// the mood & vibes this week
— hi, friends :) it's a mild summer day in LA as i'm writing this to you (well, mild in the sense that we haven't crested 85 degrees). while my head is definitely still in the heat, it's not lost on me that we're middle of the way through august; the last after-8pm sunset of this season is behind us. and i know we have many hot days ahead - anyone in LA will tell you it's often broiling in september - but we're entering the latter half of this season. so i'm soaking up as much of it as i can.
— case in point: last weekend at the russian river in norcal! i grew up coming here - my earliest memory is in middle or elementary school - but it's only really become a special place in the last half decade. i've carved out a weekend here sometime between june through august for the last four summers. each trip is mystical, and this one was no exception.
— for starters: our abode. trips to guerneville in summers ‘23 & ’24 were spent at a fabulous campground (with hot showers!!! my type of beat!!) mere moments from the water. these last two years, we stayed in two different redwood-ensconced cabins. but this summer, we were deeper in the trees than ever before. down a quiet canyon lane, with century-old redwoods filtering the light into something green & golden - our backyard a great clearing in the trees. inside was kind of a little wild - we joked the house would often ‘breathe’ on its own accord, aka creaking out some indecipherable message. there was carpet in areas there should not be carpet, and not an AC unit to be found. but with incredible wood paneling, skylights, and a hot tub, it was really quite wonderful.
— on the first evening (friday) - after i'd driven eight hours from LA - i dove into the river fully clothed; another tradition. in summer ‘23, i did this for the first time - jumping into the russian river at sunset. i actually have a written record of it in a verryyyyy old newsletter that isn't even available on my website anymore -
but i'll link it here just for you! — swimming at golden hour continues to be transformative, mermaid-like. one of my most favorite past-times i've talked to you about ad nauseam. and that first dip in the river felt like that - like a shedding. a release of all the stress carried in my body; of all the other versions of myself but this one.
— i somehow pulled myself away from the water, and we went for dinner at the cutest little restaurant on the main drag - appropriately deemed main street bistro! - then sampled organic ice cream nearby. (i say sampled, but you should have seen mine. waffle cone supremacy!)
— the next two days i barely left the river - paddleboarding, sun-soaking, pushing off from soft rocks at the bottom and floating into the blue. my curls air-drying into something wild, imperfect, alive - a surfer girl bronde of earth-goddess proportions. another few blissful meals were had - notably, an outdoor pizzeria with a firepit, live music, and perfect trees/mountains all around - again, my idea of perfect, actual bliss.
— post-trip, i've come to the conclusion that future me definitely needs to be spending more time in these locales that make me feel so alive. to go up to the river five times instead of one per summer. i want to build a life where i have that kind of freedom. and i know i will!
— but for now - the few days i've had back in LA post-river have been busy busy busy. i'm knee-deep in prep for a new listing coming this fall, and she's so magical. we're zhuzhing her up in a serious way - it's going to be so dialed. my to-do list is not a small undertaking - among many other things, the task for this week is to order tile / find light fixtures / source a vintage bathroom vanity. all the things i love so very much!
— every time i talk about listing prep it reminds me of the first time i ever did this work - almost six years ago, when i was assisting my good friend logan link up in the bay. logan & i spent many moons picking out paint colors & chotchkes & landscaping for the various cabins we were prepping for market. i remember realizing how much fun this process actually could be - not without stress or worry or friction, to be sure - but when you love the work, you love the work. the concept of taking something old & not changing it - but polishing it to a sheen.
— aside from listing prep, when it comes to general market temperature - things are slowly heating up again for the fall. summer is our slower season, what with everyone in europe, and now that people's paris and greece and italy trips are winding to a mellow close, we're seeing that uptick in activity. and it's resulting in those good ol' bidding wars that sellers love and buyers certainly do not!
— and some insight on that note…each month i'm in attendance at a top eastside agents meeting hosted by my colleagues & friends brock + lori, and this sentiment was echoed there. one agent remarked that a listing of hers recently received 18 offers! granted it was below $1M (LA's hottest sub-section of the market) but still, things are happening. not anywhere near the scale of previous years - a la, the sweet sweet 2-3 % interest rates in 2020/2021 - but happening nonetheless.
— and speaking of those rates - i am getting a lot of questions on them from my buyers. because they're just a major UGH nowadays. i'm often asked - when are rates dropping? how long will they stay mid-6's? and the answer is…you're focusing on the wrong thing, because girl, we just don't KNOW! and waiting for future lower rates is something i don't advise, for the following reasons:
— 1) when rates come down, a surge of demand will result in more competition. competition = prices will rise, often matching the discount you could have received in a less competitive, higher-rate environment.
— 2) if you're waiting to buy, you're missing out on a chance to have your monthly housing cost actually build equity and pay off your loan - a huge wealth generator, even with higher rates.
— 3) a common maxim in our industry is more relevant now than ever - date the rate, marry the house. because girl, you can always refi! that's what i'm planning on doing for my triplex at some point. when rates eventually come down in three, five, [insert number here] amount of years, i'll be able to refi and get a lower rate while having built equity, and not worrying about competition to secure the house itself. what matters more than the rate is the asset - buying the RIGHT property. whatever that means for you - whether it's the single-family on the best street in silver lake you can afford, or the multifamily with an amazing cap rate. that's what will pay off in the long run - way more so than the rate itself.
— and that's it for today's episode of girl math!
— in terms of what’s coming up … continually on the hunt with my buyers. prepping houses to launch. always searching for the best houses. below you’ll find a collection of listings i love on the market - & today i'm including two in guerneville so you can get the vibe!
— 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
