My Professional Approach
I believe very strongly that my role is that of an agent to my client’s needs, and treat their needs as first and foremost in the process. I know this seems like a subtle point, but a very important one I feel. I am direct, honest, hard-working, and professional in every relationship, working always toward the best possible outcome, with my clients’ priorities top in my mind.
I remain open to unusual opportunities, and turn the canvas squarely on its side, looking at each real estate situation as a unique blend. This creative approach sometimes reveals unique opportunities – for sellers and for buyers.
I am laid back, country-style, and yet very professional. I believe I am helping to set professional standards in this industry – just as I did in my previous career in technology. This style is part of the culture of the software industry and it serves me very well in real estate and my clients really seem to appreciate it. I also have extensive knowledge of the area and market:
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As a realtor and as a firefighter, I have seen more properties than most and know the area like the back of my hand.
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As an active member of my community I am engaged and have deeply enjoyed my community, with fifteen years on the Mendocino Coast.
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I keep a close handle on local resources that can help you with any stage of your real estate transaction.
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As an agent who provides Broker Price Opinions, I keep a better handle than most on market trends.
I try to have fun in what I do – at all times, in all pursuits; my clients tell me that I help make the process fun and enjoyable for them too.
I have been a partial member of the wonderful Mendocino Community since 1999, full time since 2003, and am positively proud to call this area my home.
Background
The Tech Industry was such a crazy, all-consuming work environment, I found I was needing to get away just to recollect my thoughts, maintain the level of creative professionalism I promised my clients, and which they had come to expect.
So I bought vacant land on the Mendocino Coast in the 90s and developed it into an estate-style property, designing everything myself. I am intimately aware of what is involved in what is required to build one’s home from the ground up here on the Mendocino Coast.
I am now living something of the American Dream – a “gentleman farmer”on the land, replete with chickens, growing my own food. The air here and the people make this beautiful area a place I want to call my home.
Professional Endeavors
I come from the High-Tech industry and am a founder of a highly successful boutique creative digital media agency for developing and publishing CD-ROM content, interactive web sites, interactive advertising and custom software solutions. This experience is critical for understanding and leveraging techniques with the primary means of shopping for real estate today – the Internet. Even though many agents use the web, most don’t truly understand how to best leverage it to market a property.
With an impressive portfolio, I created pioneering and award-winning work for a large list of Fortune 500, mid-size, and small business clients – among them, Toyota, Saturn, Apple, Oracle, the NFL, Yahoo!, Sun, and many others.
Perhaps the biggest feather in our cap was when a large San Francisco-based brokerage attracted 2 billion dollars in newly earned assets in approximately 3 months, attributing the success to Worldmind-designed software. I only rarely pursue this line of work these days – it has to be a really special project, and I present it only to demonstrate the level of professionalism I am used to operating with and provide.
I have the eye of the marketing and web design professional, my skills go way beyond those of the average real estate agent, employing numerous online visibility tricks not known by my constituents. This expertise in marketing is critical in today’s marketplace, where buyers almost always come from far away – over 91% of today’s buyers are driven by the Internet and the MLS and most plug and play sites do little to elevate a property above the norm. To be sure you caught that, that’s ninety-one percent.
Further, by virtue of coming from the city and high-tech world, I communicate well with Silicon Valley tech executives who speak the same language and are coming to the North Coast for much the same reason I did – to get away from the bustle. I know how to market to them and I keep numerous relationships in the Bay Area, and regularly network with well-connected industry professionals to communicate real estate opportunities.
Personal Pursuits
Sort of a surprise to me, I am now President, Board Member, Public Information Officer, and just retired after 12 years as a firefighter for the Local Volunteer Fire Department, in Albion – Little River. This is how I give back to my community.
I am a five year member of CMAR’s (Coastal Mendocino Association of Realtors) scholarship committee – we award scholarships to some of the outstanding students coming out of Fort Bragg High School, Mendocino High School and the College of the Redwoods. For two years I have served as Chair of this committee, and in that time developed our selection matrix to identify successful applicants.
I’m an active writer of fiction and children’s books, as well as a voracious reader, with a recent penchant for mountaineering stories.
I’m a passionate and “over-the-moon” (a New Zealand expression) gardener. I’ve only discovered the joys of gardening after moving here and I simply love it.
I speak fluent German and am toying with the idea of learning Italian – I bought some tapes anyway.
I love to travel, cook, and I am an active and well-connected member of my community and government and know the region as only a firefighter and real estate agent can.
Summary
A city tech guy from SF who moved to Mendocino – I relate to city buyers and their mindset, and they feel comfortable with me
I have done what many of them want to do – move to the Coast and build a modern home in a country setting
A whiz at website and graphic design, search engine tricks and online marketing – can reach many more buyers
Bought land in Mendocino for a part time vacation home and loved it so much I decided to become a Realtor® so I could live here full time
Active in BOTH communities – long ties in SF, tech, and deep roots since 1999 in Mendocino as landowner, builder, firefighter, etc – so best of both worlds
Please contact me if I can be of service in any way, helping you with properties in or around the greater Mendocino Coast
