Northern California Real Estate
Recreational And Estate Properties
We have been doing this since 1976
The Fun Part of This Business
Is the creativity that it takes. When someone comes to me we are both trying to obtain information from each other. I am trying to evaluate their budget, personality, interests and objectives. I ask questions that many cannot understand at face value. When I ask what they do for a living it is not to guess their income but to find out what they enjoy and it helps me evaluate how they think. The mind of an engineer operates entirely differently than a man or woman who owns a restaurant.
If I can get them to paint me a word picture and I listen enough to understand what they are describing, hopefully it exists and I can take them there. I have a knack for matching inventory to needs. It is called listening.
The first photos above are of a 4,000 sq. ft. house and a 5,000 sq. ft. garage, barn and recreation room when under construction. When Steve and Nancy called the first time we talked at some length and made an appointment to look at three properties. After we sat down and talked. They were interested but nothing lit their fire. Then a key piece of information dropped out of their conversation. They wanted to build a log house. A log house does not fit in most situations. I knew where one would and I took them there. I have nick named the wife Smiley because she has been smiling ever since.
Most of the people I deal with in this business are not only nice, they are interesting. Several years ago we decided to have an annual summer party because we usually meet some one, worked with them for a while, found them a property and then had little contact with them. We found people love to come to our party because there are so many interesting people to talk to.
The process of helping them weave a part of the tapestry of their life can be fun.
Richard and Victoria came to me from my web site. They had filed out my questionnaire. They had come up form the Bay Area and from the dot come life looking for something more back to nature. Victoria had held management positions and Richard was a virtuoso of communications and web site design. Where they landed was on the Sea Ranch on the Sonoma Coast. This is an extremely well designed community with a very rigid set of guidelines. This included details down to the color of your drapes. The impression I received from the information they sent was they were totally a fish out of water at the Sea Ranch. Rigidly controlling Richard is a waste of time. He is a very creative guy who can cook better than anyone I have ever met.
I look at a huge number of properties looking for the few nice pieces. When I saw the 30 Ac. where they now live I called them and told them it was a match. It took some time for the pieces to fall together but it is working. When they bought the property it was extremely run down but it had great bones. True farming ground along the coast is virtually non existent but when you find it you can grow things here that will not work in other areas. It gave me a great feeling to come back to a property that was run down and not being used to its potential and see how they have made it a thing of beauty. Richard is also down about 25 pounds and looks much better. This is a link to their farm: Red Dog Ranch
Joe White
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