Don and Gary were moving from New York City to the Bay Area in the middle of the pandemic, seeking the California Dream. They wanted a level-in home with a big yard and a pool. When I met them they were trying to figure out what neighborhoods they liked and where everything was located on a map. My job was to help them learn the area and figure out what neighborhoods felt like home fast as prices were rising with every home sold. Competition was fierce. Lots of people wanted big yards and pools during the peak of the pandemic.          

We toured homes across the East Bay almost daily. We saw everything — even a home in the middle of a cow pasture! Eventually, we zoomed in on an area that excited them looked for a yard where they could build their own pool.         

I did my homework and found a house they loved with a big, flat backyard with easy access (to keep the price of pool installation manageable). Contractors were scarce, but shovels went in the ground within 3 months of Don and Gary moving into their California Dream home.