Joshua Tree

What’s the next Highland Park? I get that question all the time. Where are artists buying great deals with that super cool new coffee shop creating a neighborhood center and blazing the way for new business? You may hear answers like Lincoln Heights and Jefferson Park, but my current recommendation is Joshua Tree and nearby Yucca Valley. Yeah, out in the desert 2 hours from NELA. There are two types of buyers I recommend it to. There are ones that find homes in LA are out of their price range. Or there are ones that own a home that they love and don’t want to move up but have some savings. Entry level homes in decent condition sell in the upper 100’s-yes around 180k. For that price a house that with some good but simple design will rent for $200 per night as a vacation rental. I don’t know of anywhere else with numbers like that. Appreciation will not be what it is in LA of course but if you can use it occasionally, with that additional income, it will be more than worth it. I just closed two properties out there. A half-built “moon cocoon” in Pioneertown for an LA couple looking for a creative project and a place to escape. And a single guy from LA moving to Landers (just north of Joshua Tree) to enjoy some solitude and have a big workshop for his woodworking business. If you haven’t been out there in a while, or ever, I encourage you to go for the weekend and rent a house or stay at Pappy and Harriets and see some live music at the infamous honky tonk. I also recommend the 29 Palms Inn but not necessarily buying in 29 Palms yet-that’s even a bit too far for me. Also — do I need to mention the Joshua Tree National Park? And if I haven’t yet convinced you, look up some articles in the NY Times about the area.