Palm Springs Real Estate

Palm Springs has about 45,000 residents [1]. Of the Coachella Valley cities we cover, it has the highest share of homes in buildings with two or more units (about 39%); another 39% are detached single-family houses [1].

Housing types and prices

Palm Springs has the oldest housing of the valley cities we cover; the median home was built in 1977 [1]. More than one in four housing units (27%) are held for seasonal or occasional use, so many owners are part-year residents [1].

Price context, September 2026 [2]:

• ZIP 92262: median listing price about $722,000, 366 homes for sale.
• ZIP 92264: median listing price about $565,000, 232 homes for sale.

The Census estimate of median owner-occupied home value for 2020–2024 was $604,000 [1].

Things buyers ask about in Palm Springs

Can I rent it out short-term? Maybe, but not by default. Every vacation rental needs a city registration certificate. The city will not issue a new certificate in a neighborhood where vacation rentals already make up 20% of homes; those applications go on a waiting list [3][4]. Properties without a certificate or completed application submitted by October 17, 2022 may host no more than 26 rental contracts a year. Those grandfathered by that date may host 32, plus four more that fall entirely in July–September. In November 2025 the city cancelled a planned cut to that older limit (Ordinance 2118) [3][5]. If rental income is part of your plan, check the neighborhood's percentage before you write an offer.

Is the land included? Not always. Much of Palm Springs lies inside the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians' reservation, set up in 1876–77 as a checkerboard of alternating square-mile sections [6]. Many homes on allotted land are sold with a long-term land lease rather than ownership of the land [6]. The preliminary title report shows which kind you are buying. On leased land, ask for the lease's end date and rent terms early.

Historic homes. The city designates historic sites. A "Class 1" site cannot be modified without city approval, and it can qualify for a Mills Act agreement, which can lower property taxes in exchange for preservation [7][8].

Utilities. Electricity is Southern California Edison. Water comes mostly from Desert Water Agency [9].

Public schools. Palm Springs is served by Palm Springs Unified School District (psusd.us) [10]. School assignment depends on the exact address, so check with the district.

Tom and Janet in Palm Springs

The Tom and Janet transaction records we reviewed (seven closed 2026 sales) do not include a Palm Springs sale. They work across the Coachella Valley from their Palm Desert base, where Janet currently has a condo listed [11][12]. Tom's bio notes more than 35 years as a licensed California attorney [13].

Talk to Tom and Janet: (951) 201-6982 · Tom Callaway, DRE #01915294 · Janet Callaway, DRE #01897623 · LPT Realty, Inc.

Palm Springs FAQ

How many nights a year can I rent a Palm Springs home short-term? The city counts contracts, not nights. Properties without a certificate or completed application by October 17, 2022 allow up to 26 contracts a year; those grandfathered by that date allow 32 plus four in the third quarter [3][5].

What does "leased land" mean when buying a Palm Springs home? You buy the house but lease the ground under it, usually from the Tribe or an individual allottee, under a lease with a fixed term [6]. The title report will say which applies.

What is a Class 1 historic home in Palm Springs? A city-designated historic site where alterations need city review (major changes go to the Historic Site Preservation Board, minor ones to the Historic Preservation Officer), and that can qualify for a Mills Act property-tax agreement [7][8].

Sources

1. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates (tables B01003, B25001, B25003, B25004, B25024, B25035, B25077), via Census Reporter: https://censusreporter.org/profiles/16000US0655254-palm-springs-ca/ (retrieved 2026-09-30).
2. Realtor.com® Economic Research, ZIP-level Inventory Core Metrics, month 2026-09 (file RDC_Inventory_Core_Metrics_Zip.csv, posted 2026-09-30). Data courtesy of Realtor.com: https://www.realtor.com/research/data/
3. City of Palm Springs, Vacation Rentals: https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/special-program-compliance/vacation-rentals-1098
4. City of Palm Springs, Vacation Rental Neighborhood Percentage Information: https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/special-program-compliance/vacation-rentals/vacation-rental-density ; Palm Springs Municipal Code Ch. 5.25 (§5.25.045): https://ecode360.com/42991925
5. City of Palm Springs, Ordinance No. 2118 (Nov. 12, 2025): https://www.palmspringsca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/93150/639052872911970000
6. U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs decision letter on Agua Caliente land in Cathedral City (Oct. 7, 2019), pp. 1–2: https://www.bia.gov/sites/default/files/media_document/2019.10.07_signed_decision_letter_agua_caliente_cathedral_city.pdf
7. Palm Springs Municipal Code, historic preservation definitions ("Landmark/Class 1 historic resource"): https://ecode360.com/42996207
8. City of Palm Springs, Class 1, Class 2 Historic & Historic Districts: https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/planning/historic-resources/historic-properties/class-1-2-historic
9. Desert Water Agency, Who We Are: https://www.dwa.org/who-we-are ; Southern California Edison service territory.
10. Palm Springs Unified School District, Schools: https://www.psusd.us/schools
11. TJ Callaway Realty listing records (Listings table, verified 2026-09-29): 73422 Irontree Dr, Palm Desert, MLS SW26159347.
12. Tom and Janet Callaway's own transaction records (Deals table, 7 closed sales, read 2026-09-30).
13. TJ Callaway Realty, About Tom: https://tjcallawayrealty.com/about/tom