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I am an ECOGREEN REAL ESTATE AGENT

What does this means to you ?  That I understand the economic value of a well-designed space using durable, resource efficient, materials.   And that I am mindful of the role construction methods and materials selection can play in indoor air quality, energy conservation, and personal well-being. 

I assist buyers in recognizing and comparing the design and structural components of one home to another and can offer an educated opinion on the merit of green upgrade projects that have already been done or are being considered.    

For sellers who've invested in energy efficient products and/or green building materials and techniques I can knowledgeably and effectively market their home without relying merely on price per square foot valuations (which often have little relevance to value) and I can intelligently respond to questions from both buyers and their agents concerning the merits of a home's energy efficiency and green design features.

I nurture 'green industry' connections with contractors, policy makers, designers, installers, and suppliers to whom I can refer clients with questions I cannot answer.  And I continue to deepen my knowledge of all things green by attending classes provided by PG&E for people in the trades and seminars offered through local professional and community organizations on innovative building practices and hot topic legislative activities.

I am also a CERTIFIED GREEN BUILDING PROFESSIONAL and regularly attend the monthly North Bay Guild meetings of Build It Green --- a Bay Area based non-profit member organization dedicated to the promotion of healthy energy and resource efficient building practices throughout California by partnering with local governments and housing industry stakeholders to accelerate the adoption of green building practices and to develop pragmatic solutions to environmental challenges

I 2009 I launched ELDER CONCIERGE REAL ESTATE SERVICES,  a niche service offering for seniors and their families.

Recognizing that a lack of familiarity with housing alternatives was often a hindrance to making a much needed move, my agent associate, who is also a senior Real Estate Specialist, and I developed the most comprehensive list of all senior housing communities in Sonoma county --- from assisted living and memory care communities to 'senior only' rentals, senior mobile home parks, and own-your-own-home retiree developments.  We offer custom designed tours of these options so that elders and/or their adult children can explore the possibilities before making a decision to sell.

Deciding how to begin and the best place to move to --- especially if accustomed to decision-making with a partner who's no longer present --- may feel quite overwhelming.  Leaving the familiarity of a home where one has lived for many years can be intimidating. Downsizing from a ‘family sized' home to a studio apartment can be a challenge.   Just the thought of preparing a home for market, of managing the paperwork and the negotiations may cause some folks to stay in situations that no longer best serve their needs.

To help manage an Elder's sale and move, we act as a services concierge --- making referrals and coordinating the activities of other professionals and service providers when such assistance is needed.

I'm also a CERTIFIED DISTRESSED PROPERTY EXPERT meaning that I've taken training so that I am more well prepared than a typical agent, without considerable trial and error experience, at taking on the challenge of guiding a seller through the maze of short sale negotiations.  And because I understand the seller's process in depth I can also more effectively represent a buyer --- to get the offer accepted and to do the best that can be done from the buyers side to bring that offer to a successful conclusion.

I am a two times Sonoma County COUNTRY PROPERTIES GRADUATE --- in 1994 and again in 2006 so as to stay informed of any changes in land use or building department policies.  I grew up on a ranch in Nebraska, now live in a rural area west of Santa Rosa, and am well versed in the many issues of concern when buying or selling country properties, such as septic capacity, well water yield, easements and boudanaries and, most improtantly, permitted uses.

I love learning and I love sharing what I've learned.