Real Estate Agent |
RAINMAKER 60,648 |
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kathleen bonham | ||
location_on Santa Rosa, CA — FHAllen, Sonoma Country and Vintage | ||
web Vintage Homes in Sonoma County California, etcetera |
I began my career in real estate 31 years ago following in my grandmother's footsteps in San Francisco. Well, things have certainly changed since then! The virtual world has transformed everything including real estate.
What really gets my creative juices flowing is identifying the architecture of each home and then marketing the house with the design and style consistent with its period. There is a cognitive dissonance when the decor of the house conflicts with its provenance or architectural character. This applies to all houses...from the simple to grand! That is why the kind of "artificial staging" one frequently encounters not only is ineffective but can in fact detract from the homes appeal. Each home is unique and I have spent years learning to assess the traits that give a residence its distinctive character.
My love for Vintage homes is clearly reflected in my blog site that discusses the McDonald Historic district's collage of gracious homes. I presently live in a 1924 Norman Tudor in the historic district in Sonoma County, California. My first vintage home was a 1917 Edwardian in the Inner Richmond of San Francisco.Since then I have lived and renovated 5 more Vintage homes.
Member of the Historical Society.
My husband and I moved back to the West Coast after he retired from working on Capitol Hill for over 30 years. The pull back to the San Francisco Bay area was a natural transition for us as my sister, Jeanne and my niece, Elena have lived in the same flat my parents lived in at the end of World War II. My grandmother was a realtor in San Francisco and my sister and daughter work in the industry today.
I guess with age comes some wisdom and although these are difficult times there has never been a greater need for agents to provide clients with the facts and knowledgeable professional advice. Yes, the real estate market is shifting in many different ways. Baby-boomers are scaling down, lifestyles are simplifying, people are walking and riding more and want to be close to shops, restaurants, green grocers and walkable neighborhoods with sidewalks and front porches. "Walk-score" has become a way to determine if a neighborhood receives high marks for these kinds of amenities. "Green Living" is the new shorthand for energy efficient behavior and cost effective housing.
As our world constantly changes many things remain the same. Location, Price and Condition are STILL the fundamentals in purchasing a home. We have more tools, more information, more financial products, but in the final analysis it all comes back to the basics.
Homes and the people that buy them are not commodities. Every home has its own character and potential and every person has their own dreams...and my job is to match them. Vintage Home Specialist- se