// the mood & vibes this week
— hi, friends :) writing to you from
this insanely cool modernist library in thousand oaks. it was built in 1982 and looks the part…soaring geometric volumes, walls of glass, a sense of oversized playfulness that dominates the 80s subgenre. i love it here. i'm in thousand oaks currently for a personal family thing with my mom + sista (all good things just on the down low!). we are here for the week, and then i'm off for xmas in northern california (my favorite place to spend it aside from the snow!). so much to update you on, omg.
— first off, i'm thrilled to share with you that units 1+2 at my triplex have been RENTED! YAY! i'm super happy about this development. most of you know that this project took longer & costed more than i thought it would, so it's an incredible relief to have wonderful tenants in place. i did have to reduce the price from our initial asking, but i'm happy with where we landed (and honestly not surprised). today's market is challenging for those on the landlord/seller side of things. buyers + renters have so much of the leverage nowadays. this isn't to say that well-priced, well-presented homes aren't still getting traction - i've certainly been in multiple offer scenarios quite recently. it's just a tonal shift that me & my badass agent friends are definitely picking up.
— as a gentle transition from real estate things…remember in my last newsletter i told you about how i haven't been able to change my name with the MLS from my legal name (samuel) to what i go by (sam)? WELL I FIGURED IT OUT! the MLS was able to change my “display” name to sam, thank god. it was getting really awkward having my deadname be the first thing that people coming to my open houses would see. i've experienced a few opens since the change, and it's a slight but noticeable difference in people just perceiving me as i want to be seen. the way my loved ones & friends see me.
— and on that note, there has been so much good friend+fam juju lately. a bunch of things i've done recently with the homies, in no particular order — sabrina carpenter's last show of the short 'n sweet tour, xmas tree shopping, cookie decorating, bar trivia @ spoke in frogtown (10/10 recommend), run club track meets that feel like the good parts of high school, holiday party on love street in laurel canyon, and many an afternoon working at a cafe of choice in silver lake + echo park. overall, just leaning into this slow juju of the season.
— i've finally been making my home cozier, too. you know that i've been a little, well, negligent about furnishing unit 1 of my triplex, where i reside. a mini-reno wrapped a week or two ago, and maybe reno is too dramatic a word…i got some ceiling fans removed & swapped out with cute lights, painted some walls a fresher white, and hung up a towel rack (by myself! with my new drill!). this is all to make my apartment a better space for furniture + my future roommate (whom i need to start looking for in early 2026). i have friends who prefer to live alone, but i've really missed sharing a space with someone that i enjoy being with - cooking together, hanging on a rainy day, and of course binging TV shows like heated rivalry (!!!!!!!!!!!) a not-so-subtle segue into my obsession of the moment.
— you guys, this show about closeted dude NHL players has me so deep in a fandom that i don't even know what to do with myself. and honestly, i didn't think i'd be that into it. because i'm usually the first one to call out the disparity of how - on the rare occasion when a queer story enters the zeitgeist - it feels like it's always about cis gay guys. this isn't to say that MLM queer stories aren't needed and wonderful! but their prevalence in the genre can sometimes can sting to those of us who occupy the other identity segments of our community. HOWEVER - THAT BEING SAID. i have so thoroughly dismounted from my high horse of intellectual discourse because GOSH DARN IT I LOVE THESE GAY HOCKEY PLAYERS! heated rivalry is such a beautifully written, steamy queer love story and i am GRIPPED. currently on book 6/6 of the series it's based on, game changers. if you're also crashing out, my inbox is always open so we can nerd out together.
— speaking of queer media - i also want to take a second to tell you about a platform i've recently joined…everywhere is queer! EIQ is a worldwide map of queer-owned businesses with over 17,000 listed. i have been using it on the consumer side for a while - as a great way of quickly finding a business that fits a particular need i have at any given time - but am now listed on the back-end for my real estate practice.
you can find my profile here :)— another cool thing that happened on the internet: my friend shelby church made a video about me+the silver laurel for her youtube channel! we do a full tour of the units + i talk about the process/numbers.
you can check it out here!— in terms of what's coming up … continually on the hunt with my slew of buyers. prepping houses to launch. always searching for the best houses in CA. below you'll find some favorites on the market in LA!
— if you're considering buying or selling in LA or NorCal in 2026,
message me here.— if you're looking to buy a wood house elsewhere in CA + the US, there's a good chance i can refer you to an agent in your city. referrals are a great way to support me. whenever i send a client to one of my cool out-of-area agent friends, i actually receive a portion of that commission! and like most things in life, a recommendation from a friend is the way to go. if that's you, respond to this email and i'd be happy to connect you.
— talk to you soon, and sending love.
xx,
sam
