It’s Good to Be Home

I TRAVEL. A LOT. And it makes me love Marin more every time I return. It also makes me love our company more with every trip. “I live in Sausalito — it’s the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge” is my favorite line when asked where I am from. I beam with pride as I describe what the rolling fog pouring over the mountain into the bay not only looks like, but feels like. Karl is powerful and to me it resembles a waterfall pouring over the hills — it feels like you are in the middle of a dream. Something so natural arrives like a beautiful secret that you alone experience. It would take a poet to properly describe it. Even after calling Sausalito home for years now, the experience of living here never loses its charm.

I was talking to a friend the other day and we had a very deep discussion about what it means to be home; “What is home?” was the question, and his answer blew me away. He’s from Venezuela and he grew up in Caracas. The smell of a local baseball field felt like home to him; it reminded him of his childhood, when life wasn’t so complicated and everything was possible. Home isn’t just a physical place, it’s a community, family, friends, sounds, smells; it’s a sense of place where you feel like life makes sense and your heart is pure. It’s a little different for each of us, but what it means to me is the freedom and room to grow and explore the world.

While I am on the topic of home, I have to mention one of my favorite Marin nonprofits, Lifehouse. We recently attended the organization’s annual Great Chefs & Wineries fundraiser and it was everything I remember it being from past years and more. The organization helps those with developmental disabilities hone the skills necessary to create their own independent lives and homes where they can confidently hang their hats. The event was filled with delicious food, wonderful wine, incredible company and, of course, those heartwarming Lifehouse dancers. The pure joy they radiate will bring a smile to my face for months to come.

I know I mention this often, but the importance of gratitude can never be overstated — I’m so thankful for the company culture we’ve built and the freedom it affords us. When I dream about home, I’m always in my apartment in Sausalito. I’m safe and at peace. It’s a magical place to hang my hat.

For nearly 40 years, Vanguard Properties has dedicated itself to creating a space in which communication and collaboration act as cornerstones to our business – providing our agents and clients alike with the most up-to-date and innovative luxury service.