$931,000
Average list priceacross the desert’s seven core cities
A live, city-by-city read on the Coachella Valley this October, with every number sourced from Altos Research and our honest take on where the opportunity lies.
October is when the Coachella Valley comes back to life. The weather turns, the snowbirds return, and the season that defines our market begins. This year it arrives against a national backdrop that has moved quickly, and the desert’s relative strength has rarely been clearer.
Nationally, mortgage rates have climbed to 7.43%, cooling buyer demand in much of the country and giving well-prepared buyers more room to negotiate than they have had in years. Locally, the picture is different. Every one of our seven core Coachella Valley cities sits firmly in Seller’s Advantage territory, and in several of them the Market Action Index actually rose over last month, with indexes now ranging from 33 to 38. Demand is building as the season opens, inventory is healthy, and well positioned homes continue to sell.
For buyers, this is a rare combination: national conditions that create negotiating leverage, meeting a desert market that is entering its strongest months. For sellers, it is a market that rewards sharp pricing and strong presentation, exactly the kind of moment where experience makes the difference.
We are Billy and Stacy Thoman. A fourth-generation California real estate family with three generations rooted right here in the desert. Over 4,000 homes sold across the Coachella Valley. Verified among the top 1.5% of agents nationwide, and top 1% nationwide for sales volume. What follows is our honest, data-driven read of where every market stands this October.
When the rest of the country slows and the desert turns on, that gap is where the opportunity lives. Season is here, and the prepared move first.
| City | Median List Price | Price / Sq Ft | Inventory | Median DOM | Price Reductions | MAI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Wells | $1,575,000 | $579 | 50 | 109 days | 20% | 38 |
| Cathedral City | $575,000 | $308 | 106 | 60 days | 30% | 36 |
| Palm Desert | $669,950 | $336 | 280 | 95 days | 28% | 34 |
| La Quinta | $843,500 | $380 | 280 | 98 days | 30% | 34 |
| Palm Springs | $1,007,499 | $526 | 304 | 119 days | 31% | 33 |
| Rancho Mirage | $1,249,000 | $484 | 177 | 140 days | 23% | 33 |
| Indio | $599,945 | $301 | 378 | 70 days | 29% | 33 |
MAI = Market Action Index (measures rate of sales versus inventory; above 30 indicates a seller’s advantage). Every Coachella Valley city sits in Seller’s Advantage territory this October, with several cities’ indexes rising over last month as the season begins.
The national market is adjusting. With rates higher, pending sales are running modestly below last year and inventory has grown to roughly 1.13 million homes nationwide, up about 3.8% from a year ago. Nationally, 42.5% of active listings have taken a price reduction, which means buyers across the country have more leverage than they have had in years.
That national shift is exactly what makes the desert so compelling right now. As much of the country cools heading into fall, the Coachella Valley is doing the opposite, entering its busy season with every city on the seller’s side of the index and demand building. Buyers get the benefit of a national backdrop that favors negotiation, inside a desert market that is strengthening. That combination is rare, and it is why experience and local knowledge matter most right now.
Local data: Altos Research, October 1, 2026. National figures reflect the latest available market intelligence.
Indian Wells is, by almost any measure, the most exclusive residential market in the Coachella Valley, and this October it leads the valley in momentum. The Market Action Index has risen to 38, the highest of any city we track and up from last month, while just 20% of listings have adjusted price, the most disciplined pricing in the desert, a clear sign of seller confidence.
Home to Toscana Country Club and some of the desert’s most prestigious addresses, Indian Wells holds the tightest meaningful inventory in the valley at just 50 homes, and it commands the valley’s highest price per square foot at $579. With sales continuing to outpace new inventory and the season now opening, this is a market poised to strengthen, and the window to act ahead of it is open now.
Billy and Stacy regularly represent discreet buyers in Indian Wells who require confidentiality and privacy throughout the process. We understand the discretion, precision, and depth of knowledge this market demands, with the relationships to open doors others cannot.
The valley’s highest index at 38 and its most disciplined pricing at 20% reductions. In the desert’s most exclusive market, confidence is building as the season arrives.
| Median Price | Sq Ft | Lot Size | Beds | Bath | Age | New | Absorbed | DOM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $4,350,000 | 4,569 | 0.25-0.5 acre | 4 | 4 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 84 |
| $1,862,500 | 2,863 | 0.25-0.5 acre | 3 | 3.5 | 36 | 2 | 0 | 157 |
| $1,195,000 | 2,604 | 8,000-10,000 sqft | 3 | 2 | 39 | 0 | 2 | 105 |
| $749,450 | 2,465 | 6,500-8,000 sqft | 3 | 3 | 46 | 2 | 1 | 98 |
Cathedral City remains the desert’s standout value story, and this October it is also the fastest. Homes here are selling at a median of just 60 days on market, by far the quickest pace in the valley, while a Market Action Index of 36 keeps it among the strongest seller markets in the desert. Sales continue to outstrip supply, and the index has been climbing for weeks.
At $308 per square foot with a median list price of $575,000, Cathedral City offers some of the strongest purchasing power in the Coachella Valley. Sitting between Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage with easy access to both, it continues to reward buyers who want proximity to everything without the premium of its neighbors, and with the fastest pace in the desert, well-priced homes are not lasting long.
A 60-day median, the fastest in the entire Coachella Valley, paired with the desert’s strongest value. This is momentum meeting affordability.
| Median Price | Sq Ft | Lot Size | Beds | Bath | Age | New | Absorbed | DOM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $729,900 | 2,101 | 8,000-10,000 sqft | 3 | 3 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 77 |
| $595,000 | 1,972 | 6,500-8,000 sqft | 4 | 2.5 | 24 | 3 | 1 | 49 |
| $549,000 | 1,769 | 6,500-8,000 sqft | 3 | 2 | 34 | 0 | 1 | 77 |
| $459,000 | 1,502 | 6,500-8,000 sqft | 3 | 2 | 39 | 2 | 4 | 59 |
Palm Desert sits at the geographic and cultural center of the Coachella Valley, and this October it offers one of the desert’s best combinations of value and selection. The median list price is $669,950 across 280 active homes, and at $336 per square foot it remains our most recommended entry point to the Coachella Valley lifestyle.
With a Market Action Index of 34, Palm Desert holds firmly in Seller’s Advantage while giving buyers genuine choice and room to negotiate as the season opens. Home to El Paseo, the desert’s premier shopping and dining boulevard, and the McCallum Theatre, it delivers a full-amenity lifestyle that has no equal at this price point anywhere in California.
Strong selection at the valley’s best value entry point, with the amenities and location that make it the desert’s most livable address. A smart place to buy as season begins.
| Median Price | Sq Ft | Lot Size | Beds | Bath | Age | New | Absorbed | DOM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,385,000 | 2,980 | 0.25-0.5 acre | 4 | 3 | 29 | 2 | 4 | 154 |
| $792,079 | 2,418 | 6,500-8,000 sqft | 3 | 3 | 24 | 3 | 7 | 80 |
| $598,500 | 1,875 | 6,500-8,000 sqft | 3 | 2 | 24 | 5 | 9 | 59 |
| $452,500 | 1,379 | 4,500-6,500 sqft | 2 | 2 | 33 | 8 | 7 | 91 |
La Quinta is home to some of the most coveted country club addresses in California, including Rancho La Quinta Country Club, PGA West, Andalusia, and Trilogy. The mountain views are extraordinary, the lifestyle is genuinely resort-quality, and the sense of community is real.
The Market Action Index sits at 34, holding La Quinta comfortably in Seller’s Advantage, with a median list price of $843,500 across 280 active homes. New listings are entering strong at a median of $1,260,000, a clear sign that sellers bringing fresh inventory to market this season are pricing with confidence. For buyers, the current window offers genuine selection across the city’s premier communities before season demand fully builds.
Stacy has sold homes throughout Rancho La Quinta and Andalusia. Billy launched both Trilogy at La Quinta and Trilogy at The Polo Club from the ground up. Together, we have represented buyers and sellers across every community in this city, and no team knows La Quinta more intimately.
Billy launched Trilogy at La Quinta and Trilogy at The Polo Club from the ground up. There is no team with deeper knowledge of this city’s communities than ours.
| Median Price | Sq Ft | Lot Size | Beds | Bath | Age | New | Absorbed | DOM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,225,000 | 3,743 | 0.25-0.5 acre | 4 | 4 | 20 | 6 | 1 | 115 |
| $1,099,495 | 2,817 | 8,000-10,000 sqft | 3 | 3 | 21 | 6 | 4 | 91 |
| $688,500 | 2,012 | 8,000-10,000 sqft | 3 | 2.5 | 24 | 4 | 5 | 98 |
| $513,000 | 1,534 | 4,500-6,500 sqft | 3 | 2 | 26 | 4 | 5 | 77 |
There is no city in America quite like Palm Springs. The midcentury modern architecture, the work of Wexler, Lautner, Cody, Frey, and their contemporaries, represents a built heritage recognized globally by architects, designers, and collectors. That premium continues to show up in the data.
Palm Springs commands $526 per square foot, second only to Indian Wells in the valley, with a median list price of $1,007,499. The Market Action Index has ticked up to 33 over last month, and with 304 active homes on the market, this is one of the strongest selections in the desert, giving serious buyers real choice across midcentury restorations, contemporary new builds, and historic neighborhoods as the season begins.
Stacy Thoman is a Palm Springs native from a family that has sold desert real estate here for three generations, and few teams can offer that depth of local roots. When you buy in Palm Springs with Stacy, you gain a lifelong guide to the city, its neighborhoods, and the community that makes it extraordinary.
Strong selection today with the index already rising. Palm Springs offers the valley’s most iconic addresses, and the season ahead is when design-minded buyers make their move.
| Median Price | Sq Ft | Lot Size | Beds | Bath | Age | New | Absorbed | DOM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,922,500 | 2,695 | 0.25-0.5 acre | 4 | 3.5 | 51 | 5 | 6 | 112 |
| $1,190,995 | 2,272 | 0.25-0.5 acre | 3 | 2.5 | 30 | 3 | 7 | 122 |
| $874,500 | 1,700 | 8,000-10,000 sqft | 3 | 2 | 48 | 4 | 7 | 133 |
| $637,500 | 1,584 | 6,500-8,000 sqft | 3 | 2 | 44 | 3 | 8 | 91 |
Rancho Mirage carries a distinction no other city in the Coachella Valley can claim: it has been home to American presidents, entertainment legends, and some of the most consequential figures of the 20th century. That legacy is embedded in the architecture, the land, and the culture, and it has never depreciated.
The median list price stands at $1,249,000 across 177 active homes, and Rancho Mirage shows some of the most disciplined pricing in the valley, with just 23% of sellers adjusting price, a sign of genuine confidence in these homes’ value. The Market Action Index has ticked up to 33 over last month, and with the season approaching, buyers who engage now find attractive selection and room to negotiate in one of the desert’s most prestigious addresses.
Billy and Stacy have represented buyers and sellers throughout Rancho Mirage, including in Mission Hills Country Club, Tamarisk, Thunderbird Heights, and the private estates that define the city’s character. We also regularly represent discreet buyers who require confidentiality and privacy throughout the process, with the relationships to open doors here that others cannot.
Disciplined pricing at just 23% reductions, with the index rising over last month. A rewarding moment to secure a Rancho Mirage address as the season opens.
| Median Price | Sq Ft | Lot Size | Beds | Bath | Age | New | Absorbed | DOM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $3,799,000 | 4,119 | 0.5-1 acre | 4 | 4.5 | 19 | 1 | 5 | 154 |
| $1,444,495 | 3,010 | 8,000-10,000 sqft | 3 | 3 | 24 | 4 | 4 | 115 |
| $1,083,500 | 2,549 | 6,500-8,000 sqft | 3 | 3 | 43 | 3 | 3 | 126 |
| $738,000 | 1,954 | 6,500-8,000 sqft | 3 | 2 | 25 | 2 | 4 | 133 |
Indio is the City of Festivals, and it is also home to Trilogy at The Polo Club, the resort-style, amenity-rich community Billy personally launched from the ground up. Right now Indio offers the largest active inventory in the entire valley at 378 homes, paired with one of the fastest median selling times in the desert at just 70 days.
The median list price stands at $599,945, and at $301 per square foot, Indio offers the most square footage for the dollar of any Coachella Valley city, the strongest value play in the desert. The Market Action Index has ticked up to 33 over last month as demand builds into the season, so buyers who want maximum selection and the best price per foot have every reason to move now.
For buyers focused on lifestyle, festival rental potential, or simply maximizing space and value, Indio is increasingly compelling. And no team knows Trilogy at The Polo Club better than the one that helped bring it to life.
$301 per square foot, 378 active homes, and a 70-day median selling time. The most home for your dollar, in the valley’s largest selection, with demand building into the season.
| Median Price | Sq Ft | Lot Size | Beds | Bath | Age | New | Absorbed | DOM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $935,000 | 2,553 | 8,000-10,000 sqft | 4 | 3 | 21 | 6 | 5 | 77 |
| $645,900 | 2,169 | 6,500-8,000 sqft | 3 | 2.5 | 20 | 4 | 9 | 84 |
| $550,000 | 1,920 | 6,500-8,000 sqft | 3 | 2 | 20 | 3 | 10 | 70 |
| $429,500 | 1,528 | 4,500-6,500 sqft | 2 | 2 | 21 | 10 | 9 | 70 |
As much of the country slows under higher rates, the Coachella Valley is entering its strongest months. Every city sits in Seller’s Advantage, several indexes are rising, and well positioned homes continue to sell. Buyers have national leverage on their side and a desert market that is firming. Sellers have a season of returning demand ahead of them.
Pricing and positioning matter more than ever right now, and that is exactly where local knowledge and experience pay off. Whether you are buying ahead of the season or preparing to list into it, the right strategy makes all the difference.
We are a husband and wife team from a fourth-generation California real estate family, with three generations rooted in the desert itself. Stacy is a Palm Springs native who earned her real estate license at 18. Billy is the former Sales Manager who personally launched Trilogy at La Quinta and Trilogy at The Polo Club, helping build the communities he now sells.
Together, we have closed over 4,000 homes across the Coachella Valley. We are verified among the Top 1.5% of agents nationwide and the Top 1% nationwide for sales volume. We are proud members of the Compass family and named a Palm Springs Life Top Realtor for 2026. Available to represent buyers and sellers across all of the Coachella Valley’s most prestigious communities.