who has more information or the ballot wording please send them along for posting here. Miss Penny Lane says: She's a lover of democracy.

A rainy morning at Palermo

The rain is falling at Palermo Palm Springs, again. Miss Penny Lane says: She's happy even though the morning walk was interrupted.

Ash ... and now the humidity

This from the morning paper: "Shifting winds Friday brought the Coachella Valley relief from the smell of smoke, but residents couldn’t escape the Salton Sea. Winds from the southeast blew the all-too-familiar Salton Sea stink people have gotten used to during summer over the valley’s cities. The winds also brought moisture, which caused humidity levels to spike. “We have a monsoon surge starting today,” Stephen Harrison, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego, said Friday. “It could last through the weekend.” Miss Penny Lane says: She'll been enjoying the confines inside her lovely Palermo pad today.

Fire update

Reports are that the fire has grown overnight and is threatening some mountain communities, but is far away from Palermo Palm Springs as of now. There's a patch of blue sky at Palermo. Miss Penny Lane says: Skies are blue just like Palermo's bright future.

On fire

Residents of Palermo Palm Springs will awake today to see their view of the mountains whited-out, fine ash in the air and to the smell of fire, with the fire at Mountain Center growing to 4,700 acres and very little containment. Miss Penny Lane says: She's hoping the winds up there die down.

A Palermo 4th is second to none

Happy Independence Day to Palermo Palm Springs. We have
much to be thankful for as a nation and as a community. Miss Penny Lane says: She's got her red, white and blue new swimming suit so say Hi to her at the pool today.

From Palm Springs, Happy Canada Day

Happy Canada Day to all the Canadian Palermo-ites. Miss Penny Lane says: It's good day, eh?