— hi, friends :) i am writing this to you from the mill valley library in my hometown of northern california. this building is one of my all-time favorite public spaces; it's pure mystical forest fairy magic. 

— picture this: you enter the redwods to find a 1970s midcentury chalet with soaring ceilings, a fireplace, walls of glass looking out to trees, low lighting, books everywhere. it's INCREDIBLE. i photographed the library last summer on a perfect august afternoon, and it was just one of the best moments of 2024. 

— as you know from my post yesterday on IG, i've been here in norcal to recover from a major gender-affirming surgery. super cool n exciting n scary and all the things. i left los angeles at the end of november and am returning later this month, and have been in serious rest mode as of late. the surgery went incredible, and i talked about how i'm feeling in the post, linked here. 

— on another note … i honestly can't believe it's 2025. 2025!!!?? january 2024 felt like five whole seconds ago. and i know everyone is doing their new year's recaps on all the socials, but allow me a few seconds of nostalgia…because there were some serious highlights to 2024. 

— when i think about last year, i think of one word - blossoming. because 2024 was definitely a blooming year for me. i came more into myself than ever before. i spent the year living in topanga canyon (my mountainous neighborhood of LA) in tune with the rhythms of mother nature, while spending half the week in silver lake (the city proper). it was and still is an awesome balance of nature + connection. the seasons were each rich in their own way, but i find myself thinking most fondly of summer memories…like a week at salmon creek farm in the redwoods of mendocino, selling the coolest houses, river camping, tahoe cabin tripping, and more sun-soaked beach days than i could count on both hands. basically, a year of granola activities + kicking my imposter syndrome to the curb.

— and when i think about 2025, i want to channel this kind of outdoorsy, creative energy. i want to go on even more trips. help more folks buy + sell cool, architectural houses. but most importantly, i want to keep checking in with myself about the big questions.

— as a young person who has had success but is still, by definition, a young person, i find myself feeling equal parts badass/confident/sure of my path & also like i'm still figuring EVERYTHING out. and there was a time when i felt ashamed of that - like i had to be completely ‘sure’ all the time, or people wouldn't take me seriously in my career and online. but i really don't think they're mutually exclusive. i think we can be kicking butt in our current circumstances, while also questioning them. so, i keep asking myself … what places, people, and work will make me feel most fulfilled? what am i really drawn to? what does my ideal week look like - where am i, who am i with, what am i doing? 

— i know for sure that the real estate component of my life is here to stay. it's been wildly successful and fun and creative and awesome; something i've pursued for over half a decade and will continue to do so. but i think i'm in a place of designing my life around that right now, because i'm not selling houses 24/7/365. there are more hours to be invested in a day, in a week, in a month and i'm figuring out how i want to use them. and i think those who work in a job with a non-traditional schedule can relate. 

— those questions can feel big and towering at times, but i'm trying to shift the narrative. because i feel like we have so much more agency over the climate in our brains than we realize. we can reframe big questions from “oh my god, what am i even doing?” to “yes, i do know what i'm doing, i have so many opportunities and things i could be, isn't that exciting!” slight tonal shift, major vibe change. easier said than done but i digress.

— in terms of real estate things. the market is just waking up from dormancy! usually january is a sleepy time; things start to heat up later this month and peak around april / may. however, things weren't even really that dormant for me; i wrote two offers in december for amazing clients, on two epic wood houses. we didn't get either, but that's the name of the game often in real estate, especially in LA. yet i find myself thinking about the houses i DID get last year. 

— i am truly so jazzed that i got to help a great group of folks buy/sell architecture in 2024. excited to keep helping creative people find earthy houses. if you're thinking about buying / selling in LA this year (or even elsewhere on the california coast!) hit me up and let's chat! link to contact me can be found here. 

— as always, with the houses i feature below, if you're a serious buyer & interested in more details, respond to this email. today i'll be showcasing some epic wood houses in norcal + one in LA!

— wonder what you're feeling this week. maybe respond and tell me.

— talk to you soon, and sending love.

 

xx,

sam