Villa Caballeros

Quorum Article - December 1999

Villa Caballeros is a condominium community of 59 units situated on approximately 5 acres of Indian Lease land on South Avenida Caballeros in Palm Springs. It was built in 1985. There are three models of unit, all with two bedrooms and two bathrooms and a floor area of approximately 1,100 square feet. The current selling price of the units is between $60,000 and $70,000.

Villa Caballeros has a surprisingly tranquil ambience, considering that part of its appeal is also a down town location close to shops, library, movies, restaurants, and the Village Festival. Many of the units are used as vacation or week-end homes or rentals.

The units are accommodated in three separate buildings. Two of the buildings are two-story. The third is three-story. The three-story building contains an elevator. All three buildings are connected at second floor level by a pedestrian walkway. Thus elderly or handicapped residents of all three buildings can benefit from elevator access, as can those with heavy shopping loads.

Residents enjoy a single pool and spa, a tennis court, an air-conditioned handball court, and a partially enclosed multi-purpose recreation room. The Association is currently considering plans to completely enclose and air condition the recreation room. It will then offer facilities for pool, cards, weight training and table tennis. The recreation room and tennis court are located on the second level deck.

Access to Villa Caballeros is through two gates. Covered car parking for residents is beneath the second level deck. The entrance driveways and visitors car parking areas feature attractive concrete stamping. Otherwise traffic circulation is on standard black top.

The homeowners association is managed by a 5-member Board of Directors, led by Bill Gordon, President. Property Manager Richard Warfield of Personalized Property Management assists the Board. This being a relatively small association, the Board performs its own architectural, landscaping and other committee functions. Knapp Landscaping and G&H Pools provide routine maintenance.

The relationship between Villa Caballeros residents and their Board are cooperative and harmonious. Bill Gordon emphasizes the importance of good communications (which include a monthly newsletter) and the avoidance of Board dictat. He finds that periodic gentle reminders are all that is required to maintain community standards. This includes making sure that individually landscaped private patios are properly designed and maintained. Board and Management also strive to bring the residents together in a social environment as a means to develop pride and participation in the community.

While a relatively young association, Villa Caballeros is already facing the time when such expensive items such as roof replacement will soon become necessary. However, the Board has ensured that the association’s reserves are strong and adequate to the task. More immediate problems, such as black top slurry and the refurbishment of the concrete driveway stamping are currently being solved. A recent achievement in a different area has been the renegotiation of hazard insurance to reduce the earthquake deductible from a high 30% to 10%. Each building is its own risk.

The association dues at Villa Caballeros are a low $175 per month. Land lease payments of $1,250 annually are paid by individual homeowners.