This past spring, David Barenholtz and Jeff Allyn decided it was time to leave Texas. The couple, both self-employed business consultants, had lived in Austin for eight years after moving from Los Angeles. They were still formulating a plan when their four-bedroom house in Austin’s Barton Hills neighborhood was unexpectedly snapped up by an eager buyer.
“We sold our house so fast, we were actually dumbfounded, as we really had no place to go to,” said Mr. Barenholtz, 63.
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They thought about moving to Tucson, Ariz., or back to California. “We were not liking either climate in Texas — political or weather,” Mr. Barenholtz said. “We were spending more time at our lake house in Northern Michigan in the spring and fall along with the summer, and yet our electric bill in Austin was $2,000 a month in summer, even when we weren’t there.”
As they plotted their next move, they took a trip to visit some friends near Palm Springs, Calif. “We decided to stay in Palm Desert, near Palm Springs, for a week and we realized this would be a great winter home for us,” said Mr. Allyn, 52. “We wanted a self-contained, low-maintenance house that we could easily lock and leave for the months we’re in Michigan.”
Hoping to buy their new home with cash or a small mortgage, they set a budget of $1.2 million to $1.6 million and contacted a broker, John Nelson with Compass in Palm Desert. He suggested they look in Rancho Mirage, a small city midway between Palm Springs and Palm Desert.
“Palm Springs homes are much more expensive than Rancho Mirage, which is only about 15 minutes away,” Mr. Nelson said. “Palm Springs has architecturally unique homes and walkability, but Rancho Mirage is a newer town and well-run, with all utilities underground and a ban on fast food restaurants.
As they scanned the market, Mr. Barenholtz and Mr. Allyn found 34 active listings in their price range, but only seven that weren’t part of a homeowners’ association.
“David and Jeff weren’t interested in being in a gated community with golf, tennis and a clubhouse,” Mr. Nelson said. Nor were they keen to pay HOA fees or, for that matter, renovation costs.
“I’ve renovated and sold about 22 houses by now because I get restless and want something new,” Mr. Barenholtz said. “But now I just want a place that doesn’t need a lot of work.”
Mr. Allyn likes to detail cars, so a garage was a must. Mr. Barenholtz enjoys gardening, so he wanted some usable outdoor space. And both wanted a pool, a quiet setting and some privacy.
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